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I hadn't actually listened to the earlier volumes in Liberator Chronicles but was lured into volume 5 because I've really enjoyed the prior work of 2 of the writers, Una McCormack and James Goss. (No offence to Simon Guerrier of whom I am now ALSO a fan!) But I'll read anything of James' after "Almost Perfect" which was genius :-) and really enjoyed Una's "The Way Through the Woods" although it was lighter on gender swapping sauciness but then again spot on Rory, swoon!

This Big Finish series sits somewhere between audio book and radio play, with a solid reading having some back up actors/cameos, music and sound effects. As such they are described as "enhanced audio books." Not quite a full dramatization. This actually makes them very easy listening for the commuter – my brain didn’t have to work too hard to keep up with the voice changes!

Volume 5 has 3 tales

"Logic" is essentially a Louise Jameson performance, with a bit of added Paul Darrow. She's a beautiful reader, and the story is a further exploration of the Federation's "messing with your head" predilection. I found it moved at a good pace, and full of the moral dilemmas I always loved in B7. No tidy endings here! The original B7 cast have minor but key roles. With my interest in “How the Federation works”, I really enjoyed this one, with its info on domes and suppressants etc.

"Risk Management" had a touch of the Firefly about it with a good old smuggler, sorry, "free trader", tale. You know from the beginning – maybe because of Blake’s warm, chucklesome reassuring voice? – that somehow the combo of Blake and Jenna is going to come out on top, but getting there is a charming process. It felt very heisty/ rompy, and was the most “fun” of the three. It’s going into my “things that cheer me up” pile. I especially enjoyed how the characters not taking part were referenced; it felt like the whole B7 family was being included, and it worked well.

And "Three" has the unusual outcome of exploring Servalan's childhood, and her family. I don't think I had ever considered that she may have had a family, imagining her as the product of some 1984esque bottle growth plant. “Three” is set in S2, but I'm going to recommend watching Children of Auron quite soon after listening; it adds an extra layer. It’s a great script matched with a great performance from Jacqueline Pearce, which will give you sexy chills. (Also, there is lego. Yes, there really is!)

All 3 stories have strong and consistent characterisation with the crew members we know. If I get a time machine I'd vote for any of these writers to replace Ben Steed, please, PLEASE!

If there is a minor quibble it is that the actors voices are showing their age; a bit huskier, with less clipped enunciation. The listener needs to suspend disbelief just a tad as Roj Blake sounds like he’s going to offer you a Wether's Original at any moment. However it was a much easier mind-hop than Daniella Nardini as Servalan in “Liberator” et al. I guess I like my old shows old school; and after the first minute or so my disbelief was easily suspended.

At £20 it’s not a cheap volume, but the replayability I’d say is decent; I listened each way on my long train journeys this weekend and found new turns of phrase, nuances and layers of meaning the second time. I’m probably going to wait for a Big Finish sale weekend before catching up on the back volumes, but will be subscribing for the next editions. Up to volume 8 looks planned on the BF website; I'd be really happy to have these writers back for another round.