Yahoo Forum Archive

Author: Jael · ID: 685 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:30:26 Score: 2
Jael really gets the way Legolas would have been affected by Legolas.
She writes this emotionally poignant material well, without becoming
maudlin.
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Author: Jay of Lasgalen · ID: 134 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:31:49 Score: 3
Jay of Lasgalen really nails the family relationship of Rivendell's
first family, and captures their foibles all too well with a light touch
but also without masking the darker undertones, when they figure in.
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Author: Jay of Lasgalen · ID: 134 · Races: Elves [38]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:36:57 Score: 3
Jay of Lasgalen really nails the family relationship of Rivendell's
first family, and captures their foibles all too well with a light touch
but also without masking the darker undertones, when they figure in.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Karenator · ID: 10 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:38:08 Score: 3
Karenator has this skill for writing children in a way that makes them
distinct to the culture they are from and the canon character they will
become, but while still making them seem like children. It's hard to do,
a skill I admire.
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Author: Lady Aranel · ID: 151 · Races: Elves [38]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:46:59 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.
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Author: Raksha the Demon · ID: 178 · Races: Elves [38]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:48:12 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.
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Author: Rhapsody · ID: 279 · Races: Elves [38]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 02:51:02 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: annmarwalk · ID: 177 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 03:23:29 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: Ariel · ID: 162 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 03:30:11 Score: 5
Ariel is well known for her ability to write Frodo and Sam's close
friendship achingly well, and that is plain here. She still makes us
feel that it is a friendship closer even than a romantic love would have
been -- friendship in the tradition of Plato, two bodies with one soul.
Yet what caught me offguard about this year's nominations was how
clearly she sees *Rosie*. Here is a woman who perceives all too well and
has the quiet commonsensical strength one would expect of a hobbit who
does not go on adventures but instead weathers the storm. As always, her
characterizations are what win my heart and make me feel emotionally
drained after the story -- they're that realistic.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Dreamflower · ID: 115 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 03:30:56 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.
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Author: grey_wonderer · ID: 62 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 03:40:30 Score: 4
Grey Wonderer has a way of writing Pippin especially but all the hobbits
that is simply hilarious. Pippin is so honest and forthright in the
questions he asks, but those questions are more than a bit embarrassing.
He takes his time getting to the point but keeps pushing. Really, it's
brilliantly true to life and laugh-out-loud hilarious throughout. I've
only found the time to read a few of the stories but I'm going to try to
read more after the awards are over.
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Author: Gwynnyd · ID: 186 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 03:41:19 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: illyria-pffyffin · ID: 363 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 03:56:25 Score: 2
Illyria brings a spiritual touch to hobbits that is powerful. It gives
their efforts in the Ring War a broader significance.
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Author: Lindelea · ID: 27 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Poetry
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:29:57 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: Lindelea · ID: 27 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:29:59 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: Llinos · ID: 25 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:31:04 Score: 2
Llinoss subtle and witty style is evident in both her poetry and prose.
Shes an author I consistently enjoy reading.
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Author: Llinos · ID: 25 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:31:06 Score: 2
Llinoss subtle and witty style is evident in both her poetry and prose.
Shes an author I consistently enjoy reading.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Llinos · ID: 25 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Poetry
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:31:09 Score: 2
Llinoss subtle and witty style is evident in both her poetry and prose.
Shes an author I consistently enjoy reading.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Marigold · ID: 98 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:31:49 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: Marigold · ID: 98 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:31:52 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: Molly Littlefoot · ID: 403 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:36:23 Score: 3
Molly Littlefoot does a good job at capturing the conditions that would
exist in an occupied Shire. That kind of separation sure would have been
painful on all involved, and this author does a good job of bringing
that point home to the author.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Nancy Brooke · ID: 105 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:45:41 Score: 3
Nancy writes all aspects of Boromir's life in a way that is fun to read
and emotioanlly meaningful. Whether it is an AU drabble after his death
or as a child in Dol Amroth or others remembering him, Boromir's
personality is strongly felt in Nancy's writing.
-----------------------------------------
Author: pippinfan88 · ID: 331 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:46:05 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: SlightlyTookish · ID: 205 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:46:59 Score: 2
This author really "gets" hobbits -- the same homey qualities informs
them in the Shire and the sense of loyalty the adventurers show abroad.
-----------------------------------------
Author: SlightlyTookish · ID: 205 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Fixed-Length
Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:47:01 Score: 2
This author really "gets" hobbits -- the same homey qualities informs
them in the Shire and the sense of loyalty the adventurers show abroad.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Tanaqui · ID: 40 · Races: Hobbits [106]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:47:44 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: Acacea · ID: 196 · Races: Men [73]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:49:12 Score: 4
When I think of Acacea's writing the word "Gondor" comes to mind very
quickly, because she can write the brothers 'Mir so affectively. She has
done angst from time to time, but mostly she writes the normal everyday
moments of family life, and it really has a nice relaxed quality to it.
There are some fine explorations of Gondorians among this year's
writings, but she also shows her depth as a writer by writing varied
races and time frames. A truly versatile author indeed, and all with a
light touch that makes it feel very natural.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Aliana · ID: 208 · Races: Men [73]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:56:44 Score: 8
Aliana's stories develop a complete sub-culture for the healers in the
Houses of Healing. Their world is touched by the larger events of the
War of the Ring but in a very non-personal way. What I mean is that the
war brings with it hard choices on how to best handle those who are
injured beyond healing, but for the healers themselves life seems to go
on more or less as it always has. Aliana's story competing in this
year's MEFAs continues that tradition by giving us a glimpse at how life
proceeds for her original characters in peacetime. It is a beautiful
tale and seems to fit the characters as they're presented in her larger
works very well, but it also has an almost mythic quality.

This shows the full breadth of Aliana's skill as an author. I knew she
could handle medical detail, humour (oily!Faramir, anyone?), cultural
details, pacing, and other aspects of good writing. This shows that she
can spin a good yarn that transcends the day-to-day. This is another
author who I look forward to updates and often find myself rereading.
-----------------------------------------
Author: annmarwalk · ID: 177 · Races: Men [73]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:58:03 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: Bodkin · ID: 411 · Races: Men [73]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:58:27 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 · Races: Men [73]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:58:56 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: Branwyn · ID: 240 · Races: Men [73]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:58:58 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: EdorasLass · ID: 299 · Races: Men [73]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 04:59:40 Score: 10
Edoras Lass is another one of those authors that has developed a
compelling subworld around the canonical facts we know about Gondor and
Rohan. There are customs and cultural expectations that seem reasonable
even though Tolkien never specified them, and they enrich the
characters' lives and the corners of canon that Tolkien never filled in.
Her original character Nanny is a good example. In "Mine" we see her
patience and unfaltering commonsensical wisdom when it comes to dealing
with a child as difficult as Boromir must have been. And in "Quality
Time" there's a glimpse of her dealing with the equally difficult man
Denethor. She's a compelling character and provides a unique window into
Denethor's world.

But then there are the canonical characters. Her characterizations are
always convincing but feel fresh. She adds to and builds on what Tolkien
told us, but in a way that feels true to Middle-earth. Nowhere is this
better illustrated than in the way Faramir reacts to his father's
infirmity in "Come When You Are Ready". The nauseating physical details
are only too clearly told, but the way Faramir deals with them is so
in-character! He does not flinch, does not shy away, but he is not
untouched by the gore. And Denethor as well is touchingly portrayed:
bound by duty to his family and to Gondor, cunning in the way he tries
to piece together the mystery.

EL is a great author if you like one-shots and shorts that develop the
canon in a convincing way but aren't afraid to add on. Her stories are
refreshingly fresh yet still feel Tolkienesque.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Elen Kortirion · ID: 251 · Races: Men [73]: General
Reviewer: Marta · 2006-11-29 05:01:24 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: Imhiriel · ID: 702 · Times: First Age and Prior [23]: General
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 06:44:15 Score: 2
To tell a tale convincingly so succinctly as can Imhiriel is a true
gift. Her words are well chosen and her images vivid. It is a pleasure
to read her works.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Imhiriel · ID: 702 · Times: Late Third Age [26]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 06:55:57 Score: 3
How wonderful the gift that allows so much to be said in so short a time
and number of words! Imhiriel truly has the gift of moving us by means
of small vignettes, in drabble or short story form.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Imhiriel · ID: 702 · Times: The Great Years [56]: Fixed-Length
Ficlet
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 07:05:55 Score: 1
I've read this drabble so often in the past year. Imhiriel's writing is
always moving.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Lady Galadriel · ID: 638 · Genres: Drama [107]: General
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 07:12:43 Score: 3
Lady Galadriel is a young writer and already showing great promise. It's
an honor to be the one who first nominated her work for a MEFA, and I
look forward to the day when I see her work available commercially.
-----------------------------------------
Author: lwarren · ID: 608 · Times: Fourth Age and Beyond [31]: General
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 07:47:15 Score: 3
Lwarren's story of Legolas fighting the sea longing and finding a new
steed once Arod was too old to carry him on all his journeys is
fascinating, well written, and full of wonderful characters and
descriptions of places and relationships. She has particularly added to
my feel for Rohan as a country.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Marigold · ID: 98 · Genres: Drama [107]: General
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 08:48:24 Score: 2
Ah, Marigold, how many of us you have challenged and inspired. Thank you
ever for your own example.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Radbooks · ID: 428 · Genres: Drama [107]: General
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 08:55:40 Score: 3
Ah, Radbooks, how much your stories inspire my own. Am grateful for your
writing skill and your ability to help me see our beloved Aragorn know
the joy of brotherhood with Halbarad and find his place both with his
own people and within Middle Earth.

Thank you for your friendship and the expressions of your imagination.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Pearl Took · ID: 72 · Races: Hobbits [106]: General
Reviewer: Larner · 2006-11-29 09:34:41 Score: 3
Ah, Pearl Took's storis of the descendants of the Faerie bride to the
ancestor of the Tooks are all wonderful and imaginitive. And to see the
protection Cullassuliel has given to her children pass on to another
generation in the person of Faramir Took is wonderful. Such a joy to
read, and such a wonderful addition to the peoples of Middle Earth.
-----------------------------------------
Author: Alassante · ID: 322 · Genres: Drama [107]: Poetry
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 09:49:02 Score: 10
A while ago, someone asked on the OSA board if there were any stories
out there, which focussed on Arwen specifically. For some reason unknown
to me, I never got far since I recced about four works, but I
immediately had to think of Alassantes works. Her poem Here you cannot
leave me feels like a strongly written work featuring this character
and her drabble My eyes! My Eyes! only confirmed that she is one of
the best Arwen drabble/writers. In the last work, it was delightfully
cheeky!

Besides this, Alassante is a great poet. She really knocked me off my
feet with Erus Lament (incorporated in the Feänorian drabble series),
which besides keeping to a specific drabble length it is just
brilliantly created in free verse and fits this fandom seamlessly. Here
you cannot leave me is so powerfully written that it leaves me in tears
and simply shows how well Alassante can put so much feeling and emotion
in a poem. She does the same in her original poems where she does not
shy away to get raw emotions on paper, something you see often with
poets. Not everyone is comfortable with that, but Alassante takes on
that challenge. This combined with crawling under her characters skin,
gives me the impression that Alassante is a very gifted poet and I hope
she will create more of these beautiful gems.
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Author: Alassante · ID: 322 · Genres: Humor [50]: General
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 10:08:45 Score: 10
Alassante has this delightfully tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. A while
ago, someone asked on the OSA board if there were any stories out there,
which focussed on Arwen specifically. For some reason unknown to me, I
never got far since I recced about four works, but I immediately had to
think of Alassantes works. Her drabble series Mischief in Imladris is
a great work, but not mainly featuring this character, but her drabble
My eyes! My Eyes! is. This only was a confirmation that she is one of
the best Arwen drabble/writers that I know of. Although I do not think
the person in question was looking for that. But Alassante has written
more drabbles that are like that, Smaug or her Mischief in Imladris bear
all that same trademark which is unique to Alassantes voice and it was
great to see that captured. Her MEFA nominated piece is delightfully cheeky!

Drabbling is not very easy, as Alassante and I, both often said to each
other: we can work on it for hours finding the right balance, flow and
pacing. To write a drabble that is also incredibly funny& Alassante can
pull that off without any effort. With short works like this, the punch
line has to fall at the right moment and she does that greatly whether
it is a stand-alone work or a series.
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Author: Minuialeth · ID: 427 · Times: The Great Years [56]: Poetry
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 11:09:59 Score: 10
Minuialeth is an amazing poet. Even though I have read more original
poems written by her, her version of Gandalfs flight and fight showed
her incredibly talent with poetry. Her voice in her works, poetry or
stories, is strong and are very convincingly delivered. Minuialeth can
handle different technical writing point of views without any visible
effort. No matter what she writes, you as a reader feel a part of the
piece as if you can observe closely what is going on. This is happening
in her poem that is competing in this year MEFAs, but it applies to any
work she shares with us.

Minuialeth has a natural way of writing that is truly captivating and
she writes her characters thusly that you can easily identify yourself
with them and you feel for them as the work progresses. Besides that,
she has a firm grasp on the canon characters and shows the readers
aspect of that character which makes them feel very tangible. Taking her
time with writing her tales, she weaves many story layers that truly
baffle you and give you just that different perspective you did not
think of before. Combine this with a natural gift for pacing in her
works, there isnt so much a beta can correct in her works, besides
leaning back and enjoy the fruits of her creativity. Remaining true to
her own writing style, reading Minuialeths work stand out for me and
are always amazing to read.
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Author: Robinka · ID: 598 · Genres: Drama [107]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 11:25:06 Score: 9
I often wondered what Robinka would do if she would meet Tolkien. I know
her as a very avid Beleg fangirl, so I think that meeting will be very
interesting. With Stigmas Robinka writes the person who killed Beleg
and she works out the seven sins in that piece brilliantly. But I have
seen other works written by her in which Belegs demise is explored or
if not corrected in an AU version. The last leaf to fall is a work for
example, in which she grandly explores how a wife of Beleg would be
affected if he died. With this story, but more of her works, I am always
moved deeply in how she so greatly writes stories that have a
drama-perspective by using story techniques to bring across her story in
a great and touching way. Her writing feels very natural and it simply
captivates you from the first to the last word. I often told her that
her story last leaf to fall would do great on its own as an original
story, so who knows. English isnt Robinkas native tongue, so I know
personally how hard it can be to write a story in English, but her
talent simply shines through in every challenge or bunny she choses to
write, despite this hurdle.
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Author: Robinka · ID: 598 · Genres: Romance [51]: Poetry
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 11:30:44 Score: 4
Poetry and erotica, a combination that I dont see often in Tolkien
fanfic, but Robinka combines both in this poem competing for the MEFAs.
I have read quite a lot of stories from this author with the nc-17
rating and I have to say she is very gifted in this genre, but to see it
back in the form of poetry in a specific form: it says a lot about her
talents as a poet. In her writings, she prefers to write about the
Sindar elves and this work is another great example of that!
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Author: Aearwen · ID: 617 · Races: Elves [38]: Poetry
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 11:42:45 Score: 6
Aearwen and Maeglin& I have read so much of her works featuring this elf
that they became inseparable in my thoughts. Aearwen is an author who
excels in many things, from her incredibly well written humouristic
stories to writing drama: she has it all in her pen, making her an
all-round author. Her parodies are stories I read often if a need a good
laugh. In this poem, but also in every other work she writes about
Maeglin, she provides us with a different insight of this character. The
tragedy of him and his mother is well explored her in poignant prose,
but also with great skill in poetry. Most often, it is easy to think of
him as a betrayer of a city, but like many other black/white characters
Tolkien has given to us, there are more sides to Maeglin than that.
Aearwen shows us that in her works which are all story gems in their own
way.
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Author: Súlriel · ID: 7 · Times: Early Third Age [7]: Fixed-Length Ficlet
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 11:56:57 Score: 4
Last night I was reading Sulnur again and suddenly I realised that
Sulriel has this talent to portray the thoughts and actions of animals
in Tolkiens world. From briskly and loyal horses in Sulnur and
Wicked Water to the cattish Home Again, she takes upon their point
of view, pour them into a drabble and yet it feels so incredibly true to
their nature. Now if you stop re-writing your story Sinde Envinyanta&
then I can finally read that one! ;)
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Author: Súlriel · ID: 7 · Genres: Non-Fiction [5]: General
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2006-11-29 12:09:40 Score: 4
I always get pleasantly distracted when I am browsing around on
Sulriels site that I have to remind myself for what I was visiting it
for. If you have the time, click on stories and you will find a lot
more! Anyway, with A maera for me, Sulriel gives us another great and
insightful essay that we can use while writing. Who doesnt have the
Travel times in ME or Rohirrim Grey bookmarked for example? Her
essays are concise, well structured and to the point, but most of all
very handy when writing horses!
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