MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 29 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Other authors by nomib-+AT+-chem.psu.edu (Naomi) 2) Lots of suggested books by Bruce Hart Tamra Hart 3) Re: Lots of suggested books by gt0105b-+AT+-prism.gatech.edu (Gino Salvatore Marotta) 4) Re: Other Books by "Jennifer S. Broekman" 5) Re: Tolkien and films by TAMRA SPIELVOGEL 6) Re: other books by TAMRA SPIELVOGEL 7) Other Books by J Hulley-Miller 8) Re: Other Books by TAMRA SPIELVOGEL 9) Re: other books by Thia 10) Re: Other Books by j hewitt 11) Re: Other Books by j hewitt 12) Re: Other Books by "Jennifer S. Broekman" 13) Re: Other Books by Anne Cross 14) Bujold (was: Other books) by mel-+AT+-servalan.demon.co.uk (Melanie Dymond Harper) 15) Re: Other Books by Ian MacDonald ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 12:19:20 -0400 From: nomib-+AT+-chem.psu.edu (Naomi) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other authors Message-ID: <199505281619.MAA13613-+AT+-portal.chem.psu.edu> I am going to answer a bit from everywhere, please stick with me Thanks to everyone for the suggestions!!! I went out and got Nick O'Donahue's 2 books last week and liked both. They weren't great, but they were interesting. While I was at the bookstore, I looked at the new book Anne McCaffrey just put out. It seems to be a full novel of one of the short stories from _Get of the Unicorn_, "The Thorns of Barvei" (??or something like that??). It's the one about the escaped slave that was a kidnapped university student from earth. It looks like she is doing the same thing here that she did with the short stories about the Rowan and Damia. I also picked up _The Golden Axe_ by Gael Baudino and the Ghatti tale, can't remember the author's name. (sp? -the covers are beautiful) I read one of another series by Gael Baudino, and found it very so-so. I think a stand-alone book should be much better. I am looking forward to reading the Ghatti tale, if it is half as good as it looks, I shall really enjoy it. As for my feelings on other authors I like Feist (read Magician, etc.!!!), McCaffrey (mostly earlier stuff, _Ship Who Searched_ hooked me on Misty), Wrede, Tolkin, Eddings, Emerson(even if they were very difficult to find) and Lewis (in no particular order). I agree with Mel about Donaldson (depressing), and while I liked Jordan's first book, he had lost me by the third. I don't remember when or what I started reading in fantasy, but when my father saw what I was reading he got me The Hobbit and I Robot when I was in seventh grade. It took me a while to get to it, but I loved The Hobbit. I don't remember I Robot at all. I would also like to say that, while I can't stand most of Piers Anthony's stuff, I would like to agree that his Incarnations series is worth reading. Namely, the first, third, fifth? and sixth book (Death, Fate, (War?) and evil. Speaking of Katherine Kurtz, what did people think of her Adept series? (send it to me -+AT+- NomiB-+AT+-chem.psu.edu instead of clogging up the list. Thanks) Naomi ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 11:32:47 -0701 From: Bruce Hart Tamra Hart To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Lots of suggested books Message-ID: <199505281833.LAA14349-+AT+-shell1.best.com> Wow -- lots of great suggetions for books in the past few days! I'll try to get all the listed ones up on the Web page sometime this week. Regarding Dennis McKiernan and his "rip-off" of Tolkein, I've read most of his books, and although there are a lot of plot similarities, there are enough differences to keep me reading. I think I like his little jewel-eyed Wee Folk even more than hobbits, and his fox-riders are really a neat idea. I think once you get past his first few books, you start finding places where he's developed his world more and has gone beyond the Tolkien clone that he started with. Like Tolkein, all of his stuff takes place in the same world, and characters tend to pop up in multiple books, so it's easiest to understand his world if you start with his first two series (Iron Tower and Silver Call). Of his later books, "Voyage of the Fox Rider" is good, so is "Eye of the Hunter" (and you should read "Voyage" before "Eye"), and although I haven't finished it "Tales of Mithgar" is a very entertaining set of short tales (and you should read some stories in "Tales" before "Eye" or you won't understand the plot). I like the names and nicknames his characters have, such as Petal, Tuckerby, and Cotton Buckleburr. Good reading, even if a bit copy-cat in spots. --Tamra hart-+AT+-best.com http://www.best.com/~hart/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 15:01:55 -0400 (EDT) From: gt0105b-+AT+-prism.gatech.edu (Gino Salvatore Marotta) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Lots of suggested books Message-ID: <199505281901.PAA28079-+AT+-acmez.gatech.edu> Hmm...yes, I've always loved McKiernan books. But, I wish (like Stephen King) he would finish what he started. I mean, the end of "Eye of the Hunter" left us hangin...what about the Child of Impossibility?!? Umm..Tolkien? Rules. Lackey..of course she's the best..otherwise we wouldn't be reading this list! :) -- Buy a Pentium 586/90 so you can reboot faster. "640k ought to be enough for anyone." - Bill Gates, 1981 Gino Marotta -- gt0105b-+AT+-prism.gatech.edu ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 16:09:32 -0400 From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <199505282009.QAA15436-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu> Anne Cross wrote: >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: I don't remember ever not reading f/sf (or having it read to me), but what got me ravenously interested was... Asimov's Foundation trilogy. As for the list... >Narnia -- C.S. Lewis Agree >Pern -- Anne McCaffrey Agree >The Dark Is Rising series -- Susan Cooper Never read >Damar/Daria -- Robin McKinley Never read >Dealing/Searching/Calling/Talking to Dragons -- Patricia C. Wrede Never read >Strands of Starlight (et all) -- Gael Baudino Agree >The Dragon Reborn (et all) -- Robert Jordan I don't do series with 500 page books that don't stand alone... >The Incarnations of Immortality -- Piers Anthony (Yes, I have been known > to not like Piers, but this is good.) Death is the best of 'em, and I didn't really like any of the women's. >The Adventures of Amelia Peabody -- Elizabeth Peters (Not fantasy, but > histerical anyway, especially if you liked Vanyel.) Never read >The Deed of Paksenarrion -- Elizabeth Moon Agree, plus add the historical novels (_Surrender None_ and _Liar's Oath_), with the provision that they need to be read after the Deed... >Clan of the Cave Bear -- Jean M. Auel (But -not- the rest of them.) Never read >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.) Agree >I know people can think of others...please add/disagree with my list. How about some of Marion Zimmer Bradley's work? Or Diana Paxson's Shanna series of short stories? I should probably introduce myself, since I'm foisting my opinions on all of you.:-) My name is Jennifer Broekman, but I usually go by jenneke on the 'net, as there are entirely too many Jennifers running around. I'm an astronomy grad student at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (USA). Mel has been at me to join this list since she caught me red-handed trying to build the Holderkin area on the doomed ValdeMUSH. I've finally caved in because I have some technical questions to ask, which I'll save for another post... Cheers, -jenneke I *am* family. How could I not have family values? Only Boys Accepting Feminism Get Kissed Meaningfully -- Geoff Marcy The only unnatural sexual act is that which you cannot perform. -Alfred Kinsey broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu | http://www-astro.phast.umass.edu/gs/jenn.html ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 95 17:56:28 EDT From: TAMRA SPIELVOGEL To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Tolkien and films Message-ID: <9505282208.AA03928-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> In rtesponse to Mel's pondering as to whether or not Misty's books need animation to be brought to film I give a resounding no. IMHO, when we look at all the special effects possible, and that goes from using a blue screen to makeup/costuming to computer manipulated graphics, there is no reason why you couldn't turn any Velgarth novel into a live action film. I don't even think that it be that hard with any fantasy film, look at all the non-humans in Star Trek and Star Wars. They opened the doors and the only reason why no one has walked through is because there isn't backing of the idea. If the fantasy audience doesn't get respect from the local public library what makes you think we're going to get respect from those in control of Hollywood's big money. Sci- fi is starting to get respect on T.V. but even those purse strings are being controlled and cut by pupeteers (?sp) who say they no best. Sorry folks didn't mean to go off like that. --Re-lurking for long enough to catch up on my mail----Tamra S. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 95 18:14:05 EDT From: TAMRA SPIELVOGEL To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other books Message-ID: <9505282221.AA04563-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> On the topic of long books there's one I'm in the middle of that I suprisingly don't remember being mentioned out right though MZB has definetly been thrown into the pool on a number of occasions. The Mists of Avolon is my first journey into a book long enough to be daunting. I really like it and have trouble putting it down, a good thing I waited till the summer to read it or else my grades might have been worse then they turned out to be. Anyway what do people think of how she's turned all the traditional characters upside down. This is my first Arthurian alternative novel so its still sinking in that Gwen was a overly-pious cowardly twit and Morgaine wasn't the despicable evil witch of the tales I've heard (or atleast that there is possibly another take on the legend) Oh well, I promised to lurk long enough to catch up on my mail and I've still got a ton to read. ---Tamra S. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 16:27:50 +0000 From: J Hulley-Miller To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk (John Edwards) Subject: Other Books Message-ID: <199505282225.SAA07017-+AT+-cnj.digex.net> Greetings, John Edwards wrote: >JE> Has anyone else on the list read CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia? I also read them when I was a lot younger :) I tried rereading them about two years ago but somehow they seemed to 'preachy'... jhm -- J Hulley-Miller ____ <1:107/330-+AT+-fidonet.org> \/\/ "Human nature is never so weak as in a bookstore" - unknown ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 95 18:30:16 EDT From: TAMRA SPIELVOGEL To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <9505282238.AA05788-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> Just one more sugestion based on lack of mention. Everyone is so hot on Pern but don't forget the whole Rowan series (that's the first book but I can't remember if the series has a title or not) Chronologically it goes on from Rowan to one about her daughter (the title escapes me) to Lyon's Children than Lyon's prode (or vice versa on the last two I'm not sure I'm remembering correctly) and recently I saw the prequel to the Rowan about how the whole thing got started (thing=organization at the center of all the main character's lives). Anyway time to delurk again.---Tamra S. Note-Science Fiction Book Club is definetly the best! Hardcovers that cost at the most $3-4 more than paper backs. Although you do have to be patient books don't make it to the selection lists to a few months after they come out. IMHO it is definetly worth the wait since most libraries I've found cary a grand tot al of 4 Misty books (luckily its four diff. books rather than four copies of the same book) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 19:05:53 -0500 (EST) From: Thia To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other books Message-ID: <01HR1PGZHM5K92376Q-+AT+-WELLESLEY.EDU> Re: Mists of Avalon and other Arthurian books -- Well, *The Dark is Rising* is vaguely Arthurian, but doesn't mention Morgaine. Actually, I've encountered one trilogy of books (title and author have completed escaped my mind, sorry) where Guinivere (sp?) is determinedly Mother-worshiping, passionately adores Arther, takes a lover because she's Celtic and believes it her right, distrusts Morgaine because of aforementioned religion and ethnicity tell her witches are Bad News although there are hints Morgaine was actually trying to help...Sorry, it was a long time ago I read them. thia, who doesn't read much Arthurian because she *hates* sad endings. Cynthia E. Odiorne codiorne-+AT+-wellesley.edu Meddle not in the affairs of bards, FDC Walkaround Mrs. Potts for your name is silly and scans to 'Greensleeves' FDC Luke Skywalker Opinions by CEO SCA Judith Hosford ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 18:33:13 -0500 (CDT) From: j hewitt To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: On Sun, 28 May 1995 Scya-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > > Patricia McKillip : Riddlemaster of Hed Trilogy & Forgotten Beasts of Eld - > both have outstanding character development The "hed" reminded me of GED, the mage in the Ursula K. LeGuin Wizard of Earthsea trilogy...good stuff. Also--heard there is going to be a movie-grade redoing of the narnia tales (not the bbc ones from a while back)...don't know if the rumor has substance or not... Jim Hewitt Co-ordinator of Reference Services 218-299-4239 (office) Ylvisaker Library hewitt-+AT+-cobber.cord.edu Concordia College hewitt-+AT+-gloria.cord.edu Moorhead, MN 56562 http://www.cord.edu/faculty/hewitt/index.html HELP!! I'm calling from the corner of Walk and Don't Walk streets!!! ********************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 May 1995 18:38:32 -0500 (CDT) From: j hewitt To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: On Sun, 28 May 1995, TAMRA SPIELVOGEL wrote: IMHO > it is definetly worth the wait since most libraries I've found cary a grand tot > al of 4 Misty books (luckily its four diff. books rather than four copies of > the same book) speaking as a librarian, *nothing* gets a purchaser's attention faster than a written request for specific books -- in fact, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to take this thread down to your local public library and give them our collective "best of" list. in your letter, write "i will expect a response by such-and-such a date". If you don't get a response, take a copy of your letter to someone on the library board, and make the issue a lack of courtesy rather than buying the books or not... look--the library profession prides itself on service to the public -- but not all librarians remember that at all times! One other way to get the attention of the purchasers is to request books from inter-library loan (often you can't get things published within the past year, but whole series of books can be ordered to "catch up" on a specific author). The library won't tell you probably, but we figure it costs betwen 10 and 20 dollars in staff time, etc. for each ill transaction. *Buying books* then becomes a cheaper option! Inter-library loan, btw, is a service that is not publicized often (because of its cost) but is generally open to anyone who wishes to use it -- if you get a runaround on it, ask to see the specific policies that deal with ILL that is creating a problem. Just a few inside tips from the profession... Jim Hewitt Co-ordinator of Reference Services 218-299-4239 (office) Ylvisaker Library hewitt-+AT+-cobber.cord.edu Concordia College hewitt-+AT+-gloria.cord.edu Moorhead, MN 56562 http://www.cord.edu/faculty/hewitt/index.html HELP!! I'm calling from the corner of Walk and Don't Walk streets!!! ********************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 May 1995 00:05:44 -0400 From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <199505290405.AAA15536-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu> TAMRA SPIELVOGEL wrote: >Just one more sugestion based on lack of mention. Everyone is so hot on Pern >but don't forget the whole Rowan series (that's the first book but I can't >remember if the series has a title or not) Chronologically it goes on from >Rowan to one about her daughter (the title escapes me) to Lyon's Children than >Lyon's prode (or vice versa on the last two I'm not sure I'm remembering >correctly) and recently I saw the prequel to the Rowan about how the whole >thing got started (thing=organization at the center of all the main >character's > lives). Anyway time to delurk again.---Tamra S. IMO, the short stories are *much* better. In fact, IMO, if you can get your hands on *any* of the short stories Anne McCaffrey later made into novels, do so, because they're much better than the novels. -jenneke I *am* family. How could I not have family values? Only Boys Accepting Feminism Get Kissed Meaningfully -- Geoff Marcy The only unnatural sexual act is that which you cannot perform. -Alfred Kinsey broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu | http://www-astro.phast.umass.edu/gs/jenn.html ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 May 1995 00:21:47 -0400 (EDT) From: Anne Cross To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: On Sun, 28 May 1995, TAMRA SPIELVOGEL wrote: > Just one more sugestion based on lack of mention. Everyone is so hot on Pern > but don't forget the whole Rowan series (that's the first book but I can't > remember if the series has a title or not) Chronologically it goes on from > Rowan to one about her daughter (the title escapes me) to Lyon's Children than > Lyon's prode (or vice versa on the last two I'm not sure I'm remembering > correctly) and recently I saw the prequel to the Rowan about how the whole > thing got started (thing=organization at the center of all the main character's > lives). Anyway time to delurk again.---Tamra S. Actually, the Rowan started off with a book called -To Ride Pegasus-, which Anne wrote in the 1970's sometime. Then there's -Pegasus in Flight-, and then -the Rowen-, -Damia-, -Damia's Children-, and -Lyon's Pride-. I like the first two books, because there is some serious development of characters in them, but after Rowen, the whole series takes a major dive into the realm of -the White Gryphon-, ie Fantasy churned out as fast as is possible on a computer. That is why I didn't list it. (I am a mad-insane-crazy fan of Anne McCaffrey. :) Anne Cross across-+AT+-sidwell.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 May 1995 11:16:22 GMT From: mel-+AT+-servalan.demon.co.uk (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Bujold (was: Other books) Message-ID: <12832-+AT+-servalan.demon.co.uk> Anyone who's interested in Lois Bujold may already know this; there is a mailing list which discusses her work, it's run by Mike Bernardi (who's also on this list) and it can be found at lois-bujold-+AT+-herald.co.uk -- they're also refugees from UEL. Subscription and so forth is done the same way as for this list. Cheers Mel-+AT+-home -- Melanie Dymond Harper work: mel-+AT+-herald.co.uk home: mel-+AT+-servalan.demon.co.uk "I'd just like to ask one question. When you get up in the morning, how do you decide which shade of black to wear?" -- _Shallow Grave_ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 May 1995 13:55:21 +0100 From: Ian MacDonald To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Other Books Message-ID: <2784.9505291255-+AT+-furray.dcs.ed.ac.uk> > :::Another lurker delurks for awhile:::: > > 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. > Arrg I did these books for a higher english, I got well confused by the end of them !! _/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ You never get where you _/ _/_/ _/_/ want to be only where you need to be _/ _/ _/_/ _/ email ism-+AT+-dcs.ed.ac.uk _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/ AN _/ _/ ACDONALD, Edinburgh University, Scotland ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 29 ********************************