I found Mercedes Lackey music in YouTube, Romantic fantasy strikes again Options

[Wounded Ronin]

So, lots of people who post on this forum are probably familiar with Mercedes Lackey, the popular fantasy author.

To make a long story short, one time I spent 2 years on a remote island where there was a repository full of old books. I read all kinds of old school fantasy including Thieves World, if you can believe that, as well as some Mercedes Lackey stuff from the 80s. I noticed how in the Mercedes Lackey stuff there was reference to some music that had been published related to the story. I didn't think much of it.

Fast forward 5 years, and I randomly remembered that and decided to search for Merceds Lackey on YouTube. It turns out that all this stuff is kind of like neo-folk fantasy music and ballads. For me, artistically, it evokes the 70s, although I don't actually know the date that this stuff was written. And maybe I'm way off base on my musical cultural history, since this is the internet you can all criticize me for it.

In my opinion, I'm not sure I would characterize this stuff as being artistically innovative necessarily, but they're kind of fun. It would sort of be a cool twist to play this music before running some kind of fantasy RPG campaign, because I'll bet most people haven't heard them yet.

The other thing about it is that the songs often have emotional content. They deal with character motivations. It's interesting because I feel like it's getting a bit into the head of the author. The author thinks of the character, writes the story, and decides what the character is going to do but doesn't necessarily explicitly state all the details of what's going on in the character's head. But you can think of the songs as a bit of a character development supplemental.

So, here you go:

Demonbane - http://youtu.be/hfSjIEWUOQ8

This one is my favorite, because it tells a story. Songs don't really tell stories anymore.

Kerowyn's Ride - http://youtu.be/1ZsgM3FOOVM

Similar to above.

Battle Dawn - http://youtu.be/xjqm4r6EbuE

This one almost dwells on character emotion.

There's plenty more if you just search around.

The funny thing is that I'm not even really a Mercedes Lackey fan, although the truth is I haven't read a lot of her novels. I kind of felt they seemed to focus or dwell on on emotions as a source of power and motivation, to the point that it was starting to get a bit sappy. But what can I say, it's just a matter of taste, and I guess that's kind of the point of the songs.

[Ryu]

Thanks for the tip.


Kerowyn's Ride

[ Spoiler ]

Kerowyn Kerowyn, where are you going?
Dressed in men's clothing, a sword by your side
Your face pale as death, and your eyes full of fury
Kerowyn Kerowyn, where do you ride?

Last night in the darkness black raiders attacked us
Our Hold lays in ruins below
They've stolen our treasure and the bride of my brother
And to her aid now I must go,
To her side now I must go

Kerowyn Kerowyn, where is your father?
And where is your brother? This task should be theirs
It is not seemly for maids to be warriors
Go back to your valley, and to woman's cares

My father lies dead at the hands of their leader
My brother lies raving in pain
The raiders left no man unwounded to free her
But in their hands she'll not remain,
I vow she'll not with them remain

Kerowyn Kerowyn, where are your senses?
What can you hope to accomplish alone
You have no knowledge of war or of weapons
Why loose your life, for a girl you scarce known

This is for more than a matter of honor
And more than a matter of pride
She's but a child, all alone and unaided
And someone at least should've tried,
So now to her rescue I ride

[Music]

Grandmother, grandmother I need a weapon
I'm one against many, and I am afraid
The raiders have bought them a dark wizard's power
I cannot help Dierna without magic aid

Kerowyn, grand-daughter, into your keeping
I'll give you this sword I once wore
Need us her name now ride fearless to battle
She'll aid as she did me before, her magic is strong as before

Grandmother, grandmother, why turn so willing
Why did you try to persuade me to stay
Whence came this weapon of steel and of magic
And why do you choose now to give it away

Kerowyn, not for the weak or the fearful
Is the path of a warrior made
You've passed all my tests, now ride out with my blessings
And trust in the spell of the blade, right now and go unafraid

[KarmaInferno]

Mrs. Lackey spends much of her time these days trying to save her favorite game from cancellation, City of Heroes.



-k

[Wounded Ronin]

Mrs. Lackey spends much of her time these days trying to save her favorite game from cancellation, City of Heroes.



-k

...I haven't exactly been following her...did she stop writing books and start playing video games??

[All4BigGuns]

...I haven't exactly been following her...did she stop writing books and start playing video games??

Everyone has their hobbies. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

She's still writing as well. Just recently the fourth Collegium Chronicles novel was released.

[Tiralee]

Also, she's written a novel or two in the City of Heroes universe, I vaguely remember.

That's sort of like getting R.A. Salvatore to write Shadowrun Fanfiction.

And you BASTARD, Thieves World? Our school library had volumes 1-8 until some toerag pinched them all.
Was looking around and they were first-edition, all of them. (The librarian had some very interesting tastes.)

Yes, they were uneven, and weird, but the quality of writing! (Some of them were, "Famous authors of the world, unite! And kill off a major character in a previous book because you can!")

-Tir

[ravensmuse]

My sister had all of Lackeys CDs and used to play them in her car all the time. It wasn't until I started reading Lackeys novels that I realized what the heck she'd been listening to all those years.

I used to be a pretty big Lackey fan, but kind of fell out of the loop.

It cracks me up that this topic is here. I never expected a Lackey thread on Dumpshock!

[ChromeZephyr]

It cracks me up that this topic is here. I never expected a Lackey thread on Dumpshock!

That makes two of us. I haven't read any of Ms. Lackey's work in ages...even though several of them are on my bookshelves. I should go back and see if my Nostalgia Filter is broken.