2004 Author Reviews for
Nessime

Nessime took a tidbit of history, found other tidbits of history, found even MORE obscure tidbits of history, and then tied them all together in a lovely tale of Númenor. I very much enjoy how the history of the past narrowed to produce some of the greatest years of Númenor, and how the moment in this story alluded to Númenor's ultimate downfall but also to what would save the remnants who survived: estel. Hope. But not just hope. Trust, also. It's an intriguing concept that very much makes the difference between Tar-Elendil and the last king, Ar-Pharazôn. One has hope in trust while the other has hope in ambition. In one little scene, Nessime is able to distill and compare the long centuries of Númenor, trace their respective philosophies back through history to an obscure debate between Finrod and Andreth, and then push them forward in time to the last years of the Third Age in which Estel was once again needed. Nessime hides so much in what appears to be a simple tale on the surface but is in reality a far-reaching epic. And that, too, is very characteristic of Númenor.

A good and very dedicated writer. Her words were very well chosen. The spoken language was written believable. I personally would like to feel a bit less of well-intended detachedness from the real world and a bit more of real person ambivalences. Nevertheless I get a feeling of Numenoreans in this story.

Nessime clearly loves Middle-earth, but I can't help but think that the Riddermark has a special place in her heart. Her use of details and her apt storytelling skills bring the land alive, making men out of myths. She also has a real skill with minor characters; Edrys and Gárulf fit right in with how Tolkien described Rohan, and offer us an interesting glimpse of a fascinating character. No wonder she pulls the same off with Hasufel!

Smooth style and a solid sense of Tolkien's favorite themes. Love, duty, vocation, fellowship are evident in Nessime's story. The author also demonstrates her skill in breaking open a canonical scene that has very little space for authors to write in, and in doing so, gives voice to the bedrock of Rohirric society--the horses of the Riders.

I said it in the story review, but I'll repeat the point here: You have a skill for writing Rohan as Tolkien did it. I don't know if you can just hear the cadence, or if you've done a lot of linguistic research and pondering, but your narrative voice is right on.

Nessime's writing has a cadence and a rhythm that keeps the story flowing along and draws the reader in. I've yet to read a story by her that I didn't enjoy.

A very good job of writing and not revealing who her first person pov is at first. I enjoyed this persons style and choice of subject very much.

Not everyone can write the point of view of a horse, but Nessime does it very well.