MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 28 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Other authors by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 2) Re: Pern, Black Trillium, & Eddings by "Lisa" 3) Re: Other Books by DonnaG4650-+AT+-aol.com 4) Re: Other Books by "Jean Valentine-Gaddis" 5) Re: Other Books by Anne Cross 6) Re: Other Books by Sea Witch 7) Re: Other Books by Scya-+AT+-aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 May 1995 10:08:13 -0600 (MDT) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Other authors Message-ID: <950527100813.22603419-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> Interesting discussion so far. I read the first Jordan book, and loved it. But then I decided to wait for the rest of the series to get published before starting up again. It's too darn painful waiting for the next volume. Not so with ML, since I reread her stuff over and over waiting for the next one. I'm not sure where the difference lies. I loved Edding's Belgariad, though I do consider it very light fluffy fantasy (sort of the crepe souzette of fantasy ). Raymond Feist is Edding's smarter, sharper "brother". I find tremendous similarities in their concepts, but Feist develops his characters better, they have more shades of gray (and as you all know I'm big on shades of gray!). Eddings good characters are good, bad are bad, and there's no in between. Donaldson. Blech. I forced myself through the whole series (because people kept saying it was good) and wish I hadn't. Frankly, by book three I wanted to kill the poor bugger just to put ME out of his misery. But through morbid curiosity I forced myself through all six books. And then gave the lot of 'em to the library. Blech. Donaldson is like Asimov's foundation to me: people keep saying "you must read it" and when I do I find that they don't have a clue. Or that their tastes are so far apart that they might as well be talking about how great fantasy books are when they are discussing mysteries. Don't get me wrong, I like some Asimov. But the foundation stories are hopeless. To me of course. My opinion. I like strong characterization. Asimov has no characters. He has handpuppets that happen to do certain things so he can get his point across. But he can do strong characters, like the Robot Series. Bailey and Daneel (??? it's been a long time) are great. Oh well, I've rambled enough. I picked up a Gael Baudino (?) book because you guys recommended it. I have not tried Katherine Kurtz yet. I have been reading McKinley and you all were right about her. So I'm kinda trusting your judgement(s) because for once there seems to be a group of people who have semi-similar tastes to mine. Yeah! Thanks for broadening my reading list! And you all should definitely give Feist a chance. He is absolutely up there! Iris ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 May 1995 13:45:14 EST From: "Lisa" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Pern, Black Trillium, & Eddings Message-ID: <91D8F667C8-+AT+-estuary.amrl.odu.edu> Sandi I know this is non-Misty related, but things are slow... >I'm also looking forward to the new book about Belgarath and Polgara that should be out soon. Eddings new book entitled _Belgarath_ is due out in August (which means mid to end of July you should start looking). The second book _Polgara_ is due out next year. Lisa (the other one on the list) 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: Sat, 27 May 1995 16:10:24 -0400 From: DonnaG4650-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <950527161022_14417046-+AT+-aol.com> On May 27th, John wrote.. > 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. I loved the Belgariad too. The other series' were pretty similar, but the characters are terrific in all of them. I envy you reading it for the first time. I've read them all a bunch! He's one of only 2 authors I'll buy in hardcover. :) > 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. That's when I read Lewis last too! I went from "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" to the "Hobbit" and never looked back. I think it really says something about the lasting qualities of certain authors. If you took a poll of fantasy readers, I'd bet 90% of them started with either one of these 2 authors. And not just those of us in the over 20 crowd! Donna BTW thanks to whoever posted about Belgarath the Sorcerer! I can't wait! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 May 1995 16:18:55 CST From: "Jean Valentine-Gaddis" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <2B9E304061B-+AT+-graduate.grad.ksu.edu> :: De-Lurking Mode Engaged :: With all of the suggestions being made, I can't belive that no one has mentioned Ann Tonsor Zeddies Deulogy. I think the books are called _Deathgift_ and __The Road to the North_ (Something like that) Also, Jody Lyn Nye's books (ie Taylor's Ark) and Tara K. Harper's Wolfwalker series, _Lightwing_ and _Cat Scratch Fever_ And one of my very favorites, Lois McMasters Bujold series set on and around Bayarror (sp?) about the VorKosigan family. She's (?) completed around 10 books set in that universe. I recommend reading them in cronological (sp?) order. Begining with _Shards of Honor_ . Sorry to get so long winded. but nobody's mentioning my favorites. Jean Valentine PS Which one of you cursed me with the "May you live in interesting times" ? ... It's working... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 May 1995 23:38:08 -0400 (EDT) From: Anne Cross To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: On Sat, 27 May 1995, John Edwards wrote: > 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. > I wondered if anyone was going to mention Narnia. :) It's what corrupted me originally too. Okay: My list of books that ought to be in there: Narnia -- C.S. Lewis Pern -- Anne McCaffrey The Dark Is Rising series -- Susan Cooper Damar/Daria -- Robin McKinley Dealing/Searching/Calling/Talking to Dragons -- Patricia C. Wrede Strands of Starlight (et all) -- Gael Baudino The Dragon Reborn (et all) -- Robert Jordan The Incarnations of Immortality -- Piers Anthony (Yes, I have been known to not like Piers, but this is good.) The Adventures of Amelia Peabody -- Elizabeth Peters (Not fantasy, but histerical anyway, especially if you liked Vanyel.) The Deed of Paksenarrion -- Elizabeth Moon Clan of the Cave Bear -- Jean M. Auel (But -not- the rest of them.) Lord of the Rings -- J.R.R. Tolkein (Just because I don't like him doesn't mean I don't think it should on the list.) I know people can think of others...please add/disagree with my list. Anne Cross across-+AT+-sidwell.edu ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 00:08:14 -0400 (EDT) From: Sea Witch To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: On Sat, 27 May 1995 DonnaG4650-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > I loved the Belgariad too. The other series' were pretty similar, but the > characters are terrific in all of them. I envy you reading it for the first > time. I've read them all a bunch! He's one of only 2 authors I'll buy in > hardcover. :) Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!! All of you!!!! I have been over on the rec.arts.sf.written group and I was starting to think that I was the only one in the world who liked the many books that are being mentioned in this thread. On the newsgroup they seem to have no sense of fun or adventure! They talk like everything written must be a "Great Work of Literature That Profoundly Effects Mankind" (TM)!!! > That's when I read Lewis last too! I went from "The Lion the Witch and the > Wardrobe" to the "Hobbit" and never looked back. I think it really says > something about the lasting qualities of certain authors. If you took a poll > of fantasy readers, I'd bet 90% of them started with either one of these 2 > authors. And not just those of us in the over 20 crowd! Not me! I started with Anne McCaffrey's _Dragonflight_ and I haven't landed since! ;-) I remember finding the f/sf shelves in my local library one day when I wandered out of the juvenile section by accident. Who says theres no such thing as fate? Actually , I didn't read the Narnia books until I was in my 20's...same with Tolkein. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | Melyssa Childs | | FDC Slimearound Ursula **** VP Bad Guys Coalition | | First Chair Clarinet - FDC Orchestra **** Lyric Soprano - FDC Chorus | | mlchilds-+AT+-orion.naz.edu | |----------------------------------------------------------------------| | RAD Host(ess): If you have any questions just e-mail me! :-) | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 09:48:33 -0400 From: Scya-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <950528094830_14804664-+AT+-aol.com> :::Another lurker delurks for awhile:::: I too started with the tolkien books at a time when reading wasn't on the top of my list but that changed my mind. I have kept most of my books since turning 20 or so and now I have many that my kids couldn't read otherwise. Just a couple to add to the list: Patricia McKillip : Riddlemaster of Hed Trilogy & Forgotten Beasts of Eld - both have outstanding character development Guy Gavriel Kay : Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy and Tigana - Tigana especially for imagining someone cursing your people by making everyone forget they exist - can't remember their history. Just my .02 too! Scya-+AT+-aol.com ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 28 ********************************