Chronicle (Doctor Who and Blake's 7 zine)

Zine
Title:	Chronicle
Publisher:
Editor(s):	Ed Rackstraw and Sarah Jane Powell
Date(s):	1987-1990
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	Doctor Who & Blake's 7
Language:	English
External Links:
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Chronicle is a gen Doctor Who and Blake's 7 anthology.

It is digest-sized.

General Reactions and Reviews

This zine was on the all-B7 list, but as it turns out, it's multimedia: DW and B7. I have copies of #s 2 and 3, and got the title of the B7 story in #1 from the letters of comment in #2 (although they didn't say enough to make it clear what season it was -- only that it's *not* PGP). I don't know what was in #4. The stories are pretty good.

Issue 1

Chronicle 1 was published in December 1987 and contains 46 pages.

cover of issue #1, Amber McDonald

• Trapped by Margaret Scroggs Blake's 7
• Lucid Dream by Laurie (Doctor Who?)
• Doctor Who by Paul Cornell
• perhaps someStar Trek
• original fantasy and science fiction
• other unknown content

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

How absolutely brilliant "Chronicle" is, four brilliant stories, especially "Lucid Dream" which was exactly what I expected from Laurie but more shocking!). Paul's story dovetails nicely into several of his other epics and I loved the use of first person prose (which is a sod to write as I often find out to my cost!) -- also some prose is due for the artwork (just loved the cover to pieces). It's the first time I've seen any of Amber McDonald's work but I was massively impressed. I wish I had an artist as good as that.

Issue 2

Chronicle 2 was published in April 1988 and contains 44 pages.

cover of issue #2

• The Exile by Wendy Ingle (S0; C?) Blake's 7

• The Patchwork Man by Tim Westmacott (Doctor Who)
• The Mineds of Kaldor by Lyn Davies (Doctor Who)
• two pieces of Blake's 7 art by Tich and L. Anthony

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

[Exile]: "The Exile" in #2 is confusing. The natural assumption is that it's about Cally, but the protagonist is never named, and so it could perhaps be some other Auron exiled for dissidence. The title page is a photo of someone I don't recognize.

[Exile]: A lovely, thoughtful little piece.

[Exile]: A little gem, and my fave piece in the second issue. The pacing of the story is quite perfect, the characters (especially the central one) are all sympathetic enough to catch the reader's interest, and keep it right the way through. Again, fine, fine descriptive work and a cracking finish. Everyone's motives seem believable all the way through, which is all I ask for. Good for you, Wendy Ingle, great stuff!

[Exile]: A little gem, and my fave piece in the second issue. The pacing of the story is quite perfect, the characters (especially the central one) are all sympathetic enough to catch the reader's interest, and keep it right the way through. Again, fine, fine descriptive work and a cracking finish. Everyone's motives seem believable all the way through, which is all I ask for. Good for you, Wendy Ingle, great stuff!

[The Patchwork Man]: Without a doubt some of Tim's most power and damaging writing yet; stunning description, some superb dialogue (the interplay between the Doctor and Cho-Je was a joy to read), and a ver-ee heav-ee basis to the story, underpinning everything else... I just finished Stephen Lawhead's wonderful "Taliesin," the cetre-piece of which is... the destruction of Atlantis! You see my problem? It's impossible to try and reconcile one against the other and "believe" either now. Sorry Tim, just bad timing on my part, I guess -- taken in isolation, the piece is real "fire and brimstone," but I've got to be honest and say I prefer Lawhead's Atlantis. That's the way it goes, I suppose.

[The Patchwork Man]: Beautiful but bewildering.

[The Mines of Kaldor]: ... how to out-Saward Saward in one easy lesson! Lyn certainly reckons he knows how to write an action story, doesn't he? A staggering array of characters, all with definite plans for what they want, a regressing Doctor (now there is a novel idea), the Master (oh, gawd...), crates of Daleks (oh gawd again), some great dialogue (better than Eric has ever put together... well, apart from his very occasional bouts of creative genius -- usually about one sentence, if memory serves), and plenty of crashbang wallop. I really liked Chahaga Tharn, his motives seemed apt , and Lyn had clearly put a great deal of thought into making each of his Doctors different, but ... oh, I dunno, it's just that I have an in-built streak of scepticism whenever a story concerning more than one Doctor, the Master, old foes of any sort -- sudden bouts of deja-vu start attacking me, and it's not easy to fight them off. If I was smarmy enough, I'd probably conclude by saying 'nice song, shame about the video' or something equally trite. Or how about good try by not really a Westian story, I suppose.

[The Mines of Kaldor]: Not at all fond of this type of story -- 'they did this, and then this' etc, but it had its moments

[The Mines of Kaldor]: I did enjoy it -- though I think I'd hate it as a TV script because the special effects would kill it dead. As a story it romps along with a certain joie de vivre which I don't think it would have on screen. I felt quite exhausted after I'd finished it!

[zine]: A great read, as usual (I expect nothing less, of course)... good illos (the Paul Darrow one reminded me of the Kerr Avon [one] written about by Jackie and Val in their inspired "Time Blight/Tribe of Scum" epic), a lovely intro by Sarah, and the promise of more to come. This is what we want, well it's certainly what I want...

[zine]: Thanks for C2 -- I really did enjoy it. Well up to the standard of the first issue. I don't know how you do it!... I do admire the mix you get.

[zine]: Jolly Super! Easily the best magazine called Chronicle II I've ever read today! Wot no Laurie King story?

Issue 3

front cover of issue #3, Maria Richmond

back cover of issue #3 (includes a letter of comment)

Chronicle 3 was published in October 1988 and contains 43 pages. The art is by E. Mart, Amber McDonald, and Maria Richmond.

The zine is online here.

The editorial notes that the story count has doubled in this issue.

From the editorial:

Ros Williams' Contact is a sharp, concisely written tale in which we follow Blake's movements after the Adndromedan Invasion. Paul Cornell gives us his Country of the Blind, a sensitive work which explores a frustrated, repressed side to the Pertwee Doctor's nature. Pipe Dreams by Anne Dromeda is as camp as a row of tents! While David Tulley's Never and Always Touching is a strange though nonetheless skillfully written piece, dealing with the Doctor's unique relationship with the Tardis. Trouble Abroad is Sally Burrow's ingenious combination of wit and high drama -- so, the Davison Doctor thinks he can get away with a quick holiday, does he? Last, but by no means least (what a cliche ridden intro this is!) Margaret Scroggs returns with the beautifully crafted Driven Game, an inventive thriller with shrewdly drawn characters that sprint to life! My fave! How about you?

• Contact by Ros Williams (Blake's 7) (4)
• Country of the Blind by Paul Cornell (Doctor Who) (11)
• Pipe Dreams by Anne Dromeda (Blake's 7) (14)
• Never and Always Touching by David Tulley (Doctor Who) (17)
• Trouble Abroad by Sally Burrows (Doctor Who) (22)
• Driven Game by Margaret Scroggs (Blake's 7) (27)
• Letters of Comment (plus one on the back cover) (43)

• 

  from issue #3, not credited, but includes "Cartooncraft" and "Tich"

• 

  from issue #3, Maria Richmond

• 

  from issue #3, sample text

• 

  from issue #3, Amber McDonald

• 

  from issue #3, Amber McDonald

• 

  from issue #3, E. Mart

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

The stories are pretty good. I was especially struck by the two post-Star One Blake stories in #3, which would have fit right into "What on Earth Happened to You?".

Issue 4

Chronicle 4 was published in March 1990.

• Sarah J. Powell, "Stayin' Alive" (S3; Ta-V; humor) Blake's 7
• "Feedback on Chronicle 3" (comments on the stories in #3, from various readers)
• unknown Doctor Who content