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Msg# 7711
Author Reviews for 1 December - part 1 Posted by Rhapsody December 01, 2006 - 16:56:38 Topic ID# 7711Author: Llinos · ID: 25 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:24:28 Score: 2
Llinoss subtle and witty style is evident in both her poetry and prose.
Shes an author I consistently enjoy reading.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Make It Stop · ID: 634 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:27:15 Score: 3
Make It Stop is one of those authors who never fails to bring a smile to
my face, even on those days when I most need one. Her humour is so
outlandish, but I just dare anyone to point out how it is uncanonical.
It really touches on a light part of human nature that Im sure our
favourite heroes would have shared in. Always a fun read!
-----------------------------------------
Author: Marigold · ID: 98 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:27:41 Score: 9
Marigold has such a special way of writing hobbits. Somehow ordinary
moments of life leap off the page when she writes about them. She writes
the major characters well and I'm sure a lot of readers have enjoyed her
for that, but what has really captivated me about her writing is the way
she handles the mothers and sisters of the major characters.
What stands out among this year's writing is the way she presents
Pippin's mother worrying over him. That piece not only reflected her
missing Pippin but the situation in Tookland with the resistance of
Sharkey's men. And that's another of Marigold's talents. She definitely
knows the canon about hobbits better than anyone else I know, but she
doesn't allow it to overwhelm the piece. Then she adds her own
invention, the idea of Gandalf giving Pippin two special stars, and the
result is a situation that almost feels like something Tolkien would
have written. At a minimum I'm sure he approved.
Mari is an author who never fails to satisfy, and whose pieces have just
the right balance of light and dark to portray hobbits as Tolkien meant
them. Not frivolous children, but curiously resistant to despair.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Oshun · ID: 589 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:30:04 Score: 3
The one piece that Ive read by this author is much shorter than her
usual fare, so its hard to judge based on that. But if Of All the
Pretty Horses is an indication, shes a clever author who can keep the
author guessing. I did not decipher this comedy of errors until the very
end, and that takes a skill I think would be very useful in a larger piece.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Perelleth · ID: 465 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:30:54 Score: 4
Something about the way Perelleth writes makes her story have a lot of
emotional weight. I've thought about it and can't quite identify it,
except that her own writing tends to be pretty similar to my own.
Whatever it is, I found myself smiling, giggling, and even snorting at
different points in "Mathom", and tearing up a little at "Last Goodbye
Series". Her writing is powerful and I look forward to reading more by her.
-----------------------------------------
Author: pippinfan88 · ID: 331 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:32:49 Score: 5
Pippinfan88 really nails the way that Merry and Pippin and everyone they
knew were impacted by their ties with Gondor and Rohan. Nowhere is this
more obvious than in "The Falcon's Watch", which is about their children
reacting to news of their death. It's also one of the most effective
stories I've ever read dealing with the topic of grief, it handles that
difficult topic really sensitively but at the same time without pulling
any punches. I look forward to reading the stories I didn't get around
to yet, because this is an author I definitely want to read more of.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:37:09 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Rhapsody · ID: 279 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:45:55 Score: 6
It amazes me that Rhapsody, as an author who writes English as a second
language, should write it so affectively in short forms like drabbles. I
don't think that I've read a multi-chaptered piece by her because I tend
to more or less stick to Third Age stuff, and I'm sure she can write
longer pieces just as convincingly. But when you're writing drabbles or
pieces that aren't that longer, then every word has to count. And
Rhapsody is one of the best drabblists I know; her pieces always pack a
punch in their short length and never feel rushed.
More than that, she is one of those authors that has made the Third Age
come to life for me. Her characterizations are vivid and fallible in
ways that fit the elves she's writing about. I had a hard time
remembering which son of Feanor was which before I read stuff by authors
like Rhapsody. She has definitely enhanced Tolkien's world for me.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thundera Tiger · ID: 86 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:54:44 Score: 4
Even in Thunderas more serious writing she seems to see the natural
humor in some of the situations Tolkien set up. Im sure that the people
involved in them were too frightened to see the natural humor, but how
can we as readers not softly chuckle at Gloins and Thranduils sons
ending up together? Or, as she shows us this year, Legolas dealing with
mortals and mortals as clever as Faramir knowing just how to annoy him.
She has a real head for seeing this humor intrinsic in the canon, and
exploits it beautifully.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dreamflower · ID: 115 · Genres: Non-Fiction [5]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:59:40 Score: 2
Dreamflower writes hobbits well, keeping them light and cute but still
giving them depth. Her writing develops relationships that seem to fit
into the canon nicely.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Rabidsamfan · ID: 380 · Genres: Non-Fiction [5]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:00:44 Score: 3
As always, RSF writes hobbits in a way that makes them feel real. In
both her stories and her essays she extrapolates from what Tolkien wrote
to create a tale or essay that feels genuine.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Súlriel · ID: 7 · Genres: Non-Fiction [5]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:10:03 Score: 3
Sulriel joins her knowledge of the first age with her feel for writing
villains in many of her works, to give us a portrait of what life would
have been like for elves in the Elder Days. Its just different enough
to be really interesting. This year she shows us that she can write
non-fiction well, too, and provides a useful resource for other writers.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dreamflower · ID: 115 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Pearl Took · 2006-11-28 17:12:46 Score: 3
Dreamflower is a master author. She knows Middle Earth and it's hobbity
residents extremely well. Her stories have wonderful flow and pacing.
You feel like you're there. Plus, she is a great encourager of other
writers. Thank you, Dreamflower!
-----------------------------------------
Author: annmarwalk · ID: 177 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:23:59 Score: 10
It's a little hard to know how to describe Ann as a writer, because if I
*just* talked about what she writes then I would be ignoring the
encouraging affect she has had on so many authors, myself included,
because she is a world-class beta and reviewer. It's a truly rare
combination to find someone who can do all three effectively, but Ann
definitely qualifies. If I had to choose which of the three she's best
at I would probably choose betareading because she has it down to an
art, and I have never felt like I was losing control of my story.
Anyway, back to her writing, I do not want to underemphasize that
aspect. Her writing is always crisp as one would expect from a fine beta
reader. The mechanics are all there and her word economy i such that her
pieces never feel rushed (even in her non-drabbles, though this really
stands out in her drabbles). But what I love most about Ann's writing is
the quiet humor that seems to invade her writing, will she or no. If
there's anything I hope Ann never writes it's angst. Her stories just
all have this very natural feel to them of everyday life. From the hawt
quality of new love to the comfort of a long-stranding relationship to
the gentle jostlings of siblings to the tenderness of new parenthood --
it all feels so like real. And that makes for a very three-dimensional
world she writes.
-----------------------------------------
Author: annmarwalk/EdorasLass CoAuthors · ID: 611 · Genres: Romance
[51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:25:11 Score: 3
Both annmarwalk and EdorasLass are brilliant by themselves. But what's
really remarkable is that together their styles complement each other.
That doesn't always turn out to be the case, but they write well
together as well as apart.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Bodkin · ID: 411 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:30:46 Score: 2
Bodkin does a good job of capturing the elves in the Undying Lands. I
always thought paradise would be boring, but not her version!
-----------------------------------------
Author: Branwyn · ID: 240 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:31:34 Score: 10
Branwyn is one of those authors that has really captured my heart, and I
mean that in both senses. Her stories always captivate me and affect me
in one way or another (I like to think in the way that was intended!),
but they also seem to have captured my own heart and experiences in the
events she has happen to her characters. I often find myself reading her
work and thinking to myself "Gee, that has happened to me!" That takes
an insight into human character that not everyone possesses, and I don't
think her writing would be so affective without it.
Anyone who has read her in the past should not be surprised to find that
she writes Boromir and Faramir in a three-dimensional and faceted way.
Her shorter pieces only hint at a depth that seems to underrun all of
her stories, yet they do not rely on each other so much that knowledge
of all is necessary to understand one.
But what did surprise me about this year's readings from her is just how
many different genres she can write. I knew she wrote drama and
reminiscing in a way I thoroughly enjoyed, and "Pink Oliphaunts" and
"The Household Accounts" did not disappoint on this grounds, but the
pacing and horror that kept me on the edge of my seat through "The Fords
of Isen"... just wow. And the sensuous detail, penchant for historical
accuracy, and compelling (and in-character) erotica in "Book
Learning"... shall not go too far into that for a PG review, but suffice
it to say that romance is not beyond the scope of her talent. This is an
author that continues to surprise me in pleasant ways.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gwynnyd · ID: 186 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:34:01 Score: 10
I'll admit that before I first read Gwynnyd's fiction I did not feel
that deeply for Aragorn. He always seemed a bit boring, I guess because
we never see him going through any sort of growth in the corpus of Lord
of the Rings. The material's there, but it's buried. However, through
discussions with Gwynnyd and through reading her stories, I have begun
to see more of the gaps that ferment into story nuzguls for her.
Gwynnyd's stories range from the events surrounding Arathorn's death and
Aragorn's moving to Rivendell, through his reign as king of Gondor. In
all of these different situations she is very aware of the real-world
historical precedents that faced similar situations and uses these
models to good use. Of course Aragorn and Gilraen both living in
Rivendell would be a tip-off to Aragorn's identity. But I did not even
think that this was a difficulty that needs to be explained until I
started reading Gwynnyd's fiction.
The best thing about her plots is that they do not *add* to Tolkien in a
way that feels artificial. Instead, reading one of her stories is like
going on an archaeological dig and discovering what was already there,
just waiting to be unearthed. Reading one of her pieces is always a treat.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Lady Aranel · ID: 151 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:38:36 Score: 5
Lady Aranel gives Legolas a really distinct voice. Somehow he is both
youthful and wise at the same time. In this year's selection you can see
him being an understanding brother, a warrior with the heart of a leader
paralleled to his father, and a person just like any other grieving the
lost of a friend. I had always thought of Lady Aranel as a distinguished
writer of romance (which she undoubtedly is), but the pieces by her I
read for this year's MEFA's show that she has many other talents as
well. Her ability to communicate powerful emotions quietly in a
dignified way is especially noteworthy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Llinos · ID: 25 · Genres: Romance [51]: Poetry
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:43:07 Score: 2
Llinoss subtle and witty style is evident in both her poetry and prose.
Shes an author I consistently enjoy reading.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Madeleine · ID: 606 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:52:48 Score: 7
Madeleine has a unique gift for capturing a Lothiriel who is at once
modern and perfectly content in a Middle-earth created by a
nineteenth-century Briton. She is in some way a working woman -- she
lives in Minas Tirith away from her family and works as a healer in the
Houses of Healing -- but that does not change the fact that she accepts
her fate as a noble's daughter that she will be married in a political
alliance. Her Eomer is engaging as well, and seems like a very natural
outgrowth of the canonical character Tolkien presents us with.
Her stories involve all of the hallmarks of an engaging story: a
realistic world, intriguing plot, pace that moves the story forward,
freedom from distracting mechanical mistakes, good use of detail. Yet it
is the characters that really make her stories so compelling for me, and
anyone interested in these characters or the Fourth Age in Rohan and
Gondor in general will find them a satisfying read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Oshun · ID: 589 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:56:49 Score: 3
The one piece that Ive read by this author is much shorter than her
usual fare, so its hard to judge based on that. But if Of All the
Pretty Horses is an indication, shes a clever author who can keep the
author guessing. I did not decipher this comedy of errors until the very
end, and that takes a skill I think would be very useful in a larger piece.
-----------------------------------------
Author: pippinfan88 · ID: 331 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:57:41 Score: 5
Pippinfan88 really nails the way that Merry and Pippin and everyone they
knew were impacted by their ties with Gondor and Rohan. Nowhere is this
more obvious than in "The Falcon's Watch", which is about their children
reacting to news of their death. It's also one of the most effective
stories I've ever read dealing with the topic of grief, it handles that
difficult topic really sensitively but at the same time without pulling
any punches. I look forward to reading the stories I didn't get around
to yet, because this is an author I definitely want to read more of.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:59:11 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raihon · ID: 675 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:10:45 Score: 2
Raihon writes slash convincingly here, giving us a relationship that
defines the characters involved not just through their desires but the
consequences of those desires.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Genres: Romance [51]: Fixed-Length
Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:15:46 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Talasi · ID: 642 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:16:20 Score: 2
Talasi effectively weaves a tale around a popular song, without it
feeling modern. That's a challenging task.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thevina Finduilas · ID: 87 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:24:12 Score: 6
Thevina does such interesting work with those less-explored corners of
canon. In most of the entries in this year's awards this is most evident
in her handling of dwarves. There is a quiet gruffness to them that
seems very in keeping with the other races of the north and what Tolkien
told us of them, yet through Thevina's writings I see a vulnerability
underneath that needs to be exposed. And Thevina does expose it, through
Gimli's wonderings about how he is changing over the course of the
Quest, but this does not make him seem week or effeminate. She also
develops a tantalizing glimpse into the sexuality of the Rohirrim that
once again build where there just isn't canon, but feel very in-keeping
with the spirit of what Tolkien wrote. Reading her stories always leaves
me thinking, something I really enjoy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Bodkin · ID: 411 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:29:30 Score: 2
Bodkin does a good job of capturing the elves in the Undying Lands. I
always thought paradise would be boring, but not her version!
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dawn Felagund · ID: 602 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:30:10 Score: 4
Dawn really brings the First Age-elves to life. She takes these
characters that to readers like me who have only read the Silm once or
twice are little more than names, and really forms them into characters
that I can feel the emotional weight of the situation. Her characters
always jump off the page and seem very, very real to me, and more
importantly make sense without an excessive amount of knowledge of the
backstory.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gandalfs apprentice · ID: 175 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:31:08 Score: 4
Gandalfs Apprentice can always make me lap with the matter-of-fact
streak she brings to her humor. I can just see her characters with a
very deadpan expression on their faces as they deliver the lines she
gives them. Even in her more serious works, the slightly funny quality
is still under the surface. You just know that her characters thoroughly
enjoy life, and that makes for a fun read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gandalfs apprentice · ID: 175 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]:
Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:31:18 Score: 4
Gandalfs Apprentice can always make me lap with the matter-of-fact
streak she brings to her humor. I can just see her characters with a
very deadpan expression on their faces as they deliver the lines she
gives them. Even in her more serious works, the slightly funny quality
is still under the surface. You just know that her characters thoroughly
enjoy life, and that makes for a fun read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · ID: 182 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]:
Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:32:03 Score: 4
Isabeau was probably the first writer I read who wrote convincing slash.
Andrahar's relationship with Boromir is of course extra-canonical but it
really comments on his character as portrayed by Tolkien and in other
writers in the same universe. It explores all of the implications of
homosexuality within the culture, and makes for a really interesting way
to look at the values of Gondorians.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Lindelea · ID: 27 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:32:37 Score: 2
Lindelea is good at keeping a long tale interesting over several
chapters. Her hobbits are relaxing and fun, and I enjoy what I've read
of hers.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Marigold · ID: 98 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:33:08 Score: 9
Marigold has such a special way of writing hobbits. Somehow ordinary
moments of life leap off the page when she writes about them. She writes
the major characters well and I'm sure a lot of readers have enjoyed her
for that, but what has really captivated me about her writing is the way
she handles the mothers and sisters of the major characters.
What stands out among this year's writing is the way she presents
Pippin's mother worrying over him. That piece not only reflected her
missing Pippin but the situation in Tookland with the resistance of
Sharkey's men. And that's another of Marigold's talents. She definitely
knows the canon about hobbits better than anyone else I know, but she
doesn't allow it to overwhelm the piece. Then she adds her own
invention, the idea of Gandalf giving Pippin two special stars, and the
result is a situation that almost feels like something Tolkien would
have written. At a minimum I'm sure he approved.
Mari is an author who never fails to satisfy, and whose pieces have just
the right balance of light and dark to portray hobbits as Tolkien meant
them. Not frivolous children, but curiously resistant to despair.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:33:55 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]:
Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:33:57 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Rhapsody · ID: 279 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:34:33 Score: 6
It amazes me that Rhapsody, as an author who writes English as a second
language, should write it so affectively in short forms like drabbles. I
don't think that I've read a multi-chaptered piece by her because I tend
to more or less stick to Third Age stuff, and I'm sure she can write
longer pieces just as convincingly. But when you're writing drabbles or
pieces that aren't that longer, then every word has to count. And
Rhapsody is one of the best drabblists I know; her pieces always pack a
punch in their short length and never feel rushed.
More than that, she is one of those authors that has made the Third Age
come to life for me. Her characterizations are vivid and fallible in
ways that fit the elves she's writing about. I had a hard time
remembering which son of Feanor was which before I read stuff by authors
like Rhapsody. She has definitely enhanced Tolkien's world for me.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thevina Finduilas · ID: 87 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:35:20 Score: 6
Thevina does such interesting work with those less-explored corners of
canon. In most of the entries in this year's awards this is most evident
in her handling of dwarves. There's a quiet gruffness to them that seems
very in keeping with the other races of the north and what Tolkien told
us of them, yet through Thevina's writings I see a vulnerability
underneath that needs to be exposed. And Thevina does expose it, through
Gimli's wonderings about how he is changing over the course of the
Quest, but this does not make him seem week or effeminate. She also
develops a tantalizing glimpse into Rohirric sexual values that once
again build where there just isn't canon, but feel very in-keeping with
the spirit of what Tolkien wrote. Reading her stories always leaves me
thinking, something I really enjoy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Tanaqui · ID: 40 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:37:23 Score: 10
Tanaqui is a long-time friend and beta reader, so it feels a bit odd to
be reviewing not something that she wrote but how she functions as an
author. I hold her writing abilities in the highest regard and always
like to read what she has written in the Tolkien fandom because she has
a knowledge of canon that transcends individual facts. Of course, once
you try to jump from facts that Tolkien explicitly wrote to broader
worldviews about how a culture would have operated you enter the realm
of interpretation. And I have not agreed with every assertion Tanaqui
has made, but I have been able to accept her inventions as something
Tolkien would have approved of; they are very much in the spirit and
letter of his Middle-earth.
Tanaqui uses an exquisite amount of physical detail in her works,
without her pieces feeling like an infodump. That's what I remember when
I think about her, how rich the world she creates is. She once joked
that in a drabble we are allowed seven words for a title, one hundred
for the body of the text -- and three thousand for the requisite
footnotes and forenotes documenting the historical precedents, canon
sources, and the thoughts that led up to the drabble. That really
summarizes her approach to writing in general: not that she uses too
many footnotes(!) but that for every bit she puts in, there's much more
going on below the surface. I'm not sure how much she'll appreciate a
comparison to movieverse, but her writing really does remind me of
WETA's dedication to crafting props that were works of art, even if they
barely made it on to screen or not at all. It creates a very rich
backdrop for her stories, and this reader loves it.
-----------------------------------------
Author: annmarwalk · ID: 177 · Races: Dwarves [12]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:38:47 Score: 10
It's a little hard to know how to describe Ann as a writer, because if I
*just* talked about what she writes then I would be ignoring the
encouraging affect she has had on so many authors, myself included,
because she is a world-class beta and reviewer. It's a truly rare
combination to find someone who can do all three effectively, but Ann
definitely qualifies. If I had to choose which of the three she's best
at I would probably choose betareading because she has it down to an
art, and I have never felt like I was losing control of my story.
Anyway, back to her writing, I do not want to underemphasize that
aspect. Her writing is always crisp as one would expect from a fine beta
reader. The mechanics are all there and her word economy i such that her
pieces never feel rushed (even in her non-drabbles, though this really
stands out in her drabbles). But what I love most about Ann's writing is
the quiet humor that seems to invade her writing, will she or no. If
there's anything I hope Ann never writes it's angst. Her stories just
all have this very natural feel to them of everyday life. From the hawt
quality of new love to the comfort of a long-stranding relationship to
the gentle jostlings of siblings to the tenderness of new parenthood --
it all feels so like real. And that makes for a very three-dimensional
world she writes.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Elen Kortirion · ID: 251 · Races: Dwarves [12]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:44:24 Score: 4
What I like most about Elen Kortirion is the way she writes original
characters. They enhance what Tolkien wrote and provide new perspectives
on oft-told events, yet because they are from different walks of life
than the canon characters those different perspectives feel like valid
re-interpretation of canon rather than departures from it. Through these
OC's she gives us a very different view of Gondorian society and the
political situation that has really challenged my pre-held conceptions.
Which is of course half the fun. ;-)
-----------------------------------------
Author: Salsify · ID: 314 · Races: Dwarves [12]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:15:27 Score: 7
With most of the authors I have reviewed, on reflecting on just what it
is I like about their writing, I am able to identify one or two traits
that really shine in all of their piece. Yet with Salsify, it's not like
that somehow. Her writing has her strengths, but each piece I read seems
to shine in a different way.
"Gundabad" shows her ability to take an obscure canon factoid or quote
and spin it into a full story. I'm not talking about just writing a good
gap-filler, but instead following something Tolkien wrote to its full
conclusion. It's a remarkable skill and really develops the idea that
the Red Book and Bilbo's Translations from the Elvish were supposed to
be historical remnants of our past. "Flotsam" is remarkable for a
different reason, the emotional impact it brings in such a minimalist
ways -- it actually left me physically shaking.
These different strengths just hint at a very dynamic writer. Salsify's
tales always affect me strongly and each is a gem in its own way.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Tanaqui · ID: 40 · Races: Dwarves [12]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:18:52 Score: 10
Tanaqui is a long-time friend and beta reader, so it feels a bit odd to
be reviewing not something that she wrote but how she functions as an
author. I hold her writing abilities in the highest regard and always
like to read what she has written in the Tolkien fandom because she has
a knowledge of canon that transcends individual facts. Of course, once
you try to jump from facts that Tolkien explicitly wrote to broader
worldviews about how a culture would have operated you enter the realm
of interpretation. And I have not agreed with every assertion Tanaqui
has made, but I have been able to accept her inventions as something
Tolkien would have approved of; they are very much in the spirit and
letter of his Middle-earth.
Tanaqui uses an exquisite amount of physical detail in her works,
without her pieces feeling like an infodump. That's what I remember when
I think about her, how rich the world she creates is. She once joked
that in a drabble we are allowed seven words for a title, one hundred
for the body of the text -- and three thousand for the requisite
footnotes and forenotes documenting the historical precedents, canon
sources, and the thoughts that led up to the drabble. That really
summarizes her approach to writing in general: not that she uses too
many footnotes(!) but that for every bit she puts in, there's much more
going on below the surface. I'm not sure how much she'll appreciate a
comparison to movieverse, but her writing really does remind me of
WETA's dedication to crafting props that were works of art, even if they
barely made it on to screen or not at all. It creates a very rich
backdrop for her stories, and this reader loves it.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thevina Finduilas · ID: 87 · Races: Dwarves [12]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:19:56 Score: 6
Thevina does such interesting work with those less-explored corners of
canon. In most of the entries in this year's awards this is most evident
in her handling of dwarves. There's a quiet gruffness to them that seems
very in keeping with the other races of the north and what Tolkien told
us of them, yet through Thevina's writings I see a vulnerability
underneath that needs to be exposed. And Thevina does expose it, through
Gimli's wonderings about how he is changing over the course of the
Quest, but this does not make him seem week or effeminate. She also
develops a tantalizing glimpse into Rohirric sexual values that once
again build where there just isn't canon, but feel very in-keeping with
the spirit of what Tolkien wrote. Reading her stories always leaves me
thinking, something I really enjoy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: daw the minstrel · ID: 176 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:20:44 Score: 3
Usually elflings irritate me but not daw's. Young Legolas resonates
emotionally and Mirkwood is convincingly connected to what Tolkien tells
us in "The Hobbit". It's a world I find myself accepting, and her
stories always sweep me up in what's happening.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dawn Felagund · ID: 602 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:21:07 Score: 4
Dawn really brings the First Age-elves to life. She takes these
characters that to readers like me who have only read the Silm once or
twice are little more than names, and really forms them into characters
that I can feel the emotional weight of the situation. Her characters
always jump off the page and seem very, very real to me, and more
importantly make sense without an excessive amount of knowledge of the
backstory.
-----------------------------------------
Author: elliska · ID: 143 · Races: Elves [38]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:23:31 Score: 10
Elliska is an author that I have really discovered since the 2005 MEFAs.
I did not have the time to read her stories like I should, but I found
the time over the winter. Thereby breaking several of my own rules,
against reading epic, elf-centred series. I have nothing against any of
these types of pieces on principles, but I don't tend to have the
patience for long works, and elves tend to bore me no matter how well
they are written.
Elliska changed all that. I suppose those rules ["is more what you'd
call "guidelines" than actual rules"], but elliska's pieces still
overcame all of my doubts about whether I would enjoy the "Interrupted
Journeys" series. I think it was her avatar at Open Scrolls that
convinced me to look at them
[(http://www.scribeoz.com/fanfic/authors/profile.php?no=650)], because
her complaints about fanons regarding Thranduil are so similar to my own
about Denethor. The fact that she saw a need to fight such similar
mischaracterizations is actually what made me give Thranduil a second look.
And what a look! Her pieces give us a convincing picture of a realm in
upheaval after the death of Oropher in the Last Alliance. There are
politics and personal drama and all in all an extremely convincing world
that manages not to toe-step on Tolkien but at the same time not
over-dwell on those areas "The Hobbit" led him to develop. I really look
forward to seeing how she continues to develop this saga.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gandalfs apprentice · ID: 175 · Races: Elves [38]: Fixed-Length
Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:24:04 Score: 4
Gandalfs Apprentice can always make me lap with the matter-of-fact
streak she brings to her humor. I can just see her characters with a
very deadpan expression on their faces as they deliver the lines she
gives them. Even in her more serious works, the slightly funny quality
is still under the surface. You just know that her characters thoroughly
enjoy life, and that makes for a fun read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Haleth · ID: 495 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:24:41 Score: 2
Haleth has a minimalist style that is surprisingly effective and lets
the reader feel the full brunt of what she's portraying.
-----------------------------------------
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:24:28 Score: 2
Llinoss subtle and witty style is evident in both her poetry and prose.
Shes an author I consistently enjoy reading.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Make It Stop · ID: 634 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:27:15 Score: 3
Make It Stop is one of those authors who never fails to bring a smile to
my face, even on those days when I most need one. Her humour is so
outlandish, but I just dare anyone to point out how it is uncanonical.
It really touches on a light part of human nature that Im sure our
favourite heroes would have shared in. Always a fun read!
-----------------------------------------
Author: Marigold · ID: 98 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:27:41 Score: 9
Marigold has such a special way of writing hobbits. Somehow ordinary
moments of life leap off the page when she writes about them. She writes
the major characters well and I'm sure a lot of readers have enjoyed her
for that, but what has really captivated me about her writing is the way
she handles the mothers and sisters of the major characters.
What stands out among this year's writing is the way she presents
Pippin's mother worrying over him. That piece not only reflected her
missing Pippin but the situation in Tookland with the resistance of
Sharkey's men. And that's another of Marigold's talents. She definitely
knows the canon about hobbits better than anyone else I know, but she
doesn't allow it to overwhelm the piece. Then she adds her own
invention, the idea of Gandalf giving Pippin two special stars, and the
result is a situation that almost feels like something Tolkien would
have written. At a minimum I'm sure he approved.
Mari is an author who never fails to satisfy, and whose pieces have just
the right balance of light and dark to portray hobbits as Tolkien meant
them. Not frivolous children, but curiously resistant to despair.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Oshun · ID: 589 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:30:04 Score: 3
The one piece that Ive read by this author is much shorter than her
usual fare, so its hard to judge based on that. But if Of All the
Pretty Horses is an indication, shes a clever author who can keep the
author guessing. I did not decipher this comedy of errors until the very
end, and that takes a skill I think would be very useful in a larger piece.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Perelleth · ID: 465 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:30:54 Score: 4
Something about the way Perelleth writes makes her story have a lot of
emotional weight. I've thought about it and can't quite identify it,
except that her own writing tends to be pretty similar to my own.
Whatever it is, I found myself smiling, giggling, and even snorting at
different points in "Mathom", and tearing up a little at "Last Goodbye
Series". Her writing is powerful and I look forward to reading more by her.
-----------------------------------------
Author: pippinfan88 · ID: 331 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:32:49 Score: 5
Pippinfan88 really nails the way that Merry and Pippin and everyone they
knew were impacted by their ties with Gondor and Rohan. Nowhere is this
more obvious than in "The Falcon's Watch", which is about their children
reacting to news of their death. It's also one of the most effective
stories I've ever read dealing with the topic of grief, it handles that
difficult topic really sensitively but at the same time without pulling
any punches. I look forward to reading the stories I didn't get around
to yet, because this is an author I definitely want to read more of.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:37:09 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Rhapsody · ID: 279 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:45:55 Score: 6
It amazes me that Rhapsody, as an author who writes English as a second
language, should write it so affectively in short forms like drabbles. I
don't think that I've read a multi-chaptered piece by her because I tend
to more or less stick to Third Age stuff, and I'm sure she can write
longer pieces just as convincingly. But when you're writing drabbles or
pieces that aren't that longer, then every word has to count. And
Rhapsody is one of the best drabblists I know; her pieces always pack a
punch in their short length and never feel rushed.
More than that, she is one of those authors that has made the Third Age
come to life for me. Her characterizations are vivid and fallible in
ways that fit the elves she's writing about. I had a hard time
remembering which son of Feanor was which before I read stuff by authors
like Rhapsody. She has definitely enhanced Tolkien's world for me.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thundera Tiger · ID: 86 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:54:44 Score: 4
Even in Thunderas more serious writing she seems to see the natural
humor in some of the situations Tolkien set up. Im sure that the people
involved in them were too frightened to see the natural humor, but how
can we as readers not softly chuckle at Gloins and Thranduils sons
ending up together? Or, as she shows us this year, Legolas dealing with
mortals and mortals as clever as Faramir knowing just how to annoy him.
She has a real head for seeing this humor intrinsic in the canon, and
exploits it beautifully.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dreamflower · ID: 115 · Genres: Non-Fiction [5]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 16:59:40 Score: 2
Dreamflower writes hobbits well, keeping them light and cute but still
giving them depth. Her writing develops relationships that seem to fit
into the canon nicely.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Rabidsamfan · ID: 380 · Genres: Non-Fiction [5]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:00:44 Score: 3
As always, RSF writes hobbits in a way that makes them feel real. In
both her stories and her essays she extrapolates from what Tolkien wrote
to create a tale or essay that feels genuine.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Súlriel · ID: 7 · Genres: Non-Fiction [5]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:10:03 Score: 3
Sulriel joins her knowledge of the first age with her feel for writing
villains in many of her works, to give us a portrait of what life would
have been like for elves in the Elder Days. Its just different enough
to be really interesting. This year she shows us that she can write
non-fiction well, too, and provides a useful resource for other writers.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dreamflower · ID: 115 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Pearl Took · 2006-11-28 17:12:46 Score: 3
Dreamflower is a master author. She knows Middle Earth and it's hobbity
residents extremely well. Her stories have wonderful flow and pacing.
You feel like you're there. Plus, she is a great encourager of other
writers. Thank you, Dreamflower!
-----------------------------------------
Author: annmarwalk · ID: 177 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:23:59 Score: 10
It's a little hard to know how to describe Ann as a writer, because if I
*just* talked about what she writes then I would be ignoring the
encouraging affect she has had on so many authors, myself included,
because she is a world-class beta and reviewer. It's a truly rare
combination to find someone who can do all three effectively, but Ann
definitely qualifies. If I had to choose which of the three she's best
at I would probably choose betareading because she has it down to an
art, and I have never felt like I was losing control of my story.
Anyway, back to her writing, I do not want to underemphasize that
aspect. Her writing is always crisp as one would expect from a fine beta
reader. The mechanics are all there and her word economy i such that her
pieces never feel rushed (even in her non-drabbles, though this really
stands out in her drabbles). But what I love most about Ann's writing is
the quiet humor that seems to invade her writing, will she or no. If
there's anything I hope Ann never writes it's angst. Her stories just
all have this very natural feel to them of everyday life. From the hawt
quality of new love to the comfort of a long-stranding relationship to
the gentle jostlings of siblings to the tenderness of new parenthood --
it all feels so like real. And that makes for a very three-dimensional
world she writes.
-----------------------------------------
Author: annmarwalk/EdorasLass CoAuthors · ID: 611 · Genres: Romance
[51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:25:11 Score: 3
Both annmarwalk and EdorasLass are brilliant by themselves. But what's
really remarkable is that together their styles complement each other.
That doesn't always turn out to be the case, but they write well
together as well as apart.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Bodkin · ID: 411 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:30:46 Score: 2
Bodkin does a good job of capturing the elves in the Undying Lands. I
always thought paradise would be boring, but not her version!
-----------------------------------------
Author: Branwyn · ID: 240 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:31:34 Score: 10
Branwyn is one of those authors that has really captured my heart, and I
mean that in both senses. Her stories always captivate me and affect me
in one way or another (I like to think in the way that was intended!),
but they also seem to have captured my own heart and experiences in the
events she has happen to her characters. I often find myself reading her
work and thinking to myself "Gee, that has happened to me!" That takes
an insight into human character that not everyone possesses, and I don't
think her writing would be so affective without it.
Anyone who has read her in the past should not be surprised to find that
she writes Boromir and Faramir in a three-dimensional and faceted way.
Her shorter pieces only hint at a depth that seems to underrun all of
her stories, yet they do not rely on each other so much that knowledge
of all is necessary to understand one.
But what did surprise me about this year's readings from her is just how
many different genres she can write. I knew she wrote drama and
reminiscing in a way I thoroughly enjoyed, and "Pink Oliphaunts" and
"The Household Accounts" did not disappoint on this grounds, but the
pacing and horror that kept me on the edge of my seat through "The Fords
of Isen"... just wow. And the sensuous detail, penchant for historical
accuracy, and compelling (and in-character) erotica in "Book
Learning"... shall not go too far into that for a PG review, but suffice
it to say that romance is not beyond the scope of her talent. This is an
author that continues to surprise me in pleasant ways.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gwynnyd · ID: 186 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:34:01 Score: 10
I'll admit that before I first read Gwynnyd's fiction I did not feel
that deeply for Aragorn. He always seemed a bit boring, I guess because
we never see him going through any sort of growth in the corpus of Lord
of the Rings. The material's there, but it's buried. However, through
discussions with Gwynnyd and through reading her stories, I have begun
to see more of the gaps that ferment into story nuzguls for her.
Gwynnyd's stories range from the events surrounding Arathorn's death and
Aragorn's moving to Rivendell, through his reign as king of Gondor. In
all of these different situations she is very aware of the real-world
historical precedents that faced similar situations and uses these
models to good use. Of course Aragorn and Gilraen both living in
Rivendell would be a tip-off to Aragorn's identity. But I did not even
think that this was a difficulty that needs to be explained until I
started reading Gwynnyd's fiction.
The best thing about her plots is that they do not *add* to Tolkien in a
way that feels artificial. Instead, reading one of her stories is like
going on an archaeological dig and discovering what was already there,
just waiting to be unearthed. Reading one of her pieces is always a treat.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Lady Aranel · ID: 151 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:38:36 Score: 5
Lady Aranel gives Legolas a really distinct voice. Somehow he is both
youthful and wise at the same time. In this year's selection you can see
him being an understanding brother, a warrior with the heart of a leader
paralleled to his father, and a person just like any other grieving the
lost of a friend. I had always thought of Lady Aranel as a distinguished
writer of romance (which she undoubtedly is), but the pieces by her I
read for this year's MEFA's show that she has many other talents as
well. Her ability to communicate powerful emotions quietly in a
dignified way is especially noteworthy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Llinos · ID: 25 · Genres: Romance [51]: Poetry
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:43:07 Score: 2
Llinoss subtle and witty style is evident in both her poetry and prose.
Shes an author I consistently enjoy reading.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Madeleine · ID: 606 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:52:48 Score: 7
Madeleine has a unique gift for capturing a Lothiriel who is at once
modern and perfectly content in a Middle-earth created by a
nineteenth-century Briton. She is in some way a working woman -- she
lives in Minas Tirith away from her family and works as a healer in the
Houses of Healing -- but that does not change the fact that she accepts
her fate as a noble's daughter that she will be married in a political
alliance. Her Eomer is engaging as well, and seems like a very natural
outgrowth of the canonical character Tolkien presents us with.
Her stories involve all of the hallmarks of an engaging story: a
realistic world, intriguing plot, pace that moves the story forward,
freedom from distracting mechanical mistakes, good use of detail. Yet it
is the characters that really make her stories so compelling for me, and
anyone interested in these characters or the Fourth Age in Rohan and
Gondor in general will find them a satisfying read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Oshun · ID: 589 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:56:49 Score: 3
The one piece that Ive read by this author is much shorter than her
usual fare, so its hard to judge based on that. But if Of All the
Pretty Horses is an indication, shes a clever author who can keep the
author guessing. I did not decipher this comedy of errors until the very
end, and that takes a skill I think would be very useful in a larger piece.
-----------------------------------------
Author: pippinfan88 · ID: 331 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:57:41 Score: 5
Pippinfan88 really nails the way that Merry and Pippin and everyone they
knew were impacted by their ties with Gondor and Rohan. Nowhere is this
more obvious than in "The Falcon's Watch", which is about their children
reacting to news of their death. It's also one of the most effective
stories I've ever read dealing with the topic of grief, it handles that
difficult topic really sensitively but at the same time without pulling
any punches. I look forward to reading the stories I didn't get around
to yet, because this is an author I definitely want to read more of.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-28 17:59:11 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raihon · ID: 675 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:10:45 Score: 2
Raihon writes slash convincingly here, giving us a relationship that
defines the characters involved not just through their desires but the
consequences of those desires.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Genres: Romance [51]: Fixed-Length
Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:15:46 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Talasi · ID: 642 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:16:20 Score: 2
Talasi effectively weaves a tale around a popular song, without it
feeling modern. That's a challenging task.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thevina Finduilas · ID: 87 · Genres: Romance [51]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:24:12 Score: 6
Thevina does such interesting work with those less-explored corners of
canon. In most of the entries in this year's awards this is most evident
in her handling of dwarves. There is a quiet gruffness to them that
seems very in keeping with the other races of the north and what Tolkien
told us of them, yet through Thevina's writings I see a vulnerability
underneath that needs to be exposed. And Thevina does expose it, through
Gimli's wonderings about how he is changing over the course of the
Quest, but this does not make him seem week or effeminate. She also
develops a tantalizing glimpse into the sexuality of the Rohirrim that
once again build where there just isn't canon, but feel very in-keeping
with the spirit of what Tolkien wrote. Reading her stories always leaves
me thinking, something I really enjoy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Bodkin · ID: 411 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:29:30 Score: 2
Bodkin does a good job of capturing the elves in the Undying Lands. I
always thought paradise would be boring, but not her version!
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dawn Felagund · ID: 602 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:30:10 Score: 4
Dawn really brings the First Age-elves to life. She takes these
characters that to readers like me who have only read the Silm once or
twice are little more than names, and really forms them into characters
that I can feel the emotional weight of the situation. Her characters
always jump off the page and seem very, very real to me, and more
importantly make sense without an excessive amount of knowledge of the
backstory.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gandalfs apprentice · ID: 175 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:31:08 Score: 4
Gandalfs Apprentice can always make me lap with the matter-of-fact
streak she brings to her humor. I can just see her characters with a
very deadpan expression on their faces as they deliver the lines she
gives them. Even in her more serious works, the slightly funny quality
is still under the surface. You just know that her characters thoroughly
enjoy life, and that makes for a fun read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gandalfs apprentice · ID: 175 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]:
Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:31:18 Score: 4
Gandalfs Apprentice can always make me lap with the matter-of-fact
streak she brings to her humor. I can just see her characters with a
very deadpan expression on their faces as they deliver the lines she
gives them. Even in her more serious works, the slightly funny quality
is still under the surface. You just know that her characters thoroughly
enjoy life, and that makes for a fun read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · ID: 182 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]:
Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:32:03 Score: 4
Isabeau was probably the first writer I read who wrote convincing slash.
Andrahar's relationship with Boromir is of course extra-canonical but it
really comments on his character as portrayed by Tolkien and in other
writers in the same universe. It explores all of the implications of
homosexuality within the culture, and makes for a really interesting way
to look at the values of Gondorians.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Lindelea · ID: 27 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:32:37 Score: 2
Lindelea is good at keeping a long tale interesting over several
chapters. Her hobbits are relaxing and fun, and I enjoy what I've read
of hers.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Marigold · ID: 98 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:33:08 Score: 9
Marigold has such a special way of writing hobbits. Somehow ordinary
moments of life leap off the page when she writes about them. She writes
the major characters well and I'm sure a lot of readers have enjoyed her
for that, but what has really captivated me about her writing is the way
she handles the mothers and sisters of the major characters.
What stands out among this year's writing is the way she presents
Pippin's mother worrying over him. That piece not only reflected her
missing Pippin but the situation in Tookland with the resistance of
Sharkey's men. And that's another of Marigold's talents. She definitely
knows the canon about hobbits better than anyone else I know, but she
doesn't allow it to overwhelm the piece. Then she adds her own
invention, the idea of Gandalf giving Pippin two special stars, and the
result is a situation that almost feels like something Tolkien would
have written. At a minimum I'm sure he approved.
Mari is an author who never fails to satisfy, and whose pieces have just
the right balance of light and dark to portray hobbits as Tolkien meant
them. Not frivolous children, but curiously resistant to despair.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:33:55 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]:
Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:33:57 Score: 4
Raksha is one of the few authors who have made Aragorn approachable for
me. As I mentioned in another review I found him too perfect before
fanfic, but through her stories I have seen him warts and all, presented
in a way that makes him seem to have more in common with me without
becoming less than the king Tolkien wrote. Its a very thin line to
walk, but Raksha does it well, providing us with a character who
resonates emotionally but still feels tied to the canon character.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Rhapsody · ID: 279 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:34:33 Score: 6
It amazes me that Rhapsody, as an author who writes English as a second
language, should write it so affectively in short forms like drabbles. I
don't think that I've read a multi-chaptered piece by her because I tend
to more or less stick to Third Age stuff, and I'm sure she can write
longer pieces just as convincingly. But when you're writing drabbles or
pieces that aren't that longer, then every word has to count. And
Rhapsody is one of the best drabblists I know; her pieces always pack a
punch in their short length and never feel rushed.
More than that, she is one of those authors that has made the Third Age
come to life for me. Her characterizations are vivid and fallible in
ways that fit the elves she's writing about. I had a hard time
remembering which son of Feanor was which before I read stuff by authors
like Rhapsody. She has definitely enhanced Tolkien's world for me.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thevina Finduilas · ID: 87 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:35:20 Score: 6
Thevina does such interesting work with those less-explored corners of
canon. In most of the entries in this year's awards this is most evident
in her handling of dwarves. There's a quiet gruffness to them that seems
very in keeping with the other races of the north and what Tolkien told
us of them, yet through Thevina's writings I see a vulnerability
underneath that needs to be exposed. And Thevina does expose it, through
Gimli's wonderings about how he is changing over the course of the
Quest, but this does not make him seem week or effeminate. She also
develops a tantalizing glimpse into Rohirric sexual values that once
again build where there just isn't canon, but feel very in-keeping with
the spirit of what Tolkien wrote. Reading her stories always leaves me
thinking, something I really enjoy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Tanaqui · ID: 40 · Races: Cross-Cultural [28]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:37:23 Score: 10
Tanaqui is a long-time friend and beta reader, so it feels a bit odd to
be reviewing not something that she wrote but how she functions as an
author. I hold her writing abilities in the highest regard and always
like to read what she has written in the Tolkien fandom because she has
a knowledge of canon that transcends individual facts. Of course, once
you try to jump from facts that Tolkien explicitly wrote to broader
worldviews about how a culture would have operated you enter the realm
of interpretation. And I have not agreed with every assertion Tanaqui
has made, but I have been able to accept her inventions as something
Tolkien would have approved of; they are very much in the spirit and
letter of his Middle-earth.
Tanaqui uses an exquisite amount of physical detail in her works,
without her pieces feeling like an infodump. That's what I remember when
I think about her, how rich the world she creates is. She once joked
that in a drabble we are allowed seven words for a title, one hundred
for the body of the text -- and three thousand for the requisite
footnotes and forenotes documenting the historical precedents, canon
sources, and the thoughts that led up to the drabble. That really
summarizes her approach to writing in general: not that she uses too
many footnotes(!) but that for every bit she puts in, there's much more
going on below the surface. I'm not sure how much she'll appreciate a
comparison to movieverse, but her writing really does remind me of
WETA's dedication to crafting props that were works of art, even if they
barely made it on to screen or not at all. It creates a very rich
backdrop for her stories, and this reader loves it.
-----------------------------------------
Author: annmarwalk · ID: 177 · Races: Dwarves [12]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:38:47 Score: 10
It's a little hard to know how to describe Ann as a writer, because if I
*just* talked about what she writes then I would be ignoring the
encouraging affect she has had on so many authors, myself included,
because she is a world-class beta and reviewer. It's a truly rare
combination to find someone who can do all three effectively, but Ann
definitely qualifies. If I had to choose which of the three she's best
at I would probably choose betareading because she has it down to an
art, and I have never felt like I was losing control of my story.
Anyway, back to her writing, I do not want to underemphasize that
aspect. Her writing is always crisp as one would expect from a fine beta
reader. The mechanics are all there and her word economy i such that her
pieces never feel rushed (even in her non-drabbles, though this really
stands out in her drabbles). But what I love most about Ann's writing is
the quiet humor that seems to invade her writing, will she or no. If
there's anything I hope Ann never writes it's angst. Her stories just
all have this very natural feel to them of everyday life. From the hawt
quality of new love to the comfort of a long-stranding relationship to
the gentle jostlings of siblings to the tenderness of new parenthood --
it all feels so like real. And that makes for a very three-dimensional
world she writes.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Elen Kortirion · ID: 251 · Races: Dwarves [12]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 01:44:24 Score: 4
What I like most about Elen Kortirion is the way she writes original
characters. They enhance what Tolkien wrote and provide new perspectives
on oft-told events, yet because they are from different walks of life
than the canon characters those different perspectives feel like valid
re-interpretation of canon rather than departures from it. Through these
OC's she gives us a very different view of Gondorian society and the
political situation that has really challenged my pre-held conceptions.
Which is of course half the fun. ;-)
-----------------------------------------
Author: Salsify · ID: 314 · Races: Dwarves [12]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:15:27 Score: 7
With most of the authors I have reviewed, on reflecting on just what it
is I like about their writing, I am able to identify one or two traits
that really shine in all of their piece. Yet with Salsify, it's not like
that somehow. Her writing has her strengths, but each piece I read seems
to shine in a different way.
"Gundabad" shows her ability to take an obscure canon factoid or quote
and spin it into a full story. I'm not talking about just writing a good
gap-filler, but instead following something Tolkien wrote to its full
conclusion. It's a remarkable skill and really develops the idea that
the Red Book and Bilbo's Translations from the Elvish were supposed to
be historical remnants of our past. "Flotsam" is remarkable for a
different reason, the emotional impact it brings in such a minimalist
ways -- it actually left me physically shaking.
These different strengths just hint at a very dynamic writer. Salsify's
tales always affect me strongly and each is a gem in its own way.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Tanaqui · ID: 40 · Races: Dwarves [12]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:18:52 Score: 10
Tanaqui is a long-time friend and beta reader, so it feels a bit odd to
be reviewing not something that she wrote but how she functions as an
author. I hold her writing abilities in the highest regard and always
like to read what she has written in the Tolkien fandom because she has
a knowledge of canon that transcends individual facts. Of course, once
you try to jump from facts that Tolkien explicitly wrote to broader
worldviews about how a culture would have operated you enter the realm
of interpretation. And I have not agreed with every assertion Tanaqui
has made, but I have been able to accept her inventions as something
Tolkien would have approved of; they are very much in the spirit and
letter of his Middle-earth.
Tanaqui uses an exquisite amount of physical detail in her works,
without her pieces feeling like an infodump. That's what I remember when
I think about her, how rich the world she creates is. She once joked
that in a drabble we are allowed seven words for a title, one hundred
for the body of the text -- and three thousand for the requisite
footnotes and forenotes documenting the historical precedents, canon
sources, and the thoughts that led up to the drabble. That really
summarizes her approach to writing in general: not that she uses too
many footnotes(!) but that for every bit she puts in, there's much more
going on below the surface. I'm not sure how much she'll appreciate a
comparison to movieverse, but her writing really does remind me of
WETA's dedication to crafting props that were works of art, even if they
barely made it on to screen or not at all. It creates a very rich
backdrop for her stories, and this reader loves it.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Thevina Finduilas · ID: 87 · Races: Dwarves [12]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:19:56 Score: 6
Thevina does such interesting work with those less-explored corners of
canon. In most of the entries in this year's awards this is most evident
in her handling of dwarves. There's a quiet gruffness to them that seems
very in keeping with the other races of the north and what Tolkien told
us of them, yet through Thevina's writings I see a vulnerability
underneath that needs to be exposed. And Thevina does expose it, through
Gimli's wonderings about how he is changing over the course of the
Quest, but this does not make him seem week or effeminate. She also
develops a tantalizing glimpse into Rohirric sexual values that once
again build where there just isn't canon, but feel very in-keeping with
the spirit of what Tolkien wrote. Reading her stories always leaves me
thinking, something I really enjoy.
-----------------------------------------
Author: daw the minstrel · ID: 176 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:20:44 Score: 3
Usually elflings irritate me but not daw's. Young Legolas resonates
emotionally and Mirkwood is convincingly connected to what Tolkien tells
us in "The Hobbit". It's a world I find myself accepting, and her
stories always sweep me up in what's happening.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dawn Felagund · ID: 602 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:21:07 Score: 4
Dawn really brings the First Age-elves to life. She takes these
characters that to readers like me who have only read the Silm once or
twice are little more than names, and really forms them into characters
that I can feel the emotional weight of the situation. Her characters
always jump off the page and seem very, very real to me, and more
importantly make sense without an excessive amount of knowledge of the
backstory.
-----------------------------------------
Author: elliska · ID: 143 · Races: Elves [38]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:23:31 Score: 10
Elliska is an author that I have really discovered since the 2005 MEFAs.
I did not have the time to read her stories like I should, but I found
the time over the winter. Thereby breaking several of my own rules,
against reading epic, elf-centred series. I have nothing against any of
these types of pieces on principles, but I don't tend to have the
patience for long works, and elves tend to bore me no matter how well
they are written.
Elliska changed all that. I suppose those rules ["is more what you'd
call "guidelines" than actual rules"], but elliska's pieces still
overcame all of my doubts about whether I would enjoy the "Interrupted
Journeys" series. I think it was her avatar at Open Scrolls that
convinced me to look at them
[(http://www.scribeoz.com/fanfic/authors/profile.php?no=650)], because
her complaints about fanons regarding Thranduil are so similar to my own
about Denethor. The fact that she saw a need to fight such similar
mischaracterizations is actually what made me give Thranduil a second look.
And what a look! Her pieces give us a convincing picture of a realm in
upheaval after the death of Oropher in the Last Alliance. There are
politics and personal drama and all in all an extremely convincing world
that manages not to toe-step on Tolkien but at the same time not
over-dwell on those areas "The Hobbit" led him to develop. I really look
forward to seeing how she continues to develop this saga.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Gandalfs apprentice · ID: 175 · Races: Elves [38]: Fixed-Length
Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:24:04 Score: 4
Gandalfs Apprentice can always make me lap with the matter-of-fact
streak she brings to her humor. I can just see her characters with a
very deadpan expression on their faces as they deliver the lines she
gives them. Even in her more serious works, the slightly funny quality
is still under the surface. You just know that her characters thoroughly
enjoy life, and that makes for a fun read.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Haleth · ID: 495 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:24:41 Score: 2
Haleth has a minimalist style that is surprisingly effective and lets
the reader feel the full brunt of what she's portraying.
-----------------------------------------
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