Blakes 7: The Liberator Chronicles

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

The only disappointment for me with this one was that some of the iconic sound effects were a bit off. They'd obviously tried to recreate the teleport and the gun sounds, and they weren't very good. The odd thing is, they're easily available too. I've got them. Maybe BF need me to send them to them!

Could be a clearance issue with using sound clips from the original series? Big Finish are very careful about these things and they're clearly under strict terms of license from B7E hence no stories set post-Blake.

[SiHart]

It just seemed a bit odd when they've used DW sound effects, which were also produced by the Radiophonic Workshop throughout their run, but couldn't use these. They even used the B7 teleport effect from season 4 in Three's A Crowd!

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

It just seemed a bit odd when they've used DW sound effects, which were also produced by the Radiophonic Workshop throughout their run, but couldn't use these. They even used the B7 teleport effect from season 4 in Three's A Crowd!

If they don't have the 'spinning a coin on a table' teleport sound effect then I'm not interested in them!!!

[Si Hunt]

Would they want to set stories after "Blake", what with everyone being dead and all?

Si.

[SiHart]

It'd be The Servalan + Orac Adventures!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I'm sure there was a suggestion that Avon might have somehow survived however B7E seem to have put the kibosh on that so it's only speculative.

[SiHart]

Only because they fell out with Paul Darrow!

[SiHart]

The second adventure is shaping up nicely. Michael Keating is excellent, effortlessly recreating Vila and keeping the story going throughout. The premise is nicely odd, and is keeping me guessing at the moment. Hopefully it won't all fall apart in the next few tracks... if it doesn't then we have two very good new Blake's 7 stories so far!

[Rob McCow]

I'd echo that - Michael Keating is absolutely fantastic in 'Solitary'. He's slightly edgier and less comical than Villa usually was, but that's understandable given the nature of the story. He really comes to life when they go down to a planet and encounter a swamp full of snakes and creepy-crawlies - it's great stuff.

[SiHart]

It didn't let us down! Wonderful story overall and one that worked very well. I do hope we get to hear more of Gustav Nyrron- he was a good character!

[SiHart]

More to come next year! http://bigf.eu/news/Blakes-7-Plans-for-2013-announced!

[Rob McCow]

The productions will see the return of Gareth Thomas as Roj Blake, Paul Darrow as Kerr Avon, Michael Keating as Vila Restal, Jan Chappell as Cally, Stephen Greif as Travis, Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan… with additional cast members yet to be announced.

Wooo! Greif and Pearce!

[SiHart]

Counterfeit was rather good too as it turns out. It wasn't as great as the other two though, and this is possibly because Blake isn't as interesting a character as Avon and Vila. Although a pretty standard story in many ways, this one used the audio medium well to plant some surprise twists that wouldn't have worked so well on TV.

So to sum up, the first boxset has been a wonderful success. I hope they can keep up the quality and I'm very much looking forward to hearing some with other characters in the next set.

[SiHart]

“The whole thing is done with care, research, love and respect” – Star One magazine on Blake’s 7: The Liberator Chronicles - Volume 1


Jacqueline Pearce, who now lives in Africa, has flown into the UK and is currently recording four brand new stories as the scheming and manipulative Servalan for the audio series Blake’s 7: The Liberator Chronicles. The series of enhanced audiobooks is being released in a licence deal with B7 Enterprises.

Servalan first wowed viewers with her stylish evening gowns, close-cropped hair and ambitions of power during the TV show’s first season in 1978. She went on to become a staple of the series over its four series, always plotting to bring down Blake, Avon and the crew of the Liberator.

Servalan will make her first appearance in Wolf by Nigel Fairs on Volume 2 of The Liberator Chronicles, which is released in August. The story finds Cally on a mission to discover what happened to the respected Auron scientist Gustav Nyrron (who appeared in the Volume 1 story Solitary) – and only Servalan knows the answer.

Wolf also stars Jan Chappell as Cally, while Anthony Howell (Foyle’s War) will be reprising the role of Nyrron.

The three-disc box set also includes The Magnificent Four by Simon Guerrier, which reunites Paul Darrow and Jan Chappell as Avon and Cally, who are abducted by a team of rebels that have stolen another ship from The System.

False Positive is by Eddie Robson, and stars Gareth Thomas as Blake and Beth Chalmers as Lian. Blake is under psychiatric evaluation on an alien planet – are his stories of subversion and rebellion just the ravings of a delusional mind?

Volume 2 of The Liberator Chronicles will be released in August 2012.

A range of new Blake’s 7 novels also launches in May 2012 with The Forgotten by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright.

Subscriptions and pre-orders are available at www.bigfinish.com

[Rob McCow]

That is a fabulous cover.

The three-disc box set also includes The Magnificent Four by Simon Guerrier, which reunites Paul Darrow and Jan Chappell as Avon and Cally, who are abducted by a team of rebels that have stolen another ship from The System.

I hope they recorded it in a nuclear power station, for authenticity!

[Lissa]

I'm really enjoying the first story in the set. Paul Darrow is fantastic and it feels like proper season 1 B7 despite the premise being very (new) Battlestar Galactica.

[Nyder]

Finally listened to Counterfeit today. Have to say, I enjoyed this most of all especially because of the twists at the end of the story which could only have been done on audio. Plus the relationship between Blake & Avon is still as spikey as ever!

So on reflection, really impressed with Vol. 1 - roll on Vol.2. In the meantime I'll continue watching S1 on DVD :-)

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Just finally finished the first story The Turing Test which owes something of a debt to Blade Runner but really gives Avon a chance to shine.

To go back to an earlier comment it's clearly not the original teleport effect but it sounds pretty good nonetheless. Perhaps Alistair Lock felt he could do a better job than the Radiophonic workshop did back in '78? Not that I'm suggesting he has done but it certainly doesn't sound as incongruous as I was expecting.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Teasing these out gradually I ended up just doing "Solitary" this afternoon which was very enjoyable. Already looking forward to the return of the Nyrron character in a future boxset.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Finished this off with "Counterfeit" which was good fun but possibly the least good story of the three. At times Gareth Thomas somehow sounded posher than he did 30 years ago whereas for Darrow and Keating recreating their old personas comes across as being a lot more effortless as if these could've been recorded in 1978.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Blake's 7 - Volume 2 Trailer Online!

Follow the product page link below for the option to either listen to the trailer in a pop-out player or download it as an mp3:

Blake's 7 The Liberator Chronicles Volume 2

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Blake's 7 writer's opportunity!

An open submissions window for Blake's 7 writers is announced

Big Finish is proud to announce a very special Blake's 7 book, which will comprise three original novellas, to be published in 2013. The book will consist of stories chosen from an open submissions opportunity, and it is being released in a licence deal with B7 Media.

Each novella will be approximately 20,000 words in length and can use any of the
characters and settings from the first season of Blake's 7 (plus, of course, new guest characters and settings of the author’s devising).

If you would like a chance to write one of these novellas, please email
b7writers@bigfinish.com with the following:

1. A complete outline of your proposed story, lasting no more than one page.

2. The first 1,000 words of the novella itself. (Please do not include the whole novella, we will only be reading the first few pages at this stage.)

3. A short paragraph telling us a little bit about yourself and your writing history. (It doesn't matter whether or not you've been published before.)

The deadline for submissions is midnight on 10 June 2012. Any emails received after this time will not be read. Please note that any stories not set during series one will sadly be disqualified. The chosen writers will be announced in September.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for all budding Blake’s 7 writers out there,” says Xanna Eve Chown, the books editor for Big Finish. “And it’s also a fantastic opportunity for us to discover new talent as we make our exciting plans for the future.”

[SiHart]

If I had more time this week and it allowed a season 4 story I'd have had a go!

[Anthony Williams]

Yah, if only it wasn't restricted to Season 1 - I have a Season 4 idea too!

[Si Hunt]

Full cast audio announced!

http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/blak...ull-cast-audio

Warship stars Gareth Thomas as Roj Blake, Paul Darrow as Kerr Avon, Michael Keating as Vila Restal, Sally Knyvette as Jenna Stannis, Jan Chappell as Cally, Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan and Alistair Lock as Zen and Orac.

Wow!

Si.