MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 208

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: Sci-fi and Fantasy
	by Gyrfalcon <msowers-+AT+-menger.eecs.stevens-tech.edu>
  2) Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
	by Anne Cross <juniper-+AT+-fledge.watson.org>
  3) Songmaster
	by Hollie Virgin <ehvirg00-+AT+-pop.uky.edu>
  4) Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
	by "Sarah Stock" <sarah-+AT+-paradigm.co.nz>
  5) When is a holiday not a holy day?
	by "Barbara G. Jacob-McDowell" <bj00+-+AT+-andrew.cmu.edu>
  6) Chrome Circle
	by owl <BLGRUB-+AT+-main.rmwc.edu>
  7) Re: halloween (sort of); *quite* off topic
	by "Kristine E. Johnston" <KRISTINE-JOHNSTON-+AT+-Augustana.edu>
  8) Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
	by EDooley489-+AT+-aol.com
  9) Re: Not a companion but.....
	by SariKr-+AT+-aol.com
 10) Re: Chrome Circle
	by Jennifer Broekman <jsb-+AT+-phantom.com>
 11) Re: Not a companion but.....
	by diamond-+AT+-wizvax.net (Jill Wilber)
 12) Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
	by GERKEJ-+AT+-MINNIE.HOLLINS.EDU
 13) Re: Not a companion but.....
	by SMHA86B-+AT+-prodigy.com (MISS MARIA T FOGEL)
 14) Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
	by Stephanie Wukovitz <steph-+AT+-newton.mbi.ucla.edu>
 15) Re: various book-recommendations
	by "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
 16) Re: Mageworlds (was A new book to recommend)
	by "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
 17) Re: First exposure to fantasy
	by "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
 18) Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
	by "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
 19) Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
	by Ned <sbaldric-+AT+-roanoke.infi.net>
 20) Casting characrers...
	by SMHA86B-+AT+-prodigy.com (MISS MARIA T FOGEL)
 21) Re: Not a companion but.....
	by "Aphrael" <LBELZER-+AT+-sbu.edu>
 22) Re: First exposure to sci-fi/fantasy
	by Tammy Harris <TAMARAH-+AT+-medicine.dmed.iupui.edu>
 23) Re: Narnia
	by 'Live Long and Prosper' <LIYDDL1-+AT+-lin3.smf.nottingham.ac.uk>
 24) First exposure to sci-fi/fantasy
	by ajc6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk
 25) Elves and Such
	by ajc6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk

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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 12:24:11 -0500 (EST)
From: Gyrfalcon <msowers-+AT+-menger.eecs.stevens-tech.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Sci-fi and Fantasy
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.90.951105122238.19238A-+AT+-menger.eecs.stevens-tech.edu>

On Sat, 4 Nov 1995, Ilta Tuulia Adler wrote:

> What can you do with such ignorance.

Several things come to mind... Firing squads, lynch mobs, People in White 
with Trucks and Big Axes (tm)...

	<Gryn>

--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: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 15:28:28 -0500 (EST)
From: Anne Cross <juniper-+AT+-fledge.watson.org>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.3.91.951105152608.12260A-100000-+AT+-fledge.watson.org>


On Sun, 5 Nov 1995, Vivian Choh wrote:

> 	Here, I'll prove it to you.  Did anyone like O.R. Melling's Druid
> story and what was the author's name who wrote a trilogy that started (?)
> with "Damiano's Lute"?  These questions are not rhetorical BTW.

I can't for the life of me remeber who wrote Damiano and all of those 
lot... The Angel Raphael was all through them and they got very strange 
-- I didn't like them very much.  How about Pamela Dean, and "Tam Lin"?  
Or Patricia C. Wrede and anything?

PS. I had to delete a whole chunk of mail unread because of the activity 
on this list...WOW!

 ____________________________________________________________________________
 |   Anne Cross			    | "How many witches does it take	    |
 | juniper-+AT+-fledge.watson.org	    |      to change a lightbulb?"	    |
 | http://www.watson.org/~juniper/  | "What do you want to change it into?" |
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 16:21:42 -0500 (EST)
From: Hollie Virgin <ehvirg00-+AT+-pop.uky.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Songmaster
Message-ID: <199511052121.QAA11486-+AT+-service1.cc.uky.edu>

On Sun, 5 Nov 1995, Vivian Choh wrote:

> Also, there was a book called something
>like "Songmaster" written by (or about a character called) Anastole or
>something like that?  Can anyone refresh my memory?  Did you like it?

_Songmaster_ was written by Orson Scott Card, I believe... and unfortunately
I've never read it.  That, along with Melanie Rawn and lots of McCaffrey's
more sci-fi-ish stuff, I've put on my "list of things to buy when I don't
have anything else to read..."  I think I have heard a filk song about it,
though - at least the back of the book (and we all KNOW how accurate those
tend to be) sounds a whole lot like the song...it's called "Songbird," and
Julia Ecklar sings it, but somebody else wrote it first and sings it with
her...Kathy M-something, I think.  It's on the same tape as the fire-lizard
song, and for the life of me I can't remember it, but it starts with a W.  Argh.

Hollie Virgin
ehvirg00-+AT+-pop.uky.edu

"She will remember your heart when men are fairytales in books written by
rabbits."
			-The Last Unicorn


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

Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 10:55:49 +1200
From: "Sarah Stock" <sarah-+AT+-paradigm.co.nz>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
Message-ID: <199511052243.LAA23133-+AT+-ftp.paradigm.co.nz>


> 
> 	Here, I'll prove it to you.  Did anyone like O.R. Melling's Druid
> story and what was the author's name who wrote a trilogy that started (?)
> with "Damiano's Lute"?  These questions are not rhetorical BTW.  I really
> HAVE forgotten...R.A. something?  Also, there was a book called something
> like "Songmaster" written by (or about a character called) Anastole or
> something like that?  Can anyone refresh my memory?  Did you like it?
> 
> Vivian Choh	bi189-+AT+-torfree.net	v.choh-+AT+-utoronto.ca 

Haven't read the first author, but Damiano, Damiano's Lute and 
Rapheal were written by R.A. MacAvoy.  They grow on you, I like them 
more every time I read them. 

Didn't Orson Scott Card write a book called "SongMaster"

Sarah
sarah-+AT+-paradigm.co.nz

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

Date: Sun,  5 Nov 1995 18:06:36 -0500 (EST)
From: "Barbara G. Jacob-McDowell" <bj00+-+AT+-andrew.cmu.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: When is a holiday not a holy day?
Message-ID: <YkbIBwy00iVE43Cu87-+AT+-andrew.cmu.edu>


    Answer: When a large entity is justifying their actions. 
    Example: Every year, students, faculty, and staff at Carnegie Mellon
University in Pgh. has Christmas off. It is a quote "national" unquote
holiday. However, I have to work on Easter Sunday, because CMU "does not
celebrate religious holidays."  Nobody ever wants to switch with me (no
non-Christians work in our small but vital Circulation dept.), so I am
always stuck. I resent working on this one Sunday more than I mind all
the others put together, because I regard it as the most important
religious holy day of the year for me (please not that I said for me,
not anyone else), and since I have to open the building, that neatly
prevents me from attending the main service at our church. Yes, I know I
could attend a dawn service, or go to an Easter Eve service the night
before, but they are not the same. 

                                        --Barra
P.S. Among the many weird, short-term jobs is the 3 weeks I spent about
10 yrs. ago as the Easter Bunny at a mall. (Yes, I was the one with the
baggiest knees, since the costume was designed for someone between 5'6"
and 6"2" and I am less than 5'--it was like being inside a portable
sauna, and I lost 14 lbs.) Other than giving a very small child a phobia
about large white furry creatures that move, and upsetting a little deaf
child because she couldn't read my lips ("Mommy, the Bunny won't talk to
me!"), I was repelled by the hordes of little kids who are apparently
being taught to regard this as a time for presents--I lost count of the
moppets who came with long lists of things they wanted to be given at
Easter, and I don't mean eggs and candy, I mean toys. This I found
disturbing. Are other religions having this problem of the religious
aspects being dumbed down, or is it soley in the US? 
    And to drag this back on topic, anyone else wish that Misty would
introduce some other holiday/holy day celebration into Valdemar, that
might have some fun aspects to it? A children's holiday?

 

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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 18:37:20 EST
From: owl <BLGRUB-+AT+-main.rmwc.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Chrome Circle
Message-ID: <8FA29813C9-+AT+-main.rmwc.edu>

Have to say, some of my favourite books still are focused towards 
"children"---Madelein L'Engle's, Elizabeth Marie Pope's (The Perilous 
Gard)  and Susan Cooper's (The Dark is Rising series).  Who says you 
have to grow up!
One general question to everybody--did it annoy the heck out of you 
that Keighvin Silverhair suddenly starts speaking with a brogue in 
Chrome Circle?  When he hadn't for three other book?  AND it came and 
went?  I generally liked the book (it's my favourite series by ML) but 
boy o boy did that drive me absolutely insane!  (or at least more 
frenzied than usual).  Hope November is being good to you all!
Owl,


"when Time lets slip that little perfect hour
--O take it!  for it will not come again"
Omar Khayyam

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

Date:          Sun, 5 Nov 1995 18:30:27 CST
From: "Kristine E. Johnston" <KRISTINE-JOHNSTON-+AT+-Augustana.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: halloween (sort of); *quite* off topic
Message-ID: <3DC25C6803-+AT+-augustana.edu>

> Date sent:      Wed, 1 Nov 1995 08:06:38 GMT
> Send reply to:  mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
> From:           ristuben-+AT+-webstar.net (erik ristuben)
> To:             kristine-johnston-+AT+-augustana.edu
> Subject:        Re: halloween (sort of); *quite* off topic

> 
> >
> >Sorry this is so random. Anyone care to speculate on the cuteness of 
> >Vanyel's (insert anatomical characteristic of your choice here) as 
> >opposed to Harrison Ford, Denzel Washington, or Val Kilmer (who I have 
> >never seen.)? ;)
> 
> The other newsgroups I frequent include Anne Rice fans and they are busy
> debating who would make a better Lestat, Tom Cruise or Val Kilmer.  Now, I
> definitely do not want to start such a horrifyingly boring debate as that on
> this board, but I do wonder who you all think would make the perfect Vanyel.
> Now, before I can sign off I must give my own vote: the eternally beautiful
> Michael Praed of the Showtime Robin Hood Series, provided he get acting
> lessons!  Happy grins all around!
> 
> 
> Firefly
> 
> ristuben-+AT+-webstar.net
> 
    Even though the idea of casting Vanyel holds no particular spell 
on me, Michael Praed from Robin of Sherwood (the one on Showtime) 
fits the physical part to a T.  Gee, I didn't think his acting was 
that bad. Never saw him in anything else, and my mind was defenitily 
not :) overcome by hormones while watching any of the Robin tapes:) 










    D'accord Je t'aime, au revoir au revoir!!!!


    Kristy Johnston
    Augustana
    Rock Island, Illinois

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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 20:44:50 -0500
From: EDooley489-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
Message-ID: <951105204448_98762130-+AT+-mail04.mail.aol.com>

Hey, a few people have mentioned Lloyd Alexander and his series and I just
wanted to say how much I enjoyed them!  They were one of the first series
that I read of books when I was a kid and I pulled them out and read them a
couple years ago and they weren't kiddish at all.  I also read The Chronicles
of Narnia and enjoyed them too but not as much.  As for the Hobbit, why not
watch it on tv?  There a video tapes for that and the lord of the rings.
 Both were good cartoons; at least as far as I remember them from years ago.
 
     I have to say that my mother encouraged me to read and my aunt, the
teacher certainly helped out.  I am not ashamed to say that my first sci fi
fantasy reading as a kid was comic books.  I know they aren't "real" books
but they were how I started out and then got into actual books.  Anyway just
wanted to add my 2 cents to this chain.

Eric 

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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 20:46:30 -0500
From: SariKr-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Not a companion but.....
Message-ID: <951105204628_13711382-+AT+-emout06.mail.aol.com>



<< He wasn't a companion but it still hurts.

This is kind of off topic but supossedly theraputic to talk about a loss.
 Wednesday we lost our 5 year old Rottie to one of those stupid accidents
that probably could have been prevented but couldn't be stopped.  He
"escaped" off an enclosed deck and traveled over an acre of land to end up in
the street and be struck by a car.  The worse thing is this happend at my
inlaws in NJ while we sit in Colorado in our new house waiting for them to
bring him on the 11th.

In Misty's world the strongest bonds are between Herald and Companion even
stronger then the bond between those who have "Lifebonded".  Is there anyone
else out there who believes that you can have that type of bond with a non
human companion???


                                                          Lill

        (having a very lost and lonely day) >>



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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 21:08:56 -0500 (EST)
From: Jennifer Broekman <jsb-+AT+-phantom.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Chrome Circle
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.951105210617.21878A-100000-+AT+-mindvox.phantom.com>

On Mon, 6 Nov 1995, owl wrote:
> One general question to everybody--did it annoy the heck out of you 
> that Keighvin Silverhair suddenly starts speaking with a brogue in 
> Chrome Circle?  When he hadn't for three other book?  AND it came and 
> went?  I generally liked the book (it's my favourite series by ML) but 
> boy o boy did that drive me absolutely insane!  (or at least more 

He spoke with a brogue in _Born to Run_, too, when under pressure or when 
addressing Sam, who knew him from the old country.  When not under 
pressure and addressing people who hadn't known him from the old country, 
he spoke without it.  This, btw, is *very* common for real immigrants...

-jenneke

jsb-+AT+-phantom.com
new .sig in development


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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 22:02:40 -0500 (EST)
From: diamond-+AT+-wizvax.net (Jill Wilber)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Not a companion but.....
Message-ID: <m0tCHpY-0003f6C-+AT+-wizvax.wizvax.net>

> In Misty's world the strongest bonds are between Herald and Companion even
> stronger then the bond between those who have "Lifebonded".  Is there anyone
> else out there who believes that you can have that type of bond with a non
> human companion???
> 
> 
>                                                           Lill
> 
>         (having a very lost and lonely day) >>
> 
> 
> 
Yes, I do beleive this and I think it's with dogs that this can happen.

When I was around 15, I got a puppy from the pound, named him Dusty.  I
would slide down the hill on my sled, he would run alongside me, biting
at my coat/head/shoulders, whereever he could grab hold and try to stop
me.  When I saw him the first time, I couldn't take him home, had to wait
three days for the waiting period to go through, when he came home, he 
climed out of the back seat of the car, over my father and his seat and
out the window he came, into my arms.
He ended up breaking a leg trying to stop me on my sled, in early May
four months after we had him, he was struck my a car when he got out.
I was devistated, he had been the third dog we lost in four years.

Diamond...

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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 22:09:04 -0500 (EST)
From: GERKEJ-+AT+-MINNIE.HOLLINS.EDU
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
Message-ID: <951105220904.20242338-+AT+-MINNIE.HOLLINS.EDU>


> <Snip, about SF and mysteries. >
Vivian said:
>     I find the way people have "discovered" SFF to be quite
> interesting.  A great many of the list members seem to have been prompted
> or encouraged by a parental unit :).  My parents never read to me, nor
> ever encouraged me (or my sister) to read...and no, this is not a bitter
> sob story...I'm just curious as to how many of us discovered SFF on our
> own (without our parent's help) - Surely I'm not the only one... 
>
No, you are not.  My parents always encoraged me to read, but they wanted me 
to read the classics, L.M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcout, etc.  Which I admit
I loved and still love to this day.  I started reading fantesy because of a 
book I had to read for class.  So you are not the only one.  My parents still 
to this day tell me fantsey is trash and that I should read more "mind-expanding"
books.  Oh well, they will never know.  Do any of the rest of you out there get
the comment that fantsy/science fiction is stupid and you could never learn 
anything from it??
Jennie gerkej-+AT+-minnie.hollins.edu

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

Date: Sun, 05 Nov 1995 22:33:48 EST
From: SMHA86B-+AT+-prodigy.com (MISS MARIA T FOGEL)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Not a companion but.....
Message-ID: <013.04236745.SMHA86B-+AT+-prodigy.com>

Lill,
 <sympathetic hug> my condolonces on the loss of Rottie. I just 
rejoined the group <my comp went on vacation for two months>, so I 
suppose this is 'nice to meet you', as well... I wish it were under 
happier circumstances...

 Query: where in Misty's books does it say the Companion-bond was 
stronger than the lifebond? I would of thought it was the other way 
'round. 'Lendel said to Van they were bonded on a deeper level than a 
Companion/Herald bond, more like his twin-bond w/Staven. and the twin 
bond didn't fade w/distance whereas Companion/Herald bonds do <Fandes 
says something to that effect when Van mentions Gating in, I think, 
M's Promise>

<hugs and sympathy>
wyvern


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

Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 19:56:40 -0800
From: Stephanie Wukovitz <steph-+AT+-newton.mbi.ucla.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk, steph-+AT+-newton.mbi.ucla.edu
Subject: Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
Message-ID: <9511060356.AA16202-+AT+-newton.mbi.ucla.edu>

"Songmaster" was written by Orson Scott Card and I liked it, 
too.

-Stephanie

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

Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 12:41:16 EET DST
From: "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: various book-recommendations
Message-ID: <ECED854789-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi>

Hi everybody!

Just wanted to add my vote on some authors. I agree with those who like 
Bradley's Darkover series (I actually have every book in the series, 
including the anthologies =)), Tanya Huff's Quarters books (and yes, the 
second one can be read independently), Tad Williams's Memory, Sorrow and 
Thorn, David Brin (the Uplift series), Lois McMaster Bujold, Robin McKinley 
and Patricia McKillip, Raymond Feist's Riftwar series, but I think the ones 
written with Janny Wurts are even better (Mistress etc of Empire). I also 
like Tepper's True Game books which Alison mentioned. The books' names 
are actually (first trilogy) _The Song of Mavin Manyshaped_, _The Flight of 
MM_ and The Search of MM, these three have also been published as an 
omnibus edition named _The Chronicles of MM_; (the second trilogy) _King's 
Blood Four_, _Necromancer Nine_ and _ Wizard's Eleven_. The omnibus 
edition of these books is called _The True Game_. The third trilogy is 
_Jinian Footseer_, _Dervish Daughter_, and _Jinian Star-Eye_. I actually 
liked the last trilogy the best. The Marianne books are also worth a look. 
And then there is of course Diana Wynne Jones who is one of my all time 
favourites. _Charmed Life_ and _The Lives of Christopher Chant_ are great 
- everything with Chrestomanci in it is great =).

Another author you can probably find in the YA section is Patricia Wrede. I 
love her Lyra series (_Caught in Crystal_, _Harp of Imach Thyssel_, 
_Daughter of Witches_, _Shadow <something> etc.). I'm anxiously waiting 
for _Raven Ring_ (the latest one in the series) to come out in paperback. 
These are excellent in that you can read them all independently, but if you 
want continuity, you can get a feel for the history of the land. She has also 
written 4 books in "The Enchanted Forest Chronicles" (_Dealing with 
Dragons_, Searching for Dragons_, --, and _Talking to Dragons_) which are 
hilarious.
Another name I'd like to recommend is Greg Bear with his fantasy duology 

(yes, he has written fantasy, too): _The Infinity Concerto_ and _The Serpent 
Mage_. They have also been published together in a revised edition called 
_Songs of Earth and Power_ (or something like that). The first book tell 
how a young man strays into the Faerie (not exactly the stereotypical one), 
and of how he survives there among the humans, elves and the half-breeds, 
but I don't want to tell too much about the plot, go read them for yourself 
=). I also like his sf books.

Well, I guess this is enough authors for some time =).

Best,

Tarja
tlrainio-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi



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

Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 12:58:15 EET DST
From: "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Mageworlds (was A new book to recommend)
Message-ID: <ED35E67CCA-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi>

On Mon, 30 Oct 1995 20:33:35 GMT dstorrs-+AT+-crossover.com (David K. Storrs)
wrote:

>Yes, I read these -- they were recommended to me by a coworker.  I
>liked them a lot, although I found myself getting frustrated by several
>things. [snip]

>There are two sects of magic-wielders, the Adepts of the Republic
>and the Mages of the Mageworlds.  IMHO, they are very similar to the Light
>Side Jedi and the Dark Side Jedi, the main difference being that they fight
>with staves of wood or ebony instead of sabres of light.

This is exactly what I meant when I mentioned the Star Wars-like feel of 
the books. Only the Mages and Adepts are IMO a bit more grey than the black 
and white of SW. It comes very well across that some of the major 
differences between the two magic-users are just caused by their 
different approach to using their powers. There are also very different 
customs and traditions on both sides of the border.

>Bekka Rosselin-Metadi is the heroine of the book, with her brother
>Ari close in her orbit.  I liked Bekka's character as the independent,
>smart, tough, highly successful female character who doesn't have to act
>mannish to be all those things.  Ari was also well done, although I must
>admit that both he and his sister are drawn much larger than life (in Ari's
>case, literally so :> ), which detracts a bit from their reality.  Still,
>they screw up often enough to keep me believing in them.

I agree with you completely. If you haven't yet read the fourth book, _A 
Gathering Flame_ (actually a prequel), do so, because it adds whole new 
dimensions to relations between Perada Rosselin, Jos Metadi, and Errec 
Ransome. I won't say more, because I don't want to spoil anything.
We also learn much more about the first Magewar.

>        Despite all the ranting I've done, and a few minor annoyances that I
>haven't mentioned, I really did enjoy these books -- they are well done 
>and deserve a read...even comparatively minor characters, like Gil Jervas, 
>kept my attention throughout. 

They *are* very addictive =).

Tarja
tlrainio-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi



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

Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 13:28:21 EET DST
From: "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: First exposure to fantasy
Message-ID: <EDB66F7BFE-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi>

My first exposure to sf/f was, if I remember correctly, with Edgar Rice 
Burroughs Mars books. I think they could be classified as either or both =).
I also liked his Tarzan books, which I actually read before the Mars ones, a 
lot at the time...
I'm not really sure about this, because this, at the age of ten or so, was a 
period of voracious reading for me. During this time I also read the 
"Earthsea" books by Ursula LeGuin, "The Dark is Rising" series by Susan 
Cooper (excellent series, if it hasn't been mentioned yet) and several 
others that could also be classified as either fantasy or science fiction.

Of course, at the time I read all of these in Finnish, not yet having learned 
enough of the language to read the originals. Nowadays I read more books 
in English than in Finnish!

Tarja
tlrainio-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi



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

Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 13:43:30 EET DST
From: "Tarja Rainio" <TLRAINIO-+AT+-KATK.helsinki.fi>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
Message-ID: <EDF70E320A-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi>

On Sun, 5 Nov 1995 02:30:07 -0500 (EST) Vivian Choh 
<bi189-+AT+-freenet.toronto.on.ca> wrote:

>	Here, I'll prove it to you.  Did anyone like O.R. Melling's Druid
>story and what was the author's name who wrote a trilogy that started 
>(?) >with "Damiano's Lute"?  These questions are not rhetorical BTW.  I 
>really >HAVE forgotten...R.A. something?  Also, there was a book called 
>something >like "Songmaster" written by (or about a character called) 
>Anastole or >something like that?  Can anyone refresh my memory?  Did 
>you like it?

Damiano's Lute was written by R.A. MacAvoy. I have read some of her later 
books (_Tea with the Black Dragon_ and the "Lens of the World" trilogy), 
but not that one.

Tarja
tlrainio-+AT+-katk.helsinki.fi



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

Date: Mon, 6 Nov 1995 07:55:20 -0500 (EST)
From: Ned <sbaldric-+AT+-roanoke.infi.net>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: from Science Fiction to Fantasy
Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.91.951106075213.29363A-100000-+AT+-larry.infi.net>

On Sun, 5 Nov 1995, Vivian Choh wrote:
> 
> 	Here, I'll prove it to you.  Did anyone like O.R. Melling's Druid
> story and what was the author's name who wrote a trilogy that started (?)
> with "Damiano's Lute"?  These questions are not rhetorical BTW.  I really
> HAVE forgotten...R.A. something?  Also, there was a book called something

R.A> Lafferty, maybe?  I read the whole trilogy about 6 years ago (A Trio 
for Lute).  Unless, of course, I'm thinking of something differnt.  Was 
it historical fantasy that ties into Christian magical theory (with 
Rafael the Archangel making an appearance)  I read the thing, then it 
disappeared when I went off to college, so I haven't reread it

Zhai'helleva

Ned

> 
> 

Ned Adams aka S. Baldrick	Cuius testiculos habes, habeas cardia et
sbaldric-+AT+-roanoke.infi.net	cerebellum.
(540) 890-0212			(T. Pratchett)


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

Date: Mon, 06 Nov 1995 07:57:12 EST
From: SMHA86B-+AT+-prodigy.com (MISS MARIA T FOGEL)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Casting characrers...
Message-ID: <013.04250763.SMHA86B-+AT+-prodigy.com>

Heyla, fellow Misty addicts...
  To add a slightly diff twist on the thread about who you would cast 
as Van, Steph, etc, I have a ?. Who would you cast to *sing* for them,
 since Steph was a bard and Van almost a minstrel? 
 I've always pictured Steph as sounding like Richard Marx <I think 
that's his name... my memory has taken leave of me, along w/my 
senses: sense of propriety, sense of taste, sense on the dollar... 
<GGG>> and Van as--darn it, my memory's gone again. Drat this, I 
almost bought a CD of his... AAAUGH!!! Hopefully I'll think of it 
later... 

a very frustrated wyvern, sounding like an idiot <so what else is new?
 <G>>



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

Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 09:18:45 EST
From: "Aphrael" <LBELZER-+AT+-sbu.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Not a companion but.....
Message-ID: <1E0B71863A7-+AT+-pub.sbu.edu>

First off, Lil, I'm sorry to hear about your friend.  That's a very 
tough thing to have to go through, especially when he's in the prime 
of life like your Rottie was.

Now, with the Companion/lifebond thing, I think what 'Lendel was 
saying in that passage of MPawn was that his bond with Van was an 
equal to equal bond, unlike his bond with Gwena, whom he looked up to 
as a kind of older sister and savior.  I don't think he ever said the 
bond with Van was *stronger,* just different.  I seem to remember him 
saying it was "more like" his bond with Staven.

Welp, that's all from this corner for now...

Zhai'helleva--

Lyn

                                                          4 days

Lyn Belzer * P.O. Box 234 St. Bonaventure, NY 14778 * 716/379-3034
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There is no safe investment.  To love at all is to be vulnerable.  
Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be 
broken.  If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give 
your heart to no one, not even an animal.... The alternative to 
tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation.  The 
only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the 
dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.  -from The Four Loves

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

Date: Mon, 06 Nov 1995 09:36:17 -0500
From: Tammy Harris <TAMARAH-+AT+-medicine.dmed.iupui.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: First exposure to sci-fi/fantasy
Message-ID: <51F6F117C4D-+AT+-medicine.dmed.iupui.edu>


> Hi all.  I'm new to this list.  I've been reading every post for the last
> few days (at least a million) and decided that an answer to the first
> exposure question was an easy way to introduce myself and break the ice....
> 
> SO...I think that it was C.S. Lewis' Narnia (Lion, Witch, Wardrobe) but it
> may have been Lloyd Alexander.  In any case I was 10 and have been an avid
> reader ever since....  Maybe L'Engle?  
> 
> Nice to be on a list with so many nice sounding people!
> Staci
> 

Like Staci, I'm new, too, although in the couple weeks I've been 
lurking, I've put in my two cents once or twice.  My first exposure 
was probably L' Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time", Graham's "A Wind in the 
Willows", and "The Phantom Tollbooth", (author?), which I read by the 
time I was in eight.  

My dad encouraged my SFF reading, but my mom never really 
saw the value in it.  A couple of years ago, I got her to read two of 
ML's books (one of the "Arrows", and "Children of the Night"), and she 
loved them!  

BTW, thanks for all the book recommendations!!  I printed out the 
entire list and took it to my local used bookstore, which was conveniently 
having a going-out-of-business sale, and just went crazy.  

Nice 'meeting' you all!
Tammy




"It's time to ask yourself what you believe." 

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

Date:          Mon, 6 Nov 1995 15:20:04 GMT0BST
From: 'Live Long and Prosper' <LIYDDL1-+AT+-lin3.smf.nottingham.ac.uk>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Narnia
Message-ID: <4A7E30276A-+AT+-lin3.smf.nottingham.ac.uk>

This might make another interesting poll (mind you, I'm not volunteering
to keep track of a poll, I'm not crazy!)--the ages of people who still love
Narnia and the ages of people who've "outgrown" it?  Personally, I still
love Aslan, and I'm 26.  Anyone else?
     -Daria


Well, i think I still love Narnia, i haven't read it for yers but 
that is more from forgetting about the books or not being able to get 
hold of them when i wanted them!! (my cousin owened the whole series 
which was great when i was young and we saw a ,ot of each other).

The Last Battle was my favourite book of all.

Yeah put me down on the still love them side (I am 21 btw), now this 
discussion has started i may well visit my library (which will e an 
effort as I dont' go near it often due to its being a fair way away) 
and borrow some of them,

Rosetta

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

Date: Mon, 06 Nov 95 15:43:35 gmt
From: ajc6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: First exposure to sci-fi/fantasy
Message-ID: <9511061543.AA25747-+AT+-crane.ukc.ac.uk>

Hiya all,

As regards my first exposure to sci-fi/fantasy, personally I cannot remember,
although the closest thing I can think of was a really weird book called
`Marianne Dreams' whose authorship I cannot recall.  It was later made into
a movie called `Paperhouse' which did not come close to the book.  My earliest
memory of Sci-fi is probably Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars with which
I was obcessed.  I really like Feist (especially the first one, `Magician')
and anything with elves in (especially cute ones).

Wishes and Dreams...

- Andromeda

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

Date: Mon, 06 Nov 95 15:51:10 gmt
From: ajc6-+AT+-ukc.ac.uk
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Elves and Such
Message-ID: <9511061551.AA26120-+AT+-crane.ukc.ac.uk>

> hi Andromeda! if you ever find an elf or two, send one my way!! i've been
> looking for one just like Kory for a long time!!! <but hey, i'm not
> picky!!>
> 
> greetings from  california!!! all elf talk welcome... (or any other talk
> for that matter)
> 
Hiya Shuma

I am told that there are two VERY attractive elves living in Vancouver in
Canada.  My friend has been drooling over them for weeks.  If I win the
lottery that should cover my airfare (after I buy an Aston Martin Volante,
which is the most amazing car I have ever seen).  The problem with elves
is that I occasionally see one, but they never notice me...ah well.  In
fact, the only males I seem to have any physical contact with are over 1000
years old, which is a bit of a disadvantage even if they are Anglo-Saxons.

Dreams and Wishes

- Andromeda

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

End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 208
*********************************