MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 872

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Woo-hoo!
	by Jaguar <rholsen-+AT+-gateway.us.sidwell.edu>
  2) Re: Heyla/Yfandes/cats
	by Ken Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
  3) Florian/Swordspoint/Godmother/PK-M/Tepper/FoV/SR
	by Mat the Cat in Green <mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu>
  4) cat/Yfandes
	by "JAIME HATHAWAY" <jsjahath-+AT+-future.judson.edu>
  5) Multiple bondings/ books
	by aw2-+AT+-mail.idt.net (Kimberly)
  6) Mostly Contentless: Godmother/Good Omens/Cat/Samhain
	by Claris Smith <ccsmith-+AT+-comp.uark.edu>
  7) RE: Darkover books/Owlflight
	by Debra Cebulski <kerowyn-+AT+-waltham.harvard.net>
  8) Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)
	by "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" <legend-+AT+-oxy.edu>
  9) Yfandes/GGK/rec.music.filk
	by Mat the Cat in Green <mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu>
 10) Re: Cast of characters
	by Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
 11) Re: Cast of characters
	by Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
 12) Re: Cast of characters
	by Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
 13) Re: cats
	by Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
 14) Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)
	by "JAIME HATHAWAY" <jsjahath-+AT+-future.judson.edu>
 15) I be a newbie
	by Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
 16) Dragons Series
	by Rozanna McNeer <rozanm-+AT+-wow.com>
 17) Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)
	by "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" <legend-+AT+-oxy.edu>
 18) Re: Heyla/Yfandes/cats
	by Elizabeth Angell <eangell-+AT+-u.washington.edu>
 19) Braid: Book reports/MOC/Good books/TBB/quote/Di/Mists of Avalon
	by myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net (miyako hirao)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 19:25:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jaguar <rholsen-+AT+-gateway.us.sidwell.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk
Subject: Woo-hoo!
Message-ID: <Pine.BSI.3.95.961012192104.22287B-100000-+AT+-gateway.us.sidwell.edu>

	I got it! I got it! I got it! I am now added to the ranks of those
with Storm Breaking!!! WOO-HOO! <Jaguar does the Pleased Predator Pounce
around the room*> Now I just have to read it by 10:30 tomorrow so I can
pass it on to Sundancer...
	And that thing on the back looks nothing like a mutated squid! And
Cath says she thinks so too.


--------------------------------- 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." <grin>
Lady in Green 		       		-- Kermit, KF:tLC
-----MageWar Archives: http://www.sidwell.edu/~rholsen/magewar/archives.html---


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 19:54:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ken Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Heyla/Yfandes/cats
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.95.961012194625.7389A-100000-+AT+-copland.udel.edu>

On Sat, 12 Oct 1996, gar&julie mclaughlin wrote:

> I think I would be rather hard for Misty to be a cat person at the moment.
> Just think of all those birds in her house! And I hear she now has a german
> shepard. Can you imagine having a cat in that mess??!!

Ummmm.   Well, when I was a kid, my family lived in a tiny 20ft trailer
with a cat, a canary, a full-grown Irish Setter, and 14 Irish Setter
puppies.  It was a little crowded sometimes, but fun and full of love. =)

> On the subject of cats, Cat People, I need your help. Someone abandonded a
> pure black kitten on my door step. Now, I dont mind keeping it (though I
> really dont need another cat!) but my husband wants to name it Alister. I
> dont suppose you can give some other name suggestions? (Before the cross
> burners get here?)

How about Chaos?  Or San Francisco Mabel Joy (destitutions child, born on
an LA street called "shame")?  (I am sorry, I have been listening to old
Joan Baez albums and reading Patricia Wrede).

Speaking of which, everyone should go out and get the entire Dragons
series by Ms. Wrede.  They are fabu.  Intended for kids, but with the same
wonderful sense of humor, style, and narrative that makes all of Patricia
Wrede's books a joy to read.  BTW, if you haven't started reading her, do
so.  Her Lyra books are some of the best in the business.  She is one of
the few writers that I would hold up to compare to Misty at her best.

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: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 20:15:23 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mat the Cat in Green <mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu>
To: Mercedes Lackey mailing list <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: Florian/Swordspoint/Godmother/PK-M/Tepper/FoV/SR
Message-ID: <Pine.SGI.3.93.961012200224.10165L-100000-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu>

> From: ironhart-+AT+-nbn.com (Dawnstar)

> I am a big fan of Florian, and I hope Misty writes a book that deals with 
> him Choosing someone and their adventures!

Well, I won't say why, but events in SB lead me to believe that
she won't write a book about him Choosing someone.

========================================================================
> From: Soljan-+AT+-aol.com
> Mat says:
> >>Umm, Swordspoint? <g>  It's not to fantasy-ish really.   Though, depending
> on you class, it may be hard to explain Alec and Richard as a couple. :)<<
>   That could work.  Pardon my question but who's the author?  Ummm...I'm
> still trying to figure out if I'm even going to mention Van's relationship
> with Stef when I do my report on M'sPrice.  I'm going to do it from Van's
> POV.  That should be interesting...

Silvermoon, are you telling me that you've never been treated to Heather's
Swordspoint rant?  Go read this book for any reason!  It's by Ellen
Kushner.  One thing that I really like is how shaych-ness is treated in
this book.  It's just part of life, lots of people do it.  I seemed
to me that noone looked down on it, or treated it as something even
odd or eccentric.  It just _was_.  Did you see it the same way
Heather?

> He also says:
> >>The Godmother_ is  a very good book. It's fun tryin to spot all the
> fairy tale templates. :)  There's a sequel too, _The Godmother's
> Apprentice_.  It's pretty good too, though not as good as the origin<<
> I know...I read it this summer...hehehe.  Didn't know there was a sequel.
>  Bet my library doesn't have it though.

Yup, it's mostly about Sno Quantrill.  She becomes Felicity's apprentice.

> Grass by Sheri S. Tepper

This just reminded me of something.   Has anyone read Tepper's
True Games books?  I remeber hearing someone here mention them
quite a while back.  I was in Borders today, and I saw all three
books as an omnibus. Is it any good?

[Aside -- I bought P-KM's _Copper Crown_ today.  There are a lot of
books ahead of it on my to-be-read list though.]

=========================================================================
> From: Saajak <ps9562-+AT+-wheeler.northland.edu>

>      On to another tangent, has anyone heard anything about a 
> compilation of short stories on Valdemar?  I was looking around on 
> the internet and one of the book dealers mentions something about a 
> compilation due out early next year.

IIRC, it's called _Friends of Valdemar_.  It's an anthology of Velgarth
stories written by people other than Misty (tho I have no idea if
she's doing any stories in it).  It's out in Dec or Jan, right Undine?
Personally, I'd buy it just for the Mark Shepard Van story someone
mentioned.

===========================================================================
> From: gar&julie mclaughlin <jmacjm19-+AT+-vcomm.net>

> IIRC, I think there was a conversation between Altra and Florian in SR
> saying something about that. It seems they were having a conversation about
> finding someone to translate Kal'a'din, and Altra said Florian couldnt
> mindspeak back that far and the he couldnt jump that far. Does that imply
> that while they may not be able to go back 2000 years, they could go back,
> say, 200? I was waiting for Misty to go with that thread, but she didnt.

Nonono, that conversation wasn't about time travel!  Someone wished that
they had a Foreseer to help them choose which weapon to use.  Someone
looks at Florian, and he makes the remark you referred to.


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      
	          


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 19:26:01 CST
From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" <jsjahath-+AT+-future.judson.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: cat/Yfandes
Message-ID: <3B2AA54CEB-+AT+-future.judson.edu>

About the name for the cat...my mother had a pure black cat that she 
named Lucifer, which was Satan's name before he fell.  No one really 
minded at all, except for the one Sunday when we had a missionary 
over for lunch and my mother stepped outside the door to call the cat 
in, yelling at the top of her lungs.  It was actually rather funny to 
see the look on his face.  But seriously, I think you should 
determine the personality of the cat before giving him/her a name.

About Yfandes...I guess I don't understand why people think she's 
Grove born.  It doesn't say that anywhere, does it?  It doesn't seem 
odd to me that a Companion wouldn't Choose until s/he found the one 
they were seeking for.  I don't think they just Choose the first good 
person they encounter. Rolan I'm sure had plenty of good prospects 
for his next Chosen, but he chose to travel to the ends of Valdemar 
to find Talia, and I don't think it was just because of her ability 
to handle children that made him do that, or her empathy.   The Companion/Chosen relationship is so 
intense and personal, it only makes sense that they would want to find their 
"soul mate", if you'll pardon the expression.  I know I wouldn't want 
to share life, let alone my heart and soul, or bind myself so 
intimately with another unless I was sure they were THE ONE.
Now, what does confuse me, is what Savil said about Yfandes being the 
only Companion who hasn't Chosen, who has "run alone for 10 years", 
or something like that.  Run alone for 10 years?  10 years since 
what?  Misty through Savil seems very adamant about this point, but 
nothing more is said about it.  'Fandes has run alone for ten years, 
but it's not said since what?  Fandes is obviously more than ten 
years old, cause Talia says to Elspeth that Companions don't usually 
Choose until they are ten.   So if Fandes was only ten, Savil's comment 
would be senseless, since of course Fandes would be alone until she 
came of age to Choose.
 So Savil's statement that "the Companion 
that's run alone for ten years" would imply, to me, that before these 
ten years, Fandes wasn't alone.  There must have been some incident 
or something to define the moment that she began 'to run alone."  why 
didn't she say that Fandes was the only Companion to run alone for 
her entire life--why just 10 years?
Anyway, that's just my one of many  curious questions, if it makes 
any sense.  I hope this hasn't been brought up before, but if so, my 
apologies for rehashing an old topic.
WTTW, all
Herald Jacquelle
:And ME.:
Yes, of course.  Sorry, beloved.


:Really, Chosen, you need a better signature than this.:
:Yes, oh, Wisest of the Wise.:
<snort>

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 20:32:17 -0500
From: aw2-+AT+-mail.idt.net (Kimberly)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Multiple bondings/ books
Message-ID: <v01540b00ae85ce19df06-+AT+-[169.132.100.83]>

::blush:: I know, I know, I'm supposed to be studying for the PSATs but I
*trails off since she really doesn't ~have~ any good excuses* Ack! *laugh*

Anyway.
1. a bond with a Companion is supposed to stabalize you. Darkwind's stable.
His magic's under control. There's no reason for him to have chosen. Why
bond someone who's perfectly fine as they are, when you can bond someone
else, like Talia when she was yonger? (Me a shamelesss Talia pusher *grin*)
There ~are~ only a certain amount of Companions around.

2. It's not diplomatic to bind an emissary from another country to your own
by force, which, if you think about it, the Companion's bond is. *duck*
Eeek, I meant, only in this sense! *hides behind Wintershard's Companion
sheep, Lyola* But that goes double for binding the representative another
diety who might be rather annoyed in a lightning bolt throwing way. *grin*

3. Look at all that responsibility the poor bearer of Companion, bondbird,
and lifebond would have to bear! You're not doing justice to one bond, when
it comes down to choice time. If your bondbird or your Companion was about
to die, and you could save one or the other, you'd be paralyzed with
indecision.

I wouldn't want to try being Vanyel, for instance,  if 'Lendel had lived
and Vanyel had somehow achieved his full Herald Mage status anyway. Would
he have taken his lifebonded fellow Herald of Valdemar, who was tied to
another Companion (so if you ditch 'Lendel,  you kill Gala) or his own
Companion? (and he'd be losing his own life if he ~didn't~ take 'Fandes.)

Obviously, yes, it is possible to have both lifebond and <insert other bond
here> *grin* but only 'cause the Herald's sense of duty is so very strong.
(At least that's the theory *grin*) A person who's Chosen is bound to
Valdemar, and those people Chosen can't be needed elsewhere. I guess you
could have two Companions, but well... it's redundant. One will tie you to
Valdemar just the same. Choosing the heir to the king of Rethwellan, for
example, doesn't happen, singing sword bond or not.

*pause* ... darn, I just lost my train of thought. ::laugh::


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reply to what Kerry said abou Di Tregarde and it not being a Wicca course:
Oh. Um. Forgive my horrendous phrasing. ::flush:: I meant she doesn't seem
to hold it in the back of her head a lot. Just a personal opinion that will
*looking at Lyola entreatingly* hopefully not get me too many flames?
*puppy dog eyes*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>> From: Soljan-+AT+-aol.com
>
>> For school I have to choose a book to do a report on.  I want something that
>> is interesting and will impress my teacher.  I was going to read WoFury,  but
>> I've already read it.  Suggestions?  I know someone here will have ideas.
>>  Probably not fantasy/sci fi because they're hard to explain to a class in an
>> oral report.  =(  Magic's Price is hard enough...


_The House on Mango Street_? *brain churns out evaluation* Nah. The ghost
thing would have an immature class in the usual ickiness. But beautifully
written.

_All Quiet on the Western Front_; its a war thing, so maybe they'll like
that. And the times when it's serious hit you when you're not expecting it.
Great book. It's depressing, but it leaves you with some sort of hope of
changing something (not surprising since it was written to stop WWII.
Didn't work. So much for power of literature. ::sigh-laugh::) Not like
_Grapes of Wrath_ which has the obliatory Steinbeck moral misery, but never
~moves~ and never moves through hope to reach me.

_The Joy Luck Club_. Nothing that might be considered morbid, nothing
sappy. Focus is on imagery and emotion, hard to present to class, unless
you can concentrate on relationships and feeling.

You could try an poetry-epic. Most people can't analyze poetry well, so if
you're good at it, go for it! *grin* It'll blow your teacher away. Only
problem is, it's a lot of work. But it might be a little too smarmy
sounding if you're presenting to your average high school class, which can
get petty and stupid sometimes.

*chews on a fingernail thoughtfully* I'd advise others, but some books are
just plain old lousy for classroom presentation. Like anything by Toni
Morrison. Not un-doable, just not something to be comfortable with while
you're doing it. =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cen, I agree with everything you've said about Tiger Burning Bright. With
less backing for my thoughts. Lessse, I don't see much of Misty in Apolon.
Misty writes her bad guys from the third person, almost exclusively, as far
as I can see. Or else she makes them like Firesong when he was about to
kill Aya in SRising, and then turns them insane or something when we're not
looking. *teasing smile*

Leopold is by Misty. There's the ~style~ of the thoughts; the personality
"sounds" like her. Not MZB-like, there's a little too much ... something.
Lightness? *questioning look* He sounds a little like one of the Haighlei
kings at a few points.

Thom. I don't know. I thought it might be Misty, more than Andre, though.
He sounds like someone from the _Bardic Voices_ series, just a little. I
think he's probably a collab. :->

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Whoever wants the dubious protection of the Drifting Ashes, ya got it *laugh*

BTW, is the Finovar Tapestry by GGK worth it? *curious* I saw it in the
bookstore, and, well... it was half ~tugging~ "buy me!" *grin*




Bye guys!

Any quesions or complaints, I might be a while getting back to you, my
parents think I should spend less time doing this and more time on my
chemistry labs. :P

Cheers,
Kimorene
aw2-+AT+-mail.idt.net



------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 19:58:48 -0500
From: Claris Smith <ccsmith-+AT+-comp.uark.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Mostly Contentless: Godmother/Good Omens/Cat/Samhain
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19961013005848.0091cb8c-+AT+-comp.uark.edu>

General consensus wins again! Scarborough's _Godmother_ was a very good
book, a little gimmicky sometimes, but it worked pretty well.  It's kind of
like DeLint lite + SERRAted Edge + the Fairy Tale series.  If you liked any
of those, let me recommend this to you...

_Good Omens_ was a TOTAL RIOT!!!!! ROFL! It was just GREAT! (Lady Wildcat,
you *must* read it) I have reached the conclusion that Gaiman and Pratchett
are absolutely brilliant in conjunction, even if I can't read them
separately.  People Wearing Fish!  Tchaikovsky's "Another One Bites the
Dust"! I must read it again...moreover, Jaguar, both it and Godmother had
references to Kung Fu... 

If anybody liked _Good Omens_, you might read _The Monk_ by William Hallinan
(Hallihan?). It's excellent--a serious book, kind of semi-horror or maybe
dark mystical thriller (I really can't categorize it), but has some very
strange parallels and very striking reverse similarities to _Omens_.

Good for you on the cat, Julie. Can I suggest "Skaile" (skah-leh)? It's a
nonstandard Anglicization of Irish Gaelic for "shadow".  Or a'course there's
always Skandranon... =)

I'm going as Belldandy at Halloween/Samhain, which will probably confuse my
customers...I'll be fortunetelling (runes, and I Ching for people I know) at
the mall to raise money for our convention. Fun, fun.  It'll leave me 100
times more exhausted than the party we usually have.

Um...I said SERRAted Edge...and Skandranon...it's on-topic! ;P




*Claris Smith: Art/History Major, GM, sf/fantasy Artist, Gung Fu Student*
*  "ccsmith-+AT+-comp.uark.edu"            "http://comp.uark.edu/~ccsmith/"  *
*See the Web Site for The Dragon Roars Zine:  Now accepting Submissions!*


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 21:30:37 -0400
From: Debra Cebulski <kerowyn-+AT+-waltham.harvard.net>
To: "'mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk'" <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: RE: Darkover books/Owlflight
Message-ID: <01BBB884.9D57EE40-+AT+-kerowyn>

Julia wrote:

I always assumed if MZB printed
stories with her characters in the Darkover anthologies that they should =
be
considered cannonical, even if she didn't write them. =20

But MZB prints stories that do not necessarily agree with her vision of =
Darkover--she has stated that she'll print anything that is compelling, =
well-written, and with an original use of laran.  Some stories have been =
recognized to be "official" Darkover, like "The Other Side of the =
Mirror" and most of Lisa Waters' work.  MZB said "To me, all Darkover =
stories written by anyone else are presumed to be in a parallel world to =
'my' Darkover; or *one* of the parallel universes, which can be very =
close to my own Darkover, or very different, just as the young writer =
wishes." (Introduction, "The Keeper's Price")

ObMisty:  Has anyone heard anything about "Owlflight"--i.e. setting, =
possible release dates, etc. (I know, I know...SB was only just =
released, but I devoured it in three hours flat and I can't wait to see =
what she comes up with next...)

LilacFairy-- my mail to you keeps bouncing.  I would like to join the =
erstwhile Ladies of the Pink Wand.  Please email me.

Thanks!

All the best,

Deb Cebulski
(who still hasn't thought up a really cool name...)
kerowyn-+AT+-waltham.harvard.net


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 20:28:46 -0700
From: "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" <legend-+AT+-oxy.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)
Message-ID: <199610130328.UAA23447-+AT+-latimes.com>

Spoiler Below!




















>About Yfandes...I guess I don't understand why people think she's 
>Grove born.  It doesn't say that anywhere, does it?  

No, I don't recall anything saying that.  That's why I asked.  The notion
simply occurred to me because of something in SB that got me to thinking.
Florian says that not even a grove born stallion made him feel the way
Yfandes does.  That set me to thinking.  Where is Van when Yfandes first
approaches him?  Wasn't it at the stream near the grove?  Was there any
mention of her before that?  When Gwena showed up at the grove and suddenly
everyone remembered that she had always been there--well, Yfandes _could_
have done something like that with Van.  She seems to have a few powers most
Companions don't have.  That Fetching business, for instance.  And then in,
what was it?, the last Winds book?, Van says he had to stop 'Fandes from
swatting Talia up in Sorrows.  I got the impression he was saying that he
had to stop 'Fandes from killing the QO, the rider of a grove born stallion,
and that Rolan couldn't have done anything about it--only Van could.  If
'Fandes isn't grove born, she's at least something quite out of the ordinary
in more ways than just waiting a long time to Choose her Herald.

>Now, what does confuse me, is what Savil said about Yfandes being the 
>only Companion who hasn't Chosen, who has "run alone for 10 years", 
>or something like that.  Run alone for 10 years?  10 years since 
>what?  

I've always found the first part of that more intriguing.  "Only Companion
who hasn't Chosen?!"  Is there a shortage of Companions?  Savil has empty
rooms.  I didn't get the feeling that the Collegium was at its maximum
population.

>Misty through Savil seems very adamant about this point, but 
>nothing more is said about it.  'Fandes has run alone for ten years, 
>but it's not said since what?  Fandes is obviously more than ten 
>years old, cause Talia says to Elspeth that Companions don't usually 
>Choose until they are ten.   So if Fandes was only ten, Savil's comment 
>would be senseless, since of course Fandes would be alone until she 
>came of age to Choose.

This could simply be a gaff on Misty's part.  She might have remembered
doing "something" that involved "ten" years but forgot the Companions don't
usually Choose until they are ten.

> So Savil's statement that "the Companion 
>that's run alone for ten years" would imply, to me, that before these 
>ten years, Fandes wasn't alone.  There must have been some incident 
>or something to define the moment that she began 'to run alone."  why 
>didn't she say that Fandes was the only Companion to run alone for 
>her entire life--why just 10 years?

Again, the age bit could be a gaff.  There's no indication that she ever had
another Herald besides Van (the only ones who can have more than one rider
are the grove born, btw--which would lead us back to that argument).  Anyone
want to argue that this wasn't Van's first time around?  He's, what?,
fourteen or so when he's Chosen?  Hmm.  Yfandes Chooses a Herald who gets
himself killed and reincarnated and instead of dying and coming back she
sits around and waits for him for fourteen years--four with the Companion
mare who birthed her and another ten on her own?  No, I'm thinking it's
simply a gaff.

Danya


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 23:37:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mat the Cat in Green <mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu>
To: Mercedes Lackey mailing list <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: Yfandes/GGK/rec.music.filk
Message-ID: <Pine.SGI.3.93.961012232738.24163E-100000-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu>

> From: JAIME HATHAWAY <jsjahath-+AT+-future.judson.edu>

Pondering about Savil's ten years 'Fandes quote snipped.

Maybe Savil meant that it had been ten years since she was expected
to have Chosen.  Making Yfandes 20 or so.

===========================================================================
> From: Kimberly <aw2-+AT+-mail.idt.net>

> BTW, is the Finovar Tapestry by GGK worth it? *curious* I saw it in the
> bookstore, and, well... it was half ~tugging~ "buy me!" *grin*

I probably can't say this enough, but getitgetitgetitgetitgetitgetit.
GGK is just fabulous (or is that for'shava? <g> to the Lilac Fairy ).
Read Fionavar, then go out and get Tigana.  And A Song for Arbonne.
(can't recommend Lions, since it's still sitting on my bookshelf,
waiting patiently to be read.)

> Any quesions or complaints, I might be a while getting back to you, my
> parents think I should spend less time doing this and more time on my
> chemistry labs. :P

Sheesh.   What to parents know? <g>

==========================================================================
For people who don't know, there's currently a Usenet CFV (call
for votes) for a new group called rec.music.filk .  There's
been an alt.music.filk for a while, but the people there are
proposing a big 8 group for it now.  If anyone wants to vote
on it, look in news.announce.newgroups .
===========================================================================




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      
	          



------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 00:00:18 -0400
From: Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Cast of characters
Message-ID: <961013000017_125339221-+AT+-emout10.mail.aol.com>

In a message dated 96-10-12 00:45:03 EDT, you write:

>Okay, maybe I'm watching too much t.v.  But I think that that Highlander
>guy would make a pretty cool Amberdrake.  And that guy (for the life of 
>me I can't remember any names today) on 'The Adventures of Sinbad' would 
>make a cool Kris.  Just my opinion. :)
>
>
>					Lillandra

"That Highlander guy"'s name is Adrian Paul.
_THE_ best show.  Okay Cassie, take a deep breath, lets not get too excited.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 00:04:37 -0400
From: Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Cast of characters
Message-ID: <961013000437_125341227-+AT+-emout15.mail.aol.com>

In a message dated 96-10-12 02:42:43 EDT, you write:

>I agree Adrian Paul (I don't know if I spelled that right)  would be
>great .
>Dawn
>
>>Okay, maybe I'm watching too much t.v.  But I think that that 
>>Highlander
>>guy would make a pretty cool Amberdrake.  
>
>

Yes it is spelled right. Just another thing to add: You can NEVER and I mean
never, have too much Highlander!!!!!! :P  ~Cassie

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 00:07:41 -0400
From: Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Cast of characters
Message-ID: <961013000740_125342622-+AT+-emout02.mail.aol.com>

In a message dated 96-10-12 04:12:45 EDT, you write:

>Actually, I think Adrian Paul would make a pretty cool ANYTHING. Now, 
>would you mind passing me that towel. I'm drooling again. Sorry, guys, 
>(sheepish look as she shrugs shoulders), can't help it.
>
>Dawnstar

OOO! I'm so happy that Highlander is getting more recognition. I know I must
seem like an annoying freak, but oh well. I love Highlander. ;)  ~Cassie

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 00:09:47 -0400
From: Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: cats
Message-ID: <961013000947_125343670-+AT+-emout01.mail.aol.com>

In a message dated 96-10-12 13:14:21 EDT, you write:

>well julie, I always do the name the cat for personality thing. If she's
>a sweet cat, you could call her Bastet, or if she's fierce name her Sekhmet
>(yes, I do know a tad about Egyptian mythos). THe only black cat I ever
>had owned me when I was 5, so the poor thing was saddled with Shwartz -
>which is only marginally better than Sootie <g>

Mytos? I'm interested. Please explain what you know. :)  ~Cassie

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 23:16:26 CST
From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" <jsjahath-+AT+-future.judson.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)
Message-ID: <3F028B0316-+AT+-future.judson.edu>

> Date:          Sun, 13 Oct 1996 04:41:08 +0100 (BST)
> Reply-to:      mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
> From:          "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" <legend-+AT+-oxy.edu>
> To:            jsjahath-+AT+-future.judson.edu
> Subject:       Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)

> Spoiler Below!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >About Yfandes...I guess I don't understand why people think she's 
> >Grove born.  It doesn't say that anywhere, does it?  
> 
> No, I don't recall anything saying that.  That's why I asked.  The notion
> simply occurred to me because of something in SB that got me to thinking.
> Florian says that not even a grove born stallion made him feel the way
> Yfandes does.  That set me to thinking.  Where is Van when Yfandes first
> approaches him?  Wasn't it at the stream near the grove?

I don't have my books with me :(, but I thought Van was trying to 
drown himself and Fandes saved him, or pulled him out of the river or 
something.  But I have to admit, it would be intriguing to get into 
her mind to see why she waited to Choose Van...of course, who's to 
say that Companions don't know from the beginning who their Chosens 
are going to be?

  Was there any
> mention of her before that?  When Gwena showed up at the grove and suddenly
> everyone remembered that she had always been there--well, Yfandes _could_
> have done something like that with Van.  She seems to have a few powers most
> Companions don't have.  That Fetching business, for instance.  And then in,
> what was it?, the last Winds book?, Van says he had to stop 'Fandes from
> swatting Talia up in Sorrows.  I got the impression he was saying that he
> had to stop 'Fandes from killing the QO, the rider of a grove born stallion,
> and that Rolan couldn't have done anything about it--only Van could
..
but in Arrow's Flight, Rolan stands up to the presence in the Forest 
and Talia feels a "feeling of surprise from the watching presence" 
and then it vanishes.  so rolan must have been able to do something 
to keep Fandes from killing his Chosen.

  If
> 'Fandes isn't grove born, she's at least something quite out of the ordinary
> in more ways than just waiting a long time to Choose her Herald.
> 
> >Now, what does confuse me, is what Savil said about Yfandes being the 
> >only Companion who hasn't Chosen, who has "run alone for 10 years", 
> >or something like that.  Run alone for 10 years?  10 years since 
> >what?  
> 
> I've always found the first part of that more intriguing.  "Only Companion
> who hasn't Chosen?!"  Is there a shortage of Companions?  Savil has empty
> rooms.  I didn't get the feeling that the Collegium was at its maximum
> population.
> 
> >Misty through Savil seems very adamant about this point, but 
> >nothing more is said about it.  'Fandes has run alone for ten years, 
> >but it's not said since what?  Fandes is obviously more than ten 
> >years old, cause Talia says to Elspeth that Companions don't usually 
> >Choose until they are ten.   So if Fandes was only ten, Savil's comment 
> >would be senseless, since of course Fandes would be alone until she 
> >came of age to Choose.
> 
> This could simply be a gaff on Misty's part.  She might have remembered
> doing "something" that involved "ten" years but forgot the Companions don't
> usually Choose until they are ten.
> 
> > So Savil's statement that "the Companion 
> >that's run alone for ten years" would imply, to me, that before these 
> >ten years, Fandes wasn't alone.  There must have been some incident 
> >or something to define the moment that she began 'to run alone."  why 
> >didn't she say that Fandes was the only Companion to run alone for 
> >her entire life--why just 10 years?
> 
> Again, the age bit could be a gaff.  There's no indication that she ever had
> another Herald besides Van (the only ones who can have more than one rider
> are the grove born, btw--which would lead us back to that argument).  Anyone
> want to argue that this wasn't Van's first time around?  He's, what?,
> fourteen or so when he's Chosen?  Hmm.  Yfandes Chooses a Herald who gets
> himself killed and reincarnated and instead of dying and coming back she
> sits around and waits for him for fourteen years--four with the Companion
> mare who birthed her and another ten on her own?  No, I'm thinking it's
> simply a gaff.
> 
> Danya
> 
> 
:Really, Chosen, you need a better signature than this.:
:Yes, oh, Wisest of the Wise.:
<snort>

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 00:22:12 -0400
From: Alamarana8-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: I be a newbie
Message-ID: <961013002212_125349467-+AT+-emout03.mail.aol.com>

Hello! My name is Cassie and I live in Washington. I am 14 and I love to
read, especially ML's books and any of the Highlander books. In case you
haven't noticed I love the show Highlander.  I also enjoy the Xena and
Hercules show.  I don't really know what else to say (you'll find that
happens a lot) so have fun and watch Highlander, or else I'll have your head
chopped off!! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! (evil Nightshade laugh) ;)   :P


~Cassie
"Fetch me another, this one's broken"
                                  --Kalas
                                           --Highlander



------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 00:22:05 -0400
From: Rozanna McNeer <rozanm-+AT+-wow.com>
To: "mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk" <MERCEDES-LACKEY-+AT+-HERALD.CO.UK>
Subject: Dragons Series
Message-ID: <199610130022_MC1-ACB-A47F-+AT+-compuserve.com>


Er, Cennydd, I own most of Patricia's books, and I don't recall any Dragon
Series. Are you perhaps referring to Jane Yolen's Dragon Series?

sorry, no obmisty

firemist

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 21:57:21 -0700
From: "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" <legend-+AT+-oxy.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)
Message-ID: <199610130457.VAA24234-+AT+-latimes.com>

At 05:38 AM 10/13/96 +0100, JAIME HATHAWAY wrote:
>> Date:          Sun, 13 Oct 1996 04:41:08 +0100 (BST)
>> Reply-to:      mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
>> From:          "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" <legend-+AT+-oxy.edu>
>> To:            jsjahath-+AT+-future.judson.edu
>> Subject:       Re: Yfandes (SB spoiler)
>
>> Spoiler Below!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>but in Arrow's Flight, Rolan stands up to the presence in the Forest 
>and Talia feels a "feeling of surprise from the watching presence" 
>and then it vanishes.  so rolan must have been able to do something 
>to keep Fandes from killing his Chosen.

Van's pretty clear that he was the one who stopped 'Fandes.  I always
thought Van was the one who was surprised, not Fandes, in the above-cited
passage.

Danya


------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 22:30:34 -0700 (PDT)
From: Elizabeth Angell <eangell-+AT+-u.washington.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Heyla/Yfandes/cats
Message-ID: <Pine.A32.3.95.961012222401.121975B-100000-+AT+-homer30.u.washington.edu>



On Sun, 13 Oct 1996, Ken Hyde wrote:

> On Sat, 12 Oct 1996, gar&julie mclaughlin wrote:
> 
> > I think I would be rather hard for Misty to be a cat person at the moment.
> > Just think of all those birds in her house! And I hear she now has a german
> > shepard. Can you imagine having a cat in that mess??!!
> 
> Ummmm.   Well, when I was a kid, my family lived in a tiny 20ft trailer
> with a cat, a canary, a full-grown Irish Setter, and 14 Irish Setter
> puppies.  It was a little crowded sometimes, but fun and full of love. =)
<grin> I still live with my family, whidc consists of 5 people, 4 cats, 3
gerbils, 1 rabbit, & a partridge in a pear tree....
> 
<snippage>
 
> Speaking of which, everyone should go out and get the entire Dragons
> series by Ms. Wrede.  They are fabu.  Intended for kids, but with the same
> wonderful sense of humor, style, and narrative that makes all of Patricia
> Wrede's books a joy to read.  BTW, if you haven't started reading her, do
> so.  Her Lyra books are some of the best in the business.  She is one of
> the few writers that I would hold up to compare to Misty at her best.
> 
Hear, Hear!  I especially like Morwen & her 9 talking cats- I borrow these
books from my little sister.  I've also read The Raven Ring & enjoyed it,
can you tell me what the titles of her other books are?

Zhai'helleva, 'S e do bheatha, & Love, 

Raindancer


------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Oct 1996 02:01:10 +0000
From: myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net (miyako hirao)
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-Herald.co.uk
Subject: Braid: Book reports/MOC/Good books/TBB/quote/Di/Mists of Avalon
Message-ID: <199610130656.BAA22710-+AT+-cdale3.midwest.net>

Firemist wrote:
>>>they've all got philosophical issues in them that you can emphasize and go
into great detail about comparing them with real world, etc, and impress the
socks of your teacher :) Ender's Game had one quote in it I've used over and
over about when he gets the monitor removed in the beginning and it goes
something like " 'we're going to take it out, and it won't hurt a bit.' the
nurse
said. Ender nodded. It was a lie of course, but sometimes lies were more
accurate than the truth." or something v-e-r-y close to that. Realism, etc!
and they are all great writer's as well.<<<

I think I did a book report on Ender's Game in 7th grade. I actually got a
100% on it, and I recommended it to several people who never read SF in
their lives, and they liked it, too. And I think I remember the quote;
there are some more quotes from that book that I use sometimes: "Fate, God,
or a damn fool luck". 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danya wrote:
>>>That doesn't make sense.  I think that's just Gwena's youth that's being
commented on.  A Monarch's Own's Companion always has to be Grove-born, and
who would want it to be a requirement that a completely naive Companion must
be the Bond Partner of the Monarch's top advisor?<<<

I think that Monarch's Own's Companions were always Grove-born with
pre-programmed knowledge of ethics, getting out of a desperate sitch, not
"mothering" the Monarch's Own, etc. Since Gwena was the first Grove-born
Companion since the first Companions that wasn't a MOC, she didn't have
much of the knowledge that the MOC had.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dawnstar wrote:
>>>>Mists of Avalon by MZB
>Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
>Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
>Grass by Sheri S. Tepper
>Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper

I would like to add:

 The Handmaid's Tale (sorry, can't remember the author)
 The Psalms of Herod by Esther M. Friesner


These two also have fairly deep philosophical issues, and should be easy 
to write about.<<<

I'd also like to add:
The Lathe of Heaven
The Left Hand of Darkness

Both are by Ursula K. LeGuin, and they deal with moral & ethical issues
(they were on the TIP Creative Writing reading list).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cennydd wrote:
>>>OK, everyone, there are my thoughts.  What are yours?  Anyone get a
different match-up?  We can discuss it and I will tell you why your idea
is wrong. *grin*  (Hint: my idea is right! <weg>).  Seriously, I am
dubious of the male characters (I am pretty certain about the female
characters), so I would welcome input. <<<

I think you got it right for Leopold; when I read that scene, I was
thinking "Where the heck did I read that before?" I thought it might be MZB
at first, from that guy who took Romilly under his wing while she was
working with the troops, but then I realized "Oh! Can you say 'Tarma'?" 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nightshade wrote:
>>>ObMisty - I've mentioned this before but I don't think it made it to the
list, since there is so much less magic, won't there be more mages using
blood magic to raise power?<<<

I think most mage schools have their code of ethics, and they know that if
they get addicted to blood magic, there's no breaking away from it. Most
mages are pretty comfortable with what power they have, and they know that
if they have too much power, they might not be able to handle it. And I
also think that the religions of Velgarth preach that murder, torture, etc.
seen in Blood Magic are Bad Stuff <tm> -- and you know what happens when
you have an existing deity which interact directly with mundane life,
right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stacey sigged:
>>>"We're Starfleet Officers.  Weird is a part of the job."
Stacey<<<

YES! I LOVE THAT QUOTE! That's from... that one episode where Voyager comes
across another Voyager in a temporal flux or something like that. Capt.
Janeway says it to Harry Kim after he transfers from the Voyager that
self-destructed to the Voyager that lost its baby and Harry. Can't remember
what it's called, though.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Firemist wrote:
>>>Samhin always makes me think of CotN with Di in the shop fluttering at the
reporting "I'm *single* you know" poor little cub reporter <nasty grin><<<

*LOL*! I think that's probably one of the funniest Misty scenes ever, like
the "It's all here in the FECAL SAMPLES!" from Burning Water.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Julie wrote:
>>>On the subject of cats, Cat People, I need your help. Someone abandonded a
pure black kitten on my door step. Now, I dont mind keeping it (though I
really dont need another cat!) but my husband wants to name it Alister. I
dont suppose you can give some other name suggestions? (Before the cross
burners get here?)<<<

I'm not of the Cat People, but how about naming it ... Spiffy? Just
kidding. How about Spooky, like Mark Valdez calls Di Tregarde? My piano
teacher, who had a gray cat named Spooky, was as Christian as anyone could
get, and she didn't have second thoughts about naming the cat that name.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whoever said Adrian Paul should be Amberdrake: I'm still campaigning for
Brent Spiner as Amberdrake! Anyone wanna join? Just e-mail me privately or
sig for Brent!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About Mists of Avalon: I know it's by MZB, but what is it about? I heard
from *many* reliable sources, and they all say it was excellent. Please
e-mail me privately...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, I'm done now! Bye-bye!

Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream...,
Summersong & Spiffy the Good Cat <just for today>

****************************************************
Akiko Hirao                           | "You must tell him that he's a good
cat, 
<myktshr-+AT+-ldd.net>                 | a pretty cat, and ..." -- Data
Trekker, Trekkie, Trekaholic | "I will feed him." -- Worf
Brent for Amberdrake!!!          |  ST:TNG "Phantasms"
****************************************************


------------------------------

End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 872
*********************************