Yahoo Forum Archive

Drabble
DD1: Alone by Oakenshield

Ooh, the bleakness! I really liked the point-counterpoint balance set
up in each line, itself finally upset by the imbalance of the final
line: "Now he was gone." As an Aragorn addict and one who likes to see
someone do something with Arwen, I'm glad to have read this.

Drabble
DD2: Dernhelm's Ride by Lindelea

Loved that first triad of lines. Lovely sense of repetition and
obsessive focus—very suited to Éowyn.

Drabble
DD5: Fear! Fire! Foes! by Marta

I liked this view of Fatty. Sort of like the "For want of a nail, the
kingdom was lost" line, except that the kingdom wasn't lost. The
"nail" was simply misunderstood by those on the receiving end of his
message. But we know Fatty will show his mettle later; this strikes me
as an appropriately humble yet telling beginning for the future rebel.

Drabble
DD7: Sundered by Oakenshield

I liked the sense of time in this—everything always happens too fast;
expectations are always negated by reality, and there's the play on
losing what one began with—the society one had built, the face one had
loved. I'm not convinced by the pairing as it's done here, but it
doesn't really upset much.

Drabble
DD8: The Call by Alexcat

A novel perspective. I enjoyed the view from the "watery prison."

Drabble
DD9: The Silent Street by Lindelea

I loved the line that Beregond had never drawn a disloyal breath in
his life. I can well imagine his distress in this scene. Some issues
of diction but overall, nicely done.

Drabble
DD10: The Steward and the King by Marta

There's just one characterization moment that I can't agree with, but
otherwise, I liked this little scene of Boromir and Aragorn. It is a
hard world when children as young as two know they must be ready to
face orcs.

Gap-filler
DG1: A Silence Covered in Stone by Zimraphel

Creepy—excellent take on what happened to Eärnur. A nice look, also,
at the beginnings of reconciliation among the Elves of Lórien and
those of Mirkwood.

Gap-filler
DG4: The Fire Sermon by Altariel

Tightly constructed, restrained, and yet utterly convincing
description of Faramir and Éowyn falling in love through the darkness.
Eliot is employed to wonderful atmospheric effect in each chapter,
although I am most fond of course of the final stanza quoted, which
fits so well with probably my favorite section of the work: chapter 4,
last subsection: "For I burn. She consumes my thoughts. And I am
afraid of the fire. I am afraid, for I know what desire has done to my
family." Passion does run pretty thick in everyone's blood in
Altariel's version of the Steward's family, in Faramir no less than
Denethor or Boromir, and we see it played out to its proper end only
in Faramir. Love is indeed a torment, no matter for whom or what. Well
done!

Incomplete
DI1: A Diamond in the Storm by SilverMoon Lady

I don't usually read stories focusing on hobbits, but this has been
great fun! It's clearly been a long way from the original conspiracy
to watch after Frodo, but time and experience have only given Merry,
Pippin, and Sam a better eye for both politics (I love Sam serving at
the Mayor's office as the effective seat of power!) and for dealing
with the turns of fate. They've grown, and although the Shire doesn't
quite know what to do with them, they've learned how to deal with that
without too much fuss and a dollop of good humor. Pippin at Angrim's
was a lovely thing to read, and I like his new confidence and the
sense that he's found a place at home that suits him, even if it is
difficult for his father and others to accept. I'm finding the
Jamestown-style mystery most engaging, and of course, I love anything
with a Ranger in it, so I'm glad to see how Pippin has been working
with the Rangers to help keep the Shire's borders. I'm also intrigued
by the wizard angle, and the discovery of more Huorn-like trees. I
hope you're inspired soon to finish the story so we can see how it all
turns out.

LOTR
DL2: Ashes, East Wind, Hope that Rises by ErinRua

I remember the arguments over whether Éomer could have known of
Théodred's death before riding out after the Orcs. Great fun they
were. I always have a bit of trouble reading fics that cover canonical
scenes so closely; it's always so hard to get away from the original.
My favorite "interlinear" scene, as it were, however, was Éomer
suddenly and irrevocably falling in love with Aragorn: "in that moment
my heart was lost to him. How could I not love a man such as this -
who strode unblinkingly into legend for no other cause than the love
of his friends and comrades?" That glossed the particular passage
perfectly, I thought, and mirrored nicely Eomer's other moment of
realization: the love he feels for his people, just as he realizes
that he may not live to return to them. Éomer's fundamental sunshine
is not marred by a certain mercurial temper that doesn't seem out of
place in him. Nicely done.

LOTR
DL3: Bitter as Blood by Shadow975

Well drawn portrait of the relationship of Boromir and Aragorn. I am
particularly grateful to have the second chapter of this fic, as I
always have trouble dealing with the DVD extended edition version of
their Rivendell encounter. This makes a kind of emotional sense of
that scene, which otherwise seems unbalanced, and then goes on to
trace the missteps in that relationship and its final resolution,
pinning its evolution on the problem of faith. Who has it? Who offers
it? How to fit the image that that faith demands, and what are the
consequences of trying? Of failing to do so? How does one go about
recovering from that initial failure to live up to the other's demand,
to have so visibly shrunk from the sum of all one's fears? There are
few movieverse fics out there that help move me to a new understanding
of the film version of the books, but this is one of them. Well, well
done!


LOTR
DL7: LifeWatch by Lindelea

Very enjoyable. Merry's and Pippin's voices felt very natural
throughout, and I loved the humor and vivacity they infused into an
otherwise rather dire situation. Naturally, I was also thrilled to see
Beregond get some time in the spotlight, and Targon as well, and
despite knowing Beregond's ultimate fate, I couldn't help but feel a
certain dread for him. I liked very much the fact that the telling of
stories had such a prominent place in this particular fic: from
Merry's reliving of the early misadventures of Pippin and Merry even
as he succumbs to exhaustion, to the actual telling of stories to the
sick and possibly dying, to the rumors about Beregond, to the young
healers overhearing tales and reading tales from the hands of their
patients—everything moves on the power of words, and given that
Cormallen was where the Ringbearer's tale was first sung, that seems
highly appropriate. Nice congruency, there.

LOTR
DL8: Pippin's Crucible by Pearl Took

The stuff of nightmares and worse than that are all written into this
fic. The pacing is dead on throughout, excuse the choice of words. The
sense of urgency and vertigo are relentless and constant, and every so
often, Pearl gives us these chillingly simple observations, questions
anyone would ask who hasn't lived in a war zone: "Don't your eyes just
close?" Pippin asks upon seeing the slaughtered dead "staring" at him.
Something about that questions instills the reader with a kind of
horror. I found the reversal of idiom—usually we talk of wishing to
wipe our hands clean, Pippin thinks of not wishing his feet attached
to his body, of them never being clean again—very well handled. This
was indeed a crucible. Well written!

LOTR
DL11: The Mirror of Galadriel by Varia Lectio

I loved the line that if Sauron won his ring, Galadriel's would become
a trap.

LOTR
DL14: Wizard by M. Sebasky

Great introspective piece. Gandalf is one of those characters whose
voice is nearly impossible, it seems, to capture from any framework
approaching the interior, or so it has always seemed to me. This fic
comes very close. There's an inhumanity to the character here that
comes with the recognition of just how long and how often Gandalf has
been the one to change lives, to set them willingly and knowingly in
the line of danger for the sake of a greater plan. This is the mental
chessboard of the strategist, where the pieces are real lives. But
despite that necessary inhuman or inhumane element, Gandalf has still
regrets. They don't quite overwhelm—and that is important as it keeps
this fic from spiraling into a sort of angstfest—and that, I think, is
a great achievement. The restraint is wonderful, as is the revelation
that even Gandalf does not have an answer to all things, much though
others find his every utterance a source of comfort. Beautiful!

Poetry
DP6: The Day the Sun Didn't Rise by Tinni

I liked the concept of this fic, using Tilion's chase of Arien to work
in the old Japanese legend.

Poetry
DP8: The Vain Songs by Nol

Although I'm no one to comment on poetry, particularly poetry of the
non-rhyming sort, these are a fascinating set of poems. Vanity,
indeed, as Elves obsess over the works of their hands, and
occasionally just hands, period (and hair, always the hair!), and
everything gets refracted through the looking glass. Plenty of irony,
dark humor, Attic salt, as it were, and probably the most unique
portrayal, in form and content, of Maedhros and Fingon I have ever
seen. The language might take some getting used to—we're all so very
accustomed to try to match style to Tolkien's, but once you've
adjusted, it's ruthlessly entertaining!

Post-WOTR
DPoW1: A Change of Seasons by runningscared

This was a nice vignette about Gimli and Legolas departing from
Middle-earth. Just a quick snapshot of the moment, and a lovely
teasing exchange between two very old, very dear friends—a sweet, if
brief, portrait.

Post-WOTR
DPoW5: Closing the Book by Gonzai

I've always liked the fact that Tolkien gave Sam that line: Ah, and
where will they live?, and that Tolkien then went on to tell of the
part that came "happily ever after", in one form or another, including
the inevitable fact that with the exception of Legolas and Gandalf and
a few other Elves, all the members of the Fellowship and those whom
they encounter are mortal. A happy ending to one tale does not mean
they are made immortal—death is a part of their cycle and tale.
Watching Merry and Pippin, and to a lesser extent Aragorn, deal with
age, death, and bereavement was very moving. I thought a bit more
could've been done with the closing the book motif, but nevertheless,
worth a read.

Post-WOTR
DPoW8: Immortal by Ainaechoiriel

And here's another on Merry and Pippin very near the end of their
days. This time, it is Legolas whom we follow through the process of
confronting the inevitable, which of course strikes him differently
being elvish and not subject to death by time alone. Arwen's brief and
"unqueenly" cameo at the end was very welcome, and very appropriate
and bittersweet, since with time, she will experience bereavement as
well that will strike her to the core. It's to be hoped that Legolas
will be there for her, even as she was there for him after that
conversation with Merry and Pippin.

Post-WOTR
DPoW12: Shards of Time by AL Milton

This is one of those fics that requires to be digested slowly. There's
something about the way Barahir goes about his effort to unearth The
Truth about his grandmother that just reeks of violence, and I have to
say, I love it. How to reduce someone to a page, when that person has
inconveniently managed to be both a hero and a deserter, both a saint
and a sinner? We see the unflattering side of the tale alongside the
heroic parts we all know, and it all comes through the sophisticated
mind of a man whose virtue is his vice: a desire for the truth, which
he can mock or manipulate or both, and who in the end has to confess
to being able to do only what he must. This story isn't really about
Éowyn in the end, it's about Barahir and mundane desire for truth in a
dishonest and complicated world, a desire which can neither be
satisfied ("there is no truth") nor dismissed.

Post-WOTR
DPoW15: Strawberries by Khylea

Ok, so I'm a sucker for the climbing Orodruin movie moments. This made
me smile.


Post-WOTR
DPoW18: The Last Grey Ship by ErinRua

Bittersweet, and yet hopeful, too. I loved Gimli's line, that he
wished he could stop looking. That was perfect! Gimli and Legolas
bantering is a staple of their friendship in fandom, and here we see
it put to good effect on the eve of a difficult decision, following a
most difficult loss. As for the tale of the Elessar, I found it quite
appropriate: this is the ending of an Age, and not just of an Age but
of an entire kind of history. Middle-earth's magic is fading, and the
artifacts of that era are out of time and place, and must either go to
dust or outside the dominion of the mundane world.

Post-WOTR
DPoW20: Trees of Remembrance by jenolas

The trees of Fangorn are certainly full of surprises, as Gimli might
say! This was an enjoyable vignette. A little bit sad, but with
humorous touches, and one thinks that perhaps Eldarion has found a
reason to stay on just a little bit longer.

Pre-WOTR
DPrW2: All These Wore Wings by fileg

Definitely one of my favorite stories about Boromir and Faramir as
children. The parallel between Gondor and Gondolin was one I had not
considered before reading this story. What intrigues me is Faramir's
early assertion that the point of the story of "those who wear wings"
is that no one knows, because it is the nature of boats (or anything
that journeys and leaves others behind) to go into the unknown.
Faramir may make himself Tuor in his story, but ultimately, it will be
he who has to stand and watch others turn towards the great unknown
(death) ahead of him. No one escapes war, not even those who wear
wings, as Faramir points out, and that lends a shivery feel of
foreboding to an otherwise delightful story far removed from the
violence of the coming apocalypse.


Pre-WOTR
DPrW8: Small Soldiers by Cori Lannam

This is an interesting reversal, in its way, from what one might
expect: that Boromir should flee, where Faramir would stay when
Finduilas died. Interesting, too, Denethor's approach to dealing with
the family's loss—it's a lesson, it's a necessity. It's a way of
coping and keeping control, all while doing something useful for these
two boys, his "small soldiers" who will one day be seeing all too much
of death. Poignant and unsettling.

Romance
DR11: The Tale of the Laughing Maiden by Deborah Judge

I'm not much of a Silm fan, so it's a rare Silmfic that moves me. This
one did, for the way in which the bitter pride of the Noldor is shown
played out by the curse, which amplifies the corruption of that
original pride. Well-written, as are all of Deborah Judge's stories,
edgy, and featuring that rarest of creatures: a female protagonist who
holds her own with dignity as she comes to painful self-comprehension.

D5: Magpies and Rhymes by Acacea

Lovely foreboding. I liked the use to which the rhyme was put; rarely
has a magpie been so threatening. This is a fictional space I don't
often see authors write in: the hearing of Boromir's horn in Gondor
gets received with appropriate gravity. Great mood writing!

D6: Motherless by Isabeau of Greenlea

Well-written vignette exploring death and mourning. Imrahil has taken
on a life he never had in the books in Isabeau's hands; we ache with
him, and with his children as they begin to come to terms with the
idea of life without Nimrien. The family dynamics among the four
children, Imrahil, and Faramir are well portrayed: even though, with
the exception of Faramir, these characters are basically names in the
Appendix or six-line characters, each has a distinct personality and
aspirations. Each deals differently with tragedy, and all strive to
support each other through the loss. Faramir and Boromir get a scene
together at the end, and are delightful, as always; I salute Boromir
for his adroit maneuvering and political savvy. He usually does take
second place to his brother in the field of politics and maneuvering,
but not in this case, and despite the sad occasion, he provides a
needed uplift with his humor. There's a certain fundamental sunniness
to Isabeau's writing, and it shines through here, even in mourning,
but in such a way that it's appropriate. Those who have enjoyed other
fics featuring Imrahil should enjoy this one.

D15: To Sing of War by Avon

The bitterness of the survivors of the Last Alliance finds a voice in
Thranduil. There's something numbing and also wrenching about his
recital of the horrors of war; he has seen too much to find anything
worth honoring in it, and thanks to one moment of weakness on
Isildur's part, all of the waste and horror seems to have been in
vain. There is no comfort to be had, for there was never a victory,
just a reprieve and the promise of more to come.

D17: Whispers by Ellbee

One would think it was Boromir. It could have been Boromir, but all
the better when one discovers that it is not. I like the idea that
Aragorn, too, would have been tempted by the Ring and forced to
struggle against it. It gives a little more meaning to his final
assurance to Boromir that no, Boromir has conquered, for according to
this fic, he really ought to know, oughtn't he?

AUTHORS (remember to comment on the writer as regards to the category,
not the story, here):


Poetry
DPA4: Nol

I have difficulty commenting on Nol as a poet, since I lack the
vocabulary or conceptual tools to do so with any amount of skill,
particularly given the free form style she uses for "Vain Songs." But
she writes intelligently, with a refreshing irreverence and
willingness to use anachronism to her advantage. That's difficult to
pull off, especially in a fandom where the formal turn of phrase is
often valued.

DA4: AL Milton

Another author with a certain refreshing interest in inverting the
usual interpretations of stories we think we know. AL Milton knows how
to build tension, and her cutting back and forth between past and
present, and between lines, even, of "confessions" successfully draws
the reader into a rather vertiginous world, where truth is difficult
to grasp and a rather fleeting and temporary thing. There are layers
here, and the reader feels the earth shifting, feels horizons shifting
as Barahir unfolds the paradox that is Éowyn, and also the gap between
the legendary and the mundane. In her hands, history becomes an
endeavor much more fraught with peril than one might ordinarily think.
And she makes managing it all look easy, too.

DA6: Altariel

Altariel writes with precision, as always, and with a deft and certain
hand at characterizing Faramir. First person is a difficult point of
view for me, but Altariel has mastered it, and to great effect—her
introspective narrative is amazing and never feels stale.

DA23: fileg

Powzie writes both poetry and prose, and in each case there's
something wonderfully fluid about her style. There's a sense of quiet,
too, that is most appealing particularly as a sort of counterpoint to
Faramir's canonical story arc.

DA26: Isabeau of Greenlea

This would be Isabeau doing what she does best: character study. Here
she demonstrates her skill in using five characters who are really bit
players at most in the books, and in creating believable, disctinct
personalities for each. All the characters are so well realized;
empathy with them comes naturally, as does sympathy.

DA38: M. Sebasky

This is an author to watch. Although the fic in question wasn't
nominated for MEFAs, M. Sebasky is the only author who has made me
buy, for even five seconds (and more than that), the possibility of
Éowyn/Aragorn as a couple. Her writing feels very crisp to me, very
clean and sharp—things comes into focus in ways I wouldn't necessarily
expect while reading her stories.


DA44: Pearl Took

From the few fics I've read by Pearl Took, she has a talent for
dramatic presentation. Her pacing is excellent and serves to heighten
the tension. Insightful characterization and the ability to bring out
the stark horror of a situation are two of her virtues.

DA48: Shadow975

Shadow975 can crack open a scene and make its contradictions into
virtues. She excels at putting two characters together through the use
of contrasting monologues. These monologues are a wealth of
psychological insight; her characterization, even when I disagree with
it, is very thorough and well-drawn.

DA50: SilverMoon Lady

This author leaves off at cliff-hangers. I should not complain of
this, as it is generally a virtue if one is writing a WiP, but dang
it! SilverMoon Lady brings a post-War Pippin to life with great skill,
and manages to give us hints of how the post-War political situation
in and around the Shire has unfolded; these hints and glimpses never
feel added on, and add up to an interesting if incomplete picture that
gives a lovely background for the characters to act against. I look
forward to the completion of this fic.