MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 103 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: ADMIN: Genie chat by URAMESS-+AT+-aol.com 2) a mixture of things by Julie Vaux 3) Re: a mixture of things by Michael Richards 4) Re: a mixture of things by Gyrfalcon 5) Re: a mixture of things by Levin Neal 6) On a re-read of Winds of Change... by Gyrfalcon 7) Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 8) Re: a mixture of things by Michael Richards 9) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 101 by hart-+AT+-best.com 10) Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... by Gyrfalcon 11) Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... by "Sandy Haas" 12) Lackey Quality Slipping? by jhedge-+AT+-water.waterw.com (Jeanne Hedge) 13) Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... by PTJ-+AT+-badger.demon.co.uk (Philip Johnson) 14) Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 21:47:28 -0400 From: URAMESS-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: ADMIN: Genie chat Message-ID: <950809214725_51604966-+AT+-aol.com> In a message dated 95-08-09 15:51:40 EDT, you write: >She has such a way with words. :P > >--Gyrfalcon > > [Note: Lengthy .sig file deleted :) ] > > > ditto Matt ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 12:54:33 +1000 (EST) From: Julie Vaux To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: a mixture of things Message-ID: <199508100254.MAA15200-+AT+-metz.une.edu.au> THIS POSTING'S RATHER A MEDLEY - ONE - if its not legal to post copies of the Genie chat session to the list is it legal to receive a copy by email . I would to see one ??? TWO - I was looking at the world map in rebels 7 of Abode and find myself once again moved to ask - Wouldnt it be neat if we had a map showing the whole northern continent of Velgarth? THREE - I'm not a regular subscriber to LOCUS but as a special treat bought a copy of the August issue last time I was in Sydney. There was a very neat interview with Bujold in it. I'ld like to quote something she said about monarchy - she was referring to the barrayaran system but its an interesting comment - "I think any political system could work if everybody cooperates, and those work best which require the least heroism. (skip several lines about socialism and capitalism) Monarchy also can be made to work if enough people are heroically self-sacrificing about it." Comments anyone??? JVAUX-+AT+-METZ.UNE.EDU.AU ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 11:12:26 +0100 (BST) From: Michael Richards To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: a mixture of things Message-ID: > "Monarchy also can be made to work if enough people are heroically > self-sacrificing about it." > > Comments anyone??? Works fine for us! :-) ObLackeyContent: There have been discussions on the news group about the "Griffons" (I think that's how they're spelt in that book) up in the north of Valdemar being Ma'kar. Does anyone think that they might also be the Coldrakes that Vanyel fought? Mike ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 08:28:56 -0400 (EDT) From: Gyrfalcon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: a mixture of things Message-ID: > There have been discussions on the news group about the > "Griffons" (I think that's how they're spelt in that book) up in the > north of Valdemar being Ma'kar. I've held this as a theory, Didn't whatsisname... The Healer... ?? Devon! (MY memory's returning :) ) from Arrows of the Queen mention _hunting_ Griffons? It seems to me that if it were a Gryphon wouldn't they, oh, fly down to the offending party and ask them to stop shooting those nasty little arrows at them? IIRC the Maakar weren't that smart.. Not to mention that they were pretty much under control of their masters. Now I don't believe that a colddrake could be mistaken as a griffon/gryphon. I've always thought of them as big lizards... Much like dragons. --Gyrfalcon (Who's happy now that summer is ending, his memory is returning, and his sanity is slipping away! %^P ) =======================msowers-+AT+-menger.eecs.stevens-tech.edu=================== Magic still exists. We have only to reach out and touch it, it is a part of the very fabric of the world. When our belief of magic completely dies this universe shall die. Because that magic; Hope, Dreams, Love, Beauty, Wonder, Belief, and Discovery are what make us a people. They are all part of a great Art whose workings are still a mystery but whose applications can be seen every day. If we ever lose the Art mankind shall not last the day. Let the magic that is in us roam free in our work, play, in each other, and most of all in ourselves. Let it roam free or it will die. ============================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 95 10:36:00 PDT From: Levin Neal To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: a mixture of things Message-ID: <302A43DD-+AT+-smtpgate.mwhse.com> I doubt a colddrake could be mistaken from a griffon by learned people. Drake and dragon are similar things. Creating a serpentine image. However the peasants on the outskirts might not even realize there is a particular difference. Its a big beast. Considering they probably see the creatures rarely at best. They might not make a distinction between monsters. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 11:21:00 -0400 (EDT) From: Gyrfalcon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: On a re-read of Winds of Change... Message-ID: I've noticed something odd while re-reading Winds of Change: Pg 335: "The Goddess had declared that no one but Her shamans could work magics within the bowl of the Plains, for the task of the Shin'a'in was to keep magic from their homeland. He had felt no calling for such a life-task, and no liking for it, either." But didn't Kethry use magic in the Plains, both to entertain the youngsters of the one clan, [ Something about a telling a story, or performing magic, but managing to do both? ] And again later to extend her lifespan? It may be that this was an oversight, as Misty further defined the Shin'a'in 's purposes, but it just seems like a big discrepancey. It also could be that the Shaman-in-attendance didnt think that it was a problem. Thoughts? --Gyrfalcon =======================msowers-+AT+-menger.eecs.stevens-tech.edu=================== Magic still exists. We have only to reach out and touch it, it is a part of the very fabric of the world. When our belief of magic completely dies this universe shall die. Because that magic; Hope, Dreams, Love, Beauty, Wonder, Belief, and Discovery are what make us a people. They are all part of a great Art whose workings are still a mystery but whose applications can be seen every day. If we ever lose the Art mankind shall not last the day. Let the magic that is in us roam free in our work, play, in each other, and most of all in ourselves. Let it roam free or it will die. ============================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 17:08:34 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... Message-ID: <9508101608.AA06230-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> > Pg 335: > "The Goddess had declared that no one but Her shamans could work > magics within the bowl of the Plains, for the task of the Shin'a'in was > to keep magic from their homeland. He had felt no calling for such a > life-task, and no liking for it, either." > > But didn't Kethry use magic in the Plains, both to entertain the > youngsters of the one clan, [ Something about a telling a story, or > performing magic, but managing to do both? ] > Kethry might have been considered an honorary shaman, since she was officially Shin'a'in. I never heard of any other Shin'a'in becoming actual mages of any school, though -- or am I forgetting some? Mel. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 17:00:06 +0100 (BST) From: Michael Richards To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: a mixture of things Message-ID: > I doubt a colddrake could be mistaken from a griffon by learned people. ...assuming you know what a griffon looks like. What if all you know is that gryphons are big, scaley, flying beasts? Wouldn't you assume that's what you were up against? ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 10:52:31 -0700 From: hart-+AT+-best.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 101 Message-ID: <199508101752.KAA22615-+AT+-shell1.best.com> >We've discussed this more than a few times in Compuserve's Fantasy Lit >forum, and folks there seem to be of the general opinion that for the last >couple years ML just seems to be churning books out so fast that the quality >is starting to suffer. Perhaps she needs to take a break for a while? (Oh >horrors for us fans! ) I've voiced the same opinion a few times. This seems to happen with a lot of writers once they become very popular (i.e. start making lots of money for the publishers). The writers get into contracts that bind them to doing a certain number of books by a certain date, and the quality suffers. The writers don't always *like* what they're churning out, but they're between a rock and a hard place -- in order to get the advances they need to pay the mortgage, they have to sign contracts that don't really allow time for good editing or good writing. I really wish there were more small publishing companies in the world, and fewer publishing companies owned by big conglomerates who don't care about quality writing but just about profits.... --Tamra H. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 13:40:00 -0400 (EDT) From: Gyrfalcon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... Message-ID: > I never heard of any other Shin'a'in becoming actual mages of > any school, though -- or am I forgetting some? Well there was Kero's Uncle... what was his name.. Jadrek? Jadeth? J-something. Who was technically Shin'a'in but never was "Part" of the clan. He became a White Winds Adept, and was Quenten teacher. Then there was An'desha who was going to go to the Tayledras for tutoring. And probally more from Kethry's kids. Oh and an answer to an old question about why Elspeth never rode circuit. Since she was the Heir, and such a potential mage (although nobody but the Great White Busybodies knew) not to mention such an attractive target for the woman hating Ancar, why would the companions allow the next Herald Mage to fall into his hands, or allow her to be caught in an accident. Is Van's internship ever mentioned? Maybe my memory isn't getting better. :I --Gyrfalcon =======================msowers-+AT+-menger.eecs.stevens-tech.edu=================== Magic still exists. We have only to reach out and touch it, it is a part of the very fabric of the world. When our belief of magic completely dies this universe shall die. Because that magic; Hope, Dreams, Love, Beauty, Wonder, Belief, and Discovery are what make us a people. They are all part of a great Art whose workings are still a mystery but whose applications can be seen every day. If we ever lose the Art mankind shall not last the day. Let the magic that is in us roam free in our work, play, in each other, and most of all in ourselves. Let it roam free or it will die. ============================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 15:33:01 EDT From: "Sandy Haas" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... Message-ID: <8A428F6B29-+AT+-rackham.umich.edu> I thought Van didn't have to do an intership--that his trials of becoming chosen and then being in the Vales with the Hawkbrothers was considered his internship. I thought he came back from there being considered fully trained. back to lurking Sandy Haas >I Is Van's internship ever mentioned? > > --Gyrfalcon > > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 16:28:19 -0400 From: jhedge-+AT+-water.waterw.com (Jeanne Hedge) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Lackey Quality Slipping? Message-ID: <9508102028.AA21770-+AT+-water.waterw.com> I said: >>We've discussed this more than a few times in Compuserve's Fantasy Lit >>forum, and folks there seem to be of the general opinion that for the last >>couple years ML just seems to be churning books out so fast that the quality >>is starting to suffer. Perhaps she needs to take a break for a while? (Oh >>horrors for us fans! ) And Tamra H. replied: >I've voiced the same opinion a few times. This seems to happen with a lot of writers >once they become very popular (i.e. start making lots of money for the publishers). The >writers get into contracts that bind them to doing a certain number of books by a >certain date, and the quality suffers. The writers don't always *like* what they're >churning out, but they're between a rock and a hard place -- in order to get the >advances they need to pay the mortgage, they have to sign contracts that don't really >allow time for good editing or good writing. I really wish there were more small >publishing companies in the world, and fewer publishing companies owned by big >conglomerates who don't care about quality writing but just about profits.... I've heard that there are at least 2 new Di Tregarde books sitting on her publisher's shelf, but _they_ want more Valdemar instead (bigger money-maker). I wonder if ML is contractually committed to a certain number of Valdemar books, and that's why she's shoving them out as fast as she can - she's tired of Valdemar, doesn't care about Valdemar (except as a paycheck), and wants to move on to something else? (The preceeding was pure speculation on my part!) Was this discussed during her on-line conference? Jeanne jhedge-+AT+-water.waterw.com _____ "Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink..." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 21:19:08 GMT From: PTJ-+AT+-badger.demon.co.uk (Philip Johnson) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... Message-ID: <29824-+AT+-badger.demon.co.uk> In message mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk writes: > > I've noticed something odd while re-reading Winds of Change: > > Pg 335: > "The Goddess had declared that no one but Her shamans could work > magics within the bowl of the Plains, for the task of the Shin'a'in was > to keep magic from their homeland. He had felt no calling for such a > life-task, and no liking for it, either." > > But didn't Kethry use magic in the Plains, both to entertain the > youngsters of the one clan, [ Something about a telling a story, or > performing magic, but managing to do both? ] > As Tarma's oath-sister Kethry is accepted as Shina'in, and therefore, presunably, as a variety of Shina'in shaman. She is Shina'in; She works magic; among the Shina'in only shamans work magic; therefore, she is a Shina'in shaman. QED. Ain't logic wonderful for getting yourself out of a tight corner:-) Philip -- Philip Johnson 'Never do for yourself what you can con an expert into doing for you' Naismith: 'On War' 'A rational government wouldn't allow him possession of a pocket-knife, let alone a space fleet.' Cordelia, Countess Vorkosigan: 'On Naismith' ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 14:08:20 -0600 (MDT) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: On a re-read of Winds of Change... Message-ID: <950810140820.2061c693-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> > and an answer to an old question about why Elspeth never rode >circuit. > Since she was the Heir, and such a potential mage (although >nobody but the Great White Busybodies knew) not to mention such an >attractive target for the woman hating Ancar, why would the companions >allow the next Herald Mage to fall into his hands, or allow her to be >caught in an accident. Is Van's internship ever mentioned? >Maybe my memory isn't getting better. :I >--Gyrfalcon Remember at the end of the first book, Vanyel has just killed the baddy, and Sayvil comes into his room where he is recovering, with his whites. Basically she says he just passed his internship. Essentially, internships and circuit riding was a lot more informal. StarWolf ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 103 *********************************