Yahoo Forum Archive

This is an archive of the MEFA Yahoo Group, which was shut down by Yahoo in 2019. The archive can be sorted by month and by topic ID. You can use your browser to search by keyword within the month or topic you have open.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2004---18210426558925263362316285
20051895610753834744697276194358565136
200623166277611713912756676615979
200720257-297299143318583103
2008561335424014127477516090106
2009283-39194101722722153624
201067-14103138129321316330
20111-172625906132758
201230---812276-----
2013------------
2014---------1-2
2015------------
2016------------
2017------------
2018------------
2019---------1--

Msg# 7516

Reviews for 21 October - part 2 Posted by Rhapsody October 21, 2006 - 15:54:51 Topic ID# 7516
Title: Theme and Variations · Author: Gandalfs apprentice · Genres:
Humor: Gondor · ID: 784
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:02:21
Lovely story - I thoroughly enjoyed it. Delightful characterisation. I
like Lady Haleth - who deserves a better life than than of the unmarried
sister, endlessly listening to the domineering Morwen. And I'm sure
Aragorn would have been exasperating for the likes of Talbeth. Not that
he cares. Love the gathering in the new set of rooms too and the way all
these characters relate to each other.

The new regime in Minas Tirith is going to be a good one!
-----------------------------------
Title: Mine · Author: EdorasLass · Genres: Humor: Children · ID: 66
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:07:51
I just love the horse being called Clover. And Boromir's reaction to
having baby slobber all over his favourite toy.

Nanny is superb at looking after these two. She has such an instinctive
understanding of the way children's minds work. It's fun to see Boromir
at the stage when his little brother was referred to as that baby, too.
Wonderful series of stories. I always look forward to new additions.
-----------------------------------
Title: Fellowship of the Conkers · Author: Llinos · Genres: Humor · ID: 880
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:19:45
I love this story. The image of the Fellowship debating the merits of
various conkers and trying to explain to the uninitiated just how you
play the game is just delightful. Although I don't blame Boromir for
disposing of the rest of the stash - he had undoubtedly had enough fun
for one evening. However, I daresay there will be plenty of other trees
along the way - if there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that where
there's one horse chestnut tree, there will be plenty more.

I wonder if Boromir found conkers harder to understand than hobbity
genealogy. I suggest the hobbits should, at some time, try to introduce
him to marbles. And tiddlywinks. That should help him keep his mind off
the Ring.
-----------------------------------
Title: Spring Rites · Author: Gwynnyd · Genres: Romance: Rohan · ID: 842
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:26:39
I can certainly understand Lothiriel's uncertainty! But hearing Eomer's
voice would convince her more than Eowyn's reassurance, I think. And
what better way to make a Gondorian princess acceptable in Rohan than
have her take part in their customs!
-----------------------------------
Title: A Bargain at any Price · Author: quizzabella · Genres: Romance:
Incomplete · ID: 952
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:28:59
I am enjoying this story - Amrothos is definitely a most attractive
character and Najila is an interesting heroine. I am looking forward to
discovering more of what happens to them.
-----------------------------------
Title: Fire and Flowering · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Romance:
Incomplete · ID: 58
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:41:58
I love Faramir's patience - and Eowyn's response to him. And the
children would find it all to be completely gross! These two make a
great couple.
-----------------------------------
Title: Reconciliation · Author: Willow_41z · Genres: Romance: Incomplete
· ID: 802
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:45:43
I am enjoying this. The whole business of royal marriage suggests that
it is highly unlikely that all the major players in Middle-earth married
for love, but Lothiriel and Eomer have a good chance of developing a
grown-up kind of love as they come to know and understand each other
better. I look forward to more.
-----------------------------------
Title: Too Few Words · Author: annmarwalk · Races: Dwarves · ID: 311
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:51:11
I found this to be a very touching story. Poor Zei. I'm sure she and her
cat had a very happy and successful life, but, if Gimli had been a bit
more observant, it could have been more fulfilling. It seems males of
all species are equally gormless.

I'm glad Legolas observed her reason for remaining and silently promised
to look after Gimli.

-----------------------------------
Title: The Groomsman · Author: Elen Kortirion · Races: Dwarves:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 44
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 08:54:18
That is so touching!

Gimli seems so gruff, yet he has such a gentle soul. (Unless you're an
orc, of course. Or a troll.) I'm glad he prepared Boromir properly for
his last journey.
-----------------------------------
Title: Seeing Stars · Author: Budgielover · Races: Hobbits: Children ·
ID: 399
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 09:10:30
Merry is wicked to terrorise his older cousin with the dangers of
matchmaking female relations. And he really ought to understand that
Pippin's serious cuteness is an advantage - if he can only learn to play
it properly. I loved Pippin's proposal of marriage - after all, the way
to a hobbit's heart is through his stomach.

And I suspect that, no matter how many times they try this, Pippin will
always manage to do it again.


-----------------------------------
Title: SpiderWebs · Author: Lindelea · Races: Hobbits: Children · ID: 783
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 09:26:38
Poor Celandine! Those lads are just so infuriating - and she is right -
they get away with everything. Pippin cuts off her doll's hair and draws
on her picture and <i>she</i> gets into trouble? Because she gets angry
with him! And to call her a tag-along! I'm not surprised she reacted and
I am very, very pleased she got her own back!

And, after all, she was only doing what they asked her to do, wasn't
she? Not her problem that they didn't want her to play once the spider
had tied up the dwarves and chased her off so nastily!

It hardly seems fair at all that Celandine should get into trouble for
the lads' stupidity. But such is the way of life.

I like Celandine. She's strong-willed and resilient. And one day she
might just get those lads where she wants them.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Parting Gift · Author: Imhiriel · Times: First Age and Prior:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 948
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 10:40:28
What could speak louder for a musician? Maglor was really the closest
thing Elrond (and Elros) had to a father in those years - and his
welfare must have stayed close to Elrond's heart. I love this
explanation of the silver harp he carried.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Lost · Author: Altariel · Times: Fourth Age and Beyond:
Gondor · ID: 181
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 10:50:04
I love this. I enjoyed the whole story of Brand - but I can empathise
completely with Faramir's reluctance to accept the story of his
brother's son out of hand. It is, after all, rather unlikely. Yet their
rapprochement is beautifully drawn - as it the understanding to which
they come. And Brand has developed an uncle. Seeing Andrahar and Faramir
stepping carefully round each other is enjoyable, too - and they can
tolerate if not like each other.
-----------------------------------
Title: If I Had It All Again To Do · Author: Pearl Took · Times: Fourth
Age and Beyond: The Shire · ID: 226
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 10:56:40
Such a sad story. It's one way to hide - to keep living when your people
are under pressure - but it's a denial and it's hard to live comfortably
with that as time passes and you get nearer the end. He'd have been too
busy with the process of raising a family for many years to think about
it, but it will have haunted him in his last years. As will abandoning
his parents and kin. Even if he doesn't miss the sheep.
-----------------------------------
Title: Sword Play · Author: Lindelea · Times: Fourth Age and Beyond: The
Shire · ID: 782
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 11:03:26
There is a delicious irony in knowing that Faramir and Goldilocks will
marry. They fight so delightfully that their marriage will be very
interesting and Faramir will never be able to push Goldi into doing
anything she doesn't want to. (And he is, in truth, a very irritating
young hobbit at the moment. In need of thorough squashing.)

I'm glad Sam had something in mind other than administering a sound
whipping to young Goldilocks - and I hope that her lessons in sword play
enable her to squash Farry even more efficiently!

This is one of my favourite stories, I think - although it's very hard
to choose.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Recall · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Times: Fourth Age and
Beyond: Gondor · ID: 738
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 11:11:19
Gorgeous. Just gorgeous. I love your Imrahil - he is such a star. So
intelligent and so good at getting his own way. Aragorn's council could
not have been such an effective tool without the wit and wisdom - and
ruthlessness - of the Prince of Dol Amroth. It was very clever of
Faramir to recall him for this particular piece of statesmanship.

But Andrahar! I suppose he could not be expected to live as long as the
Numenoreans - but how could you! Although it is delightful to see an
adult Brand taking on a role that reflects his parentage - even with the
bar sinister.

And for Arwen to show her affection for Imrahil and take comfort from
his certainty - a lovely ending. And an introduction that might well
show promise for another episode? I do hope so.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Prince and the Librarian · Author: Sazziel · Times: Fourth
Age and Beyond: Incomplete · ID: 878
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 11:14:06
I am longing to know how this turns out! Life in the White City seems
very complicated - but I'm glad the Librarian has friends in high
places. She needs them!
-----------------------------------
Title: Home At Last · Author: Dreamflower · Times: Late Third Age: The
Shire · ID: 883
Reviewer: Bodkin · 2006-10-01 11:21:19
Good for Drogo! It's no wonder that he and the beautiful Primula produce
the one suitable to be heir to Bilbo and, just by the way, saviour of
Middle Earth.

It was quite depressing to follow poor Bilbo round the place he was so
happy to see again, only to watch his fellow hobbits turn up their
stuffy little noses. (Not that I'm surprised that his students have
found other teachers, mind. That would have been a long break in their
education.)

He needed a little fellow feeling and a pair or two of wide eyes as he
told his tale. I'm sure he enjoyed telling the story for the first time
- possibly even more than he relished later tellings.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Healer and the Warrior · Author: Madeleine · Genres: Romance:
Lothíriel & Éomer · ID: 140
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-01 14:49:50
This is a neat take on Lothiriel. She and Eomer are well drawn here, but
her especially. I know from later stories a bit more of her motivation
in becoming a healer (and her very reasonable fear of her father finding
out those things), but even in the context of this story it creates an
image of a woman I can see embracing the adventure of becoming queen of
Rohan, and matching those less tame folk. Lots of great humour here as
well, and an interesting glimpse within the houses of healing.
-----------------------------------
Title: All Save One · Author: LadyDeb1970 · Times: The Great Years:
Gondor · ID: 691
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2006-10-01 17:39:16
Very sweet to see the well-merited reconciliation and reunion. I have
often wondered about how Sam would feel about Boromir after. This is a
very nice imagining.
-----------------------------------
Title: Half a Sticky Mile · Author: SlightlyTookish · Genres: Adventure
· ID: 940
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2006-10-01 19:07:47
A nice plot filler. Good characterizations and interractions between the
Hobbits.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Prince and the Pea · Author: Karri · Genres: Humor: Children
· ID: 158
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-01 19:19:07
This was cute. I especially liked the discovery process Estel goes
through to identify the golden-haired elf at the beginning.
-----------------------------------
Title: Good Neighbors · Author: daw the minstrel · Genres: Adventure ·
ID: 818
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-02 02:08:01
This is a really fun gap to fill, and not one I've seen addressed
before. I haven't read many of your other pieces, but this one makes
sense on its own, which is not always easy with an author as prodigious
as this one; the other stories enhance each other, but don't depend on
one another. Politics are interwoven throughout and canon is always just
off-stage informing everything tht happens, but it does not overwhelm
and so opens up whole new areas of Middle-earth to the reader. People
who like gapfillers and the Mirkwood elves want won't to miss this one.
-----------------------------------
Title: Thus Are Legends Born · Author: annmarwalk · Races: Men:
Fixed-Length Ficlets With Children · ID: 732
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-02 02:40:02
This is so cute. I love young Faramir's imaginative certainty on the
subject of dragons, and Boromir's acceptance.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Unbidden Stranger · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: Aragorn
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 886
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-02 02:44:03
I had to grin at this, imagining the reactions of the young Rohirrim to
the dark stranger among them. I loved Thorongil's amused resignation to
their scrutiny. This was cute!
-----------------------------------