HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: chuq@gallant.apple.com (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Mercedes Lackey
Date: 10 Sep 92 15:44:05 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer Inc.

REBECCA@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu (Rebecca Drayer) writes:

>I have a question about Ms. Lackey's work.  Has she written any other Diana
>Tregarde books besides Jinx High?  Also, is she planning to write any more
>in the future?

There are, I believe, three. The other two are rather hard to find right
now, but there's hopes to get them reissued. (I don't have titles handy, but
I can look them up at home). And yes, she's got at least one more that's
going to come out. I'd be willing to bet there'll be more after that, since
she really likes the series.

-- 
Chuq "IMHO" Von Rospach, ESD Support & Training (DAL/AUX) =+= Member, SFWA
  chuq@apple.com | GEnie: MAC.BIGOT | ALink:CHUQ =+= Editor, OtherRealms
From: sdt8s@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Steve Tilson)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: L.E. Modessit Jr. Time Divers?
Date: 10 Sep 92 03:01:04 GMT
Organization: University of Virginia

I've read LE Modessit Jr.'s _The Fires of Paratime_ about
twelve times since I was thirteen. It's always been one of my
favorites for reasons I can't quite explain. So imagine my
delight when I saw what appears to be either a sequel or a
prequel to FOP at my local bookstore a few days ago.

My questions are:

1. Am I the only person who liked this book? (Fires..., I mean.)
2. Is this other book (can't recall the title, it's got a guy
on the cover in a sort of non-biker leather outfit, possibly
with a pony-tail swinging dramatically behind him) any good?
3. Does it deal with events that occur before or after those of
Fires?
4. Has LEM Jr. written any other books about the Temporal
Guard, Query, the time divers, etc.?

Thanks for any info,
Steve
--
You are a true believer. Blessings of the state, blessings of the masses.
Thou art a subject of the divine, created in the image of man by the masses,
for the masses. Let us be thankful we have an occupation to fill. Work 
hard...increase production...prevent accidents...and be happy. (THX-1138)
From: wilder@mik.uky.edu (jeff wilder)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: What is good writing? (was Re: Piers Anthony)
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:00:54 GMT
    <1992Sep14.102628.6669@afterlife.ncsc.mil> 
    <1992Sep14.162252.6707@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca> 
    <1938joINNidm@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences

What I can't figure out is this "If lotsa people buy it, it *must* be good!"
idea.  I disagree with it in PA's case, and I disagree with it when some
dork tries to explain to me how good Nirvana is.

I mean, if that definition were applied to McDonald's, McDonald's would
have to be the best food in existence.

I don't remember who said this:  "It is impossible to underestimate
the taste of the American public."  No kidding.  McDonald's is going
to be around for a looooong time, and it has nothing to do with the
quality (or non-) of their food.  PA is going to be around for a long time,
also, and again, that fact has nothing to do with the quality (or non-)
of his writing.

Of course, I eat McDonald's, occasionally.  After forcing myself through
five Xanth books, a couple of Incarnations, and (the food poisoning epi-
sode, you might say) Bio of a Space Tyrant, I will never read PA again.

BTW, he's actually a nice guy.  Kinda a shame he writes about as well
as a HS frosh, huh?

--
================================================================================
| Jeff W   uk06666@ukpr.uky.edu | Meddle not in the affairs of cats, for they  |
| Wilder   & wilder@mik.uky.edu | are subtle, and will piss on your cyberdeck. |
================================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: lairdb@crash.cts.com (Laird P. Broadfield)
Subject: Re: _Oracle_, by Mike Resnick (no spoilers!)
Date: 11 Sep 92 21:33:35 GMT

In <1992Sep11.174339.5307@eecs.nwu.edu> kaufman@eecs.nwu.edu (Michael L. Kaufman) writes:
>lairdb@crash.cts.com (Laird P. Broadfield) writes:
>>The Soothsayer (the character) is basically the same gimmick as the Teela
>>Brown gene.  Realized in a different way, but the same net effect.  

>Not me. I actually think that they are as different as they can possibly be
>given the fact that they both have "talents" that effect events. I am not sure
>what you mean by "net effect", but the whole plot of _Ringworld Engineers_
>hinged on the fact that Teela didn't have the power to make the situation
>she wanted come about, since that would have caused her harm. Looking at
>_Soothsayer_ can you imagine Teela getting (or remaining) traped in that way?

Sure, *if that was the "best" thing to happen to her.*  The situation 
Teela "wanted" was not necessarily the one that was "best" (perhaps "most
fortunate" conveys the sense better?) for her.  What actually happened
to her (with uncomfortable and occasionally life-threatening consequences
for her companions) was the "most fortunate" thing that could have.
Every time.

The Soothsayer, subject to the spotty qualities of her clairvoyance, is
under more conscious control, and thus more able to make a situation
she "wants" come about, but picking a less than optimal course from
those available would be counter-survival.  Thus, we get a single person,
surrounded by companions (allies and enemies), with a talent/attribute
that disturbs causality to their benefit without regard for the companions.

Now that I analyse it more deeply, there are some interesting differences
as well (a society of Teelas would work entirely differently from a
society of Soothsayers, for example) but there's a strong common thread 
between the two.


-- 
Laird P. Broadfield     lairdb@crash.cts.com    ...{ucsd, nosc}!crash!lairdb
Hi!  I'm a shareware signature!  Send $5 if you use me, send $10 for manual!
From: HISC9016351D@LUST2.LATROBE.EDU.AU (MAMMONE,Robert)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: David Gemmel
Date: 5 Sep 92 13:02:11 GMT
Organization: La Trobe University
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.22

I've been reading this service for around a month, and I've yet to see
mention of any of the books by the British author, David Gemmel.  Some of
you might have read Against the Horde, the American title of his 1st
novel, Legend.  I personally love the man.  His style of writing is sparse
and action packed.  The man can write battle scenes like no other, and
the sheer stature of his main characters is something awesome to behold.
Just read Legend, or Waylander, or the Shannow books.  Reading about
Druss the Legend in battle still sends shivers up my spine.  Gemmel can
write like no other.  What do you think?
From: jfzeigl@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Jon Zeigler)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Gregory Benford
Keywords: Benford novels
Date: 10 Sep 92 01:15:57 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: The Great Beyond

In article <last45INNl1l@spock.usc.edu> cbehre@spock.usc.edu (Charles Behre) writes:
>
>Two Questions:
>1) Are the plots in Across the Sea of Suns and In the Ocean of Night
>   connected to Great Sky River and Tides of Light

	Yep.  It's subtle, but you can see the connections in two places.
The "Taj Mahal" on Snowglade was apparently built by the crew of _Lancer_ or
their descendants -- they put Nigel Walmsley's initials on one corner, as I
recall.
	Also, if you check out the appendix to _Tides_ you'll see references
to the events of the first two books.  The _Lancer_ survivors apparently were
the first human settlers of Snowglade, followed by ramship crews from Earth.

>2) Is GB planning on completing trilogies of these stories.

	Beats me.  I sure hope so.  This stuff is a touch hard to follow but
it's well worth the effort.  Good plot, interesting characters, *big* ideas.

>
>--Chip 


-- 
* Jon F. Zeigler (jfzeigl@afterlife.ncsc.mil)                           *
*  "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Emerson    *
* The US Government and the Department of Defense are not responsible   *
* for my opinions.  In fact, I try not to let them know I have any.     *
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: clc@kepler.unh.edu (Christian L Claiborn)
Subject: Re: All the Weyrs of Pern
Organization: University of New Hampshire  -  Durham, NH
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 16:10:41 GMT

In article <d7nny2h.dani@netcom.com> dani@netcom.com (Dani Zweig) writes:
>But do VMS programs have .EXE extensions?  (Of course, the starships
>were built a number of centuries in our future, and VMS may have 
>evolved... :)
VMS does have .EXE extensions.  And, with the grace of DEC, VMS may never
evolve.  What it would evolve into is too scary and macabre a subject to be
posted here, better go into it on alt.horror.

					clc

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Christian Longshore Claiborn | clc@kepler.unh.edu | Friend of the Great     |
| Chuck Woolery's Protege      | clc@gloin.unh.edu  | Eater of Souls          |
| Future UNH Sysadmin          | clc@bifur.unh.edu  | Ask about group rates!  |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|"It was all very well to say 'Drink Me,' but the wise little Alice wasn't    |
| going to do THAT in a hurry."  -- The Reverend Charles Dodgson              |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky rec.arts.sf.written:11979 rec.arts.sf.science:2876 sci.bio:3188
From: jessec@yang.earlham.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.bio
Subject: rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.bio
Date: 11 Sep 92 02:59:58 GMT
 <1992Sep6.122602.11882@techbook.com> <1992Sep7.120355.29113@cs.ruu.nl> <1992Sep9.124622.17022@techbook.com>
Organization: Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

Hello.

   Without plunging in where lay angels fear to tread-- y'all might want 
to look (both sides) at the treatment given this debate by Jon Casti in 
his nifty book *Paradigms Lost*.  He winds up in support of Wilson's 
theory *and* Gould & co.'s attack on it...!
   I'm always in favor of unflinching objectivity in science.  Nazi types 
will use *whatever* they find to justify their insanity.


   --Jesse.
From: CDOMS@VAX1.UMKC.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: K.K. Rusch question
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:09:26 GMT


I am currently reading "Alternate Presidents" and Kristine Kathryn Rusch's
short story on "Fighting Bob"  senator from Wisconsin, who ran for President
under a third party.

My question is this.  Is Rusch a Wisconsin native?  Or is she just a lover
of history?   Just curious.

A former Wisconsinite
Carol Doms
cdoms@umkcvax1
cdoms@vax1.umkc.edu
From: avatar@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (Shayne Macfarlane)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: David Gemmel
Date: 9 Sep 1992 03:02:42 GMT
Organization: The University of Westrn Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: tartarus.uwa.edu.au

barrus@oak.egr.uh.edu (Karl L. Barrus) writes:

>>cwes1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (Clare West) writes:
>>I guess he doesn't have a very high profile in America or else readers
>>of this group think him beneath them.

>>ecmtwhk@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Thomas Koenig)
>>Probably the "Iain Banks" syndrome - unless somebody actually brings out
>>the books in the US, hardly anybody on the net is going to take notice...

>I can at least verify that Gemmel isn't published in the Houston area...or  
>I'm having extremely bad luck finding his novels or the bookstores here  
>just don't stock his work.  After reading the praised heaped upon him, I'm  
>about ready to special order one or two.  Any suggestions/recommendations?
>--
>/-----------------------------------\
>| Karl L. Barrus                    |
>| barrus@tree.egr.uh.edu (NeXTMail) |
>| elee7h5@jetson.uh.edu             |
>\-----------------------------------/

Suggestion - start with 'Legend' - (or 'Against the Horde' as others are
calling it).
This was the first he wrote (as far as I can tell), and is probably the
best. All of his stuff is good, but this is the best.

Shayne
From: acadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Arthur C. Adams)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Piers Anthony
Date: 14 Sep 92 20:12:59 GMT
Organization: The Great Beyond

In article <1992Sep14.162252.6707@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca> aaron@space.ualberta.ca writes:
>
>So?  Is >every< new book Piers Anthony comes out with a Xanth book?  No!  He's
>come out with the two Mode books, Mercycle(okay, that one looks bad, I admit),
>Tatham Mound, Firefly, Through The Ice, and maybe a few more I'm missing.
>Have you read any of those others?  Tatham Mound I recall hearing he was
>particularly proud of.  (No, I haven't read any of those yet either.  Give me
>a break.  I'm behind.)  Anthony writes at many time the speed of Donaldson,
>in part because he probably needs to spend so little time on Xanth books.  He's
>hit upon a scheme of making money with little effort and can spend the rest of
>his time on whatever more serious work he wants to.
>

I don't read Anthony because I've given up on him. There's only
so many hours in a day, and I've got plenty to do besides read. 
I'd rather read writers I'm pretty sure I'll like, or try someone
new, than read a writer I haven't liked in the past. 

On the subject of money, he's got money, and lots of it. I'm sure that
with his track record, anything, Xanth or not, gets a decent advance. 
Yeah, Xanth does better, but I'm sure he could live on what you say
is the good stuff (I'm not being snide, I'm taking your word for it.) 
Heck, he could live like a king for years without writing another
word on the money he's made in the past, particularly since I've 
heard he doesn't throw his money around.
>
>But I also dislike his critics.  And I hate it when somebody commenting that
>they like him gets met with snide, superior comments about how tasteless
>someone must be to like such trash, by someone who's sold out.  With Heinlein,
>there was always a substantial contingent on both sides of the argument.  With
>Anthony, there's just me, because everyone else has become disgusted and gone
>to alt.fan.anthony rather than endure our arrogant company.
>
Excuse me, but I don't think I ever criticized Anthony's fans, at least
directly. I criticized Anthony himself. I may not like someone's taste,
but its their taste, and they're welcome to it. 
-- 
The world is not analog. The world is digital,
with an incredible number of bits.
Arthur C. Adams (not the comic-book artist)                        <fnord>
E-Mail acadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil
From: dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Schaumann)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Looking for a good SF novel
Date: 7 Sep 92 00:45:38 GMT
Reply-To: dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Schaumann)
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Arizona

In article <1992Sep4.154250.25085@gallant.apple.com>, chuq@gallant (Chuq Von Rospach) writes:
>steelem@rintintin.Colorado.EDU (STEELE MARK A) writes:
>
>>I am looking for some advice on good SF novels... My tastes lean heavily
>>towards the SF of Robert Heinlien of the 50's.
>
>Orbital Resonance by John Barnes (Tor) is the closest thing I've found to a
>Heinlein juvenile in years, and was written almost as an homage to the man
>and form (and done quite well). 

I read a post-apocalyptic-genre book a few years ago by T. Thomas that was
very remininiscent of RAH's style (IMHO).  Also somewhat juvinile-oriented.
Good enough that I looked around for other books by him (never saw any, tho)

-- 
The security of the Enterprise is of Paramount importance.
                        -Jean Luc Picard, stardate 45965.3
From: dpn2@po.CWRU.Edu (Damien P. Neil)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: What is good writing? (was Re: Piers Anthony)
Date: 16 Sep 92 02:36:04 GMT
Reply-To: dpn2@po.CWRU.Edu (Damien P. Neil)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: thor.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, wilder@mik.uky.edu (jeff wilder) says:

>What I can't figure out is this "If lotsa people buy it, it *must* be good!"
>idea.  I disagree with it in PA's case, and I disagree with it when some
>dork tries to explain to me how good Nirvana is.
>
>I mean, if that definition were applied to McDonald's, McDonald's would
>have to be the best food in existence.

Not a perfect parallel...McDonald's is cheap and fast. Few people go there for
high cuisine. However, noone ever said "I havn't read a book in ages...I'll
read Anthony because I can get through his books quickly!" :-)
-- 
+-------------+------------------+---------------------------------+
| Damien Neil | dpn2@po.cwru.edu | Case Western Reserve University |
+-------------+------------------+---------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: djdaneh@pbhyc.PacBell.COM (Dan'l DanehyOakes)
Subject: Eye of Argon (was Re: Hubbard stories ?)
Reply-To: djdaneh@PacBell.COM (Dan'l DanehyOakes)
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 16:40:32 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.030308.10156@colorado.edu> robertm@alumni.cs.colorado.edu (MONTGOMERY ROBERT PH) writes:

>Would someone please provide pointers to the following,
>supposedly by L. Ron Hubbard, e.g., a book the story may
>be found in.


>1. "Eye of Argon"

BWAH-HAH-HAH!

Who told you that LRH wrote this?  Whoever did it should be shot -- but
gently, because it's a good joke.

"Eye" is far, far worse than anything LRH ever wrote.  It's even worse than
Ed Earl Repp.  There are those who claim that it can't possibly be real, that
the author -- an otherwise-unknown and possibly pseudonymous entity whose nom
de Argon escapes me at the moment -- deliberately set out to write the worst
story, in the worst prose, imaginable.

Mayhap.  And if it's pseudonymous, it could be Hubbard, or it could as easily
be Robert E. Howard or Ed Earl Repp or Robert A. Heinlein, for that matter,
but I doubt all of the above.

To find a copy, go to a convention.  Most of them these days (every one I've
been to in the last decade) have an event -- sometimes not officially announced
-- at which people sit in a circle and read the thing aloud.  The objective is
to get through an entire page without cracking up.  It's rarely accomplished.

It's even more fun when some brave souls volunteer to act out the story as
it's read.  I recall the bafflement of one neoprofessional writer comma female
comma when she tried to figure out how to portray the heroine's "firm, sagging
breasts". . .




		The Pavlov dog and the Schroedinger cat
		Side by side in my forebrain sat
		With Shakespeare's monkeys crowding in behind. . .
		. . . it's all in your mind.
			-- Visual Purple

Dan'l Danehy-Oakes, Net.Roach
My opinions do NOT represent Pacific Bell,
Professional Development, or anyone else.
But I'm willing to share.
From: djdaneh@pbhyc.PacBell.COM (Dan'l DanehyOakes)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: S.R. Donaldson
Date: 15 Sep 92 20:22:01 GMT
Reply-To: djdaneh@PacBell.COM (Dan'l DanehyOakes)
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA

In article <9209151157.AA02492@mica.geology.utoronto.ca> julie@MICA.GEOLOGY.UTORONTO.CA (Julie King) writes:
>I purchased Donaldson's new book with much joy, anticipating the wonderful
>more wonderful writing in the style of the Covanent series.  I thought
>it was *horrible* and was extremely dissapointed!  Violence, horror, more
>violence, and sex.  I really don't see this as a villian turned victum but
>rather a study of deranged human lust and abuse.  Any comments?

Sounds perfectly reasonable from the author of the series that began with
the hero raping an innocent girl.

Now, your point was. . .?


		The Pavlov dog and the Schroedinger cat
		Side by side in my forebrain sat
		With Shakespeare's monkeys crowding in behind. . .
		. . . it's all in your mind.
			-- Visual Purple

Dan'l Danehy-Oakes, Net.Roach
My opinions do NOT represent Pacific Bell,
Professional Development, or anyone else.
But I'm willing to share.
From: dpn2@po.CWRU.Edu (Damien P. Neil)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Re: Good writing (was Re: Piers Anthony)
Date: 16 Sep 1992 02:21:44 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: dpn2@po.CWRU.Edu (Damien P. Neil)
NNTP-Posting-Host: thor.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, kers@hplb.hpl.hp.com (Chris Dollin) says:

>In article ... dpn2@po.CWRU.Edu (Damien P. Neil) writes:
>   At what point is writing "insulting the reader's intelligence?" Most 
>   children's books would "insult" my intelligence, but they may be fine for
>   children. 
>
>And here I think you insult children. No, really, a good childrens book won't
>insult an adults intelligence -- not in the way Dan'l (was it Dan'l? Whoever
>gave three reasons why P.A. wans't a good writer) discussed. Admittedly some
>developments may be obvious to the adult reader, but the writer doesn't
>necessarily beat you about the head with them.

<Ouch!> OK, I'll accept that.

>   There are even stories that don't communicate effectively, but are still 
>   good. Isn't that the definition of surrealistic, almost?
>
>I find such a story hard to imagine -- it didn't communicate effectively (to
>me), *and* it was (I though) good? Nar. Perhaps some examples.
                    ^^^^^^^^
No..._I_ didn't consider it good. However, since it won a Hugo, I can
assume that a LOT of people do. I would say that a good book is a good
book, no matter what my opinion about it is. (After all...many people hate
Heinlein... :-)
-- 
+-------------+------------------+---------------------------------+
| Damien Neil | dpn2@po.cwru.edu | Case Western Reserve University |
+-------------+------------------+---------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: whit@milton.u.washington.edu (John Whitmore)
Subject: Re: All the Weyrs of Pern
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 07:56:39 GMT

In article <d7nny2h.dani@netcom.com> dani@netcom.com (Dani Zweig) writes:
>jml12@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Jonathan M Lennox):

>>  I think it was decided on alt.fan.pern that the AIVAS was a VMS
>>machine...not even DOS requires you to explicitly say "RUN".
>>  This explains a lot about the AIVAS, of course.  :-)

>But do VMS programs have .EXE extensions? 

	They do, if you didn't explicitly ask for some other extension.
The extension is only part of the file name, however; it does not
limit the file attributes.  If you want your executables to have
the ".tickety-boo" extension, that's OK.  What gets REALLY confusing
is when you change a directory's extension to something other 
than ".DIR".

	And, some files  that normally get ".EXE" extensions are
not executables (but rather "shareable images").  You can't explicitly
RUN them (there's no main entry point) but you can execute the
code in them...

	And, you can RUN a file without giving the RUN command,
by using a defined symbol with the file name and "$", or by using
MCR.  I think you can SPAWN an executable, as well.

	VMS is based on using almost every trick in the normal
computer operating-system repertoire; just try to print something
by COPYing it to the printer, or by giving a PRINT command, or
by running PIP... they all work.  It isn't odd that a future 
operating system would have a lot in common with VMS; if it picks
up the baggage of previous decades, keeping that backward-compatibility 
with a few decades of previous systems, it'll have many VMS
features automatically.  "Convergent evolution", it's called.

	John Whitmore