Terry Pratchett and Mercedes Lackey

[Chris Zakes]

Mercedes Lackey is an American fantasy writer, probably best known for
her Heralds of Valdemar stories. But she's also got a series of
fantasy stories set in the "500 Kingdoms" that are (as far as I can
tell, from reading one and starting a second) twists on the standard
fairy tales.

And she's got some amusing Pratchett references, too. In "Beauty and
the Werewolf" there's the concept of The Traditions--that once you
start down a fairytale path you tend to be stuck on it--which is
strongly reminiscent of the fairytale scenarios in "Witches Abroad."

And in "The Fairy Godmother" (the one I'm currently reading) there's a
hiring fair in the town square, where the heroine ends up standing
next to a character very reminiscent of Mort. She gets picked
next-to-last, just after sundown, he's still standing there with his
father, determined not to leave until he gets picked or midnight
arrives.

-Chris Zakes
Texas
--

Be careful what you wish for, it may have a very long job description.

-Puck Curtis

[larry]

I've only read her Obsidian Mountain trilogy, thanks for the pointer and
[R].

[nann...@samael.demon.co.uk]

On Monday, 17 September 2012 14:47:00 UTC+1, Chris Zakes wrote:

> And she's got some amusing Pratchett references, too. In "Beauty and
>
> the Werewolf" there's the concept of The Traditions--that once you
>
> start down a fairytale path you tend to be stuck on it--which is
>
> strongly reminiscent of the fairytale scenarios in "Witches Abroad."

Yes, that's the basic premise of the whole of the 500 Kingdoms series - that they're lands governed by the rules that govern fairy tales, and that the kings/queens/princes/princesses/fairy godmothers who live there have to learn ways of working round that. Love them. 'Fairy Godmother' is the first one of hers I read, and my favourite of the 500 Kingdoms' stories, so enjoy!

And, yes, I do wonder whether she got that idea from Pterry. She's certainly read his work as one of her books (forget which one) is dedicated to him with a note saying something like 'If I'm half as good on my best day as he is on his worst then I'll be happy'. His ideas could well have been the inspiration - in which case, she's done an ace job of running with them.


Best wishes,

Sarah

[Lesley Weston]

I've ordered it from the Library. The summary says it's "Romantic
Fantasy" and published by Harlequin, so that will be a first for me.

Lesley.

--
This address is real, but to reach me use leswes att shaw dott ca

[GaryN]

Lesley Weston <brightly_co...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in
news:k4mu01$2h6o$1...@mud.stack.nl:


<snip>

> I've ordered it from the Library. The summary says it's "Romantic
> Fantasy" and published by Harlequin, so that will be a first for me.

I ran out of fingers to stick down my throat.

> Lesley.


I've run out of smug gits to take the piss out of. You're next (maybe).
At least you're an honest bigot.

I'm almost out of time - dead man walking, Maybe tomorrow, maybe in 5
minutes.

gary

--
Snake was just plain ugly,
Where he came from no-one knew.
Reckon Rambo would have shit himself if Snakey told him to.

Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson.
"The Front Bar Featherbrain Championship"

[Chris Zakes]

It's being marketed as part of the Romance genre (although the only
place I've ever seen them is in the Fantasy/SF section of my local
bookstores) but it isn't really--at least not judging by my
(admittedly very limited) experience of Romance books. The three 500
Kingdoms books I've read are basically fantasy with a few bits of
mildly erotic stuff thrown in.

-Chris Zakes
Texas
--

Well, if you're going to have a circus, you've got to have elephants.

-Jubal Harshaw in "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein