All of this week’s quotes are from Mercedes Lackey’s Elemental Masters series. These books are all based on fairy tales, set in the recent past, and have magicians whose power is based on one of the four classical elements.

“Threaten me all you like! You only prove that you are worse than the brute animals!” Mercedes Lackey. The Serpent’s Shadow. Maya is marching in a Suffragette parade. This book is set in pre-World War I England, based on Snow White and the seven dwarfs, and has protagonists who are water and earth mages.

“Things that the heart decides usually happen unless the head is well in charge.” Mercedes Lackey. Phoenix and Ashes. Sarah, the witch next door, is speculating on why Reginald Fenyx, who should be an Air Master, shows no traces of magic. This story is based on Cinderella, takes place in England during the First World War, and the protagonists are air and fire mages. Some of the characters from The Serpent’s Shadow and The Gates of Sleep reappear off-stage.

“Genius burned, and if you weren’t careful, you burned with it.” Mercedes Lackey. Reserved for the Cat. Nigel, grateful that Ninette is not a genius. This story is based on Puss in Boots, set in early 20th century England, and while the protagonist is not an elemental mage, two other characters are. (Air and fire.) There is also a parrot who thinks he is a reincarnation of Mozart and a very unusual cat.

“You cannot go through life in isolation, seeing others as objects to be manipulated and used.” Lackey. Context? The Wizard of London. Isabelle is speaking to David at the final confrontation with Cordelia. Set in Victorian England, based on The Snow Queen, and with a fire mage (who reappears in The Serpent’s Shadow and Phoenix and Ashes) as a major character.

“So what does a woman in love with a werewolf do at this point?” Lackey. Context? The Fire Rose. Rose’s musings, after she has come to know Jason. The story is set in San Francisco just before and during the earthquake, and is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast. The protagonists are a fire mage and an air apprentice. This book is the first written, but not originally considered part of the Elemental Masters series, and the only one set in the United States.

“Angels are supposed to be powerful, not simpering ninnys with goose-wings!” Mercedes Lackey. Context?  The Gates of Sleep. The painter (and fire-mage) Sebastian is fuming over criticism from a rather foolish Bishop. This one is set in a slightly later and much more rural part of England than The Serpent’s Shadow, based on Sleeping Beauty, and the protagonist is a water mage –though the story also has mages of earth, air and fire.

“The game would be one of strategy, rather than nerve and electrocution.” Sue Ann Bowling. Context? From Homecoming. The game is plasmaball, a team ball and goal game played in free fall with a plasmoid (ball lightning) for a ball. Players have the option of how much armor they wear, but full armor, while protecting from electrocution, slows a player down considerably. Zhaim is disappointed that both teams are wearing full armor.