MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 846 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: lots of little stuff & SB by "E. Angell" 2) Re: MageWar/bardic voices/fluff by jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) 3) Re: ESCAPISM Reality/Fantasy///Jinks High by mrtmh-+AT+-primenet.com (Lady 'Reesa) 4) kilts/uplifting & happy/hug/I remember what I'm God of! by davidt-+AT+-cet.com (D H Tiffany/Shawn Marie Walker) 5) Sex and rpgs (wow, what a subject line! :) by "Seanna" 6) S/S III by 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> 7) Alberichs' Choosing by 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> 8) A welcome from Kalen by 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> 9) gods/Tam Lin/escapism by Catherine Osborne 10) Humor: The Top 17 Signs You're at a Bad Renaissance Festival by Joan Ferguson 11) re: Rawn, insanity, no spoilers! by Rozanna McNeer 12) re Cover art by Rozanna McNeer 13) Twice this week! Miscellaneous stuff by "AMY E. BAUER" 14) Getting Started/Other Books/Other Stuff by Lynne Markova 15) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 845 by ShadowJaz-+AT+-aol.com 16) SB - no spoilers by Jaguar 17) RPGing/Tam Lin/Skif's Choosing/SB Spoilers!!!!! by Mat the Cat in Green ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 22:22:20 -0700 (PDT) From: "E. Angell" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: lots of little stuff & SB Message-ID: On Wed, 25 Sep 1996, Rozanna McNeer wrote: > > 3 favorite cover artists - jody lee (I like her people) > Micheal whelan (holy wow, I wish I could do that!!!) > and the guy that does the cover art for Gael Baudino's Maze of Moonlight, etc. > (can't find his name on the inside cover, although I think it's Gould?? Gold??) His name is Tom Canty, I think, and he does the art on a lot of good stuff...PK's Keltia books, and Thomas the Rhymer, by Ellen Kushner (don't know about her other books 'cause I can't find them. :-( BTW, does anyone else hate the covers of the later Bardic Voices books, like R&K, E&N, and the Corbies one? Zhai'helleva, 'S e do bheatha, & other nice things, Raindancer eangell-+AT+-u.washinton.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 01:19:55 -0400 From: jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net (gar&julie mclaughlin) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MageWar/bardic voices/fluff Message-ID: Kalen wrote: >As one time leader of the Ones In Black I once again put out the call >for all those interested in joining us . >I have been absent for the summer but Stormcloud took over the >leadership. It is time to swell the ranks once more. >COME THOSE IN BLACK LET US BE ONE AGAIN. >[Sorry high drama I know but I couldn't help it] > Do the ones in Black accept Ladies? I wouldnt mind joining if you do. --------------------------- Wintershard wrote: Let's see...Um...mmm...How about if I be Named God of Discreetness, >Subtlety, and Crappy Weather (I'm in Rochester, NY =()? That's about all >that I can think up (with other titles to follow, of course ;) > Wintershard, I'll give you discreetness and Subtlety, but crappy weather? I'm just north of Syracuse in the lake effect zone. I'll give you crappy weather if you give me "Lady who cant find her house in winter because its somewhere under the snowdrift". When they start to show the snowfall totals on the news, look for Palermo. When everyone else has 30 inches, we have 60. No wonder I hate snow! But, I could send you some of my snow if you want..... ------------------------------ Wintershard also wrote: Here's an ObMisty for any and all. How was the Bardic Voices series? I >only read the Lark and the Wren and thought it was pretty good. > I liked them. I didnt like the Robin and Kestral so much, but I really enjoyed Eagles and Nightingales. The was some really good vintage Misty in it. I also liked Cast of Corbies, about Raven. It was very entertaining and you finally get to learn what happend to Ravens eye! ------------------------------ Firemist wrote: >Hey, don't look at me, I liked it too. Of course, given that I grew up in >Bartlesville OK which is an hour from Tulsa on the Jenks side, I thought >it was neato-frito just because I knew all the places in it > I felt the same way about KofGaS. I grew up in LA, and I was sitting there saying "I know that place!" or "I've been there!". What was even wierder is that my uncle worked for Disney, just like Beths "uncle". And he was an animator too. And he lives in Burbank. Next time I talk to him, I think I'll ask him if he knows Misty. I'm sure its just a coincedence. The reality spin on the whole thing has me wondering "ARE there really elves in LA?". I hate to say this, but sometimes I think there just might be! Ya never know! (think I'm starting to lose my grip on reality here....) ---------------------------------- Jake wrote: Judy Louvis of Queen's Own was telling Arielle and I about things like that. >About how people *believe* that there's a Valdemar, somewhere, with >Companions, and Heralds, and Bards. And they ask Misty how to get there. >(Misty calls them "cosmic muffins.") > Gee Jake, I was just telling some "religious solicitors" the other day that I thought Valdemar really existed and that it was "somewhere in heaven". I told them "of course thats what heaven is like! God welcomes all folks and is such a tolerant person! and he certainly wouldnt want us to get bored!" Then went on to say " we can reach heaven! Really! You just need a spaceship that goes that far!" Does that mean I qualify as a cosmic muffin? (yes, I was tired, and yes, I really did do that. No, I do not have anything against religion, just people who wake me up and expect me to be civil. Hope I didnt offend anyone.) OK, its obviously time for me to go to bed, I'm starting to lose it. Sweet dreams everyone! Julie ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 22:29:10 -0700 (MST) From: mrtmh-+AT+-primenet.com (Lady 'Reesa) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: ESCAPISM Reality/Fantasy///Jinks High Message-ID: <199609260529.WAA24489-+AT+-primenet.com> At 03:39 AM 9/26/96 +0100, Jake wrote: >Kaatje wrote (quite well..): >>Case in point: My sister read AotQ last year, and she wanted to be >>Herald so passionately that she lost all interest in her day to day >>life. She spent all her time daydreaming about being Chosen, and she >>gave up on working out all of her real-life difficulties. This was not a >>good situation at all, especially since she was severely depressed, and >>this fantasy world made an all-too-convenient escape for her. Even at my most depressed, I always knew that I would never be Chosen... I'm not making light of the situation. Take it from me, retreating into fantasy is a very attractive option when you've got nowhere left to go in the real world. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work. What it does is make your problems worse, because you aren't out there, actively trying to do something about them. On the other hand, when your world has come crashing down around you ears, seeking comfort from a book is a hell of a lot better than seeking comfort from a bottle/syringe/pill. When someone I know was at the end of her rope (Yes, I *am* refering to myself in the third person. I need the distance sometimes! *grin*) she could go read a book about this poor guy who lost his everything and turned out pretty damn okay in the end. And maybe it gave her a little hope for herself. Thing is, she took what she'd learned from that book, got up, and said "You know, I'm going to live through this. Look at everything he went through! I'm not half as bad off as him." Ahem...that was a little more detail than I wanted to go into...Moving on... >Well, grounded in fantasy with a neccessary grip on reality in some cases.. ;) Reality? What's that? *grin* My reality just happens to include a few things that some people consider fantasy. And when you think about it, who asked em anyway? *grin* >I am heavily into fantasy, and, if you gave me the television or a new >Forgotten Realms book, I'll take the book any day. Roleplaying is an >important part of what I do. And if you've ever met Rynath (my Bard >character) in online roleplaying (in Glenshadow's Tavern on WBS) you'll see >he's a lot like me. I do use fantasy to escape (not Kate's definition of >escape, though). Speaking of RP. When I have had the pissiest day in existence, I can go into the tavern and play 'Reesa as happy and bouncy. And generally, by the time I'm done, I'm feeling a lot better than I was. It's a great way to get rid of stress...(*Big Grin* You should see some of my fight scenes! OUCH! My advice...if you ever meet 'Reesa, and she looks angry...DUCK!)...but IT'S NOT REAL LIFE! I admit that she is a reflection of me at my best and worst, with all of my problems, and more strength than I could ever hope for, but she's not ME. Playing out her life, sitting there and trying to figure out how a person who has gone through her experiences, and is trying to deal with a specific situation, will react and think, helps me a lot. Perhaps that's dangerously close to that little white line in the sand...but I've never crossed it. Sometimes, a person just needs to be more than they think they are. And wishing every once in awhile that you could be Chosen, or pretending you're a psychotic greenwitch with a past from the nasty afterlife vaction spot of your choice, can be fun. You just can't let it overrun your real life. (I had a point there. And I lost it along the way. Maybe someone with a clue and a brain will pick it out of the bad grammar and terrible spelling.) >And folks, *grin* I've calmed down from my last post. No more hissy fits >until the first quarter in January. Sure, sure... Promises...*grin* //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// JINKS HIGH Heather, I gotta agree with you. I liked the book. We got a Tannim apearance *drool and grin*, we got Diana, and we got a pretty coll plot to boot. Sure, it's not her greatest work, or even the best Di book, but it isn't BAD! Sometimes, I think we need to lighten up a bit and enjoy Misty's books for what they are occasionally meant to be. Not world-shattering, ground-breaking, amazingly profound writing, but a fun read. At the same time, I don't happen to think that the Serrated Edge books are all that hot. Sure, I read them, and I liked some of the characters (did I really drool up there? *sheepish grin*) but then...they weren't meant to be all that serious, except for the child abuse theme running through them. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Well, I guess that's it from me. It's marginally on-topic, sure to insight some sort of flame, and my first long post in just AGES. yes...*cracking knuckles*...I'M BAAAA-AAAACK!!!! *weg* Run now. Well, not really, but I'm feeling a bit more grounded lately. Don't worry. I won't get all perky on you. I shall remain, quiet, dignified, and lovingly...er...what's it called when you're nutz but people are tryin to be polite? E...I can't remember how to spell it. You know what I'm talking about anyway. 'Reesa (Enjoy my new .sig. Sure to offend, more than likely to shed light on my family life, and GUARANTEED to get at least one person interested in _The Fire's Stone_...*grin* My work here is done...) _____Lady 'Reesa_____mrtmh-+AT+-primenet.com______ Her personal theory was that one father could do more to ruin a child's life than every mother in existence. She realized she was not entirely without bias on this matter, but that was alright; she blamed her father. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ http://members.tripod.com/~LadyReesa.index.html ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 22:50:31 -0700 From: davidt-+AT+-cet.com (D H Tiffany/Shawn Marie Walker) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: kilts/uplifting & happy/hug/I remember what I'm God of! Message-ID: >At some date lost in the mists of time Ian wrote: > >>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 Nothing worn, all in perfect working order. ********************************************************************** Welcome back, Kimberdoodleedoo! )(*)*(*&^&*%^$%-+AT+-#$#!#$#%^^&&*((*()*(^&#%$&%^&*&*(*()_*()_*^&%^&%$#&$^^*& On Tue, 24 Sep 96 Esmeralda Evensbane(welcome back!) said; >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. Well, I found it uplifting when Tremane and his men went out looking for the herd kids in the blizzard because it was the right thing to do. It wasn't until afterwards that he realized it had been a smart political move also. And how about Karal realising that he had to rise above his own desire for revenge and admit that a)Tremane had changed and b) they needed his help. Not to mention the bit where he faced Solaris and made her see the same truths. I found all those moments to be uplifting. Happy? How about when Karal survives the channeling at the end of SR? I was happy anyway! ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((jake))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) [just on general principles] David Tiffany, God of Typos (hey!!!!!<-(guess) that's it! Hey Thess! I finally remembered what I'm god of!) Misericorde, n. A dagger which in mediaeval warfare was used by the foot soldier to remind an unhorsed knight that he was mortal. -Ambrose Bierce ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 11:51:22 EET DST From: "Seanna" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Sex and rpgs (wow, what a subject line! :) Message-ID: <3931097466F-+AT+-otdk.helsinki.fi> Firemist wrote: > She's also not much on the sex thing (hawks spiralling into the sun?!?! can't > she just say they both climaxed at the same time?) Of course, for erotica > most people I know re-read Valley of Horses and Mammoth Hunters. > I still think if you took out the flint-knapping and the sex the whole series > would be 600 pages long. . . And it might even improve it. I say "might" because I like the flint-knapping. More on topic, I consider myself liberal, but I don't think explicit sexuality would fit into Misty's books. John Varley handles sexuality very well, as does Ellen Kushner (Swordspoint!), but the again, those are more serious and grimmer books. "Adult", even. Je crois que Misty is too fluffy for sexual scenes to fit into the books. For erotica, I'd recommend Nancy Friday. :) Jake wrote: > Kaatje wrote (quite well..): > > >Everybody needs to escape from reality. That's what books and fantasy > >worlds are all about--that needed and necessary break from everyday > >life. When I talk about "escaping" I'm talking about people who have > >focused so entirely on their fantasy worlds that they've given up on > >workig on their own lives. (And I've me a few people like that, so I > >know what I'm talking about.) > > *shudder* Have you ever done Live Action Role Playing? *grin* I've met MANY > people who sadly think they ARE their characters. To the extent of nothing > else. And sadly, from my experience, it's from those DWWG's (Damned White > Wolf Games). Hmm, Jake, not everyone knows what you are talking of. As a member of Alter Ego, Helsinki University RPG association, I've had to answer too many queries about "are those games really dangerous" and "do people get involved in satanism or get mixed up in their characters like in that _Mazes & Monsters_" to be comfortable with this. (And this in Finland, where some high schools have rpg courses on the curriculum!) My point is that most of the larpers (LARP=live action rpg) I know are perfectly healthy, sane and interesting people. While larp is not for me (as I'm into traditional rpgs, and don't have the time for a new hobby). Thus I've gotten extra careful about saying anything normal people might interpret as supporting those theories. Just for safety's sake. Who me paranoid? :) -Seanna aka Sanna koulu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:39:59 +0100 From: 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: S/S III Message-ID: <43EF427798-+AT+-ghondr.mmu.ac.uk> >Firemist asked who else bought S&SIII when it came out: >Me! I'd been a longtime fan of MZB when she started editing the S&S >volumes. I now proudly own (and flaunt ) a complete set including the >highly coveted III. And they're mine...All mine...insane laughter!!!!! STOP THAT! It's not nice to be saying things like that when there are people who would, if not kill then, severly hurt someone to get their hands on that book. I know I'm one of them. ************************************************ Kalen Shena Vuysher'edras Kal'enedral [OIB](AKA Jason Stokes) 95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk "If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended. That you have but slumbered here While these visions did appear". *Puck, Midsummer Nights Dream* ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:43:19 +0100 From: 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Alberichs' Choosing Message-ID: <43FD6D4572-+AT+-ghondr.mmu.ac.uk> > I think so, but there have been exceptions...ALBERICH! He was Chosen >I think somewhere either after his people (Karsite army) tried to burn >him alive for witchcraft, or between there and when he arrived >semi-conscious in Valdemar. >*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*JAGUAR^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* It was while they were trying to burn him, his Companion broke in to the shed and rescued him and took him to Valdemar. [ I bought Horse Fantastic while in the States this summer. Oh I do love second hand book stores] ************************************************ Kalen Shena Vuysher'edras Kal'enedral [OIB](AKA Jason Stokes) 95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk "If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended. That you have but slumbered here While these visions did appear". *Puck, Midsummer Nights Dream* ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 11:07:30 +0100 From: 95662014 <95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk> To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: A welcome from Kalen Message-ID: <4464510B8E-+AT+-ghondr.mmu.ac.uk> >From: Claris Smith >Alrighty! I'd better make it official! >YES, I want to be One in Black! Sure, I don't wear all black every day any >more, but I'm still rarely without some black somewhere (and keep your >cliched-artist and cliched-Gen-X remarks to yourself!). Recruit me! >Recruit me! Be welcome Claris, The Ones In Black are glad to have you amongst us. At the moment Stormcloud can give you any updates as I have been away on a personal mission for the last 3 1/2 months. When I am back on track whether I take over the group again will be a matter for the group to decide. Zha'hai'elle'va ************************************************ Kalen Shena Vuysher'edras Kal'enedral [OIB](AKA Jason Stokes) 95662014-+AT+-mmu.ac.uk "If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended. That you have but slumbered here While these visions did appear". *Puck, Midsummer Nights Dream* ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 08:02:01 -0400 (EDT) From: Catherine Osborne To: mercedes lackey list Subject: gods/Tam Lin/escapism Message-ID: OK, I want to be the Goddess of Sharp Pointy Things and Spiral Notebooks. And the Avatar of Alliteration, just for fun. :) Thess? Make it official, will you? :) ******************* The main body of this post will, I expect, be on Pamela Dean's *Tam Lin* which just happens to be one of my favorite books in the whole wide world. (As a side note, it just so happens I agree with Heather about 90% of the things she posts. It seems, however, that I have this need to *only* post about stuff I disagree with her about :) Anyway. Back to Tam Lin. My friends and I call it the Evil Wicked Book because it has been known (frequently) to make anyone who picks it up drop everything, including exams, essays, and the like, in order to read parts or all of it. No, it doesn't really get into what you might call the true "plot" (the whole Janet-Tam Lin-hell thing) until relatively close to the end, but there is a definite aura of magic and no little danger hanging over the whole thing (IMHO). See the ghost, Thomas in Romantic Poetry with Robin, the production of *The Revenger's Tragedy* for instance. (I have reread this book so many times...it sits on the most accessible shelf to the bed in my room, along with Swordspoint and a couple of other gems -- I have it close to memorized.) The other quarrel people have with it, in general, is that the characters are pretentious. Why? Because they quote poetry right and left and spend a lot of their time doing academic things and actually read "classic" books for *fun*? I don't have a problem with that, because I am that way myself. I have a very allusory style of talking; when Jag and I are together, for instance, anyone who hasn't read Mercedes Lackey, Tam Lin, etc etc had better watch out. But, perhaps because of my untidy actor's brain, I also have hundreds if not thousands of quotes and obscure literary references that are not from modern popular books. I don't often use them around Sidwell, because nobody here has them but me, and I *would* simply come off as snobbish, which I hope I'm not. But this summer, at Telluride, I suddenly met seventeen other people who had read all the same stuff as me. When, within three hours of us getting there, someone had alluded to Lewis Carroll, someone had told an Oscar Wilde story, and I had quoted Shakespeare and had it recognized, and most people there understood all three(!), I knew I'd come home, in a way. I had the most wonderful summer.... It was so nice to finally meet people who understood the way I thought in this particular way. Yes, 95% of our conversations eventually refered to some famous person of old. If that makes us pretentious, so be it. I had a damn lot of fun anyway. So that's what I think is going on with Janet. All through high school, she's had *one* friend get her references, and otherwise been stuck with her parents. She enjoys literature, why shouldn't she? And now, for the first time in her life, there's a group of people around who she fits with. OK, I have to go pass a physics test (I hope, I really do) so I'll stop ranting. But try to consider that perhaps the characters aren't pretentious snobs but simply people who enjoy references. Maybe they feel the people they're quoting say it better than they could.... ********* Re: escapism. I don't feel that I have to escape from my life; I just enjoy the hell out of a good fantasy book. Wow, was Swordspoint incredible. It also, BTW, had the best sex scene I've ever scene. It wasn't precisely explicit; it suggested, and it also suggested just how much the two people loved each other. OK, this has been *way* too long a post, and probably managed to forever label me pretentious. Oh well. Signing off -- Catherine Osborne (Sundancer) I cosborne-+AT+-sidwell.edu -------------------------------------------------------------- Why would a fellow want a girl like her,I A girl who's merely love-ly? I Rodgers and Why can't a fellow ever once prefer, I Hammerstein, A girl who's merely *me*? I *Cinderella* ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 08:47:24 -0400 From: Joan Ferguson To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Humor: The Top 17 Signs You're at a Bad Renaissance Festival Message-ID: <199609261247.IAA11870-+AT+-elmer.Harvard.EDU> In the spirit of all the Ren Faires we've attended... looking forward to attending King Richard's Faire in southern Mass.! -Joan (Lady Kessira, Goddess of Lurking :-) The Top 17 Signs You're at a Bad Renaissance Festival 17> The castle and village are made entirely of Legos. 16> Turkey leg bears striking resemblance to Cocker Spaniel leg. 15> Festival activities include "Ye Olde Wet T-Shirt Contest." 14> Eight minute drum solo in the middle of "Greensleeves." 13> "Belly up to the bar, me lad, for some grilled mahi-mahi and fresh California Roll!" 12> Ye Old Glassblower makes nothing but crack pipes. 11> The meade is served in a coconut shell with a Fizzy straw. 10> Everyone seems to have attended the Kevin Costner School of British Accents. 9> Mosh pit follows the wandering minstrels. 8> You get charged 5 bucks to take a leak behind Ye Olde Hedge. 7> Guillotine exhibit closed due to pending litigation. 6> Friar Tuck's pager keeps going off. 5> Featured event: "Johnson-Jousting!" 4> Disgusting Ogre is merely an unshaved Marlon Brando. 3> "Tarry, wench, I prithee! Wouldst thou Macarena?" 2> Merlin the Magician's only trick is "Got your nose!" and the Number 1 Sign You're at a Bad Renaissance Festival... 1> Jousting Crips & Bloods. [ This list copyright 1996 by Chris White and Ziff-Davis ] [ *To forward or repost, you must include this section.* ] [ The Top Five List top5-+AT+-walrus.com www.topfive.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 11:15:57 -0400 From: Rozanna McNeer To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk" Subject: re: Rawn, insanity, no spoilers! Message-ID: <199609261116_MC1-9D7-42FE-+AT+-compuserve.com> re insanity NO, I'm not going to seek help for that little bit of insanity brought on by the Fat Alberich thing - anyone who can conceive of a Fat Alberich w/o reacting insanely is the one that needs help, not li'l ol' me (bat, bat) re Rawn Has anybody read her new book The Golden Key (co-authored by Jennifer Roberson and Kate Elliot?) HOLY WOW! Great book!!!!! (5! and a partridge in a pear tree) Mat, could you e-mail me the info about that group, pretty please? re escapism Look, books are my life! I read at least one novel, usually one and half a day. I can't imagine life without books. I don't escape in them; they are my breaks and my friends, there when I need them but not a crutch. Some people watch a lot of tv, I read (shrug) - what's the difference? Firemist ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 11:25:09 -0400 From: Rozanna McNeer To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk" Subject: re Cover art Message-ID: <199609261125_MC1-9C0-823B-+AT+-compuserve.com> Someone asked >Does anyone else not like the cover art for the Bard series?< ME, ME, ME!!!!!! I hate it. DKS did such a good job with the Change-winds Series by Jack L. Chalker, but then did *that* to poor misty's books! I esp. hate the cover for Robin and Kestrel. I mean, look at the cover. Robin's face looks like she's 12, she's got a pamela anderson chest, and her hands look like a 90 year olds with all those tendons and stuff. And who dresses like that?!?! That jacket would never stay shut when she moves and her chest would flop out for the world to see, and it must be ghastly uncomfortable to have no support with such a large chest. I thought the cover for the Lark and the Wren was **MUCH** better, but not Jodie Lee. Firemist ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 13:00:13 EST From: "AMY E. BAUER" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Twice this week! Miscellaneous stuff Message-ID: <192F71656A1-+AT+-zebu.cvm.msu.edu> Hello Everyone, I had a few extra minutes so I thought that I'd attempt to contribute some more this week. Sundancer, I lover Tam Lin, too. I think part of it may be that when I read it Iwas just getting ready to come to college. The lives of the characters fitted several of my romantic images of what college life would be like, and kind of whetted my enthusiasm even more. The magic was a plus (and of course Tam Lin is one of my favorite faerie tales). X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X I LOVED The Fionavar Tapestry. I don't think that I can possibly say that with more emphasis . Actually, I think that I have two copies of The Summer Tree floating around in Illinois and my copies of the other two are very sadly dog-eared :( X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X IMHO, Valdemar needs more views of the common people. Except in SR at The Compass Rose, we don't really get to see the life of Haven. On a similar, but slightly varied line, I would actually like to hear the story of Skif's choosing. Of course, if you're adding grand pianos, don't forget oboes (I'm not biased here ;) ) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X I think that when I was younger (and much shyer) I did use reading as an escape. However, I tended to use my own imagination far more (lots of notebooks full of character and plot sketches resulted, as wellas some poems I rather like). I also had a very active life outside of my daydreams, though. Now, although I still have some "comfort books", I read because it's a luxury which I enjoy (21 credits eats free time) and it gives me a different perspective on the life that I live. Out of curiosity, what are people's favorite non-fantasy authors? I like E.M. Forster quite a bit. OK, this has been longer than I think I've ever written. Um Thess, can I be the goddess of Sycamore trees and subtle escapes (I sneak out of the vet school whenever possible, gryn). amy Amy E. Bauer baueramy-+AT+-zebu.cvm.msu.edu "Phlebitis, that's inflammation of the phleb." Dr. Reinke ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 21:57:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Lynne Markova To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Getting Started/Other Books/Other Stuff Message-ID: I didn't start on the Last-Herald Mage series either - I was one of the few people who actually started reading Misty when AotQ came out. I was in the airport bookstore, looking for something to read, and there it was. The rest, as they say, is history. I do think Misty's depictions of Valdemar and character development improved a great deal during the LHM, and the Winds trilogy. In the Winds trilogy, we have much more a sense of Haven and the Court as a capitol city, a large place, as opposed to the Arrows trilogy, in which she saw all of those people when she rode in, but then most of them vanished! (This is just my own opinion, of course). Other Misty Books I have enjoyed include: Sacred Ground, The Fire Rose, the Lark and the Wren, Elvenblood (blush - I admit it!), and (to a lesser extent) the Serrated Edge books with Tannim in them. As far as grimly realistic goes, I too would place Misty in the middle. Not everyone dies, the mood isn't terribly grim, but isn't terribly cheerful, either. People don't seem to pop popcorn and tell stories all of that often - and little is said about the general mood of the people. They still seem to trust the Queen and the Heralds, despite about twelve years of war, destruction, storms, et al. Charles de Lint is one writer I think who deals with incredibly realistic and painful issues, in such a poignant and beautiful way, very often, his books find me sobbing in a heap on the sofa. I only dislike one of his books intensely, because I strongly identified with one character, and then he effectively shelved her. ( I didn't want her to do THAT!!). I also enjoy O.R. Melling. Has anyone else read her? Also, did Dan Parkinson write anything other than Starsong? What a cool book! SB Spoilers Space More space Still More Space That should do it. I was pleasantly interested to see Darkwind and Elspeth re-emerge from nowhere, adn get so much action. The Tremane/Earthmagic section interested me a great deal. I skipped most of the Empire sections, because I was reading this on the floor of a bookstore, and didn't want to get kicked out! (I did notice that Darkwind and Elspeth didn't have sex/make love/whatever the *entire time* they were in Hardorn - or, if they did, we didn't hear about it. Sheesh). I would have liked to see things heat up a little more between Natoli and Karal, too - and more be made of the cultural differences between them. Karse strikes me as a very Middle Eastern/Arabic/type culture (I *certainly could* be wrong about this - but the role women seem to play, pre-Solaris, is very "traditional"). Karal has a little bit of difficulty with this at the beginning, but then it just vanishes? Huhn-uh, I don't think so. Also - the ending. Same trilogy, same ending? Karal channels, gets worn out. Karal channels, almost dies. Karal channels, gets blinded. What in the WORLD would they do if he got the flu, or something? Actually, this reminds me of Star Trek, TNG - "Oh, God, Wesley is going to save the ship again." And what happened to Firesong - another copout. Couldn't they have him turn into a human being without being disfigured *and* losing the magic? I'm also sad that magic is going to be diminished. Boring! And Vanyel, et al - just GONE? Will we ever find out who Florian really is? RE: Iftel. Did Misty just run out of ideas? Why on earth would she put Vkandis and gryphons in Iftel? I was hoping it would be something new and different! Don't mistake me - I'll go back and re-read it, the way I did with Storm Rising, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it, after I get rid of my preconceived notions. I did enjoy reading it a lot - but I just had some expectations, and those weren't they - if you get my meaning. Wow, what a long post. I guess I'll be quiet now, but I'll just add - I didn't like Tam Lin either when I first read it. I dig it out to read it every now and then - but just to enjoy the interplay between the characters, and the subtle unspoken tensions in the work. The fantasy thread is there - but very, very fine, and hard to pin down. (No one I knew in college talked like that either - or entered college *already reading Greek*. Or all of Keats). Lady Sophia, trilling away Goddess of Song and Music ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 14:04:39 -0400 From: ShadowJaz-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 845 Message-ID: <960926140439_530393998-+AT+-emout06.mail.aol.com> Merry Meet, milord or milady Wintershard!, The Bardic Voices books are very good, IMO. I loved them! The Lark and The Wren was first, then The Robin and The Kestrel, and the latest was The Eagle and The Nightingale. Also, I'm not sure, but I think she's working on another one. Thank you for the info. on MageWars, it's much appreciated, though I think I'll be a lurker for awhile too. Blessed Be, NightShade ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 14:41:20 -0400 (EDT) From: Jaguar To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: SB - no spoilers Message-ID: Since I don't have the book yet, I can't really provide any spoilers, now can I? I just had a suggestion to make on the squid-like thing at the back of the book: might it not be a kraken or some such creature, if there is any mention of such a thing in the book? I was racking my brains to come up with a squid like monster, and couldn't think of any other one. Also, since Mat brought up the fact that no one seems to be able to remember the URL ending for the magewar Archives, I'm going to include it in my .sig. The next post I send should have it on. :) *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*JAGUAR^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Leader of the Cat People *^|^* "... intimidating. Ex-marine, I understand." Goddess of Large Hunter Cats*^|^* "I'm an ex-mercenary, I never intimidated Chronicler of the Mage Wars *^|^* anyone. I killed them." Lady in Green *^|^* -- Kermit, KF:tLC *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 14:39:53 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat the Cat in Green To: Mercedes Lackey mailing list Subject: RPGing/Tam Lin/Skif's Choosing/SB Spoilers!!!!! Message-ID: > From: Seanna > Hmm, Jake, not everyone knows what you are talking of. As a member of > Alter Ego, Helsinki University RPG association, I've had to answer > too many queries about "are those games really dangerous" and "do > people get involved in satanism or get mixed up in their characters > like in that _Mazes & Monsters_" to be comfortable with this. (And The guy I used to roleplay with (gods, it's been years) with had problems like that. I think that they saw that movie (my parents did too), and when, once or twice, he used an elizabethan word or two (thee or something), they freaked. Took away all his D&D stuff for a couple of months. Paraniod. Sheesh. > this in Finland, where some high schools have rpg courses on the > curriculum!) *Boggle!* Really? That sounds pretty good. ======================================================================= Catherine's Tam Lin rant snipped It wasn't the fact that they liked and quoted the classics that annoyed me. It was that that's _all_ they did. And you can't say that it was because Janet was finally with people who got her references. The book spans 3-4 years! Although I can understand the guys constantly quoting, considering who they were. And the way that they looked down on Tina for not being able to do the same wasn't too nice. ===================================================================== ========================================================================= > From: "AMY E. BAUER" > IMHO, Valdemar needs more views of the common people. Except in SR > at The Compass Rose, we don't really get to see the life of Haven. > On a similar, but slightly varied line, I would actually like to hear > the story of Skif's choosing. Well, it's not in a book, but we do know how he got Chosen. exerpt from "Philosophy" (from HH&H) "And my Companion, did you know, I thought to steal her too. That pretty horse, out in the street, no owner in my view. I grabbed the reins, and hopped aboard, I thought I was home free. Until I looked into her eyes. And now the joke's on me." =========================================================================== > From: "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" > Subject: SB Spoilers!!!!! > > At 04:37 AM 9/26/96 +0100, Mat the Cat in Green wrote: > >> > > >> >***********************Storm Breaking Spoilers Below********************** > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> >============================================================================ > >> >Danya? Two things. What made you think of Florian as an Avatar-type, and > >> >where did Van recognize him? > > > >Danya's explanation snipped. > > > >I just don't see Avatar-hood or familiarity from Van on Florian's part. > >He seems to be an ordinary Companion, who's maybe just been around lots of > >times. As for his nervousness Re:Yfandes, she may just be like a > >Companion hero. Like a Herald might react to seeing Van. big explanation of Danya's theory of Florian Avatar-hood snipped. I guess that you could be right. He does give Karal more info than the Heralds get. But that could be because he's *not* a Herald. As long as he keeps his mouth shut, it doesn't matter that he knows. > You might be right about the stuff with Van and Florian. The details (what > we have of them) are certainly neither here nor there. There's just > something about the scenes though, when I recall them, that is nagging at > me, reminding me of something from LHM, but I can't put my finger on it. I > think whatever it is has been coloring my interpretation of SB. It just didn't strike me that way. ============================================================================ > From: Lynne Markova STILL SPOILERS!!!!!!!!! > > That should do it. I was pleasantly interested to see Darkwind and > Elspeth re-emerge from nowhere, adn get so much action. The > Tremane/Earthmagic section interested me a great deal. I skipped most of > the Empire sections, because I was reading this on the floor of a > bookstore, and didn't want to get kicked out! (I did notice that Darkwind > and Elspeth didn't have sex/make love/whatever the *entire time* they were > in Hardorn - or, if they did, we didn't hear about it. Sheesh). I seem to remember a scene where they get to the bedroom, kiss, and we get the curtain. Implied sex to me. That reminds me about something else I was thinking of. Now we know what makes a Healing Adept different from a normal, powerful Adept. It's the earth-sense. A mage specializing in fixing "wrong" magic, and who can sense the earth. That makes sense. Mat Cat Person, Champion in Green, |"I looked across the battlefield, blood Adept, and God of Procrastination| seeping from my wounds. My comrades, mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu | they did never yield. For courage http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/| knows no bounds." - Heather Alexander ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 846 *********************************