The Powysverse of Space 1999 w/ Mateo Latosa

THIS EPISODE: I’m joined in Derry & Toms by Powys Media’s Mateo Latosa and, via ringer (Phil), Patricia Sokol, to talk about Space 1999 and the 20-plus-year efforts of Powys Media to keep the show alive via novelisations and original stories.

I was very lucky to receive a copy of the incredible (and impressively girthed) Space 1999 Year One Omnibus c/o Mateo. A handful are still available, and you can grab a copy here.

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From the Powys website:

SPACE:1999 YEAR ONE is the long-awaited, licensed omnibus of the novelizations of all the episodes of the series’ first season episodes. Originally published as six separate volumes by authors E.C. Tubb, John Rankine and Brian Ball, this omnibus contains all the episodes that appeared in those original books but also contains a new novelization of the episode Earthbound (formerly not included in the individual novelizations), written by Patricia Sokol. There are also new novelizations of the episodes Force of Life and End of Eternity written by William Latham. Finally, a previously unpublished twenty-fifth episode, called Operation Deliverance, written by Rupert Booth, has been added.

All the episode novelizations have been revised for continuity with each other and with the rest of the “Powysverse” novels and short stories. The idea, from the beginning, has been to create an interconnected, internally consistent, literary epic tale of the Alphans’ odyssey.

The editing team spent, literally, years working on this omnibus and are proud to finally publish it as the definitive chronicle of Moonbase Alpha for the enjoyment of the series’ fans.

This omnibus, the companion to Powys Media’s earlier work, SPACE:1999 YEAR TWO by Michael Butterworth, is bound in a black vinyl cover with embossed gold lettering. It features forewords by all three of the original novelizations’ authors, a publishing history, and a detailed note from editors about the thoughts and methodology behind the editing process.

Entropic State Report 12th August 2022

The world is on fire. When thermometers in Bradford, up in the hills of West Yorkshire, hit 37 degrees celsius something is definitely way off with the world.

The UK is in the midst of democracy spasms as around 150,000 mostly oldsters choose their favoured mannequin to take over the reigns of government. One an evil billionaire that wants ‘basket case cities’ like Hull, Liverpool and Newcastle to become Charter Cities (think Delta City with less attractive police officers). The other a ruthless void of empathy that seeks only to appeal to the right wing nutjobs in her party. Both will continue to eagerly blow their corporate sponsors, billionaires that want not just a continuation of the status quo, but an acceleration of the wholesale asset stripping of the country.

For most of us it’s like the choice between shit with nuts in or shit with sweetcorn in.

Truly it is the right time for a saviour.

Unfortunately we appear to be short on 12 foot tall golden hermaphrodites at the moment so we’ll just have to suck it up. And when the time comes, vote well. And avoid Russian smoked porters.

In other news, since our Winds of Gath episode (yes, it was about three years too long… don’t @ me) I’ve dived deep down that Dumarest rabbit hole and have ended up with about 17 volumes. I also discovered the joys of Mr Tubb’s Space 1999 novelisations. Excited I was when I realised he’d penned two original novels based on the adventures of the Moonbase Alpha crew. One, Alien Seed, is pictured above. The other, Earth Fall, actually concludes their saga. Unfortunately it’s a bit steep on the price front and I need to hoard my wing-wangs for fuel bills and pickled eggs, so that’s one only to covet for the time being. Irritatingly, friend of the show Miles picked up one of those S1999 novelisations and his cover is way better than mine.

Damn you Miles.

Speaking of Miles, he and his buddy Charlie X have just launched their new show, the Casual Trek Podcast. As a casual Trek fan myself (very casual – I’m TOS to the core with a bit of DS9 and TNG love to spare – all other Trek takes up no space in my brain) I’m looking forward to diving in. Follow Casual Trek on twitter.

On our own episode schedule, we have:

more musings on RPGs are in the can and awaiting editing and there’ll be an addendum to that that is yet to be recorded
Dave is ahead of me on his homework for The Mad God’s Amulet Book Two
Derek AKA Imrryr is up for talking The Black Corridor
Andy Darby will be coming on to talk Moorcock and his novel Me and the Monkey
The Fortress of the Pearl Part Two will happen when Loz and I can actually get co-ordinated
Tash has finally rocked up and demanded steak and to talk about Nine Princes in Amber
and a couple of other irons are warming

Of course we have also had the poll for our 2022 Halloween episode live for a week or so. The Fog is miles ahead. Still plenty of time to vote though.

That’s all for this report.

Take care… stay safe… something something moonbeam roads.

The Winds of Gath – an Old Pier Bookshop Special

The Winds of Gath – an Old Pier Bookshop Special

Phil returns to Derry & Toms as we visit Morecambe’s (and perhaps the world’s) premier second hand book vendor to select a candidate for the first ever Old Pier Bookshop Special.

We choose, or rather are chosen by, The Winds of Gath by EC Tubb – first in a 33 book series spanning three decades that charts the adventures of Earl Dumarest of Terra.

In honour of old school SF we drink old school beers. Well, I do. Phil drinks fancy wine. But we meet in the middle when the mysterious books of booze box appears for the first time in D&Ts.

What mysteries does the books of booze box hold?

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Chapter 13 of The Journal of Gerard Arthur Connelly was scored by N Λ N D.

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