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[MEFAwards] Men -- Official Voting Ballot

I added to all votes the number of characters as counted by Word without
blanks.

If I counted correctly, do you want me to help counting to avoid that you
develop a carpal tunnel syndrome ? If yes, should I do a special category ?

Sorry, but for Altariel’s stories I have to quote. I can simply not restrain
myself to not showcasing a single line of her beautiful words. But I really
strained to keep it to a minimum not marring the outcome of character
counting without quoting.

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Men

Official Voting Ballot



To Vote, hit Reply. Delete the stories/authors you are not commenting on.
For the stories/authors you want to comment on, make sure to keep the top 2
lines of the header information (ex. subcategory, code: Title by Author) and
then comment beneath them.



Gondor

MeG1: A Pale Light Lingering by Altariel

(999 characters - 247 quoting = 752 without quoting)

Whew, that is a very poetical story. Though the anachronism of the clock
chiming silvery really mars my vision. Nevertheless, due to the very concise
use of beautiful words for me this resembles poetry. I like the restrained
manner in which Faramir and Denethor work together for the realm, Faramir
never letting his suppressed anger colour any of his thought, Denethor
allowing his son to see his Rangers at Mettare. The very best in this story
is the climax after the very evocatively described lighting of the candles:
from “'This is where the light begins,' I said” to “... It goes on through
the whole of Gondor, to the Sea where it glitters on the water... And then
it passes further, on into the West, to Valinor, where it is brightest and
does not die. But this is where it begins. The light starts here, with us,
in Ithilien.'” This is simply beautiful. It creates a very beautiful picture
in my mind of the whole of Gondor lying under a glow of the rising sun, from
Ithilien to the coasts where the light twinkles on the waves. And on the
other hand in my mind it creates the vision of the men holding out against
the darkness looming from Mordor, saving the west by their struggle to hold
the darkness at bay.



Gondor

MeG6: Death by Water by Altariel

(1697 characters, 105 quoting)

Chapter One: Rendered in Faramir's own words we hear here the eloquent man
of LotR speaking many well formed sentences. Quite believable for me. I have
not found another Tolkien-fanfiction author who speaks as well to my mind as
Altariel. “and so pressing did it seem to me that the call be answered, that
I bore no ill will and felt only relief that the matter was in hand” is for
me good Tolkien-style and expresses my view that for Faramir it was more
important that someone went to Rivendell to solve the dream’s riddle than
that he went himself. Also very well done is the scene were Faramir tunes
his father to listen and recognize Boromir’s horn.

Chapter Two: The story chapters stand for themselves but are linked together
by the dream of the large wave smothering all beneath. Beautiful done is
also the Akallabeth as a vision of Faramir. And the downfall of Numenor is
used as a powerful introduction to Faramir’s vision of the dead Boromir
which itself is covered only by a few words. But by rendering the
Denethor-Faramir relationship as one between a stern father and a resigned
but nevertheless tirelessly trying son one understands Faramir’s leaving of
his post to tell his father of Boromir’s death. If Denethor were such an
ogre as he is often portrayed one could not understand that Faramir leaves
his men and his duty riding ventre-a-terre to his father

Chapter Three: and see Denethor berates Faramir for having left his duty.
This for me is not so much a cold father but ere a stern commander. But now
comes a sequence that is too sentimental for a captain-commander
relationship. Nevertheless it is written very well and renders views
generally held in fanfiction: Denethor strikes Faramir. And Faramir weeps
tears streaming. For my dark mind that is unbelievable. It agrees not with
my view of Faramir as a serene leader of men.

Chapter Four: Faramir and Boromir chatting after Boromir’s death. Nicely
done. And very well done is the parting scene between Denethor and Faramir
followed by Faramir’s insight in his father mind.



Gondor

MeG13: Lady of Silences by Altariel

(347 characters)

Beautifully written story. Very dark though. It renders a family situation
with Denethor an abusive husband and Finduilas a resigned wife. The violence
spills over the second son and mother and son carry their doom in silence.
Not what I envision from the Appendices but possible nevertheless. Presented
in a very restrained manner by Finduilas herself. Told in a very believable
manner which manages to haunt me.


Gondor

MeG15: Possessions by Altariel

(623 characters - 99 quoting = 524)

Written from the point of view of Mithrandir visiting Minas Tirith after
Finduilas’ death. Very beautifully crafted words and sentences. Good use of
the LotR account of Mithrandir’s various names. I enjoyed how Faramir is
described to resemble father and mother: “He gave me his father's stare, but
when I twitched my eyebrows at him, it turned quite suddenly into his
mother's smile.” And how, when Mithrandir hides as promised that Faramir
missed his way, and Faramir nevertheless confesses his slip to his father
the proud stern Denethor laughs and pulls his son closer to him. Very well
done in story line and sentence manufacture. This is a perfect example of
Altariel’s work. Side note: “The king’s shilling” is the companion of this
piece.



Gondor

MeG16: Proof by Altariel

(1535 characters, 129 quoting)

This is for me a very good adventure story: suspense and the
characterization of Faramir work together to create a dark story even though
these events occurs during very hot days.

We see Damrod start his life with the rangers by applying Faramir’s rules
still rejected by more experienced rangers. Newly appointed captain Faramir
has yet to win the respect of his men and he achieves it by solving the
problem of the spy in the pool. The story shows us how Faramir managed to
win friends and influence people during his early Captainship of the
Ithilien Rangers who were at that time very reserved concerning the
inexperienced son of the Steward. This is a very good gap-filler who
describes Faramir as I envision him from LotR.

Very well done is the description of the different reactions of the various
rangers to Faramir’s mannerisms and commands. Very enjoyable and partly
amusing are these reactions, for instance Mablung’s trials and tribulations
to get his work done according to Faramir’s commands while he inwardly
chafes about the highborn captain. And Faramir shows cold anger finding his
commands are set aside by all and sundry: “I did not realize, Mablung, that
I was here solely in an advisory capacity. Perhaps there is something I do
not fully understand about the chain of command?”. Naturally in the end all
see the wisdom behind Faramir’s commands.

As in “Fair Game” the speech is not as beautiful as I know Altariel to be
able to write. It seems for adventures Altariel uses a more modern speech
than in the introspective pieces. “Schoolroom” and “schoolboy” for me is not
quite rightly used in a LotR story. What I wonder here, why does Faramir not
use his Numenorean ability to pry into the mind of the spy as he did in LotR
with Gollum ? Maybe he is still learning to use this ability. Nevertheless,
I admire Altariel for this story.


Gondor

MeG21: The Burial of the Dead by Altariel

(1425 characters - (21+39+46+57+42+37=242 quoting) = 1183)

This piece where Denethor remembers his nearest family, all dead or dying is
the most poetical work in this category. And since poetry for me has my
highest esteem, this is the story I acclaim the most. The second paragraph
from “It was not hard to love him” over “but the unfaithful air meant you
heard it first” until “I would trade the earth to fill the land again with
hope.” is so haunting and so understandable of the grieving Denethor that I
only can bow to Altariel’s capability to pour the thoughts of fallible men
into beautiful poetical words. The part where Denethor weighs Faramir and
finds him deficient. Haunting and believable. How Denethor sees the
relationship of Boromir to Faramir with respect to himself is masterly
captured in words: “Lies, I fear, might flow from him like liquid - on the
other's account” How Denethor sees the pyre as a means to save himself and
Faramir from the dark fire of the Enemy through the purifying end in the
self-willed pyre. How in the end forces he himself to admit that he should
have tried even harder to cure Faramir from his admiration of the wizard.
Could anybody write it clearer and more sympathetic ? And last comes
Finduilas the ever present ghost of his life’s love. She accuses him for
squandering her sons, her only legacy: “Sons spent in sacrifice, surrendered
up to steel.” And then in the end of this piece the dejected words of a man
who spent his life to preserve Gondor sacrificing all to his duty: “All
comes to naught. All is consumed by fire.” Nay, I do not remember a
fanfiction-story which gives deeper insight into men’s fault to view all
around him only with respect to his own self while nevertheless presenting
us the believable picture of a great man.



Gondor

MeG22: The King is Dead by Altariel

(317 characters)

Precursor to “Black Captain”. Altariel at her best: Denethor educates
Faramir in strategy and tactics in war and political fencing by using the
game of chess as a foil. Denethor is described as a very able father and
tutor apprising his son correctly and furthering his education expertly. Not
as poetic as other stories but quite a nice gap-filler with respect to
family history.


Post-WOTR

Me4-2: Black Captain by Altariel

(279 characters)

Companion to “The King is Dead”, this story in my opinion comes a bit nearer
to LotR than “The Queen’s Gambit” of A.L. Milton. Well done inclusion of
politics. I like to see the working Steward. Very concise use of words only
hinting at hidden meanings revealed only by thinking about them. I like this
style, for me it has a touch of poetry.

Post-WOTR

Me4-3: Fair Game by Altariel

(1227 characters, 74 quoting)

This is one of the best Forth Age stories I know. I enjoy the fact that here
the “A Game of chess”-Faramir gets back his sword. Though I enjoyed also
Altariel’s much applauded story “A game of chess” very much I had large
problems with it as it renders Faramir as shell-shocked, which for me is
inconceivable. I spent many hours in the following days thinking on this
story and why it bothered me so much. No other fanfiction story had me
musing as much.

But now to “Fair Game”. Faramir’s personality now comes near again to that
personality I envision from LotR: serene, wise, eloquent, speaking
beautifully worded insights. In contrast to “A Game of chess” I find in this
story the Steward (reading his papers and analyzing political developments)
and the Ranger (pursuing enemies). Nicely done is also the OC Deor, who
fears height as much as Faramir fears to touch a sword; Faramir’s nephew
whose rescue induces Faramir to take up the sword again while Deor conquers
his fear of height when need arises. A good touch is to weave the Easterling
politics into the adventure.

In comparison to LotR and other stories of Altariel the speech is not as
beautiful as I know Altariel to be able to write. This is more a recounted
adventure. But the adventure is very well done. And includes many a thought
about insecurities and how to live with them, even how to overcome them. And
Faramir speaks well: “On your own, Déor? Where have my ill-bred children
slunk off to this afternoon, I wonder?”



Me10: Through A Glass by Altariel

(290 characters – 23 quoting = 267)

A nice gap-filler which for my taste feels a bit too modern in the chosen
words and recounted thoughts. But the story line is well crafted. And the
parts which invoke the picture of the mirror are really well done. Moreover,
the change of point of view from third person to first person after the
words “The world tilts into focus.” is masterly crafted.