THE WAY BACK Blake's 7

After helping to develop TV's “Doctor Who,” Terry Nation created a science fiction series that proved both popular and influential: “Blake's 7.” Published in 1978 alongside the series, THE WAY BACK collects the first four episodes into novel form. Gareth Thomas, the original Blake, delivers the performance one would expect for a one-man play, without over-emoting or using dozens of accents. Instead, he imbues the pulpy story with a sense of dignity. BBC Audio adds original music and sound effects from the series, immersing the listener in the dystopia with explosions and laser fire, although a frequently applied vocal echo soon grates on the ear. The music occasionally drowns out Thomas's low-key voice but is generally effective. A.Z.W. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2010]