Season of Lies

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Fanfiction
Title: Season of Lies
Author(s): Ann Wortham and Leah Rosenthal
Date(s): 1986
Length:
Genre:
Fandom: Blake's 7
External Links:

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Season of Lies is a gen Avon/Tarrant Blake's 7 story by Ann Wortham and Leah Rosenthal.

It was published in Southern Seven #1.

This story won a 1987 Fan Q Award.

Reactions and Reviews

Unknown Date

On the non-smut front, "Season of Lies" is a long, gripping adventure using the "part of what we saw on screen was a fake" plot device familiar from the Mind of Man trilogy. But this story is very different and stands up well on its own; to judge by the LOCs is later issues, it's been a favorite with many readers. [1]

1987

I adored the way it ended, brilliant last few pages. [2]

It was the best zine Ihave ever read. The best story in it was "Season of Lies". The only thing wrong with it was that Cally wasn't there to help Avon with Servalan in the end. I, too, would "dearly love to see Servalan at the mercy of an enraged Cally," but that is just my opinion, since Cally is one of my favorite characters. The story is still fantastic the way it is.[3]

As for favorite stories, in SSS7 #1, I’m tied between "Season of Lies" and "Love & Necessary Discipline".[4]

...special commendation for "Season of Lies"! Although I've read and enjoyed Susan Matthew’s "Double-Edged Sword", and although I’ve seen 5th Season 'answers' ad naseum, "Season of Lies" is the answer.[5]

I did particularly enjoy "Season of Lies", and it concerns a Major Theme (warnings literary pedantry alert) very dear to me — the ability of the people we love to turn manipulation back against themselves, until the attempt to force a set of behaviors turns into a kind of—well—a sort of double-edged sword more or less, that cuts both ways. (Hey! Maybe there’s a title idea there!) Ahem. Sorry about that. I couldn’t help myself. [Well, of course, "Season of Lies” owes a lot to Susan’s novel DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, as her work was one of the very first I ever read in B7 fandom. It couldn’t help but have had an influence on my thinking. Leah, too, probably. Ed.][6]

I won't go into how much I enjoyed "Season of Lies" in this letter.... I just read the end of it and go "Awwww..."[7]

"Season of Lies" was my favorite non-BIZARRO story. (That opening scene was a killer, and Avon 'persuading' Servalan to tell him about Blake was wonderfully done.) [8]

As you know, I prefer stories that accept the plots of the shows as the Way It Happened. (Which means that I’d have trouble writing STAR TREK because I’d have to accept SPOCK’S BRAIN. Yuck.) But "Season of Lies" put a neat twist on it. Does this mean we are the dopey Federation tele-viewers?[9]

I like "Season of Lies". That's the neatest way yet I've seen to explain away Year 4—and with no one having to 'dream* it, either. Way to go! And I like the illos. (#ENVY#)[10]

"Season of Lies" was good and had an interesting concept.[11]

My favorite story in the zine is definitely "Season of Lies". That was great, and I loved the ending when they found Blake. Marvellous.[12]

I thought the best story was "Season of Lies" with a good plot and excellent characterizations. This story has made it to my top ten list![13]

"Season of Lies" turned out very nicely. Bravo. Captures the eerie feeling of that song in essence. It's a shame there isn't some way to get that music across to the reader, as well as the words. Oh, by the way, Phil Collins stole the instrumental inspiration for that from a classical artist by the name of Andreas Vollenvieter, off of an album called WHITE WINDS.[14]

"Season Of Lies" by you and whatserface was great — a really original idea! I am, however, curious about Blake's mental condition. Since there was no other Blake, he had to be the one who was used in the film to convince everyone that he was dead. Do you plan a sequel to this story? [Uh, believe it or not, yes. Ed.] [15]

I'd have to say that unquestionably my absolute favorite story in S7 was "Season of Lies", written by... guess who? Leah Rosenthal & Ann Wortham! And I think it only fair to say that it would probably be my favorite story even if I didn't know you. It is the niftiest solution to the Gauda Prime dilemma that I've ever heard of. "Season of Lies" kept me on the edge of my chair the whole time I was reading it. Now, granted, at first it was because I couldn't figure out exactly what was going on. But, knowing you, I trusted that all would be satisfactorily explained before the end; and it was. Resolved magnificently. Tied up all the little 'loose ends' in BLAKE beautifully! I love how you managed to 'save' Cally from death at Terminal, and it was nice the way you 'got' Blake back at

the end. Probably one of the reasons I'm so fond of this story is the way that you had Avon and Tarrant interact. (That's the main reason I'm so nutty about most of Susan's stories, too -- she 'does' Tarrant and Avon so nicely!) I love how you resolve the previous arguments between Avon and Tarrant regarding Avon's secretiveness in making decisions about strategy and taking the Liberator...wherever (like Terminal). Avon is more 'tuned in' to what is going on with his crewmembers — more sensitive, if you wish; and Tarrant seems to be a great deal more mature than he appears to be in the series — still idealistic and a little reckless, but much less so than in the actual series. I like that. People's relationships are not stagnant. They usually evolve through a process of trial and error. I like having the opportunity to consider that Avon and Tarrant managed to come to grips with their competitiveness, each appreciating the other's individual strengths and skills. Now, Avon's sensitivity is the main reason I love this story. You made him a humane, caring individual — not the 'cold-hearted SOB that he is so often written as. (Ooooh, excuse my grammar!) Anyway. I get so very tired of hearing Avon always described as 'cold-hearted', 'unfeeling', etc. Just because he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve doesn't mean that he doesn't care! It's refreshing to read a story in which Avon acts like I 'see' him — a strong, sensitive, deeply caring leader who is trying very hard to continue the battle which Blake began — and does so very well. I was deeply touched by the scene you wrote where the Liberator crew are watching the 'tapes' Orac has dredged up about the Scorpio and her crew. And yes, I loved seeing Tarrant get a chance to defend his actions in BLAKE, and that snide little remark about introducing Servalan to six feet of SAND was priceless! The scene where Vila doesn't want to get on the shuttle with Avon (to go down to Terminal) was heartrending. I could 'feel' his pain—and Avon's, and I loved how you made Avon decide to go alone only to find that Vila had chosen to go with him. I think that if that scene had really happened, it probably would have gone that way exactly! The scene where Avon calls Servalan's bluff and she admits that she still has Blake there on Terminal still alive is marvelous! I can easily see Avon being that calm and unruffled and convincing her that he was going to kill her. She certainly had it coming! I also liked Avon permitting himself to be drawn into an embrace with Vila and Blake at the end. All in all, a really nice story. Thank you for writing it![16]

"Season of Lies" is a good use of B7's own concepts against itself. (DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD is possibly the most thorough example of this, but you have another and quite independent story based on it here.) This may show something about the mutability of what we call reality, in a universe where any and all media can lie. The story is well worked out, and the conclusion is delightfully satisfactory.[17]

It's serious, but you can't take it seriously, if you see what I mean. Yeah, it's good.[18]

OK so the first para I read I thought, // oh no not another the 4th season was a fictional creation of President Servalan story// but it's good. It's original, which is tough under the circumstances. [19]

1991

Oh, just the concept was fascinating, let alone the quality of the writing that went with it. Too bad that in that alternative there was no 'real' Soolin, but you can't have everything, and actually, there wasn't time to miss her, because I was too busy enjoying the story.[20]

1994

I'm a brand new baby in the B7 universe, and I specifically sought out Southern Seven after reading about "Season of Lies" in Henry Jenkins book Textual Poachers. Please, also tell Leah that her cartoons are one of the first things I look for in Starlog[21]

References

  1. ^ from Sarah Thompson at Judith Proctor's Blake's 7 site
  2. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  3. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  4. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  5. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  6. ^ from a letter of comment by Susan R. Matthews in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  7. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  8. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  9. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  10. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  11. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  12. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  13. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  14. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  15. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  16. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  17. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  18. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #2 (1987)
  19. ^ from Jane Carnall in "touched" #10
  20. ^ from a letter of comment in "Southern Seven" #6
  21. ^ from a letter of comment in Southern Seven #8
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