MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 94 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Magic.. Was Villains. by jah10-+AT+-cornell.edu (Jay A. Howell) 2) Re: two items by hart-+AT+-best.com 3) Re: Urtho's tower... by Kelly Klega 4) Charles De Lint by nomib-+AT+-chem.psu.edu (Naomi) 5) villian's mid-terms by Julie Vaux 6) Re: Urtho's tower... by mealink-+AT+-syd.au.swissbank.com (Kerry Mealing) 7) Re: villian's mid-terms by Vivian Choh 8) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 92 by hart-+AT+-best.com 9) Re: Bloodmagic by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) 10) Re: P.C.Hodgell by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) 11) Buskers by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 12) Re: buskers by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) 13) Re: Bloodmagic by Michael Richards 14) Re: villian's mid-terms by Erica Neely 15) Re: Buskers by skinch-+AT+-metronet.com (Stephen P. Kinch) 16) Re: Bloodmagic by skinch-+AT+-metronet.com (Stephen P. Kinch) 17) RE: Physical shields by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 18) Re: Bloodmagic by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) 19) Blanking on names by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 20) Sword and Sorceress XII by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 21) RE: villains and blood magic by EBM 22) Re: Sword and Sorceress XII by Joan Ferguson ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 16:46:03 -0500 From: jah10-+AT+-cornell.edu (Jay A. Howell) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Magic.. Was Villains. Message-ID: Gyrfalcon wrote: >Ancar wouldn't of even come close in a mage duel with either >Elspeth/Darkwind. He didn't know nearly enough. > I Agree! In a normal battle of Mage power, Ancar would definitely lose against either of Elspeth or Darkwind. Matt wrote: >Yes, but wasn't Ancar a blood mage? And doesn't that give a different level >of power than a regular mage would have either by themself or with the >assistance of a node or companion? Blood Magic does have its advantages at times, but it will not give you a different level of power than what you (as a mage) can normally perform. Blood Magic is just another TYPE of magic that can be used by mages. I just reread the LHM trilogy last month, and in Magic's Promise Savil and Vanyel discuss how Blood Magic can take out a mage's shields faster than any other magic known. Also, when Van faced Vedric in that mage duel, Van was the more powerful mage. Vedric was not as powerful as Vanyel was, (Cannot remember if Vedric was an Adept or not.) he just had a large family of mages backing him with their power. The way I see/understand the differences of Blood magic, it appears to me that when you utilize Blood Magic, you add an extra "Bite" to your spell. (sorta like acid) So, when you use the Blood power your blow will erode your advesaries protections that much quicker because of that "acidic" quality to your attacks. (Almost as if the force of the attack has a residual sting to it.) Hopefully this makes sense to more than just me. :) Jay ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 14:53:29 -0700 From: hart-+AT+-best.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: two items Message-ID: <199507312153.OAA20072-+AT+-shell1.best.com> To subscribe to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, send a check made out to Marion Zimmer Bradley for $16.00 (US)/$24.00 (Canada)/$38 (Foreign) to MZB Ltd., P.O. Box 72, Berkeley, CA 94701. I've subscribed since issue #1, and always enjoy reading it. It comes out 4xper year, and an issue just arrived a couple of weeks ago. And to all you folks interested in villains, I urge you to read P.C. Hodgell's _God Stalk_, _Dark of the Moon_, and book #3 (I forget the title) in her series about Jamethiel. She's created a whole race of people who have an honor fixation....a major leader goes over to "the dark side" (to quote a different story) and many of the Kencyrath follow him even though they feel he has fallen. I've re-read the books several times because of my fascination with her questions about good vs evil -- if you do what is honorable, but what is honorable has an evil outcome, are you a bad guy? If you do what is good but to do it you must be dishonorable, are you good or evil? I think that's what's missing in all of Ma'ar's decendents/clones -- they are just evil, no honor. I got the feeling that Ma'ar might have been evil, but that he had some sense of honor. Isn't that's what's needed to create a loyal following: a sense of honor (however sick and twisted, i.e. Hitler) and strong charisma? Anyway, just my $.02 for today! --Tamra H. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 18:53:45 -1000 From: Kelly Klega To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Urtho's tower... Message-ID: You wrote, > Oops, have to be more explicit in my postings... I meant I wondered what kind > of stuff was under Lake Evandim. Urtho had an evacuation and got lots of his > stuff out (not all, and thats what the Shin'a'in guard), but Ma'ar's death > was a bit more of a surprise... I was wondering what kind of nasty surprises > were underneath Lake Evandim... > I kind of got the idea that Ma'ar wasn't really big on sharing. I hadn't thought about it until I started thinking about this post, but Ma'ar's had quite a while to walk around and fool wih things without anyone knowing that he was the major bad guy. I kind of think that if there was any really cool stuff under Lake Evandim, then he wouldn't be esentially wasting his time trying to get at Urtho's relics under Shin'a'in guard in an inaccessable plain. I would think that he would want to figure out a way to get to his own (if any exist), as they would be unguarded and easier to get. I'm not up-to-date on the water-prooffness of ancient mage relics, though. Thoughts? Kelly ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 21:54:25 -0400 From: nomib-+AT+-chem.psu.edu (Naomi) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Charles De Lint Message-ID: <199508010154.VAA01563-+AT+-portal.chem.psu.edu> I managed to misplace the earlier post about Charles De Lint. Would someone please repost the books that were suggested, and what was thought of it. Thanks in advance, Naomi ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 12:42:56 +1000 (EST) From: Julie Vaux To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: villian's mid-terms Message-ID: <199508010242.MAA06098-+AT+-metz.une.edu.au> O.K. I know the villian's mid-terms were a few digests back but I'VE BEEN BUSY > I FINISHED MY THESIS AND TURNED IT IN THIS MORNING !!! "Plutarch's Originality in the Amatorius" hey back to villians - the FEMALE VILLIAN's answer to the mid term exam plus a few extra questions > 1.1 Answer = A GETTING DECENT FOOD FROM THE SERVANTS PLUS finding a good clothes designer /seamtress! then take over the area so all the clothes merchant pay tribute of silk and fear ! er fur s 1.2 The answer is b of course - let daddy pay your bills while you seduce/subvert the court if you're any good as a mage you'll have already mastered rejuventation spells so you can afford to be patient! 2.1 the answer is c - destablize your enemy using members of the local courtesans guild - its an old chinese technique 2.2 either kill her or torture her so the telepathic feedback will weaken your opponents 2.3 is the opponent male or female ? is he physically attracted or attractive to you - have you got the time to spare to seduce him into being your sexual slave? If you do then the answer is a , if not then d. 3.1 the answer is c. Extra questions for female mages . question One - You have achieved all your objectives and want to retire and enjoy some pleasureable hobbies. do you a) "repent " and end up as abbess or high priestess so you can still enjoy dabbling in politics. b) really sincerely repent and have fun watching your former enemies squirm in digust c) train a successor and have fun watch them try to assassinate you and fail several attempts until you're tired enuff so you're ready to let them kill you d) find a suitable prince and marry him somewhere a long long way from where you achieved power e) find a suitable princess to play "fairy" godmother to and bring her up to be as stylishly wicked as you. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 95 14:07:35 EST From: mealink-+AT+-syd.au.swissbank.com (Kerry Mealing) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Urtho's tower... Message-ID: <9508010407.AA19822-+AT+-syd.au.swissbank.com> Kelly wrote: > I kind of got the idea that Ma'ar wasn't really big on sharing. I hadn't > thought about it until I started thinking about this post, but Ma'ar's > had quite a while to walk around and fool wih things without anyone > knowing that he was the major bad guy. I kind of think that if there was > any really cool stuff under Lake Evandim, then he wouldn't be esentially > wasting his time trying to get at Urtho's relics under Shin'a'in guard in > an inaccessable plain. I would think that he would want to figure out a > way to get to his own (if any exist), as they would be unguarded and > easier to get. I'm not up-to-date on the water-prooffness of ancient mage > relics, though. Thoughts? Hmm.. I think the combination of Urtho's death, Ma'ar's death & whatever self-destruct mechanisms Ma'ar had set, would probably have obliterated whatever relics he had there. There's got to be more destructive power in that situation than just in Urtho's booby-trapped relics. I assume that the reason Ma'ar in his various incarnations hasn't recreated such artifacts is that magic is twisted & broken now - even if he had the knowledge still. I get the impression that he sometimes has to wait quite a long time before a suitable mage-gift crops up (and is cultivated) in a descendant, though his long life-span probably makes up for some of it. It seemed as if the countries had changed quite a bit between Falconsbane & his previous incarnation. It'd be interesting to have a few more hints as to how some of his previous incarnations died (he mentions a few in Storm Winds). Perhaps that's the reason the deity guarding Istar (have I got the name right?) is so touchy. Kerry. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 23:33:46 -0400 (EDT) From: Vivian Choh To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: villian's mid-terms Message-ID: On Tue, 1 Aug 1995, Julie Vaux wrote: > I FINISHED MY THESIS AND TURNED IT IN THIS MORNING !!! Oh, I'm so jealous!! Still analysing my data... > "Plutarch's Originality in the Amatorius" Hunh? Who are they? :) Vivian Choh bi189-+AT+-torfree.net v.choh-+AT+-utoronto.ca "I am all that I claim to be. I simply have not claimed all that I am." - M. Lackey, "Oathbreakers" procrastinating yet again...actually I came online to mail my sister to beg her to photocopy some stats critical values but I kinda got sidetracked.... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 00:06:21 -0700 From: hart-+AT+-best.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 92 Message-ID: <199508010706.AAA28906-+AT+-shell1.best.com> Vivian Said: >The similarity that I've noticed is the inclusion of a street busker >as a main character. >Right now, I can only think of three authors who employ buskers >as (one of) their main characters..ML, De LLint and Huff. >Will buskers be a trend in fiction, do you think? Buskers and Celtic music....I think Gael Badino's (sp) Gossamer Axe also used the term buskers, but I'm not sure. I know that Celtic music is a theme in a lot of stories because of the power and (supposed) magic behind the music. Anyone listen to Clannad or Nightnoise? Definitely magical....I wonder where the term "buskers" comes from -- maybe it's something all these people picked up at the same Cons? I know that ML and Huff know each other and exchange music, but I don't know if they've met/worked with De Lint. I wish there was a book (or a web site) that explained which writers played mentor to which other writers. I know a bit about MZB just from talking to her and her "gang" at a Con, and I know that C.J. Cherryh and Jane Fancher and Lynn Abbey all live in the same house and critique/help each other, but all the other ties and connections are a mystery to me. I guess I'm going to have to go to more Cons and ask more questions! (Speaking of which, anyone going to LA CON III in '96?) --tamra H. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 08:34:30 +0000 (GMT) From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Bloodmagic Message-ID: <9508010834.AA07793-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk> > > I don't think blood magic can be stored in reserves. Its more an quick > outburst of power that should be used immediately, or it will be lost. > Hmm. I'm not so sure about that - if that were true, then the mages would be extremely vulnerable when they weren't killing somebody; that doesn't seem to be the way things work. Also, look at Falconsbane's recovery in the last winds book. -Jerry -- _|_ / | 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: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 08:40:55 +0000 (GMT) From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: P.C.Hodgell Message-ID: <9508010841.AA07950-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk> > > And to all you folks interested in villains, I urge you to read P.C. > Hodgell's _God Stalk_, _Dark of the Moon_, and book #3 (I forget the > title) in her series about Jamethiel. Book 3 is 'Seekers Mask'; 1 and 2 appeared together in a UK trade paperback under the title _Chronicles of the Kencyrath_ some years back. As far as I know, the only place they're currently available from is Hypatia Press in nice-but-expensive leather bound hardback. There's also a collection of the Jame short stories available, and the individual short stories in chapbook format. (anyone know if the promised _God Stalk_ errata pages are out yet?) -Jerry -- _|_ / | 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: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 10:13:01 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Buskers Message-ID: <9508010913.AA16805-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> > .I wonder where the term "buskers" comes from -- > maybe it's something all these people picked up at the same Cons? At least in the UK, "buskers" is a standard term for street musicians -- i.e. you won't hear anyone refer to street musicians :) Traditionally you'll find them on street corners, or in subways (including the London Underground, where good stuff is made better by the echoes. Shame there's so little good stuff played :)). The last buskers I gave money to were a jazz trumpeter and a chap with a double bass, who were doing "I Wanna Be Like You" from the Jungle Book, extremely well... Cheers Mel. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 10:19:37 +0000 (GMT) From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: buskers Message-ID: <9508011019.AA10799-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk> > I wonder where the term "buskers" comes from -- > maybe it's something all these people picked up at the same Cons? It's the normal name for street musicians in the UK; it's been around for ages, so I don't think it's new. -- _|_ / | 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: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 11:58:49 +0100 (BST) From: Michael Richards To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Bloodmagic Message-ID: > Hmm. I'm not so sure about that - if that were true, then the mages would > be extremely vulnerable when they weren't killing somebody; that doesn't seem > to be the way things work. Also, look at Falconsbane's recovery in the last > winds book. The way I see it, a mage can use bloodpower there and then, and is only limited by the amount she has available... or she can use it to restore her own power levels; but that it's not possible/easy/cost-effective to store more than that amount. At least not for an indivual mage... we know White Winds schools maintain resevoirs of power, perhaps a Blood school (ie, one adept and some flunkies) could do something similar. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 12:54:09 +0100 (BST) From: Erica Neely To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: villian's mid-terms Message-ID: I loved these! So, will someone post the Herald's midterms I've heard so much about, please? Erica ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 07:52:25 -0500 From: skinch-+AT+-metronet.com (Stephen P. Kinch) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Buskers Message-ID: <199508011252.AA29780-+AT+-metronet.com> >> .I wonder where the term "buskers" comes from -- >> maybe it's something all these people picked up at the same Cons? > >At least in the UK, "buskers" is a standard term for street musicians -- i.e. > >Mel. > > Thanks Mel. I'm in the United States and I had no idea what as "busker" was until you defined it above.... Thanks again Stephen P. Kinch skinch-+AT+-metronet.com skinch-+AT+-delta.is.tcu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 07:50:02 -0500 From: skinch-+AT+-metronet.com (Stephen P. Kinch) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Bloodmagic Message-ID: <199508011250.AA29379-+AT+-metronet.com> >> >> I don't think blood magic can be stored in reserves. Its more an quick >> outburst of power that should be used immediately, or it will be lost. >> >Hmm. I'm not so sure about that - if that were true, then the mages would >be extremely vulnerable when they weren't killing somebody; that doesn't seem >to be the way things work. Also, look at Falconsbane's recovery in the last >winds book. > > -Jerry I tend to agree with Jerry. Bloodmagic is stored in bodies of the bloodmage. I don't know of anything natural that could be said to contain bloodmagic. It would be too much a "rape of the physical universe". The way I've seen it depected... it is a consuming energy that does not proliferate on its own. It must be reinforced. I'm not sure in which book I read it.. It could be Ma'ar or Falconsbane (not that there's a real difference) that talked about (the character) needing or using his reservers that we based off of the many he had killed for their energy. It goes without saying... the bloodmagic does not obey the same rules as normal node magic. Bloodmagic is a conscious evil manipulation of life. I just signed onto this list... and I'm also a little bit out of date... So please bear with me.... Stephen P. Kinch skinch-+AT+-metronet.com skinch-+AT+-delta.is.tcu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 6:29:19 -0600 (MDT) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: RE: Physical shields Message-ID: <950801062919.20613c29-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> >I can see a physical shield as being a major drain on the mage projecting it. > A magical shield can rely on minor shielding until a spell is upon it, then >the mage can dump in the addition energy needed. They should be able to >sense the spell coming at them. They probably would not be able to do the >same with a physical attack, because they wouldn't be able to sense it >coming. Then again this is assuming it is an all around shield. It would >probably be easier and less draining to have a small shield that they could >move in to block. This would also require knowing an attack is coming but >would take a good amount less energy. And seeing as how it would be like a >physical shield. Frontal attacks could be blocked easily, only problem would >be attacks from the rear. >Enough babling for now, I gotta get back to working here. > Tensen I agree that creating a magical physical shield would be a huge drain. However, magical shields against magical attack seem to be a different story. Vanyel said something in the second LHM book about having set up shields for his parents and sibs. As well as whatshername, Randale's lifebonded, and Jisa. In other words, he set up shields, and maintained them, with apparently very little effort. Maybe he wove the protection into the nearby nodes? But what would happen if one of the protected travelled somewhere? So most likely he was maintaining magical shields on a few dozen people without any drain to himself! StarWolf ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 13:49:44 +0000 (GMT) From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Bloodmagic Message-ID: <9508011349.AA14861-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk> > The way I see it, a mage can use bloodpower there and then, and is only > limited by the amount she has available... or she can use it to restore > her own power levels; but that it's not possible/easy/cost-effective to > store more than that amount. Hmm. I'd probably agree there must be a limit to how much they can store - but that must be fairly high, and could well be how they normally get their power - so the "use it or lose it" argument wouldn't normally apply *unless* they were full when they killed their victim(s). From the look of things, Falconsbane could store several people's worth, and even Ancar could probably manage a few. How this fits in with mage controlled troops - unless all the power expenditure is on creating them, rather than controlling them - I'm not sure. -- _|_ / | 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: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 14:58:53 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Blanking on names Message-ID: <9508011358.AA21784-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> After noting that Starwolf was having the same trouble as I do with names: (Shavri is the one you want, I think...) I am definitely going to have to do something about the inordinate amount of time that I spend trying to remember character names -- other than buy the concordances when they come out, that is. Perhaps, when I get some time, I will try and construct a character list of sorts.... Mel. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 6:37:11 -0600 (MDT) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Sword and Sorceress XII Message-ID: <950801063711.20613c29-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> Did anyone read the latest edition of the Marion Zimmer Bradley anthology? I think it's called Sword and Sorceress XII? Anyway, aside from the Tarma & Kethry story (by which, BTW I was, for the first time in a Lackey short story, NOT impressed) did anyone else read the whole book? Anyone else notice that every other story was written by either MZB's roommates or former roommates? What's the deal? She doesn't make any secret out of it, it's right there in the forewords to each story. She seems to have a half a dozen roommates or something. Either she's living with *the* most talented bunch of fantasy writers in the world, or... well nepotism comes to mind. Certainly some of them are talented. Some of the stories in this group are very good. Some are... well let's just say, I couldn't figure out the plot, the point, or the purpose of some of the stories. They seemed to be less than worth their money. After all, there's some, I'd guess, 14 to 18 stories in there. At $6, you figure each story cost me just under $0.50 And some of these just weren't worth it. If anyone's interested, I'll dig it back up and figure out which stories annoyed me. But did anyone else feel the same? Maybe it's a YMMV type of thing. Back to the Lackey story. It seemed to be a cute and cuddly sort of story, and it wasn't much in terms of a Tarma & Kethry story. On the other hand it was enjoyable to see them react to a different environment. In other words, not what I expected for one of these stories, but definitely a fun read. StarWolf ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 01 Aug 1995 09:41:08 -0600 From: EBM To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: RE: villains and blood magic Message-ID: <01HTKBDCJ6MQ9BY2C0-+AT+-SKISAS.USask.CA> On the subject of Blood magic I think that I would have to agree with the people who have been saying that it can only be used to "top-up" mage power, in a person. ^^^^^^^^^^^ However, there have been several references to using blood magic, and non-blood magic, to build up a set spell, examples being Kethry's trap spells in Oathbreakers and the spell used by Vedric and co. to go after Tashir and his family. I'm wondering now if one could see the heartstones in this same fashion, a resevoir with magic feeding into them from leylines rather than a mage periodically "charging" them. Secondly, >if you do what is honorable, but what is honorable has an >evil outcome, are you a bad guy? If you do what is good but to do it >you must be dishonorable, are you good or evil? YES, I must agree, anyone who has read R. Feist's "Silverthorn" will remember Arutha (the hero) recognizing in himself many of the same traits as are found in Guy du Bas Tyra (an outlaw). At one point he even says that in the same position he might have done the same. Guy had sacrificed everything, including his personal honor, for the sake of the kingdom. As always, IMHO, Gene ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 14:02:37 -0400 From: Joan Ferguson To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Sword and Sorceress XII Message-ID: <199508011802.OAA28558-+AT+-elmer.Harvard.EDU> >Did anyone read the latest edition of the Marion Zimmer Bradley >anthology? I think it's called Sword and Sorceress XII? >Anyway, aside from the Tarma & Kethry story (by which, BTW I >was, for the first time in a Lackey short story, NOT impressed) >did anyone else read the whole book? *snip, snip* On the MZB thing ... I not only get the impression that she has her "favorites", but also that she thinks she's the Goddess' gift to writers and readers of fantasy. I know that she's an amazing writer (I enjoy her books) and she must be a good critic, but I've stopped reading the intros to the stories, especially after the one she did for Misty where she said she couldn't imagine why anyone would want to bother writing books about horses, those smelly and hairy creatures. That did it for me. She not only has opinions about everything, but she has to tell everyone what they are, and does so in a tone of voice that makes me grind my teeth. Again, your milage may vary, but I definately agree with StarWolf on the fact that MZB is, well, unusual. >Back to the Lackey story. It seemed to be a cute and cuddly sort of >story, and it wasn't much in terms of a Tarma & Kethry story. On the >other hand it was enjoyable to see them react to a different environment. >In other words, not what I expected for one of these stories, but >definitely a fun read. Cute and cuddly, definately, but also not my favorite read of the volume. Very unexpected! Joan Joan Ferguson joan_ferguson-+AT+-harvard.edu Harvard University Library Preservation Office 59 Plympton Street Cambridge MA 02138 "Instead of loving your enemies,treat your friends a little better." -Edgar Watson Howe (1853-1937) ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 94 ********************************