Janny Wurts and character development

[Grimward]

"Oh, how we love Da-kar, Oh, how we love Da-kar. Oh, how we love Da-aa-kaarrrrr...."

*Chokes on dark beer, sputters, needs a thump on the back from Clanny*

Where's Dek, anyway? He was supposed to have the baritone.....

 

[Clansman]

MMMMMM. Dark beer *droool*

 

[The Procrastinator]

Heh, I had actually been singing along to a tune thats a little more religious in origin, but that one works too.

The dark beer (which I, too, love) stage of the year is pretty much gone down here, so I'll be sloshing around a nice chilly Pilsener, seeing as its beer o'clock!

And to educate you blokes, I've fished this off Youtube, so you can sing along and make up your own words:

I Love to Have a Beer with Duncan, Slim Dusty

Like this:
I love to have a beer with Grimward
I love to have a beer with Grim
We drink in moderation
And no one boogies on the table like him
We drink at the Town and Country
Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Grimward
Cuz Grimward's me mate!

And so on and so forth. Its country - but its classic.

 

[Grimward]

Well, Zep, at least, apparently does get rolling drunk; didja catch that shiner under his left eye?!! There's certainly a tale to be told there!

Excellent, Pro, and much better than The Bear Went Over the Mountain (with apologies to Clanny, as that one worked until I heard Pro's real source). We're hitting prime dark beer season here, Pro, so Clanny and I will hoist one for ya, surrogate Pilsner or no! And the Christmas ales have hit the shelves!

*Has brief episode of rapture*

Ah, Clanny, ever had Wild Goose's Snow Goose from the tap? There's an ale...

*Sees the moderator waving his delete key menacingly....*

Right. So, we have Dakar the lush. For a while I thought Janny might turn Fionn Areth into Dakar's drinking buddy, but then Dakar got semi-serious and Fion Areth got, well....







SPOILERS SPOILERS SO SPOILED IT COULD BE ROTTEN FOOD!!!!!!









erm, Dead.....

Who does that leave for our poor Spellbinder to drown his sorrows with?

 

[Clansman]

Oh, that is so great, you have no idea!!! My retired partner's name is Duncan, and I named my son after him. And of course, the nick name for both of them is "Dunc".

No, never had Snow Goose from the tap. I can't spell this, but Yeungling winter porter is damn good. Upper Canada (the old name for Ontario) Dark Ale is a fine brew (a little bitter for some, but I like bitter). Can never go wrong with Smithwick's or a Newcastle Brown. And Guinness is always good, as long as its on tap.

Being on tap is important. Not the same from a bottle. And cans? thhhhpt! Cans are for Coors Light and Budweiser drinkers.

And I remember Swan Lager from Oz with fondness from my University days. Had roommate who loved the stuff. I started buying it in the heady days of the great Ontario Beer Strike (can only buy beer in Ontario from The Beer Store, and the employees went on strike. Dark, dark times), when it was one of the few things you could buy as an import at the Liquor Store.

 

[Clansman]

Oh great. I have now been humming or singing this tune for an hour, and I just know this is going to last for days. The tune is fairly well stuck in my head.

Of course, I can't wait to try it out the next time Duncan and I have a beer (or the first time that Duncan (my 4 year old) and I have a beer!)!

 

[Clansman]

btw, Pro, what was the original tune to which you alluded? Just curious.

 

[Ross]

I honestly havn't got a clue what you guys are babbling about

Except I heard beer mentioned

 

[Grimward]

Well, er, we decided that Dakar had the right idea about having a round of brews, and one virtual beer led to another, and, well, things went as they usually do when good beer is plentiful, Ross....

Give a look at Pro's link in the posting, and you'll get an idea.

So, no one has any suggestions for Dakar's drinking buddy?

 

[Ross]

Well, er, we decided that Dakar had the right idea about having a round of brews, and one virtual beer led to another, and, well, things went as they usually do when good beer is plentiful, Ross....

Give a look at Pro's link in the posting, and you'll get an idea.

So, no one has any suggestions for Dakar's drinking buddy?

Oh i Love to have a beer with Da-kar

Do characters from other books count? The Dwarf Dolgan likes a good beverage

 

[Clansman]

Dolgan! Good suggestion!

Falstaff comes to mind (Henry IV, Part 1). I might venture a wager that Dakar might be based, at least a little bit, on Falstaff.

 

[The Procrastinator]

Oh, I love to have a beer with Clanny
I love to have a beer with Clan
We drink in moderation
Then he drives me home in his Kombi van
We drink at the Town and Country
Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Clansman
Cuz Clanny's me mate!

I did that to make sure it stays stuck in your head. I don't normally go much on country music but no one can hate that song, its simply a classic. Why am I so nasty as to make sure it stays stuck? Because I watched Mamma Mia last week and I have had Dancing Queen stuck in mine for days. Spread the joy...

The other song was based on a song a learned as a kid, Oh How I love Jesus! Its catchy and can be adapted to suit many occasions. You should appreciate that one, Clanny.

A drinking mate for Dakar...thats a tough one. Everyone else in the book is too damned serious.

 

[Grimward]

Cheers, oh Pooh-bear who Puts Things Off.

And Dolgan wouldn't be bad, Ross, but I think he belongs in Feist's sub-forum, doesn't he? No, Janny's touch is needed for Dakar's drinking buddy, methinks, and while Sir Raymond did collaborate with her on the Empire series, it's her touch on the characters and their development that makes those books shine.

 

[Clansman]

Oh, I love to have a beer with Clanny
I love to have a beer with Clan
We drink in moderation
Then he drives me home in his Kombi van
We drink at the Town and Country
Where the atmosphere is great
I love to have a beer with Clansman
Cuz Clanny's me mate!

I did that to make sure it stays stuck in your head. I don't normally go much on country music but no one can hate that song, its simply a classic. Why am I so nasty as to make sure it stays stuck? Because I watched Mamma Mia last week and I have had Dancing Queen stuck in mine for days. Spread the joy...

The other song was based on a song a learned as a kid, Oh How I love Jesus! Its catchy and can be adapted to suit many occasions. You should appreciate that one, Clanny.

A drinking mate for Dakar...thats a tough one. Everyone else in the book is too damned serious.

Thanks, Pro. Thanks a lot. My wife is starting to throw things at me every time I start to hum or whistle. The song was still stuck before I read your post, so you just managed to pound another nail in to keep it there.

I agree that no matter what your brand of music is, that one crosses all boundaries. It's too bloody happy and friendly for anyone to dislike. Sounds like Slim Dusty was to Australia what Stompin' Tom Connors is to Canada. Ultra-patriotic guys (in a good sense) who sing very classic-style country/folk songs for the working man. I looked Slim up, and see that he died in 2003, but I must say I liked his tune "A Pub With No Beer".

 

[Grimward]

Didn't stay in my head, but not for lack of trying, and only because my daughters constantly have something else on that insists on forcing its way in, Mme. Pro.

Oh, and I meant to tell you, Clanny, that I was practically raised on Yeungling (though not the dark ales); my maternal grandfather lived most of his life in Central Pa, and bought almost nothing else. So, when the inevitable occurred and either he or my father were watching a college football game in Pap-pap's (Grandfather's nickname) living room, both he and my father would check to see if they were being monitored from the kitchen, then surreptitiously offer a taste. Not exactly in the Good Parenting Guide, but at least it was good beer!

Now, about Dakar's Drinking Buddy, who are we going to assign?

 

[Ross]

I've not really read much Janny to know of many characters been touched by her for a drinking buddy!

So i stand by Dolgan

 

[Clansman]

What about Robinton, the Master Harper of Pern?

 

[Grimward]

Nah, got to be someone from Athera....

 

[Clansman]

Okay, that's a real challenge. Who, but an F7 sorcerer, could keep up with Dakar?

Plus, with the latest snippet, it sounds like he has become much more responsible. Not a big surprise, really, but still a little shocking given his background.

 

[Ross]

How about Dhirken?

I've only just met her but she seems like a woman who could handle her drink. (if that's even possible for a woman? None I know can anyway.)