Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: Too Few Words · Author: annmarwalk · Races: Dwarves · ID: 311
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-02 17:10:03
What an interesting character sketch. I find myself wondering even more
about this intriguing Dwarven woman, and I'm impressed. She's a very
memorable OC for such a short fic! I love her dignity, and the way in
which she keeps herself to herself, even if it makes one wonder whether
both she and Gimli might have been better served if she did not. And the
silent exchange with Legolas was just beautiful!

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Title: Incubus · Author: Werecat · Times: Fourth Age and Beyond:
Incomplete · ID: 127
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-02 17:57:48
This is a very interesting beginning to what appears to be an exciting
adventure. I like the author's OCs, and her description of Dwarven
culture. And I am always pleased to see Fourth Age stories in which the
Three Hunters are reunited in an adventure. I do hope that it is soon
updated, because I would like to see what happens next.
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Title: The Green Flash · Author: DrummerWench · Genres: Drama: Featuring
Frodo or Sam · ID: 277
Reviewer: Gandalfs apprentice · 2006-11-02 18:05:47
DrummerWench has a very special gift as a fanfic writer: she does what
Tolkien himself did, that is, take the fairy tales and folk legends of
our world and weave them into a new mythology. The result is something
wholly unique, and I am sure that the Master would have greatly
approved. It is a rare gift.

In this tale, she makes the wonderful Irish tales of the Selkies into a
story of Middle-earth, and sets it in the context of the "sea-longing"
that is itself a full story. I totally identified with Earenwen, and
wanted to be with those dolphins, and walking on that beadh.

I felt that I finally really understood what "sea-longing" is after
reading this. Perhaps not so different from Keats' "I have been half in
love with easeful death." In any case, it is much more moving when
linked with Sam's dilemma: love for Rosie and all the other wonders of
real life, versus the "otherworldliness" of the Elves and Frodo's fate.
After reading this story, I understand Sam better.

It's especially refreshing to read about sea-longing effecting someone
besides Legolas, whose whining tires me.

I love the portrait of Cirdan here, especially the reclaiming of Narya.
It's a perfect tie-in with DW's WIP, "The Boatbuilder." Go read it!
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Title: A Bargain at any Price · Author: quizzabella · Genres: Romance:
Incomplete · ID: 952
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-02 18:59:10
This is the first Amrothos romance I've ever read. In spite of the
rather cliche beginning, the OFC is interesting, and just different
enough to escape being a Mary Sue. There is another OFC besides the
heroine that I am even more impressed with. I would read more of this if
it were finished.
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Title: THE DAWNING · Author: digdigil · Genres: Drama: First Age Elves ·
ID: 938
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-02 23:56:00
Neat glimpse at how an elf like Maedhros might adjust to a permanent
maiming.
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Title: In This Silence I Am Sinking · Author: Ghettoelleth · Genres:
Drama: General Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 222
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-03 00:02:48
It is always to hear an excuse like "God wills it, therefore you must
accept it", and I can see both of these Valar having the reactions they
did. It's nice to see those reactions played out, and gratifying to
think that not everyone was satisfied with such a colossal mis-step.
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Title: Better Than Frodo Baggins · Author: Inkling · Genres: Drama:
Pre-Fellowship · ID: 809
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-03 02:07:26
The last scene here made me think of Frodo's thoughts of how he now had
big friends who could protect him from being mistreated. It's not a
pleasant picture, but it's certainly a believable one. Yes, I can easily
see a very "normal" hobbit turning into the Boss of the Shire Occupation
through childhood experiences like this. Well done.
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Title: The question of being fair · Author: Rhapsody · Genres: Humor:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 796
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-03 02:12:16
This earned a smile. I am always mixing up those "F" elves -- it's nice
to see the characters themselves struggle with that.
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Title: ... and hear the song of salt and sea · Author: Cuthalion ·
Genres: Drama: The Steward's Family · ID: 98
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-03 02:58:36
Oh my! So very, very sad, and so very, very plausible. I can see this
Finduilas and this Denethor, laying down the paths that will lead to the
future tragedies for their sons. Poor Finduilas, thinking she had no
other choice.
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Title: Bored · Author: Make It Stop · Genres: Humor: Gondor · ID: 779
Reviewer: Rose · 2006-11-03 03:02:40
Oh, I'm so pleased to see this on the nomination list. This has always
been a favorite story of mine. The pacing is brilliant, as is the
contrast between the heated pyschic battle and the silence of the
observers. Two thumbs definitely up!!
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Title: The Gift of Time · Author: Rhapsody · Genres: Drama:
Pre-Fellowship · ID: 812
Reviewer: Linda Hoyland · 2006-11-03 06:58:06
A well written and touching story. We know all too well that very soon
Gilraen will here the same dreadful news that her husband has fallen and
that young Aragorn will grow up fatherless.
Arathorn is obviously a caring and thoughful man whom the young look up.
The reader leaves this story saddened that young Aragorn will not have
his father even for as long as the orphaned boy in the story.
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Title: All Those Who Wander · Author: daw the minstrel · Races: Elves:
Featuring Mirkwood Elves · ID: 209
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-03 09:24:23
The family of Thranduil must adjust to the loss of their mother. This
author has developed quite a stable of OCs, and Legolas' two older
brothers are a couple of very good ones. In this story, set during the
time Legolas is just a small child, the whole family is still reeling
from the fact that wife and mother was slain--they have trouble letting
one another out of each other's sights. I so feel for poor little
Legolas in this, and also for Thranduil, who must now be both father and
mother to his sons.
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Title: Fëanorian Fates Drabble Series · Author: Alassante · Times: First
Age and Prior: Incomplete · ID: 214
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-03 09:31:26
I love the metaphor this author has created--the Silmarils as Feanor's
mistresses, seducing him away from good sense and the love of his
family. A wonderful conceit she has carried through here.
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Title: Last Goodbyes Series · Author: Perelleth · Genres: Drama:
Fixed-Length Ficlet Series · ID: 814
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-03 09:43:40
These are very evocative and lyrical. I think that for a few of them the
impact was lost by my own unfamiliarity with the Silm, yet for most of
them, I could follow and understand.
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Title: Ships Passing · Author: Marta · Races: Men: Vignette · ID: 302
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-03 09:47:49
I like this. It seems very fitting that the thoughtful Faramir we are
shown in canon would feel a closeness to his new King's slain kin, and
that he would have the insight to find what he had in common with
Halbarad. These are the musings of a noble mind, and a sharp
intelligence. Very well done.
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Title: Sword Play · Author: Lindelea · Times: Fourth Age and Beyond: The
Shire · ID: 782
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 10:11:00
Oh, this was such a great story to read. Put two young hobbits together,
a girl, and a boy and their typical behaviour kicks in. And how I
grinned! I loved the way how the author wrote two young faunts and
crawled under her skin. The author showed me two displeased children who
with their typical thoughts and words towards each other become each
other's competitors. Whether it is in picking flowers or swordplay: one
simply wants to beat the other. This story is full of great dialogue and
actions, for example this one made me laugh:

[Come along, Goldi, Farry said, bravely offering his hand to the lass.
He could always wash it later.]

So typical for a boy his age. I love the ending; first the tension
amongst the children on what will happen to Goldi and then, and quite
unexpected Samwise teaches his daughter how to fight properly. The story
reads along smoothly and is captivating from the beginning to the end:
this delightful short story amused me greatly!
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Title: To Labour and to Wait · Author: Gwynnyd · Races: Men: Featuring
Aragorn · ID: 838
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-03 10:15:02
That long and dismal night in which the Three Hunters rested--Legolas
kept watch, and Aragorn and Gimli ["slept fitfully"]. The author
skillfully shows us how the Elf occupied his night, filling his time
with small tasks, including making a gift for Pippin, and also reveals
to us the many memories which trouble Aragorn's sleep. I loved the
various episodes she created--they seem all too plausible. This was a
very thoughtful and insightful gap-filler!
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Title: ...and I will follow you, my Captain · Author: Robinka · Times:
The Great Years · ID: 248
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-03 10:55:30
A movie-verse fic on the death of Haldir at Helm's Deep, from the POV of
an anonymous OC. Very angsty!
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Title: Master of Shadows · Author: Space Weavil · Genres: Drama · ID: 245
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 11:14:55
Oh Space, of course I am used (and spoiled) with more stories written by
you about the Witchking, but this was a delightful and sensuous treat.
This ficlet series is fantastic on so many levels that I just have to
start somewhere and that is with the character and his development in
his piece. This is simply outstanding: from a young man on the height of
his power and being in favour of the Queen, this series shows the slow
demise of his ambition and how logically he is being lured into the
service of Sauron and ends up as a wraith while he still clings on to
what is left of him: his pride.

What is also brilliant is your narrative. Your descriptions of Númenor
and later on Ost in Edhil makes it come alive to the reader, in the
piece Lust, I marvel at your description of the Elves, Galadriel
specifically. The light touch upon her lineage and how he might be
worthy of him gave me the chills. You use the seven sins challenge in an
very effective manner, you show the reader what the sin is, but it also
works greatly with the Witchkings character and his story: this all
with the background of the history of Middle-Earth. Your writing is
graceful and powerful at the same time, the pacing goes smoothly and as
a reader I just feel the need to keep on reading. Every piece in this
series stands grandly on it is own: the length is perfect for every
theme that stars in it. This piece is most definitely one of my favourites!
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Title: ... and hear the song of salt and sea · Author: Cuthalion ·
Genres: Drama: The Steward's Family · ID: 98
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 11:30:06
Haunting and beautiful, I never thought that Finduilas would end her
life like that. Yet as I read along the moment when Denethor threatens
to take Faramir away from her to be trained properly is the moment that
makes her loose touch with reality. This is a beautifully written
portrait of the Stewards family where Denethor and Finduilas drift
apart, where the author takes the time to explain why Boromir was more
drawn to his father and Faramir to her. This piece is effectively
written and suits the purpose of a gapfiller extremely well. The
comparisons between the two cities (I like Dol Amroth a lot) are
beautifully drawn and Finduilas longing to what once is convincingly
written. This is a gem of a story!
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Title: Elven Braids · Author: viggomaniac · Races: Men: Featuring
Aragorn · ID: 808
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 12:38:02
This is a grim portrayal of what can happen to you when a ranger is
being caught off guard. Aragorn is being captured by a band of orcs and
most likely will resolve to never braid his hair in elven fashion again,
being fostered in Rivendell or not. This is a great ficlet packed with
angst all the way, relief washes over the reader when the elves rescue
Aragorn from his perilous position. The Orcs are written in a great
style and Aragorns calmness is simply remarkable, with a bit of
foreshadowing of the stoic ranger he will become.
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Title: Starlight on Leaves · Author: Jay of Lasgalen · Races: Elves:
Featuring Mirkwood Elves · ID: 813
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 12:44:57
This sensual written piece starts with a well-earned homecoming for all
the elves after they fought for so many years in Mordor. The timing of
Thrandruil's steward is simply awful (or maybe he missed his King as
well and is looking forward to transfer duties to him?), but Thrandruil
just makes it up to his wife royally. What I really love about this
piece is Jay's description of the actual starlight on the leaves, which
gave the story a magical touch besides the beautifully written love
between them. The ending of the piece indeed gives you the feeling that
a new era, the third one will start for them during that night. The
story feels full circle and stands very well on it's own, although at
the end of the piece I am made very curious with the notion of the
author's story arc.
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Title: Before Thangorodrim: The Last Fall of Himring Hill · Author:
AWing · Times: First Age and Prior · ID: 78
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 13:31:10
A slightly AU story where it would serve the reader to know what comes
out of HOME and what not to avoid confusion regarding the Silm (I felt
confused often and I read both works). This story illustrates perfectly
that the Valar or Aman are not the authorities as they think they are
and only the Fëanorians do understand the Easterlings when it comes down
to remaining loyal to Oaths. I loved the insight in Easterling culture!
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Title: The Falcon's Watch · Author: pippinfan88 · Genres: Drama:
Featuring Pippin or Merry · ID: 227
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 13:50:15
This is a deeply moving in which Pippinfan explores the consequences for
Merry and Pippins sons after they choose to die in Gondor. I so feel
for Faramir who feels left out and cannot comprehend why his father
choose to die so far from home and where Kalimas has found his peace
with it the moment his father departed. It feels heart wrenching to me
how close Kalimas was to his father, but where Pippin and Faramir had a
some sort of distance. The discovery of Pippins diaries are the
breaking point in the story and besides that it works very well as a
plot device, it gives us also an insight in their final days and how
Merry and Pippin found support in the other. I did feel for Faramir to
read how his father looked back upon Faramirs care for his father,
feeling a burden to him at his old age. I think Pippinfan dealt with
this topic in a very sensitive manner. The interaction between those two
characters do not feel forced, on the contrary even: the author used all
plot elements to show us character growth in all main characters and
ends the story at a satisfying note, bringing especially Faramirs
growth full circle. The end does leave it unsaid if the falcon was
Pippin reincarnated and the author leaves that up to the reader
themselves, I at least would find that a very touching note. This was an
incredibly touching story which lingered in my mind for days after I
read it.
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Title: Strike While the Iron is Hot · Author: grey_wonderer · Genres:
Humor: The Shire · ID: 234
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-03 14:08:38
Oh no!!!! How did they do it, this is just simply amazing! Well there
you have it, my first thoughts when I finished reading this story. Just
as Fredegar, I really had no idea, well before the final two pages or
so, that it was him being set up. Well hindsight, it was going too
smoothly. I just loved this part:

[Pippin Took almost never made that much sense about anything. The lads
mind just didnt work in logical ways. Pippins thoughts usually shot
out in all directions and it was like being caught in the middle of a
hale storm.] And maybe as of that moment Freddy should have realised
something was not right here. So much for having a prank free summer for
him. And Pippin does let him work hard while he tries to keep Merry's
room goat free. The moment where Pippin insisted to see his handiwork
must have been the most challenging moment for Freddy that summer!

Still I am intrigued who placed the goats into the study& I mean& Maybe
I should count the present hobbits again and see who is where. But
Saradoc ends the weeks of mischief by forcing them all to sign a
contract, Pippin is smarter than you think he is for his age and tries
to get out of it. After reading [Of Squirrels and Stolen Pies] he
surely comes across differently. This story simply calls for a re-read
or two! And this is just another great story written by GW, besides the
humour she weaves into it, she writes the hobbits in this prank-filled
summer so wonderfully! Thanks for sharing GW: this was very entertaining!
-----------------------------------