Blakes 7 - Trevor Hoyle

This was one of the first books I owned...
I remember a big article in Radio Times about the new BBC science-fiction series that was going to be launched, by the creator of the Daleks! Sphere books was getting famous because it published Star Wars in the UK, and they managed to close the deal for publishing a tie-in for Blakes 7 (is that with or without an apostrophe?) The cover of this edition featured the Liberator, which would only appear in the second episode. If I remember correctly, this same photo of the Liberator was a two-page spread in Radio Times.

This book, (ISBN 0722163215) cost 85p back in 1977, and contains the novelisations of the first four episodes, The Way Back, Space Fall, Cygnus Alpha and Time Squad, all episodes were written by Terry Nation.
I've heard a lot of criticism over the years about this book, saying that it was rushed, but I find it well written and paced. Having seen the series on DVD recently, I think I prefer the book. The special effects and some of the acting was painful to watch in places, and having read the book several times over the past thirty-odd years, I always imagined the effects better.
There are some differences between the book and the aired episodes, but clearly due to tv production cost cuts after Hoyle got the scripts to novelise.

Where this is going...

I have always been an avid reader, and always liked novelisations, since a very early age... One of the first books I can remember reading was a Doctor Who novelisation, The Tenth Planet, by Gerry Davis. I was fascinated with the material that was added to the book, the character background and motivations, and so on. It was also the only way to revisit my favourite films and TV programs, in an age where home video hadn't been invented yet.

I have a large collection of novelisations, and will be reviewing it here.

I hope you all enjoy this!