2004 Author Reviews for
Ithilien

Ithilien is one of my favorite authors in both the LotR fandom and other fandoms around the Internet. She shows amazing abilities at ensemble characterization in which the POV is shared by several different people, and she is equally gifted when telling a story from a single viewpoint. She firmly grounds readers in her characters, giving them a chance to get to know the heroes and villains of the story, and then she swings the drama into place. It's a very effective writing tool, and as readers, we become completely embroiled in the story, unable to leave it. One of the things that Ithilien does best are moments of disorientation. That sounds odd, but it's true. Not many authors can pull off a convincing and disorienting dream-like sequence, but Ithilien excels at it. It's a difficult task, especially since Ithilien so carefully stays within the bounds of her character's POV. The narrative and story must move forward, but coherency has to be sacrificed because the character is confused or adrift. Ithilien strikes a delicate balance between the two and then walks a grueling tightrope to the other side, guiding the reader through the disorientation but letting us experience enough of it to feed into the story's drama. And then there are Ithilien's other and many talents, such as her ability for heart-stopping action, cruel cliff hangers, humor, insightful romance, and a host of other things that I could spend an entire day ticking off. A very gifted and very well-rounded author.

Ithilien wrote the stories that got me hooked. On WIPs. You evil author, you! Fortunately, or unfortunately--depends how you look at it--I am behind enough in completed stories that I don't have to start reading anymore WIPs! But she was definitely worth the anxiety waiting for her next chapter to be posted. Evil, evil author!