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Deadfall is the sixth Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures novel. It is the first novel to not feature Bernice Summerfield in the main character role; rather this novel's story focuses on Jason Kane. This also features the reappearance of Emile Mars-Smith who acts as Jason's "companion" and who was first introduced in Beyond the Sun. This novel also reintroduces Chris Cwej, who last appeared in Lungbarrow.
Publisher's summary
"We've a killer brain-eater on board, half of us are dead, and all you want to do is discuss your wretched fish. Do you sense a problem with your priorities?"
Jason Kane is out to impress his ex-wife, Bernice, and he has found the perfect way of doing it. He's convinced she knows the location of the legendary planet of Ardethe — a site of untold riches and forbidden knowledge So, after riffling through her bag for information, he sets off with his trusty crewman Emile to a barren and isolated rock.
As usual, Jason's plans go awry. Very soon people begin to die — and die quite horribly. They have awakened something beneath the planet's surface that's feasting on human brains. And when a ship full of hard-bitten female convicts arrives in the skies above the desolate world, the situation becomes even more complicated.
Someone is pulling the strings and watching the carnage. It could be any of the desperate prisoners, the reclusive crew, or the suspicious governor. Not knowing who the true foe is, Jason calls for help. Assistance arrives in the form of his old companion Christopher Cwej — just the man you'd want by your side in a tricky situation. But something terrible has happened to Chris, and now he can't even remember his own name.
Characters
References
Bars and pubs
- Bernice spends most of this adventure in the Witch and Whirlwind drinking beer. Jason orders a "scotch, neat. Double."
Books
- Bernice is now calling her sequel to Down Among the Dead Men; Down Among the Dead Men – Slight Return.
Conflicts
- The Orion War is mentioned.
Individuals
- Bernice Summerfield is not sexually attracted to Irving Braxiatel and therefore can work easily with him.
- Jason marries Charlene, to help her get a new identity.
Planets
Psychic powers
- Chris Cwej still has Psi abilities.
Psychology
- Prison camps sometimes use the Keller Principle which buries personality and emotions.
Species
- The Grutcha are a canine species.
Religion
- Emile’s father is a follower of the Natural Path.
Spacecraft
- Gossamer Wing and Mister Kiss-Kiss Bang Bang (also known as the KayBee 2) is the female prison ship which rescues Jason, Emile and Chris from the Ardethe system.
- Jason Kane owns a ship called the Mother Fist which he won in a game of Twister.
Notes
- This is one of the Bernice Summerfield novels which for most of the novel hardly has any "Benny centric" scenes.
- Deadfall is a remake of the Audio Visuals audio drama of the same name.
- This is the fifth of Gary Russell's novels to have a character with the name "Townsend" (in this case Marianne Townsend). This is because Russell's first high school crush was named Townsend.[1]
- Ensign Sax changes gender (across one page) on page 17. Ensign Sax briefly becomes male, being referred to as "Mr Sax", but is then female again at the bottom of the page. This is probably an example of the gender-neutral usage of "Mr" in a military context.
Continuity
- Benny and Jason last saw Chris Cwej in PROSE: Eternity Weeps.
- Chris last appeared in PROSE: Lungbarrow.
- Braxiatel still hasn’t attended Benny and Jason’s wedding, which is in Benny’s past but Braxiatel’s future. (PROSE: Happy Endings)
- Emile Mars-Smith was first introduced (and last appeared) in PROSE: Beyond the Sun.
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Eric Briggs; Gary Russell, Eddie Robson (1998). Doctor Who Bewildering Reference Guide to Deadfall. Doctor Who Bewildering Reference Guide. Retrieved on 22nd February 2010.