MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 437 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Villains by "Jake (Rynath *OIB*)" <102744.2515-+AT+-compuserve.com> 2) Re:First Books by The Mage of Green Silences 3) Re: Anime cast list by The Mage of Green Silences 4) Re: Eddings and Trilogies rant by Mat Timmerman 5) Re: re Camp out by Mat Timmerman 6) casting by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 7) Re: First books ... by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 8) Re:First Books by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 9) Re: First books ... by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 10) re: unbonded choosing by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 11) Di Tregarde Short Story by "Scarlett E. Blizzard" 12) Re: Order of reading books by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 13) 3-fold Goddesses by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 14) Re: Anime cast list by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 15) Re: Random (I think :) by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 16) Re: Random by Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> 17) Re: Stand-alone vs. Series by "Jill" 18) "No Quarter" (was Re: Series vs. Stand-alones) by "Jill" 19) Re: Random by Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> 20) Re: Order of reading books by Joan Ferguson 21) Silver Gry spoiler!!!!!!! by ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) 22) Beauty by EGLESTON-+AT+-bpl.org 23) Re: Castings by "deanca" 24) Re: Order of reading books by Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> 25) Re: First books ... by Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> 26) Re: First books ... by Lady Kayla 27) re: First books by dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl 28) Re: Dirk by dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 26 Mar 96 01:07:28 EST From: "Jake (Rynath *OIB*)" <102744.2515-+AT+-compuserve.com> To: M-L mailing list Subject: Re: Villains Message-ID: <960326060727_102744.2515_GHT96-3-+AT+-CompuServe.COM> Heather Watson wrote: > Why would anyone bother with a book about Ma'ar? We all know what he'll > do. He'll do bad things. 'Cause he's bad. As far as I can tell, he > has no motivations, other than ultimate power and hurting people, and he > certainly has no internal conflicts nor does he have things he cares > about. There's never been a flicker of complexity in anything we've > seen about him. You might as well write a book about Thalhkarsh. It > would be dull. He'd do a bunch of bad stuff, murder, rape, pillage, the > usual, and then he'd get killed or he'd suicide. See, I already know > what happens, so I don't have to pay $5.99 for the book. > Even bad guys should be interesting, if they're the protaganist. > Read The Wolf of Winter or Tigana if you want bad guys. Ma'ar? I think > we've pretty much plumbed that character for all the depth we're going > to get in the Winds trilogy. You're talking more about Falconsbane than Ma'ar. Sure, they're the same person somewhat, but the Ma'ar of Urtho's age wasn't the Falconsbane of later times. I'm sure Ma'ar didn't pop out of the womb being sheer evil. Something must have happened to him to make him like that. So what's his story? What's his background? What's his motivation? It's not (or it wasn't, originally) for simply the reason he was a villain... I'halla shansu, =========================== Rynath (OIB) / Jake ======================= Happiness and loneliness run on the same path--- it only matters in how you walk it. =========================102744.2515-+AT+-compuserve.com =================== ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 02:39:10 -0500 (EST) From: The Mage of Green Silences To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re:First Books Message-ID: On Tue, 26 Mar 1996, Jill wrote: > I stand corrected --- *"The Hero and the Crown"*, not > "Tailchaser's Song" was probably my first fantasy novel - I can > remember reading it in the fifth grade. It's not the one that hooked > me, though, because I didn't realize there was much more of this > stuff out there until junior high. It's actually a prequel ... the > first book is titled "The Blue Sword", and is pretty good, also. Actually, I liked the Blue Sword better than its prequel. It was awesome. On the other hand, I also like "Castledown," "the Broken Citadel," and "The Gandalara Cycle." All of them were these vaguely Bedouin sort of desert cultures. > > > Speaking of Robin McKinley, has anyone heard of a book she wrote > called "Beauty"? I've been looking for it for years, and I've never, > ever found it ... I have copies of both "Beauty" and "The Door in Hedge." Beauty is, bar none, the absolute, best retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. It is absolutely wonderful! (Actually, I tak that back, the best retelling is a sci-fi short story, but I can remember neither the title or anthology at the moment.) Anyway, I think that Beauty is still in print, so it should be orderable. May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit, Cennydd, Mage of the Green Silences. Eu guardo a luz das estrelas a alma de cada folha Sem folhas nao tem vida, Sem folhas nao tem nada, Salve as folhas! 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: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 02:46:42 -0500 (EST) From: The Mage of Green Silences To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Anime cast list Message-ID: On Tue, 26 Mar 1996, Jeanne Hedge wrote: > On March 22, Stormcloud proposed: > >Lady Jaguar asked: > >> 3) Shall I begin one for Anime, too? Oh, I know! Let's have Devil Hunter Yooko as Kero, and her grandmother as Tarma! =) And I think that there definitely needs to be a place for Raven Tengu (Maybe he could be Van?...Naaah, to butch and muscular). He is one of my favorites. Also, Vampire Princess Miyu and Crying Freeman and wife. May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit, Cennydd, Mage of the Green Silences. Eu guardo a luz das estrelas a alma de cada folha Sem folhas nao tem vida, Sem folhas nao tem nada, Salve as folhas! 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: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 21:11:07 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat Timmerman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Eddings and Trilogies rant Message-ID: <01I2RPRGL5EA91X6F3-+AT+-vaxc.hofstra.edu> From: mrtmh-+AT+-primenet.com (puppies and dragons) > >Second thingy: Try "The Fire's Stone" by Tanya Huff. Though many >people have begged her (Okay, so maybe it was only AJ Potter and >me...) she still says she will not write a sequel to it. Buchanan! Was it that good? I _almost_ read it a few weeks ago. I had that and _Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light_ out from the library, but only enough time to read one. I was coming back to school for several weeks, so renewal was no good. The cover blurb for GoDCoL sounded better than tFS, so I read that one. It was pretty good though. Minor spoilers for _GoD,CoL_ Though I thought that Evan and (what's his name?) the Bard, were going to get together at some point. I was kind of let down when they didn't. And did anyone else _love_ the fact that a Misty song saved the world? Even though "Wind's Four Quarters" got mangled a little to make a three faced Goddess, instead of four (Maiden-warrior, Mother, and Crone, instead of Maiden, Warrior, Mother, and Crone). Mat accmjt-+AT+-vaxc.hofstra.edu http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/ "I don't care what you smell, just get in there!" ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 21:19:09 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat Timmerman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: re Camp out Message-ID: <01I2RQ965E6G91X6F3-+AT+-vaxc.hofstra.edu> From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) > >ObMisty: Has anyone read the Baen interview on the Net? 9outrage to >follow) How could anyone stalk Misty!?!? (hope they throw away the >key) > I think that I heard about this last year. IIRC, the stalker is the reason why she doesn't do cons anymore. :( Mat accmjt-+AT+-vaxc.hofstra.edu http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/ "I don't care what you smell, just get in there!" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 10:46:22 GMT From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey Subject: casting Message-ID: <9603261046.AA08064-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> OK, can we move on from the casting suggestions now? Please? Thank you. Mel. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 12:19:16 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: Rebecca Cary , Subject: Re: First books ... Message-ID: <3157d343.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> > On Fri, 22 Mar 1996, Stormcloud wrote: > > > My first fantasy novel, the one that got me absolutely hooked, > > was Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown. It's a great first book > > for anyone; engaging, sympathetic characters (I *love* the guy who > > heals Aerin! What was his name, Luthe?), a cool horse (Talat!!!!!) > > and a very easy to read style. > (snippity, snip, snip) > Yes! I loved Robin McKinley! I was unaware that many other people had > read her stuff -- but then, on the other hand, I'm from North Carolina, > and fantasy/sf is just not real big there. > ObMisty: Although Aerin talks to her horse a lot, he never answers her > and thus cannot be a Companion. > > Becky (sig snip) But Talat *is* a white horse, maybe he tried to be a Companion and things didn't work out. ObMisty: There don't seem to be any hill-people or dragons in Velgarth.Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 12:32:35 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: "Jill" , Subject: Re:First Books Message-ID: <3157d7f3.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> > > > Speaking of Robin McKinley, has anyone heard of a book she wrote > called "Beauty"? I've been looking for it for years, and I've never, > ever found it ... > Jill Morrison /// morrisjm-+AT+-sbu.edu /// Merlyn3109-+AT+-aol.com It does exist. I have a copy of it, but it's not here-+AT+-work with me. I found it by sheer chance, and have re-read it almost as much as Arrows. I think the publisher was Harper Collins (UK publishers). The book was written wither in late 70's or early 80's. Shall I post the info? reply to private e-mail please - rozanm-+AT+-webster.nl Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 12:41:28 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: "SHE WHO WORSHIPS GEORGE, SILK, AND SKIF" , Subject: Re: First books ... Message-ID: <3157d7f6.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> My first book was the Free Amazons of Darkover, by MZB (ok, it was an anthology, but still!) at age 8. I'd just broken my leg (a fantastic spiral fracture going from ankle to knee. don't do cartwheels into gopher holes. it smarts.) I was bed-bound for about a week and I was BORED and sick of kiddy books, so I snagged my mom's book of her lap from when she had fallen asleep at my bedside and *ate* the book. (I normally read a page a minute, fantasy gets eaten up at 2 pages a minute. Writers don't write fast enough.) It's been downhill since then. MZB's anthologies are were I've discovered a lot of my favorite writers (Jennifer Roberson, ML, etc. etc.) SO, if you've run out of books by known writers, pick up one of her anthologies to find some new ones! :) Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 12:24:26 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: Adrienne York , Subject: re: unbonded choosing Message-ID: <3157d7f1.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> SNIP > > What is an unbonded Choosing and what status > does it confer on the > chosen? I digress...) but the answers are nowhere > to be found. Perhaps > we will discover them later (sigh). > > Summerstorm > > > Perhaps an unbonded Choosing gets you entrance to the Collegium, but > doesn't make you a Herald permanently? There has to be some mechanism > for training people who just aren't as stupid, er, I mean > self-sacrificing as a Herald but are Gifted in Valdemar. They can't let > them roam around untrained forever, can they? > _____________________________________________________________________________ > L'enfant terrible > MZB said it best the untrained are a danger to themselves and to those around them, therefore any gifted must get training! And the Tayledras feel the same way (see Van's training) I thikn Misty needs to create a new type of school for plain mages (not just Herald mages) becuase since the protections are down and the vrondi are not following mages around any more, more mages and those with mage- potential, will be cropping up and should be trained. Maybe Quenten (sp) shold set up a White Winds School in Haven or in the merc town on the border. any comments on the matter? Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 96 12:56:14 CET (1156Z) From: "Scarlett E. Blizzard" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Di Tregarde Short Story Message-ID: <9603261205.AA12723-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> Hi, I've skipped several digests, this month, but I think I'm safe in assuming that no one has mentioned this short story. Marion Zimmer Bradley (MZB) has a new short story collection taken from her magazines.. The name of it escapes me, but it has 10th edition on it and a woman sitting on the edge of a fountain. There is a Di Tregarde short story in it... It was okay, but too short.. But there was an excellant (sp?) story on a woman living in New York who is given a baby Griffin to raise. It was the best story in the book. Scarlett "If Hamlet trusts Laertes, and Laertes trusts Ophelia, then Hamlet trusts Ophelia, just as effectively as if Ophelia were listed in Hamlet's /etc/hosts.equiv file. " Aeleen Frish via O'Reilly & Assoc. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 13:20:14 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: eden.rutgers.edu!Starlight-+AT+-enterprise.cistron.nl, Subject: Re: Order of reading books Message-ID: <3157e152.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> I won't even buy a book if it says book 2 (or something like) on the cover, unless I can find book 1 as well! Too many authors running around thinking that a series is just an extended book chopped into convenient 360 page sections. BEEP wrong, thank you for playing! Does anyone else do this - or is it just me that thinks this series bit is getting out of hand. I suppose from a contractual point of view it is good, becuase you know that if you sell a series you can pay the bills, but the series does not have to be in the 'one book in convenient segments' style!!!!! (5!) ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (didn't bother to count that one) Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 13:33:05 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: Mat Timmerman , Subject: 3-fold Goddesses Message-ID: <3157e601.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> Most cultures have a 3-fold Goddess as opposed to a 4-fold Goddess -> as you may have guessed the Warrior aspect does not figure in many. ObMisty: There may be no one true way, but does anyone else feel like the Holderkin are just plain irritating? Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 13:29:40 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: The Mage of Green Silences , Subject: Re: Anime cast list Message-ID: <3157e600.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> Okay, that's it! I live overseas, and have **no** idea who in the name of your favortie deity Sailor Moon is. HELP!!!!!!!!! Now that that is out of my system. . . Is is a (shudder at the lack of proper words, hope this is not taken the wrong way, but can't think of a better one) weekly (here it comes) cartoon (D&RLH) or is it a movie? Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 13:24:15 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: Korendil , Subject: Re: Random (I think :) Message-ID: <3157e5ff.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> > > > > You know, a book or short story about Jisa and Trevan's reign > >after Vanyel's death might be interesting. I like Jisa, and mopping > >up after that kind of disaster (even though it did save Valdemar) > >would be quite a task. > > whoah...It's been SO LONG since I reread MPrice....can't stand the > beginning....Could Trevan be Treyvan? if humans can be telepathic horses, > than why can't humans be telepathic, oversized birds? > sig snip Boy, I'd hate to be you when the grypons on the list blast you for that comment (shudder) I'm reminded of Vree diving for the crest -> Mind Speak stuttering is hard to do (" :s-s-s-soorrry. never do it again. never never never never. . . : ") Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 96 07:45:20 EST From: Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> To: Misty List Subject: Re: Random Message-ID: <960326124519_101515.26_IHK72-3-+AT+-CompuServe.COM> Bright Greetings! >>Is there really any evidence that Heralds are re-incarnated as other >>heralds? The only reincarnate herald that I remember was 'Lendel/stefen >>and he was not Chosen again. >Well, I'm not sure, but didn't Van get the choice of haven, sorrows, or >being a companion? woouldn't it seem reasonable that companions get >haven, some higher duty, or heralds? Also, remember the Tayledras's >reincarnation theory. Aren't the companions some sort of higher spirit? (Mentioned in Vows & Honour I think, plus other places). I tend to view the re-incarnation thing as the possiblity of moving up the chain (Havens, Companions, Avatars, Leshya'e Kalenedral) or moving sideways (human). So I'm not sure where Companions could move on to, but Havens is probably the only option. Four Winds, SmokeHeart "Frienship is Love without his wings" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 08:21:44 EDT From: "Jill" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Stand-alone vs. Series Message-ID: On Mon. 3/25/96, Rynath wrote: ((snip, snip)) >Yes, I do that with single books too (_Fire in the Mist_ by Holly >Lisle for one)--although I *am* finding out I'm doing it with series >of books also... you know you're too involved in fantasy that you go >"Well? What's next?" at the end of Jennifer Roberson's "Chronicles >of the Cheysuli" (an 8 book cycle). Hate to tell you this, but "Fire in the Mist" has two sequels at this point in time -- "Bones of the Past," and "Mind of the Magic." They're both pretty good, though. As for the Chronicles of the Cheysuli -- yeah, I did that too. :-) I want to hear more about Cynric. Jill Morrison /// morrisjm-+AT+-sbu.edu /// Merlyn3109-+AT+-aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "And that's such a shame, because that stranger is the Puck in the midden, the part of us that makes gold out of trash, poetry out of nonsense. It calls art forth from common sights and music from ordinary sound and without it, the world would be a very grey place indeed." - From "A Tempest in her Eyes" "The Ivory and the Horn" by Charles de Lint ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 08:27:05 EDT From: "Jill" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: "No Quarter" (was Re: Series vs. Stand-alones) Message-ID: On Mon. 3/25/96, Stormcloud wrote: >Another set that is a series but can stand alone (well, there're only >two books so far) are Tanya Huff's "Sing the Four Quarters" and >Fifth Quarter", which were both excellent. Good news! I just saw the third book in this 'world', a sequel to "Fifth Quarter" entitled "No Quarter" (good name! ;), in my bookstore. Haven't bought it yet ... but it should be good. Jill Morrison /// morrisjm-+AT+-sbu.edu /// Merlyn3109-+AT+-aol.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "And that's such a shame, because that stranger is the Puck in the midden, the part of us that makes gold out of trash, poetry out of nonsense. It calls art forth from common sights and music from ordinary sound and without it, the world would be a very grey place indeed." - From "A Tempest in her Eyes" "The Ivory and the Horn" by Charles de Lint ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 96 07:45:26 EST From: Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> To: Misty List Subject: Re: Random Message-ID: <960326124526_101515.26_IHK72-6-+AT+-CompuServe.COM> > On Mon, 25 Mar 1996, aaron douglas bilodeau wrote: >> I realize this doesn't bring any answers, and there are a great >> many questions I have myself (for example, the ruling monarch >> must be at least Chosen, if not a herald. Daren is Chosen, so >> why is he the Queen's consort and not the king? I think this may simply have to do with the nature of Valdemar's system for ruling. To be a ruler, the Monarch must be a full Herald. Once they become Monarch then they are considered the primary ruler. To even be considered a Consort then the Monarch's partner must also be a Herald. But even as a Consort they are not the primary ruler. After all this system is currently operating in the UK. There is a Queen, but her husband is not a King, but a Prince. And in this case not even Prince-Consort. It makes me wonder what the situation would be where the Heir was married before attaining the throne, and the partner is also a Herald. The closest we've seen to this is with Jisa and Treven, but we know that Jisa is to be the next MO. Four Winds, SmokeHeart "Friendship comprises of one soul inhabiting two bodies" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 08:50:25 -0500 From: Joan Ferguson To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Order of reading books Message-ID: <199603261350.IAA00535-+AT+-elmer.Harvard.EDU> This just in ... >Another set that is a series but can stand alone (well, there're only >two books so far) are Tanya Huff's "Sing the Four Quarters" and "Fifth >Quarter", which were both excellent. Its official! This series is now a trilogy ... just finished reading _No Quarter_ (a pretty recent release), wherein all of your favorite characters from the first two books meet up and do some pretty interesting things. If you liked _Four Quarters_ I would highly recommend getting the other two. ObMisty: Umm, well, its a good thing that bards don't have this kind of power in Velgarth - can you imagine Leslac attempting to control the kigh?! :-) Joan joan_ferguson-+AT+-harvard.edu Harvard University Library Preservation Office "Instead of loving your enemies,treat your friends a little better." -Edgar Watson Howe (1853-1937) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 14:59:53 GMT+0200 From: ROZANM-+AT+-webster.nl (Rozanna McNeer) To: "Jake (Rynath *OIB*)" , Subject: Silver Gry spoiler!!!!!!! Message-ID: <3157f8c0.webster-+AT+-mail.webster.nl> SPOILER: re: the huge wyrsa pack. I think the mage-storm transformation bit is going a bit far with this one. All the other transformations turned the animal into something far different from its base, so I don't really buy that as the reason for the unusual size and lack of poison etc. Although Aubri felt that some mage created wyrsa before the mage wars (p 269 DAW HB), it doesn't mention how long before the wars. IMO the wyrsa diversified the same way horse, cats, dogs, ferrets, and any other animal you can think of, did. I mean, it's not likely that mage storms are responsible for the difference between a Clydesdale horse and a Shetland pony (or the f---- pony breed that is the size of a doberman), or is responsible for any color differentiation (sp?) between species. Imagine -> "Yep, that thar mage stohm dun tuhned mah gen-u-ine White Puhsian cat into Orange tabby Maine Coon, and Ah'm madder 'en a bee stung bear. (that's bawr in dialect, but with respect to those getting sick of my written Okie from Muskogee accent, I'll stop.) Actually, I'm an Okie from Bartlesville, but that's besides the point. Lady Rozanna IV Sand-cat Extraordinaire "He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." - Qanuc Proverb from Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 9:59:06 -0500 (EST) From: EGLESTON-+AT+-bpl.org To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Beauty Message-ID: <960326095906.8c7-+AT+-bpl.org> According to Books in Print (also known as the greatest work of fiction published annually), Robin McKinley's _Beauty_ is very much in print, in both the paperback and hardback editions. It seems to me it got reprinted last year. (Books *do* come back into print if the publisher thinks there's a demand. Maybe we all ought to write DAW and beg for S&S3.) For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere: Comet Hyakutake is going to be right close to Polaris (the pole star) tonight. Go out. Look. If you can find a place dark enough to see the Big Dipper, you will be able to see this comet. Find a really dark place and you will be awed. Look a few hours later and you will be able to see that it truly has moved in relation to Polaris. (oh, wayyyyy coool!) ObMisty: For all that we know about the Star-Eyed, we don't hear much about astronomical (or astrological) events on Velgarth, do we? (I like ObMistys. Sometimes they start really good discussions. They are a good thing.) Yoicks! and Away! Cindy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 10:04:07 +0000 From: "deanca" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Castings Message-ID: <199603261507.KAA03570-+AT+-edweb.concord.wvnet.edu> A friend of mine suggests Cher as Tarma, and after getting over my shock, it actually isn't a bad idea. -Free Bard Oriole ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You're SO nice! You're not good, you're not bad, you're just NICE! I'm not nice I'm not good, I'm just RIGHT!..." -The Witch from "Into The Woods" (written by Stephen Sondheim) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 96 10:26:34 EST From: Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> To: Misty List Subject: Re: Order of reading books Message-ID: <960326152634_101515.26_IHK95-2-+AT+-CompuServe.COM> Lady Rozanna IV wrote: >I won't even buy a book if it says book 2 (or something like) on the >cover, unless I can find book 1 as well! Too many authors running >around thinking that a series is just an extended book chopped into >convenient 360 page sections. BEEP wrong, thank you for playing! Does >anyone else do this - or is it just me that thinks this series bit is >getting out of hand. A lot of cheap bookstores around put out book 2 of a series, with no sight of book 1. And then they expect them to sell. Only one thing I've got to say to that idea - No how, No way! I'd agree that when one "book" is chopped up to create a series then it's totally out of order. However, series where each book is mainly self contained are another matter. I particularly like those series where the only common thread is the characters. Like Simon Green's "Hawke & Fisher" books. Wind to thy wings, SmokeHeart "Friendship comprises of one soul inhabiting two bodies" ------------------------------ Date: 26 Mar 96 10:11:40 EST From: Des Davies <101515.26-+AT+-compuserve.com> To: Misty List Subject: Re: First books ... Message-ID: <960326151139_101515.26_IHK64-1-+AT+-CompuServe.COM> Lady Rozanna IV wrote: >ObMisty: There don't seem to be any hill-people or dragons in >Velgarth. No dragons that I can think of, but as for hill-people what about those mentioned in Oathbreakers. Tarma's scout - female, can't remember name - was from a hill clan and she knew about the pony track through the mountain. The one that enabled them to circle around behind and out-flank the dug in army! Four winds, SmokeHeart "Firendship is Love without his wings" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 23:46:46 +0800 From: Lady Kayla To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: First books ... Message-ID: <199603261546.XAA32683-+AT+-janice.vianet.net.au> At 20:18 25/03/96 GMT, you wrote: >On Fri, 22 Mar 1996, Stormcloud wrote: > >> My first fantasy novel, the one that got me absolutely hooked, >> was Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown. It's a great first book >> for anyone; engaging, sympathetic characters (I *love* the guy who >> heals Aerin! What was his name, Luthe?), a cool horse (Talat!!!!!) >> and a very easy to read style. >(snippity, snip, snip) Have you read Blue Sword by Robin McKinley? I actually read that one first. ^^^^^^^ |Don't despair| ( O O ) <| ? |> |Take heart| $ \ ~ / $ - |Life is to be lived| Kayla kayla-+AT+-vianet.net.au ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 96 16:39:06 +0200 From: dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: re: First books Message-ID: <9603261439.AA01209-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl> > Speaking of Robin McKinley, has anyone heard of a book she wrote > called "Beauty"? I've been looking for it for years, and I've never, > ever found it ... Well, not that it's any help to you, but, yep, I have it, I read it on a regular basis, it's a fairly straight telling of the Beauty and the Beast, except that you get a lot of preamble - the family are kind and loving, Beauty is an independent, intelligent, book-loving, horse-loving lass, and the Dad loses his money in business, so they decamp to the country. There's more about them setting in - family, friends, growing up - then it's into B&the B - but nicely told. Worth reading if you can track it down. Also well worth finding is her new book Deerskin - I re-read it as soon as I'd finished, and have read it 4/5 times since - I tend to pick it up after the first third, if I'm after a quick read, and the first third is darker than the rest. Good hunting - Beauty is definitely in print, at least in the UK, I still see it, but her books tend to be a bit thin on the ground these days - she disappears into the McCaffrey and McKilip (another well worth reading - especially her Riddle master of Hed trilogy) Esmeralda Evensbane (unaffiliated) ps. My kick off into fanatasy was Dragonflight, Ms McCaffrey ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Mar 96 16:46:23 +0200 From: dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Dirk Message-ID: <9603261446.AA01231-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl> Becky wrote: > My computer hiccuped and lost the message, but someone was saying that > Dirk got on her nerves because of his incessant giggling. I can't explain > the incident in _Arrows_, but in BTS (when Kerowyn was ranting about > musicians) I would imagine he got the giggles because not only are he & > Talia amateur musicians, but so is every family member of his who isn't a > full Bard. 'twas me. I know all that, but it was the fact that he was so hysterical he had to leave the tent, and walk round the field whooping with laughter. I just sat there and thought "What a prat". And while I'm all for men showing their emotions, I got a teensy bit cheesed off with him in Arrows 3, and started wishing for ...... who ..... Lan I think (Jordan characater I'm afraid - but Dirk don't stand no comparison - he's an all inscrutable, carved from oak, kills with his bare hands hero type), or maybe Hettar (Eddings - similar mold). I know this is sacrilige, but there you go - can't like everyone all the time can you? ciao ciao, Esmeralda Evensbane (unaffiliated) ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 437 *********************************