Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: Passing Regrets · Author: Ariel · Races: Hobbits: Pre-Quest · ID: 657
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2006-10-25 15:44:47
The charm of this story, the lovely characterizations, and sweet events
make it almost easy to overlook how perfectly wrought it is. Bilbo's
reluctance to disturb "the flow" of his accidentally established peace
and the sudden regret at an opportunity not wanted until lost are
wonderfullly perceptive, while the characters of Drogo, Primula, and
even Dora are very clearly and realistically drawn.
-----------------------------------
Title: Shoot the Moon · Author: mistycracraft · Times: Late Third Age ·
ID: 233
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 16:41:43
This is a wonderful father and son fic, made all the more special as
Elrond is the father and Estel the son. At no time in this story does
Elrond think of the child as anything other than his own son, which
really made it clear to me the level of dedication that Elrond has to
the boy, not just as the hidden heir to the throne, but as a small
person needing a father.

The lesson on Middle-earth astronomy is very interesting and I really
enjoyed the way that it was taught. Estel asks just the right questions
for a curious and intelligent child his age. It was really wonderful to
hear Elrond speak of the star that is his own father - how odd it must
have been to see that star every night, knowing *who* it was, and yet it
must have been comforting too. And his statement that he did not know if
other wandering stars might be other similar beings gives rise to some
interesting questions that I had not considered before.


-----------------------------------
Title: Lord of the Rings Limericks, Chapters One and Two · Author:
Llinos · Times: The Great Years: Poetry · ID: 759
Reviewer: Gandalfs apprentice · 2006-10-25 16:46:54
These limericks (one for each member of the Fellowship) are all just too
funny and clever for words! The story should be in the humor section,
though, where it would offer some sharp competition!
-----------------------------------
Title: A Merry Old Inn · Author: Dreamflower · Times: Late Third Age ·
ID: 881
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 16:47:08
Bilbo and his dwarves making a stop at The Prancing Pony at the start of
their adventure is an inspired idea! They almost certainly would have
stayed there, and I had never considered that before. I love it when
fics do that, really give me something to think about.

I enjoyed all of Bilbo's actions here, and the dwarves too. Having Bilbo
come up with the song that Frodo will someday actually sing in that very
place was very clever! The story fit in very much with the tone of The
Hobbit! This is a wonderful gap-filler!
-----------------------------------
Title: Oasis · Author: Radbooks · Times: Late Third Age · ID: 259
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 16:50:01
I really enjoyed this glimpse of one of Aragorn's early adventures. The
desolation and heat of the desert were very well described.
-----------------------------------
Title: Birthday Kisses · Author: Raksha the Demon · Times: Late Third
Age · ID: 59
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 16:54:08
This is a sad and happy story both at once. I actually felt sorry for
Denethor here, and wished for both his sake and Faramir's that he could
show his younger son the affection that he shows Boromir.
-----------------------------------
Title: Lost · Author: Radbooks · Times: Late Third Age · ID: 260
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 16:56:43
This is an interesting glimpse of Bill Ferny as a boy. I wonder what
happened later on to make him so derisive of the Ranger that helped him
when he needed it.
-----------------------------------
Title: Butterflies and Caterpillars · Author: Radbooks · Times: Late
Third Age · ID: 258
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 17:00:47
I really saw a parallel here between Glorfindel's explanation of how a
butterfly comes to be, and Estel's own journey to become Elessar. A very
sweet story!
-----------------------------------
Title: More Lembas Thoughts · Author: Rabidsamfan · Genres: Non-Fiction
· ID: 851
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-10-25 17:16:29
Very interesting ruminations here. I'm not sure I accept everything 100%
but the ideas included here are novel and certainly have me thinking. I
believe the author *is* right to say that nothing comes from nothing and
that benefit from magic wil have to be paid for somehow. A very astute
observation!
-----------------------------------
Title: Midwinter in Mordor · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Villains:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 872
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 17:20:30
Oooh! Very dark and creepy! I love this. Interesting to see into the
mind of an orc during such a celebration, and the last line is just
perfect. I really liked the way the rest of the drabble led up to it,
and yet it still comes as a bit of a shock. Very nicely done.
-----------------------------------
Title: Claws · Author: Elena Tiriel · Races: Villains: Fixed-Length
Ficlet · ID: 835
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-25 17:23:33
A dark look at two very different creatures coveting something that is
of no value to either.
-----------------------------------
Title: After The Storm · Author: chibi_kaz · Times: The Great Years:
Gondor · ID: 773
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-25 18:34:40
Ah, now this was lovely! I don't normally care for movie-verse, but if
PJ had included this story arc in the EE, I would have been thrilled!
What would it matter if it had made it two or three hours longer?
Honestly, the author managed to capture the essence of the book-verse
Faramir and Eowyn and infuse it into the movie-verse versions. I was
impressed with how well she did this, and how well she blended the canon
elements in, while preserving the events as they unfolded in the EE. A
brilliant job of blending! And also an excellent and absorbing read--I
could only wish there had been a few more hobbity moments in it--but
that's just me.
-----------------------------------
Title: Tales of Life · Author: Ainu Laire · Times: Multi-Age: Incomplete
· ID: 235
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2006-10-25 23:17:42
These vignettes of Aragorn's life capture his character very well,
generally. I especially liked ["Alone in Death"], ["Soon"],
["Heirlooms"] but, being a tale with the new White Tree *g*, my
favourite was ["Blossom"].
-----------------------------------
Title: For Arda · Author: Dreamflower · Genres: Drama: Poetry · ID: 885
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2006-10-25 23:22:34
Captures in very moving images the joy of reading and writing about
Middle-earth. I didn't quite see a connection between form and content,
but thought it was a visually interesting experiment.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Smallest Hands · Author: Dreamflower · Times: The Great
Years: Poetry · ID: 884
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2006-10-25 23:23:51
The poem is executed flawlessly and structured well: Reminding the
readers first of all the mighty heroes of the past, the deeds of the
Hobbits become even more poignant.

I think the last two verses may be my favourites, especially this:

["and into malice Mercy cast,
and Love and Grace prevailed.
So Power and Pride did tremble then,
And thus the Darkness failed."]

The capitalization works very well to emphasize and give special
resonance to the inner qualities that triumphed when strength of arms
could not.

This has me in tears everytime I re-read it.
-----------------------------------
Title: Moon Friend: Tales of Isildur · Author: Elena Tiriel · Races:
Men: Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 832
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-26 00:39:58
An excellently crafted drabble-set exploring the life of Isildur,
beginning with his theft of the fruit from Nimloth, and ending in
Saruman' scorn for his body, years after his betrayal by the Ring. Very
well done!
-----------------------------------
Title: The Parting Gift · Author: Imhiriel · Times: First Age and Prior:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 948
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-26 00:44:29
I love fics which give explanations for tiny little obscure mentions of
things in canon. In this case we see the origin of the silver harp
Elrond carries. A wonderful bit of speculation, and extrapolation from
canon.
-----------------------------------
Title: In This Silence I Am Sinking · Author: Ghettoelleth · Genres:
Drama: General Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 222
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-26 00:47:20
Yes, I've always thought the mandate to free Melkor came from beyond the
Valar, for otherwise it would have been purely daft. Yet Manwe would not
necessarily feel obliged to reveal the source of his idea to everyone.
-----------------------------------
Title: Conversational, of Cousins · Author: Vana Tuivana · Genres:
Drama: Poetry · ID: 642
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-26 00:52:23
Very telling. I am less familiar than I should be with the events
surrounding this, but I very much get the gist of it. And the attitude
displayed is *very* Tolkienesque, even if the poetical form and language
is not.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Sea Calls Us Home · Author: laiquendi · Races: Elves: Poetry
· ID: 724
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-26 00:54:28
This lyrical poem makes an excellent counter-point to the song which
inspired it. Very evocative, and technically well done.
-----------------------------------
Title: For the Moon to Lead, and All the Stars to Follow · Author:
annmarwalk · Genres: Romance: Gondor · ID: 200
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-10-26 01:13:14
What a sweet and delightful little vignette. I love the idea of Boromir
being so kind and thoughtful to the older woman. I don't know who she
is, but I'd like to.
-----------------------------------
Title: An Exchange of Views · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 931
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-26 06:04:19
This is a nice view of Faramir doing his job and doing it well!
-----------------------------------
Title: Roots and Branches · Author: Raksha the Demon · Races: Men: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 611
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-26 06:17:57
This is a really lovely little ficlet. Faramirs self doubts ring so
true, for I think that anyone who has close family members tainted by
madness would probably worry that such a thing might be in their own
blood. But Sams overheard words convince Faramir that this is not so in
his case, that he need not succumb as did his father and brother.

The metaphor that Sam uses is perfect for the situation, and also
perfect for him to deliver. He is very wise under his simple exterior,
something that Faramir knows from their encounter at Henneth Annun and
so his words are very reassuring.

I liked this very much!

-----------------------------------
Title: The End of All Things · Author: Ariel · Genres: Drama: Featuring
Frodo or Sam · ID: 109
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-10-26 08:37:51
Oh Ariel, this is deeply moving. I placed this fic on my to read list
before it was placed into a category and while I read this piece, again
and again, I am amazed by the little hints you left in the lines, slowly
revealing to the reader who is speaking here and about whom. This surely
enriches a re-read because once you know who it is; you realize that the
characterisations are revealed in actions and words. Tenderly written,
this piece brings you comfort to know that Frodo shortly passed on after
Sam in a peaceful manner.

This line specifically summarizes the brotherly love Sam cherished for
Frodo:
[He has mourned me twice and that is enough for any life.]

Beautiful and spot on!
-----------------------------------
Title: Little Brothers · Author: DinaLori · Races: Men · ID: 686
Reviewer: Marigold · 2006-10-26 08:44:51
This is a wonderful ficlet and I enjoyed it very much! The way that
Merry and Pippin are portrayed and the way that Boromir thinks of them
is exactly the way that I see their characters myself; they are as close
as brothers rather than cousins.

I really liked their playful banter as Merry tried to groom his younger
cousin, doubtless something that Pippin could have handled himself, but
Merry likes looking after his Pippin, and Pippin knows that doing so
makes his Merry happy so he submits, though of course with an
appropriate stream of loud complaints about poor treatment.

The memory of his own brother that this interaction sparks in Boromir is
not nearly so light-hearted, but it is about being a caregiver. With
their mother dead and their father so aloof it has been up to Boromir to
shower Faramir with care and love. Faramirs true-dream at such a young
age must have been frightening to the child, faced with the loss of the
only person that truly, deeply showed love for him. I wonder if he was
surprised that it was Boromir that their father sent away, the treasured
heir, and not himself. His fear of his father over his unsanctioned
visits to the puppies speaks much of their relationship. He would
certainly have been frightened at the thought of not having Boromir
there to shield him somewhat from their father.

Boromirs thoughts about his brother being grown and his own man, no
longer needing him as he had in the past was a bit sad, but they are Men
and that is the way things are; their love for each other is certainly
no less. But Merry and Pippin are hobbits, and I see the dynamics of
their relationship changing and evolving over the years, yet still
staying basically the same. So this story, in addition to having
excellent dialogue and characterisations, also paints a very clear
picture of a major difference between the two cultures.

-----------------------------------