Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: Maturity · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: Fixed-Length Ficlets
With Children · ID: 899
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:15:10
Humorous, and all too plausible! Boromir shows himself to have a more
wicked sense of humor than his brother, although I suppose romantic
humiliation and the desire to avenge it would inspire him to make
certain he lets things get a lot further before moving in to tease and
torment.
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Title: Fair Trade · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: Steward's Sons
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 900
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:16:44
Armies run on their stomachs, it is said, and Faramir shows the truth of
that adage in this drabble. It isn't mere physical sustenance that's
wanted, but a loaf of bread--newly baked and soft, rather than hard and
cold--is more than just food, it's recognition, relationship, and honor.
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Title: Not Fair · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: Fixed-Length Ficlets
With Children · ID: 902
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:17:10
This was sweet, and Eomer shows himself to be clever in turning his
son's 'disadvantage' into a an advantage and a compliment. It all
depends on the meaning one gives certain attributes.
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Title: Rejection · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: Aragorn Fixed-Length
Ficlets · ID: 903
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:18:39
Entirely too much sympathy for Aragorn in this ficlet, since getting a
job that serves one's needs is a concern ever on the starving student's
mind. And although a royal pedigree does help in some circles, it has to
be known, and Middle-earth doesn't exactly have affirmative action to
help a down-and-out Ranger find gainful employment in foreign lands.
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Title: Unfolded · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: Fixed-Length Ficlets
With Children · ID: 906
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:19:01
I love Bergil stories, and this is a very sweet one. The connection
between him and the Steward is lovely and understated, a little
side-view into Faramir's recovery after Pelennor.
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Title: First Impressions · Author: Bodkin · Races: Men: Featuring
Aragorn · ID: 806
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:20:40
Halbarad is well drawn: resilient, optimistic, teasing, confident as he
confronts a broody, melancholy young Aragorn who is suffering through
the adjustment to life among the Dúnedain. Nice understated affirmation
of his new Chieftain: [All right? ... He'll do].
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Title: Finding the Right Words · Author: Nienor Niniel · Races: Men:
Post-Sauron's Fall · ID: 785
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:21:08
I liked the visionary reconciliation of Faramir with his father that
precipitates his finding the right words to greet the new king on
coronation day.
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Title: The Circle · Author: Karenator · Races: Men · ID: 778
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:21:23
I gather I'm missing some of the background for this story, but
Halbarad's interactions with his more abstracted and inexperienced son
are firmly drawn. Hurin is a dreamer, and a source of both pride and
some bafflement to Halbarad, but in the end, the importance of dreamers,
particularly the young ones, is brought home. Legacies of service and of
hope are passed from generation to the next as Hurin comes brutally of
age among Rangers, and the dead children of a long forgotten people
return to speak of [tomorrow], opening possibilities.
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Title: History Becomes Legend · Author: annmarwalk · Races: Men:
Steward's Sons Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 737
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:21:47
Poignant that the Rohirrim should make a song just for Boromir. Faramir
must have been deeply touched.
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Title: The Standard-Bearer · Author: Thevina Finduilas · Races: Men:
Vignette · ID: 716
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:22:11
Nice interlude, though Aragorn's gratitude seemed a touch excessive
given Halbarad's role.
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Title: In the Shadow of Hope · Author: Thevina Finduilas · Races: Men:
Vignette · ID: 715
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:22:31
Eowyn's frustrations, her sense of futility, war against the evidence of
life going on and continuing itself, even while the Army of the West
goes to battle for all their lives. But providence is not always so
indirect in demonstrating its will in the world - demanding proof that
Bema remains and that not all is hopeless, Eowyn asks for a sign.

What she gets moves her that much closer to healing.
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Title: About Legends or Whisperings of a Ghost · Author: juno_magic ·
Races: Men · ID: 699
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:22:45
A very plausible rereading of the Beruthiel legend. Juno pays attention
to more than just Beruthiel and her cats, but also to her husband,
Tarannon Falastur, in order to construct a tale that could explain how
Beruthiel and her nine feline friends could have come to be so demonized.

The predatory, sadistic Tarannon is revealed to be as many other such
monsters are: carefully in control of their image, cunning in choosing
their victims, and masters of propaganda. In this tale, a woman-child
for a bride becomes the easy victim of a king who loves pain and loves
inflicting it. Power can hide the truth, and he uses it to cover it
over, until all that is left of Beruthiel, besides the legends, is her
ghost and a strange tale out of the Haradric South that suggest she
might not have been the monster legend made her.

Juno uses an interesting combination of first person narration and a
historian's persona to tell this story, blurring the line between fact
and fantasy. Very interesting, if horrific tale, Juno! For the adult
readers, if you're curious about the footnotes and details that make M-e
come alive, this is recommended.
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Title: I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes · Author: juno_magic · Races: Men · ID: 698
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:23:00
Juno Magic exploits the fact that the Numenoreans are not the only
inhabitants of Gondor, but the colonists, and builds an intense and
fascinating character whose reflections on the old faith are framed by
the lowlander/highlander distinction that maps onto the
Numenorean/native distinction.

Middle-earth has had its direct encounters with the powers of the world,
who are themselves servants of the One. The whole history of Numenor is
an extended tale of a people's relationship with those powers, their
rise in faith and friendship, followed by their downfall in profanation
and violence. Juno's mountain men remember this history, contrasting it
always with their own faith, still kept and tied to the seven mountains
central to their relationship with Eru the One, whom they will name
where the Numenoreans will fall silent.

But is it a living relationship? This particular highlander lives with
doubts--for after all, he has never seen the things spoken of in the old
religious traditions. And when he doubts, then cultural discontent gains
a political dimension--had the natives risen up against the Gondorians,
who made Eru's name taboo for all but the King, might their prayers have
more meaning? Might they bring the wonders told of?

In the end, however, there are no answers--religion is not a matter of
scientific cause and effect, but a crucible, where faith and doubt
reside together, just as light and darkness do, as the mountaineer
reminds himself. The substance of faith is that he does continue to
climb the mountains and to say the prayers, whether he expects anything
to come of them or not today or the next day--he simply lives in the
hope that perhaps he will see the old pledges of eagle- and wolf-song
fulfilled.

Elegant and thoughtful, Juno!
-----------------------------------
Title: Little Brothers · Author: DinaLori · Races: Men · ID: 686
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:23:18
This book-movie blend explores the closeness of Boromir and Merry and
Pippin, and provides a foundation for it in Boromir's relationship to
Faramir. Always the protector of Faramir, and early sworn to take care
of his adoring little brother, Boromir finds an analogous relationship
between Merry and Pippin, which wakens him to take on the role of elder
brother to them both. He can't do everything an older brother would do
for a younger one for the hobbits, but he does make it his place to keep
them safe, and to teach them to keep themselves safe.
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Title: Man of the North · Author: Marta · Races: Men: Aragorn
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 684
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:23:31
Thengel's sense of fellowship with a stranger out of place opens him to
consider accepting his service, despite his looks. We rarely get stories
about Thengel, so this is an interesting glimpse into the mind of the
man who inherited a kingdom in some disarray after his father's bad
ways. Clearly, flexibility and a willingness to look beyond the surface
would serve him well as a king, and it gains him a valuable servant who
would go on to fame in Gondor.
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Title: Lossarnach Yule · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Races: Men:
Gondor · ID: 677
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:23:45
This is a delightful sidebar to Isabeau's universe, and it's lovely to
see some of the Rangers on their own without Faramir present. Mablung,
Lorend, and Hethlin are assigned to the weregild patrol, that makes
rounds to see that the families of slain Ithilien Rangers are given
their due. Idren and his family are the last of the families on their
list, but things are not going nearly so well.

Poverty, greed, and politics combine to put Idren and his family in
danger of being turned out of their home and separated simply to try to
survive. Isabeau's Ranger patrol must take it upon themselves to rectify
the situation. Lorend, one of her OCs we've grown accustomed to in
previous stories, and a bit of a rascal black sheep, shows his worth in
this story, since it is he who has the bartering skills and the family
connections to bring together the community against the predations of a
greedy trader upon the helpless. It's so very nice to see a little
community action and organization, reminding us that again, central to
Tolkien's work is the importance of fellowship--or of solidarity, as
might also be said.

A lovely story, with humor thrown in to good effect; those who enjoy
stories about Gondor's common people will enjoy this one.
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Title: The Steward's Dream · Author: Marta · Races: Men: Fixed-Length
Ficlets With Children · ID: 647
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:23:57
Faramir is a good one for recognizing when to give something up: Rings,
hobbits, and in this one, a too-narrow dream that reduces the hope of
renewal for Gondor to fear for his own family's place in a society where
the king has returned. In giving it up, he doesn't lose but gains a
broader hope, recognizing that change does not mean he will be without a
role to play in that brighter future.
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Title: Roots and Branches · Author: Raksha the Demon · Races: Men: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 611
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:24:15
It's good to see the connection between Sam and Faramir continued, here.
It often doesn't seem to attract much attention. However, Raksha reminds
us that Sam has his own insight and wisdom, and that his words mean a
great deal to Faramir. Faramir's own doubts, about himself and the worst
actions of his immediate family, make for a painful journey towards
healing, but Sam sets him on the right path, in his own hobbity
metaphor, and Faramir fortunately is wise enough and open enough to be
helped along by it.
-----------------------------------
Title: Inheritance · Author: Acacea · Races: Men: Steward's Sons
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 524
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:24:28
Acacea recalls the affinity that Tolkien gave Faramir and Denethor,
underneath their more visible differences and uses that to good effect.
Faramir interrogates Gandalf as to his father's death, showing his
likeness to him, yet also, in the end, demonstrating that gentleness
that sets him apart from his sire.
-----------------------------------
Title: Strength of a River · Author: Acacea · Races: Men: Gondor · ID: 513
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:24:41
This loose set of scenes, revolving around Ithilien and Faramir's long,
patient struggle there, gets its titular image (one repeated in other
fics) from a young boy's desire to be a river. Faramir's affinity for
Anduin and the sea, and the unstoppable force of the river flowing
becomes a metaphor for his life and work and the story itself. The river
can hold many things, and the story, too, holds together these little
scenes from Faramir's life, opening out in the end onto an uncertain future.
-----------------------------------
Title: A Night in the Woods · Author: Acacea · Races: Men: Gondor · ID: 511
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:24:59
Sweet vignette, as the brothers banter about elves (and whether Boromir
has actually seen some) and marriage and in the end are simply glad to
have some time to talk with each other, whatever the content.
-----------------------------------
Title: Brothers at Heart · Author: Radbooks · Races: Men: Incomplete ·
ID: 451
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:25:13
This lengthy story explores Aragorn's arrival among his own people at
age twenty and his growth into their leader. The lives of the Dúnedain
of the North are fleshed out in villages and on patrols. Halbarad's and
Aragorn's developing relationship is central to the story, and numerous
OC Dúnedain fill out their world.

The part that probably affected me the most was the fate of the bandits
in the end; nice to see Aragorn learns a little about the complexity of
people's motives.
-----------------------------------
Title: Do Not Think Me A Dream · Author: EdorasLass · Races: Men: Gondor
· ID: 40
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:25:39
A sensitive portrait of Finduilas in her decline. The Appendices of
course make her health and eventual death a matter of much speculation.
Edoraslass turns this into an image of a woman struggling with
depression without having the words for it, disturbed by dreams of her
own coming demise, victim of mood swings and exhaustion, and weighed
down by care for her loved ones, to whom she cannot explain her night
time wanderings and poor health. Denethor makes a brief appearance, but
nevertheless, gives a strong impression with just that too knowing frown
that says he can't believe her excuses, but neither can he question them.

Haunting the bedroom of her children at nights, feeling as if ill health
and duty are drawing her away from them and into the arms of Nanny, who
minds them day and even night, she makes the most of these nocturnal
visits. Touching and melancholy, it's a convincing image of Finduilas
and her family.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Oathbreakers · Author: Branwyn · Races: Men: Aragorn
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 42
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:25:51
Now this was quite the surprise. I had thought Isildur might be among
the Dead, but it's a much more recent ghost that Aragorn recognizes.
This is very well done, and heart-wrenching, as Aragorn struggles
against the impulse to call out to this particular shade, desirous of
his company and perhaps some better peace than they had been able to
make with each other, but equally too afraid to speak and doom the other
to linger still instead of departing to a deserved rest.

Creative and concisewell done, Branwyn!
-----------------------------------
Title: Consolation · Author: EdorasLass · Races: Men: Gondor · ID: 47
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2006-08-04 06:26:05
The toy pony rides again! It's always fun to watch elements common to a
set of writers, who are weaving together a particular version of
Middle-earth, shift back and forth between their stories. Naturally,
it's enjoyable when it's done *well*, but no fear: Edoraslass puts a
well-loved toy to good use as she draws two grieving children struggling
to comfort each other. Boromir, ten years old, and more aware of the
conversations grown-ups don't intend for children to overhear, knows
time is running out, that he and Faramir cannot continue to sleep
together for comfort after their mother's death for much longer, that
they must separate and pretend for a while that everything is all right,
until at last it finally is.

The toy pony proves the means to soothe Faramir's fears of being alone
in his room, and inspires a reciprocal offer that Boromir wisely
accepts, enabling Faramir to feel as if he, too, has something to give
his brother when everything seems so very wrong and out of control. But
they are both young children, still, and Boromir isn't quite ready to
give up the comfort of having his younger brother with him at nights,
either. It's a fitting ending and quite plausible.
-----------------------------------