I have touched on this particular volume before in a previous blog, but I cam across the following article while going through some old papers, and I thought it worth reproducing here, it is from 2007, the year the book was published.
I have been reading the new Prisoner based book entitled Fall Out written by Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore. In truth I have not read all the book as yet, because I found it difficult to get into, and that's something for a fan of the Prisoner to admit, and the text has been printed in a small size font which does not help in the reading. My feeling about this book is one that you cannot sit down and read large sections, but instead it is a book to dip into now and again, which is what I have been doing. It is a pity that there are no pictures, maps or diagrams which help break up the text, but that is the price one pays for the book being both unofficial and unauthorised.
Another observation I have made is that the authors appear to have relied upon sources from previous published works, magazines, books, the de Agostini Prisoner Part Work and the like for much of the information within Fall Out. The only problem with using other sources, without carrying out your own research is firstly miss information, and diluted detail. Such as in the case when in the book No.6 is noted in having worn his numbered badge voluntarily just the once. This when he pinned the badge worn by Curtis, in the episode of The Schizoid Man onto his own blazer. Well that might have been correct in the original script, but it is not what we see on the screen. No.6 puts on Curtis's cream blazer, to which Cutis's badge is already attached, so as to impersonate Curtis. The explanation for the phrase "be seeing you" said in conjunction with the village salute by the authors is way off beam, and I should know. And as for the episodes A B and C and the Schizoid Man having the exact same Tally Ho newspaper, meaning that both episodes happened at the same time is ridiculous, if not laughable. The doll seen in the two episodes of Arrival and Checkmate is simply described as an "antique doll," with no mention of exactly what it is, or its two possible countries of origin! As for the description of the various posters seen on the walls of the jailhouse and Silver Dollar Saloon, well they are hardly the thing really I quote;
"Like the village, the jail contains various random posters and printed announcements. These include several 'wanted' posters, and one for some kind of performance, plus the more enigmatic/village-esque 'The Bishop Is Coming!'
And this is where the authors Stevens and Moore fall down, because the 'wanted' posters are all well and good, but that "some kind of performance" is not just any old performance, it is in fact an exhibition which actually took place during the late 1800's, and that's as much as I'm saying about it for the time being. As for 'The Bishop Is Coming,' that's not at all enigmatic, or village-esque, and can easily be explained when you know, and has been in my manuscript The Butler Speaks along with other researched material.
It is not for me to recommend this book, nor to put anyone off from actually buying a copy of Fall Out. In my experience you pays your money and you takes your choice. When I saw the list of names of people who aided in someway with this book I felt left out. But after reading what I have, seen how much other sources have been used in the writing of Fall Out I was actually pleased that I had not been approached by the two authors Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore. Because I wouldn't have wanted to give any of my research into the Prisoner and all related material away to other writers on the same subject, that wouldn't have been he thing at all.
Be seeing you
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