Review Space 1999 (1975)
- Thread starter Doctor Omega
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Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Just picked this up today, for a mere 50p, so can't complain!
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
Excellent! I first bought this back in 77 I think and still have it today! The first six books are all stories from the first series while there are four books 7,8,9 and 10 based on the original cast and crew!
The second series of books are from the scripts for series two and are all written by Michael Butterworth! Sadly the sixth and final book was not released in the UK but I was able to purchase it from Abe's books in the US! The final story is The Immunity Syndrome and gives the Alphans the happy home they've always wanted unlike the actual televised episode!
JB
The second series of books are from the scripts for series two and are all written by Michael Butterworth! Sadly the sixth and final book was not released in the UK but I was able to purchase it from Abe's books in the US! The final story is The Immunity Syndrome and gives the Alphans the happy home they've always wanted unlike the actual televised episode!
JB
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
The second book of the first series I had trouble getting! Firstly I got a copy from Clapham market and that was about gnarled but I found another copy in Leicester in the nineties! A little better but not brilliant! Still it's better to have these beauties than not!
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
I remember borrowing this hardback from my local library when I was a teen...
I am still uncertain whether it was a novelisation of several episodes or a completely original novel.....
And this next one truly confused me, as it showed the beginning of the series and then seemed to end the entire series, giving a final ending of the saga to the Season One cast and crew of Moonbase Alpha.
All very odd!
Are these from the volumes 7, 8, 9 or 10 that you mentioned, JB?
I am still uncertain whether it was a novelisation of several episodes or a completely original novel.....
And this next one truly confused me, as it showed the beginning of the series and then seemed to end the entire series, giving a final ending of the saga to the Season One cast and crew of Moonbase Alpha.
All very odd!
Are these from the volumes 7, 8, 9 or 10 that you mentioned, JB?
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johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
Android Planet is book 8 and is a new story, not from the televised scripts! Earthfall is a standalone book written by E C Tubb! It has the first episode rewritten again but this time with anti-matter being the catalyst for the moon's exodus into space! It also has the ending where the moon returns to a shattered earth (I think? As it's a long time since I've read it!) and the crew return home and resettle earth! A happy ending!
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Ah, back in the day when canon was a mis-spelled detective show.
I love the crazy (and so wrong, they were wonderfully right) offshoots of our favourite shows that we used to get, such as TV Comic WHO and it's Dalek-wanabee Trodds and Mondosian Cybermen - and Tony Attwood's BLAKE'S 7 book which everyone seems to have quietly agreed to forget, coz it could not have been more unpopular if it had tried - and EARTHFALL, a completely contradictory finale for the show, which had me scratching my head in confusion when I found it.
Thanks for clearing that up about ANDROID PLANET, JB.
Wish they would reprint some of this stuff, but I doubt we will ever see either EARTHFALL or AFTERLIFE repackaged in any way, simply because they don't "fit". I think these daft works have nostalgia value of their own and shouldn't be entirely forgotten.
And I still want to read STATE OF MIND, the follow up to AFTERLIFE that never got published.
I love the crazy (and so wrong, they were wonderfully right) offshoots of our favourite shows that we used to get, such as TV Comic WHO and it's Dalek-wanabee Trodds and Mondosian Cybermen - and Tony Attwood's BLAKE'S 7 book which everyone seems to have quietly agreed to forget, coz it could not have been more unpopular if it had tried - and EARTHFALL, a completely contradictory finale for the show, which had me scratching my head in confusion when I found it.
Thanks for clearing that up about ANDROID PLANET, JB.
Wish they would reprint some of this stuff, but I doubt we will ever see either EARTHFALL or AFTERLIFE repackaged in any way, simply because they don't "fit". I think these daft works have nostalgia value of their own and shouldn't be entirely forgotten.
And I still want to read STATE OF MIND, the follow up to AFTERLIFE that never got published.
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
Afterlife doesn't actually contradict Blakes 7 does it? It's set after Blake so it can't do and since the BBC or anyone else failed to pick up the show for another series it's all we've really got, Doc!
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Well, there was was Paul Darrow's LUCIFER trilogy, which I couldn't get into. And that audio of THE LOGIC OF EMPIRE, which was another one I didn't really take to, with a trying to be too clever, imo, circular ending.
.
My heart is sort of still with the clunky AFTERLIFE, though, coz it got there first and was announced at "the authentic sequel", so I accepted it as such at the time.
Or as Tony Attwood himself, explained it......
"I'm moved to write this to try and clarify a couple of points that related to the writing of Afterlife.
The book came about when it became clear that there was not likely to be a 5th series of Blake's at least for another couple of years, because of contractual arguments which by and large had nothing to do with the series, but were happening off stage.
Having written The Programme Guide to the series I was asked to write a book which could be turned into four episodes.
My instructions were to work with Avon and Vila and to keep within the format - but not to introduce anything that would cause too much confusion if the 5th series were made.
As the novel developed I suggested that we could consider doing 2 novels - the second being State of Mind, which would resolve the issues in Afterlife - which are left hanging reading for the next events.
This idea was welcomed, but then those contractual arguments got in the way.
A lot of hardcore fans didn't like Afterlife - criticising both what I did with the characters, and what happened in the storyline, but to balance that (and to keep me feeling moderately happy) there was a lot of nice stuff from people who just watched the show but never subscribed to the fanzines etc.
If you enjoyed Afterlife - I'm glad you did. If not - well, sorry. I thought it worked ok, but we all have our own style."
.
My heart is sort of still with the clunky AFTERLIFE, though, coz it got there first and was announced at "the authentic sequel", so I accepted it as such at the time.
Or as Tony Attwood himself, explained it......
"I'm moved to write this to try and clarify a couple of points that related to the writing of Afterlife.
The book came about when it became clear that there was not likely to be a 5th series of Blake's at least for another couple of years, because of contractual arguments which by and large had nothing to do with the series, but were happening off stage.
Having written The Programme Guide to the series I was asked to write a book which could be turned into four episodes.
My instructions were to work with Avon and Vila and to keep within the format - but not to introduce anything that would cause too much confusion if the 5th series were made.
As the novel developed I suggested that we could consider doing 2 novels - the second being State of Mind, which would resolve the issues in Afterlife - which are left hanging reading for the next events.
This idea was welcomed, but then those contractual arguments got in the way.
A lot of hardcore fans didn't like Afterlife - criticising both what I did with the characters, and what happened in the storyline, but to balance that (and to keep me feeling moderately happy) there was a lot of nice stuff from people who just watched the show but never subscribed to the fanzines etc.
If you enjoyed Afterlife - I'm glad you did. If not - well, sorry. I thought it worked ok, but we all have our own style."
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Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
He sounds a little bit burned from the experience to me.
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
I didn't mind Afterlife to be honest! Avon and Vila had survived the massacre on Gauda Prime! Later on we discover that Tarrant survived as well but was probably killed later on in the book anyway! I can't remember if Servalan was in the book but I'd guess that she was and wasn't the ship at the end christened Blake?
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Yes, Servalan was in the book
There was also a pointless duplicate of Orac called Caro. Very odd. And another handheld computer called Katt, that Avon had built.
A woman called Korrell joined the crew.
Yes, I think the ship is called Blake....
and met a sticky end, being casually shot by a woman who wanted revenge on her.
There was also a pointless duplicate of Orac called Caro. Very odd. And another handheld computer called Katt, that Avon had built.
A woman called Korrell joined the crew.
Yes, I think the ship is called Blake....
And Avon's sister called Tor, whom he has never mentioned, turns up, piloting it - and is probably more evil and ambitious than Servalan was!.
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johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
I don't remember that Servalan was killed or Avon's sister turning up, but hey I haven't read the thing for thirty years or near I'm guessing, Doc!
JB
JB
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
I've always wondered if Tony Attwood is the same guy who writes books about people with Aspergers syndrome?
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
I would write to BIG FINISH asking them it they can do a talking book version of AFTERLIFE - or even a dramatisation, but I suspect they will tell me to spack off!! 
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johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
Well if they don't then Tom Baker will! 
JB
JB
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
Yes I heard about this on FB yesterday! A big surprise and very sad too! Zienia was only seventy two which is no age these days!
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
I think this looks so right - and so wrong - at the same time!
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Space: 1999 Original Eagle 1 Studio model (as seen today)