MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 841 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) re: SERRA/B-Day/SB spoilers by jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) 2) Ellen Kushner by "Hth." 3) Re: Ellen Kushner by jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) 4) Re: Alberich by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) 5) Larry. by "Tony O'malley" 6) Re: Intro (was Re: Book info by "Kimber Brumbaugh" 7) I bought S&S3 when it first came out, too. Have got all the by Barbara Slater 8) Heyla to all by 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> 9) Re: I bought S&S3 when it first came out, too. Have got all the by Queen of the Darned 10) Reply to: Re: Ellen Kushner by Rozanna McNeer 11) Swordspoint by philip dancause 12) Owlflight by philip dancause 13) re: What Valdemar needs is ..... by dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl 14) Braid 1: Little gods/mage-smithy/Godhead/Di/HA/Idry/wilk kyree/ connections by Mat the Cat in Green 15) Re: What Valdemar needs is ..... by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) 16) Braid 2: Tayledras marriage/Daren/Welcome backs/Swordspoint/IIPTNIG by Mat the Cat in Green 17) SB Spoilers!!!! by Joan Ferguson 18) re: What Valdemar needs is ..... Better food! by Mat the Cat in Green 19) re: What Valdemar needs is ..... by Khenta Blaufalk 20) Re: Tannim by Cecelia Marsh 21) re: What Valdemar needs is ..... by Lynore_Belzer-+AT+-BAYLOR.EDU ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 00:27:05 -0400 From: jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: re: SERRA/B-Day/SB spoilers Message-ID: Firemist wrote: >Cennydd wanted to know if they were worth buying - Well, I own nearly >all of them. The most serious one is When the Bough Breaks (makes >me feel like killing baby-rapists, but v-e-r-y slowly) Most of them are >pretty good, but mere mind-candy (duck, hide behind a sheep). I liked >the Eric, Kory and Beth ones the best (summoned to tourney and knight of >ghosts and shadows). What did everyone else think? > > When the Bough Breaks was definately hard to read. I had the same notion as you. I never could stand baby rapers and reading that made it worse! But it did have a few good points. It opened the eyes of people who have never been in that position, and know now how bad it is. I thought it was a pretty good book. I really liked the KofGaS series. I wish Misty would talk more about the relationship between Eric and Kory. I really want to know how Eric learned to deal with this, and what he did if he did learn to deal with it! (Enquiring minds want to know!) -------------------------------- Ian wrote: >Since we are all dropping hints about birthdays, mine is on Wednesday. Now >all I need to do is get something organised for my 21st. Since you all >seem to have a thing about Scots I thought you might like to know that I >am getting a kilt, and before you ask it's in Macdonald (Clan ranald), and >what I ware under it is MY BUSINESS!!!. You will have to wait untill >november when I get it to find out. > HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN! We Libra's have to stick together! Congratulations on the Kilt. I've been told they are quite comfortable. My husband has wanted one for years. I dont need to ask what you wear under them. I met a Scottish guy at the Ocktoberfest in Munich a few years ago and asked him. He was more than happy to show me. Rather *intresting* if you ask me! ---------------SB SPOILERS-------------SB SPOILERS------------------- >Hth wrote: > RE: Firesong and Silverfox - > Or did you just mean lifemate in the generic sense of two people who >intend to be life partners? Yes, that what I meant! Sorry about that.From what Silverfox said, I was thinking that Silverfox meant he wanted to permanately bond with Firesong in a lovebond, not lifebond. ------------------------------ Hth also wrote: > Someone refresh my memory: what are the marriage customs of the >Tayledras? I assume they have some form of marriage, since I don't know >of any human civilization that doesn't. Do we know anything about them? >Starwind and Moonsong always refered to themselves as lifebonded, not >married. Is a lifebond just considered more important than a marriage? >Were they not married? Is marriage reserved for couples who intend to >produce children? > > IIRC, Elspeth said in WofF that giving someone a feather from your bond bird and having it be accepted was the equivelent of marriage. I dont think its only for people who intend to have children. Matter in fact, Darkwind said something about "giving a feather of your bond bird means you have more permanent intentions." So I think it qualifies for both people who are married or lifebonded. If your lifebonded, I'm sure you would trade feathers in such a way. I'd say the Taylendres dont differenciate between the two. ----------------------------------- Icewolf wrote: Hmmm. This brings up something that has been niggling at the back of my brain. >Did anyone else get the feeling that the Storm books would be the last >we'd see >of Velgarth? I think the apocalyptic nature of the Cataclysm was >over-emphasized, because, for the longest time, I had the dreadful feeling of >"this is It." Once I managed to clear that preconception away, I didn't feel >frustrated or cheated at the end of Storm Breaking at all. I just had the >feeling that Misty was leaving her options open for Owlflight. > I dont think so. Last time I heard, Misty said she would continue to write about Velgarth as long as we wanted her to. I do think alot is going to change though. I think she is going to start focasing on other area's of Velgarth, like Iftel, Hardorn and the Empire. IIRC, there was a line in SB (Father Janas?) Who said something about Heralds being welcome in Hardorn. I think that may be where Misty is going - Having Heralds stationed outside of Valdemar and getting invovled in other countries. I do hope she writes about what the Shin'a'in and Taylendres are going to do now. I hope that's what Owlflight is about. I think Wintermoon may have something to offer to make his father very proud in this new "land of little magic". Ok, I think thats it. Take care everyone!........Julie ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 23:48:59 CDT From: "Hth." To: Subject: Ellen Kushner Message-ID: <23SEP96.25721795.0174.MUSIC-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU> See, I told you guys that Swordspoint was The Book. If Catherine agrees with me, then it must be true. Read it. Read it now. You're only cheating yourself. Read it. Read it. I was Somewhere on the Web last night (the problem with surfing is that you often can't remember how the hell you got wherever you found yourself) looking at a list of forthcoming books. I was scanning down the authors' names, and I found Ellen Kushner. I was so excited I can't even describe it. Then I realized that she was editing an anthology (with Delia Sherman and some other author whose name I should remember but can't), which is not nearly as cool as a new book by Ellen, but it still makes me relatively happy. It's called The Horns of Elfland, and looks to be out sometime in January. Heather growls impatiently and retires once more to her lair, wishing her copy of Swordspoint was in Kirksville. HTH r618-+AT+-academic.truman.edu "To hand-crafted beers made in local breweries To yoga, to yogurt, to rice and beans and cheese To leather, to dildos, to curry vindaloo To huevos rancheros and Maya Angelou." --"La Vie Boheme" RENT ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 01:50:14 -0400 From: jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Ellen Kushner Message-ID: Hth wrote: >See, I told you guys that Swordspoint was The Book. If Catherine agrees >with me, then it must be true. > >Read it. Read it now. You're only cheating yourself. Read it. Read >it. > > Ya know, I've had SWordpoint sitting on my shelf for years and I've never read it. Some one gave it to my husband, but I never looked at it. I only know its there because its next to McCaffery. But since I trust your opinion on a good book, I'll go dig it out. Just think! I have a good book on my shelf that I've overlooked. Depressing, isnt it? OBMisty: What book does the story of Alberich's choosing appear in? Is there anyplace I can get it? I've always wanted to read it but havent been able to find it. Thanks, Julie ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 09:12:21 +0100 (BST) From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Alberich Message-ID: <9609240812.AA17938-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk> Julie asks: > OBMisty: What book does the story of Alberich's choosing appear in? Is > there anyplace I can get it? I've always wanted to read it but havent been > able to find it. The story is called _Stolen Silver_ and it's in the _Horse Fantastic_ anthology :-). -- _|_ Jerry Cullingford jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Work) / | Hemel Hempstead, UK jc-+AT+-selune.demon.co.uk (Home) \_|_ jerry-+AT+-shell.portal.com (alternate) \__/ www.selune.demon.co.uk (soon) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 24 Sep 1995 18:55:58 +0000 From: "Tony O'malley" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Larry. Message-ID: <199609240943.TAA09537-+AT+-wollongong.starway.net.au> Julie(I think,my husband deleted the mail folder,sorry if I'm wrong) referred to Larry Dixon.I can't really voice an opinion on his writing(not being good at it myself) and he certainly can draw better than I can.I was wondering if he is the same Larry who provided paintings of astronomical subjects for Carl Sagans'"Cosmos" and "Pale Blue Dot"? This is very close to a one liner and not really on topic...sorry but I can't remember what else was posted Wendy.. . ------------------------------ Date: 24 Sep 1996 07:31:12 -0400 From: "Kimber Brumbaugh" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Intro (was Re: Book info Message-ID: * Well, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Jenny Greenwood, *and I've been on this list for years, but I had it postponed all summer and *just got back to it. Yeah! Someone else from North Carolina- and close by too! "bout time :) *Anyway, what's this roll call going on? And some people have Storm The roll call was so we could figure out what God/desses have been named (I think) cause an updated list was wanted. If I'm wrong, someone feel free to correct me. *Breaking already? I was just out looking for that yesterday around our *malls here and couldn't find it :( Hopefully soon... Oh, and does anyone *know if Fire Rose is coming out in paperback soon? Or if it has already *and once again North Carolina is just behind everyone else in getting *books... Not that I'll have too much time to read, but I'm sure Misty *will be more interesting than my textbooks... Well, I did see SB in a small Waldenbooks that's on my way home from work, so it seems that it's made it to Raleigh finally, so I would assume Durham would be close behind if not already there... Kimber Goddess of Eternal Optimism kimber_brumbaugh-+AT+-library.lib.ncsu.edu http://www.catt.ncsu.edu/users/willow/www/home.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 08:14:38 -0400 From: Barbara Slater To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: I bought S&S3 when it first came out, too. Have got all the Message-ID: I bought S&S3 when it first came out, too. Have got all the S&S, and even managed to get a 2nd hardcover of Sacred Ground for $2.98. Have all the SERRAted Edge books so far, but haven't gotten Fire Rose. Yet. Dumb Question time...Did Misty co-author "If I Pay Thee Not In Gold" with Piers Anthony? I don't have the book, and am not near a library so that I can check out the catalogue. Lani Hunter ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 13:29:49 +0100 From: 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Heyla to all Message-ID: <16C23F372D-+AT+-ghondr.mmu.ac.uk> What did I miss? Is theMagewar still going strong? Or has Gyr finally admitted defeat? Sorry so excited to be back I forgot to tell you who it is, Kal'enedral Kalen Shena Vyusher'edras aka Jason Stokes After a summer in America[ to be precise N.C., M.S., A.L. and C.A.] I am now back in Manchester, back at university and back in reality[aghhhhhhhhhh.]. Are TOIB still around if so who is in charge now? Mail me please. Got to go lectures call WTTW Kalen Kalen Shena Vuysher'edras Kalenedral [OIB] "If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended. That you have but slumbered here While these visions did appear". ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 08:39:47 -0400 (EDT) From: Queen of the Darned To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: I bought S&S3 when it first came out, too. Have got all the Message-ID: On Tue, 24 Sep 1996, Barbara Slater wrote: > co-author "If I Pay Thee Not In Gold" with Piers Anthony? I don't have the book, and am Yop, she did. This is one of the few of Misty's I haven't read. I just didn't hear good things about it, and I was getting tired of Piers Anthony's writing style. Not that I don't have my share of piers Anthony books (every Xanth ever written, except the newest). I didn't get S&S3 :( But I have just about every one since then. And the ones I don't have, my sister has, so whenever I'm back home, we spend the time stealing each other's books. I'm also waiting for Silver Gryphon in paperback. I know most people didn't like it that much, but it's Misty, so I'll read it. :) Ok, now to throw in a random Misty question: If you could add one thing to Velgarth, or take it away, what would it be? I ask this because usually when I read a book, I find something I'd like to see in the world, like horses, or plows, or random little things that the people seem to do without. I couldn't really think of anything for Misty's books. :) Jenny -=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=- "In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming..." H.P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu" -=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=-=#=- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 10:01:50 -0400 From: Rozanna McNeer To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk" Subject: Reply to: Re: Ellen Kushner Message-ID: <199609241002_MC1-9AF-3695-+AT+-compuserve.com> Julie said "What book is the short story about Alberich and companion in?" It's in Horse Fantastic edited by Martin Greenberg(?) and co. It's called "Stolen Silver" BTW, Kushner is next McCaffery? Where do you keep the misty books, then? (she asked anal retentively -> my library is divided by genre and in alphabetical order) I CAN"T FIND THE THRICE-BLASTED CAT-FANTASTIC BOOKS!!!! I want to read the Skitty stories! HOWL!!!! Firemist (who is doing to much howling for this time of morning) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 10:21:02 -0400 (EDT) From: philip dancause To: Subject: Swordspoint Message-ID: <199609241421.KAA25772-+AT+-smtp2.erols.com> >See, I told you guys that Swordspoint was The Book. If Catherine agrees >with me, then it must be true. How could we possibly doubt you, Heather? I don't remember where I first came acrossed it, but i wen't right out and bought it. it just gets better every time I read it. >Heather growls impatiently and retires once more to her lair, wishing >her copy of Swordspoint was in Kirksville. > Used bookstores (or at least the ones around here) can be usually counted on to have at least one good copy going cheap. A couple of months ago, I was browsing in Crown and I picked up a fantasy anthology with a story by Ellen Kushner in it. Turns out it was a shortened female version of Swordspoint. Is she working on a sequel? :) Ami ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 10:50:25 -0400 (EDT) From: philip dancause To: Subject: Owlflight Message-ID: <199609241450.KAA28147-+AT+-smtp2.erols.com> Heyla! Recently there's been a lot as speculation as to the subject matter of _Owlflight_. Somebody said it might be a bout Wintermoon (soory, accidentally deleted the letter). I think it will be, too. Given the title, i think it might be safe to assume that that it would concern the Tayledras. And, IIRC, wasn't Wintermoon bonded to a pair of snowy owls? And didn't he feel odd because of his lack of magic? I think Velgarth is more to his liking now. Anyone else? Does anyone know anything about _Black Swan_? :) Ami ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 96 17:41:18 +0200 From: dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: re: What Valdemar needs is ..... Message-ID: <9609241541.AA11783-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl> Jenny asked: > Ok, now to throw in a random Misty question: If you could add one thing > to Velgarth, or take it away, what would it be? I ask this because > usually when I read a book, I find something I'd like to see in the > world, like horses, or plows, or random little things that the people > seem to do without. I couldn't really think of anything for Misty's > books. :) Well, lemme think - as has been said before on this list, our ML is not too hot on the dead sexy, happy-go-lucky, un-mixed up types. Firesong had potential, but then got all hung up on lifebonds, Skif had potential 'til emasculated by Elspeth, Kris had potential, but as Heather pointed out, he had his problems, including getting killed. So, apart from the lack of kids (only mentioned in passing), dogs, cats (normal ones), landscapes (my mind's view of Valdemar is *very* basic) and food (Talia is friends with Mero, and does kitchen duties, but what do we know about what they eat/drink), my main gripe is that there's not a lot of joy. No happiness, giggles, laughter, frivolity, fun, gentleness, warmth, teasing (I do not count that dire scene where Kris and Dirk are helping Talia at some big do), ......... in fact, (mind lunges frantically at a stray thought) someone wrote recently (read it this morning) that maybe Valdemar was going to expand, station Heralds in other lands - and my inital response was to feel sorry for the "conquered" lands. Why? Well, this is fairly vague, just a feeling, but writing the above has just triggered the thought that the heralds are a touch joyless, aren't they? A bit holier-than-thou, smug. Don't you ever wish they'd trip and get those precious whites grubby? I know they're selfless, self-sacrificing, often dead - but the more recent books have not painted people I feel I'd particularly *like*. I know, I know, they've got problems, but the characterisation has become flat. I don't recall smiling or laughing while reading any later ML. The death of Ulrich (or whatever Karal's mentor was called) was formulaic ML - lots of grown up tough people unashamedly crying, raw throats, toal abandoment to grief an' all that. I kept waiting for something to ***happen*** and, (apart from Firesong trying to barbecue Aya - which made me grin, now I think about it) nothing did. In fact, maybe someone can tell me, did anything happy/gladdening/uplifting/ funny happen in the first 2 Storm books? Does anything is the 3rd? My memory is of two gloomy books peopled by generally gloomy people. Deary me, I think I've just joined the "ML ain't what she used to be" brigade. As this it totally on topic, I shall rest my case, while pointing out that the above is, naturally, IM ever so HO. groetjes, Esmeralda Evensbane ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 12:12:56 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat the Cat in Green To: Mercedes Lackey mailing list Subject: Braid 1: Little gods/mage-smithy/Godhead/Di/HA/Idry/wilk kyree/ connections Message-ID: > From: Jenna Wilson ~Stormcloud~ > I just reread Storm Warning and Storm Rising in preparation for > getting Storm Breaking (soon, soon, soon....) and in the first book, > I seem to recall Tremane mentioning the _forty_ little gods, and then > in the second, suddenly there are a _hundred_! Did anyone pick up on > this, or am I imagining things?! Well, I'll say this. More about the hundred little gods is mentioned in SB (I know that you didn't want to hear that ). Kind of explains who they are, and why the number is 100. HeHe. I read SB this weekend. I'll do a different post for spoilers stuff (it's too hard to do spoilers in a braid, unless you keep them to the bottom). ============================================================================= > From: Kimberly > Lesse, what else, what's something.. oh, right. The sword that speaks for > the King of Rethwallen. The starblade poison weapon used to attack Van. > Those are mage instruments, and they obviously were around for quite some > time after Need, so why is it that Firesong says that magic can't be put > into inanimate things? (Somewhere in WoChange, IIRC...?) It's possible that Firesong just hasn't ever seen it. Remember Savil's comment on the leech-blade, something like, "A leech-blade. I didn't think that there was anyone who was enough of a mage-smith to make one anymore." So, by the time of MPrice, it was almost a lost skill. > >[Pushing away stacks of papers with arcane formulas like > >V^2 = Vo^2 +2a(X-Xo), > > WHAT???! That looks nastier than my calculus formulas! *shudder* Oy. I may > shoot myself before I get to college, at that *gryn* As Lady Tammy often tells me, physics is rotting my brain (that's what that formula is, BTW. An equation of motion. *shudder*) > >Mat, the God of Procrastination at your service. Or I will be....later. > >Yeah, I'll do it tomorrow..... > > One of the most prompt people on-list is the God of Procrastination? > ::laugh:: (Though Angela's the Goddess of Tardiness, and procrastination is > the name of the game *wink*) My Godhead mostly comes into play when I have an assignment to do. I'm so prompt with my mail since it gives me an excuse to procrastinate. Like right now, I should be doing a physics lab report. *shudder* x 2 I asked for the title after I left writing a speech to the night before. Can you guess the topic? Procrastination. > >Query: Any more Diana stuff planned? How about anything from the Sacred > >Ground characters? > > Yep. Written, actually. _Acanum 101_ and _Triangle Park_. But. THEY'RE > NEVER GOING TO PRINT IT, BURN THEM. *gryn* Stupid publishing grumble > mutter... Are they actually written? I was under the impression that she had the outlines and ideas, but not the actual text yet. ============================================================================ > From: Jake > (doing an impression of Fat Albert) Heyyy heyyyy heyyyyyyyla! Fat Albert on Velgarth, huh? I doubt he'd be so fat once Alberich or Kero got through with him> > Yes folks, howdie heydiddlie ho! Jake here, just off a listen of _Life's > Flame..._ and I sayeth unto you, buy it! Heather Alexander's latest live > album is terrific. And the songs are all new! (Well, most of them.) She > did it again... actually MOVED me through music. The title track is > spectacular. Rassum frassum. Mine hasn't gotten here yet. I really want that album! ============================================================================ Summersong wrote: > Who's Idry? Whose Companion is she (assuming the Companion is female)? She's unBonded. She's Florian's sister, and she carried An'desha (IIRC) across the Plains at the end of SR. ============================================================================ > From: Rozanna McNeer > > One point. You said Misty wrote the time-line - she doesn't. Somebody named > Pat Tobin does the timelines and she should be carried away by wilk Kyrees > (wild kyrees that sing horrible filk songs until victim goes stark staring > mad! hence wilk kyrees :} ) Oh the horror! Being chased by kyree MindSinging "Herald's Creed" at you! Or "FAP"! Or "Mis-Conceptions"! Run away! (I finally saw MP and the Holy Grail this weekend. ) ============================================================================ Summersong wrote: > Just to keep this from being a one-liner: Who really liked the Bedlam Bards > series? I absolutely loved it, but I liked the first one better than the > second. I don't know why. And is TOR ever going to publish the new Diana > Tregarde books? And which of Misty's urban fantasies are kind of tied in > together? Is she ever planning to involve all of them into one story? I > hope she doesn't in *one* single book -- it's going to get really jumbled. > Well, we know that the Eric/Kory/Beth series and the SERRA one are linked. Originally, Di wasn't supposed to be (according to Misty at an on-line chat), but now she is. There's some suspicion that SGrnd might be too, but they'res no evidence either way. IIRC, Triangle Park would have been a meeting of Di and the SERRA crew. Okay, that's it for Braid #1. Mat Cat Person, Champion in Green, |"To see them all 'adrowning, as they Adept, and God of Procrastination| tried to swim ashore. (Doesn't help mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu | when you shoot at 'em.) Sailing down http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/| along the coast of High Barbary!" | "High Barbary" - Heather Alexander ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 17:15:05 +0100 (BST) From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: What Valdemar needs is ..... Message-ID: <9609241615.AA22929-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk> Esmeralda wondered: > In fact, maybe someone can tell me, did anything happy/gladdening/uplifting/ > funny happen in the first 2 Storm books? Does anything is the 3rd? My memory > is of two gloomy books peopled by generally gloomy people. Er... let me think... Happy: Natoli didn't die when the boiler blew up :) Gladdening: Tremane's men got paid :) Uplifting: The boiler blew up - that must have lifted something :-). > groetjes, > Esmeralda Evensbane What are groetjes? The Goblins are voting for something edible [*] :-) and the killer penguins are backing the idea of small copper pieces... [$] :-) [*] The goblins idea of edible is quite flexible. [$] I think they've been watching _The Wrong Trousers_ too often. -Jerry (named deity of Goblins. Killer penguins, and annoying magic items[#]) [#] They wouldn't say what they thought a groetje is. -- _|_ Jerry Cullingford jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Work) / | Hemel Hempstead, UK jc-+AT+-selune.demon.co.uk (Home) \_|_ jerry-+AT+-shell.portal.com (alternate) \__/ www.selune.demon.co.uk (soon) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 12:27:30 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat the Cat in Green To: Mercedes Lackey mailing list Subject: Braid 2: Tayledras marriage/Daren/Welcome backs/Swordspoint/IIPTNIG Message-ID: > From: "Hth." > Someone refresh my memory: what are the marriage customs of the > Tayledras? I assume they have some form of marriage, since I don't know > of any human civilization that doesn't. Do we know anything about them? > Starwind and Moonsong always refered to themselves as lifebonded, not > married. Is a lifebond just considered more important than a marriage? > Were they not married? Is marriage reserved for couples who intend to > produce children? Well, trading ordinary feathers means that you want to trade "favors" . But trading bondbird feathers means a permanent commitment, i.e. marriage. Like how Elspeth refers to Darkwind as her spouse or mate in SB (that's so small, I don't think it requires a spoiler) ======================================================================== > From: Becky Anne Christensen > On Mon, 23 Sep 1996, Charles Stevens wrote: > > I'm new here, but I do know that's not quite right. Daren is a prince... > > of Rethwallen. > > > Well, he *was* a prince of Rethwallen, have you read Arrow's Fall > yet? If you haven't, then I don't want to spoil it for you, go out and > read it, at the end, he is no longer the prince of Rethwellan, he is > indeed co-consort to Selenay. Becky, don't confuse the poor guy. It's BTS, not AFall. :) =========================================================================== > From: Queen of the Darned > Well, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Jenny Greenwood, and > I've been on this list for years, but I had it postponed all summer and > just got back to it. Welcome back! If nothing else, I remember the "Queen of the Darned" title. :) =========================================================================== > From: Catherine Osborne > I just finished *Thomas the Rhymer* which was magnificent! And my dad > brought me home *Swordspoint* tonight! And it's even better! So far! > Heather and everyone else you were right! Thomas the Rhymer I didn't care for. But I'm starting Swordspoint today. :) ============================================================================ > From: Barbara Slater > Dumb Question time...Did Misty co-author "If I Pay > Thee Not In Gold" with Piers Anthony? I don't have the book, and am > not near a library so that I can check out the catalogue. Yup. IIRC, he had the story outline laying around, but he didn't have time to read it. So the people at Baen looked around for someone to write the thing out. They got Misty to do it. So, he did the plot and story, Misty did the grunt work of the actual writing. ========================================================================== > From: 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> Welcome back Jason! > What did I miss? Is theMagewar still going strong? Or has Gyr finally > admitted defeat? The MageWar's still going strong. It's on a different server now, so if you want the info, private mail me. > After a summer in America[ to be precise N.C., M.S., A.L. and C.A.] > I am now back in Manchester, back at university and back in > reality[aghhhhhhhhhh.]. Aside: Sorry I didn't write back to you. Lost the postcard. > Are TOIB still around if so who is in charge now? Mail me please. Just Kory and Jenna/Stormcloud are left. ====================================================================== Heather, what got you so annoyed at Tam Lin? Was it the fact that most of the book seemed filler before the actual plot in the last chapter? ======================================================================== Cennydd, I finished _Above the Lower Sky_. Loved it. What was the name of the sequel again? Mat Cat Person, Champion in Green, |"To see them all 'adrowning, as they Adept, and God of Procrastination| tried to swim ashore. (Doesn't help mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu | when you shoot at 'em.) Sailing down http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/| along the coast of High Barbary!" | "High Barbary" - Heather Alexander ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 12:16:19 -0400 From: Joan Ferguson To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: SB Spoilers!!!! Message-ID: <199609241616.MAA15266-+AT+-elmer.Harvard.EDU> SPOILERS BELOW!! Don't say I didn't warn you ... Ok, I'm going to ruin the curve here :-) Sorry! I thought that the information about the Tower Group was the least interesting ... ok, here they are still stuck in the same tower, looking for another weapon that Karal is again going to Channel that will solve the problem, blah blah blah ... sorta reminded me of the David Eddings syndrome ... write one book and then revisit the plot and write a similar one. I found the Empire stuff to be interesting mainly because it was new-ish - yes, we'd met/heard of the characters, but we didn't have any idea of the society and politics and all that. So, I disagree with what seems like 90% of you. I found the Tower Group stuff the least interesting, then Tremane and Elspeth/Darkwind and the Empire stuff at a tie. I liked SB, but not alot. It was leaps and bounds better than Silver Gryphon, though!!! It was nice to revisit with some old characters ... but they were so brief! I, too, was thrilled to find Tarma again, and Van and Co. showing up was great, and the Avatars, but they came and went in a matter of paragraphs. The character development just wasn't up to Misty par - I felt like she just skimmed the surface of most of the "old" characters - Karal and co., Firesong and entourage, Elspeth and family, Tremane and problem, etc. I also found the POV changing hard to follow. And the end! A very neat "wrap-up" but less than satisfying. And Florian! :-( Not fair to kill off Companions!! Not fair!! I still can't figure out who he is ... but the gangly, hair in eyes thing reminds me of a Herald or trainee from the Arrows books ... Griffon? Oh, rats, can't remember! Wouldn't fit into the Van knows him thing ... unless they are all familiar in a "been to Havens, became a spirit, went off to do another job" kind of familiarity. Well, I've *definately* joined the ranks of "she ain't what she used to be." What we really need is another Vanyel story - I had hopes that Karal's story might make it, but we sorta lost him in the mage-storm/Empire added plot lines. Oh, well. Here's hoping "Owlflight" will fill in a few of the gaps and tell us a bit about what happened to everyone after the "dire threat" was averted. You can be they all won't "live happily ever after", though :-) All of the above is, of course, my own opinion. Your milage may vary. (YMMV) ;-) Joan Lady Kessira, Goddess of Lurking, Trees and Tea (since noone complained about my name, I'm taking it. Hah!) 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, 24 Sep 1996 12:35:41 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat the Cat in Green To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: re: What Valdemar needs is ..... Better food! Message-ID: On Tue, 24 Sep 1996 dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl wrote: > So, apart from the lack of kids (only mentioned in passing), dogs, cats > (normal ones), landscapes (my mind's view of Valdemar is *very* basic) and > food (Talia is friends with Mero, and does kitchen duties, but what do we know > about what they eat/drink) Bread, cheese, meat pies, trout, turtle, goose liver ( to Concordance owners). umm, it's a 1 liner, but I've already had 2 big braids, and another coming. :) Mat Cat Person, Champion in Green, |"To see them all 'adrowning, as they Adept, and God of Procrastination| tried to swim ashore. (Doesn't help mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu | when you shoot at 'em.) Sailing down http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/| along the coast of High Barbary!" | "High Barbary" - Heather Alexander ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 20:07:40 +0200 (METDST) From: Khenta Blaufalk To: Misty mail Subject: re: What Valdemar needs is ..... Message-ID: Esmeralda writes: >So, apart from the lack of kids (only mentioned in passing), dogs, cats >(normal ones), landscapes (my mind's view of Valdemar is *very* basic) and >food (Talia is friends with Mero, and does kitchen duties, but what do >we know >about what they eat/drink), Now that you mention it. There's this "generic background" thing everytime she's writing about Haven [*]. Just a lot of houses with lanterns. And at some time you'll get to the palace. That's about all I remember. Didn't someone write some weeks ago that there are no market scenes? That's what I mean. No specific background for the stories. No "normal" people, just Heralds and royalty all the time, in their nice little ivory tower of the Collegium. How is Haven organized? Do they have a mayor? Are there slums (we know there must be, from Stef's childhood memories in MPrice -> again, very sketchy) or a red-light district or somesuch? I think we don't even know if the Healer's place (Collegium?) is open to all people, should they need help. The healers are there when they're needed for the plot (as is everything else), basta. Ok, I don't like it when authors give lengthy descriptions of utterly needless and unnecessary things. But not being given anything but the basic info about a person or a place in a novel will make me ask "And? And?" in the end. Amazing, though, that this never seemed to matter when I was immersed in the story, but afterwards. [*] I think we saw quite a bit of rural Valdemar from Talia's internship (AFlight). > my main gripe is that there's not a lot >of joy. No happiness, giggles, laughter, frivolity, fun, gentleness, warmth, >teasing (I do not count that dire scene where Kris and Dirk are helping >Talia at some big do), ......... Whoa! Wait a moment. No laughter, fun, jokes? Wie bitte? Have you ever read Moon's _Sheepfarmer's Daughter_ (-> Paksenarrion)? Compared to that, Misty is comedy (and I mean real comedy, not sitcoms). All the warmth of a sunny summer day... I can't put this into words. I'll just say that now that I know her books and her sense of humour, I'm comparing others to her in this regard. And I've seen a couple of laughterless and funless books. ======================================================================= Cennydd, if you really want to go to... Utrecht?, there will be a way to accomplish this. I know there will. Believe me . Everybody, beware of the penguins. :) Walk in beauty Khenta Blaufalk aka Skyfire & Aar Goddess of Incomplete Vocabulary and Garbled Grammar ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 96 15:02:22 EDT From: Cecelia Marsh To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Tannim Message-ID: <199609241902.PAA14487-+AT+-hobbes.kzoo.edu> He's in Jinx High, as well, but I don't think we ever directly meet him. Love and kisses, Celia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sometimes reputations outlive their applications ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Cecelia Ann Marsh |"You've been reading | 1230 Wm Penn Dr |too much meaning from | Lewisburg PA 17837 |existence" | E-mail: k95cm02-+AT+-kzoo.edu | | http://www.kzoo.edu/~k95cm02/ | -James _Lullaby_ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 14:09:33 -0600 From: Lynore_Belzer-+AT+-BAYLOR.EDU To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.UK Cc: Lynore_Belzer-+AT+-ccis01.baylor.edu Subject: re: What Valdemar needs is ..... Message-ID: On Tue, 24 Sep 1996 16:59:41 +0100 (BST) Esmeralda wrote: >Jenny asked: >> Ok, now to throw in a random Misty question: If you could add one thing >> to Velgarth, or take it away, what would it be? I ask this because >> usually when I read a book, I find something I'd like to see in the >> world, like horses, or plows, or random little things that the people >> seem to do without. I couldn't really think of anything for Misty's >> books. :) > >Well, lemme think - as has been said before on this list, our ML is >not too hot on the dead sexy, happy-go-lucky, un-mixed up types. >Firesong had potential, but then got all hung up on lifebonds, Skif >had potential 'til emasculated by Elspeth, Kris had potential, but >as Heather pointed out, he had his problems, including getting killed. That would *definately* be a problem. Seriously, though, I'd have to agree with Esmeralda. Very specifically, with: >my main gripe is that there's not a lot of joy. No happiness, giggles, >laughter, frivolity, fun, gentleness, warmth, teasing (I do not count that dire >scene where Kris and Dirk are helping Talia at some big do), When I first read this, I thought, "Nahhh. There's fun stuff in here!...I think..." And the more I thought, the harder it was to come up with stuff. I realized I was laughing more at irony and villains who "got theirs" than at honest to goodnes fun and funny scenes. For example, in Black Gryphon, about the only "fun-for-fun's-sake" scene was the "victory dinner" Drake neglected to tell Skan Zhaneel was invited to (albeit, they were in the middle of an armed camp, but you get my drift). And in Storm Breaking (NO SPOILER) Silverfox and Firesong spar with a great sense of fun about the advantages and drawbacks of "roughing it." >Why? Well, this is fairly vague, just a feeling, but writing the above has >just triggered the thought that the heralds are a touch joyless, aren't they? >A bit holier-than-thou, smug. Again, I hate to say it, but I agree (not that I hate agreeing with Esmeralda, but, well, you know what I mean). We don't have any fun-loving, devil-may-care Skifs around anymore. Now, I know the war with Ancar probably put a lid on anyone who would have tended in that direction (the Original Skif included), but there's been plenty of time since, in my opinion. And Heralds DO tend to take themselves too seriously. That was one of Elspeth's major faults in the Winds trilogy, and something that Darkwind pointed out to her. In SB (again, NS!), I like Elspeth a lot more: she's a bit more relaxed and she seems to have rummaged around under her bed and found a sense of humor! :) But that seems to have ALWAYS been a problem with Heralds. At the end of By The Sword, Sayvil says words to the effect of, "We need someone around here who will help us not be so hidebound." It's a problem with the Talaydras and Shin'a'in, too. Remember when Jisa and Treven eloped? Van had several SPCA's worth of kittens, while Yfandes told him to calm down, that it wasn't the end of the world. And Tarma's the only Shin'a'in I've seen yet with a real sense of humor. Firesong had one (he lost it for a while, but he's feeling much better, now :) Darkwind is the only other Talaydras so far with that commodity, and he's *just* now developing it in SB. >The death of Ulrich (or whatever Karal's mentor was called) >was formulaic ML - lots of grown up tough people unashamedly crying, raw >throats, toal abandoment to grief an' all that. I'll go with this as far as the REACTION to Ulrich's death. As for Ulrich himself, I personally think he's one of Misty's all time best characters (and she tends to kill those off with alarming regularity!:). I ask your patience while I work through a theory: Ulrich, Karal, and Natoli are two of the best *recent* Misty characters partly because she had never written about a Karsite before (I know Natoli's not Karsite: stick with me). Misty may have fallen into a rut when depicting Heralds, fitting them into predesigned molds. Does this sound plausible to anyone else? >In fact, maybe someone can tell me, did anything happy/gladdening/uplifting/ >funny happen in the first 2 Storm books? Does anything is the 3rd? My memory >is of two gloomy books peopled by generally gloomy people. There were happy/funny scenes when Karal first meets and has his first lessons with Kero and Alberich in Storm Warning. And in Storm Rising, you had, uhh, hmmm, well, OK, you got me on that one. And I've already mentioned one scene in SB, and there are several others. >Deary me, I think I've just joined the "ML ain't what she used to be" >brigade. Well, to be honest, I have the feeling -- again -- that Misty was in a rut *and she knows it.* I think that's part of the reason the Storm books are written primarily from the viewpoint of a Karsite. I know Storm Warning was (and is) one of my favorite Misty books because it's quite refreshing to get a totally new and fresh "take" on Valdemar. Whew! I think that's about all you'll hear from me for a week! Zhai'helleva! -Icewolf ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 841 *********************************