Chronicles

Editor: Sue Clarke
Universe: Blakes7

Reviewed by Kathryn A in 1996

This is an attempt of a list of which issues of Chronicles, that long-running Blake's 7 fanzine, are the best ones to get. Now, since there are so many of them, I'll try to be ruthless, and wean down the list, instead of just commenting on every issue. I am not taking into account the illustrations, just the stories and poetry. And of course, my taste may not be yours.

!!The Annuals

1986

5 good stories, one of which "Strange To Relate" is just hilarious.

!!The Issues

7-10:

  • "A Change of Season"
  • +"Hamlet - Unrehearsed"
  • "Holocorn: Amusement Centre"
  • "Rumours of War, part 1" (first part of a PGP serial)
  • "With Insurance at a premium"
  • "Gemini"

Rumours of War gets continued in issues 11-16, if you like that story.

14

"The Loveliest of All" (one of Sue B.'s nice stories)

19

  • "A Human Face" - one of my utter favourite stories.
  • Zane"

25

Well, this one contains my first ever poem in print... (grin) And "Tarrant's Complaint" is a fun little piece, but it's very short.

26

This one has quite a few good pieces. Though "Still The Dead", a Bizzaro story, probably appeared elsewhere as well.

27/28

4 out of the 6 pieces are good.

29

"Walking the Wind" is another one of my utter favourite stories, though I think this one has also appeared elsewhere. There's also some other good pieces too.

30

Three good poems (two of them by me, so you can ignore that if you like) and "Avon and the Enne Affair" which is quite fun. That one is narrated from the PoV of Vila, and based on the P.G. Wodehouse story "Jeeves makes an Omlette".

37/38

All the pieces in this one are good.

39

  • "Simba"

45

  • "The Family Business"
  • "You Look Marvelous"

46

  • "Once Upon a Christmas Eve"

47

  • "World Enough and Time"

54

  • "Cold Comfort"

56/57/58

Triple issue containing the entirety of "Key" by Jenny Hayward and Marie Logan. Another one of my favourite stories.

!!The utter best

If you have very little to spend, of those mentioned above I'd say you should get #19, #29, and #56/57/58. But only if you have similar tastes to moi.