Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: A Spring Day At Cormallen · Author: Marigold · Races:
Cross-Cultural: With Hobbits · ID: 746
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2006-11-07 20:38:32
Wonderful image of Pippin flying a kite at Cormallen. Pippin is used
here as a metaphor for the joy of youth triumphing after the time of
darkness; and it works well, especially as seen by Aragorn, whose
first-person point of view is written quite credibly in this charming
vignette.
-----------------------------------
Title: Ddraigspelt  An Orc Love Poem · Author: Llinos · Genres:
Romance: Poetry · ID: 879
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-07 21:50:12
Oh Llinos, I love this poem. It's unusual because I don't think I ever
read a poem written by an Orc before (or Uruk-hai?) and it clicks. In
this poem, the marred nature of the Orcs shines through: in their
perceptions of their comrades or mates, love and life. But aww poor Orc,
he remembers her, so that gives me the impression she was killed. I love
the progression in this poem and it simply tells a tale alongside his
feelings for loosing someone he loved. This is a great work!
-----------------------------------
Title: Strange Fortunes · Author: Tehta · Times: First Age and Prior:
Incomplete · ID: 81
Reviewer: Oshun · 2006-11-08 02:43:14
Are you up for finding whats funny about Gondolin? Like all of Tehtas
stories, this one is smart, engaging, and witty. The author credibly
creates her own version of Gondolin. She takes canon detail and then
gives it her own ingenious, outrageous spin (dangerously crowding out
the original for me). This story contains exquisite characterization,
pacing, plot, humor and pathos. Maeglins snippy little asides about how
little impressed he is with the wonder and beauty that must have been
Gondolin are so funny, but are matched in hilarity by his own
semi-delusional (?) self-descriptions.

Amiable Glorfindel and hidebound Ecthelion in their absolute earnestness
are the worst conceivable candidates for carrying out serious deception.
The fact that they succeed for any extended period of time is due only
to the density of those surrounding them. The moral dilemmas of
Glorfindel and Ecthelion are as poignant/comical as ever. There are so
many priceless vignettes I dont know which to point to: Maeglin,
itching to have something on Glorfindel and Ecthelion walks in on them
in what to anyone a bit less self-absorbed might have been perceived as
a seriously compromising situation. He picks up on Glorfindels
partially undone clothing and the lame excuse that they were [just
sparring] but runs off with in a couple of completely wrong directions.
Then he does it again later finding the golden hair and assuming it
belongs to Idril. Salgants characterization: masterful.

By the way, I love the dialogue.

This is an absolute must read. Tehta knocks it out of the ballpark again
with this one. Can't wait for more.

-----------------------------------
Title: A Battle Of A Different Kind · Author: Katzilla · Genres: Drama:
Pre-Fellowship · ID: 279
Reviewer: NeumeIndil · 2006-11-08 05:57:05
There is something about this story- the depth of it's humanity perhaps-
that strikes me anew each time I read it. I know nothing of a
relationship between siblings as I have none of my own, but what I see
here seems to me exactly the way these two would behave had a similar
situation arisen in canon. Eowyn fights her gilded cage, haunted and
observed by the serpent Grima Wormtongue, waiting fearfully that her
brother and protector will not return. Eomer fights, in his own way, his
position as well. As a marshal he is required to do his lord's bidding,
regardless of whether that lord is, in fact, parroting another's orders
or not. Forced away from Meduseld, he has no way to protect what little
family remains to him, except by arming his sister with any weapons-
physical or mental- available to them. Perhaps the desire to protect the
other is something inherent in a sibling relationship; in any case it
rings so true to each character here, I cannot help but be impressed.

I feel great empathy for each, though most strongly for Eowyn who has,
in her mind, proven herself worthy of the title Shield Maiden, and yet
is prohibited from taking a place among the warriors because of her
gender. Katzilla, however, does an excellent job of pointing out that
Eowyn's fight is not one Eomer is able to take on. His fate is to be the
warrior, the protector of the people at large, while his heart remains
occupied with a single battle- that of his uncle's life and his sister's
safety: the ultimate catch 22.

As the story progresses, the atmosphere almost sets itself- the tension
nearly palpable by the end while brother and sister come to a sort of
uncomfortable truce- with very little narrative manipulation. The
narrator slips quietly into the position of an observer and does not
veer from that occupation until the voice slips out again, showing us
their reconciliation and shared will to fight on. As we know, that will
is strong enough to save a nation, but here Katzilla illustrates vividly
just how difficult that will can be to keep alive.
-----------------------------------
Title: Swan Dance · Author: Rhapsody · Times: First Age and Prior:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 797
Reviewer: Linda Hoyland · 2006-11-08 06:30:55
A vivid glimpse of just what the fateful oath entails for the sons of
Feanor.
-----------------------------------
Title: A Rohan Ghost Story · Author: Katzilla · Genres: Adventure · ID: 278
Reviewer: NeumeIndil · 2006-11-08 06:57:42
I've come to find that stories by Katzilla are not simple affairs to be
read over an hour and a steaming mug of tea; there is very little going
on in this story particularly that one could call 'relaxing'. Stories by
Katzilla read like a film for the mind: vivid, enthralling, touching,
evocative-- a white-knuckle ride through a Tolkien world that is made
only richer by the melding of book canon and Peter Jackson's movieverse.
This piece (in part) reconciles the differences between the strong,
dutiful, loving future King of the Mark of the books, with the (in my
opinion) minor plot point Eomer of the films.

This respect for the original characters as they appear in the book
verse carries over to the other people, for indeed they all read like
real people, embroiled in the early stages of the War of the Ring. Hama
and Gamling appear and exemplify the infamous bravery and fighting
prowess of the Rohirrim, though they are only present in a handful of
chapters. The lady Eowyn time and again reminds us of the strength and
fortitude involved in standing by helpless while others run rough-shod
over people and things held dear. But greater even than Katzilla's
loyalty to those characters we know and love is her adherence to the
image of Grima son of Galmod. Slime fairly drips from the screen when
the narrator-- strong without being overbearing, as usual-- slips into
his tormented and egomaniacal mind. It is a difficult task to write a
Grima, and I say with no reservations that hers is the best portrayal
I've read in fanfiction to date. He is simultaneously threat, servant,
slave to his own passions and fears, and still somehow a man. As foil to
Eomer, he is the perfect antagonist, and yet still the flawed villan it
is almost possible to feel empathy toward. Almost.

Another element that gives reality to this piece is the often discussed
presence of racism within the Mark. Time and again Grima claims that his
enemies only dislike him so because of his differences-- his hair color
and parentage. Fanon would support this claim as well, to a point.
However, Katzilla foils even this charge with yet another "minor"
character: Thor, a half-Dunlending scout among the troops of the
Westfold. A complete OC, Thor also feels the sting of general mistrust
from the population, though his loyalty to Rohan is unswerving, and the
moments when Katzilla reminds us of it serve the dual purposes of
undermining Grima and rebuilding the reputations of the Rohirrim (as if
someone could). Yet it is subtly done. The question "Are they really
racist?" is raised between the lines, and thus far the answer is a
resounding no-- they simply know a viper when one creeps into their midst.

There is so much more to this story, centered around the use of OCs and
overlooked canon characters, that I cannot mention it all. I will say,
however, that for an author who concentrates on angsty answers to the
ever popular "What if...?", Katzilla finds a way to work passion and
romance into the piece as well. Her OFCs are each in their own way
immensely strong women, and thinking back to the artistic and devoted
yet fearful Freela, I find myself tempted to request a spin-off in her
honor. Even the horses become three-dimensional under Katzilla's pen,
and thankfully Firefoot is present to add some much needed
lightheartedness to an otherwise grim and utterly real situation. The
story has yet to be finished, and for this I am glad. I would hate to
see something so well-crafted rushed for the sake of a deadline.
-----------------------------------
Title: Untold Tales of the Mark: The Banishment of Eomer · Author:
Katzilla · Genres: Alternate Universe: Incomplete · ID: 836
Reviewer: NeumeIndil · 2006-11-08 06:59:00
I've come to find that stories by Katzilla are not simple affairs to be
read over an hour and a steaming mug of tea; there is very little going
on in this story particularly that one could call 'relaxing'. Stories by
Katzilla read like a film for the mind: vivid, enthralling, touching,
evocative-- a white-knuckle ride through a Tolkien world that is made
only richer by the melding of book canon and Peter Jackson's movieverse.
This piece (in part) reconciles the differences between the strong,
dutiful, loving future King of the Mark of the books, with the (in my
opinion) minor plot point Eomer of the films.

This respect for the original characters as they appear in the book
verse carries over to the other people, for indeed they all read like
real people, embroiled in the early stages of the War of the Ring. Hama
and Gamling appear and exemplify the infamous bravery and fighting
prowess of the Rohirrim, though they are only present in a handful of
chapters. The lady Eowyn time and again reminds us of the strength and
fortitude involved in standing by helpless while others run rough-shod
over people and things held dear. But greater even than Katzilla's
loyalty to those characters we know and love is her adherence to the
image of Grima son of Galmod. Slime fairly drips from the screen when
the narrator-- strong without being overbearing, as usual-- slips into
his tormented and egomaniacal mind. It is a difficult task to write a
Grima, and I say with no reservations that hers is the best portrayal
I've read in fanfiction to date. He is simultaneously threat, servant,
slave to his own passions and fears, and still somehow a man. As foil to
Eomer, he is the perfect antagonist, and yet still the flawed villan it
is almost possible to feel empathy toward. Almost.

Another element that gives reality to this piece is the often discussed
presence of racism within the Mark. Time and again Grima claims that his
enemies only dislike him so because of his differences-- his hair color
and parentage. Fanon would support this claim as well, to a point.
However, Katzilla foils even this charge with yet another "minor"
character: Thor, a half-Dunlending scout among the troops of the
Westfold. A complete OC, Thor also feels the sting of general mistrust
from the population, though his loyalty to Rohan is unswerving, and the
moments when Katzilla reminds us of it serve the dual purposes of
undermining Grima and rebuilding the reputations of the Rohirrim (as if
someone could). Yet it is subtly done. The question "Are they really
racist?" is raised between the lines, and thus far the answer is a
resounding no-- they simply know a viper when one creeps into their midst.

There is so much more to this story, centered around the use of OCs and
overlooked canon characters, that I cannot mention it all. I will say,
however, that for an author who concentrates on angsty answers to the
ever popular "What if...?", Katzilla finds a way to work passion and
romance into the piece as well. Her OFCs are each in their own way
immensely strong women, and thinking back to the artistic and devoted
yet fearful Freela, I find myself tempted to request a spin-off in her
honor. Even the horses become three-dimensional under Katzilla's pen,
and thankfully Firefoot is present to add some much needed
lightheartedness to an otherwise grim and utterly real situation. The
story has yet to be finished, and for this I am glad. I would hate to
see something so well-crafted rushed for the sake of a deadline.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Decoy Hobbit · Author: storyfish · Races: Hobbits: War of the
Ring · ID: 257
Reviewer: Linda Hoyland · 2006-11-08 10:06:04
A well written,warm hearted and touching story.You bring Pippin vividly
to life for the reader.
-----------------------------------
Title: Bored · Author: Make It Stop · Genres: Humor: Gondor · ID: 779
Reviewer: Linda Hoyland · 2006-11-08 10:42:03
This is just hilarious, whether it is the bored sentry's thoughts or
Denethor and Faramir reading each other's minds over dinner.This is film
Faramir,given book Faramir's mental abilities.Mind reading must be an
uncomfortable gift to have and Boromir emerges as the lucky one,able to
concentrate on his food.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Will · Author: LydiaB · Times: Fourth Age and Beyond:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 770
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2006-11-08 11:47:21
A wonderful conceit as to how Tolkien might have acquired the Red Book.
LydiaB evokes the era well with small details  with a subtle reminder
of what treasures, human and intellectual, were lost of in the trenches
- and provides an entertaining contrast between how little Tolkien
expects and how great a treasure he is being handed. This drabble was an
unexpected and quite marvellous treat. Thank you for writing it and
sharing it with us!
-----------------------------------
Title: Kissing is Different · Author: Lady Bluejay · Genres: Romance:
Lothíriel & Éomer · ID: 280
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-08 12:57:27
This is such an adorable little piece. I love Lothiriel's cluelessness,
and Eomer's sneakiness. The banter between them in the stable is very
nice, and filled with double meanings. Very nicely told.
-----------------------------------
Title: Appearances Can Be Deceiving · Author: Dreamflower · Genres:
Adventure · ID: 760
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2006-11-08 19:19:19
What a charming story! Bilbo's voice was very much in-character, the
description of the valley and wildlife were beautiful, and his
perception of Aragorn apt and humorous.
-----------------------------------
Title: Good Neighbors · Author: daw the minstrel · Genres: Adventure ·
ID: 818
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2006-11-08 19:19:42
Legolas has a perfectly formed and very consistent pre-teen PoV in this
story. His interest in and protection of Rodda seemed completely in
character. The entire royal family has such a realistic and marvelous
set of relationships: complex and occasionally (or chronically) at odds,
but overall still loving and affectionate. Great characterization
throughout, and the shifts in PoV were handled well - I was never
confused, and it gave us a much broader overview than any one single
character could have.

Ithilden's quiet, background courtship is charming, while the various
tussles with the Men of Esgaroth are all well-drawn. I enjoyed Ithilden
and Thranduil's interviews of the different visiting Men (mild to
fearful intimidation, clear but subtle messages). Often we see Tolkien's
Elves being more stand-offish, ethereal and/or refusing to involve
themselves in Men's affairs; having Men for such close neighbors and
occasional allies, the Wood Elves have correspondingly more "direct"
interactions. Finally, Elian's connection with the twins was chilling,
although he gained an enormous amount of perspective from their interaction.

All these myriad developments seemed to flow naturally during the course
of telling the story and were cleverly interwoven. It was especially
nice to see Thranduil's deep connection with the forest manifested
during the enchantment of the western river.
-----------------------------------
Title: By The Light of Earendil's Star · Author: Branwyn · Genres:
Adventure · ID: 83
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2006-11-08 19:20:19
Excellent prose. Well-written action sequences, with many reflective
moments adding depth and poignancy. I did stumble over some of the plot
devices - there were places that felt unrealistic or forced, and
occasionally the dialogue seemed a bit choppy. The writing was
fast-paced and gripping, however, and I was able to "go with the flow".

The many viewpoint changes are handled adroitly, and the
characterizations of both canon and original individuals are crafted
skillfully and believably. Denethor in particular is marvelous.

The descriptions are beautifully handled. They were full and evocative,
giving me a very clear picture without overwhelming or slowing the story.
-----------------------------------
Title: Prison · Author: Radbooks · Races: Men: Vignette · ID: 794
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2006-11-08 23:11:27
The scene and its tense atmosphere is set up very well; Éomer's restless
energy and power is conveyed excellently, both in the interaction with
the guard, and later when alone.
-----------------------------------
Title: Summer Call · Author: mitasova · Races: Men: Post-Sauron's Fall ·
ID: 772
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2006-11-08 23:13:49
Lovely descriptions that bring the atmosphere of a hot summer day to
life very well. Good interaction between Faramir and his grandson. The
fact that the onset of Faramir's heart attack is woven so unobtrusively
and subtly into the narrative makes it all the more powerful when it
finally becomes obvious to Barahir (and the readers).
I like his vision at the end, although I think he would have a better
opinion of what the line of Húrin has done in taking care of the realm,
including himself.
-----------------------------------
Title: Shoot the Moon · Author: mistycracraft · Times: Late Third Age ·
ID: 233
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-08 23:58:35
This was such a sweet and gentle look at the father-son relationship
between young Estel and Elrond. I loved the way they studied the sky,
and how Elrond carefully answered all the questions his young son asked.
And I loved the way Estel carefully absorbed all the information his
father gave him. The idea that there could be other vessels aloft in the
heavens besides Earendil I find fascinating, and Estel's worry that the
Moon might get accidentally shot was so very cute and childlike. A
delightful bit of fluff, with a nice solid underpinning of serious love.
-----------------------------------
Title: A Length of Haradric Silk · Author: annmarwalk · Times: The Great
Years: Gondor · ID: 69
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-09 00:03:07
I've always loved this little story, imagining the knowing and
affectionate smile Frodo would give Sam for buying it, imagining the
look on Rose's and Lily Cotton's face as they open the parcel, imagining
Rose in the dress, and then Elanor when she's the Queen's
handmaiden...just a delight little vignette that keeps on giving...
-----------------------------------
Title: The Last Thing He Said · Author: NeumeIndil · Genres: Drama · ID: 294
Reviewer: Llinos · 2006-11-09 00:14:42
A very original idea for a story and well told.
-----------------------------------
Title: The Gift of Gold · Author: pippinfan88 · Genres: Drama:
Remembering · ID: 267
Reviewer: Llinos · 2006-11-09 00:16:24
This is a very sweet tale. I loved the story of the hair ribbon. It is
almost as if Bell is there herself to bless the bride.

I liked the impression that I got that this Goldilocks was the sum of so
many wonderful hobbit lasses; Bell Gamgee, Lily and Rosie Cotton and
Marigold too. It is wonderful to know that the blood of these
deep-rooted Shire families and their excellent values will be joined
with the blood of the Tooks and their equally fine attributes to bring
another generation into Middle-earth, a generation born of and bridging
two different, but both estimable, classes. It gives a wonderful sense
of the continuity and evolution of life.

A very hobbity story!
-----------------------------------
Title: Diplomatic Relations · Author: annmarwalk/EdorasLass CoAuthors ·
Genres: Romance: Gondor · ID: 189
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2006-11-09 00:16:31
A bit of Theodred/Boromir slash--but what I found interesting were the
contrasting attitudes of Denethor and Theoden.
-----------------------------------
Title: In a Heartbeat · Author: Piplover · Genres: Drama: Featuring
Pippin or Merry · ID: 928
Reviewer: Llinos · 2006-11-09 00:17:11
My favorite aspect of this story is that Pippin is portrayed so bravely.
His relationship with Aragorn is very well described.
-----------------------------------
Title: ... and hear the song of salt and sea · Author: Cuthalion ·
Genres: Drama: The Steward's Family · ID: 98
Reviewer: Llinos · 2006-11-09 00:18:04
What a tragically sad story and I find the premise a plausible one.
There is a richness of detail here that adds to the stark shock of the
ending.
-----------------------------------
Title: Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit · Author: Altariel · Genres: Drama:
Gondor Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 91
Reviewer: Llinos · 2006-11-09 00:18:29
Nice crossover that gives a new layer to this chapter of LoTR.
-----------------------------------
Title: A Battle Of A Different Kind · Author: Katzilla · Genres: Drama:
Pre-Fellowship · ID: 279
Reviewer: Llinos · 2006-11-09 00:19:42
I really felt for Eowyn here; publically shown that she cannot hope, at
least at this point, to survive in battle and yet forced on a daily
basis to wage a harder and in many ways more difficult war, one much
less suited to her temperament .
-----------------------------------