MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 893 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: at the risk\CE by Susan Cass 2) Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping :)/news.lists/Jagalicious/ magewar stuff/Hambly/oh forget it, a lot of other stuff/MPromise , Cover by Johanna Latham 3) Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping :)/news.lists/Jagalicious/ magewar stuff/Hambly/oh forget it, a lot of other stuff/MPromise , Cover by "L. JANSEN" 4) Re: Oatbound prequel by jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) 5) Re: Talia by "JAIME HATHAWAY" 6) Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping :)/news.lists/Jaga by "JAIME HATHAWAY" 7) Books by "Hth." 8) Re: Oatbound prequel by nme848-+AT+-hecky.acns.nwu.edu 9) Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping by "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" 10) Re: The Other Heather/Cats and dogs by Lia Talmas 11) Songsmith/Justus/Ages/Borders/Whites by "Arysta" 12) Di books/Holly Lisle/HA/Topping/Brightstar/what next/S&SIII by Mat the Cat in Green 13) Re: Oatbound prequel by Susan Cass 14) ghost or spirit/haters of pink unite/arrows/elspeth!!!!! <- guess how many... by Khenta Blaufalk 15) Missed you all! by "Vrondi" 16) Book order/Van/Original GB/Les Mis by Wintershard 17) Firesong/CotN/Van by ShadowJaz-+AT+-aol.com 18) Re: Van & Stef / Elspeth & Skif/ Whips / LotPW:Mat is Elevated by Chris & Sean Talbot 19) LHM covers by "JAIME HATHAWAY" 20) Re: ghost or spirit/haters of pink unite/arrows/elspeth!!!! by "JAIME HATHAWAY" 21) The braid from the black lagoon..... by Elizabeth Angell ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 23:48:27 -0700 From: Susan Cass To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: at the risk\CE Message-ID: <326B1CBB.5390-+AT+-columbia-center.org> T. S. wrote: > > Has anyone read "Jinx High"? I came across it at a local library > book sale. What about "Children of the Night"-any good? > > Children Of The Night, Burning Water, and Jinx High are all excellent. I recommend them. -- susanc-+AT+-columbia-center.org Western Oregon, zone 8 Does fuzzy logic tickle? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 15:56:21 +1000 From: Johanna Latham To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping :)/news.lists/Jagalicious/ magewar stuff/Hambly/oh forget it, a lot of other stuff/MPromise , Cover Message-ID: <326B1084.65DF-+AT+-ozemail.com.au> Mat the Cat in Green wrote: ========================================================================== > > From: Johanna Latham > > > What would be the best thing for me to read next (especially considering > > the way in which the discussions have been going). I'd really like to > > join in, but I feel a bit ignorant. > > Depends. What have you read already, other than BG? > > =========================================================================== uhm...Castle of Deception, which I think I thought was a bit childish (but I can't really remember), and Elvenblood and Elvenbane, both of which I loved. Pretty pathetic, isn't it! -- Johanna Latham email:jdlatham-+AT+-ozemail.com.au ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 08:05:54 -0600 (MDT) From: "L. JANSEN" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping :)/news.lists/Jagalicious/ magewar stuff/Hambly/oh forget it, a lot of other stuff/MPromise , Cover Message-ID: Hi It's me again....I have a question. Ok I have two. The first one is how do I get to be a Herald? *SMILES* The second one is What is the name of the book that tells the STory about Kerowyns Grandmother and the Swordsworn. You know the Book before OathBound. I think that's the name of it. I know Lackey didn't write it but who did? Thanks to any who can tell me. Still a Newbie... Lori ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 15:48:51 +0100 (BST) From: jc-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk (Jerry Cullingford) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Oatbound prequel Message-ID: <9610211448.AA02720-+AT+-crosfield.co.uk> Lori asked: > What is the name > of the book that tells the STory about Kerowyns Grandmother and the > Swordsworn. You know the Book before OathBound. I think that's the name > of it. I know Lackey didn't write it but who did? Almost right - she *did* write it, but it's a short story - it appears in Sword and Sorceress 3, edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley, so Misty's name doesn't show up in the book title :-). There are other Tarma and Kethry stories in most of the other S&S collections, and the two books are _Oathbound_ (follows on immediately from the story in S&S 3) and _Oathbreaker_ (starts some time after the end of _Oathbound_; a lot of the short stories seem to be set between the two books. -Jerry -- _|_ 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: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 10:50:18 CST From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Talia Message-ID: <10A98406B45-+AT+-future.judson.edu> I STILL have to disagree with you, b/c you have Talia being born in 1384 and gettin her whites in 1391--that's 7 years! Oh, very clever, Worf. Eat any good books lately? --Q ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 11:00:34 CST From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping :)/news.lists/Jaga Message-ID: <10AC4902BE9-+AT+-future.judson.edu> You can be a Herald, Healer, Bard, etc, by joining Queen's Own, the fan club of Misty...there's details on it in every newsletter. The address should be in the back of her Valdemar Books. If not, email me privately and I'll tell you. Of course, I suppose you could just call yourself whatever you wanted as well, but I don't think that's what you mean..:) Herald Jacquelle Oh, very clever, Worf. Eat any good books lately? --Q ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 11:21:09 CST From: "Hth." To: Subject: Books Message-ID: <21OCT96.12260749.0093.MUSIC-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU> Hey, Cennydd, when mentioning Ordinary Magic by Anne Hoffman, did you in fact mean Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman? 'Cause that one I've read, but I don't know that I've ever heard of the former, title or author. Definitely read Children of the Night. It's not only one of my favorite Misty books, it's one of my favorite books in general. Some days I wonder who *really* wrote it, because it has almost none of the Misty foibles that always make me roll my eyes. Wow, for the first time in what seems like ages, I'm actually reading a new Misty book! I'm reading *Tiger Burning Bright,* which so far is good enough, though I'm reserving judgement, since I still have 442 pages to go. And speaking of Andre Norton, yes, the Songsmith album, sung by Heather Alexander, is from an Andre Norton novel called -- hey! -- Songsmith. One of my few attempts to read Norton. I don't think I got all the way through it. BTW, none of the stories on the album are actually told in the book. The main character is a harpist, and these are just the songs she plays. Midori Snyder fans, she wrote an excellent book a year or two ago whose title I've -- bloody heck -- forgotten. The something or other of Michael Maguire? No, he played Enjolras on Broadway. Okay, I just can't remember. But it's an alternate Wild West fantasy about an Irish settler on the frontier, and it's very good. Aha! Dingdingding! The Flight of Michael McBride. HTH r618-+AT+-academic.truman.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 11:22:20 -0500 (CDT) From: nme848-+AT+-hecky.acns.nwu.edu To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Oatbound prequel Message-ID: <199610211622.AA003694940-+AT+-hecky.acns.nwu.edu> > > Lori asked: > > What is the name > > of the book that tells the STory about Kerowyns Grandmother and the > > Swordsworn. You know the Book before OathBound. I think that's the name > > of it. I know Lackey didn't write it but who did? > > Almost right - she *did* write it, but it's a short story - it appears > in Sword and Sorceress 3, edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley, so Misty's > name doesn't show up in the book title :-). There are other Tarma and > Kethry stories in most of the other S&S collections, and the two books > are _Oathbound_ (follows on immediately from the story in S&S 3) and > _Oathbreaker_ (starts some time after the end of _Oathbound_; a lot > of the short stories seem to be set between the two books. > Speaking of S&S III, I just got my hands on it yesterday (3 cheers for inter-library loans). Good story. Now I just need to find a copy I can buy. Nina ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 09:49:01 -0700 From: "Linda Malcor, Ph.D" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Classes/MZB/Myst (not Misty)/topping Message-ID: <199610211649.JAA10146-+AT+-latimes.com> At 03:25 PM 10/21/96 +0100, L. JANSEN wrote: >Hi It's me again....I have a question. Ok I have two. The first one is >how do I get to be a Herald? *SMILES* To join Queen's Own and become a Herald, send $8 US/Canada (elsewhere $10), checks payable to Queen's Own and in US funds only (cash, US postage stams, 20 IRCs, or an International money order also accepted--two installments of $4/$5 each are also possible) to: Queen's Own The Mercedes Lackey Fan Club P.O. Box 132 Shiloh, NJ 08353 Include a SASE and specify which handout you want. Instructions are available for becoming a Herald, Bard, Healer, Tayledras, Shin'a'in, White Winds Sorcerer/ess, and Mercenary. If you are already a Herald, you can request instructions for how to become a Herald-Mage. You then complete the requirements on the sheet, send the project back to Judith Louvis at the Shiloh address and hope your persona name pops up in the "Collegium News" column of the next QO newsletter ;->! Danya (formally known as Herald-Mage Hedge Wizard Danya Winterborn) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 12:49:16 -0400 From: Lia Talmas To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: The Other Heather/Cats and dogs Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19961021164916.092f55fa-+AT+-email.psu.edu> At 11:27 PM 10/20/96 +0100, Heather wrote: >Cen, I'd recommend Heather Alexander...Live! over Wanderlust, since I >gather you have a soft spot for traditional music. A good half of the >live tape is trad, and almost none of Wanderlust (besides the fact that >I just didn't like Wanderlust as well, which sheds no light on which >you'd prefer.) I recommend Heather Alexander...Live! as a starting tape, but I loved Wanderlust. And I'm kind of confused: i thought stuff like Stable Boy was traditional? is it filk? if it is, i'm impressed, because it sure doesn't sound like filk to me. As a matter of fact, I alternate listening to Wanderlust and Shadowstalker and Heather Alexander....Live!. I haven't gotten around to listening to Songsmith (the Witch World by Andre Norton)) the whole way through yet, but it sounded pretty cool. and i'd choose HA as Goddess over Loreena Mckennit any day, and I like LM. Out of curiousity: what's wrong with the lyrics to Misty filk? i know i didn't care for a lot of the lyrics until i heard the songs, but then, the one song i did like the lyrics to, the filker screwed up (Magic's Price). it shouldn't sound that happy if it is Stefen's last song for Van, IMHO. Lara of Silverwoods "Please, Storyteller, pull a tale from your pocket, Spin me a story from your coattails so fair, My heart is turned cold, my dreams are too old, And I need to know magick's still there...."----Heather Alexander, Wanderlust tape ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 12:52:05 -0400 From: "Arysta" To: Subject: Songsmith/Justus/Ages/Borders/Whites Message-ID: <199610211700.NAA07002-+AT+-mail3.voicenet.com> > From: gar&julie mclaughlin > BTW, since we have so many Heather Alexander fans here, you may be able to > answer a question for me. I just found in the back of my music shelf a tape > by her called "Songsmith" that I thought was pretty good. Now, I know this > goes with a book, but I dont know which one (One of Norton's?) and I dont > think its one I've read yet. Can you tell me which one it is? I would > really like to hear the story about Sulcarkeep.( Why do I have this feeling > someone is going to say "How in the world could you have missed THAT > book????) The tape is based on Norton's "Songsmith," a witch world novel. I read it before I got the tape. I don't know how it compares to OTHER WW stuff, since I think I've read, MAYBE, all of three of them -- including Songsmith. However, as a book, it was pretty standard. I liked it, but I don't read enough of Norton to judge. The music was neat -- I liked it a lot, but most of it is based on the female protaginist's songs (she's a minstrel/bard/whatever they're called in WW) So it's not really stories, per se, of Sulcarkeep and such. I think there was a mention, however. (I did reread it when I got the tape-- but all of that was a LONG time ago) _____________________________________________________ Hmmmmm... I remember seeing -- long ago -- that somone was asking if Justus was older or younger than Talia. Sorry if someone's answered by now, although I didn't SEE an answer:). I reread the AOTQ and found: "Dealing with her older sib Justus...." (pg 102 DAW pb) _____________________________________________________ My .02 on the age of Talia/Elspeth? I can't keep it straight!! Misty has vague mentions of age, but that's it!!! You have to SEARCH for stuff. It's almost as if all the characters are in stasis and then she realises and goes "oops, forgot about you!! Here!" and presses on the fast-forward button for a time. Sure the characters change, but I think that if there was any less time between the books, less time for her to fast-forward them, they'd stay a lot closer to what they were before!! ______________________________________________________ I have a couple questions of my own here: 1) There are really dangerous borders in AOTQ -- everywhere. The Heralds ride circut to protect the borders and such. Devan comments to Talia about how dangerous it is to have the Heralds out -- the last stay until the army got there, basically. Now, if these borders were so dangerous and the Heralds kept getting hurt being heroic and all -- why didn't someone just set a few guard posts down near the borders? This isn't intended as griping, btw, just wondering if there was a rationale that I was missing -- beyond it being GREAT for a Herald's honor-factor. 2) How does a Herald-Trainee earn his/her whites? When Sherill shows up at Tailia's door she says that Talia is the first to know besides Dean Eclarth. There isn't a Collegium wide ceremony or anything (even though the incoming trainees ARE grouped into rough classes) that I noticed. My only conclusion is that the Queen and others choose and Eclarth gets to tell the lucky Herald "You're ready -- here's your circut assignment!" However, I'm not that happy with that conclusion. I dont' know why. Any other ideas? Has this been discussed before and decided upon? Anyway........ Gotta go........ Arysta ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 14:25:41 -0400 (EDT) From: Mat the Cat in Green To: Mercedes Lackey mailing list Subject: Di books/Holly Lisle/HA/Topping/Brightstar/what next/S&SIII Message-ID: > From: dsarik-+AT+-PO-Box.McGill.CA > Anyway, it's tomorrow already, and I have to get up early for class this > morning, (AAAaaaaarggghhhh, flippin' 9:30 Calculus!!!!), so I'm calling it a > night. Heh. I used to have Calc 1 at 8:00AM, 4 times a week. Talk about hell! > Wait a minute -- ObMisty (this isn't on topic enough, really): I heard that > there's a character in BtR who also shows up in JH. Who is he? Which of > those two books should I read/re-read first so as not to ruin it too much? > BtW, wasn't JH impressively awesome? Well, I must agree that CotN was better. > Hmmm...what if Di & Andre met up with Eric & Co.?? Wouldn't that be neat?? Tannim shows up as the green-eyed kid at the dance in JH. And he mentions Di (not by name) in passing in the first few pages of BtR. There's no real spoilerness. > Oh, yeah. Has anyone read Holly Lisle???? (It is too Misty-related. Misty > called her, "One of the hottest new writers I've come across in a long time.") > Which books do you recommend? (I've read _Fire in the Mist_ and _Minerva > Wakes_) Besides which, she co-wrote _When the Bough Breaks_ with Misty. I've read all 3 Arhel books, plus Minerva. Haven't gotten around to the rest yet. =========================================================================== > From: "T. S." > Has anyone read "Jinx High"? I came across it at a local library > book sale. What about "Children of the Night"-any good? > > to: Cennydd, Mage of the Green Silences: Hmmm, mentioning the Di books, and Cenny right next to each other. Mistake. ;) Yes, the Di books are very good, IMO. Read CotN first, then _Burning Water_, then JH. ============================================================================= > From: gar&julie mclaughlin > BTW, since we have so many Heather Alexander fans here, you may be able to > answer a question for me. I just found in the back of my music shelf a tape > by her called "Songsmith" that I thought was pretty good. Now, I know this > goes with a book, but I dont know which one (One of Norton's?) and I dont > think its one I've read yet. Can you tell me which one it is? I would > really like to hear the story about Sulcarkeep.( Why do I have this feeling > someone is going to say "How in the world could you have missed THAT > book????) Well, I haven't heard the tape, but I've seen it in the Firebird catalog. It's from the Norton book of the same name. Haven't read it though. I think that it's coauthored with someone else. > Also, was HA in a band called Golden Bough? I remember seeing them in a bar > in Germany a few years back, but I was before I got any of the tapes. The > voice certainly sounds familiar. Nope, she was in a band called Phoenyx though. But, Margie Butler (the voice of Talia on the tapes) and the singer from Tempest are/were in Golden Bough. ============================================================================ > From: dbackhau-+AT+-isou10.estec.esa.nl > re "topping" - sorry, I forgot, honest I did. Didn't mean to cause trans- > Atlantic double takes, not to mention pauses to ponder just ........ > as I said, I'll *try* and remember! ;> But trans-Atlantic double takes are *fun*. :) > One itsy bitsy little thought that crossed my mind yesterday while reading > - Van's son Brightstar (or whatever) has a large owl as a bond bird - maybe > the new book, Owlflight (or whatever) is going to be about him. There's his > sister don't forget - she might not have been a mage, but she carried the > potential. That's an interesting thought. And having a Healing Adept as a main character would be nice too (Firesong isn't really the main POV character at any point. Just a few POV cameos, as it were). BTW - does anyone else think that Firesong is descened from both Brightstar *and* his sister? What makes me think this is that Firesong mentions that he is descended from Van on both sides. Now, that could just mean that both of his parents are descened from Brightstar, but for some reason, that's not the explanation that sticks in my mind. ============================================================================= > From: Johanna Latham > Mat the Cat in Green wrote: > > Depends. What have you read already, other than BG? > uhm...Castle of Deception, which I think I thought was a bit childish > (but I can't really remember), and Elvenblood and Elvenbane, both of > which I loved. Well, get Heralds of Valdemar (aka Arrows -- _Arrows of the Queen_, _Arrow's Flight_, and _Arrow's Fall_) or the Last Herald-Mage (aka LHM -- _Magic's Pawn_, _Magic's Promise_, and _Magic's Price_) next. Whichever you find first, read. But make it one of those two trilogies. ============================================================================ > From: "L. JANSEN" > Hi It's me again....I have a question. Ok I have two. The first one is > how do I get to be a Herald? *SMILES* One joins Queen's Own, and fullfills a lot of silly (IMHO) persona requirements. > The second one is What is the name > of the book that tells the STory about Kerowyns Grandmother and the > Swordsworn. You know the Book before OathBound. I think that's the name > of it. I know Lackey didn't write it but who did? Thanks to any who > can tell me. There's no book directly before Oathbound. There is a short story called "Swordsworn" that tells how they met. It's in _Sword and Sorceress 3_, edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley, written by Misty. The book is out of print though, and almost impossible to find. Mat Cat Person, Champion in Green, |"Each man builds his own garden, by what Adept, and God of Procrastination| his heart says is true. And I thank Heathen #??? | the stars, that watch over me, mtimme47-+AT+-magic.hofstra.edu | because ours, is a garden for two." http://ada.hofstra.edu/~mtimme47/| - Heather Alexander ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 11:36:35 -0700 From: Susan Cass To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Oatbound prequel Message-ID: <326BC2B3.6F98-+AT+-columbia-center.org> nme848-+AT+-hecky.acns.nwu.edu wrote: > > > > > Lori asked: > > > What is the name > > > of the book that tells the STory about Kerowyns Grandmother and the > > > Swordsworn. You know the Book before OathBound. I think that's the name > > > of it. I know Lackey didn't write it but who did? > > > > Almost right - she *did* write it, but it's a short story - it appears > > in Sword and Sorceress 3, edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley, so Misty's > > name doesn't show up in the book title :-). There are other Tarma and > > Kethry stories in most of the other S&S collections, and the two books > > are _Oathbound_ (follows on immediately from the story in S&S 3) and > > _Oathbreaker_ (starts some time after the end of _Oathbound_; a lot > > of the short stories seem to be set between the two books. > > > > Speaking of S&S III, I just got my hands on it yesterday (3 cheers for > inter-library loans). Good story. Now I just need to find a copy I can > buy. > > Nina For those of you looking for out of print books you might want to try the BSJ list. BSJ stands for bookstore junkies. It's a list made up of people who love books and bookstores. We look mostly for paperback genre books. The address is: bsj-l-request-+AT+-lists.io.com Leave the subject line blank and put the word subscribe in the body. -- susanc-+AT+-columbia-center.org Western Oregon, zone 8 Does fuzzy logic tickle? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 21:15:52 +0200 (METDST) From: Khenta Blaufalk To: Misty mail Subject: ghost or spirit/haters of pink unite/arrows/elspeth!!!!! <- guess how many... Message-ID: Daelon wrote: >Leshya is Ghost. Remember that the Tayledras word for ghost was "leshya"? >Given the choice between being called Ghost or Leshya, I'd pick Leshya every >time. Didn't leshya mean spirit? K'Leshya was the "clan bound by spirit", IIRC. For me there's a difference between ghost and spirit (but don't ask for a definition). Isn't there one in English as well? Now I'm really confused. ==================================================================== Terra wrote: >Is it just me, or does Jody Lee's renderation of the Companions get more... >more... I dunno... "artsy" as she goes along? For LHM, I really liked 'em. >(I used her drawing of Yfandes on MPrice for my sketchbook in art. When >people steal my sketchbook, they usually like that one the best. ^_^) But I >saw the covers of the Storms series.... and all I can say is that I don't >like the color pink; I never have, and I doubt I ever will. ^_^ Hey, you're most welcome! Yay, another person who doesn't like pink. I didn't like the covers, either, they're all in pink, purple and lilac. At least that's how they look to me. As if the Companions are constantly in a kind of dawn or dusk and their coats pick up and reflect the colours. No, now that I think about it, these are definitely no sunset colours, it's never that icky pastel shades (otherwise I wouldn't have picked the usename Skyfire). Of the LHM covers, MPawn is my favourite (though I can't stop wondering why Van looks younger on this cover than on the MPrice cover, where he's supposed to be what?, 22 years older...). Oy, I just had a look at the covers (at http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~ism/lackey/publishers/daw/index.daw.html): the cover of SR is truly annoying: pink companions with blue manes? Igitt. Igitt, igitt, igitt. Though I like the general style of the MageStorms covers with their odd geometric shapes that remind me of... I dunno exactly, but it looks pretty. =================================================================== Jacquelle wrote: >Was anyone able to find the reference in AFall where, I think, Kris >pulled Talia up in front of him as they tried to escape on Tantris >and then they galloped into a hail of arrows--yet Kris' body shielded >Talia from being mortally wounded. Hmm, if he pulled her in front of him and they got shot from behind, that might be how she was shielded from the arrows. But if they got shot from the front... did they? I haven't read it recently. ==================================================================== Jacquelle also wrote: >Was anyone else as upset as I was over the regression of Elspeth's >character from AFall to WoFate? Oy, another Elspeth-debate! May I? May I? Pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase! Actually I wasn't upset (since WoFate was my first Valdemar novel and I would have been quite confused if it hadn't been for "Herald-Chronicler Myste"'s explanation in the prologue -and on a side note, I think that the order in which the books were written/published might be the best/most explaining order in which to read them and now I'm going to finish that sentence before it grows any longer and comes alive and snatches at my fingers- so I couldn't make that comparison). Ok, so she was a bitch, but she was great at being one. And after reading so many destiny-sodden novels with docile little females in them who stay at home/at the hearth while the hero goes out into the world and slays the dragon (just using that stereotype to illustrate my point, not meaning that I want to have all the dragons killed), she was quite a refreshing change. Huh. We had that Elspeth-debate a few months ago and I kept one argument in mind ('though unfortunately not the name of the person who said this, so if you're out there, please accept my apologies): Between BtS and WoFate lie 6 or 7 years. Elspeth was about 18 when she got her whites, and in WoFate, she's 26. And all that time she had to stay in Haven, safely at Mama's hem and under Kero's meticulous gaze. She didn't even have a real field-internship, but "special assignment" to the Skybolts (doing what? certainly not visiting the people who were reconstructing the land after the war). In a situation like this, I completely understand if she becomes a bit bitchy. I would, either. Who wouldn't, honestly? Btw, in WoFate, in an early chapter where she has the argument with her mother and Talia (or Kero) and she says something along the lines of "I'm your unfettered hand and you want to shackle me?", I think she was dead wrong there. She was fettered all the time, before she went south on that trip. Con cordiali saluti (doesn't that sound soooo much nicer in Italian? sigh) Khenta Blaufalk aka Skyfire & Aar Goddess of Incomplete Vocabulary and Garbled Grammar =================================================================== Hellrung's Law: If you wait, it will go away. Grelb's addition: ... if it was bad, it will be back. =================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 16:42:39 +0000 From: "Vrondi" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Missed you all! Message-ID: <199610212048.QAA15157-+AT+-edweb.concord.wvnet.edu> Anything anyone directed at me since the middle of last week, please try sending again. The server wherein my web and main e-mail accounts reside was down the whole time. So, did anyone respond to my question about "A Song For Arbonne" by Guy Gavriel Kay ? -Vrondi,"Mistress of the Air, One With the Trees" a.k.a. Free Bard Oriole a.k.a. Chrys Amy Dean  "To light a candle is to cast a shadow..." -The Master Hand "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Usrula K. Le Guin ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 16:53:50 -0400 (EDT) From: Wintershard To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Book order/Van/Original GB/Les Mis Message-ID: Mat wrote: <> I have to disagree on this one. I've read the books by the time line (Yes, I hate it too), so when I read BTS I didn't know of Talia until the end, you're right. But that didn't matter to me until I read Arrows. Then it was like ,"wait, aren't they from somewhere else...Yeah, I remember you guys!!" I think the stories can click together no matter which you read first. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Cennyd wrote: <> Danya replied: <> I have to agree with Danya for a few reasons. Yes, Vanyel was afraid, but not only from his job, or his personal hurts, but also from his fear that he might hurt the other person that he was involved with. Remember when he was talking to 'Fandes about Jonne, and she asked him why he broke it off? I think part of his reply was that he didn't want to see Jonne get hurt. Also, the reason for why he treats Stef so bad at first is because he thinks Stef is just trying to get close to an idol, not have any serious relationship. But after he sees that Stef _is_ serious, he treats him in a totally different manner . He becomes very much a caring person, and tries to do his best to make sure that Stef won't get hurt in any way. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Kory wrote: <> That's true. However, the MOC is also GB, but he dies only as a result of physical injuries. If it happened, he would probably be able to survive the deaths of several bondeds as long as he himself wasn't harmed. But Valdemar hasn't had the luxury of a long duration of peace to test that. I think that, given the characteristics of MOC, if Elspeth _were_ to die, Gwena would also be able to live on, and maybe Choose again. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes!!!!! Other Les Mis fans! I first heard that on pbs a little while ago and taped it. I think that my fav song is _Drink to Me_. The 17 ValJeans (or however you spell it :p ) was also really good. But the funniest thing of all is that my 5 year old brother can actually sing the lyrics better than me at 18. ...Well, okay, maybe not funny...more on the lines of pitiful. Humming _On my Own_ and being corrected by a toddler, Wintershard God of Subtlety, Discreetness, and Crappy Weather 'Tis by chance we met, by choice we became friends. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 17:22:02 -0400 From: ShadowJaz-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Firesong/CotN/Van Message-ID: <961021172201_1112751875-+AT+-emout20.mail.aol.com> The Lilac Fairy wrote: snip > . . . on one of the AOL Misty boards, some idiot posted a totally fatuous and > callous comment about another my very most favorite characters, Firesong. I could > paraphrase his comment, (snip), and we could start a new topic. anguish were heard across the land- No! don't let her get started on Firesong again! > Arrggghhhh!> Lilac Fairy, please, do tell. Inquiring minds want to know . Besides, if you don't, you'll force me to look it up myself and start the discussion on my own . I shall happily defend Firesong with you! ============================================================= HTH commented that CotN didn't have any of the foibles, etc. Umm, actually there was at least one. Since the infamous "hit in the back of the head with a board" thing that comes up in *every* book she writes practically, was brought to my attention, I was on the look out for it when I reread this book. And yes, sorry to say, it does make an appearance . ============================================================= Now to add my opinion to the Van-as-a-whiner thing. Since other's, HTH in particular, have stated it so well, this is going to be short. Van isn't a whiner, he is they way he is because his life made him that way, and like other people he has his bad times and good, there are just far more bad for him, nuff said. Blessed Be, NightShade OIB and LotPW ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 17:36:57 -0400 From: Chris & Sean Talbot To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Van & Stef / Elspeth & Skif/ Whips / LotPW:Mat is Elevated Message-ID: <199610212136.RAA10612-+AT+-nemesis.idirect.com> At 04:08 AM 10/21/96 +0100, you wrote: >Cennydd wrote: >>>On the other hand, I loved Stefen. Which might also explain why my >antipathy towards Van spikes when I read MPrice. He was a major jerk to Stef. ><< > >and also: >>>If Van had treated me like he treated Stef, I would have walked. He was >cruel. He was callous. He was condescending and insulting.<< > >Ahem. The Lilac Fairy assumes you have textual evidence for these very strong >statements? . Exactly where does Van behave like a major jerk to Stef? >When was he cruel and callous just for the pleasure of being nasty? When was >he condescending and insulting? Did we read the same book? > The only time he treated Stef bad was when he was trying to make Stef feel like he shouldn't have went with Van which was after a death and Van was mourning. > > > >---------- > >On Elspeth: I liked her even more in the Winds books then I did in the >earlier books. If I was going be BE someone in one of Misty's stories, I'd be >Elspeth, or Di Tregarde -cause then I'd get Andre! Of course, I'd really >like to be Silverfox, for reasons I don't need to go into . > >On Skif: I thought the growth of his character was quite well done, actually, >from mischevious kid to emotionally wounded adult. Dealing with horrible >situations is one of the occupational hazards of being a Herald, and it does >tend to make one grow up real fast. However, I did not buy the whole bit with >his being infatuated with Elspeth- I thought this was one of those instances >where Misty should have done another draft. The writing of that plot twist >was clumsy, and is probably part of the reason so many people think Elspeth >is a bitch. > >----------------------------------- >The rest of this message has no nutritional content: > >Moi: >>If the Lilac Fairy is properly contrite and promises not to be >malicious anymore will you explain about the correct usage of thee and thou >again? Please? <<< > >Cennydd: >>But of course, ma chere. However, I will have to do so in >private, since I am sure that there are others on this list who are less than >interested in the morpholexical issues involved in Middle English pronominal >reference.**snip**<< > >Sigh. Oh doing the frabjous fairy flitter... happy happy fairy... > >Kory wrote, referring to the LF's post quoted above: >>>Hmm..I don't recall this discussion...please, Ken...explain. NOW. >>><< > >and Cennydd wrote: >>>Oh, promises, promises!<< > >Milady, what have you been up too??!!! The Lilac Fairy is concerned, has her >third personality been sneaking out and getting into trouble? Besides Lee the >Librarian, and of course, moi, Milady, the dominatrix, is our other alter >ago. We usually make her stay up in her, uhm, workroom in the tower, but >sometimes... Ooops. Did Kory mean Cen had the whip? Errrrr, just forget that >last paragraph, okay? > >-------------- > >To the Ladies of the Pink Wand: >Having heard no objections, the Lilac Fairy hereby proclaims that Mat the Cat >in Green is now Elevated to the Pantheon of Objects of Unrequited Love/Lust. > >Mat, here's how it works. The Ladies will adore you, our hearts breaking >because we know you can never return our love or satisfy our lust. However, >don't let it go to your head! You must never take us for granted. We expect >you to visit us at The Bower, bring us little treats, fuss over us a bit. Oh >yes, and you get to gaze into the scrying pool with us. Tonight we're going >to see what Richard and Alec are up to . > >The Lilac Fairy >Lady of the Pink Wand > >Lee Cox >San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum (SF PALM) > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 17:35:46 CST From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: LHM covers Message-ID: <1115ADE056A-+AT+-future.judson.edu> IMO, I think that Vanyel looks YEARS younger on the cover of MPrice than he does on the cover of MPawn..and much handsomer,too for all it's worth. Jacquelle Oh, very clever, Worf. Eat any good books lately? --Q ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 17:30:41 CST From: "JAIME HATHAWAY" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: ghost or spirit/haters of pink unite/arrows/elspeth!!!! Message-ID: <11144B16FC9-+AT+-future.judson.edu> About the Last Herald Mage book covers...I think Vanyel looks YEARS younger on the cover of Magic's Price than he does on the cover of Magic's Pawn(and much more handsome, for all it's worth....) Jacquelle ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 16:12:37 -0700 (PDT) From: Elizabeth Angell To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: The braid from the black lagoon..... Message-ID: Argh. I feel like an idiot. In my last braid I was going to add my thoughts on SB at the bottom, but I was called away from the computer and finished the braid upon my return without putting the stuff in. I'm going senile in my mid-teens. Well, I'll get it right this time. But first, other matters: ========================================================================= Pern: I liked the Dragonflight & after books the best, but I also enjoyed Dragonsdawn, except for the fact that Sallah was my favorite character in that book... :-( I enjoyed All The Weyrs of Pern a great deal, but I adored Robinton and am therefor in *serious* denial about the ending. ========================================================================= My favorites on LM's The Visit are All Souls Night (i *love* that song) and The Lady Of Shallot. I'm going to get some HA and filk as soon as I get catalogs from Firedird, Pegasus, & Random Factors. I'll let you all know how I like it. Guess What? It looks like I'm finally going to be able to get a Celtic Harp and start taking lessons!! I shall have to add Bard-in-Training to my sig. ======================================================================== I recommend all the Di Tregarde books, but CotN is definitely the best, in my ever so humble opinion. Besides, I'm *very* fond of Andre. ======================================================================== About the covers: Normally I like Jody Lee's *people*, but the Companions are, well, interesting. I hated the SB cover, Karak's face looked awful and Florian was pink. Yuck. Not to mention the squidy-thingy, or whatever it was. I loved the Arrows books, but all that pink and purple drives me nuts. "Never judge a book by it's cover." LHM were pretty good, and I loved the border design w/ the changing branches. I won't discuss Princess Tashira. I really did like BTS, though. The cover was what got me to pick it up, and say, "Looks interesting" and that was what prodded me to check it and the Arrows trilogy all out of the library at once. You know the rest.... ======================================================================== On cats: (imagine figures in the background wailing "No! don't get her started on this, please! as an honorary member of the Cat People rises to the defense of her favorite creatures) Hey, you know what the bumper sticker says: the more people I meet, the more I like my cats. No, really, I like people too. But, to include a fave quote: No Heaven will not Ever Heaven Be, Unless my Cats are There To Welcome me. -epitaph in a pet cemetary And that's all I have to say about that. ========================================================================== Deniz: *You* think you hafta get up early?! I have an 8:30 PreCalc class 5 days a week. I live 1 1/2 hours away from the UW, because I have to ride the ferry every morning. This means I get to leave the house at 6:40, which means I arise at 6:00, occasionally 5:45. Sorry,m I'm just grumpy throughout the week from the combined effects of 6-7 hrs sleep when lucky, homework up my -+AT+-$$, and *way* to many Cafe Mochas. =========================================================================== Ok, the moment you've all been waiting for: SB Spoiler Space .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. a little more .. .. .. .. .. .. that's enough. I am very ambivalent about this book. Some parts I loved, like the bits with Lesh'ya Tarma, and some parts I hated, including the ending. I liked Need. I hope she shows up again, or else I will be rather annoyed. The parts with the Empire were okay, but would have much rather seen more of Van, Talia, Kero,& Selenay than read about Melles. Elspeth was more likeable than in Winds, and Firesong was pretty good too. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this one, but i'm glad I got a library copy rather than buying it. Zhai'helleva, 'S e do bheatha, & Love, Raindancer. ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 893 *********************************