Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: In The Pits Of Utumno · Author: Jay of Lasgalen · Races: Elves ·
ID: 164
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 04:47:19
The imagination transcends all--age and race. Even immortals are not
immune to the delights of "playacting"! This was so cute and funny!
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Title: Pink Oliphaunts · Author: Branwyn · Races: Men: Post-Sauron's
Fall · ID: 49
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 04:51:38
Faramir is such a good father. And Beregond is an excellent baby-sitter!
I love young Elboron's artistic efforts--and the childish way of drawing
is so perfectly described! I also liked Faramir's gentle answer to his
son as to the fate of the oliphaunts. He told only the exact truth, but
did not trouble his child's heart with all the truth. Very sweet.
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Title: Tinúviel, Tinúviel · Author: Cuthalion · Genres: Romance: Rohan ·
ID: 103
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 04:56:56
A very nice explication of that movie-verse scene, when the fallen
Aragorn is rescued by his horse. I never much liked that scene, but the
author makes it seem almost plausible.
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Title: Birthday Kisses · Author: Raksha the Demon · Times: Late Third
Age · ID: 59
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 05:02:27
A beautiful little look at the dynamics of Denethor's family, on
Faramir's first birthday after his mother's death. Told from Prince
Imrahil's point of view, it is straightforward and heartfelt. All a
little six year old wants is his father's affection, but he has to
settle for a substitute. Very sweet and poignant.
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Title: Stolen · Author: Meril · Genres: Alternate Universe · ID: 46
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 05:04:44
A very dark and angsty AU.
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Title: Oasis · Author: Radbooks · Times: Late Third Age · ID: 259
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 05:07:05
A really nice little vignette of a young Aragorn, as Thorongil,
exploring the land of Harad, and forced into the desert. His need for
water is desperate. The description is very well done, and I love the
ending.
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Title: Counting the Days · Author: Lady Bluejay · Genres: Romance:
Lothíriel & Éomer · ID: 281
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 05:14:21
There seems to be no end to the various scenarios by which Eomer first
encounters Imrahil's daughter Lothiriel. This one is funnier than most,
as Eomer attempts to get a first glimpse of his betrothed. He gets more
than he bargained for--or does he? Very cute!
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Title: Such a Little Thing · Author: Ribby · Genres: Alternate Universe
· ID: 206
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 05:16:50
An extremely dark Ring-claiming AU. A chilling scenario!
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Title: Father and Daughter · Author: Imhiriel · Times: First Age and
Prior · ID: 943
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 05:23:21
An echo resounds through LotR of the sundering of loved ones in the
choice of other love. By exploring this through an unexpected couple, we
see once more how some bonds must be broken for other bonds to take
place. And yet, for *this* particular father and daughter, that
sundering was not permanent, though they did not know it.
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Title: Was It For This? · Author: Alawa · Genres: Drama: Remembering ·
ID: 88
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2006-10-06 06:05:24
Alawa has crafted such a lovely story in so few words. Arathorn would
seem little more than a name to the son who never knew him. I can easily
see Aragorn struggling as a young man with the legacy that his father
left him: Descendant of Edain, Eldar and Maia, he seems heir to nothing
more than a nomad's life of hardship, and blatant scorn by the very
people that he risks his life to protect.

So Aragorn sets off on his search for "the meaning of life," and in
typical irony finds it only when he turns back home again: Love and
family, protecting and caring for those who complete you.

I loved that Alawa starts and ends her tale next to Arathorn's grave,
with the hint that greater things yet lie beyond (for both father and
son, as I took it). Her writing is beautiful, and I thought that this
was a very perceptive exploration of Aragorn's need to understand
something of the father he never knew. I also loved her characterization
of the twins, distant kin by blood and close brothers "by heart, they
were perfect as the wise catalysts for Aragorns quest for understanding.
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Title: Untold Tales of the Mark: The Banishment of Eomer · Author:
Katzilla · Genres: Alternate Universe: Incomplete · ID: 836
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 10:05:22
This is an Eomer-centric AU, absorbingly plotted, I found myself
interested enough to keep on reading. Yet there are unexplained puzzles:
why were the three hunters unable to come to Edoras on time, and where
is Gandalf? Perhaps the answers will be upcoming.
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Title: Rivendell 9 to 5 · Author: Claudio · Times: Fourth Age and
Beyond: Incomplete · ID: 562
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-06 10:16:13
This is *seriously* strange! I don't think I've ever seen anything quite
like it before.
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Title: Birnam Wood · Author: Inkling · Times: Fourth Age and Beyond ·
ID: 917
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 04:45:04
What an original idea for a Crossover! It's intriguing to think that the
Macbeth might not have been as much of a cop-out as Tolkien and the rest
of us readers thought it was. Very good job capturing the eerie feeling
of the woods, too.
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Title: Promise · Author: Vana Tuivana · Genres: Romance: Poetry · ID: 643
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 05:20:33
What I like most about this one is its form. The free verse and the
structure of the increasing and decreasing lines seemed most appropriate
for the immortal who would have to endure. And Nerdanel's knowledge that
Feanor would [mean pain] but choosing him anyway really pulled at the
heartstrings, but not in a maudlin way.
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Title: Rest and Recreation · Author: Raksha the Demon · Races:
Cross-Cultural · ID: 700
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 14:50:08
This is a nice little interlude. Boromir's ennui is well-sketched at the
beginning, but what I like most is that he completely underestimates
Glorfindel. His initial reactions to the elf are funny all the way
through to anyone who places that council comment as coming from him.
The warrior bonding over drinks afterward was nice as well -- all in
all, a nice glimpse into how Boromir might have come to be more
comfortable with non-Gondorians.
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Title: A Bath-time Song · Author: SlightlyTookish · Races: Hobbits:
Children · ID: 133
Reviewer: GamgeeFest · 2006-10-07 15:06:50
Bilbo not only encourages Pippin to splash his bath water but also
teaches him his favorite bathing song. I love that Pippin grabs a mop
afterward without thought; he must be used to doing that by now.
Delightful and sweet. I chuckled the whole way through.
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Title: Sisters · Author: grey_wonderer · Races: Hobbits: Children · ID: 182
Reviewer: GamgeeFest · 2006-10-07 15:28:18
A lovely examination of what it's like to be the youngest, and only,
brother in a family of Took lasses. Though his sisters might embarrass
him, and teach him things he oughtn't know about - like dressing stuffed
bears and braiding hair - they clearly adore each other. The ending with
the sisters hoovering over an injured Pippin is wonderful.
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Title: Antiphon to Light · Author: Thevina Finduilas · Races: Dwarves ·
ID: 155
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 15:36:17
This was a touching set of scenes. I was surprised by the idea that
Galadriel might understand Gimli so well, so much that it would
revolutionize how he viewed elves. Of course she had a lot of exposure,
and it makes sense. And she had a personality that could almost be
described as dwarvish (and hadn't suffered the loss to dwarves that
Celeborn had). All of which makes the categorization of Gimli right on
(and the same could be said for Legolas, Galadriel, and Pippin), which
is what makes this piece work so well. Gapfillers with characters that
feel true to Middle-earth really do extend the corners of canon, and
this piece is certainly no exception. Thanks for this portrait of a true
dwarf.
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Title: The Tracks of Time · Author: Raksha the Demon · Races: Elves:
Fixed-Length Ficlet Featuring Legolas or Thranduil · ID: 60
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 15:45:23
Nice way of getting at agelessness, comparing Legolas to the different
mortals he knows. It's effective.
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Title: Elfstone · Author: Gandalfs apprentice · Races: Elves: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 252
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 15:52:55
Nice glimpse of Celebrimbor! You've redeemed him in a way from the
negative image I always had of him, as in fact his making a jewel that
would bring hope to Hope redeemed him of being fooled by Annatar like he
was. That's a lot to accomplish in a drabble, and you've done it.
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Title: Inspirare · Author: Ariel · Races: Hobbits: Friendship · ID: 622
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 16:47:51
THis is a hauntingly beautiful tale. Not enough is written about the
relationship of Frodo and Rosie, but as they represent in a way two
different pahts that Sam could have taken (stay in Middle-earth or go
immediately to Valinor), I think their relationship is a telling one.
Here we see Frodo wounded but still not so much that he can't hide it
any more -- from Sam, at least. The perceptiveness of Rosie, her senses
augmented by the very earthy process of childbearing, become the very
epitome of the beauty and strength of the Shire, and Frodo's gift to her
is truly fitting.
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Title: Farewell Lullaby · Author: Armariel · Races: Hobbits: Poetry ·
ID: 719
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-07 16:51:20
This is sweet -- hobbity, but also elvish in its own way in the way that
Frodo's message to Elanor has such a broad view. It's a nice farewell
for the two of them.
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Title: The Pippin · Author: GamgeeFest · Races: Hobbits: Poetry · ID: 937
Reviewer: SlightlyTookish · 2006-10-07 16:59:56
I nominated this poem because I thought it was just so cleverly done. I
loved the cross between Tolkien and Poe, and the plight of the poor
person whose task is to keep Pippin well-fed was so funny. Every time I
read this it brings a smile to my face!
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Title: Pride Goeth... · Author: Marigold · Races: Cross-Cultural: With
Hobbits · ID: 936
Reviewer: SlightlyTookish · 2006-10-07 17:00:24
I love stories about those early days when the Fellowship is getting to
know one another. In this story, told from Boromir's POV, we hear his
thoughts and voice clearly and watch as his knowledge of and respect for
the hobbits grows. His gradual awareness of the dynamics between the
members of the Fellowship and his place amongst them, as well as the
hobbits' thoughts about him, is very rewarding to watch. I especially
like that all four hobbits are clearly adults here, responsible and
cautious and fully aware of the magnitude of the task at hand. Their
friendliness and cheer is still there, but these hobbits are not
children and must be taken seriously, as Boromir soon realizes. All
around this is a wonderful tale of friendship, the early part of the
Quest, and Boromir's relationship with the hobbits.
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Title: An Army of Tooks · Author: Mariole · Races: Hobbits:
Post-Sauron's Fall · ID: 831
Reviewer: SlightlyTookish · 2006-10-07 17:01:06
This is a wonderful gap-filler in which we see what happened when Pippin
rides to Tookland to gather some troops before the Battle of Bywater. I
love that so many questions are answered in this story from how Pippin's
family react to his return and his changed appearance, to how Paladin
and Eglantine are faring under the stress of being cut off from the rest
of the Shire and worrying about their son, to how the Tooks respond to
Pippin in a leadership role. I love the relationship between Pippin and
his parents here, which is so loving and full of trust. Paladin believes
in his son and Pippin is so determined to do right by his father and by
the Tooks, and the Shire itself. Reading this gave me such a clear
picture of how Pippin would serve as Thain, and I absolutely adored
seeing him so mature and so changed in a positive way by his experiences
in the Quest.
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