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| Copyright relevant owner |
Hard to believe it's been 40-plus years since I bought a paperback called The Enigma Files by Christine Sparks, based on the BBC TV series of the same name. It had a similar concept to the much later show, New Tricks, and starred Tom Adams (purportedly once considered as a possible James Bond) and comedian Duggie Brown. It was a great wee show, so when I saw the paperback on sale in the shops I promptly bought it. Still got it too.
It's not exactly pristine and I had to re-attach the cover at some point. I couldn't now say whether it just wasn't very well bound or I'd lent it to someone to read (from before I adopted a 'non-lending' policy) and got it back in its 'worse-for-wear' condition, but I tarted it up a little and decided to keep my eye out for a better condition copy to take its place. I even contacted BBC Books, but received a card saying the book was now unavailable. (I'm pretty sure I've still got that card somewhere, so when I find it I'll add it the post.)
Anyway, never saw one until relatively recently on eBay (whatever would we do without the Internet, eh?) and was surprised to learn there'd also been a hardback edition, which I bought a few days ago via AbeBooks for not much more than it originally cost in 1980.
It arrived today and is in excellent condition, but I'll still keep its 41 year old predecessor as it'd be cruel to dispense with it after all this time. I'm surprised to see from the cover photograph that Tom Adams looks like a friend I had around 1979 to '86 or '87, but I no longer recall whether I was aware of the resemblance then or not. It's possible I was, though I couldn't swear to it, but I noticed the similarity right away today. If you're a long-term reader you've seen him referred to as Bob Billens, though that isn't his real name, just a close approximation.
These days my memory comes and goes, so it's always possible I might yet remember being previously aware of the likeness and having remarked upon it to Bob - which actually sounds familiar now that I've typed it. Not that it's important to anything, but just thought I'd mention it.
I seem to recall there being a discrepancy in the book about the age of the main protagonist's (Nick Lewis) daughter, so if true, when I get around to re-reading it (I've re-read my original paperback at least once over the decades, possibly even twice), it will be good to see that some parts of my memory still hold up. Any Crivvies ever read this book or watch the TV series, and if so, what did you think of it/them? As ever, the comments section awaits.
Anyway, I know I enjoyed it as a mere teenage youth (not that it's a book aimed at a younger readership), so it's a book you may enjoy reading as well if you haven't already done so (and even if you have).
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Update: I've now found the card (below) mentioned in the second paragraph. Although it's a postcard, it came in an envelope so unfortunately there's no date on the card to say which year I received it. Not sure why I don't still have the envelope as I usually keep such things, but there's no guarantee the postmark would've been legible anyway.
Did I make my enquiry before moving to the abode I stayed in between May 1983 and August '87, or had I returned to my current home when I contacted the BBC about a replacement? Or was I in that other house when I made my enquiries? Can't recall, alas, so the info is lost to history. I suspect, though, that it was either while I still lived here (pre-flitting) or the other place.
The 01 dialling code for London was changed in May 1990, so I obviously must've received the card sometime before then.
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| Note that they didn't get the book's title quite right |
25 comments:
You're lucky it was only the cover that fell off - I once bought a softcover book called 'The Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles Of The Seventies' and all the pages fell out just a few months after I'd bought it!
Afraid this doesn't ring a bell at all with me. Checked the opening sequence on YouTube but can't ace it. It was 1980 so as I would have been 20 I was probably out if it was a weekend show.
Yeah, I've had at least a couple of books like that as well, CJ. I use wood glue on the spine after 'squaring' off the coverless pages and putting them in the vise of my workbench. Then when the glue is dry I reattach the cover. Unless I told you (which I just have), you wouldn't know they'd been repaired.
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I can't remember whether it was a weekend show or not, McS, though I have a feeling it was a weekday show (might be mistaken). However, it's an entertaining show and well-worth watching. Trouble is, as far as I know, it's never been released on video or DVD, so it'll have to be You Tube if you fancy watching a complete episode.
I had a similar issue to Colin when I bought a large hard back book called the "Pictorial history of Science Fiction". After about 3 months about half of the pages fell out. Shame as it was a nice book.
After thinking about it, I can now remember four books where that happened to me, McS. It's very annoying.
Like Paul I have no memory at all of The Enigma Files. When I was 13 I persuaded my father to buy me a black & white Ferguson portable TV which was delivered on Wednesday, June 13th 1979 and that very evening a new BBC drama series began which I watched on my brand new portable TV - on reading this post I thought at first that 'The Enigma Files' was that TV series but, in fact, it was called 'The Omega Factor' starring Louise Jameson (Leela from Doctor Who).
I don't seem to recall The Omega Factor, CJ, so I'll have to watch an episode on YouTube to see if it prompts my memory. Still got that b&w telly?
Never heard of the enigma files but just thought I'd let you know that the omega factor is showing on forces tv from 25 October.
Ta for that - I'll have to look up the channel number first, but I'll try and watch an episode to see if I like it.
I've got only a handful of paperbacks derived from TV shows, and most of them were at least semi-popular shows like LAND OF THE GIANTS. But I still have a PB based on a one-season wonder called THE MOST DEADLY GAME, which starred George Maharis and Yvette Mimieux. An interesting curiosity, no idea if it's worth anything to hardcore collectors.
I'm sure there are fans of the show who'd love to own the book, GP, but I suppose its value depends on how many were printed at the time. If it's not difficult to obtain, it's probably not worth a fortune. Maybe a Crivens reader will make you an offer through the blog if you're thinking of selling.
I seem to remember that the Omega Factor attracted some criticism for a violent episode but that's about all I remember.
I remember nothing about it, McS, though that could change when I eventually watch an episode. In my dotage my memory sometimes needs a little prompt.
Kid, my b&w portable TV lasted until the autumn of 1990 so I had over 11 years service out of it. Curiously I first got my TV a few weeks after Margaret Thatcher became Prime-Minister and it finally gave up the ghost only a few weeks before she resigned.
Although I don't remember The Enigma Files I do remember Tom Adams as Lord Fogarty in The Onedin Line which was one of my father's favourite TV programmes.
Your TV had clearly had enough of her, CJ. I liked The Onedin Line as well. That was where I first saw Jane Seymour before she appeared in Live & Let Die.
As a long-time fan of crime series from the UK I thought that I knew most of them but The Enigma Files was a new one on me. I've enjoyed Tom Adams work on the verious series that I have seen him in, including Onedin. Always brings a touch of class.
Pity Enigma never had a video or DVD release, but I have downloaded over half of the 15 episodes from You Tube and watched a few. A very enjoyable series. Thanks to your post I have found something new (old) to watch.
I've had The Omega Factor on disc for years. The series hasn't aged well but is still quite entertaining. A lot of these series were shot on video which is not a medium that lends itself to creating much atmosphere, which is where good writing and acting come in.
Interestingly, PC, there are only 8 of the 15 stories in the book, so I'd say it's well-past time for a second volume with the remaining 7. The stories are obviously adaptations of the TV episodes, but have an extra dimension in that you have access to the characters' thoughts, which you don't get from the show. Also, the exposition is well-written and, again, adds an extra dimension. Have now re-read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Would highly recommend it to you, even if you have already watched the episodes.
I suspect it will eventually find its way onto DVD, and I'll certainly be buying it when it does. Might even spring for The Omega Factor if it's on DVD - if it's not, it will be one day.
For my 10th birthday my mother's cousin gave me a paperback adaptation of Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes and another paperback featuring the adaptations of two of the episodes from the TV series. I think there were three such paperbacks in total which adapted episodes from the TV series but I only ever had one of them.
Did you enjoy it, CJ, and can you remember any of it after all this time? And would you read it again if you still had it?
I think I enjoyed those paperbacks but no I can't remember anything about them and yes I would read them again if I could.
My mother's cousin (my sister and I called her "Auntie" Linda) also bought me a hardback book called 'Planet Of The Apes' for my 10th birthday which I remember much more vividly than the two paperbacks. It included summaries of the plots of all five apes movies and it also included two comic-strip adventures featuring the characters from the POTA TV series which I was glad to see because the POTA comics completely ignored the TV series.
The POTA comics featured occasional articles about the TV series though, didn't they, even if they didn't have strips based on the TV episodes? I've started seeking out '70s Marvel UK Annuals to fill gaps in my collection, but I don't think there were any for POTA or Dracula Lives connected to the weeklies. I don't know why I keep going, as I simply don't have the space to display them freely - I have to tuck them away somewhere.
I do the same thing, in regard to collecting. If I see something that either connects with or documents something from my past I'll order now - find space later, if it comes up at the right price. Areas of interest take prominence on my shelves depending on a particular focus at a certain time, with (usually) books moving onto a prominent place on the available shelf space for a time and then months later being put back into storage to be replaced by another set of books relating to something else that intrigues me after that.
Even though these things are not always easily at hand I do enjoy knowing that I have them in the house and can dig them out if I want to read them.
I suppose I just like to know that aspects of my youth are there whenever the fancy takes me to relive my past, PC, which is why I keep buying stuff. Sometimes I think about getting rid of some of my duplicate comics and Annuals, but I fear I'd then have to buy something again if my sole surviving copy of a particular publication got damaged. One day I'm going to get a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookcase in one of my rooms (with mirrored doors), so that I can access my collection more easily.
I thought that was Barry Atwater. He played Surak on Star Trek and the Vampire in Kolchak the Night Stalker. But it isn’t ! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Atwater
I'd say there's only a superficial resemblance, PS. Loved Kolchak.
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