2004 Author Reviews for
Bryn (aka bryn_bnw)

Most people familiar with Bryn are familiar with her humorous works. And those are good, there can be no doubt about that. But the dark story of "marinus stiria" is a world above and apart from the more light-hearted fics. Certain chapters of "Out of the Frying Pan" hinted that Bryn could be an excellent drama and angst writer, but I was completely blown away by this story as it progressed. This is wonderful drama and angst, balanced by careful insertions of humor that hark back to the lighter tales but never overwhelm the sheer pathos in this story. One of the things that impresses me most is Bryn's ability to create atmosphere and to use the environment to enhance the story. The fact that Aragorn and Legolas come to blows during a raging thunderstorm might seem cliché, but only to those who have not read the scene. It fits perfectly, and there is no sense whatsoever that this thunderstorm is in any way "cliché." The quiet fields of Rohan outside Aglarond where Gimli and Legolas sit and talk is another example of Bryn's ability in this area. The meeting place becomes a place of compromise where Legolas and Gimli both feel comfortable and where they can talk without fear of interruption. Little touches like scenery and weather add volumes to this story, and Bryn's drama is driven as much by the characters as it is by the setting.

Bryn has an edge that she puts on everything she writes. An angle that's all her own, if you will. There's always something amazingly unique about her words, whether she's writing dark horror, side-splitting humor, or strange lab reports regarding elven field studies. And it makes her work worth reading, regardless of the subject. She has an ability to find a niche that no one has discovered and to twist her way inside until she's hollowed out her very own world. At that point, she invites everyone in to join her, and there's always more than enough room. With regards to elves, Bryn has taken their oddities, capitalized on them, and turned them into an object of scientific research for these stories. A very refreshing and new way to look at the Eldar, and one that I highly enjoyed.

Bryn_bnw, you're a sick, sick person. But then again, I am always advising fanfiction writers to not be afraid to be evil, aren't I? You do a wonderful job of being evil and your humorous stories are twisted little treats. Thanks!

When stepping into one of Bryn's stories, you should be prepared to have reality warp around you. And by reality, I mean your own as well as the story's. Bryn has an ability to burrow into the cracks of a canon and then start stretching. Every possible stretch is taken. Every possible flaw a character might have is exploited. Nothing and no one is too sacred for fun, and when Bryn gets her claws into something, she doesn't let go. So what does this mean for humorous stories? It means they're zanny, hilarious, and on the top of my list for recommended parodies in the LotR world. My favorite is easily "Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire." Bryn's ability to put every single character into the wildest juxtapositions possible astounds me. You can see this ability for character expression and character foiling in her other stories, but I really do think that "Frying Pan" does it best. Bryn also has a marvelous gift for narrative, and her phrasing keeps the reader interested, laughing, and completely unable to set the fic aside. Finally, in the longer work of "Frying Pan," Bryn demonstrates the understanding that humor has to be balanced by a few darker moments, otherwise humor just can't be taken seriously. Which is an interesting concept, and one that Bryn seems to know very well. Creative, imaginative author who knows her characters, knows how to get the most out of them, and isn't afraid to stretch the outer boundaries of canon.

Bryn_bnw has a twisted sense of humor. And that's the way we like it! I had a lot of fun reading her stories featuring Legolas, and most especially the Romance that Never Was.