MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1834 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Braid o' things by "Rhiannon Shadowsong" 2) Re: Braid o' things by troll-+AT+-netcomuk.co.uk 3) Re: Perfect Vanyel by Elizabeth Hoffman 4) Re: Jack by "Judy L. Wood" 5) Re: Braid o' things by Gisela Vazquez 6) Re: Perfect Vanyel by "Angie" 7) Re:movies, tv by Julia Gray 8) Re:movies, tv by "Abigail Laughlin" 9) Stuffness by "Abigail Laughlin" 10) Heyla by Gisela Vazquez 11) Re: Perfect Vanyel by "Cait M." 12) Movie roles by Amy Trujillo 13) Re: Perfect Vanyel by Tylendel Dotzauer 14) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 1832 by "ambermoon starshadow" 15) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 1833 by "ambermoon starshadow" 16) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 1832 by "Abigail Laughlin" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1999 20:07:22 PST From: "Rhiannon Shadowsong" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Braid o' things Message-ID: <19990104040724.9983.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> Thanks to everyone who dropped a line. It made me feel better, and improved my temper, which undoubtedly kept my family from murdering me, and vice versa. Muranog Shadowbane: > >Neverending movie cast thread: >Paul Gross sounds like a good Daren to me...Patrick Stewart as Alberich >too(anyone else remember him in Dune, years before he went into Star Trek?) >And while I'm in the Star Trek vein, can anyone else see Denise Crosby >as Kerowyn? If she can do a starship security chief, she can do a merc >captain... :) I love Dune, and I loved loved loved Patrick Stewart in Dune. Of course, I'm the only person I know who can actually sit through Dune, so I can never share my love of it with others. Silly people with short attention spans! He would make a good Alberich in many ways, but I really don't think he's quite sinister enough. You know who would make a fabulous Lord Orthallen? The guy who played Moff Tarkin in Star Wars. This is utterly irrelevant, but I think that "Moff" is a ridiculous name for a villian. Me and a few friends were watching Star Wars this morning and I kept saying things like "Oh, Moffy, surely you don't intend to blow up Alderan! We know yhou don't mean it, Moffy dearest, so be a good lad and behave." Moff, indeed. > >Rhiannon: >Both _Polgara the Sorceress_ AND _The Rivan Codex_ ARE already out in >softback here in the UK, so I would think they would be on the other >side of the Atlantic, seeing as Eddings is American... > Oh goodie! I haven't been book shopping in ages, seeing as how I'm only a lowly broke student... so I had no idea. Happy happy joy joy! School is starting soon for many people. I hope everyone makes the best of their fresh start, although I fear I will break all of my New Year's resolutions within my first stressful day back at school. ::sigh:: Oh well! Wind to thy wings, Rhiannon Shadowsong ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 08:29:01 GMT From: troll-+AT+-netcomuk.co.uk To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Braid o' things Message-ID: <19991483036241-+AT+-netcomuk.co.uk> Rhiannon wrote: >You know who would make a fabulous Lord Orthallen? The guy who played >Moff Tarkin in Star Wars. This is utterly irrelevant, but I think that >"Moff" is a ridiculous name for a villian. Peter Cushing. Yep, he would have made a great Lord Orthallen. One small problem...isn't he dead already? Btw, Moff was his rank, not his name...Moff means sector governor. Don't think his personal name (assuming Tarkin as the surname)is ever stated anywhere. How about Jack Nicholson instead for Orthallen? Trollhugs to all, Muranog Shadowbane Troll Adept Knight of Fluff OIB Member of the Mistic Circle and his bondmate Sable, the giant black war sheep(also OIB) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 12:24:09 +0000 (GMT Standard Time) From: Elizabeth Hoffman To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Perfect Vanyel Message-ID: Happy < insert festival of choice> I've remebered the perfect Vanyel actor. Hitch is I think hes dead I've forgotten his name and I don't know if the TV show was shown in the US. UK people about 10 years ago the guy with the dark hair and quite pointy face, drop dead gorgeous, (picture clearer?) played Robin of Locksley in the first series of the Robin Hood thing that had the Clannad theme tune (think very Celtic / gealic sound). I'm fairly sure he died in a motorcycle crash and I know that the replacement Robin was Jason Connery (the blond haired son of Sean Connery). As I remeber the guy he even looked a little like the cover pictures from LHM. ---------------------- Elizabeth Hoffman E.G.Hoffman-+AT+-soton.ac.uk ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 08:15:06 -0500 From: "Judy L. Wood" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Jack Message-ID: <3690BED9.EDE0BBDD-+AT+-BellSouth.Net> troll-+AT+-netcomuk.co.uk wrote: > Rhiannon wrote: > >You know who would make a fabulous Lord Orthallen? The guy who played > >Moff Tarkin in Star Wars. This is utterly irrelevant, but I think that > >"Moff" is a ridiculous name for a villian. > > Peter Cushing. Yep, he would have made a great Lord Orthallen. One > small problem...isn't he dead already? Btw, Moff was his rank, not > his name...Moff means sector governor. Don't think his personal name > (assuming Tarkin as the surname)is ever stated anywhere. How about > Jack Nicholson instead for Orthallen? > Yes, Jack Nicholson, finally someone to agree with me! Jack is the perfect villian. Also, since he is also does great impersonations, he could do almost any voice. He just looks the part of an evil lord. Sorry so short. Judy -- "Insanity takes its toll.....Please have exact change" "Where the hell are the singin' cats?" -- Paul Newman "Surely, you can't be serious!" "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley" ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 08:18:35 -0500 (EST) From: Gisela Vazquez To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Braid o' things Message-ID: Hi everyone, I should be getting ready to go to school, and I will just as soon as I poast once more before the descend of teachers demanding essays, research papers, class discussions and more. rhiannon shadowsong wrote i got sacred ground from the library. it ws very very very very good and i liked it very very very very much. is that enough verysth i thought it was great because it was so different from her previous books in many ways. but i think that making whats-his-name ofyou know the cherokee love interestwith change sides so quickly was a bit much. he changed his entire attitude in just a few days. right. moving on.... i've been going through misty withdrawl lately because one can only read everything she's written once a week without losing my mind so it was fabulous to read something i hadn't before. I personally liked sacred ground as well. It was different, but I think that was part of it's charm. I can really impithise with your nightmarish family time because I was going through much the same thing. I'm glad you're feeling better. angie wrote himm... maybe there's a possibility that silverfox and firesong are lifebonded.. but i don't think so. maybe they're just attracted to each other. didn't silverfox say that he would refuse the bond? why would anyone want to shut him up? i like his flamboyancy! I don't think you can refuse a life bond, I think it can be fought but refused? I think it's strange how they keep being pulled together. Silverfox didn't have to go with them to the tower at the end of sr just a thought. I personally like Firesong with An'desha but can't do much about that. It just seems that firesong's too selfcenter and imature sometimes. they're just such a nice balance, but whatever happens to him it will due. In repply to my question about where to get audio misty Angie wrote: try firebirdarts.com! they carry everything misty... I will thanks and Judy wrote: i have seen some audio books of hers they were in a catalog from a state library for the blind and people with other disabilities. a friend of mine has something similiar to ms and gets books from there. the only problem with their format is you need a special type of player to listen to them. I think you're talking about Talking book library and I'm a member of that, but they're currently working on Magic's price and have not heard about storm breaking. If this isn't what you were talking about let me know. I'd be interested to become involved with another organization that provides audio books. now I must depart in to the land of education once more. good luck to all those who will be inbarking on a similar journey. Wind to thy wings. Gisela Vazquez d052951c-+AT+-dc.seflin.org ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 21:15:20 +0800 From: "Angie" To: Subject: Re: Perfect Vanyel Message-ID: <01be37e4$479d12a0$0100007f-+AT+-heraldtg> :UK people about 10 years ago the guy with the dark hair and quite :pointy face, drop dead gorgeous, (picture clearer?) played Robin of :Locksley in the first series of the Robin Hood thing that had the :Clannad theme tune (think very Celtic / gealic sound). I'm fairly yes. you have a point. Is he the guy on Clannad's CD cover for that same movie? "Legend"? If he is.. nah.. I think he'll look better as Skif. Originally, i thought he would be great as Van too... but his face is too like David Copperfield's... :) Shadowblade minus her sig. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 09:04:25 -0600 From: Julia Gray To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re:movies, tv Message-ID: <3690D878.172D1D20-+AT+-oakton.edu> Okay, I deleted the note about that said who volunteered for the web page about movie roles... and where to send your thoughts.... could that person please repost?? thanks!! a few thoughts: I love love love the idea of David Bowie as Mornelith Falconsbane I like Patrick Stewart as Alberich - but I don't know some of the other suggestions. I can envision renee (? - the lady who plays the side kick) as Kethry rather than kero and I also agree that perhaps an animated version might be better - esp a japanese animator that doesn't go for the "big eye" look. I was thinking of what I'd do as a television series. I think if I were trying to find one that balanced Misty's world and still had some mass appeal, I'd base it it Darkwind's early life - but do it as a finite project like Babylon 5. The first hour long episode being his meeting with the gryphons, and then weekly episodes with encounters with things, end of first season something major with him, his father and his brother. Second season, start with a new older actor, and start seeing some unresolved mornelith falconsbane type things, with the second season ending with first of a two-parter where his father is captured by Mornelith Falconsbane. Third season opener, rupture of heartstone. and go from there.... just a thought. . . . obmisty: thanks for those who clued me in on the upcoming misty books - so am i right that the only "valdemar" book in the works (that we know of) is owlknight? are any of the retold fairy tales set in any of misty's current worlds (if anyone knows......)? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 09:06:59 PST From: "Abigail Laughlin" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re:movies, tv Message-ID: <19990104170659.8859.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> This is just a quick reply--I'll braid everything else together later. <> That's me. Send your submissions to me at abbykat-+AT+-hotmail.com --don't trust me to pick them out of mails to the list, 'cause I won't. The page is http://www.angelfire.com/ky/Ashke/casting.html <> I'm inclined to agree with you here. I can also see By The Sword done this way--the pilot, Kerowyn's Ride, and then the rest of the first season her training with Tarma and Keth and Warrl and Daren. Season finale, her shaking Daren loose and being packed off to the Skybolts. Second season could probably sting through until she was made Captain, or that could be made into two seasons, I don't know. Then another season for the third part of the book. It could maybe even be strung out into another season with Kero as a Herald, but only if Misty wrote the plot. :) I think it could very well be pulled off, if Misty had a hand in the casting and the writing of the screenplay--Peter Beagle wrote the screenplay for The Last Unicorn, and the result was that the movies was almost exactly like the book in every way that mattered--and if it was plotted out to be a finite series like Babylon 5. With no sequels and spinoffs, dammit. As far as I can see one of the major problems with TV series is that people start doing dumb things to them to try and make them more generally popular, and it never works--the original audience gets digusted, and the new target audience never catches on. Case in point, seaQuest. <> No, Brightly Burning is Lavan Firestorm, and he's Valdemaran. Zha'hai'allav'a, Raven Darkblade, Holy Hand of the Goddess of Elves, Member of the Mistic Circle, Knight and Founding Member of the Order of Unsung Heroes, Advocator of Eldan, Champion of Kethra and Hyllarr, Devotee of Maclyn, and Worshipper of Tal Rufen; and Mor the raven, her familiar. abbykat-+AT+-hotmail.com http://www.angelfire.com/ky/Ashke/casting.html ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 11:59:12 PST From: "Abigail Laughlin" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Stuffness Message-ID: <19990104195913.21676.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> <> I dunno, I didn't think it was stretchng too much to have David come around the way he did. He still occasionally behaved like an idiot. And you gotta figure, what he saw would be enough to make anybody reexamine their priorities and motivations--big time. Off the top of my head, though, did anyone else choke on a laugh when David was addressed as 'Mr. Horse'? Shouldn't that have been Mr. Spotted Horse? I thought it was worth a snicker. <> Sounds like my copies of the Dragonlance Chronicles (inherited from my brother) and By The Sword (which has a tear on the page where Kero gets pounded on by Guardsman Dane--if that tells you anything about how often I've read the book). <> Don't knock it. Take it from me, having a concept of 'work' *before* one trucks oneself off to college is a Good Thing. Means you're less likely to screw up spectacularly. I know. Firesong: <> <> I don't mind the flamboyance so much, but... well... he was being selfish. Petty, even. "Oh, woe is me, I don't have a lifebond. However shall I survive?" Give me a break. He got annoyed--rightfully, I suppose--at An'desha for being clingy and spineless, and then when An'desha grew a spine and stopped clinging, he threw a sulking fit because An'desha didn't need him any more. He's really a good character, but I've just never had that much tolerance for the peole who insist on being the center of attention all the time, and that's more or less what Firesong does, vain creature that he is. <> It always seemed to me that Firesong got with An'desha because he, Firesong, was feeling neglected and An'desha needed someone to take care of him. Consequently, when An'desha stopped depending on Firesong, the relationship died away. <> <> Yeah, what Muranog said. Incidentally, though, the Emperor--can you imagine going through life being called Palpatine? My friends and I figure that must have been what made him go evil. Zha'hai'allav'a, Raven Darkblade, Holy Hand of the Goddess of Elves, Member of the Mistic Circle, Knight and Founding Member of the Order of Unsung Heroes, Advocator of Eldan, Champion of Kethra and Hyllarr, Devotee of Maclyn, and Worshipper of Tal Rufen; and Mor the raven, her familiar. abbykat-+AT+-hotmail.com http://www.angelfire.com/ky/Ashke/casting.html ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 18:56:59 -0500 (EST) From: Gisela Vazquez To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Heyla Message-ID: keep trying to find some redeamers in firesong and am sorry to say that there aren't many, sigh! I just see all of Van's early qualities, ya know stuck up arrigant, although with Van it was a protective thing! What's firesong's excuse? I just can't make myself like him all the way. Poor whoever he gets stuck with, I mean whoever gets stuck with him. We could blame it on the mage storms but he was like that in winds too. I mean they were on their way to kill Ancar and the rest and all firesong could think about was having sex. Although he was concerned when that young man was attack and raped. The healer came out in him. I guess that's why I can't completely dislike him because he is a bit like moondance. AS for Van, his dad could have been a bit nicer to him, shown that he cared. Some of you have suggested that it was to protect van that his father treated him the way he did, but still. Sorry if this degenerates into noncohesiveness but I'm just really tired. I wonder if maybe An'desha will be able to let himself be volnerable no that's not right I mean let himself be put in a situation where another person will have power over him. I'm sorry people this is really getting bad I'm writing it and it's making me go nuts because I keep jumping from topic to topic. Now let's see, hummmm, where was I? Oh yeh, An'desha I think when he began developing back bone he began realizing the power giving your heart away gives another person and he flipped. If I would have been through what he'd been through I probably would have flipped too, I shink we all might. I'm going to stop now. zhai'helleva! a Gisela Vazquez d052951c-+AT+-dc.seflin.org ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 17:57:08 -0800 From: "Cait M." To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Perfect Vanyel Message-ID: <36917174.3AB7-+AT+-flash.net> Elizabeth Hoffman wrote: > > Happy < insert festival of choice> > > I've remebered the perfect Vanyel actor. Hitch is I think hes dead > I've forgotten his name and I don't know if the TV show was shown in > the US. > UK people about 10 years ago the guy with the dark hair and quite > pointy face, drop dead gorgeous, (picture clearer?) played Robin of > Locksley in the first series of the Robin Hood thing that had the > Clannad theme tune (think very Celtic / gealic sound). I'm fairly > sure he died in a motorcycle crash and I know that the replacement > Robin was Jason Connery (the blond haired son of Sean Connery). As I > remeber the guy he even looked a little like the cover pictures from > LHM. > Um... the guy who was in Kindred: The Embraced? (A really awful Aaron Spelling show about vampires? Can't think of the name, but yeah! He would! Aoife ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 18:36:05 -0600 From: Amy Trujillo To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Movie roles Message-ID: <36915E6D.74E6-+AT+-southwind.net> Heyla everyone, In an attempt to get away from all the things happening in my life I have some how fixated on the possible cast for a Valdemar movie.... Talia-Kirsten Dunst--she's a good actress and she it that sort of waifish personality with a steel core that I see as Talia Mornelithe/Andesha--Ralf Fiennes--he was the best villain in Schindler's list-so oily and demented he could make you shiver....but he can also play the good guy and he sort of "looks" like Andesha to me-- being a half blood and all Kero--Linda Hamilton--I've always liked her and she's definitely tough ...Second Choice would be Mira Sorvino Vanyel--Stefano Dionisi...he played the lead character in the french movie Farinelli--I don't think he quiet has the "look" but then no one does....what he has is the character--he's strong but vulnerible and he does heartbreak and pain very well Alberich--Anthony Hopkins ala The Mask of Zorro--GREAT actor and he proved he can wield a sword in that movie Elspeth--Parker Posey--she was in Dazed and Confused, Party Girl and I think that she was in You've Got Mail she's got the brat act down and she looks like Elspeth to me--she's petite, brown and brown and she's pretty but not drop dead gorgeous Second Choice--Minnie Driver Darkwind--Benjamin Bratt--he's on either Law and Order or Homicide some of you might remember him from Demolition Man he was Sandra Bullocks friend in that movie--he's handsome not gorgeous otherwise I would suggest him as Firesong Tylendel--I agree with those who like Chris O'Donnell as he was in the Three Musketeers...Second Choice--Matt Damon Savil--Vanessa Redgrave Skiff--Ben Affleck --he's got the charm and the looks Nyara--Alyssa Milano--don't ask me why but I have always envisioned her as Nyara she always seemed catty to me Kethry--tie here Gwyeth Paltrow or Cate Blanchett--I absolutely loved her in Elizabeth Tarma--Michelle Yeoh--she was in the last James Bond movie--she would need blue contacts but she's wonderful Daren--Dennis Quaid That's all for now Amy Ferret Friend Lady of All Things Missing, Especially Socks ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 20:18:39 -0500 From: Tylendel Dotzauer To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Perfect Vanyel Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19990104201839.006bdb68-+AT+-pop.service.ohio-state.edu> At 01:04 AM 1/5/99 +0000, you wrote: >> Happy < insert festival of choice> >> >> I've remebered the perfect Vanyel actor. Hitch is I think hes dead >> I've forgotten his name and I don't know if the TV show was shown in >> the US. >> UK people about 10 years ago the guy with the dark hair and quite >> pointy face, drop dead gorgeous, (picture clearer?) played Robin of >> Locksley in the first series of the Robin Hood thing that had the >> Clannad theme tune (think very Celtic / gealic sound). I'm fairly >> sure he died in a motorcycle crash and I know that the replacement >> Robin was Jason Connery (the blond haired son of Sean Connery). As I >> remeber the guy he even looked a little like the cover pictures from >> LHM. Maybe i'm just an old cynic, but i always imagined hugh grant being a good Vanyel. but hey, that's just me. me who was an original hugh grant fan BEFORE all that Divine Brown stuff. :-) What about Tylendel? Who would be good to portray him? I've never seen an actor who has managed to pass off blonde curls as attractive... just my 2 cents- -ty Magic Breeder of Chickens in the Land of Plastic, http://www.geocities.com/paris/lights/8308 ICQ: 20439692 AOL IM: Tylendel33 "And if I'm hanging on to your shade I guess I'm way beyond the pain..." -Tori Amos, "Doughnut Song" ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 17:47:16 PST From: "ambermoon starshadow" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 1832 Message-ID: <19990105014717.29460.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> Heyla all, yes, Ambermoon is delurking once again (quick, run!) just had to say a few things, sorry I don't have the quotes from people, but my computer and I had a minor disagreement (it won. it usually does). Lady Astreia asked about the Halfblood Chronicles. yes, I read them, and I definitely agree there should be a third book (at least). it might possibly make up for that horrid thing claiming to be the second. I loved Elvenbane, and was in for a major shock when I read Elvenblood. It was contrived, insipid, implausible, a great disappointment. It even broke its own rules! By that, I mean the laws of magic as set forth in Elvenbane: it was expressly stated that elves have no mind-magic, only humans. Therefore, that whole thing with Sheyrena could not have happened. No matter how you twist it, it was still mind-magic. Then, poor plot. Three romances all at once, for the three heros of the previous book? Unlikely; just bad writing. I might possibly have forgiven it, though, if any of them had been written better. With Shana and Loryn, it went straight from them meeting to them being in love. There was nothing in between, nothing was built. The others were no better (and I really didn't like that female dragon whatever-her-name-was). Then, the rebellion against the elven lords made little sense. If iron was such a danger to them, wouldn't someone have known something about it, and wouldn't they have taken precautions against something like that happening? With all their careful plans, it sems highly unlikely that they wouldn't have. Also, while I understand that females were certainly victims in that society, the way they all turned out to be secretly waiting and swung over to the half-bloods' side whole-heartedly also struck me as implausible. *Some* women had power, a point was made of it in Elvenbane. Also, if they were all waiting for something to happen, wouldn't they have done something themselves a long time ago? They certainly had equal magic, and equal cunning (a point was made of that, too). About the only part of that book I liked was Keman standing up to, fighting, and beating his sister. While on the subject, I'll just say something briefly ;) about Elvenbane. My firm opinion is that Valyn was an idiot, and far too impressed with himself. Shana should have had better taste. Speaking of better taste, she should have chosen Zed! Zed remains one of my favorite Misty characters, and I can't believe how little a role he got. He deserved so much better, and the book certainly seemed to hint at a lot more happening with him. Then it just dropped him. If a third book does come out, I hope he's a main character. Whew! Sorry for that, feel free to flame me if you like. (but then I'll have fun with the old saying "fight fire with fire" . . .) I also felt called to say a few words in Firesong's defense. thank you whoever else did it for me already, but I feel compelled to put in my own two bits worth. as someone pointed out, Firesong certainly has feelings for others, and generosity. as for not acting like a Healing Adept, he gave so much of himself, and if he was proud, he had a right to be. if he wasn't like Moondance, there's one major difference I can think of. Moondance was pretty messed up himself, then he had Starwind. and a Starwind, or a shay'kreth'ashke (lifebond), was exactly what Firesong yearned for. and I don't think he was a twit for it at all. because of his power, and beauty, he never was really close to anyone. b/c he wasn't close to anyone, he wanted desperately to be so close to someone there was a soul-bond. is that wrong? I don't think he and Silverfox are life-bonded, but I think Silverfox will help him. Rhiannon, I'm very sorry about your cat (and everything else). I've had cats die, and both my dogs died last year. I hope you are able to feel better soon. also, if you are the one who asked about Polgara, I have been pestering bookstore-people since it came out, and they told me January '99. That means it should be out in pb now! Hurray! Rivan_Codex probably won't be for a while, though. everyone in the UK, you are very lucky. I have a last question. (sorry!) has anyone here read anything by Melanie Rawn? I've read the Dragon Prince trilogy, but haven't gotten around to Dragon Star yet. I have read both books of Exiles, and am waiting quite impatiently for the third. If anyone knows when it'll be out (it's called The_Captal's_Tower), I'd be very grateful. also, has anyone read the Tielmaran Chronicles, by Katya Reimann? no one I've talked to has heard of them. they're really good, but there's only two so far, and the next won't be out for a really long time ;(. if anyone knows when it'll be out, or knows the books, please tell me! oh! I nearly forgot: I just took out Owlsight from the library and am about to start it. I didn't overly care for Owlflight, but I'm hoping for improvement. (Ambermoon promises to be quiet now, really.) -Ambermoon Singer of Fire ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 19:06:07 PST From: "ambermoon starshadow" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 1833 Message-ID: <19990105030607.9228.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> Heyla all, sorry for the second post, but great news! I was just at firebird arts and music, and it said there's a new Halfblood Chronicles book in the works! a third one! no title as of yet, but be on the lookout for it. -Ambermoon Singer of Fire ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 19:49:12 PST From: "Abigail Laughlin" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 1832 Message-ID: <19990105034914.8084.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com> <> Hey, hey, hey, I liked Elvenblood. It had its poor points, to be sure, but it was every bit as good as The Elvenbane, which had some of the same problems. <> Wait. Back up. Which Shayrena thing? Shayrena never used mind-magic, as I recall. She used a form of alteration, low-level but handy-dandy. A small change here, a small change there. She never spoke in anyone's mind or heard their thoughts. She never sensed anyone's emotions. She never moved things with her mind. (Feel free to prove me wrong--it's been a while since I've done more than skim through Elvenblood on the way to some of my favorite parts.) <> Rhiadorana was completely unnecessary; I'll agree with you there. Mero and Shayrena weren't even really necessary, but came off pretty well. I *liked* Lorryn and Shana getting together. Maybe it moved a little fast, but so have other romances in Misty's other books, and I never heard any complaints about *those.* Also, as I recall, it went more from them meeting, to friendship/partnership and Shana infatuating (again), to romance. <> You'd be surprised what can leap out of the wings. They *didn't* know that iron was such a danger. I don't think any of them had ever encountered the problem (and realized what was going on). There might have been some past experiences with it on the parts of ancestors, but *they* might not have realized what was going on, either, and even if they did, and left records, and someone in a position to have an effect on society read those records and *understood* those records--well, what are the odds? As for careful plans--remember Lord Dyran. These guys tend to have have blind spots the size of Mack trucks. Products of their societies, one might say. <> You said part of it yourself. Equal magic. Meaning that if they tried something, they'd have a struggle on their hands--and there were less women with that sort of power than there were men, and not all of those women would *want* to revolt. It was noted in Elvenblood that most if not all of the *men* who revolted were on the low end of the power scale. They didn't have a plan, either, and would have had a harder time making one without getting caught. Nor did most, if any, of them understand how magic like Shayrena's could be put to its most effective use--they only knew conventional elven magic. Maybe if things had gone on, someone would have put something together and made it work. But hey, Shana & Co. walk in and hand them a set of tricks to give them an *edge* on the elven lords--I'm not the least bit surprised that a mess of folks who would have ordinarily been too cautious to agree to revolt jumped for the chance to change things. This is not to say that I don't think Elvenblood (and The Elvenbane) got a tad overworked, corny, and poorly plotted in places. They did, both of them. But on the whole, they're not so bad. <> I liked that. That was good. It actually caught me by surprise when he lost to Myre the first time around--a good stroke, plotwise, on Misty and Andre Norton's parts. And I liked the way he finally beat her too. <> Valyn was an idiot. Valyn was arrogant. Valyn, for the most part, had not much of a clue. I like him anyhow, though a relationship between him and Shana would never have worked. Hey, he was gorgeous; crushes have been formed on less. That's all Shana was really feeling for him anyhow--a crush. And in the end, he had the guts to do something good at a major cost to himself. <> Eh. Zed never struck me as much more than a secondary character. The one I'd like to see more of is Father Dragon. Tres cool. :) < because of his power, and beauty, he never was really close to anyone. b/c he wasn't close to anyone, he wanted desperately to be so close to someone there was a soul-bond. is that wrong?>> No. It wasn't wrong of him to want that closeness. It was, however, not in the least bit excusable for him to not just want a lifebond but bemoan his lack of one, and to spend so much time sulking about it, and to seriously consider using Mornelithe Falconsbane's reincarnation trick in the hopes of getting one. He was being unrealistic. He was thinking completely about himself, and only about himself. He was making the very mistake warned about in WoFury; thinking that the more common lovebond was inferior to a lifebond. Sometimes things aren't meant to be; he'd have done better to have accepted that either he would one day find a soul-mate or he wouldn't and gotten on with his life, instead of trying to plot a way to force fate's hand. <> I certainly hope he and Silverfox aren't lifebonded. After all his whining about it, I'd be disappointed in Misty if she gave him one. He needed to learn to appreciate more average relationships, and to pursue those instead of trying to chase down a lifebond. I'm not saying that he isn't worthy of a lifebond, but--well, storywise it'd be like having the Great Golden Dragon come down and squash the villain for the heroes after they worked out their personal problems. Deus ex machina, or whatever. <> I've read Dragon Prince--just the book, not the trilogy. I reallyreallyreally liked the first half or so. Around the time everyone started getting interested in children, I started losing interest. I've never been a fan of 'all for my children' type plots--I'm a die-hard starry-eyed Disney-fed romantic and I have no maternal instinct and dammit, I wanted it to have been all for Rohan and Sioned! I'm fussy that way, I know. It was a good book, just not entirely satisfying. <> Back when the Owlflight trilogy started coming out somebody said something about characters like Eldan and Kero being partly featured. This piqued my interest. Having now read Owlflight, I ask those of you who have read Owlsight: Do any of the older characters turn up? If so, who? Zha'hai'allav'a, Raven and Mor ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 1834 **********************************