You think you got plot bunnies...

[Black Aeronaut]

I get one-to-three everytime I see something I even remotely like.
For example - 'The Cat Returns' from Studio Ghibli... Thrown in Diane Duane's 'Young Wizards' universe for setting (of course, it's still Japan). Add in all new characters: a Wizard about Haru's age, specializing in machines and constructs (particularly aircraft - Miyazaki and I happen to share a certain passion) with a side interest in 'World Gates', and his two wizardry-practicing parents.
Haru finds an old Wizards Manual accidently left behind by the young wizard. It's not really his, it's a keepsake - wizardry has a strong tradition in his family and it belonged to his grandfather. Mom says he needs to study the book version more since he uses the cheater-version: the manual's software version (Ref. Diane Duane's book, 'High Wizardry').
Anywho... Normally, wizard's manuals appear to normal people as just plain ordinary books. Haru actually sees it for what it is and winds up taking the wizard's oath - and then the original story arc of 'The Cat Returns' is just the tip of the iceberg for Haru's Ordeal - a trial by fire for all novice wizards. How hard is it? To paraphrase one of the characters from 'Deep Wizardry': "Do you ever wonder why you see so many missing children in the news? It's because they wind up in trouble that they can't get out of while on Ordeal."
Adventure that's ten times more wild and dangerous ensues.
-NeoRaven
"I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity." -Edgar Allen Poe
Sponsored by Black Aeronaut Technologies -
Aerospace solutions for the discerning spacer.

[Sweno]

I don't know whether to bless or curse you for digging up the Young Wizards series in my brain. It has been at least 7 years since I last read one of the books and now I'm fighting the temptation to go out and buy them again b/c I can't find my copies.
-Terry
------
"in comes a man in cameo with a american flag, because american flags float around in the wilderness." - Mike Keon
Please Remember: People are stupid... Programers are people.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

[classicdrogn]

I was just reading a ranma-fic for the first time in a while, and one of the lines did a couple of ricochets in my head, then suddenly made me wonder - What if Nodoka was in fact also a Girl-spring victim, one whose more traditional family frced into a female role after getting locked somehow. Her insistance on manliness in her son is in fact the classic wanting one's children to be the things that the parent never managed to be, but always wanted... granted, this wouldn't fit with what happens when she eventually learned about the curse, but as an elseworlds...
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Bob Schroeck]

---

It has been at least 7 years since I last read one of the books

---

You're in for a pleasant surprise. Diane hasn't stopped writing them. There are six or seven now, at least -- I've lost count -- and they show no signs of quality decay.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[chibipoe]

Nope, not a bit of a drop in quality, IMO. Though, every once in a while, when I wander by her blog, I find it amusing that she, like Pratchett, frequently gets poorly written e-mail/snailmail that accuses her of ripping off Rowling.
"This hand of mine glows with an awesome power. Its burning grip tells me to defeat you....
Shining FINGER!" -Domon Kashuu, Mobile Fighter G Gundam

[Black Aeronaut]

It's eight books now. I'm only up to the fourth, 'A Wizard Abroad'. Five is 'The Wizard's Dilema', six is 'A Wizard Alone', seven: 'Wizard's Holiday' and finally, eight is titled 'Wizards At War'. Book eight was released in October, BTW.

---

I find it amusing that she, like Pratchett, frequently gets poorly written e-mail/snailmail that accuses her of ripping off Rowling.

---

Really? That is amusing.
Also, don't forget the books in the spinoff series about feline wizards who help maintain the Manhatten area world gates. They are, in order, 'The Book of Night with Moon', and 'To Visit The Queen' (which, for some reason, is called 'On her Majesty's Wizardly Service' in the UK).
I'd like to see more of the feline characters. My only regret is that at most I'd only be able to reference them in my fic - it'd be rather impractical to bring them along for the ride, especially seeing as they don't stray from Manhatten except on the most urgent business.
I'll probably make up a gate maintenance team for the Tokyo area. It'll take some research, but I think I can pull it off rather nicely (after all, cats are cats wherever you go). And even then, this team would probably only do as a bit role, much like Tom and Carl from canonical series. They'd probably point out 'that big fellow who keeps to himself' to my character and Haru.
And yes, in case you people haven't noticed, I'm feeding this plot bunny. It strikes me as having merit for becoming a truly outstanding story...
Wonder what Miyazaki would think of it? He does, after all, have a great appreciation of young adult literature (remember Howl's Moving Castle?).
Oh crap! Can you imagine Miyazaki bringing Duane's series to anime!? O__O-NeoRaven
"I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity." -Edgar Allen Poe
Sponsored by Black Aeronaut Technologies -
Aerospace solutions for the discerning spacer.

[Sweno]

---

Oh crap! Can you imagine Miyazaki bringing Duane's series to anime!? O__O

---

yes, yes I can.-Terry
------
"in comes a man in cameo with a american flag, because american flags float around in the wilderness." - Mike Keon
Please Remember: People are stupid... Programers are people.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

[Kokuten]

Sweno - don't fight it, Amazon stocks 'em.
8 )Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979

[Bob Schroeck]

---

I find it amusing that she, like Pratchett, frequently gets poorly written e-mail/snailmail that accuses her of ripping off Rowling.

---

Oh yeah, I've seen (and heard) her comments on that every once in a while.
I still have very fond memories of a reading she did for my SF club in college, where she read the "Dr. Who" section of book 3.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03