MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 27 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: other bo by Sherry Sharpe 2) New Story by heb4-+AT+-cornell.edu (Heather Elizabeth Blatt) 3) Re: other bo by Anne Cross 4) Re: other bo by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 5) Jordan books by Catherine Osborne 6) Re: I'm new at this by "Sandy Haas" 7) Re: I'm new at this by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 8) Re: other bo by "Lisa" 9) Re: I'm new at this by "Lisa" 10) Re: other bo by "Jean S." 11) Re: other bo by h-wilfehrt-+AT+-nwu.edu (Helen M. Wilfehrt) 12) Re: other bo by Jean Morrill 13) Re: other bo by Alden Strock 14) Re: other bo by AnneS3832-+AT+-aol.com 15) Re: other books by kmlisa-+AT+-netcom.com (Lisa Kurahashi) 16) Re: other bo by jah10-+AT+-cornell.edu (Jay A. Howell) 17) Re: Tolkien and films by Vivian Choh 18) Re: other bo by Vanye-+AT+-aol.com 19) Re: other books by DonnaG4650-+AT+-aol.com 20) Re: Other Books by harkerii-+AT+-ix.netcom.com (John Edwards ) 21) Pern, Black Trillium, & Eddings by SBuskirk-+AT+-aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 09:59:31 -0400 (EDT) From: Sherry Sharpe To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: On Fri, 26 May 1995, Melanie Dymond Harper wrote: > > > > How 'bout Robert Jordan and his "Wheel of Time" series (as of yet > > incomplete). His "magic" seems to be of a mind sort. I'll put a vote in here > > for his books as well, though I do find them a bit too wordy from time to time. > > I haven't dared to buy any Jordan yet, since I've looked at the size of the > books and wondered whether I'd put my shoulder out getting them home :). > > Some people have told me they're pretty good. Anyone want to comment yea > or nay? For the record, I can take or leave Terry Brooks, got bored with David > Eddings the second time through the story, but will cheerfully reread Lord > of the Rings (just in case you thought I had an inherent bias against long > books :)) > I REALLY enjoy Jordans books. They are so complex, and never boring. He's the only one that I buy in Hardcover! He does have a few problems with the male female relationships (how stupid can these characters be when it comes to the opposite sex?) but the novels really keep you interested! Don't be alarmed by the size, when you're reading it you wish it would go on longer. Sherry ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 10:47:54 -0400 From: heb4-+AT+-cornell.edu (Heather Elizabeth Blatt) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: New Story Message-ID: Hey, all-- I noticed a new story by Misty the other day. It's in an anthology titled _Excalibur_. I just skimmed it (all the time I had!), but I thought it was rather funny.... A modern-day King Arthur gets presented with Excalibur--but he doesn't want to keep the sword. Sorry, I don't remember the story title, nor any other authors in the anthology. --Elizabeth. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 10:59:23 -0400 (EDT) From: Anne Cross To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: On Fri, 26 May 1995, Melanie Dymond Harper wrote: > > > > How 'bout Robert Jordan and his "Wheel of Time" series (as of yet > > incomplete). His "magic" seems to be of a mind sort. I'll put a vote in here > > for his books as well, though I do find them a bit too wordy from time to time. > > I haven't dared to buy any Jordan yet, since I've looked at the size of the > books and wondered whether I'd put my shoulder out getting them home :). Hah. Very hah. :) > Some people have told me they're pretty good. Anyone want to comment yea > or nay? For the record, I can take or leave Terry Brooks, got bored with David > Eddings the second time through the story, but will cheerfully reread Lord > of the Rings (just in case you thought I had an inherent bias against long > books :)) I can't read Tolkein, and I've tried. (Ducks as a large overripe fruit sails over her head.) I like Robert Jordan, although I've been told by some people that he's stolen a lot from Tolkein. I can live with Shanarra, but after the first two books, I get sort of bored. Sigh. I like Allanon, but the rest of them... I have yet to read Eddings. How about Stephen R. Donaldson? The Chonicles of Thomas Covenant? Anne Cross across-+AT+-sidwell.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 16:10:24 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <9505261510.AA01979-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> Anne said: > How > about Stephen R. Donaldson? The Chonicles of Thomas Covenant? > I can't deal with Covenant. He's so depressed. :) No, actually I seem to be fundamentally incompatible with Donaldson's writing style. I limped through some of the Mordant's Need books, but even they were too much after a while. I find him much like Stephen King; other people rave about him, but I just can't see what the fuss is about. Your mileage may, as ever, vary widely. :) Cheers Mel. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 12:12:26 -0400 (EDT) From: Catherine Osborne To: mercedes lackey list Subject: Jordan books Message-ID: are evil and wicked. They ruined my math grade. Argh. (I was introduced to them by Anne (again :) and another friend.) I agree that he has some annoying motifs. (Sniff is my least favorite.) I think, tho, that his male characters are much more interesting and sympathetic than most of his female ones. I don't think he understands women very well; (except the military types like Aviendha, who I think is great.) I wasn't surprised to learn he went to the Citadel, a military no-women college. He is *so* much more comfortable writing about his male and military characters than about his women-who-wear-dresses. Walk in the Light, I\/ Catherine Osborne "I will not go down to I\/ Sundancer posterity talking bad I cosborne-+AT+-sidwell.edu grammar." I http://www.sidwell.edu/~cosborne/ --Disraeli ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 12:23:06 EDT From: "Sandy Haas" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: I'm new at this Message-ID: That is an interesting concept--Compainions reborn as Heralds instead of the other way around?? hmmmmm > Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 12:56:32 +0100 > Reply-to: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk > From: Rosario Holsen-Baker > To: sandrah-+AT+-rackham.umich.edu > Subject: Re: I'm new at this > On Fri, 26 May 1995 MJGaul-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > > > Otavia wrote: > > > > > In reference to Companions, I thought Vanyel said he was given a choice as > > > reincarnating as a Companion, but I could be wrong, :) Also in the Winds > > > books-I think it was Winds? When Elspeth and Darkwind etc. are in the > > > forest talking to Vanyel, doesn't he mention something about excusing > > > Elspeth's Companion because she was never human? > > > > Lisa responded: > > > > >Vanyel was given a choice about going to The Havens or staying and > > >guarding the forest border. It was never mentioned whether he would > > >become a Companion. All he says about Gwena is that she not much old > > >than Elspeth and doesn't have much experience. He NEVER says that > > >Gwena was never human. > > > > Didn't he mention another choice? My memory is faulty, and the books are in > > transit, but I thought he said something like Most heralds are given a couple > > choices, then mentioned some come back like the Hawkbrothers say people come > > back. He was given the choice to be part of the border protections; I got the > > feeling it was an additional choice. If the Heralds "come back", Companions > > are a somewhat logical choice to come back as... > > > > He also phrases the Gwena comment oddly... he says she has no "real, human > > experience"(or something like that) which would lead me to believe that other > > companions do... but then I believe that the Grove born Companions are a > > spirit of a different order than the rest, and that there has only been 1 > > Monarch's Own companion since the beginning, just gets reborn. I had a > > thought that Rolan _could_ be King Valdemar's companion, just reborn and > > renamed a few times. > > > > If anyone reads this far... when was the position of Monarch's Own created? > > > > --melissa > > The position of Monarch's Own was created at the founding of > Valdemar. Baron/King Valdemar (I think, been a while since I read that > one) prayed for help, and he got it, in the form > of the first three Companions, who Chose the Monarch, the Monarch's Own, > and the Heir. The first Companions were all Grove born, but after a while > they began having children, and I'd lay money on the theory that it was a > short while after the first group of Heralds got Glorious Funerals. That > and the similarity of names: Sayvil/Savil, Jaysen/Jasen, Tran/Tantras, > etc. I am *not* going to spout facts on the reborn-ness of the Monarch's > Own, but maybe they come back as Heralds? > --Jaguar (who *NEEDS* to re-read all her books)-- > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 17:28:20 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: I'm new at this Message-ID: <9505261628.AA03805-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> > That is an interesting concept--Compainions reborn as Heralds instead > of the other way around?? hmmmmm > Yes, I was wondering that :) It's actually quite an interesting idea. If Heralds can be reborn as Companions, what happens to dead Companions? Do they get another go as Heralds? Probably not, because the Companions seem to hang on to their Herald knowledge, but we haven't seen a Herald showing the amount of knowledge one might have expected them to pick up in an incarnation as a Companion. Do dead Companions get to go straight to Haven, or is there another choice for them? Cheers Mel (who knows she is being terribly voluble today, and apologises, it being a reasonable way of avoiding or postponing necessary telesales calls.) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 13:38:43 EST From: "Lisa" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <79BCB54D83-+AT+-estuary.amrl.odu.edu> > I can't read Tolkein, and I've tried. (Ducks as a large overripe fruit > sails over her head.) I like Robert Jordan, although I've been told by > some people that he's stolen a lot from Tolkein. I can live with > Shanarra, but after the first two books, I get sort of bored. Sigh. I > like Allanon, but the rest of them... I have yet to read Eddings. How > about Stephen R. Donaldson? The Chonicles of Thomas Covenant? Eddings' Belgariad series is quite good. No mind magic but sorcery and good characters (Silk is my favorite). The Mallorean also not too bad. The others (the Ellenium, etc.) I couldn't get through. Tried, but just didn't hook me. Donaldson can be tough. The first three of Thomas Covenant were better than the last three. First Chronicles had more depth and complexity. Took me a while to get through them, though. A Man Rides Through and the other that goes with it (sorry can't remember the title) had good plot but still tortuous. Utterly different style and story than Misty. Lisa Mix some foolishness with the serious stuff: It's good to be silly at the right time A loose translation of Horace's Misce stultitiam consiliis brevem: Dulce est desipere in loco ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lisa M. Ramirez ~ ramirez-+AT+-estuary.amrl.odu.edu Applied Marine Research Laboratory ~ Lab: (804) 683-3498 1034 W. 45th St. ~ FAX: (804) 683-5293 Norfolk, VA 23529 ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 13:45:14 EST From: "Lisa" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: I'm new at this Message-ID: <79D8266F82-+AT+-estuary.amrl.odu.edu> > > That is an interesting concept--Compainions reborn as Heralds instead > > of the other way around?? hmmmmm > > > > Yes, I was wondering that :) It's actually quite an interesting idea. If > Heralds can be reborn as Companions, what happens to dead Companions? Do > they get another go as Heralds? Probably not, because the Companions seem to > hang on to their Herald knowledge, but we haven't seen a Herald showing the > amount of knowledge one might have expected them to pick up in an incarnation > as a Companion. Do dead Companions get to go straight to Haven, or is there > another choice for them? I wonder...do the dead Companions come back as Companions again? Does anyone know if any Herald's Companion in Vanyel's time or Talia's time sound similar? Vanyel said most Herald's have to choices, if one choice is to return as a Companion, what's the other one? It could be the Havens, but maybe there is something else? Lisa Mix some foolishness with the serious stuff: It's good to be silly at the right time A loose translation of Horace's Misce stultitiam consiliis brevem: Dulce est desipere in loco ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lisa M. Ramirez ~ ramirez-+AT+-estuary.amrl.odu.edu Applied Marine Research Laboratory ~ Lab: (804) 683-3498 1034 W. 45th St. ~ FAX: (804) 683-5293 Norfolk, VA 23529 ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 95 13:36:24 EDT From: "Jean S." To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <9505261903.aa18190-+AT+-post.demon.co.uk> Speaking of Katherine Kurtz and her mind magic, I was wondering if anyone else had the problem with her books that I do. Kurtz, (like Misty and Anne McCaffrey) really build characters well so that you get to the point that you really like them and care for them. Then Kurtz, (unlike Misty and Anne) hurts them terribly or kills them off in incredibly nasty ways. I got to the point where I couldn't read her Deryni books anymore because of this and the fact that she's really into the "politics" of kingdoms, relationships, etc. I know some of Misty's characters suffer G.B.H., but for some reason it didn't hurt _me_ as much as Kurtz's books did (maybe because I knew everybody would "get all better" ?). Any comments? Jean Schmeisser -- MLS student, U.Ky. -- jwschm00-+AT+-ukcc.uky.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 13:42:30 -0500 From: h-wilfehrt-+AT+-nwu.edu (Helen M. Wilfehrt) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <199505261842.AA192593750-+AT+-casbah.acns.nwu.edu> [snip some of Mel's discussion of Stephen Donaldson] > >No, actually I seem to be fundamentally incompatible with Donaldson's >writing style. I limped through some of the Mordant's Need books, but >even they were too much after a while. I find him much like Stephen King; >other people rave about him, but I just can't see what the fuss is about. > >Your mileage may, as ever, vary widely. :) > >Cheers > >Mel. While I haven't tried the Covenant books since what little I've tried of them seemed interminable, Donaldson has a pretty decent collection of short stories called "The Daughter of Regals". I enjoy re-reading it every now and then so much so that I went and bought a new copy when the original became bedraggled. IMHO, the title story and "Ser Visal's Story" are the best in the collection. As for Stephen King, not being fond of horror stories, I find very little of his material enjoyable. However, I did enjoy "the Stand" although its faults/weaknesses are too long to mention here. It was very interesting. -Helen ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 13:50:36 -0700 From: Jean Morrill To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <199505262050.NAA21326-+AT+-cataract.hwr.arizona.edu> > Speaking of Katherine Kurtz and her mind magic, I was wondering > if anyone else had the problem with her books that I do. > > Kurtz, (like Misty and Anne McCaffrey) really build characters > well so that you get to the point that you really like them > and care for them. Then Kurtz, (unlike Misty and Anne) hurts > them terribly or kills them off in incredibly nasty ways. I got > to the point where I couldn't read her Deryni books anymore because > of this and the fact that she's really into the "politics" of > kingdoms, relationships, etc. I know some of Misty's characters > suffer G.B.H., but for some reason it didn't hurt _me_ as much > as Kurtz's books did (maybe because I knew everybody would "get > all better" ?). Any comments? > > Jean Schmeisser -- MLS student, U.Ky. -- jwschm00-+AT+-ukcc.uky.edu > Yes!! I almost stopped reading Kurtz after the second Camber book (I think) when Rhys dies. He was one of my favorite characters. And I seemed to recall he died in a really stupid and pointless way also, slipping in a pool of blood and bashing his head on the stairs or something similar. (It's been a long time). And then there is Kelson and his incredibly bad luck in relationships, and the string of young Kings in the current series, who, if not killed off during the books, we know are going to die within a few years. Way too depressing. KK's stuff has gotten too dark. Jean Morrill (I think there are 4 Jeans on this list now). ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 17:10:20 -0400 (EDT) From: Alden Strock To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: What do people think of the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey? How about "Black Trillium" by MZB, Andre Norton and Julian May? RAR ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 17:29:09 -0400 From: AnneS3832-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <950526172908_13432936-+AT+-aol.com> Hi Mel, Hi everyone!! OK, before all who DO like the "Wheel of Time" books flame me- this is an OPINION . . . . . . I thought there were some great ideas in the first book, but that, after reading 3 of them, that the series was trying a BIT too hard to be the modern Tolkien . . .they get bogged down in things that are not necessary, and read slow- to me at least! And the whole tie in to Arthurian mythos strike me as trying to be too much too soon. I think it is a problem when the author of a book goes past the idea of entertaining folk and decides he or she is writing ART, and by doing so, has to try to slip too many subplots and lectures into a good read . . . . . . So, unless you feel a need for a long series that can get painfully dull, I'd say give it a pass . . . . . Again, all in my most humble opinion . . . . <> Anne annes3832-+AT+-aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 16:33:52 -0700 (PDT) From: kmlisa-+AT+-netcom.com (Lisa Kurahashi) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other books Message-ID: <199505262333.QAA07427-+AT+-netcom.netcom.com> > > > How 'bout Robert Jordan and his "Wheel of Time" series (as of yet > > > incomplete). His "magic" seems to be of a mind sort. I'll put a vote in here > I REALLY enjoy Jordans books. They are so complex, and never boring. > Don't be alarmed by the size, when you're reading it you > wish it would go on longer. Just to offer my humble opinion, I LOVE Jordan's books. The longer the better! The last one I read must have been at least two inches thich, but I could have kept reading another few hundred pages. If you like Tolkien, I think you'll like Jordan. He's built a huge, complex world with interesting characters that actually change and grow from book to book. I like his work so much, I'm buying the latest book in hardcover. Happy reading, Lisa K. (since I know there's at least one other Lisa inhabiting the list) _______________________________________________________________________________ Lisa Kurahashi kmlisa-+AT+-netcom.com kmlisa-+AT+-typhoon.seas.ucla.edu "There is absolutely no substitution for a genuine lack of preparation." ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 19:42:30 -0500 From: jah10-+AT+-cornell.edu (Jay A. Howell) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: >I can't read Tolkein, and I've tried. (Ducks as a large overripe fruit >sails over her head.) I like Robert Jordan, although I've been told by >some people that he's stolen a lot from Tolkein. I can live with >Shanarra, but after the first two books, I get sort of bored. Sigh. I >like Allanon, but the rest of them... I have yet to read Eddings. How >about Stephen R. Donaldson? The Chonicles of Thomas Covenant? > > Anne Cross > across-+AT+-sidwell.edu What? Hmmm... Robert Jordan has not stolen anything from Tolkein. His Saga (Which seems endless sometimes) has nothing in it which remotely resembles Tolkein's Middle Earth. But, if you REALLY want to see a rip-off of Tolkein, read Dennis L. McKiernan's books: The Iron Tower trilogy, and the Silver Call Duology. These five books are such a close match to Middle Earth that I wonder how they got published without someone screaming "Plagarism (sp?)". To me, it seems that McKiernan only changed the names of the characters and their races. Anyway, time to stop the ranting. Jay P.S. Who was it that started this thread? Mel? I was going to suggest some books, but they slipped my mind. (Easily done, since I lost it YEARS ago.) ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 20:50:39 -0400 (EDT) From: Vivian Choh To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Tolkien and films Message-ID: On Fri, 26 May 1995, Melanie Dymond Harper wrote: > > don't buy books (i'm a librarian) -- i buy them with other people's money > > and then read them or interlibrary loan them *grin* > > You're lucky. I'm not really near enough to a library to get books out, > because I never return them on time :) My problem is that other people hog up the books that I want (and yes Storm Warning is a prime example -- I had been waiting for about a year to get my hands on it before I decided that it was better to be broke than to be so agonised!) > > i would have to say that tolkien was probably the initiator for reading > > fantasy for a very large number of us over the age of 35 > > > > Not to mention those under 35, although I can't actually remember what the > first fantasy book I read would have been; I think the first SF book was > most likely a Heinlein. I guess that I am a slow starter. I only read Lord of the Rings for the first time two years ago. (My first fantasy set was Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. I had been reading mysteries (Agatha Christies -- have read almost all of them, except for something like four)). > > and why there hasn't been a *good* movie of the trilogy yet is beyond me... > > > > Probably for the same reason that there hasn't been a good movie of Pern, > or Valdemar, or indeed almost any other fantasy setting including non-humans. > I shall wait with interest to see what the next crop of semi-animated films > are like, then maybe we should all start agitating... > > Hm, would Lackey's books actually need animation at all? Thinking about it, > I would have thought you could do most of them with some ordinary-level > special effects. Companions wouldn't be that hard (although making their > eyes blue might be tricky). Just as long as they don't let the people who coloured the Fremens' eyes in the movie Dune do the movie!! (They "forgot" to colour the eyes half the time) ...although I did like the casting for Dune! Regards, Vivian Choh "I am all that I claim to be. bi189-+AT+-freenet.toronto.on.ca I simply have not claimed all that I am" - M. Lackey, "Oathbreakers" ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 21:00:36 -0400 From: Vanye-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <950526210035_14136767-+AT+-aol.com> Having tried to read the series twice I have to agree with Anne that the books just don't go anywhere slowly. Bill Vanye-+AT+-aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 21:34:04 -0400 From: DonnaG4650-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other books Message-ID: <950526213402_14152354-+AT+-aol.com> ::tiptoeing into the room to delurk:: Perhaps I should preface this by saying I'm a huge Kurtz fan... On May 26, Jean wrote- >Kurtz, (like Misty and Anne McCaffrey) really build characters >well so that you get to the point that you really like them >and care for them. Then Kurtz, (unlike Misty and Anne) hurts >them terribly or kills them off in incredibly nasty ways. Well, before Vanyel was killed in the battle of TLHM, I remember a particularly violent little scene with the mercenary group in the inn up north. He wasn't killed, but you sort of started to wish they'd just kill him before your stomach turned any more....I think these author's gifts lie in creating such wonderful characters you want to protect them from everything. However, most of them are pivotal players in the mostly violent events of their times, and nasty things will happen. I will admit tho- I still remember too clearly the scenes in Kurtz when they found Cathan impaled (blech). I probably could've lived without those memories. > I got to the point where I couldn't read her Deryni books anymore >because of this and the fact that she's really into the "politics" of >kingdoms, relationships, etc. I know some of Misty's characters >suffer G.B.H., but for some reason it didn't hurt _me_ as much >as Kurtz's books did (maybe because I knew everybody would "get >all better" ?). Any comments? Sometimes it's the "politics" of a situation that make it all the more important or interesting. For instance, would it really be interesting if Selenay's first husband tried to murder her, but she didn't have to deal with the rest of his family later on? Kurtz's politics usually have to do with infighting among regents and other juicy power plays. I think it adds substance and motivations to the characters. Maybe Kurtz's characters are a bit more realistic (can fantasy be realistic? ) because everybody doesn't get "all better" in the end. Just my $.02 Donna ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 May 1995 01:48:08 -0700 From: harkerii-+AT+-ix.netcom.com (John Edwards ) To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk" Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <199505270848.BAA20458-+AT+-ix4.ix.netcom.com> I just started on Eddings' Belgariad series (it's wonderful to be able to read an entire series without waiting a full year in between books ) and so far it's pretty good. Has anyone else on the list read CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia? These were the books that started me reading waaaay back in 4th or 5th grade. Oh, one more thing. Whomever it was (I can't remember now) who was thinking they were old (and only 30???) I've still got you beat.. :) John -- ======================================================= = Sometimes I think I must have a Guardian Idiot. = = A little invisible spirit just behind my shoulder, = = looking out for me. = = ..... only he's an imbecile. = = Spider Robinson = ======================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 May 1995 08:36:53 -0400 From: SBuskirk-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Pern, Black Trillium, & Eddings Message-ID: <950527083650_14303767-+AT+-aol.com> >What do people think of the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey? How >about >"Black Trillium" by MZB, Andre Norton and Julian May? I discovered Pern as a junior in High School--my very first taste of fantasy. (Heinlein's Door Into Summer was my first SF.) I still go back and re-read it all, and I get every new Pern book that comes out--in hard cover. Of course, I get them from the SFBC, which cuts down on the costs quite a bit. As for Black Trillium, I hate to say it but I had a hard time getting into it. I think it was a case of "too many cooks." Each of those three ladies is a formidable writer, but I think they had to concentrate too much on making the story as seamless as they could, and therefore couldn't get the depth that you'd ordinarily expect from any one of them. > don't buy books (i'm a librarian) -- i buy them with other people's >money >and then read them or interlibrary loan them *grin* Oooh, you lucky duck! I just started working for the county library system here (in Preservation--a temporary job, alas,) but we're not allowed special privileges like that. We've got to take our chances same as the other million or so patrons. Not to mention the fact that there have been budget cuts which have affected collection developement, darn it. (This means that they buy 9 copies of the latest Misty book, instead of 30.) Regarding the Belgariad/Malloreon vs. the Elenium/Tamuli series--it seems that whatever you read first is what you like best. I lurked for a while in a David Eddings discussion group, and that was the consensus. Anyone who read the Elenium first was disappointed in the Belgariad because it was the same old thing, just set in a different world (and vice versa.) I've read all but the last Tamuli book and I have to agree, but I did enjoy (and buy) all the books in both sets of series. I'm also looking forward to the new book about Belgarath and Polgara that should be out soon. WTTW ~Sandi~ "Lurk before you leap." --Electra, from the movie "Assassins" ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 27 ********************************