McKinley Rocks

mckinleyrocks @ 2008-07-13T22:52:00

2008-07-14T02:58:34Z

I can't believe I didn't find this comm before! I adore Ms. McKinley, and recommend Beauty for almost every girl age 9+ who asks for a book rec. (I work in a bookstore, at least for five more days.) I also rec The Blue Sword/The Hero and the Crown, and the quote at the top of this comm is, in my opinion, the most romantic thing EVER. Because it made me flail and squee and yet wasn't overly sappy.

So, Barnes & Noble has RUN OUT of Sunshine. It apparently is on several recommended summer reading lists, and we don't have any copies in any of our warehouses!

Sunshine Icons

2007-10-14T02:29:52Z

Thanks to fondued_jicama's post, I realized I never posted my Sunshine icons. I made these a year or two ago... feel free to use any, just comment and credit. <3


1	2	3	4

Icons!

2007-10-13T03:36:35Z

I'm a fan of Sunshine. I love that book so much.

So I've been thinking about what Con looks like to me, and how that would appear in icons. I needed to pick somebody who isn't necessarily an attractive person. I picked Daniel Day-Lewis.

Okay, so I think DD-L is smoking hot, but not everybody else does. Therefore, he fits the bill. XD

I also get mad because there are HUNDREDS of 'Twilight' vampire icons out there, but 'Sunshine' is just so. much. better... and it has none. This is up yours, Edward Cullen. ;p

There are just three.
1. 2. 3.

Blog!

2007-10-08T12:38:06Z

Just wanted to let everyone know that Ms. McKinley has her very own LJ, robinmckinley

Enjoy!

Dragonhaven out tomorrow!!

2007-09-19T22:03:15Z

Robin's new book Dragonhaven is coming out tomorrow, 9/20/07. You can still get the pre-order discount from Amazon if you act fast.

x-posted to _damar_

Hi!

2007-04-28T00:13:59Z

I just joined this community so I thought that maybe I should say hi. I really love all Robin McKinleys books but the ones about Damar are my favorites.

New member!

2007-04-10T06:42:44Z

On a whim, I decided to search and see if there were any communities for Robin McKinley, and I found/joined this community. :)

Um, not much else to say. I'm an aspiring writer/singer with some angst issues (but those usually stay on a leash in my blog), and my favorite book by Robin McKinley is Rose Daughter.

Does anyone know which exact day Ms. McKinley's new book will be out?

It is up!

2007-02-26T02:41:56Z

Information on Dragonhaven is up on Robin McKinley's website.

http://www.robinmckinley.com/

Check it out! There is a little preview of the book :)

mckinleyrocks @ 2007-02-22T09:14:00

2007-02-22T14:15:54Z

To anyone who isn't following the thread, Dragonhaven is Robin McKinley's new novel and it's being released this year through Putnam. EEEEEE!!! I sent her an email and she wrote back! <3 I feel like such a stupid fangirl!

Here is what she said:

"Yes, DRAGONHAVEN will be out next September with Putnam (god willin' and the crick don't rise, speaking of being a country girl).

My webmaster is poised to hang the jacket and the slightly-longer-than the catalogue copy . . . I just keep not getting around to sending her what she needs. I have to say I wasn't expecting to be dealing with advance word this #'~(*(&^%!!!! SOON.

Chicken pox is a *horrible* disease when you're a grown up--and you don't get any sympathy because it's supposed to be some little dumb thing that kids get! Poor you! There's about half a page of DRAGONHAVEN that takes place in Paris, but they're having a good time. . . .

Robin McKinley"

Wow

2007-02-21T23:29:39Z

How long has this been up?
http://www.amazon.com/Dragonhaven-Robin-McKinley/dp/0399246754/sr=8-16/qid=1172100478/ref=sr_1_16/104-0264953-4079112?ie=UTF8&s=books

I wonder if it will be real instead of that old "sequel to hero and the crown" that showed up for a while and nothing came of it.

mckinleyrocks @ 2007-02-04T17:11:00

2007-02-05T01:14:54Z

What's this I hear about Robin Mckinley working on a book about werewolves? I could be completely wrong and that's really Laurell K. Hamilton (heaven forbid . . .she's already killed the vampire genre for me as it is) or some other random Urban Fantasy author, but I distinctly remember reading about it on the net. And ya know, (cue sarcasm)everything you read on the internet is true (end sarcasm) ^_-

What books do you have?

2007-02-02T21:52:20Z

I recently realized (mainly through the glory that is LibraryThing) that I am short a few books in my McKinley collection. I would like to have all of her books, and I don't. In fact, I haven't even read all of her books, it turns out! I was frankly surprised. However...I'm failing at my quest to find all of the rest. I believe they are out of print. I'm also not sure if my list is complete.

Here is what I own:

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
The Blue Sword (two copies, in fact, since I read the first copy until it fell apart)
Deerskin
The Door in the Hedge
The Hero and the Crown
A Knot in the Grain and Other Stories
The Outlaws of Sherwood
Rose Daughter
Spindle's End
Sunshine

And my most recent purchase, which I just got today:
Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits

Now, here's what it appears I'm missing, all out of print:

Imaginary Lands
The Light Princess
The Stone Fey
Rowan (which...might be a picture book...?)

Also, anthologies containing her stories:
Strange Dreams
Silver Birch, Blood Moon

So. Is this a correct, complete list? If not, what's wrong/missing? And where do you look for out-of-print books? Abebooks is my personal favorite, but I'm open to suggestions.

Laprun

2007-02-02T04:49:29Z

So. I've wondered this for a while and never really got around to asking anyone who might know or might have a guess.

At one point in The Blue Sword, Harry asks "What is a laprun?" but I never remember her getting an answer. Did I just miss it, or is there not an answer? What does "laprun" mean?

Hello!

2007-01-21T08:02:50Z

I just found this community, and it's so wonderful to find more Robin McKinley fans! I always feel like she needs more publicity/appreciation/fans, although that's probably because I worship at her literary feet. I've read everything she's put out, and by that I mean that I find myself helplessly drawn to buy anything with her name on it. Bad for the budget, but so good for the soul! I don't really have a favorite book or story; I go through phases where I read one or another obsessively, over and over, for weeks at a time. My current object of McKinley obsession is the story "A Pool in the Desert." She illustrates Hetta's poisonous home-life in a way that makes me want to alternately scream, cry, and writhe. How does she do that, d'you think?

An update

2006-07-19T21:13:15Z

According to Robin's website,
she will be attending Convoy next year. Convoy has posted a brief bio here
here that says she is working on a new book!

Hope this isn't a stretch...

2006-07-19T06:43:52Z

... but I'm looking for someone to play Constantine in a roleplay I'm involved with on GreatestJournal, called Bookish Ambition. I just finished Sunshine, and loved it so much that I took the title character up, but she's nothing without her vampire :0

I thought Trent Reznor might be a good PB, here. Seeing as he's not very pretty.

If you're interested in ~~ful~~filling my ~~dreams~~ request, please comment, or go right ahead and apply! If you're interested otherwise, please don't hesitate to check into it, either, because it's a very good romp.

mckinleyrocks @ 2006-03-06T21:03:00

2006-03-07T02:03:44Z

Hey, look, a new pic of Robin McKinley!!!

mckinleyrocks @ 2006-03-06T20:53:00

2006-03-07T01:54:34Z

This was so cool, about 2 weeks ago I was at the bookstore in the mall and just randomly looking around and my hand happens to land on a paperback copy of Sunshine, so I knew I had to buy it because I knew I'd never be able to find one again. I have yet to complete it and I hav searched a while for it and I have my own copy. I am very happy!

mckinleyrocks @ 2005-10-13T16:54:00

2005-10-13T20:54:58Z

Under the influence of a fellow McKinley-loving-friend, have gone back and am rereading all my Robin Mckinley books. I read my first one (The Hero and the Crown) in grade 5, and have been an avid fan ever since. I think what makes her stand out from all my other favourite authors is that unlike most of the other people I started reading way back when, she hasn't disappointed me by veering off into sellouthood or endless, cheesy, meandering sequels with too many characters (I'm looking at YOU, McCaffrey and Lackey). We sometimes have to wait a long time for something new from Robin, but when it does come it's FREAKING AWESOME. She waits for the good stories, and doesn't write filler fluff. I respect her immensely for that. <3<3 I hope to be able to meet her someday and not make a total fangirl ass of myself. :P

I've also noticed that the narrator that lives in my head often sounds like Robin. I don't know if that's why I love her books so much, or if it's because I've grown up with her and as such have been influenced by her writing style.

Am annoyed because I'm an avid costumer and am terribly tempted to make costumes from Robin's books, but I would make a very sucky Aerin or Harry. Damn her for making her heroines tall and gangly. :P I have the big hands and feet, but not the height, and I really don't think I could ever look convincingly like a natural redhead. Blaaargh. I guess I shall have to be satisfied with Lissar's ballgown.

Confused

2005-10-06T05:51:34Z

Hi everyone. New member, and I apologize for posting with such a potentially contentious topic before really establishing myself here. Rest assured, I am a huge McKinley fan who has read her books for over a decade and who was lucky enough to meet her two years ago (will post more on that later).

Anyway, I really should be doing my paper now, so I'll make this short and sweet.

I've been reading past posts and have been horrendously confused by the posts concerning actors that would be good to play Corlath. You see, the actors whose names have been suggested are all white. And yet I've always pictured Corlath as an Arab or an Indian. Aren't the Damarians naturally dark? Don't Harry and Aerin both stand out because they are pale-skinned?

Bottom line, in my vision of the books, CORLATH ISN'T WHITE.

Am I alone here?

Where did everyone go? :)

2005-08-30T01:02:47Z

Did I kill the conversation with my post? :)

Discussion of the Blue Sword: Introduction and Chapters 1-3

2005-08-25T18:41:38Z

Introduction: Blurb from the Orbit / Futura paperback version

"Damar. A land of mountains and plain, of fertile valleys and great forests, of streams as clear and sparkling as the air its people breathe. a frontier land, squeezed between the Homelanders' stuffy empire and the demon-ridden kingdoms of the North. A land of mystery and legend, of Hillfolk with strange powers they can barely control, to whom honour is a living thing, and courage an essential of humanity.

The Blue Sword is the first in a series of fantasies set in that enchanted land. It tells of Harry (Angharad) Crewe, and how she came by mysterious ways to Damar and its kind. There she came under the protection of fire-haired Aerin, fabled queen of long ago, and learned to wield Aerin's Gonturan, the Blue Sword, Dragon-killer, agains the legions of the North. And so became herself a legend, to Damar's weal, and demons' woe."

Well I'm here to lead the discusson folks. Discussion points are below. If I think of anything else, I'll add it to his main post, marking it clearly with a "UPDATED" so that you know. Happy discussing! Take your time about posting, we have heaps of time.

Suggested Discussion Guidelines

Just a few suggested guidelines so that we can have some form of order:

1. When posting your views, please hit the "Post Comment" button at the bottom of the post rather than hitting "reply to" any individual posts. This will hopefully remove the layout of the threads veering sharply to the right. As you will naturally will want to respond to the posts of individual people, perhaps you could just make reference in your post to whom you are responding etc.

2. Post as many times as you want. If your response is so long that it doesn't fit into a comments window, feel free to post to your own livejournal and provide us with a link, although for completeness, it might be good if any responses to your comment, were posted in this thread.

3. I know everyone has already read the book probably about 10 times like me, but try to restrict your comments to the chapters being discussed and do not comment ahead. Try to pretend that it's the first time you read it. :)

Update4. Of course please place any any long posts behind an lj-cut. If anyone forgets, I'll give a gentle reminder.

5. There's plenty of time to think about the questions and discuss them in as much detail as you want. Please don't feel pressured - whether to post or not to post whether to post a little or a lot.

Discussion Points

1. Reading Order

(a) Did you read The Blue Sword first or The Hero and the Crown first? Chronologically the books went Hero and then Blue Sword, but Robin McKinley wrote Blue Sword first and then Hero.

(b) McKinley has the following to say:

Also, there isn't anything I can do about this, but it makes me kind of nuts that the world keeps second guessing me. I wrote SWORD first and HERO second BECAUSE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO READ THEM IN THAT ORDER, but because HERO is a 'prequel' lots of people, especially people like the marketing department of your friendly local publisher, and library and bookstore list-makers, think they're going to be clever and helpful and tell potential readers to read the books 'in order' ie HERO first. Wrong. One of the big things I'm trying to fool around with is the concept of the 'hero': Harry has to live with the idea of the seven-league-boots Aerin who must have been Perfect. Then you read about Aerin and find out that it wasn't like that at all from her perspective.

Do you agree with McKinley's viewpoint? Do you think that the reading order is important?

2. First impressions

(a) What are your first impressions of Harry in chapters 1 to 3. Is she a sympathetic character? What made you continue reading after chapter 1?

(b) What are your first impressions of Corlath?

(c) In the first 3 chapters, we meet a great many characters. With the exception of Harry and Corlath, did any other characters make an impression on you and why?

(d) From the first three chapters, what are your general impressions of the Homeland vs Damar/Daria and their respective cultures?

(e) Provide a favourite quote from each of chapters 1, 2 and 3. Why do you like them? If you do not have a favourite, don't worry.

3. Homelander versus Darian

(a) The following two comments are made in the first three chapters:

"She was accustomed to hearing the other young people refer to 'that hateful desert' and 'the dreadful sun'"

"…tried to separate those like herself who actually enjoyed being scratchy with blown sand and headachy from glare, from those like Cassie and Beth who were merely cheerfully adaptable."

Do you have an opinion of the above analysis?

(b) What do you think of this quote from Corlath's father?

"Avoid the Outlanders, if you can. They can't, or won't, understand us; they don't recognize horses from oxen, and will try to put the yoke on you that they have hung on the rest of our land. But their strength is the strength of numbers and of stubbornness and persistance; do not underestimate it."</blockquote)

How many active members are there?

2005-08-25T16:26:36Z

I only ask because I used to be on a Robin McKinley discussion list and at one stage, I was leading a book discussion and analysis of "The Blue Sword". We discussed it chapter by chapter - and even though every single person had already that book several times over, we had to confine our discussion to the points raised in that chapter. It was quite fun and I'm happy to do the same thing again if anyone thinks they might enjoy it. Basically every week (or shorter intervals if wanted), I would do a post per chapter/several chapters. Everyone could then post their responses in that post. Let me know what you think. If the idea is popular enough, I'll discuss the timing and the selection of a book.

mckinleyrocks @ 2005-08-25T01:29:00

2005-08-25T05:33:42Z

Sharon Shinn wrote a very good book called Summers At Castle Auburn, which is where I saw that quote that said she is the best fantasy writer since Robin McKinley came along. Read this book, it's amazing!

sharon shinn, robin mckinley, and feminism

2005-08-11T22:56:17Z

I picked up Sharon Shinn's Archangel a couple of years back, and I remember one of the things that interested me (other than a friend's glowing reccomendations) was a quote from Peter S. Beagle (writer of The Last Unicorn and other such fantastic works) on the front cover. He called her "The most promising and original writer of fantasy to come along since Robin McKinley." I read the book and he was right: Sharon Shinn is an incredibly amazing author. I've heard other comparisons being made to their novels, mainly through their characters: both write novels with strong, spunky female characters. Having waded through piles of atrocious fantasy novels in which women are cast aside as whimpering love interests (most painfully, Terry Brooks's Sword of Shannara trilogy), I can't even begin to explain how much of a relief this was.

I was wondering if there were any other fans of Sharon Shinn and Robin McKinley in this community, and what they thought, and also the general opinion of McKinley's female characters. Male, too, for that matter.

Robin McKinley and feminism. Discuss!