Outside of a Dog: Lackey, Mercedes: (01-03) Joust, Alta, and Sanctuary

David Tate

David Tate wrote on February 27, 2006 at 10:12 AM:

"Training neep", Gracie? (Or, as they would say on r.a.sf.w, [*].)

Kate

Kate wrote on February 27, 2006 at 10:20 AM:

"Neep" = discussions with characteristically geeky levels of detail, at least in the uses I'm familiar with (it apparently started out as a computer thing, and also in the noun form "neepery").

Stephanie

Stephanie wrote on February 28, 2006 at 10:00 PM:

ALTA is the one where the cover designer should have noted that the font makes the title read as FILTH.

I liked the training neepery in ALTA - I know that Lackey and her husband are raptor-rescue types, and have met them in that capacity at Conestoga a couple of years ago when they helped a local raptor rescue group they work with give a presentation - and she obviously adapted raptor techniques for the dragons, and managed to keep the dragons from turning into telepathic horse-types. I didn't like it enough to pick up the other two from the library, though.

Kate

Kate wrote on March 1, 2006 at 11:03 AM:

I had to go look, and you're right, it does, but I had to look a little hard to get it to come out.

There's more training neep in the first one and a little less in the third, IIRC, but I imagine once you've read one and aren't coming down with a cold, that's probably all the neep you need.

Katie

Katie wrote on March 24, 2007 at 9:17 PM:

Well, I think you're all biased. My brother and I love them, so I don't see what the big deal is. They're great books, and that's the end of it. I even got all my friends to read the book, and they fell in love and read all the other books by Mercedes Lackey. A book is a book, and if you can do better, write something. You're just criticizing and being lazy.

Kate

Kate wrote on March 24, 2007 at 9:42 PM:

Katie: Rest assured I will give your comment precisely as much consideration as you appear to have put into it.

sarah

sarah wrote on March 27, 2007 at 2:02 AM:

I found the books to be enjoyable for rainy days. nothing too complicated and as you say they "absolutely lack all subtlety". My mom calls these types of books "brain candy". Even though I didn't have much trouble with the members of the wing, it was annoying how similar the names where.

Kate

Kate wrote on March 27, 2007 at 6:12 AM:

Hi sarah--yes, brain candy is the perfect word for it. I think the names contributed to my trouble with Kiron's wing, as well.