MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 720 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) diarB by poisoniv-+AT+-sprynet.com 2) Re: classes and Namings by David Snyder 3) Re: classes and Namings by poisoniv-+AT+-sprynet.com 4) Re: magic schools, personality, arranged marriage by undine 5) Braid: Nicknames/Music/Romances by Master of Karma 6) Braid: Ph.D./cookies/marriage/mage schools by Master of Karma 7) Re: Lifebond poem.... by Kintara-+AT+-aol.com 8) Re: GoddessRequestAgain by Kintara-+AT+-aol.com 9) Re: Foresight in Valdemar/Welfies by Claris Smith 10) Re: Voice Teachers, Books and a Request by Raingcats-+AT+-aol.com 11) A braiding we will go,...! by David Tiffany/Shawn Walker 12) Re: Welcome Noel by skarzin-+AT+-soonet.ca (Tony and Michele) 13) re: Welcome Noel by dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl 14) Music/ by ywlau-+AT+-singnet.com.sg (Lady Windsong) 15) music/Shin'a'in hells again by Birgit Hanel 16) re:The Unlikely Ones by skarzin-+AT+-soonet.ca (Tony and Michele) 17) Schools of (Magical) Thought by jawhalin-+AT+-mail.azur.fr (Lionceau) 18) music/Shin'a'in hells again by poisoniv-+AT+-sprynet.com 19) braidung a bit by vanyel-+AT+-murlin.com (Levi D. Morgan/Kevin D. Chance (Fireheart/Foreshadow)) 20) Why don't ML's heroes work??? by dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 17:10:54 -0700 From: poisoniv-+AT+-sprynet.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: diarB Message-ID: <199607250010.RAA26889-+AT+-m4.sprynet.com> >Hahah... Thanks, but be careful! People have a tendency to start itching once >they try stuff like that on me! :) > I'm immune!! MUAHAHAHAHA!! Hah! So you think! Just wait a little while... (sneakily muahahahhaing) Wasn't there a poll about birthdays once? I missed it... just to cloarify... I am 9-9-77 (Fireheart) Foreshadow is 4-12-76 I dunno! Mine is 2-21-79 if anyone cares. -+AT+-Poison Ivy-+AT+- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 00:26:27 -0400 From: David Snyder To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: classes and Namings Message-ID: <199607230426.AAA29492-+AT+-brickell.bridge.net> At 10:23 PM 7/22/96 +0100, you wrote: >well, here goes anyway: how do they keep the Herald-trainee classes >scheduled so well? The Companions Choose when they will, and they don't all >go out and choose at the same time just so that one class will have "x" >amount of students. Do they hold up the class and wait for a few months >for the rest of the newly Chosen to come in? Then what do those newbies >*do*? Or do they make the trainees catch up on months of back-work? Hmm... >Kimerly-of-many-many-*many*-names ********** No, actually, the classes are taught in a circle, you enter at any point, and drop out when you've made a full circuit. *************** Jenna-Stormcloud,m'love, what do you want to be Named Goddess OF? I don't generally Name people until they request it, or get nominated. Let me know, I'd be delighted to Name you. *************** Rylissia, in return for your incredible tithe of pies, treehouse, and sword (OOOOO on the sword, what an elegant description, now I want it in mundane life, fat chance) (oh, and the pies are Strawberry-rhubarb, peach, raspberry, peach-strawberry, and wild-cherry-blackberry. I share these with everyone on the list.) I now Name you Goddess of the Arts. Be Artistic in all you do, especially when the task seems most mundane, and the rest of us Gods are most pleased to see you enter the ranks of Deities. Welcome, merry met, hooray, we have us a new Goddess. *************** Gosh, Kimbada, Kimchi, Kimmaleh, love, that was beautiful, I'm gonna have to change my .sig now, I don't want to forget that!!!Wow!!!!! Giddiness is attractive in you, sweetie, that was a GREAT post. *********************** Two more Namings here. But first, a Stripping. I, Lady Thessaly, hereby strip Dayna (who none of you know in person, anyway) of her Goddesshood for unkind, ungentle, and irresponsible meanness (don't feel bad for her folks, it took four years for me to decide to do this, and she's getting progressively worse.) and proclaim the areas of the Moon, Magic, Massage, and other M's open for the taking, but Music I apportion out to Lady Sophia. Please step forward Lady Sophia. Lady Sophia, I humbly accept your incredible tithe (the smoked salmon goes to my mom, the Goddess of Chocolate, the rest gets shared yum, we're feasting, folks) and take your tithe as a celebratory gift to the list as your Godhead descends and you assume the mantle of Goddess of Song and Music. Your duties will overlap slightly with Rylissia, who is closely affiliated to you, and all I ask is that both of you Gift us with beautiful music, paintings, and other arts once in a while to lighten our loads and gladden our hearts. Arise, Lady Sophia, (and I hope you will consent to join the Ladies in Green at some point.) and sing in joy that you are now related to James Earl Jones, God of Voice. Mishi, in return for the joy you have brought your listmates, you have doubly earned your Title. Mishi, arise and accept your mantle of Goddess of Hyperactivity and Overbubbliness, with the understanding that we of the list do not consider you Overbubbly, just Bubbly enough. Arise, Effervescent One, and bestow your good nature and keychains on everyone. Ok, guys, party time, I'm trotting out these incredible treats here and I declare Reception to start! Boy, look at all the goodies, but first, *H*E*D*G*E*H*U*G*** Lady Thessaly "It's not enough to count the stars, you have to Thesseldown know them by Name." Goddess of Nomenclature MKGC, Lady In Green Meg from A Wind in the Door ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 17:30:51 -0700 From: poisoniv-+AT+-sprynet.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: classes and Namings Message-ID: <199607250030.RAA02375-+AT+-m4.sprynet.com> and proclaim the areas of the Moon, Magic, Massage, and other M's open for the taking, Lady Thessaly, I do hereby request the title of Goddess of Moonlight, Magic, and Justice. In tithe I do offer thee five m&m blonde brownie bars, 1 bottle of lilac scented bubble bath, one gold locket which holds 5 magical moonbeams which may be used to open the eyes of one who cannot see the truth. With this tithe I do offer thee one vine of Poison Ivy which will forever immune thee to my touch and the touch of my kin. My final gift shall be the winged sandals of Justice. Swiftly shall they carry thee to wherever thou wishest to be, while also speeding you to those places where your unique talents are desperately needed and will be appreciated. I humbly thank thee for thy listening to my request. -+AT+-Poison Ivy-+AT+- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 20:47:51 -0400 (EDT) From: undine To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: magic schools, personality, arranged marriage Message-ID: Heyla and hugs all around ('cept for Poison Ivy. I'll just offer a friendly yet distant wave). When I asked about schools of magic other than White Winds, a couple of people (including Kimbada who has yet to nickname her old, feeble auntie...sniff...sigh) mentioned the Blue Mountain school. Did Misty mention anything about how it was founded or what teachings/philosophies its students follow? I took the personality test and am INTJ. The test was much more interesting when my husband and I took the test as if we were each other. Pointing out your loved one's faults certainly has its amusement value. Jake mentioned arranged marriages: I dated someone from India whose parents had an arranged marriage. They seemed quite content. But I think that's because of different expectations. Their marriage was based on its "suitablility" (economic benefit to the families) not the belief that they would fall madly in love and become soulmates. Does anyone know when and why marriage shifted from being based on economics and politics to being based on a starry-eyed romantic ideal (not that romance is bad )? Undine who is still exhausted but not quite so joyless ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 23:29:11 -0400 (EDT) From: Master of Karma To: Misty Lackey List Subject: Braid: Nicknames/Music/Romances Message-ID: On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Kimi-chan wrote: BOM>>>Subject: Re: Classes >>>Gee, maybe I should adopt that habit of keeping books by the computer, like milord Gaelic. Just kidding, Cenny! Love and hugs, Kim.<<< Boy, you are just determined to play on the ragged edge, aren't you? =) Well, I suppose that "Milord Gaelic" isn't *that* bad, but just remember that as you are coming up with these nicknames, even you shall one day come before the God of Karma to account for your silliness. The standard punishment for which, btw, is to spend an incarnation as a squirrel on lithium. =) -----EOM On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Sal wrote: BOM>>>Subject: An Attempt to Braid... >>>OK! OK! You Win!<<< Oh, goody. I love to win. =) >>>CENNYDD * 1) Gwena / Guardian Spirit... GROVE-BORN... 2) Your vocal range... PRACTICE... (I know... fine one to talk, I am...!) <<< What do you mean? The change in my range was not due to a lack of practice, it was due to my voice changing. My adult range just is not as large as my transitional range was. -----EOM On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Jake wrote: BOM>>>Subject: Love / Welcome! / Magic and Science >>>there's an example of this in Misty's books, but a really odd (and cool to write) situation would be a lovebond forming between one half of an arranged marriage and someone else. Like the princess who lovebonds to Pug, the blacksmith's son, and she has to marry Lord Charming, the prince from the kingdom across the way...<<< Ummm. I thought that this was the stereotypical medieval romance. Sort of Lancelot/Guenivere/Arthur, or Tristan/Iseult/Marc, or etc. It is also the basic plot of half of the Asian romantic films I have ever heard of. Watch "ju dou" or "Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker" etc. May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit, Cennydd, Mage of the Green Silences. 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+-Udel.Edu | A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me **http://www.udel.edu/kenny/ken.html or .../kenny/green.silences.html** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 23:30:17 -0400 (EDT) From: Master of Karma To: Misty Lackey List Subject: Braid: Ph.D./cookies/marriage/mage schools Message-ID: On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Aunti Mel wrote: BOM>>>Subject: Re: Doctoral degrees, music and such >>>Yep. Over here I've usually seen it summarised as 'making an original contribution to human knowledge'. That aside, there's no actual requirement that it should be a _useful_ contribution --<<< Well, there is that. =) Seriously, the idea is the same in the US ("original contribution"). And it can suck. I have an ex-boyfriend who got scooped twice on his doctoral dissertation. -----EOM On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Jerry wrote: BOM>>>Subject: Re: cookies.txt >>>It's a fact of life - any communications over the net can be recorded if either end (or anywhere in between) wants to. Conspiracy theorists can reflect on the fact that it would be fairly simple (for example) for government agencies to run keyword search programs on international email - just slap monitoring equipment on the relatively few international links... usenet news is even easier :-).<<< Well, as my mom always said, never write anything down in a letter that you wouldn't want to be public knowledge. Similarly, don't go places on the net that you wouldn't be willing to have others know about. And remember, "Big Brother" is a rank amateur when compared to Mrs. Grundy! -----EOM On Thu, 25 Jul 1996, Kimetharalon (ObMisty nickname) wrote: BOM>>>Subject: Mishi/Fireheart/Delia/Noel/Jake >>>I smell a fish (and it's not the salmon tithe to Lady Thessledown, either) *laugh* Besides, if you do things that way, you're 1) taking the easy way out. Only human, but neither imprsive or character building. Call me stuffy *gryn* Do I detect a new nickname on the horizon? 2) aren't likely to have a good time.<<< How is an arranged marriage "the easy way out"? It probably requires more effort than a love-match as far as adjustment and accommodataion goes. And I think that living your life with another person that was selected for you, and making all the changes and adjustments that would be required would be pretty character-building. =) Je suis le produit d'un marriage decide par mes grands-parents, et j'ai vu les arguments entre le nouveau mari et la femme apres... et je ne suis *pas* une petit-enfant qui est content... Urrr. Oops. I think I jsut stepped on the Linguist guy's toes. Mais, bien sur que non. Je suis toujours heureux de trouver ici une autre personne qui parle francais. Mais je crois qu'il est un peu impoli de causer comme ca dans une langue que les autres ne parlent pas. But I have a question. What do you mean you saw the arguments between the new husband and the wife? Which new husband and which wife? And why aren't you a happy grand-daughter? -----EOM On Thu, 25 Jul 1996, Undine wrote: BOM>>>Subject: Re: magic schools, personality, arranged marriage >>>When I asked about schools of magic other than White Winds, a couple of people (including Kimbada who has yet to nickname her old, feeble auntie...sniff...sigh) mentioned the Blue Mountain school. Did Misty mention anything about how it was founded or what teachings/philosophies its students follow?<<< I don't remember anything being said about any of the schools of magic except for White Winds, Tayledras, and Imperial. I think that there was another school mentioned by name, but I can't for the life of me remember where. In OBreakers, I think. >>>I dated someone from India whose parents had an arranged marriage. They seemed quite content. But I think that's because of different expectations. Their marriage was based on its "suitablility" (economic benefit to the families) not the belief that they would fall madly in love and become soulmates. Does anyone know when and why marriage shifted from being based on economics and politics to being based on a starry-eyed romantic ideal<<< First: I had a friend in high-school who left during senior year to go back to India and marry the man she had been betrothed to when they were babies. She was very happy about the whole thing and sort of felt sorry for American women, who had to find their own husbands. Second: I am not sure when the change occured, but it was fairly recently. Even in this century, in rural communities, people got married more for reasons of convenience and economy than anything else. Probably, the biggest change was as women started to have the option, on a wider scale, of working for a living. Even today, marriage is still primarily an economic thing for many women, although love does play a part (but the fact that they only date "doctors" or somesuch shows the importance of economic factors, even in romance). May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit, Cennydd, Mage of the Green Silences. 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+-Udel.Edu | A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me **http://www.udel.edu/kenny/ken.html or .../kenny/green.silences.html** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 23:35:25 -0400 From: Kintara-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Lifebond poem.... Message-ID: <960724233525_584237509-+AT+-emout19.mail.aol.com> In a message dated 96-07-24 08:33:33 EDT, you write: << Have you beaten it both ways? >> Both ways?? What other way?? And I believe it(the poem) was written for the game Roberta Williams. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 23:39:04 -0400 From: Kintara-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: GoddessRequestAgain Message-ID: <960724233552_584237900-+AT+-emout16.mail.aol.com> Lady Thessaly I hereby humbly request the title of Goddess of Strangness and Everything that's Odd. ::hands package to her:: For you I give 1) a small, dancing, purple elephant. 2) a flying polo playing pig, 3) a minutare, gold walking dolphin, and 4)a cube that you can make into anything you want just by touching it and saying the animals name. You have to keep good care of them for though they are stange they have to be treated like all other animals. I thank you for your patience of hearing me. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 22:46:30 -0500 From: Claris Smith To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Foresight in Valdemar/Welfies Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19960725034630.00707944-+AT+-comp.uark.edu> Hmm...what I meant when I accidently started this discussion (it was me, I asked about fortunetelling) was, do they have fortunetelling, I know they have Foresight, but the fact is it's a) Rare as heck and b) Neither reliable nor generalized. Given that Foresight does not exist PER SE (don't jump on me, ye believers) on Earth, it still seems to me that since almost every culture on Earth has some form of fortunetelling, so would Valdemar. The Shi'na'in believe in omens, similar in fashion to the Greeks and to the Native Americans. What kind of fortunetelling would fit in the milieu, do you think? Tarot? Runes? Bones? Dice? I-Ching-style? Oracles? As for the elfy-welfy tendencies of the Tayledras, I think there is a certain heritage shared with the weird racial memory of the European tall-elves, but they don't seem Middle Earth-derivative to me. The relation to nature is much more "earthy" (to coin a phrase!) and not so refined. They have appropriate similarities to the Celts and the Native Americans. They seem more realistic and less paradigmic/archetypal. Personal notes: Thanks for the recommendation, Undine; and Jake, I'm going to pick up your package tomorrow, I should hope. Wow, look, this was 90% on-topic! This is a first for me! (Hey, can I have some strawberry-rhubarb? Bizarre fact of the day: native Arkansans call rhubarb "pie-plant", and rhubarb pie is . . .yep, pie-plant pie! No, I'm not a native; born in Missouri and lived several other places, thanks very much!) *Claris Smith, Art/History Major, GM/Gamewriter, sf/fantasy Artist, Gung Fu Student* *U. of A., Su Ko Ming, Razorbattles Art Show Coordinator, The Dragon Roars Editor* *ccsmith-+AT+-comp.uark.edu | 4045 Abington Ct. Fayetteville AR 72703-5065* -On a journey, ill, and over fields withered, dreams--go journeying still. (Basho)- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 01:00:07 -0400 From: Raingcats-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Voice Teachers, Books and a Request Message-ID: <960725010000_245200300-+AT+-emout10.mail.aol.com> Lady Sophia said: >>>>Very large thanks to whomever let me know that I had to request my goddesshood! To Lady Thessaly, Goddess of Nomenclature, I offer a tithe of ten pounds of Pacific Northwest Salmon (smoked or fresh), three pounds of Yakima Valley cherries, three pounds of Washington Apples (type of your choice), and an unlimited supply of Torrefazione or Starbucks coffee drinks of your choice (lattes, vanilla lattes, frappucini, cappucini), and humbly request the title of Goddess of Song and Musical Arts (or Goddess of Song and Music, if this infringes upon anyone else's territory).<<<< Let me guess, you are from the Pacific Northwest? Oh the joy! Someone besides me who is from Washington! You are aren't you? I always feel so lonely considering most everybody is either not in the U.S. or they are out on the east coast. I'll always forgive you but never forget you, Lady Nightshadow aka Shady Goddess of Forgiveness "What about school? It's Defective! It's a pack of useless lies" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 24 Jul 1996 23:30:22 -0700 (PDT) From: David Tiffany/Shawn Walker To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: A braiding we will go,...! Message-ID: On Thu, 25 Jul 1996 Raingcats-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > Let me guess, you are from the Pacific Northwest? Oh the joy! Someone besides > me who is from Washington! You are aren't you? I always feel so lonely Now Shady! Didn't you know I live just west of Spokane? Over here in the dry(relativly) part of the Pacific NorthWET! *(*(&^*^&%%^$%$#$%-+AT+-#$%#%^$^%^&%^&*^*&(*()*(*++)+)()(()*(*&*&^&*%^&$%^$$%$%$ On Mon, 22 Jul 1996 Cennyd said; >>>>>>How many people think that the Tayledras are a gloss of the Tolkienian Wood Elves? Particularly the Elves of Mirkwood?<<<<< Weeelll I sorta did back in "Oathbound" but there has been a lot of development since then. It might also be wise to recall that JRR kinda ransacked Western European mytholgy for his characters so just about anybody who goes to European sources is likely to end up with some of the same ideas. If you want a real Tolkien rip-off, try "The Sword of Shannara" by Terry Brooks!! Now there's a fine case of skirting the edge of illeagality!!!!!<-(just for old times sake) *&&*^&%%^%$$##-+AT+-#$#-+AT+-!#-+AT+-!~-+AT+-!~!-+AT+-~!#~#-+AT+-!-+AT+-#!-+AT+-##$$%#%^$^&%^&%&*^*_&*&()_+)}{}{}:":">: On Sun, 21 Jul 1996 David Tiffany, Glad oft typtoes, wrote: >ps. If we do all try to get together, I would point out that the >geographical center of the North American continent is in Rugby, North >Dakota. To which Birgit Hanel replied On Mon, 22 Jul 1996 : >>>>>>HEY! What about us Europeans? If we are to get together it should somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean :). Naah, sorry, forgot those in Asia and Australia, apologies, apologies. So, if we are to meet, it should be in... Europe!!! :) :) Or somewhere in Africa, how's that for finding a geographical center? :)<<<<<<<< Or on Wake Island with all the other Goony birds?? :) Seriously tho I knew sombody would say thatI I was just figuring that Getting ONE continents worth of us together in the same place would be a major feat. I for one certainly wouldn't be able to afford an Ocean voyage, fun as it might be. &*(&*&^&*^&&%$%$#$#-+AT+-!#$-+AT+-$%%^$^&%^&%&*^*&)*(){}{}:}>:">:<:?>}{}+_)+)_+)_)_*&^& On Tue, 23 Jul 1996, Glithoniel (I think) wrote: >>>"I never saw a purple moor/nor yet have seen the sea/but I know how the heather looks/and what a billow be"<<< To which Cennydd replied; >>>>Hmmm. Ok, well, it has to be said: "I never saw a purple cow / nor ever hope to see one / but I can tell you here and now / I'd rather see than be one."<<<<< Or the Sequel. "Yes I wrote the purple cow/ I'm sorry now I wrote it/ but I will tell you anyhow/ I'll kill you if you quote it." Who says America ain't got no culture? :)# |<"::{}:{}}:}{>>:<>?<:}{:}||?>>><>:":{P}}{}}P+_))_))((**&^&%%^$%^$%$#-+AT+-!! And a pleasant good night to t'you all! david tiffany, GODD off tty prose ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 04:52:42 -0400 (EDT) From: skarzin-+AT+-soonet.ca (Tony and Michele) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Welcome Noel Message-ID: <199607250852.EAA19140-+AT+-victory.soonet.ca> on July 24, Noel wrote: Hello out there. I've just decided to enter the fray. I tried to read the various 250 messages I recieved last week, but alas, I failed miserably. I am also depressed because I lent my Winds of ... trilogy to a friend. Does anyone have any recommendations of good fantasy out there right now? Paperback helps, too. When does Misty's next book come out? Is there anywhere I should check to get this info? ----------------------------- Welcome Noel! Nice to meet you! Only 250+ messages in a week? Wow, things have really slowed down around here! Fantasy books I would recommend, hmm... - Mickey Zucker Reichert - The Renshai Books, I hear that 'Legend of Nightfall' is good too. - David Gemmell - 'Legends of the Drenai' is wonderful. - Mary Brown - 'The Unlikely Ones' - Eve Forward - 'Villains by Necessity' - Charles de Lint - almost anything, I particularly liked 'Moonheart' because I was living in Ottawa when I read it. - Tom Holt - 'Flying Dutch', and 'Who's Afraid of Beowulf?' are the only two I've read, but I've got 'My Hero' on order. - Holly Lisle - her best book so far IMHO is 'Minerva Wakes' I think Misty's next book 'Storm Breaking' is due out in October, but Undine can tell you for sure. Happy Reading Michele:) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 96 11:12:17 +0200 From: dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: re: Welcome Noel Message-ID: <9607250912.AA19628-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl> Michele:) wrote to Noel: >Fantasy books I would recommend, hmm... > - Mary Brown - 'The Unlikely Ones' Ohboyohboyohboyohboy - I have *never* met anyone else who has read this - I found it years ago, and it snagged a nerve, thus joining the "This shall be re-read on occasions" shelf, as opposed to the "Start again as soon as you've finished" shelves and the "Hmm, next jumble sale" shelf. I also recommend it, altho' it's not totally brill, and has some odd heroes/heroines. I don't think she wrote anything else. I re-read No Quarter by Tanya Huff last night - now that *is* totally brill - as are, of course the preceding 2 (Sing the 4 Quarters and The Fifth Quarter {I think}). She manages to bring Vree and Bannon, slim, gorgeous, lethal and complex, right out of the page. There's a couple of times when you can almost feel and smell things - I think Ms Huff is into skin - of the normal, smooth, smells wonderful variety! It's mentioned several times, and I adoooooore skin!! The cover illustrations (I think by Jody Lee????????) of the Daw paperbacks are also good. Oof - I need a new Lackey - I need new books - I need something like No Quarter as a new book to just Grab! and absorb. Heigh ho, another trip to the bookshops, altho' what I _really_ need is to get to London and Forbidden Planet - it's months since I've been in London with the time for a really good browse. 'Kay 'kay, totally off topic - I'll try harder next time, honest ciao ciao, Esmeralda Evensbane ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 18:58:20 +0800 From: ywlau-+AT+-singnet.com.sg (Lady Windsong) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Music/ Message-ID: <199607251058.SAA32554-+AT+-sunflower.singnet.com.sg> Lady Becky asked: > Anyone else out there listen to classical music? All my friends >think I'm really weird, but I have managed to get one of them hooked on >it too! But most people are extremely surprised to find a 14 year old >that likes classical music, for some reason everyone thinks it's and old >person music or something. I like classical music! My friends think it's weird too, that it's not *cool* music, but I don't mind. I *like* it, and that's good enough for me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lady Thessaly, I would like to be Named the Goddess of the Sea. For this gracious favour, I tithe to thee a spray of eternal orchids, that will never fade and die, and a silver dolphin pendant that will enable thee to call upon the promise of aid and help from all the creatures of the Sea. I thank thee. Wind to Thy Wings, & I hold the world as but the world, Gratiano, Lady Windsong & A stage where every man must play a part, Lyrra (bondbird) & And mine a sad one. ywlau-+AT+-singnet.com.sg & _Merchant of Venice_Act I, Scene II ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 15:23:21 +0200 (METDST) From: Birgit Hanel To: Misty mail Subject: music/Shin'a'in hells again Message-ID: On Tue, 23 Jul 1996 Lady Sophia wrote: > Can > anyone else recommend any fantasy that involves music? I've read Tanya > Huff's "Quarter" books, Gael Baudino's "Gossamer Axe", and Ardath Mayhar's > "Soul-Singer of Tyrnos". Thanks a lot! If you can find it (presumably out of stock or the like), try Jane Yolen's "Sister Light, Sister Dark" and the sequel "White Jenna" (and now don't anybody dare to tell me that there's a 3rd book, 'cause I'll never be able to get it!!!). There are a lot of songs complete with the notes in the back of the book, and, IIRC, the ballads are very important in the story. Wonderful books, some of the best I've ever read (and that includes Misty and Bujold as well as GGK). The part of the historians was absolutely hilarious and a cutting statement about history as a science today. ============================================== On Tue, 23 Jul 1996 Michele wrote: >obMisty: What musical instruments are mentioned in the Velgarth books? >Anything with a keyboard? and On Tue, 23 Jul 1996 Barbara wrote: >ObMisty: There don't seem to be many large instruments in Valdemar; I would thi>nk that at least Haven would have a piano or two. Has anybody spotted anything> like a piano or >harpiscord (sp?). Yeah, no piano, no harpsichord, no cembalo. I think the bards only have instruments they can relatively easy carry around (harps, lutes etc). A piano would be a bit unwieldy. I wonder when they will invent wind instruments and head for a nice orchestra. H mm, there no violins and the like, either, IIRC. Just instruments which are played directly with the hands, not with bows . The Tayledras seem to have something like a zither , played with small hammers (WoChange, the big feast at Elspehts and Skifs adoption ceremony). Ok, confession time. I can't play an instrument and I'm rather ignorant in musical things. Can't read notes, either. I have a drum, though, don't ask me why, but I have one and it's wonderful. I'm fascinated by drums. They are sisters, as a wise woman used to say. And I have absolutely no voice for singing. I could well compete with Tarma, on that issue. The music teacher at my school was one of the most horrible, evil and sadistic people I've ever met. I guess he spoiled it all for me. =========================================== On Mon, 22 Jul 1996 Me Myself I (anybody catch that reference? :) ) wrote: >On Sun, 21 Jul 1996 Lady Becky wrote: >>> Well, there is the possibility I mentioned above. However, in OBound, >>> Tarma mentions that the Shin'a'in "place of eternal punishment" are supposed >>> to be cold (OBnd, 10). So, at least, in the eyes of their believers, the >>> God and Goddess of the Shin'a'in have a version of Hell and punishment. >> Or maybe, the Shin'a'in "place of eternal punishment" is a cold >>part of the Havens. It is the Haven*S* plural, so maybe there's more than >>one little Haven section. Could be a good one, and a bad one for every >>religion that exists, who knows? Maybe everyone gets their own little >>Haven. Lots of possibilities, >IIRC, the Shin'a'in have nine hells. Somebody somewhere (erm, I do >realize how helpful that is :) ) says something along the lines of "to >the nine Shin'a'in hells with it". Maybe Kero? Uff. I don't know where it has vanished to, but apparently I only wrote half of what I was intending to. Here I go: If the Shin'a'in have nine hells, maybe there is indeed some special place for everybody. But what I was wondering, why are the Shin'a'in hells cold? The clans are living in a desert-like environment, so shouldn't they have hot hells? Just like Christianity, originating from a relatively hot and dry area, has a hot hell and northern/Norse mythology has a cold hell, IIRC. Don't ask me where I got this from, I really don't recall, but I have read it somewhere. Walk in beauty Khenta Blaufalk aka Skyfire & Aar Goddess of Incomplete Vocabulary and Garbled Grammar "The question seldom addressed is _where_ Medusa had snakes. Underarm hair is an even more embarrassing problem when it keeps biting the top of the deodorant bottle." Terry Pratchett, "Soul Music" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 09:41:20 -0400 (EDT) From: skarzin-+AT+-soonet.ca (Tony and Michele) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: re:The Unlikely Ones Message-ID: <199607251341.JAA23242-+AT+-victory.soonet.ca> on July 25, Esmaralda wrote: - Mary Brown - 'The Unlikely Ones' Ohboyohboyohboyohboy - I have *never* met anyone else who has read this - I found it years ago, and it snagged a nerve, thus joining the "This shall be re-read on occasions" shelf, as opposed to the "Start again as soon as you've finished" shelves and the "Hmm, next jumble sale" shelf. I also recommend it, altho' it's not totally brill, and has some odd heroes/heroines. I don't think she wrote anything else. --------------------------------- Au contraire, Esmaralda, she wrote several other books! 'Pigs Don't Fly' and its sequel, 'Master of Many Treasures', 'Never Alone', and 'Deadly Friends' These are all paperback, and available at Book Stacks. I know, 'cause I just ordered 'Master of Many Treasures' yesterday. Her heroes/heroines are still strange, but they really make you feel for them. Good luck finding something to read. Michele:) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 13:45:02 GMT From: jawhalin-+AT+-mail.azur.fr (Lionceau) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Schools of (Magical) Thought Message-ID: <31f76e93.2102116-+AT+-194.51.3.49> Merry Meet to One and All, In the ongoing discussion about the nature of magic on Velgarth, it is important to keep in mind that whatever a specific character says about magic only gives us a glimpse of how they view the workings of magic and not the ultimate nature of magic, only M.L. herself could do that. When Glithoniel wrote : "Magic is like any other school of thought. You learn it from the masters. Which means that what the masters don't know the students don't know." She was touching upon the fact that we are all prisoners of our paradigms, the formation of which is largely influenced by (what passes for) education. Students rarely go so far as to undermine the foundations of their discipline, nor do they often go beyond the framework of what they have been told is valid. I imagine students of magic are much the same, especially given that casual, uncontrolled experimentation is likely to end in disaster. In the RW researchers rarely find something they weren't looking for -- serendipity is quite rare -- a magician that doesn't know of the possibility of using node energies probably will never even try. Brawd Cennydd writes: "The whole point of any theoretical school is that each new generation of scholars using it will add onto it and build from it. Usually, the way it works is that the student ends up know "more" than the master. Any school of thought where the student never surpasses the master is doomed and dying." While this is an ideal worthy of attaining, the RW does not live up to your expectations, at least in my experience. A research assistantship in a well know laboratory is a highly prized commodity, that it would be unwise to put in jeopardy by contradicting, or even by outshining that laboratory's director, who isn't likely to make any abrupt changes and thereby risking the loss of funding. While Mage Schools probably don't have exactly this sort of problem, I imagine that the same general phenomenon would be observed, just given human nature. In organized schools, the teaching of magic is probably a matter of routine, with very little in the way of new discoveries, and the few discoveries made, are undoubtedly closely guarded secrets, unshared beyond the highest initiates of the School. Even among the Herald-Mages there is knowledge that is restricted to the very highest levels (the books that Vanyel steals for Tylendel). Brightest Blessings, Lionceau jawhalin-+AT+-azur.fr When in doubt, do as doubters do. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 06:59:55 -0700 From: poisoniv-+AT+-sprynet.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: music/Shin'a'in hells again Message-ID: <199607251359.GAA16851-+AT+-m4.sprynet.com> <---- Begin Forwarded Message ----> Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 14:38:44 +0100 (BST) Reply-To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk From: Birgit Hanel To: poisoniv-+AT+-sprynet.com Subject: music/Shin'a'in hells again On Tue, 23 Jul 1996 Lady Sophia wrote: > Can > anyone else recommend any fantasy that involves music? I've read Tanya > Huff's "Quarter" books, Gael Baudino's "Gossamer Axe", and Ardath Mayhar's > "Soul-Singer of Tyrnos". Thanks a lot! If you can find it (presumably out of stock or the like), try Jane Yolen's "Sister Light, Sister Dark" and the sequel "White Jenna" (and now don't anybody dare to tell me that there's a 3rd book, 'cause I'll never be able to get it!!!). Oooooh... I forGOT about those... I loved those books, they were so good.. Y'know, the funny thing is, I let my friend borrow the SFBC version, and she loved them and wanted to buy the regular books, but apparently while Sister Light, Sister Dark is still in print, White Jenna is not.. Does that make any sense to you? -+AT+-Ivy-+AT+- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 09:08:13 -0400 From: vanyel-+AT+-murlin.com (Levi D. Morgan/Kevin D. Chance (Fireheart/Foreshadow)) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: braidung a bit Message-ID: <199607251404.JAA22857-+AT+-guitar.sound.net> >f you can find it (presumably out of stock or the like), try Jane >Yolen's "Sister Light, Sister Dark" and the sequel "White Jenna" I LOVE those books... they were great!! > I wonder when they will invent wind instruments I believe they already have some wind instruments... at the party in AFlight I believe that there is someone there with a flute... CMIIW and also the Tayledras have some wind instruments. Levi Morgan (Fireheart) /// "Cause the love that you gave that we made Kevin Chance (Foreshadow) /// wasn't able to make it enough for you to be P.O. Box 1134 /// Open Wide... NO!!!" Sedalia MO 65302-1134 /// "If you have to walk on thin ice, do it with a vanyel-+AT+-murlin.com /// dance!" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jul 96 16:12:59 +0200 From: dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Why don't ML's heroes work??? Message-ID: <9607251413.AA20933-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl> Okay, I said I'd try to come up with an Obmisty, and while prattling away to Jake, poor soul, out ambled an thought. I read, as I mentioned earlier Tanya Huff's No Quarter last night, and have been musing about why I found it so particularly good. And as part of these musings, I was thinking about one of the "heroes", Bannon. He's lean, gorgeous, trained from the age of 6 or 7 as an assassin, and likes to bed anyone provided they're willing. He's also fairly muddled up, falling in love and coming to terms with his sister as an individual with rights of her own. I decided that I found him far more appealing than any of ML's heroes - 'cos he's got a lethal streak running through him. He can be very nasty and totally ruthless. I also get the impression that he'll smell wonderful, and have skin like satin, especially just down the side of his stomach - whoa there, down Esmeralda, down - think calm, collected thoughts, take deep breaths .... .......... right, sorry about that, I'm together now. Now ML either has very nasty and totally ruthless baddies, or rather nice goodies. Where's her totally ruthless goodie? Maybe it's Tremaine, but hey - where's the sex appeal? Darkwind is nice. Sexy but nice. Firesong is slightly less nice, but still basically good, Silverfox sounds better than either of 'em on the sex appeal front if you ask me, but he's a carer. She tried to make Skif a meanie, coiled spring, cold eyes of a killer etc etc, but then totally wimpified him with Elspeth - he's doomed now I'm afraid. So, why do I think an effective hero has to have a mean streak? Female conditioning? A yearning back to the "Me Tarzan you Jane we poke" scenario? Analysis welcome, and who are the effective heroes? I'm nominating Bannon as No. 1. Now I really *must* do some work, groetjes, Esmeralda Evensbane ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 720 *********************************