MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 32

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: REVIEW: "Reap the Whirlwind"
	by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper)
  2) Re: other books
	by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford)
  3) Blue eyes
	by pjb6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk
  4) Re: Vrondi
	by Vivian Choh <bi189-+AT+-freenet.toronto.on.ca>
  5) Re: Vrondi
	by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper)
  6) Re: Other authors
	by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford)
  7) Re: Black Gryphon, Vrondi, Gods
	by SBuskirk-+AT+-aol.com
  8) Tad Williams
	by dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca (Deanna Toxopeus)
  9) Green Lion Trilogy
	by dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca (Deanna Toxopeus)
 10) RE: Blue eyes
	by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com
 11) Re: Other books
	by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com
 12) RE: Authors/Movies
	by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com
 13) my .02 worth
	by "Sandy Haas" <SANDRAH-+AT+-rackham.umich.edu>
 14) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 31
	by "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
 15) Other books page updated!
	by Bruce Hart Tamra Hart <hart-+AT+-best.com>
 16) Re: Other authors
	by SEAN <UASCAMPBELL-+AT+-MSUVX1.MEMPHIS.EDU>
 17) Filk in UK
	by Michael Richards <richards-+AT+-maths.ox.ac.uk>
 18) Re: other books
	by Sea Witch <mlchilds-+AT+-naz.edu>
 19) Re: Vrondi
	by "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>
 20) Rolan's Voice
	by dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca (Deanna Toxopeus)
 21) Re: other books
	by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper)
 22) Re: other books
	by "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>
 23) Re: Vrondi
	by Sea Witch <mlchilds-+AT+-naz.edu>
 24) Re: Vrondi
	by "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>
 25) Re: Rolan's Voice
	by "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 09:30:41 +0100
From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: REVIEW: "Reap the Whirlwind"
Message-ID: <9505310830.AA21039-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk>


> I found the first two books at the library, and am presently looking for
> the third (library dosen't have it).  How are the first two, and is _Reap
> the Whirlwind_ stand-alone?
> 

It certainly must be stand-alone, because I haven't read the first two. :) 
>From what I can gather, they are quite widely spread in time -- the three
books seem to happen at intervals of 500 years -- so you'll probably get all
the background you need in any one of them. I didn't feel like I was missing
anything, put it that way.

Cheers

Mel.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 08:48:43 +0000 (GMT)
From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: other books
Message-ID: <9505310848.AA16570-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk>

> Jordan:
> 
>     Would someone PLEASE explain to me about this Sniff thing you say
> you dislike so much?  WHAT sniff? What am I missing? (I am rereading
> these for the fourth time.)

Watch most of the female characters - when they disapprove of something/body
they tend to *sniff* at it/them :-). More popular than frowning.... Not
something I actually dislike, as such - just something you notice once it's
been pointed out, like the wires on trinitron monitors :-).

> 
> Paks and Elizabeth Moon:
> 
>     I too cast a vote in her favor! What happens to Paks in the last
> book of the *Deed* is pretty horrific--and yet there is such a spiritual
> overtone to that entire book that I keep rereading it...and I am a
> pacifist. I wish she'd write more about Paks and Kieri and Luap.

Hmm - apart from the trilogy, there are two more books:

    _Surrender None_   (The story of Gird)  good, not quite as good as _DOP_
    _Liars Oath_       (The story of Luap)  weaker

and a short story in _Lunar Activity_.


-- 
   _|_
  / |    Jerry Cullingford      jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk      (Work)
  \_|_                          jc-+AT+-selune.demon.co.uk   (Home)
\__/    Hemel Hempstead, UK     jerry-+AT+-shell.portal.com  (alternate)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 95 09:58:57 +0100
From: pjb6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Blue eyes
Message-ID: <9505310905.AA22389-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk>


<time to delurk once more!!>

In the book where Darkwind explains that the magic dyes everything white, and 
Elspeth figures out that that is why the companions are white (book two Mage
Winds, I think).  We are also told that eyes do get bleached to blue, but that takes a lot longer (I think I remember this :-) ).  One example is that of the b  
bond birds.  I seem to remember a bond bird belonging to one of the Tayledras
Adepts that had been bleached completly white with blue eyes by the magic.
	Sorry if this seems all a bit vague, but I just woke up!!

One other thing, I would appreciate it if someone could send me some information
on filk.  I'd like some details about the misty related stuff, as I'm gonna
have to order it.  Just stuff like who its by and what record labels it on.
If someone could e-mail me that information I'd really appreciate it.  Thanks a lot!!

Phil  pjb6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk

(back to lurking! :-) )

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 07:30:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: Vivian Choh <bi189-+AT+-freenet.toronto.on.ca>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Vrondi
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9505310744.A12952-0100000-+AT+-bloor>

On Tue, 30 May 1995 RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com wrote:

> >> BTW, I was just listening to the ShadowStalker CD, specifically
> >> the Vrondi song "Vrondi's Eyes".  This describes the Vrondi's
> >> as "Wide, unblinking eyes, as blue as the sky".  Hmmm.  Notice
> >> anything?  Blue eyes?  Like the Companions eyes?  Anyone notice
> >> a description in the books of exactly what color blue the Companions
> >> eyes are?
> >> 
> >> Another obvious link between spirit creatures and Companions.
> >> 
> >> Iris
> 
> >I thought the companion's had blue eyes due to the bleaching effect of 
> >of the nodes. In one of the winds books (I forget which) when someone 
> >(I assume it's Darkwind, but I can't remember this either) 
> >tells Elspeth about the bleaching effect of the nodes we learn that 
> >the companions are white with blue eyes as they draw on the nodes for 
> >extra speed, fast healing, etc
> 
> 
> Nope.  As I recall they are WHITE because of the bleaching effect.
> I remember there's a conversation between Darkwind and Elspeth where
> they talk about the bleaching effect, and Elspeth says something
> like, "so that's why Companions can't be dyed."  And Gwena looks
> at her and says "Sorry".  Something like that.
> 
> That doesn't explain the blue eyes, though.  Otherwise all Tayledras
> would be white-haired and blue eyed.  They all have white hair but
> I thought Darkwind for example has dark eyes?  Anyone confirm/deny
> this?

Darkwind has "same piercing, ice-blue eyes and bone structure..."  
(Winds of F-pg316)

I thought that the blue eyes were one of those traits that distinguished 
the Shin'a'in people (or maybe even the Kale'din (sp?) people in general) 
much like how Scandanavians are blond-blue-eyed and orientals are black 
haired, brown eyes...

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: Wed, 31 May 1995 12:37:23 +0100
From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Vrondi
Message-ID: <9505311137.AA24233-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk>


> > Nope.  As I recall they are WHITE because of the bleaching effect.
> > I remember there's a conversation between Darkwind and Elspeth where
> > they talk about the bleaching effect, and Elspeth says something
> > like, "so that's why Companions can't be dyed."  And Gwena looks
> > at her and says "Sorry".  Something like that.
> > 
> > That doesn't explain the blue eyes, though.  Otherwise all Tayledras
> > would be white-haired and blue eyed.  They all have white hair but
> > I thought Darkwind for example has dark eyes?  Anyone confirm/deny
> > this?
> 
> Darkwind has "same piercing, ice-blue eyes and bone structure..."  
> (Winds of F-pg316)
> 
> I thought that the blue eyes were one of those traits that distinguished 
> the Shin'a'in people (or maybe even the Kale'din (sp?) people in general) 
> much like how Scandanavians are blond-blue-eyed and orientals are black 
> haired, brown eyes...
> 

It's definitely a bleaching thing with the Tayledras, because Moonwind (I
think; whichever it was who spoke with Vanyel) mentioned that he had not
looked that way before starting to use magic. As far as the Shin'a'in
(probably another mangling of the spelling :)) go, for them I presume it is
genetic blue eyes & blond(e) hair, rather than white. I don't imagine that
there's a whole lot of racial mixing out there on the plains -- they thought
that Kethry was something really unusual -- did the children not believe
she was ill when they first saw her?

Cheers

Mel, classical Celt. (black hair, blue eyes)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 12:10:45 +0000 (GMT)
From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Other authors
Message-ID: <9505311210.AA18261-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk>

> Has anybody read Melanie Rawn or Tad Williams?  Just thought the covers
> looked good and might pick them up.  wondering if anybody had any thought on
> these two.

Melanie Rawn: Interesting books, 2 trilogies, common setting; some nice
ideas, keeping track of who's who can get a bit confusing at times in
the second trilogy. rating: buy in paperback - they're good, but not
quite good enough to tempt me into buying hardback.

Tad Williams: The _Memory, Sorrow and Thorn_ series is excellent - *but*
it took me two or three attempts to get through the first half or so of
the first book. Having read the complete series, I *now* appreciate the
start - unlike most books, that dispose of the main characters background
in a few pages and then go off adventuring, this shows you some of it - 
and it pays off (I think so, anyway) later on.
But first time through, it can look as though nothing much is happening.
For hundreds of pages :-). (The books are *big* books) :-).
Things do liven up later on, so persevere. In a somewhat similar way to the
Jordan wheel of time books, people tend to either love or hate the
series. Pluses: Williams does a pretty good job with his Sithi; they feel
more nonhuman than Tolkein's or generic elves. Minuses: some elements of
the human societies look very similar to 'real world' history; month names
are slight variants on real-world names, and one of the religions is thinly
veiled christianity - if you're the sort of person who freaks over why the
calendar should be messed up identically to ours, this can be annoying; if
you just take it as a short cut so (a) we know what season it is, and (b)
you get the general idea of the religious setup, so Williams can concentrate
on the other bits (which he does very well), then it's not a problem.
Rating: borrow the first book. Keep Going. When you've finished,
either give up, or buy them all in hardback :-).

-- 
   _|_
  / |    Jerry Cullingford      jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk      (Work)
  \_|_                          jc-+AT+-selune.demon.co.uk   (Home)
\__/    Hemel Hempstead, UK     jerry-+AT+-shell.portal.com  (alternate)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 08:38:15 -0400
From: SBuskirk-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Black Gryphon, Vrondi, Gods
Message-ID: <950531083811_18023519-+AT+-aol.com>



My goodness!  So many new posts in just one day!  I hardly know where to
start.

Regarding hertasi--they were mentioned in Oathbound, too.  Remember when
Kethry tells Tarma's Clan the Tale of the Wizard Gervase?  Yep, that's right,
Gervase was a hertasi.

About the Vrondi--they are spirits of a kind; they're air elementals.  The
Companion's eyes are blue because they're bleached out by the magical energy
 (see Winds of Change, chapter 8.)  In Winds of Fury (chapter 12), Elspeth
looks into a mirror and notices that her hair has streaks of white and her
eyes are lightening, and thinks that "now she really KNEW why working with
this kind of magic bleached the Hawkbrothers' hair and eyes to silver and
blue."

Kalanel vs. Kal'enel:  The two do seem similar, don't they?  There may be a
logical reason, though.  I got the impression, somewhere in Storm Warning,
that Karse, like the Empire, was originally settled just after the Great
Cataclysm, or perhaps that there was some other connection between Urtho's
people and Karse.  I do know that Vkandis knew of Urtho, because (in chapter
10) Karal thinks about how he had seen gryphons mentioned in the Writ, in a
list of creatures loved by Vkandis because they were "created without guile."

Another point about just Who She is--in Oathbound, when Kethry asks the
Star-Eyed to restore Tarma's bond, She tells Keth that She is just a
different face of Kethry's WindLady.  In Oathbreakers, She says to Roald and
his Companion, "Well met, Children of My Other Self!"  (Perhaps, as in our
world, the Goddess has many different names in many different places . . .)

In that same conversation (with Roald and his Companion) She also says
something about the Companion being "leshya'e Kal'enedral of another sort"
and that perhaps She should see if any of her Children would be willing to
change their forms, so that there would be "sable Companions to match the
silver" (for which idea the Companion looks at Her reproachfully.)  Gee, more
evidence that Heralds might reincarnate as Companions!

One last thing--anyone who liked Mists of Avalon and The Firebird should try
The White Raven, by Diana Paxson.  It's the story of Tristan and Isolde, and
it's good.  

Until next time!

~Sandi~



------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 95 8:40:48 EDT
From: dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca (Deanna Toxopeus)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Tad Williams
Message-ID: <9505311240.AA24009-+AT+-superior>

URAMESS-+AT+-aol.com writes:
> Has anybody read Mealnie Rawn or Tad Williams?  Just thought the covers
> looked good and might pick them up.  wondering if anybody had any thought on
> these two.

Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series is very good, with
enough twist and turns to keep anyone interested.  I loved it enough
to buy copies for my library.  Word of warning, it is a trilogy, but
the last book was so thick that the publishers decided to split it
into two for the paperback version.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deanna Toxopeus             |           !!!!!SAVE SEAQUEST!!!!!
Carleton University         |        especially Scheider and Raimi
dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca    |      email: maryflr-+AT+-best.com for details
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Chief Hammer Holder - Blacksmiths for a Better Tomorrow
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     "Nothing looks sexier than a man in boxer shorts illuminated only 
      by a 15 inch SVGA monitor."  - Scott Adams
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 95 9:00:03 EDT
From: dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca (Deanna Toxopeus)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Green Lion Trilogy
Message-ID: <9505311300.AA26482-+AT+-superior>

Jean Morrill writes:
> Borrowed books I have sitting on my shelf and am wondering whether or not 
> I should read (has anyone read them?)
> 
> First two books of the Green Lion Trilogy by Teresa Edgerton

Yup!  I have them and have read them several times, while they are not
as good as say By the Sword (Misty's best book IMHO), they are on par with the
Bardic Voices books in quality.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deanna Toxopeus             |           !!!!!SAVE SEAQUEST!!!!!
Carleton University         |        especially Scheider and Raimi
dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca    |      email: maryflr-+AT+-best.com for details
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Chief Hammer Holder - Blacksmiths for a Better Tomorrow
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     "Nothing looks sexier than a man in boxer shorts illuminated only 
      by a 15 inch SVGA monitor."  - Scott Adams
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 6:10:14 -0600 (MDT)
From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: RE: Blue eyes
Message-ID: <950531061014.21c00a3e-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com>

>One other thing, I would appreciate it if someone could send me some information
>on filk.  I'd like some details about the misty related stuff, as I'm gonna
>have to order it.  Just stuff like who its by and what record labels it on.
>If someone could e-mail me that information I'd really appreciate it.  Thanks a 
>lot!!

>Phil  pjb6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk

As far as I know, most of MLs stuff is on the Firebird label.
I currently own "Heralds, Harpers, and Havoc" - songs from The Arrows Trilogy,
and "Shadowstalker" - songs from Vanyel's Time.  I have another one on
order.  That's one problem with Firebird, they are not a huge label, so sometimes
it can take months for something that is backordered to arrive.

Get the Firebird catalog.  You will love it.  I virtually guarantee it.
If you like Misty's stuff, you'll end up wanting hundreds of dollars worth
of things out of this catalog. <grin>

Hope this helps.  I don't have the Firebird address/phone on me, but I'm
sure some kind soul will list it.

Iris

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 6:14:39 -0600 (MDT)
From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Other books
Message-ID: <950531061439.21c00a3e-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com>

>
>  I think that I am a little undecided on the making of a film.  If you all
>remember there was quite a stir over _Interview With the Vampire_.  Only
>because no one thought that Tom Cruise would be able to play the main
>charachter.  Well, guess what?  He did.  And speaking of films,  I just saw
>_Johnny Mnemonic_ over the weekend.  Movie is based on a short story by
>William Gibson.  Go see it.  That's all that I will say no spoilers from me!


I did see _Interview_ and frankly, if this movie is true to the book, well,
the book is crap!  The movie certainly was.  Oh, the story was good.  So I'm
assuming the book is actually okay.  But the characterization?  Tom Cruise
as an amoral vampire?  Didn't play.  He was pathetic.  And then the weird
switches to various countries.  I assume it reads better, since there's so
much filler that is missing.  It was palpable.  I could see the missing pieces,
easily, and I have not read the book.

Johnny Mnemonic looks like a great action/adventure/sci-fi flick, but from
everything I've heard they took the story and completely changed it in
order to come up with the movie.  In other words, it isn't true to the
story.

I'm not saying that's bad.  I don't think there are very many books that
translate directly to the screen.  Most books need to be changed drastically
to go on the big screen.  But if you are holding these two up as examples
for a Valdemar book, then I must say "NO".  "Please, please, please don't
make a movie from the books."  The books are awesome as is.

Iris
 

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 6:17:37 -0600 (MDT)
From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Cc: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com
Subject: RE: Authors/Movies
Message-ID: <950531061737.21c00a3e-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com>

Sorry, you are right.  Don Callander.  And yes, I've read Dragon Companion.
Same as all the rest.  Mind candy.  Fun.  <Slight spoiler alert>
A man walks out of our world into a world peopled by elves, dragons and
other such "fantasy" creatures, and barely ever gives a passing thought
to how the heck he got there.  Not relevant.  HMMMM.  But despite any
drawbacks, it's still kind of a fun read.

<spoiler off>

As far as another book, 'Aeromancer' or otherwise, I haven't heard.
Dragon Companion only came out a few months ago.  They seem to come
about one a year.  Anyone else know anything?

Iris

------------------------------------------------------------
Greetings,

RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com wrote:

>R> Also, Dan Callander is good, especially if you are tired of
>R> truly evil villains, and want some pure mindcandy.  The
>R> only good word for the Callander books (Pyromancer, Aquamancer,
>R> Geomancer) is cute.  They are incredibly relaxing because
>R> you don't have to worry about the characters.  But for some
>R> reason they are still worth reading.  Anyone else read
>R> his stuff, someone with a better idea of why they are good?

Don Callander. He has also written 'Dragon Companion'. Do you happen to know if
we can expect an 'Aeromancer' ?

jhm

--
J Hulley-Miller                                         <jhm-+AT+-cnj.digex.net>
____                                                <1:107/330-+AT+-fidonet.org>
\/\/    "Human nature is never so weak as in a bookstore" - unknown


------------------------------

Date:          Wed, 31 May 1995 10:02:05 EDT
From: "Sandy Haas" <SANDRAH-+AT+-rackham.umich.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: my .02 worth
Message-ID: <6EDEEF1034-+AT+-rackham.umich.edu>

Hertasi are also mentioned as lizaard-like in the "Oathbound" when 
Kethry is telling the story of Gervase (?) to the Clan.

Re: other authors
I am having a hard time LOVING other authors like I do Misty.  Hers 
is a world I want to live in.  I often wonder how one person can 
think something up, that has such an effect on other people.  Do you 
suppose somewhere, some time......its not just a fantasy??
Anyway, I do read others--I don't think as much as the rest of you!!  
But I have found few others I could 'snuggle' into.  MZB, Tolkein are 
a few.  Although--anything is better than the dreary work-a-day world 
of a University!!  Who can blame me for trying to run away from 
boring reality into a world of adventure and the love of a 
companiion??!!

PS.  no I'm really not nuts or out of touch with reality.  just tired 
of being a secretary  :}

------------------------------

Date:          Wed, 31 May 1995 18:14:55 EET DST
From: "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 31
Message-ID: <48DF067BC1-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi>

Jean Morrill <jean-+AT+-hwr.arizona.edu> wrote:

>Borrowed books I have sitting on my shelf and am wondering whether or 
>not I should read (has anyone read them?)

>a string of related books by M.J. Bennett

Is that Marcia J. Bennett with books like _Where the Ni-Lach_, 
_Shadowsinger_ (or something like that), etc? If it is, I liked her books. In 
fact I've been wondering if she has written anything in the last few years. 
She has developed an interesting world and nice characters. There's also a 
nice way of using magic.  Sorry, that I'm so vague (sp?), but it's been some 
years since I last read the books and I can't remember that much about fine 
points of them and I also don't have access to them at the moment =).

Tarja



------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 08:17:20 -0700
From: Bruce Hart Tamra Hart <hart-+AT+-best.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Other books page updated!
Message-ID: <199505311517.IAA09344-+AT+-shell1.best.com>


Well, I think I got everything from our messages over the last week 
or so into the "Other Books" Web page, but it's not organized very 
well and I'm missing most of the ISBN numbers. If I missed any 
recommendations, I'm really sorry!

http://www.best.com/~hart/lackey/ should get you there (if I reset 
the permissions correctly, that is -- all this UNIX crud is giving 
me migraines).

Everyone with Web access please take a look and start figuring out 
where some of those authors I stuck in "General Fantasy" really 
belong. We also need some additional categories for books -- any 
suggestions? Those of you without Web access -- I believe there's a 
way to get the text of a Web page by email. Anyone on the list ever 
hear of this and know how it works?

Those of you who volunteered to help are now being assigned a job -- 
track down those missing ISBN numbers! And collect the names of the 
books for those spots where all I have is an author! I'll be away 
for the next 5 days at a conference, so you have plenty of time to 
collect more info. 

By for now....

Tamra H.
hart-+AT+-best.com    http://www.best.com/~hart/




------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 10:31:56 -0500 (CDT)
From: SEAN <UASCAMPBELL-+AT+-MSUVX1.MEMPHIS.EDU>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Other authors
Message-ID: <01HR5DHALD4Y8Y6J4N-+AT+-MSUVX1.MEMPHIS.EDU>

>From:	IN%"mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk" 31-MAY-1995 06:12:35.56
>Subj:	RE: Other authors
>
>Heyla all!,
>
>Has anybody read Mealnie Rawn or Tad Williams?  Just thought the covers
>looked good and might pick them up.  wondering if anybody had any thought on
>these two.
>
>Toodles
>Matt J

I have read and liked both. Actually I loved Melanie (sp?) Rawn. I have read
all the books in the Dragon Star and Dragon Prince Series as well as her
latest book (I can't remember the name). I'm going to have to reread it though.
It was very good, but there are so many people in her books that it is hard to
keep them all straight (which some of them are not, at least in her newest
book). I'm also going to have to reread Misty's books. It's been a while since 
I've read some of them.

I haven't read anything recent of Tad Williams. The only one that comes to mind
right now is Tailchaser's Song. It was cute and amusing. You won't look at your
cat quite the same anymore.

It's funny, I subscribed to this only a few days ago and was about to ask if
there were any other Melanie Rawn fans out there myself. IMHO she is definatly
a must read. I remember that her first book evoked very complicated emotions in
me. They're next to impossible to put down.

Sean

*******************************************************************************
"First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out- because I was not a Jew.
 Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out- because I was not a
 communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out- 
 because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me- and there was no one
 left to speak out for me."
                             -Pastor Martin Niemoller (Victim of the Nazis)

Aaron Sean Campbell            V P Students for Gay and Lesbian Awareness	
uascampbell-+AT+-cc.memphis.edu     The University of Memphis, Memphis TN 38104
********************************************************************************

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 16:22:58 +0100 (BST)
From: Michael Richards <richards-+AT+-maths.ox.ac.uk>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Filk in UK
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9505311636.D17371-0100000-+AT+-yukon.maths>

For filk in the UK, you can do worse than visit "At the Sign of the 
Dragon", a small import bookstore in South London (nearest train stop: 
Mortlake; it's on Sheen Lane). They stock filk tapes (as well as an 
incredible number of books) and recently gots lots of goodies from Random 
Factors. The price works out comparable to what mail order from the US 
would be, I think, but it might be cheaper to import 3 or more. They also 
carry UK filk tapes - I can recommend getting the Mike Whittaker tape, 
and the Phil Alcock tape, and listening to them -in that order-.

Also, the people who run it are very nice and friendly, so if you like to 
chat, allow -plenty- of time for your visit. :)

There is some filk information on the web; you can find Random Factors at
http://sundry.hsc.usc.edu/random-factors/

and the alt.music.filk FAQ list at
http://maths.ox.ac.uk/~richards/filk.html

(plug, plug! *grin*) So far as I know, Firebird don't have a page on the 
www yet; but some of the information is on the ML page at

http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/ism/lackey/lackey.html

Mike

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 11:33:23 -0400 (EDT)
From: Sea Witch <mlchilds-+AT+-naz.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: other books
Message-ID: <Pine.ULT.3.91.950531112640.947A-100000-+AT+-orion.naz.edu>

On Tue, 30 May 1995, Barbara G. Jacob-McDowell wrote:

> McCaffrey and Pern:
> 
>     Love her books! Prefer anything with Robinton and Menolly in them,
> although no one has so far mentioned *Restoree* or *Get off the
> Unicorn*. I could not, no matter how I tried, get into her *Crystal
> Singer* books, or the *Raven* ones.

LOVE Restoree!  Adore Robinton and Menolly (absolutely bawled at the
end of....oh...can't spoil it <grin>).  I really enjoy the Crystal 
Singer books because Killa is a great character, totally true to the
type of personality that I have seen all around me in the arts.
Raven books aren't bad.  Damia was a whiny little snot though.  ;-)

> Jordan:
> 
>     Would someone PLEASE explain to me about this Sniff thing you say
> you dislike so much?  WHAT sniff? What am I missing? (I am rereading
> these for the fourth time.) 

Whenever the women are being snotty they "sniff".  Egwene sniffs, 
Nyneave sniffs a LOT, they all sniff!  "Rand you are being an idiot"
sniffed ____________   <sigh>  I never knew human beings could sniff
so much without having a cold.

>     Anyone else having a Monday on a Tuesday? At least Friday will be
> here sooner! And when will we start guess-casting an Arrows movie? Who
> should be Talia?

I would have to make the characters a bit older than they are in the 
book.  I could see Winona Ryder as Talia, but she may be TOO old now.

Interesting question:  who would you see, or maybe hear is better, as
the voice of Rolan?

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
|                             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: Wed, 31 May 1995 12:22:53 -0400
From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Vrondi
Message-ID: <199505311622.MAA16743-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>

Iris wrote:
>That doesn't explain the blue eyes, though.  Otherwise all Tayledras
>would be white-haired and blue eyed.  They all have white hair but
>I thought Darkwind for example has dark eyes?  Anyone confirm/deny
>this?

The only non-blue eyed Adepts we've seen are Vanyel (grey) and Kethry
(green), though I don't recall if Kethry used nodes or not.  There's
also a direct quote from one of the Mage Winds books that someone else
has already posted.  It seems that all natural coloring is bleached by
the use of node magic, though I don't think we've seen any change in
human skin color.  This is actually one of the bits of evidence that
the Haighlei magic is *really* different from northern magic: even
though they're reputed to have truly powerful mages, they're not
bleached the way nothern Adepts are.

-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: Wed, 31 May 95 12:20:27 EDT
From: dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca (Deanna Toxopeus)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Rolan's Voice
Message-ID: <9505311620.AA24407-+AT+-superior>

Sea Witch writes:
> Interesting question:  who would you see, or maybe hear is better, as
> the voice of Rolan?

Although Rolan doesn't really talk that much, say compared to Gwenna,
I think it should be on of those *famous* deep voices, like James Earl
Jones or Michael Dorn, although Patrick Stewarts' voice, while
lighter, would be interesting.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deanna Toxopeus             |           !!!!!SAVE SEAQUEST!!!!!
Carleton University         |        especially Scheider and Raimi
dtoxopeu-+AT+-ccs.carleton.ca    |      email: maryflr-+AT+-best.com for details
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Chief Hammer Holder - Blacksmiths for a Better Tomorrow
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     "Nothing looks sexier than a man in boxer shorts illuminated only 
      by a 15 inch SVGA monitor."  - Scott Adams
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 17:26:51 +0100
From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: other books
Message-ID: <9505311626.AA04654-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk>

> I would have to make the characters a bit older than they are in the 
> book.  I could see Winona Ryder as Talia, but she may be TOO old now.
> 
> Interesting question:  who would you see, or maybe hear is better, as
> the voice of Rolan?
> 

Oooh, a casting thread. How about Christina Ricci as Talia? No, on second 
thoughts she would have made a good Arrows-type Elspeth, might still do in
the latter books.

As for Rolan, errr ... um .... Sean Connery? You'd need someone who sounds
_wise_. (If we were in alt.fan.pratchett, the answer would probably be 
James Earl Jones -- it usually is. :))

Cheers

Mel.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 12:42:13 -0400
From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: other books
Message-ID: <199505311642.MAA16754-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>

Barbara G. Jacob-McDowell wrote:
>Kurtz and the Deryni:
>    In her book of criticism, *Language of the Night* Ursula LeGuin gave
>it as her opinion that a writer of fantasy who has a lot of political
>stuff in it is not writing *real* fantasy. That is her opinion, and as a
>person who doesn't much like political stuff, I am sometimes surprised
>at how much I like Katherine Kurtz's Deryni books.

I've never quite been able to figure out precisely what Kurtz's
politics are from the Deryni novels, though.  The Deryni make
wonderful analogs of Jews, witches, gays, women, almost anyone who was
persecuted in Europe's medeival period, but all of these groups are
still present in the novels.  Kurtz has said that there are Jews, and
they will be shown when and if a character's Judaism is important to
the story.  There are non-Deryni witches, such as the woman who set
Morgan's broken arm.  I remain convinced that Arilan is gay.  

As for it not being fantasy if there's RL politics in it, hell, it's
really difficult to keep RL politics out of fantasy.  Lewis has it,
McCaffrey has it, Tolkien has it...

>Eddings:
>    I enjoyed the two series about Belgarion and Polgara, et al. The
>repetition of the basic plot interested me in the
>variations/similarities he worked out in them. (After all, how many
>writers do you know who could top the end of the first series, where
>Garion fights and kills a god?) I earnestly hope that the new Belgareth
>book has a section on Vo Wacune, I think it is, that Polgara could not
>forget, and which sounds to me like a version of Camelot in the
>allusions to it.  Couldn't get into the Ruby Knight ones at all.

Am I the only one who *could* *not* get through more than the first
few pages of the first book of the Belgariad?  I just couldn't get
past the really heavy reliance on stereotypes in the introductory bit:
She's like this, because she's a girl.  He's slow, because he's a
member of this race.  I don't mind distinctive races, but please, make
the characters individuals, not caricatures, and leave the
generalizations until a little bit later.  Or better yet, leave them
out and let the readers figure them out.

>Paks and Elizabeth Moon:
>    I too cast a vote in her favor! What happens to Paks in the last
>book of the *Deed* is pretty horrific--and yet there is such a spiritual
>overtone to that entire book that I keep rereading it...and I am a
>pacifist. I wish she'd write more about Paks and Kieri and Luap.

I've heard that she plans to write more about Paks, but that she feels
she needs to be older and wiser herself before she's able to write
about a mature paladin.

Back to Misty:
>and in an interesting way. I like characters who are developing and
>changing. Static, flat ones do not keep my interest. Gwena is probably
>one of the most interesting Companions just because she isn't as knowing
>as she thinks she is and wanted Elspeth to think she was. To bring this
>back to the list topic!

Gwena was certainly very interesting, but Elspeth...  I'd be perfectly
happy if we never saw another novel with Elspeth as central character.
I've always been convinced that Elspeth had to have a young Grove-born
Companion because all of the regular ones knew her too well to want to
deal with her temper and her remaining Bratliness.

-jenneke, wasting time...

	   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: Wed, 31 May 1995 12:52:55 -0400 (EDT)
From: Sea Witch <mlchilds-+AT+-naz.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Vrondi
Message-ID: <Pine.ULT.3.91.950531125147.5265B-100000-+AT+-orion.naz.edu>

On Wed, 31 May 1995, Vivian Choh wrote:

> I thought that the blue eyes were one of those traits that distinguished 
> the Shin'a'in people (or maybe even the Kale'din (sp?) people in general) 
> much like how Scandanavians are blond-blue-eyed and orientals are black 
> haired, brown eyes...

I thought that blue eyes were rare in the Shin'a'in people.  Remember how
Kethry's children are said to be much in demand as potential mates because
of their blond hair and blue eyes.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
|                             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: Wed, 31 May 1995 13:38:19 -0400
From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Vrondi
Message-ID: <199505311738.NAA16820-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>

Melanie Dymond Harper wrote:
>> I thought that the blue eyes were one of those traits that distinguished 
>> the Shin'a'in people (or maybe even the Kale'din (sp?) people in general) 
>> much like how Scandanavians are blond-blue-eyed and orientals are black 
>> haired, brown eyes...

>It's definitely a bleaching thing with the Tayledras, because Moonwind (I
>think; whichever it was who spoke with Vanyel) mentioned that he had not
>looked that way before starting to use magic. As far as the Shin'a'in

Moondance was an adoptee.  He also didn't have the characteristic boon
structure of the Tayledras...

>(probably another mangling of the spelling :)) go, for them I presume it is
>genetic blue eyes & blond(e) hair, rather than white. I don't imagine that
>there's a whole lot of racial mixing out there on the plains -- they thought
>that Kethry was something really unusual -- did the children not believe
>she was ill when they first saw her?

It's blue eyes, black hair, and golden skin, isn't it?  That, combined
with the descriptions of their bone structure, has always made me
think they must look like Native Americans with blue eyes.:-)

>Mel, classical Celt. (black hair, blue eyes)

-jenneke, classical Dutchwoman (ash-blond hair, blue eyes)

	   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: Wed, 31 May 1995 13:46:21 -0400
From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" <broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Rolan's Voice
Message-ID: <199505311746.NAA16840-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu>

Deanna Toxopeus wrote:
> Sea Witch writes:
>> Interesting question:  who would you see, or maybe hear is better, as
>> the voice of Rolan?
> 
> Although Rolan doesn't really talk that much, say compared to Gwenna,
> I think it should be on of those *famous* deep voices, like James Earl
> Jones or Michael Dorn, although Patrick Stewarts' voice, while
> lighter, would be interesting.

How about the guy who does Ambassador Kosh's voice on Babylon 5?  Or
is that Michael Dorn?

-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


------------------------------

End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 32
********************************