MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 217 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Di Tregarde by Saverte 2) Re: Queen's Own? by Saverte 3) several things. (and a promise... ;) by Catherine Osborne 4) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 212 by Gyrfalcon 5) Replies to several different threads by Heather Mina 6) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 214 by dstorrs-+AT+-crossover.com (David K. Storrs) 7) Re: Not a companion but..... by "Schroedinger's Cat" 8) Re: First exposure to sci-fi/fantasy by Mat Timmerman 9) Re: Narnia, Gabaldon, QO by Jean 10) Re: Casting characrers... by Jennifer Broekman 11) Re: Queen's Own? by Adrienne York 12) Re: Not a companion but..... by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 13) Re: Narnia and snow by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 14) Re: Shadow Stalker by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 15) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 213 by Gyrfalcon 16) Re: First Fantasy by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 17) Re: Usenames by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 18) Re: several things. (and a promise... ;) by "Sandy Haas" 19) Re: several things. (and a promise... ;) by Rosario Holsen-Baker 20) Re: several things. (and a promise... ;) by Jennifer Broekman 21) Re: Narnia by mikkell-+AT+-cybernet.dk (Mikkel Larsen) 22) Re: Replies to several different threads by Jennifer Broekman 23) Companions, bonded choosings, and mindspeaking by Heather Mina ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 08:20:06 -0500 (EST) From: Saverte To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Di Tregarde Message-ID: Unfortunately, due to the publisher's perceived lack of demand, I really doubt we will see any more Di Tregarde books. As Misty herself put it, her publsihers want her to concentrate on her Velgarth series, as well as books like Sacred Ground. Scott ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 08:39:30 -0500 (EST) From: Saverte To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Cc: urtho-+AT+-stargazer.netshop.net Subject: Re: Queen's Own? Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Kyle Matheson AKA 'God' wrote: > I keep hearing little snippets of info about QO but I am afraid I am > lost as to what you are talking about for standards. I know that QO is an > ML club of some sort and I would like to find out more about it. > > Please send it to me at urtho-+AT+-stargazer.netshop.net > > Amberdrake .. .. E-mail on your way, but I also wanted this to be read by everyone. Queen's Own is the official Mercedes Lackey Appreciation Society. Our purpose is to share our enjoyment of Misty's worlds. We are a fan-run not-for-profit organization, not a business. This newsletter is published solely to inform and entertain the club's membership; no infringement of anyone's copyrights is intended. The above was taken directly from the newsletter. The following , which was also taken from the newsletter, tells how to join: Queen's Own dues are $8 a year, for 9 issues of the newsletter, in the US and Canada; $10 elsewhere. Please make checks payable to Queen's Own in US funds only. You may pay in cash, postage stamps, 20 IRC's, or in two $4 (or $5) installments if you wish. The $8 fee covers the cost of printing and mailing; I have no objection to your sharing a newsletter. Check out the date on your address label to see when your membership ends. ("10/95" means this October is your last newsletter unless you renew.) If you move, be sure to send me your new address! If the post office returns a newsletter to me, I don't try again. BTW the address for Queen's Own is: QUEENS'S OWN P. O. BOX 132 SHILOH, NJ 08353 I have been subscribing for several years now, and I enjoy QO very much. There are always some interesting tidbits in there, as well as tips for the SFF Fan. Scott ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 09:23:00 -0500 (EST) From: Catherine Osborne To: mercedes lackey list Subject: several things. (and a promise... ;) Message-ID: Thing A: congratulations on the engagement! Thing B: I'm not lifebonded and frankly I'm happy that way. But I would like a love relationship. Male, female, purple, I don't care! And Jaguar/Rosario is getting disgusting (I have to hang out with her every day and she never stops talking about him ;) Thing C: I'm 16. I was rather surprised to find such a large contingent of teenagers (on most of my lists I'm the youngest or near to it - I tend to go in for serious stuff ;) *and* a large group of people over 35/in professional jobs. Is there anyone in the middle? Thing D: Well, Jaguar/Rosario and I live in DC. Does anyone else live near there/in the city and if so would you like to get together sometime? Mail me privately if so. Thing E (the promise!): I am compiling an actual on-topic post (TM) on the subject: the Lendel/Vanyel/Stefen lifebond and how in each pair the younger or the older partner takes certain roles/has certain things happen to him/etc. As soon as I've reread Magic's Pawn and Magic's Price again, I'll finish it off and post it up. Thing F (another poll!): Sundancer, the insane poller, is doing it again. This time its about sexuality (always a hot topic ;) If everyone emailed me with whether they're straight, gay, lesbian, or bi, I'll compile results (confidentiality respected, as always.) I do this because of my undying curiosity, and because I'd like to get an idea of how many people were attracted to Misty because she's so accepting of all sexualitys (I know I was, but I didn't know then that that was one reason I was so involved in her books ;) Please mail me by next Thursday (today is thursday the ninth of November) Thing G: Wind to thy wings! I\/ Catherine Osborne "After great pain, I\/ Sundancer a formal feeling comes." I cosborne-+AT+-sidwell.edu --Emily Dickinson I http://www.sidwell.edu/~cosborne/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 09:25:38 -0500 (EST) From: Gyrfalcon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 212 Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995 URAMESS-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > > I don't remember offering my body, mind and soul. When did this > > happen?!!?!?! > > > > About the last time the tax forms were handed out. > > Really, I must have missed that one. But now that I start thinking about it > didn't we get a form asking us........body size, IQ and the like........must > have been for that reason....... A little blue light brightens... Bingo! > Matt, Matt, Matt you should know by now not to let > Gyrfalcon get you drunk and/or hypnotize you... > > wyvern, approving of Gyrfalcon's technique... I did nothing of the sort...I use controlled exaustion and high doses of caffeine. Nothing like Jolt after an all nighter. > You both are very bad influnces on these poor young people.....I LOVE IT!!!! Who Us? Nahhhh... > Gyrfalcon.....you don't like M'kaar? Here I thought they were your favorite > meal or something of the like. Unless you get them right (I've lost the receipe, I know it requires a chocolate glaze and a garlic-bread stuffing) they're tough and stringy. Fair winds and skies, --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, 9 Nov 95 09:32:14 GMT+0000 From: Heather Mina To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Replies to several different threads Message-ID: <9511091432.sg.aa17735-+AT+-relay-3.mail.demon.net> >>>Sundancer wrote... >I think its become pretty obvious that a Companion can speak to anyone he >damn well pleases ;) Therefore Rolan, obviously a strong mindspeaker even >for a Companion, can bespeak Talia if he really *wants* to. Why, then, >doesn't he? Answer: Rolan is not particularly adventurous or defiant, >unlike Sayvil or even Yfandes. It is apparently deeply entrenched >tradition that Companions don't bespeak non-mindspeakers except at moment >of bonding, when they can exercise that power freely and simply speak >into the mind of an unGifted Chosen. Therefore, Rolan, no matter how >frustrated he is personally, probably would not bespeak Talia unless >literally the whole realm of Valdemar was dependent upon it. He is simply >too bound by tradition. Are we talking about the same Rolan here? The one who stepped in and helped Talia get her Gift under control (when we all know that COmpanions just don't step in and help their Heralds out like that)? The one who entered into a working trance with Dirk and Elspeth to bring the catatonic Talia back from Ancar's dungeon? I personally don't see *this* Rolan being "too bound by tradition" to mind-speak Talia. And besides, Ancar already HAS the whole realm of Valdemar in danger! Rather, I think the mindspeaking business is mostly a matter of literary device, which may not be used completely consistently throughout the novels. Remember that Talia has absolutely *NO* vestige of the mindspeaking Gift; if anyone mindspeaks to her, she just can't hear it. (Likewise, anyone else who has no trace of a Mindspeaking Gift - whether or not they are a Herald) So Rolan uses images, mindbonding, and emotions to communicate with his Chosen. However, Rolan manages to mindspeak every other Herald in Arrow's Fall. He bespeaks Dirk and Elspeth in his effort to bring Talia back. While we know that Elspeth is a mindspeaker, we don't know anything of the sort about Dirk (who has a Fetching Gift). As far as the consistency issue goes, in Oathbound, Warrl bonds to Tarma and mindspeaks her. We never know whether she has a trace of a mindspeaking gift or not. Likewise (oh drat - can't remember his name!) the Rethwellan prince who lifebods to Selenay. He did not show a sign of a Gift at all until all the sudden he got Chosen on the battlefield and started having a little mental chat with his Companion. Now I love Misty's books and don't mean to criticize, but she does tend to just throw the mindspeaking around whenever it suits her needs. >> > > Has there ever been a mention of a Herald who has lost a companion in any of >> > > Misty's books? I did a quick reskim over them but came across nothing. Can >> > > anybody shed any light on this >> > > >> >> I seem to remember there's mention in the Arrows books that, should the >> Monarch's Own Companion be killed and survived by the Monarch's Own Herald, the >> Herald would immediately be chosen by the new MO Companion. Other than that >> I don't believe the subject has come up.. >> >> Mel. > Hmmmm...an interesting thought. If that did happen, does anyone >else think that, should all the Monarch's Own Companions be the same, the >Herald would recognize that? You're making a drastic assumption here, Jaguar. The Monarch's Own Companion is *always* a Grove-born stallion, as were the original Companions who were granted by the Goddess (or so we assume) to Baron Valdemar. He *can* die, at which point a new stallion springs forth from the Grove (I don't remember the exact process, or whether the stallion emerges full-grown) to Choose the former Monarch's Own Herald. If the Monarch's Own Herald dies, then the Companion (as Rolan did) searches for the new Monarch's Own Herald, and bonds completely with him or her, as he (the Companion) had bonded with his previous Chosen. But the Monarch's Own Companions are ***not*** always the same. The Monarch's Own Companion in the Magic trilogy is definitely a *very* different personality from Rolan. >> It makes sense that Companions are always Mindspeakers and that a >> Herald with any gift can speak with his own. What puzzles me though >> is that _all_ Companions speak to their Chosen at the choosing. >> Granted, there's evidence of Companions bespeaking totally ungifted >> people (and it's stated straight out in WFury (?)) but at least Rolan >> seems occasionally frustrated by not being able to speak with Talia. >> So why could he speak in words at the Choosing but not at any other >> time? Does anyone know (or guess ) anything about it? > >One word: protocol. Speaking with the unMindSpeechGifted would break >tradition, make it too obvious that the Companions aren't just 'special', >etc. > Come on - if I am deaf, I can't hear you speaking (with your regular voice). If I don't have the barest trace of a mindspeaking gift, then I can't hear your mind-voice. Agreed? >On Wed, 8 Nov 1995, Rosario Holsen-Baker wrote: >> Hmmmm...an interesting thought. If that did happen, does anyone >> else think that, should all the Monarch's Own Companions be the same, the >> Herald would recognize that? > >Not unless the MOC wanted him/her to recognize him. The amount of >blurring of memory required to convince someone that the new Companion is >only (understandably) a lot like the old one is much less than that >required to make people forget about an entire country (Iftel) when >making plans or completely block out the memory of magic as a real, >potent, modern force. Of course the Heralds would recognize that the MOC had not changed. In the Arrows series, it is a given that Rolan grieved after Talamir's death, but would simply choose a new MOH. Heralds and trainees like Keren and Sherrill accept this as standard operating procedure. In fact, they expected an already chosen and in-training Herald (perhaps one without a fully developed bond) to be chosen by Rolan. Instead he searched for Talia outside the capital. If Talia had died, then Rolan would have chosen someone else. That's just the way it works! Okay, enough for my point of view. Any others? %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%% Correction does much. Encouragement does more. ----- Goethe %%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Heather L. Mina hlmina-+AT+-vwc.edu heamin-+AT+-sunshine.vab.unisysgsg.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 09:46:18 -0500 From: dstorrs-+AT+-crossover.com (David K. Storrs) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 214 Message-ID: <199511091446.JAA11915-+AT+-prague.crossover.com> Firefly writes: >Date: Wed, 8 Nov 95 20:08 CST >From: ristuben-+AT+-webstar.net (erik ristuben) >To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk >Subject: Re: Shadow Stalker >Message-ID: > >Regarding: >>Next, I plan on buying Heralds, Harpers, & Havok (I've found those lyrics >>interesting since I first read Arrows' Fall -- gotta hear "It Was a Dark >>and Stormy Night" :) ). I also want to buy one of the Vows & Honor >>tapes. Which one should I get -- "Oathbound" or "Oathbreakers"? > >Personally I liked Oathbound and Oathbreakers about the same because I'm >lukewarm on the topic of Leslie Fish's voice (it seems to be okay in small >doses), but my second favorite after Shadowstalker (totally supremely >awesome!) is Heralds Harpers and Havoc. You won't be disappointed by "It >was a dark and stormy night... The Sun and Shadow songs are, IMO very >beutiful and moving, although much simpler than my imagination had them >scored. After HHandH, I actually liked By the Sword a little better than >Oathbound or Oathbreakers. It has a really cool song about Kerowyn's Ride > >Ride, Warrior, Ride >With your blade by your side >Follow on your spirit steed >While the moon's dark venom bleeds >Drink the wind as you fly >Hear the night beast cry >Cold tears run with the rain >Down a horse's mane. > >(I may be wrong about line four; it's pretty hard to hear) > I agree that the line is hard to hear...I THINK it goes: While the moon darkens and bleeds Dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 11:15:16 -0500 (EST) From: "Schroedinger's Cat" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Not a companion but..... Message-ID: Along the lines of this ongoing discussion about why the companions who are mind-speakers do not bespeak their bonded heralds who are not: Has anyone considered the possibility that it may not be a question of self-discipline on the part of Rolan, et al? Remember that the Companions are a gift from a god/gods unknown and may be bound by the the will of that/those entity(s). I mean, despite the info in SW that Companions are the spirits of dead Heralds, there is still the fact that there were at least 3 Companions *before* there were Heralds, and that all other parallel instances of spirit guide/companions are the sendings of gods (Firecats, Leshya Kale'nedraal?) and are bound by the will of their god. Just because Valdemaar doesn't worship a single God doesn't mean that one (or a cabal) are not working in their behalf. Anyway, my theory is that Rolan does not bespeak Talia because he is not allowed to. The same way that the spirit teachers of the Star-eyed cannot enter buildings because they are not allowed to. Obviously, if the deity in question feels there is good reason to make an exception then they are free to allow the "impossible." Anyway, just a thought. Kenneth Allen Hyde | No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife Univ. of Delaware | between the shoulder blades will seriously Dept. of Linguistics | cramp his style -- Old Jhereg proverb kenny-+AT+-strauss.udel.edu | A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 09 Nov 1995 11:15:26 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat Timmerman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: First exposure to sci-fi/fantasy Message-ID: <01HXFR69JWSI937DJ5-+AT+-vaxc.hofstra.edu> From: Adrienne York > >On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Mat Timmerman wrote: > >> We tend to talk mostly about Velgarth b/c there's a lot more of them. >> There are only 3 Di Tregarde books (with likely no more :( ) and 16 > >Mat, according to the people at Tor, they have ordered another Tregarde >book after Misty completes whatever it is she's working on now. In >addition, there are rumors floating around that there will be a series of >books featuring Andre published. Thanks Adrienne, I'd forgotten that PNH had said that there would be more Di. I remembered the Andre books, but I just didn't mention them. Mat accmjt-+AT+-vaxc.hofstra.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 09 Nov 95 11:15:09 EST From: Jean To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Narnia, Gabaldon, QO Message-ID: <951109.112023.EST.JWSCHM00-+AT+-ukcc.uky.edu> Yes, yes, yes, Mollie Hunter!!! Her suspense books are very powerful (_Stranger Came Ashore_, _The Walking Stones_, etc.) and incorporate Scottish "folk" elements (selkies, mermen, boggarts). She's a scholar of Scottish folklore and a wonderful storyteller. (I met her in Scotland a year ago and then she came to a children's literature conference here in town last May.) Another Young Adult author worth looking into. (I can always use the excuse I'm getting books for my kids, although I read most of them myself 8-).) A mostly lurker, Mistfox ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 11:33:33 -0500 (EST) From: Jennifer Broekman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Casting characrers... Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Rosario Holsen-Baker wrote: > I should be innocent, but I'm not. My shay'kreth'ashke (well, I'd > like to think so :) ) can testify to that. And I'm 15. Anyone else? > You're *15* and you have a shay-kreth-ashke?!? When I was 15, I felt myself lucky to have boyfriend, and I hadn't even figured out yet that I *wanted* a girlfriend!:-) -jenneke jsb-+AT+-phantom.com new .sig in development ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 11:57:26 -0500 (EST) From: Adrienne York To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Queen's Own? Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Kyle Matheson AKA 'God' wrote: > I keep hearing little snippets of info about QO but I am afraid I am > lost as to what you are talking about for standards. I know that QO is an > ML club of some sort and I would like to find out more about it. > > Please send it to me at urtho-+AT+-stargazer.netshop.net > > Amberdrake > Posting it to the list would not be bad either. ;];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];] ;] Adrienne York-Minor ;] ;] "I'd like to believe that, but I'm fresh out of optimism." ;] ;] -Princess Jasmine ;] ;] ayork-+AT+-simons-rock.edu ;] ;];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];];] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 11:18:34 -0700 (MST) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Not a companion but..... Message-ID: <951109111834.2241417f-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> >> The same way as shay'kreth'ashke, Companion and >> Herald regard each other as the most important being on earth >> (Velgarth?). I think the Companions think first of their Chosen and >> _then_ of the Queen and Country and such. >Again, no - their duty comes first - otherwise you wouldn't have any >cases of repudiation. That doesn't stop their chosen being their most >important *person*, though... >-Jerry Indeed. I think we can probably dig up several quotes to this effect, but I thought it fairly clear that to a Companion, Valdemar comes first, above Herald, above Monarch, above self. And since a Herald (by the fact that they *are* a herald) has the same opinion/attitude, there is no conflict. A Herald or Companion MUST be absolutely willing, almost eager, to throw themselves before the enemy when it is the right (not always the only) recourse in order to help Valdemar and its people. StarWolf ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 11:20:30 -0700 (MST) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Narnia and snow Message-ID: <951109112030.2241417f-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> >And I just have to mention that we (Kamloops, BC) have snow now. Lots >and lots of snow. In fact, the college closed at 3pm to make sure all of >the students could get out safely. Still, I love it! Brrr! And here I'm complaining because it's getting a little too cold to wear shorts on the weekends! It's starting to drop below 80 for most of the day now. Arizona winters are the best! Hee hee. StarWolf ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 11:22:49 -0700 (MST) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Shadow Stalker Message-ID: <951109112249.2241417f-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> >I agree with everything... Bout the blue eyes tho... Has anyone >noticed that (with the exception of the Star-Eyed) all the supernatural >beings have the same blue eyes... It seems to carry over into other >books too... I wonder where it comes from... > - Shadow-Lover Could it maybe have something to do with energy? Blue eyes are a paler pigment than brown or black, right? What I mean is if you "bleached" brown eyes with node magic, you get the silver like Vanyel, or maybe the blue of the deities? Perhaps the supernatural entities are tied into the energy of the world, just as companions tap the nodes? Just a thought. StarWolf ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 13:43:53 -0500 (EST) From: Gyrfalcon To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 213 Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Rosario Holsen-Baker wrote: > On Thu, 9 Nov 1995 URAMESS-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > > > OOHHHH!!!! Jaguar, are you going to be my mage in shinning > > armor???!!!?!?!?!?!??! > > (otherwise read as my hero.) > > > Lady Jaguar, riding to the rescue!!! > Yaaaaa....zzzappp! Levin-bolts fly as I ward off the eeeevil Gyrfalcon! > Ha! My avatar tears Gyrfalcon to bloody shreds, and I encompass you in > the glowing golden sphere that is the sign of the counterspell... > You are free!! Sorry, didn't work. You think you're the first person that's tried to get rid of me? I've lived through the other 48 times (mostly due to my jel'enedra Azhreia... She has a nasty habit of chasing me around the coast with a dragon. :) ) A little sorcery is nothing. Reminder to self... Find the bactine again. > (Okay, kid, time for your medication now.) Yep, just let me take care of it... Don't worry it will make you feel better. Fair winds and skies, --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, 9 Nov 1995 11:49:24 -0700 (MST) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: First Fantasy Message-ID: <951109114924.2241417f-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> Mat writes: >I love Callander for my mind candy fix :) Do you know if he's planning >anymore 'Mancer books. The ending of Geomancer seems to indicate >another, but now he has those dragon (or something) books which I haven't >read. Me too! The Dragon Companion books are very much of the same pure mind candy type as the 'Mancer books, but for some reason I really like them. Nothing bad ever happens to your favorite character, the bad guys are never as bad as in other books, etc. Anyway, I don't know about another 'Mancer book, but I kinda hope there'll be one. >No matter what people say, I like Eddings Belgariad/Mallorean books. >The others aren't that great though. People bash _Belgarath the >Sorcerer_ b/c it seems to tell lots of things we already knew. I >like it though, b/c it fills in a lot of loose gaps and gives a >different point of view on things. I thought Belgarath was a great book. I finally went back and read the Mallorean because of it. And frankly, I strongly disagree with people who say that the Mallorean is just rehashed Belgariad. It is in some ways, but it really is a brand new story. And since Belgarath was always my favorite character, I enjoyed Belgarath a lot. Can't wait for Polgara. I really want to hear her side of the story. I loved reading about the actual events that Belgarath has mentioned here and there in the Belgariad/Mallorean about his past. Pol's birth etc. Good stuff. >If I read Feist, should I get the new, authors's preffered addition >of the Magician books or the regular ones? I strongly recommend the APE (author's preferred edition). I have both and prefer the APE - I bought Magician originally, then when the APE came out I bought that. The APE has some additional material in it, and while it doesn't change the story anywhere, it does add some useful details. In certain minor areas it made things clearer. For example, after reading the APE I finally understood why one character was so upset about the death of another, even though in the regular edition they didn't seem to be particularly close. That's as close to a non-spoiler as I can get. >I've got to read more GG Kay. I've only read the Fionavar Tapestry, >but I loved it. Sigh. When I have more money. I picked up the first book of the Fionavar Tapestry, and I started reading it. It seems somewhat interesting, and certainly one of my most fav sub-genre's is the "people get pulled out of our world into another" type fantasy. But then I found Tanya Huff's Blood Lines and Blood ...? The third and fourth books, anyway. So they were pulling at me, and Fionavar just wasn't pulling me in that much, so I switched over. I expect to pick up the Fionavar stuff after I finish the fourth Blood book. I really love these. BTW, does GG Kay ever tell you what the heck a lios alfar is? I don't want any spoilers, a simple yes or no would be appreciated. I'm about 50 or so pages into the book, they've shown up several times, and I still don't know what one is, and when I can't picture one it irritates me. Bright the day StarWolf -- Mat Timmerman accmjt-+AT+-vaxc.hofstra.edu "I don't care what you smell, just get in there." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 11:52:56 -0700 (MST) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Usenames Message-ID: <951109115256.2241417f-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> >I haven't, but I am interested to know the guidelines. Maybe could ya >summarize them for those of us who don't know about them? >Thanks. >Firefly >ristuben-+AT+-webstar.net I strongly urge everyone to sign up for Queen's Own newsletter, it's only $8 a year, and it's really worth it. I can't post the guidelines for persona creation (too long) but I'll try to remember to bring along the address next time I log in, and I will post that so you can send away for your own info. It's quite fun. You can create a Herald, a Tayledras, and I think there's a few others. That was enough for me for now. If I get those done, I may do more. Last I checked you could not mix the two, but Chonni seemed to be saying you can? StarWolf ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 14:26:14 EDT From: "Sandy Haas" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: several things. (and a promise... ;) Message-ID: caatherine osborne wrote > Thing A: congratulations on the engagement! Ditto!! > Thing C: I'm 16. I was rather surprised to find such a large contingent > of teenagers (on most of my lists I'm the youngest or near to it - I tend > to go in for serious stuff ;) *and* a large group of people over 35/in > professional jobs. Is there anyone in the middle? Will I do?? Just turned 31 and currently work as a secretary (NOTE- I AM not a secretary--that is the work I am doing) my degree is in Social Work :} > Thing D: Well, Jaguar/Rosario and I live in DC. Does anyone else live > near there/in the city and if so would you like to get together sometime? > Mail me privately if so. Sorry, Ann Arbor, MIchigan > Thing F (another poll!): Sundancer, the insane poller, is doing it again. > This time its about sexuality (always a hot topic ;) If everyone emailed > me with whether they're straight, gay, lesbian, or bi, I'll compile > results (confidentiality respected, as always.) I do this because of my > undying curiosity, and because I'd like to get an idea of how many people > were attracted to Misty because she's so accepting of all sexualitys (I > know I was, but I didn't know then that that was one reason I was so > involved in her books ;) Please mail me by next Thursday (today is > thursday the ninth of November) Straight, although with conversations with URAMESS (the Matt whose intial I think is J :} sorry my bookgod!), we have decided that I am a gay person trapped in a hetro body :} > Thing G: Wind to thy wings! Same to you, darling > I\/ Catherine Osborne "After great pain, > I\/ Sundancer a formal feeling comes." > I cosborne-+AT+-sidwell.edu --Emily Dickinson > I http://www.sidwell.edu/~cosborne/ Sandy Haas (aka Queen of the Universe) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 14:29:07 -0500 (EST) From: Rosario Holsen-Baker To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: several things. (and a promise... ;) Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Catherine Osborne wrote: > Thing B: I'm not lifebonded and frankly I'm happy that way. But I would > like a love relationship. Male, female, purple, I don't care! And > Jaguar/Rosario is getting disgusting (I have to hang out with her every > day and she never stops talking about him ;) > Disclaimer: That was just at the beginning! I was really happy about finally catching the guy (after 3 months of slow stalking) and babbling. I'm much better now. :) You do not *have* to hang out with me! And another plea for people in the DC area. Puh-lease? |-------------------------------<>-------------------------------| | "So, so you think you can tell/Heaven from Hell | | Blue skies from pain/Can you tell a green field | | From a cold steel rail/A smile from a veil | | Do you think you can tell?" | |------------------------------------------------------------------------| ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 14:31:45 -0500 (EST) From: Jennifer Broekman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: several things. (and a promise... ;) Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Catherine Osborne wrote: > Thing B: I'm not lifebonded and frankly I'm happy that way. But I would > like a love relationship. Male, female, purple, I don't care! And > Jaguar/Rosario is getting disgusting (I have to hang out with her every > day and she never stops talking about him ;) > Thing C: I'm 16. I was rather surprised to find such a large contingent I'm sure you're tired of hearing it but, you've got plenty of time.:-) Wait till you get to college... > of teenagers (on most of my lists I'm the youngest or near to it - I tend > to go in for serious stuff ;) *and* a large group of people over 35/in > professional jobs. Is there anyone in the middle? I'm almost 24, and finishing off my master's before going out into the Real World(tm). That probably counts as in the middle. > Thing F (another poll!): Sundancer, the insane poller, is doing it again. > This time its about sexuality (always a hot topic ;) If everyone emailed I'm bi (around a 4, usually). You'd be able to tell if I'd get my 'round-tuits together and put a new .sig together. I suppose I got into Misty because of her treatment of gay characters: one of my gay apartment mates recommended her books, and I'm almost certain he wishes Vanyel was real and living in New York/New Jersey as much as I wish Susan Ivanova was.:-) (Yes, Mel, I know you and Tas have dibs...) -jenneke jsb-+AT+-phantom.com new .sig in development ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 09 Nov 1995 20:37:11 +0100 From: mikkell-+AT+-cybernet.dk (Mikkel Larsen) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Narnia Message-ID: <9511091940.AA15828-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> >On Mon, 6 Nov 1995, 'Live Long and Prosper' wrote: > 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 I love Narnia too, though it is at least two years since i read any of the books, and I am 40 years old. Mikkel Larsen ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 14:45:41 -0500 (EST) From: Jennifer Broekman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Replies to several different threads Message-ID: On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Heather Mina wrote: > But the Monarch's Own Companions are ***not*** always the same. The > Monarch's Own Companion in the Magic trilogy is definitely a *very* > different personality from Rolan. Um... I don't think we see enough of Taver's personality to have a clue on this topic. He's just sort of in the background. We never hear his words or see his actions, except when he cossets Lancir a bit in Pawn. > >One word: protocol. Speaking with the unMindSpeechGifted would break > >tradition, make it too obvious that the Companions aren't just 'special', > >etc. > Come on - if I am deaf, I can't hear you speaking (with your regular voice). > If I don't have the barest trace of a mindspeaking gift, then I can't hear > your mind-voice. Agreed? Um.... We see Companions and other non-human MindSpeakers speaking to the non-Gifted several times. Sayvil and Yfandes both practically *say* that Companions can speak to whomever they damn well please, regardless of Gift, they just don't, as a matter of tradition/protocol/what have you. > >On Wed, 8 Nov 1995, Rosario Holsen-Baker wrote: > >> Hmmmm...an interesting thought. If that did happen, does anyone > >> else think that, should all the Monarch's Own Companions be the same, the > >> Herald would recognize that? > >Not unless the MOC wanted him/her to recognize him. The amount of > >blurring of memory required to convince someone that the new Companion is > >only (understandably) a lot like the old one is much less than that > >required to make people forget about an entire country (Iftel) when > >making plans or completely block out the memory of magic as a real, > >potent, modern force. > Of course the Heralds would recognize that the MOC had not changed. In the How? Companions don't have distinct markings, they're perfectly capable of answering to different names (unless you think they're less intelligent than my brother), and they've shown over and over that they can manipulate the minds of everyone around them to make them 'forget' things. If the MOC is singular (the extreme case), it wouldn't take all that much effort to hide the fact. > Arrows series, it is a given that Rolan grieved after Talamir's death, but > would simply choose a new MOH. Heralds and trainees like Keren and Sherrill > accept this as standard operating procedure. In fact, they expected an > already chosen and in-training Herald (perhaps one without a fully developed > bond) to be chosen by Rolan. Instead he searched for Talia outside the > capital. If Talia had died, then Rolan would have chosen someone else. > That's just the way it works! Please explain how this has anything to do with whether or not the MO would recognize the new MOC as being the same being as the old one >if the old one was killed. -jenneke jsb-+AT+-phantom.com new .sig in development ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Nov 95 15:08:19 GMT+0000 From: Heather Mina To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Companions, bonded choosings, and mindspeaking Message-ID: <9511092009.AA17939-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> >> Rolan and Talia's >> was obviously a bonded Choosing. Therefore, it's (arguably) as strong >> as a lifebond. Therefore, I think Rolan would bespeak Talia if it was >> necessary and she was in danger - at least because _he_ might well >> die too, otherwise. > > I have to disagree here - except for very rare exceptions, *all* Choosings >are bonded. So if your assumption was correct, then all companions would >speak to their heralds in times of danger, and there wouldn't be a tradition >that they don't - and since there *is*, your assumption must be wrong. >Encouraging Heralds to rely on their own efforts is (IMO) the key thing here - >it may be painful or sometimes fatal, but the alternative would probably be >that the heralds would come to depend on the companions to warn them. (and >after all, we can assume that most? all? of the companions know that while >it may be fatal, it's hardly final :-) :-). Hate to seem contrary here, but there are mentions of unbonded choosings in Misty's books, specifically, I believe, in the Vanyel trilogy. If the new Monarch's Own Herald has been born and is of an age where training in the Collegium is necessary, the child will be Chosen by a Companion who does not bond closely with the Herald. Then when the former Monarch's Own dies, the Monarch's Own Companion would choose the Herald - with bonding - presumably leaving the unbonded Companion free to choose another "plain old" Herald. Also, if you recall King Randale's illness, Monarch's Own Herald Shavri did *not* have a bonded choosing with her companion. She possessed only the healing gift (and so count *NOT* mindspeak her Companion), and knew she would quickly follow Randale when he eventually died. > >> The same way as shay'kreth'ashke, Companion and >> Herald regard each other as the most important being on earth >> (Velgarth?). I think the Companions think first of their Chosen and >> _then_ of the Queen and Country and such. > >Again, no - their duty comes first - otherwise you wouldn't have any >cases of repudiation. That doesn't stop their chosen being their most >important *person*, though... Bingo - you got it there! Of course, Heralds in general tend to be fanatically devoted to duty, so there was only the one repudiation in the entire history of Valdemar. But when Tylendel completely violated everything a Herald is supposed to stand for, Gala repudiated him. I don't think she would have done this if defending Valdemar itself was not the foremost duty of Heralds and Companions alike. >Just had an idea, in Arrow's Flight when Kris and Talia first make >love even though Kris is not an empathic Talia is able to use her >empathy and make him feel a bit of what she feels, however, Kris >isn't able to do the same for her, I guess with Dirk who she IS >lifebonded to it would be the same. Empathy is a gift like >mindspeech, so I think I am trying to say that lifebonded dont' >automatically share the same gifts. Empathy is presented as operating completely different from other mindgifts. Remember that pure empathy like Talia's is an offshoot of the healing family of gifts. When you think about it in this respect, I don't have to have the healing gift in order for Devan to Heal me. Likewise, I don't have to have the empathic gift in order for Talia to project emotions at me. The Bardic Gift seems to operate along the same lines. The way I usually think about it is that Mindspeaking involves two things. The first is language, so that two people who do not speak the same language would *not* be able to mindspeak each other. You may disagree, but since mindspeaking is always presented as actual speech, this is the only thing that makes sense. I think differently when I think in English than I do when I think in German; therefore, I mindspeak differently when I mindspeak in English than I do when I mindspeak in German. The second thing is the ability of both parties to listen. Actual speech necessitates being able to hear with our ears; mindspeech necessitates being able to hear with our mindspeech centers. If a Herald has a faint trace of mindspeech, his Companion might be able to mindspeak him, and he may or may not be able to reply. But if a Herald has no trace of the mindspeech gift, then he and his Companion cannot mindspeak each other. Empathy involves emotional centers, which all human beings have. We are all capable of feeling happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, love,... Therefore, when Talia projects empathically, she touches these inner nerves (which seem to act just like our physical nerves which tell us about pleasure, pain, tickling, tingling,...) which each of us has. There is no reason for us to assume that Dirk can consciously project empathically to Talia, unless he has some of the empathic Gift (as we know Vanyel does - doesn't he use it on Tashir once?). But Talia can read Dirk's emotions and share them in that way. I think it was very sad that Misty built in the bit about the Heralds in Talia's time having lost so much knowledge that was present in Vanyel's time about Gifts and how they work. (Unless, of course, she just sat down and thought some more about how Gifts ought to work, and that is what is reflected in the Magic trilogy). I for one, though, would like to read about a central character with the Bardic gift. What do you guys think? &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& && I have never let my schooling && && interfere with my education. && &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Heather L. Mina hlmina-+AT+-vwc.edu heamin-+AT+-sunshine.vab.unisysgsg.com ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 217 *********************************