From: 2120158@hydra.maths.unsw.EDU.AU ()
Subject: Re: Weis and Hickman
Organization: school of Mathematics UNSW
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 05:01:04 GMT

In article <1992Oct8.155223.4111@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> hoffmann@plantain.cps.msu.edu (Lisa M Hoffmann) writes:
>In article <1992Oct7.214055.23196@newsroom.utas.edu.au>  
>u920065@postoffice.utas.edu.au (Cameron Hill) writes:
>> Hi 

  Oh shit, here we go again. If we are going to get into this, then I must
remind people that A MAJORITY of fiction where there was a party of adventures
resolving a conflict also involves artifact, a god (which is usually slain if
it is evil) and number of armies.
   This is the SAME for Eddings, and there has just been a Flame war over this
which everone just gave up on as it went no-where.

>>   I agree that the work mentioned above does not resemble Tolkien, but what
>> the Dragonlance series. In this series there was a group of companions that
>> set out to bet the forces of Darkness that was led by a God.( In Tolkien's

  Well, when I read the series, he appeared to be a wizard - just more powerful
than Gandalf. I mean he died a lot easier than Torak in the Belgariad.

>> case Sauron was a Demi god)  To do this they go to the free people and 
>> build an army.  But this army is much smaller than that of the dark.  
>> However it is not the armies that defeat the dark, it is the companions by 
>> means of destroying some great item (Tolkien had the ring, DragonLance had
>> the gem imbedded in Berem's chest ).  This of course  
>> does not stop enjoyment of the books.  
>> Also has anyone noticed the similarities with non-human races. All
>> dwarves are stocky, bad tempered miners and crafters who fight with elves.
                                                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  In my opinion, this is because of their differences, I mean would you trust a 
person who lived in a tree?. It is much like those living in the cities 
mistrusting those who live in the cities, except to a larger degree.

>>	Another point to consider.  In nearly all fantasy  
>books that involve elves,
>> they are fair in features and nearly taller than humans.  Also a large  
>number
>> are proficient with the longbow.  Where does this come from, not  
   
With Longbows, isn't it logical that people who live in the forest and hunt
there are going to be using missile weapons, and longbows are one of the best.

>mythology,
>> here elves were a short people that lived with the fairies.  I think it  
>was 
>> Tolkien that first sterotyped the 'modern' elves.
>> 			Finally two last points. The first, isn't logical  
>for Tolkien to have
>> a big impact on todays fantasy as he is the one who most likely made 
>> fantasy into what it is today.  And secondly, is there any need for the 
>> language that has been flying around the net.
>> 
   It's a free world.
>
>As far as the Dragonlance series goes, I believe it was based on the  
>(A)D&D modules of the same name.  As a matter of fact, somewhere in the  
>credits they mentioned that some parts of the stories weren't originally  
>theirs, but things that happened in playing the modules (like Raistlain  
>charming the gully-dwarfs).  My point here is that when Gygax wrote the  
>game, he DID base things (like the dislike between dwarves and elves) on  
>Tolkien but that does not necessarily mean Weis & Hickman relied on  
>Tolkien for inspiration -- unless you count second-hand reliance.
>
>> Well thats about it.
>> Now who likes eddings.
>> 
>
>That would be me! :-)  And I agree, let's get back to what this group is  
>really about! 
>
>> 
>> Dean Bailey
>> u920065@postoffice.utas.edu.au
>
>Lisa Hoffmann
>hoffmann@cps.msu.edu


  If you still like to argue about Weis & Hickman, email me will you
You've got me curious.

Matthew.
Uni of NSW.
Australia.

Email:2120158@hydra.maths.unsw.edu.au