Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: Relaxation Techniques · Author: EdorasLass · Genres: Romance:
Pre-Ring War · ID: 283
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 22:39:49
Ah, the many facets of Theodred. We've all seen in-luv!Theo and
hott!Theo, but here he gets to develop some rather nice sides of his
personality. And he is an rascal, that's all there is for it. Even
peeved, he is great fun, and Boromir met him point for point. I love
seeing our boys in real situations like this; the passion (and not
just the erotic sort) was tangible in the room, and Boromir was very
skilled at the relaxation techniques. Nice work, EL.

Title: The Gates · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Races: Dwarves · ID: 70
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 22:40:03
It's so nice to see the One Dwarf (or at least the only one that
really matters :^P) get some much-needed character development here. I
loved the idea that Gimli's gifts might be different from those
typically prized by dwarves, but that they were very much needed for
the work he's going to do in Aglarond. Yet he still seems very
dwarven, just as I imagine from canon. Very nice work.

Title: Transformation · Author: Imhiriel · Races: Men: General Drabble
· ID: 185
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 22:40:27
What I love most about this drabble is the keen sense of imagery that
seems to pervade it. It starts with Imrahil's clothes: sailor's pants
and half-open linen shirt, and especially that leather thong. It makes
him seem almost roguish, but it hearkens back to a simpler day before
he had to be prince, and I think it captures an awful lot about the
fourth age, that duties of command and duty in general, need not blot
out everything an individual enjoys.

But the imagery does not stop there. There's the [silver swan-ship
glinting in the sun], and the [sleek lines] of the ship, and not least
the sound of Imrahil's carefree laugh. It's all so vivid, the scene
just jumps off the page.

Title: Sarn Gebir · Author: agape4gondor · Genres: Adventure:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 398
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 22:48:04
Ah, this was delightful! Boromir really is in his element here; the
whole passage (up until the very last line) reminded me of the line in
the appendices that he prefers the company of men-in-arms. I do think
he thrived when there was something to protect, a simple plan of
action he could implement and see doable steps to achieve some end.
All of the cloak-and-daggers of the Fellowship just would not suit
him, and it's easy to see why the Ring would wear him down.

But then that last line. Ah! It put such an edge on the entire piece.
Even when action is required, he can't have lasting peace from the
Ring trying to wedge its way into his heart, which is sad, tragic
even. That last line transformed this vignette, and it left me thinking.


Title: Elladan and Elrohir's Not So Excellent Adventure · Author:
Fiondil · Races: Elves · ID: 97
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 22:52:58
I love this! The situation seems like it should raise all sorts of red
flags for plausibility... but I found myself buying into it
completely. Elladan and Elrohir are so like teenagers about to leave
for college, so sure they can do anything they might want to, and
their elders are not without their foibles, which keeps the whole
story moving along.

Title: An Unexpected Party · Author: Branwyn · Genres: Humor: Drabble
· ID: 16
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 23:00:23
*snickers* Even the infallible wise old man archetype character has to
have a sense of humor, and clearly Gandalf has just that. As does
Branwyn--not that she is old, or a man, but the sense of humor bit she
definitely has down. Surprisingly, I've never seen this irreverent
take on the dwarves, and it works really well. This had me chuckling
before I'd finished my first cup of coffee, which is saying something
(as I can be dead to the world). It's quite a feat in 100 words. Read
this, you won't be disappointed.

Title: And Thought How Blessed He Was · Author: Imhiriel · Genres:
Romance: Drabble · ID: 670
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 23:12:53
First, I have to say just how delightfully *hot* this piece is.
Writing erotica is always a tricky business and never more so in a
drabble where word economy is at such a premium, but Imhiriel
accomplishes it with incredible sensuality. The author somehow makes
the needed brevity work here, tantalizing snapshots that create a
really intense scene.

But this piece isn't just about the erotic content. There is a deeper
meaning about how Aragorn adjusts to a life at peace. Rangers have no
home, but kings can, and Imhiriel investigates it brilliantly here.
This was one of the best drabbles I've read in quite a while.




Title: Lost in Translation · Author: sophinisba solis · Races:
Cross-Cultural: With Pippin · ID: 31
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 23:36:35
Sophi, you really caught the frustration a non-native speaker in a
land where they don't really speak the language. I understand German
better than Pippin does "Elvish", but even I have similar moments when
I visit my family over there. And Pippin wants some information that
is so desperately important to him, I find it remarkable how well he
controls himself. And of course there are those other issues of trust
and the need to understand precisely. Nice work!

Title: The Scars of Stone And Sky · Author: Lady Elina · Times: Late
Third Age: 3018-3022 TA: Gondor · ID: 719
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-07-31 23:45:39
This was a really interesting piece, told with great use of detail and
a gentle touch that brought this alive. Not only do you handle the
attraction and the physical sensations well, but also the despair is
effectively established for the reader. I do not generally like
Aragorn slash stories--not because I dislike slash in principal, but
in my interpretation of canon I have a very hard time seeing him
loving anyone but Arwen--but this is one of the few that convinced me
of the relationship's plausibility.

Title: He Came To Meet Me · Author: sophinisba solis · Genres: Romance
· ID: 33
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 00:01:58
This has a nice pastoral feel to it. It's a nice gap-filler for the
occupation of the Shire, as well as a nice character piece of the kind
of hobbit Pippin might fall in love with.

Title: It's No Mystery, Really · Author: grey_wonderer · Races:
Hobbits: Merry and Pippin · ID: 36
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 00:07:06
As with most of GW's pieces, this one left me chuckling a little under
my breath. I don't know that I'd really call it properly humor, but
the tension and the quiet jibes between cousins are very well done,
and even more importantly they added to a sense of comfort and ease
that I am sure these two would have in GW's universe. Also, Pippin
seemed duly irate for someone a little under the weather. This was a
fun read.

Title: Crossing towards Sunrise · Author: Imhiriel · Times: Fourth Age
and Beyond · ID: 14
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 00:22:15
What really made this piece remarkable to me was what the author does
with Gandalf's character. Too often he is portrayed as without doubts
or weaknesses, but here he does not know what to do. (And in truth,
there's nothing much he can do. Bilbo is well-drawn, too, and Elrond's
tension is palpable. This has some very nice character-writing, and is
well worth the read.

Title: Alone and Forsaken · Author: Linaewen · Genres: Drama: Vignette
· ID: 466
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 00:30:09
Sometimes a character's mindset is not the prettiest place to be, yet
it is necessary to crawl into his headspace to understand why he does
what he does in the canon. And Boromir's handling of Frodo's and
Aragorn's rejection of his argument is just such a case. This piece
gives us very nice glimpse into the desperation Boromir might have
felt. It doesn't make what he did right, but maybe it makes it a
little more understandable. I particularly liked the thought that of
course a country who had been tested so thoroughly would have no
strength left. It makes sense, and more importantly, it makes
Boromir's desperation believable.

Title: The Waves' Song · Author: Branwyn · Genres: Drama: General
Drabble · ID: 6
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 00:31:03
This brought on a real *sniffle* moment. The writing is so
atmospheric, and you can almost feel the ennui and lethargy in your
bones. Poor Arwen indeed. Yet as a reader I really liked it; it was
very affective.

Title: Left Behind · Author: Elanor · Genres: Drama: With Merry · ID: 28
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:02:43
This is such a fun story. I love all of the details, especially the
bit about Finduilas setting up the garden in the Houses of Healing.
But what really stands out is the insight into Merry's and Faramir's
character. They both seem completely reconcileable with their canon
selves as well as exemplars of their races, while still the story
added to how I understand them. I don't know if a story with this much
angst can be properly "enjoyed", but I certainly found myself thinking
for quite a while after I'd read this story.

Title: Tamer's Tale · Author: juno_magic · Races: Cross-Cultural · ID: 41
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:07:46
There are some things, it seems, that just should not work even in the
hands of the most skilled writer. Gandalf is and always will be a
stodgy old man, and before I read "Tamer's Tale" I never would have
thought that a Gandalf romance would have worked. Yet this story does
it. The erotic content and the tension between Gandalf and the OC here
is very nicely told, never getting too explicit but creating a
meaningful relationship that I could esily relate to.

And this story is sensuous in more ways than just that. Juno creates
an entire world, built around the concept of the last remnant of
Maedhros's fortress and tells the story of a whole family. Yet the
story did not feel weighed down by the backstory, and everything I was
told was both interesting in its own rite and pertinent to the larger
story. That's not something that's always easy to do here, but Juno
pulls it off marvellously. This is a must-read for fans of convincing
and well-rounded original characters.


Title: Respite · Author: Lindelea · Races: Men: Gondor Drabble · ID: 303
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:12:53
This story is both truly sad and truly beautiful. It is beautiful in
the use of details. Drabbles often suffer for them, but this drabble
has a topic that is well-chosen and does not try to tell too much, and
so can tell what snippets it chooses to focus in on in a fuller way
than I seem able to accomplish these days. It's an admirable tale, and
while I still want to know more about Faramir in Ithilien, I was not
left feeling like there had to be more to the story in order for me to
be really satisfied.

The beauty of this piece also lies with the theme the author gives us.
I find it telling that Faramir makes his intellectual development a
priority even in Ithilien. We would excuse him if at the end of a
day's hiking he collapsed and didn't do anything cognitive if he could
help it. Or even if he drunk himself into a stupor to drown out what
he saw. Yet this drabble drives home the point that Faramir, and
Gondor by extension, is still more man than animal.

But there is also the darker underside. Because there are always more
raids to plan, and Faramir is dragged away from what he might enjoy.
That's the reality of Ithilien at this point in history, and the
contrast with bookish!Faramir really drives home the depth of the
conflict between Mordor and Westernesse.


Title: The Perfect Girl · Author: nikara · Genres: Non-Fiction · ID: 232
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:23:28
This is an interesting look at the Mary Sue phenomena. Your thoughts
about why young authors write Sues was intriguing. I agree, creativity
should be encouraged and I'm not crazy about the common reaction to
these stories.

Title: Unstrung · Author: Tehta · Times: First Age and Prior · ID: 161
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:31:03
This piece is, quite simply put, brilliant. Beyond brilliant,
actually, but I fear that English fails me here. As with a ll of
Tehta's work there is an understated quality to it that sneaks up on
you until it hits you like the proverbial ton of bricks. But the piece
is so understated that I am convinced my epiphanies are my own, not
the author's theme. That's just part of the brilliance.

Tehta includes author's notes at the end of this piece to explain some
of these references, and I'm glad she did, obviously, but I also found
that I did not need them as much as I thought I would. Without giving
away any of the surprises, I will say that I do not read much Silmfic,
have only read the Silmarillion twice, and even I puzzled out *most*
of what she hints at in the text before I got to the notes. But
because it was only suggested instead of told outright, it made me
think about what was going on much more. A similar thing happened for
me in "Gathering the Pieces". And ironically, the titles of both
pieces reflect just how I feel about the pieces. Here I was unstrung
in my own way; when I finally saw the extent of the Feanorians' fall I
had to cry, because it felt like I was experiencing it with them.
That's quite an accomplishment given my self-professed ignorance of
the Silmarillion.

But where Tehta really shines is in her description of the artists'
craft. I was completely blown away by her description of what art
takes out of the artist and the demands it has. The bits about the
difference between falsity and truth in art reminded me of some of my
favorite passages in _The Handmaid's Tale_, and affected me in much
the same way. Interestingly, all art (and I include fanfic in this) is
an imitation of Tolkien's original books (or Jackson's movies, if
they're movieverse), and so to affectively mimic them the author must
first have the qualities Maglor needed to mimic his brothers. Tehta
truly understands, pities, loves, (and perhaps fears?) her beloved
Feanorians, and it shines through here. Of course, she goes beyond
that by commenting on areas where Tolkien didn't go (at least not that
I've read), but that mimicry is the foundation that makes this piece
so strong.

"Enjoy" isn't the right word for this piece. It unsettled me, it moved
me, it made me think, and it connected me with the First Age Elves in
a way I don't think I had previously. At least not these Elves. I
eagerly anticipate more short pieces like this from Tehta.


Title: Stopping by Woods · Author: Branwyn · Genres: Drama: Vignette ·
ID: 19
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:41:28
Oh, this is simply beautiful! "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening"
is one of my all-time favorite poems, and you have brought it to life
in Middle-earth. What really shines through this short tale is the way
that even I, being as fond of this poem as I am, did not realize just
how closely you had followed Frost's formula until I reached the
verses you quoted at the end. It was seamless, and seemed so natural!

But let's not just stop with the way you took charge of a beautiful
and poignant poem and made it say something new; because this story is
about much more than that poem. I love the imagery of Faramir with
white hair seeking out hints of his brother's last journey. The word
"relic" comes to mind, because he really does remind me of a medieval
Christian making pilgrimage to a saint's shrine. The fact that this is
set so late in his life makes me wonder just how much of all those
years since the War of the Ring he has given over to finding peace
about Boromir's fall, and understanding his conquering. I don't think
it dominated his entire life to the point that it blocked out
everything else good he could have enjoyed, but I do think his grief
would buoy up from time to time.

What I really admire about this story, though, is the way you look at
the "road" Faramir cannot yet travel. At first I thought he was very
literally going to follow in Boromir's footsteps by riding to
Rivendell, but it's more than that. He is old, and tired, and I can
see him maybe being ready to die (he did live so long), but after
Denethor despaired of life, I think that might be the promise he has
to keep: that he will not give up on life too soon, and that he'll
always find joy and not let himself be weighed down too deeply.
Perhaps I'm reading too much into this! But even so, it made me think
and that thinking proved remarkably fertile ground, especially when
you consider the vignette's short length. Really, really brilliant
job, this piece.


Title: Concussion · Author: Dreamflower · Genres: Adventure · ID: 711
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:49:16
This is a charming tale, with lots of neat interactions between
characters I wish Tolkien had written more together. You found an
interesting canon accident, and the healing and the injury itself was
realistic as I understand the times and cultures. Nice work.

Title: The Burning of the Year · Author: Raksha the Demon · Times:
Late Third Age: 3018-3022 TA: Gondor · ID: 2
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 01:51:28
This is a great piece. There is so much detail, the first part of the
scene just leaps off the page. And there is a historicity to the piece
developed through the reference to the old sacrifices of the King's
Men on Numenor's sacrifices to Morgoth that call to mind Tolkien's
intricate backstory. It gives the characters and Gondor's larger
situation a depth that creates a more compelling story, not that the
simple Denethor-Faramir conflict is lacking for poignancy.

Yet what really does it for me is that final line: "[fire will cleanse
the final sacrifice]." At least as far as I understand Greek
philosophy, water is the element that cleans, and fire that devours. I
think it is a sign of how desperate Denethor has gotten that he sees
cleansing in the pyre's obliteration. Telling, and tragic. Well done
getting the point across.


Title: Blooded · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Drama: Youth · ID: 3
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 02:51:49
This is a very nice portrayal of the young Faramir first coming into
his manhood. The battle scene is told engagingly but without
overwhelming the story (as it could have), and the focus is kept
squarely where all of us Faramiristas love it: on the angst that makes
the young man into the aptain, steward and prince we all come to love.
Faramir is very realistic here, almost stoic, and he knows his duty
well; yet that does not mean he has to like it. It's a sober and
realistic portrayal of Gondor's peril and Faramir's character.

Title: The Accidental King: Five Reasons Why Finarfin Deserves an
Appreciation Month · Author: Dawn Felagund · Genres: Non-Fiction · ID: 5
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 03:07:42
This essay is really well put-together; it does for Finarfin's
character what Marnie's fiction and essays did for me for Marnie (that
is to say: made him a WHOLE lot more accessible, and pretty sexy to
boot :-P). Kidding aside, I had always thought of him as something of
a non-starter, canonically: great fodder for fanfic, but not a lot to
go on. Yet in what is unsaid and in the nuances of what is said, Dawn
shows us a side of Finwe's youngest son hat I never imagined. And he's
a really interesting and intriguing character, with all of the alure
of Faramir's nobility or Frodo's insistence that he will not use a
sword that has so captured the imagination of us Ring War fanatics.
I'm glad this essay gave him a bit of limelight.

Title: Fruition · Author: EdorasLass · Genres: Alternate Universe:
Gondor or Rohan · ID: 7
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-01 03:21:22
Ooh, AU indeed. You are indeed the master of the short and dark AU; I
couldn't stop reading, and while my head kept protesting that no, no,
this could never in a million years happen, my heart is less sure.
Truly things were on the edge of a knife, and one ruthless lord could
have toppled so much.