Oracle (Blake's 7 newsletter)

Zine
Title:	Oracle
Publisher:	SheReb
Editor(s):
Type:	newsletter
Date(s):	1984-1990
Frequency:
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Blake's 7
Language:	English
External Links:
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Oracle is a gen Blake's 7 newsletter of fiction and non-fiction.

It started out as a very small newsletter published by Margaret Bennett and Susan J. King (H.B.) that began pretty much when the Blake's 7 began. It later morphed into this more formal newsletter.

Issues were produced/edited by a varying combination of Susan J. King (H.B.), Margaret Bennett and Jane King.

It has a sister zine called Voice of Oracle, a anthology of fiction and Zine Aid, a charity zine.

Fans commented in later issues (and perhaps early ones as well) how it was a "Tarrant-friendly" space.

Much later on, this newsletter had connections to a fan club called SheReb, which appears to have been a role-playing/persona club with a focus on female original characters for Blake's 7.

The End of the Road

In an undated letter (likely 1990) to fans, Susan J. King explained that she no longer had time and energy to devote to the club and that the costs of the newsletter had become prohibitive.

undated letter by the editor announcing the close of the club

General Reactions and Reviews

Here's the newsletter of a club that also put out a fiction zine, Voice of Oracle (technically multimedia, since it had a little bit of Star Trek material in every issue, but largely B7), and a multimedia charity zine, Zine Aid, that had B7 material in some issues. Oddly enough I like the newsletter, which also includes a little fiction, better than the all-fiction zines. Some of the letters and essays are amusing.

Issue 1

Oracle 1 was published in 1984 and contains 22 pages.

Fiction:

• Cinnabar, "One of the Family"
• Jess, "Ghost"
• Gina Phillips, "Vila—Last Thoughts"

Nonfiction:

• "Committee Intro" (Susan J. King, Margaret Bennett)
• Margaret, "Editorial"
• Episode guide
• Interview with Chris Boucher
• "Confidential Application for Appointment"
• "Soapbox corner"
• John Humphries, "A Sandy Affair" (essay)
• "Views, reviews, opinions"
• L. O., "The 4th Series—What Was Missing"
• Ros Williams, "Clothing in the Third Century of the New Calendar" (essay)
• Cinnabar, "'Rumours of Death' from a Fan's Point of View"
• "Oracle Mart" (ads for clubs, cons, etc.)
• King Press (ads for other zines from same publisher)
• Chas Early, "A Review of the 1st Episode of Blake's 7: The Way Back"

Poetry:

• Jess, "Blake's Forgotten Past"
• Jess, "All in the Mind"
• Jess, "I'm Vila"

Art:

• Margaret Bennett (front cover)

Issue 2

Oracle 2 was published in 1984 and contains 24 pages. Fiction:

• John Humphries, "Alone with Orac"
• Leslie E. Hatch, untitled
• John Paines, "Survivors"
• John Humphries, "Revenge"

Nonfiction:

• Margaret, "Editorial"
• "Oracle Postal Interview No. 2"
• John Humphries, interview with Vere Lorrimer
• John Humphries, "Critical Reaction" (response to interview)
• "Soap Box Corner"
• Michael Mather, "The Male Chauvinist View of Clothing in the 3rd Century of the Second Calendar (or Whenever)" (essay)
• L. O., "The Blake's 7 Choir" (essay)
• Goriana, "Response to A Sandy Affair" (essay)
• D. B., "Useless Info"
• "Vilosophies"
• "Ouch!"
• "Cast News"
• "Spacefall" (episode summary)
• "Oracle Mart" (ads)

Poetry:

• Jess, "Brotherly Love"
• Jess, "Gan's Lady"

Art:

• Margaret Bennett (front cover)

Issue 3

Oracle 3 was published in 1985 and contains 23 pages. It has no art.

Fiction:

• Linda Terrell, "The Final Act" ( later reprinted in Southern Lights #1)
• Michael A. Hather, "A Dying Planet"

Nonfiction:

• Margaret, "Editorial"
• "For and Against"
• Henry Eggleton, "A Review of Blake's 7 Afterlife by Tony Attwood" (book review)
• M. Bennett, "Committee Response to Afterlife" (book review)
• "Competition"
• Susan J. King, "Hairbag—The Radio Star" (article)
• Susan J. King, "Over Ten Milion People Watched 'Blake' the Last Episode of Blake's 7"
• Hairbag [=Susan J. King], "First Time for Everything" (Galacticon report)
• Susan J. King, "Don't Start Without Me—Only It Did!" (theatre review)
• L.E.H. "A Blake's 7 Top Ten"
• "Soap Box Corner"
• Michael Hather, "Who Is Blake?" (essay)
• Ros Williams, "Point of Clothing" (essay)
• L.E.H., "On the Same Subject" (essay)
• J.D., "A Fashionable Comment" (essay)
• Jan H, "Was Orac Mad" (essay)
• Ros Williams, "Answer to the Interview [with Vere Lorrimer]"
• "Cast News"
• "Oracle Mart" (ads)

Poetry:

• Jess, "Soolin—Gun Lady"
• Jess, "My Way Back"

Issue 4

Oracle 4 was published in 1985 and contains 19 pages.

Fiction:

• Mack Tavish, "The Wrong Side of Paradise"

Nonfiction:

• Margaret, "Editorial"
• "A Word from the President" (Susan J. King)
• "Competition Results"
• Cinnabar, "A Punk Blake's 7 Top Ten" (some titles; humor)
• "Soap Box Corner"
• Michael Hather, "Who Is Blake?" (essay)
• Keith Gooch, "Gauda Prime—The Continuing Saga" (essay)
• Jan H, "Afterlife, An Unappreciation" (book review)
• Ros Williams, "Rumours of Death from Another Fans' Point of View" (essay)
• "Cast News"
• "Oracle Mart"

Poetry:

• Jess, "Dark Secret"
• Jess, "The Cry of a Child"

Issue 5

Oracle 5 was published in 1985 and contains 23 pages.

Fiction:

• Mack Tavish, "The Wrong Side of Paradise, Part Two"

Nonfiction:

• Anon, "Tarnished 'Silver'" (TV review)
• A. Spacerat, "A Review of Space City" (con report)
• The Pres [Susan J. King], "Space City" (con report)
• J.D. Humphries, "Cosmic Tunes Top 31"
• Keith Gooch, "I Have Been Here Before" (theatre review)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "I Have Been Here Before" (theatre review)
• "A Tribute to Valentine Dyall"
• Lalla Fox on the Box, "Dempsey and Makepeace—A Review" (TV review)
• "Soap Box Corner"
• H B. [=Susan J. King], "Rumours of Death...Yet Again!" (essay)
• L.E.H., "Answer Back" (essay)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "The Blake Appreciation Society: Membership—One"
• Jan H, "The Star Spotting Spot" (cast news)
• "The Competition"
• "Oracle Mart"

Issue 6

Oracle 6 November 1985 and contains 27 pages.

Fiction:

• Jess, "Rebels with a Cause"
• Bryn Lantry, "But I Let You Go"

Nonfiction:

• Furball [=Jane King], "Editorial"
• Hairbag [=Susan J. King], "Presidents Bit"
• Hairbag [=Susan J. King], "At the Earth's Core" (film review)
• Hairbag [=Susan J. King], "Blake" (essay)
• Bryn Lantry, "The Blake Appreciation Society: Membership—Two" (essay)
• "News Bulletin"
• J.D. Humphries, "Morgan's Boy and So Much More" (TV review)
• Henry Eggleton, "Space City—A Report" (con report)
• Linda Harrild, "A Quote from Nightrider by David Mack"
• L.O., "Sand Castles" )
• "Did You Know"
• Jan H, "A Dempsey and Makepeace Article" (TV review)
• "Cygnus Alpha" (episode summary)
• Jan H, "Blake's Seven Top Ten"
• Linda Harrild, "Ghosts by Leo Sayer" (quotation of poem)
• Susan J. King and Jan H, film titles matched to B7 characters
• "Star Spotting" (actors in other roles)
• "Oracle Mart" (ads)

Poetry:

• Patrick Chapman, "Choice Over Horizon"

Issue 7

Oracle 7 was published in February 1986 and contains 39 pages.

Fiction:

• ?, "Karus"
• Henry C. Eggleton, "The Outcast"
• ?, "Hana"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "Presidential Bit"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• Margaret Bennett, "What Ever Happened to B7 Fandom"
• "Rebels Rebel" (short character bio; G)
• L.O., "Gan" (essay)
• Sweet Blue Eyes, "Olag Gan: The Man" (essay)
• "Did You Know"
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• Jess, "Blake and His Women" (essay)
• Jane M. King, "Blake—A Personal Opinion" (essay)
• Ros Williams, "Series 4" (essay)
• Kady, "Favorite Alien Being(s) of the Four Seaasons" (essay)
• Furball [=Jane M. King], "'Blake'—Blake or Clone?" (essay)
• Patrick Chapman, "The Federation and Co-Existance" (essay)
• Jan H, "Appreciation of B7 by an A-Team Fanatic" (essay)
• Ros Williams, "The Sandy Affair—Shifting Sands?" (essay)
• Kady, "Class Distinction" (essay)
• Patrick Chapman, "Movie Supernovae" (movie titles matched with B7 characters)
• "Crossed Wires"
• John Humphries, "A Matter of Teleport" (essay)
• "Blake's Seven Summed Up: Timesquad" (episode summary)
• J. D. Humphries, "News Cast" (cast news)
• "Pen Pal List"
• "The New Club Competition"
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Henry C. Eggleton, "Shattered Dreams"

Art:

• Margaret Bennett (front cover)
• Rosemary Woodhouse

Issue 8

Oracle 8 was published in May 1986 and 36 pages.

Fiction:

• Rowena Sayer, "Next Move"
• M.J. Moore, "A Satire"
• ?, "A Rebels Tale"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "Presidents Bit"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• Keith Gooch, "Blake's Seven Fandom, A Reason for Its Decline" (essay)
• "Did You Know"
• "Rebels Rebel" (short character bio; J)
• Jess, "Jenna—A Biased Opinion" (essay)
• Jeff Haughton, "Jenna: A Personal Tribute by One of Her Devoted Followers" (essay)
• Kady, "Jenna: I Don't Remember Her" (essay)
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• Furball [=Jane King], "Series 4 and Cally"
• Hazel Howell, "Teleport"
• Gillian Fenwick, "Rumours of Teleport"
• Jan H, "Galacticon '86" (con report)
• Hairbag [=Susan J. King], "A Convention" (Galacticon report)
• Kady, "Review: Country of Afternoon" (radio review)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "A Word for the High Council" (essay)
• Kady, "Blake's Seven Top 12" (song titles; humor)
• "Crossed Wires"
• Kady, "Orac—A Working Problem"
• J.D. Humphries, "News Cast" (cast news)
• "Club Competition Winner"
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Jess, "All in the Mind"
• Paul Blaker, "The Nagging Doubt"

Art:

• Margaret Bennett (front cover)

Issue 9

Oracle 9 was August 1986 and 30 pages.

Fiction:

• Nicola Barnard, "Tyl's Story"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "Presidents Bits"
• Jan H, "Hello Cruel World" (message from new club secretary)
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• "Rebels Review"
• Gina Phillips, "Review of 'Benefactors' Starring Gareth Thomas" (theatre review)
• Jan H, "Benefactors" (theatre review)
• Patrick Chapman, "Zine Aid One" (zine review)
• "Rebels Rebel"
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "My Article on Avon"
• Rowena Sayer, "Avon"
• Patrick Chapman, "The Avon Article"
• Kady, "Avon"
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• Susan Christian, "Dear Oracle"
• Jeff Haughton, "Blake's Seven—The Fourth Season"
• ?, "Blake's Seven Fandom—A Reason for Its Decline And a Headache for Kady"
• John L. Paines, "A Reply to the Article by Keith Gooch in Oracle 8"
• Rowena Sayer, "Keith Gooch—A Reply"
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "The Presidential Reply"
• Susan Christian, "Keith Gooch—Fandom"
• Nicola Barnard, "Blake's Seven Fandom: A Reason Why It's Lasted So Long, A.K.A. A Reply to a Certain Person's Article"
• Jeff Haughton, "Blake's Seven Musical Request Spot" (song titles; humor)
• "News Cast" (cast news)

Poetry:

• Sweet Blue Eyes (Paul Blaker), "Final Plea"

Art:

• Margaret Bennett (front cover)
• Rosemary Woodhouse

Issue 10

Oracle 10 was published in November 1986 and contains 44 pages.

Fiction:

• D.L. Foster, "Venom"
• Cheryl Beresford, "Kelrina"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "Presidents Bits"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• "Rebels Review"
• ?, review of Space City '86
• ?, interview with Michael Keating
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• "Did You Know"
• Jeff Haughton, "Blake's 7 Charts"
• "Blake's Seven Summed Up: The Web"
• "Rebel News" (news of club members)
• "Rebel Recruitments" (pen pals)
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "News Cast" (cast news)
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• ?, "Point of View"
• Nicola Barnard, "At the Edge of Eternity"

Art:

• Rosemary Woodhouse (front cover)

Issue 11

Oracle 11 was published in February 1987 and contains 27 pages.

Fiction:

• D. L. Foster, "Venom"
• Clare Nicholson, "Strange Objects Fly through Space"
• [Jeff Haughton?], "Extracts from: Diary of a Federation Soldier"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "Presidents Bits"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• "Rebels Rebel" (short character bio; C)
• Rosemary Woodhouse, "Cally"
• Jenny Smith, "Dear Readers"
• Chameleon, "Loving the Alien?"
• Sharon King, "Cally"
• Rowena Sayer, "Cally"
• "Rebels Review"
• Furball [=Jane King], "Panto Report: Babes in the Wood" (theatre review)
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• Sharon King, a reaction to Lynda Harrild's article "Crossed Wires"
• Hairbag [=Susan J. King], "Bang—You're Dead!"
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "Announcements"
• "Rebel Recruitments" (pen pals)
• "News Cast" (cast news)
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Henry Eggleton, "Cally"
• Patrick Chapman, "Heroes"

Art:

• Fliss Davies (front cover)
• Rosemary Woodhouse

Issue 12

Oracle 12 was published in May 1987 and 36 pages.

Fiction:

• D. L. Foster, "Venom"
• The Author, "Who's Doing the Washing"
• ?, "Drugged Tranquility"
• Guardian, "Rebel with a Cause"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "The Presidents Bits!"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• "Rebels Rebel" (short character bio; Ta)
• Jan H, "Tarrant" (essay)
• Lianne Parkinson, "Tarrant" (essay)
• Jenny Smith, "Thoughts on Tarrant" (essay)
• Rosemary Woodhouse, "Tarrant" (essay)
• Rowena Sayer, "Del-boy"
• H. B. [=Susan J. King], "Well I Liked Him, So There!" (essay)
• "Rebels Review"
• Jan H, "Galacticon '87 (or The Day the President Died)" (con review)
• Sharon Johnson, "A Sting in the Tail" (theatre review; PD)
• Jan H, "Holiday" (theatre review; Geoffrey Burridge)
• "Did You Know"
• Peter the Pen, "Zuurerrrrrrrrppehuur—Compliance with Science?" (article on handguns)
• Anthony King, "Guns" (article)
• "Blake's Seven Summed Up: Seek-Locate-Destroy"
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "News Cast" (cast news)

Poetry:

• Margaret Bennett, "Servalan"

Art:

• Rosemary Woodhouse (front cover)
• Margaret Bennett

Issue 13

Oracle 13 was published in August 1987 and 34 pages.

Fiction:

• Paul Blaker, "Venom, the Alternative Conclusion, or, What I'd Like to See Happen to Tarrant"
• D. L. Foster, "Venom"

Nonfiction:

• Editorial
• "Talk Right Back" (letters; including Jeff Haughton, "20 Questions")
• "Rebels Rebel" (character study; D)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "Whatever Happened to Our Girl Dayna?" (essay)
• Helen Parkinson, "Dayna" (essay)
• Kady, "Dayna—Amazon Warrior or Wimp?" (essay)
• Bert, the Pen with No Name, "Dayna" (essay)
• Rosemary Woodhouse, "Dayna" (essay)
• "Rebel's Review"
• Sheila Milton, "Mixed Feelings, by D. Churchill" (theatre review; Sally Knyvette)
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "An Answer to the Parkinson Sisters"
• Kady, "Tarrant"
• F.B., "Tarrant, in Two Parts"
• Art, fiction, & poetry competitions
• Kady, "Blake's Seven Summed Up: Mission to Destiny" (episode summary)
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Jamie C. Ritchey, untitled limericks
• Helen Parkinson, "A Lament"

Art:

• Rosemary Woodhouse (front cover)
• Margaret Bennett (back cover)

Issue 14

Oracle 14 was published in November 1987 and 35 pages.

Fiction:

• ?, "Pike"
• Paul Blaker (old blue eyes himself), "E Plecant Stori"
• D. L. Foster, "Venom"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "President's Bits"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• "Rebels Rebel" (character study; So)
• Rosemary Woodhouse, "Soolin" (essay)
• * Bert, the pen with no name, "Soolin—Rebel Without a Cause!" (essay)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "What Blonde?" (essay)
• S. E. King [no relation], "Soolin" (essay)
• Rowena Sayer, "Oh You Mean the Blonde Bit?" (essay)
• Janet McNeil, "Soolin" (essay)
• "Rebels Review"
• Sharon Johnson, "Hayfever" (theatre review)
• Jamie C. Ritchey, "Blake's 7 Cons in America: Scorpio V " (con review)
• Jeff Haughton, "Conspiracy 87" (Worldcon review)
• Henry Eggleton, "The Knights of God—Richard Carpenter" (TV review)
• Jeff Haughton, "And Then There Were None" (theatre review)
• "Crossed Wires" (technical essays)
• Anthony King, "Time Distort"
• Kevin Davies, "Handguns and Blasters"
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• Rowena Sayer, untitled (answers to Jeff's questions)
• John L. Paines, "How to be Controversial without Really Trying" (response to Rowena)
• F.B. [Jane King], "Answers to Jeff's Questions"
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "The Answer! (to Jeff Haughton's 20 Questions)"
• Henry Eggleton, untitled (answers to Jeff's questions)
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Shannon, "First Impressions"

Art:

• Rosemary Woodhouse (front cover)
• Fliss Davies (back cover)

Issue 15

Oracle 15 was published in February 1988 and contains 53 pages.

cover of issue #15, Margaret Bennett

At the end of the zine: "Oh God! I've never been so glad to get to the end of typing a zine. I'm high on correction fluid, my back is killing me, and I long to see Nathan Spring ((For anyone that's interested, I've been told by a Falcon committee member that new Series of Star Cops is now being filled...)) ... Apart from all that, I'm fine. See you next N/L!!!"

Fiction:

• ?, "A Fed with a Cause?"
• D. L. Foster, "Venom"
• Nicola Barnard, "Terminal...?"
• Clare Nicholson, "A Silly Story"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "President's Bits"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters by Jeff Haughton, Brian P. James, Rowena Sayer, Fliss Davies)
• Jeff Haughton, "To Boldly Go Where No Writer Has Gone Before" (article)
• "The Kerr Avon" (drink recipe: Coke Cola, Guiness, vodka, malt whisky, bereardic?, vermouth... "don't shake... don't send me the hospital bills.")
• "Rebels Rebel: The Fairest Fed of All"
• Rowena Sayer, "Servalan" (essay)
• Fliss Davies, "Servalan—Officer and Seductress"
• Kady, "Servalan" (essay)
• "A Celebration of Acting Talents: Geoffrey Burridge, Stephen Greif, Brian Croucher, Jacqueline Pearce, Gareth Thomas, Paul Darrow, Steven Pacey" (credits)
• "You Know You're a B7 Fan When..." (humor)
• "Rebels Unite" (roleplaying game)
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• Peter the Pen, "Miscellaneous Comments on Last N/L's Crossed Wires" (LOC)
• Fliss Davies, "Blake—The Man and the Myth" (essay)
• Jeff Haughton, "A Very Delayed Reaction" (response to answers to questions)
• Jennifer Smith, "Blake's Seven Summed Up: Duel" (episode summary)
• "Pen Pal Page"
• "Did You Know"
• "News Cast" (news of cast)
• "Rebels Exposed" (actors in other roles)
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Cheryl Beresford, "Betrayed by Father"

Art:

• Margaret Bennett (front cover)
• Fliss Davies

Issue 16

Oracle 16 was published in May/June 1988 and contains 38 pages.

front cover of issue #16, Fliss Davies

back cover of issue #16, Rosemary Woodhouse

There are many essays and testimonials from fans about first watching Blake's 7, their favorite episodes, and favorite characters. Fiction:

• ?, "Waiting Alone"
• Clare Nicholson, "Adventures of the Abnormal Kind"
• Chela, "A Fairytale"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "President's Bits"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters by Janet Darrow, Jacqui Topp, Sue Glasgow, Rowena Sayer, Fliss Davies, Jennifer Smith)
• "Rebels Rebel" (character study; Tr)
• Rowena Sayer, "Travis"
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "Travis—Sci-fi's Answer to Admiral Nelson, Long John Silver, and Captain Hook"
• Sue Cowley, "Collected and Rather Disjointed Thoughts on Travis"
• Lianne Parkinson, "Travis"
• "Rebels review"
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], Ouch!: Starburst #114"
• "Starlog 128" (reviews of pro magazines with B7 articles)
• Rowena Sayer, "Elydore" (con review)
• Sue Glasgow, "DSV One" (con review)
• "Delayed Reaction"
• Fliss Davies, "Why Tarrant is Servalan's Toy Boy" (essay)
• Helen Parkinson, "In the Beginning" (essay about Parkinson's attraction to the show, early memories)
• Helen Parkinson, "My Favourite Blake's Seven Episode" (essay)
• The Pres., "The Word" (essay)
• Henry Eggleton, "Assignments" (essay)
• Lianne Parkinson, "Assignments" (essay)
• Rowena Sayer, "A Reply to Jeff's Article"
• "Blake's Seven Summed Up: Project Avalon" (episode summary)
• "News Cast"
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Art:

• Fliss Davies (back cover)
• Rosemary Woodhouse (back cover)

Issue 17

Oracle 17 was published in September/October 1988 and contains 31 pages.

back cover of issue #17

Fiction:

• ?, "Taste of Victory"
• Lianne Parkinson, "Pretty Weird"
• Helen Parkinson, "In Two Minds"
• Clare Nicholson, "Life Is Too Short"
• Nicola Barnard, "The Last Chance"

Nonfiction:

• "Editorial"
• "President's Bits"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• "Rebels Rebel"
• Henry Eggleton, "The Computers" (essay)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "Three Faces of Peter Tuddenham"
• Rowena Sayer, "Zen, Orac, and Slave"
• "Rebels Review"
• Fliss Davies, "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (theatre review)
• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "Mr Presley Has Left the Theatre" (theatre review)
• Jennie Smith, "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (theatre review)
• Elizabeth Everett, "Take Off to the Stars from London" (review of "3001 Space Adventure" attraction)
• Jamie C. Ritchey, "Destiny 2" (con review)
• "Crossed Wires"
• Anthony King, untitled article on FTL travel
• "Decoder" (personals)
• "Delayed Reaction" (responses)
• Nicola Barnard, "Reply to Why Tarrant is Servalan's Toyboy"
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Helen Parkinson, "Maelstrom"
• Helen Parkinson, "Last Thoughts"
• Helen Parkinson, "A Broken Man"

Issue 18

Oracle 18 was April 1989 and 39 pages.

Fiction:

• Robert W. Gardiner, "Pink Elephants"
• Shannon, "Vila Looks Back"

Nonfiction:

• H.B. [=Susan J. King], "Editorial"
• "Talk Right Back" (letters)
• "Rebels Review"
• Rowena Sayer, "The Admirable Crichton" (theatre review)
• Fliss Davies, "Space City 1988" (con report)
• "Crossed Wires" (technical articles)
• Anthony King, "Guns, Part 2"
• Kevin Davies, "Teleport—How?!!?"
• "Decoder" (personals)
• "Delayed Reaction"
• Helen Parkinson, loc
• Jennifer Smith, "Blakes Seven Summed Up: Breakdown"
• "The Oracle Questionnaire"
• "Shop Soiled" (ads)

Poetry:

• Fliss Davies, "A Man and Dream Intact"

Issue 21

Spring 1990 and contains 40 pages. It may have been the last issue.

cover of issue #21, Fliss Davies

excerpt from "questionaire" [sic] results

• announcement about The Oracle Get-Together to be held June 30-July 1, 1990 at a fan's home in London (the fan would provide nibbles and drinks, take-out was proposed for meals, floor space was available for sleeping but bring a pillow or cushion, "...if you fancy spending a day or two chatting to, watching videos with, or just generally being with other ORACLE idiots, er, I mean members, please drop me a line... also let me know if you'll be wanting floor space.")
• Talk Right Back, fan letters by Susan Humphries, Jennie Smith, Rowena Sayer, Carol McCoy, Fliss Davies, Roberta Roe, Susan J. King
• Elydore III, or, How to Have Fun Without Even Trying, con report by Rowena Sayer
• Delayed Reaction, In Reply to Fliss Davies' Article in N/L 19
• Oracle Assignment by Henry Eggleton, Susan J. King, Jennifer Smith, John L. Paines, Roberta Roe (humor, fan responses to three questions)
• Blake's Seven Summed Up by Jennifer Smith (detailed description about Series 1 Episode 12, includes dialogue)
• Rebel With a Cause (role-play?) ("For more information and background on Vidar Raven, Amber Tayler and others involved in the fight on Sheridan, contact me - The Pres - about the SheReb newsletters.")
  • A Personal View - Vidar Raven
  • Alyra
  • Amber Tayler
• Amber's Theme (aka 'Smugglers' Blues' Blake's 7-ified (ficlets/filk by three fans, written in the first person)
• Rebel Voice: To Vila, From Blake, poem by Cheryl Beresford
• Supplies, fiction by Clare Nicholson
• He's More Than Meets the Eye, poem by Cheryl Beresford
• Oracle Questionaire [sic] ("Here we go with some more answers to the famous Oracle Questionaire!")
• Shop Soiled! (zines for sale, fan club info)

Excerpts from fan letters, some of which touch up on The Blake's 7 Wars:

As a new and relatively ignorant [B7] fan, I am not qualified to comment on many things, but there was one thing I would like to say in response to Susan J. King's letter about the problems in B7 fandom. Obviously I know nothing of this, but she did suggest that Star Trek was managing better. Although this may appear so from the outside, this fandom too has many problems and sadly, many splits; and it is perhaps partly because of this that I, who am a very old Star Trek fan, am looking elsewhere and have decided to miss [Frontiers (Star Trek convention)

the Spring ST convention] for the first time for many years and go to Space City instead! It is unfortunate that such disagreements occur in any fandom, but perhaps it is inevitable where mere humans are involved. Let us hope the problems resolve themselves in both cases.

To be honest, I'm fed up and sick to the back teeth of the whole lot of it. I'd love to be able to say 'So what - who cares.' Unfortunately, I do care. This is my fandom as much as anyone else's and I'm damned (can I say damned?) ((Sure!: - Ed))) if I'm gonna let it be ruined, for me at least. Hasn't the boring 9-5 world got enough problems of its own without letting them creep into areas of escapism, because contrary to some beliefs that is what fandom is -- escapism. It's not real, honest. It's not black, it's not white, there are no set rules as to who/what is right or wrong. Have an opinion - any opinion, by all means, just don't expect everyone else to share it. ... Fans are fans, aren't we supposed to be one big happy family? Don't let petty arguments destroy us because inevitability that will happen, and I for one will be extremely sorry to see that. So there!

I don't know everything that going on in the world of B7 fandom, but anything that detracts from the main reason we're fans, ie the series itself, has to be bad. If only people were a little more tolerant of other people's lives and thoughts and rights then the world wouldn't be in such the sorry state that it is.... If everyone learned to be a little more tolerant and considerate of others on a small scale (eg in fandom) then perhaps that would start to spill over in to the big bad real world and some improvements might be made in inter-global relations, and that can only be a GOOD THING as far as I'm concerned, and we'd all be less likely to find ourselves in a nuclear holocaust or a world as seen in our favourite TV programme - BLAKE'S SEVEN!

One conclusion I have come to from reading your letters and that is everyone is as sick to death of the arguments going on in fandom right now as I am. How many times have I received letters from people recently saying that they are really considering leaving Blake's Seven fandom because they are just fed up with hearing about the disagreements? So, considering the subject carefully I have decided that any more 'discussion' on these matters can be dealt with outside this newsletter. I'm all for every0one having their own opinions, but things seem to have gone further than that, opinion seems to be something some feel they are allowed to have whilst others with a different opinion are not. From this day forth any outright arguments one way or the other will not be printed in this newsletter. I'd hate to be accused of censorship, but I don't want to lose all my members because of a disagreement amongst just a few of them.