Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: A Simple Wish · Author: Claudio · Times: First Age and Prior ·
ID: 220
Reviewer: Oshun · 2007-08-25 18:27:22
This is a great story: funny, subtle, sly and inventive. Beautifully
written--economical and lean and yet rich in undercurrents. The idea
of taking an obscure (nearly unknown except for the geekiest of
readers) canon character like Ithilbor and turning him into such a
memorable individual is awesome. But then Claudio is always so
imaginative and uses canon in the most delightful (disrespectful in
the best sense of term) way. Love the manner in which he take sthe two
personalities and developes them in this story and plays them off of
one another in such thoroughly believable and humorous ways. To say
this is not a typical interpretation of Celeborn is such an
understatement. Like most of his stories it holds underneath a nearly
cynical edge a profound humanity that always gives me a smile as well
as laugh. It paints poor Celeborn as simultaneously longing, cautious,
and apparently clueless and yet with more self-knowledge in the end
the reader is led to expect. It gives us such a nice quirky twist with
the ending. One of my favorite short stories of Claudio's and
thoroughly statisfying on so many levels.


Title: The Rose in the Fisted Glove · Author: Jael · Genres: Drama:
Second Age or Earlier · ID: 240
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:54:09
The experience of the Mirkwood elves in the War of the Last Alliance
is a gap that I never would have thought to fill, but I found your
portrait of these days to be both compelling and believable. I loved
the Silvan take on Laws and Customs of the Eldar. And I must say that
the interlude between Thranduil and Galion was very hot. This was a
really nice story, and I'm glad I read it.

Title: The Ground Portends · Author: Thevina Finduilas · Races:
Dwarves · ID: 638
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:54:50
Thevina Finduilas is probably one of the top five authors who I wish
would return to the Lord of the Rings fandom more often, and this
piece is evidence of just why that is so. She really "gets" whatever
she is writing about, no just as an individual character but as both
an example of a certain culture and an individual within that larger
culture. Gimli here is very much a dwarf's dwarf, and the craftsman's
eye for looking at the "fire" within the people he meets is really
cleverly done, but he is not just any dwarf. Thev works in so many
details that bring him to life, like the fact that he would have been
young to be at the Battle of the Five Armies and the reference to his
quarrel with Eomer over Galadriel. I also see a dwarf who is open
enough to the values of different races to thrive in a colony on the
borders of a mannish kingdom: in short, just the kind of dwarf Gimli
would have had to be.

Yet there are lots of authors who can "get" races, and not all of them
lift them off the page as Thevina does. Her thorough knowledge and
deft use of canon details is well-matched by her technical skill in
writing a good story. I would wager that JRRT himself could take
lessons from her on how to incorporate backstory without it weighing
down the narrative unnecessarily, and she somehow manages to get
across exactly what Gimli is feeling without me feeling like I had
been told something that should have been obvious. Each of these
skills by itself would make for a good story that I would probably
want to read; together, they make for a story breath-taking in both
its beauty and authenticity that feels like it could have been lifted
from the pages of canon. Brava, Thevina!


Title: Duty Bound · Author: Bodkin · Genres: Romance: Pre-Ring War ·
ID: 212
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:54:57
This is a really interesting look at what Boromir's wife might have
gone through, might he have been pressured to marry before the events
of The Lord of the Rings. I tend to interpret Boromir as most likely
gay and even with het!Boromir I have a hard time seeing him as ever
having been married -- but Bodkin convinces me that he could have been
married. This story connects really well with canon events,
establishing Denethor's motives in a way that avoids making him seem
unreasonable, and the OC wife was charming. Actually, all of the OCs
were, as I particularly liked Imrahil's wife as well. And Lothiriel
was charming. The ending was also believable, tragically normal for
the times and making the story plausible. Nice work, Bodkin.

Title: Thoughts About The Old Forest · Author: pippinfan88 · Races:
Hobbits: Gapfiller · ID: 141
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:55:16
This is an interesting scene for a gapfiller, and the author handles
it well. The scenes were believable and hinted at the hobbits'
characters and their worries, and so built on canon in a new and
convincing way. Which is *always* a good thing!

Title: Too Many Adverbs · Author: Branwyn · Genres: Humor: Drabble ·
ID: 660
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:55:47
*snerk* Every student (or teacher) knows the frustrations of grammar,
and I'm sure young Boromir would have been a special terror to his
tutor. Branwyn does a good job of capturing his situation.

Title: Five Things That Never Happened to Theodred and Boromir ·
Author: EdorasLass · Genres: Alternate Universe · ID: 545
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:55:55
If I needed any convincing after "Love Me and Despair" that EdorasLass
is the master of the short-form alternate universe piece, this "Five
Things" list would have cinched it for me. True, the genre isn't
exactly brimming with competition, but regardless EL always does such
a good job of creating a completely different world in a very few
words. She really gets how one little change would affect so much.
Here she gives us five scenarios, some happy and others
blood-chillingly horrifying, but all comment as much on what was as
what could have been. The vignettes give both Bormir and Théodred, and
their fanon relationship, a wonderful depth. This is one of those
stories that have made it nearly impossible for me to see these two
characters as anything but lovers; it feels so real.

And this series of what-if scenarios hilights how the author can
succeed with so many different styles of writing. #4 has the level of
high tragedy I remember from Love Me and Despair, and it left me with
that same feeling of success being so tenuous during the Ring War. #5
develops one of the saddest things about their relationship (that they
died so close n time, but apart), while #3's happy ending makes their
canonical early deaths so much more tragic. #3 also shows EL's gift
with writing erotica, and her inability to forget that these
characters are warriors and "men's men". Their passion even as old men
is obvious.

And then there's #1. So sad! And #2, so sad but in a different way.
Both could have happened all too easily.

*dabs at eyes* Beautifully told, EL! A wonderful job as always.


Title: Journey's End · Author: Altariel · Genres: Drama: Ithilien ·
ID: 442
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:56:05
This is a really great play on the scene in "Henry V" where the king
passes as a common soldier among his people. The first time I read
this story, Altariel kept me guessing until the very end at the
identities of those two; I guessed it was canonical but for a while
was convinced it was Beregond and Bergil! Knowing their true
identities, I enjoyed nuances of the story a lot more this time
through (but I won't give the game away to people reading this review,
because the guessing and looking for clues is half the fun).

But "Journey's End" is more than just a play at mistaken identity.
Altariel does a remarkable amount of worldbuilding in such a short
space, giving us a picture about what life in Gondor in the Fourth Age
might have been like, and in particular at how the resettling at
Ithilien might have progressed. The OCs were compelling, and I think
the details Altariel tells us are very likely how it really would have
happened. All in all, a very enjoyable read for people who like a
plausible but still light-hearted and fun Gondor.


Title: The Most Beautiful · Author: Meril · Races: Cross-Cultural ·
ID: 508
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:56:29
This is beautiful, Meril. I love the way that you have captured the
heady beauty of the song and made it seem very, very "real". That sort
of "high-order" existence certainly has its benefits, but also its
limitations, as you illustrate when you have Melian realize that
simple pleasures would be lost if she lived that way. And the
descriptions you give of Melian's joy in her daughter's first words
were profound. What a way to flesh out a (to me) fairly enigmatic
character. I really enjoyed this.

Title: End Times · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Drama: Gondor Drabble
· ID: 702
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:56:58
I really liked this! I know from experience that it's not easy to
write drabbles focusing on one sense, and you did a good job getting
across how hearing things but not being about to see them or otherwise
perceive them could be terrifying.

I must also say, it was very "Mag" to slap the screaming wench. Nice
touch. :-)

Title: The Turn of the Tide · Author: Altariel · Genres: Alternate
Universe: Gondor or Rohan · ID: 72
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:57:27
Ooh, chilling and compelling all the way through. I really like the
connection between Eowyn and Denethor, as I can see how they might
have gotten along very well.

Title: Those Darned Socks! · Author: AmandaK · Genres: Alternate
Universe: Gondor or Rohan · ID: 188
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:58:58
Great stuff. I'm sure that Boromir would have been a poor pupil at
darning socks, and this is a nice tie-in with your universe – and a
good character moment for him as he finally learns the necessary
patience and humility.

Title: Circumstantial Heroes · Author: Gwynnyd · Genres: Drama: Minas
Tirith · ID: 684
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:59:10
Ai, there is so much to love about this story! First off, I must say a
hearty THANK YOU for addressing the question of how Aragorn arrived at
his decision to give Beregond clemency. Of course as a reader I would
have been heartily dis-satisfied if the good guys who don't Die
Heroically (TM) are punished for their good deeds. But from a
practical concern it always bugged me where Aragorn had found the time
to find out the true story about someone much of the Citadel would
have considered traitor. The conversation between Faramir and Aragorn
was delightfully done.

And speaking of delightful, that brings us to the topic of Pippin. Who
was completely precious (um, in a non-Gollumesque way :-P). Him doing
full guard duty *and* keeping stealthy watch by night showed real
character and devotion to his king. And the way Aragorn and he discuss
duty really did an affective job of characterizing by contrast both
the Shire and Gondor. On the same topic (delightful), Hithdol was a
pure joy. A really wonderful OC who came complete with nuzgul. Several
of them, but now I want to read the story of that conversation between
the Ranger and Hithdol about Aragorn's bed partners. That was hilarious!

All of the servants and OCs were so well developed, and the touch of
realism in your notes (paper mills south of Harlond!)... it made for a
most enjoyable read, and a moving one. Really good job here.


Title: Future Imperfect · Author: Tanaqui · Times: Mid Third Age: 2851
- 3017 TA · ID: 749
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-25 23:59:24
Denethor is one of my favorite characters in Tolkien's legendarium,
and also one of my *first* loves (so I am particularly fond of my view
of him). That makes it rather difficult to write a story with him as a
key character, that resonates with me. But with "Future Imperfect",
Tanaqui does just that. There is a subtlety to Denethor's motives and
hopes for his younger son here, that somehow manages to walk the line
bgetween overbearing liege-lord and generic (and somewhat wimpy)
father-figure. It makes Denethor sympathetic, but still very much
Denethor.

But this story is not just a piece about Denethor. As with many of
Tanaqui's pieces Faramir is very much present, and as with all of her
stories involving Faramir, he is written spot-on. I love the fact that
he is a true student, to the point of seeing martial training as
"studying". I do think he would love these stolen moments to read what
he wanted, and that would be a huge sacrifice for him when he went to
Ithilien. Yet Faramir already exhibits some of the skills of
observation he'll need as a ranger, and in the end I think Denethor is
right that Faramir is well-suited to that posting. And right about the
other things, too. It's a lovely snippet of life for Gondor's first
family.


Title: Last Light · Author: Ignoble Bard · Genres: Drama · ID: 194
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-26 00:00:16
This was a really neat perspective. You got into the Entish headspace
really well, and through it offered an illuminating new view on the
corruption of Saruman.

Title: Resurrection · Author: Dwimordene · Genres: Alternate Universe
· ID: 265
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-26 00:00:27
"Resurrection" does what the alternate unierse genre really does best.
It takes a departure from canon and looks at how what changes (and
what remains the same) has to say about the events that actually did
happen. In this case Dwimordene takes Halbarad's death at Pelennor as
her departure. What does this tell us about the actual canonical
story? Halbarad's death is never actually told in the book, and his
character is never even mentioned in the movies, so one might wonder
whether this is a big enough departure. But I have always loved
Halbarad, and in a way he represents the Northern Dúnedain to me. He
is in my mind Aragorn''s past, and when he dies it feels like
Aragorn's unglamorous years as a Ranger are being crucified, so that
Aragorn-the-king can be resurrected from them.

Dwimordene gives us a different view of how events could have
unfolded. If Halbarad had survived, there would have been a much less
king break between Strider and Elessar. Not to say that Aragorn's
*memories* of his past don't affect him even in canon, but I think
this portrayal of Halbarad's resurrection from Pelennor would require
a much different integration between Strider and Elessar, and by
extension Eriador and Gondor. In a way a Halbarad-lives AU is similar
to a Denethor-lives AU, but with much more emotional pull simply
because there are less obvious political consequences.

In any event, this story's a beautiful read told mythically and
brimming with spiritual language and imagery that makes you cry. Even
without thinkin about how Halbarad's survival would have affected the
canon. I highly recommend it.


Title: Property Rights · Author: Salsify · Races: Cross-Cultural · ID: 74
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-26 00:00:35
Ai, well done, Salsify! You have taken some (to most people) obscure
incidents from the history of dwarves and northern Men, and used it to
give a context and depth to the events before the Battles of the Five
Armies. It's really remarkable that they ever managed to find peace,
and it makes Bilbo's optimism and courage all the more heroic. This is
a really good gapfiller for The Hobbit, and a truly original idea -
nice work!

Title: The Sword of Elendil · Author: Gandalfs apprentice · Genres:
Drama: Incomplete · ID: 69
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-26 00:00:45
This was a story idea waiting to be written: an in-depth look at
Aragorn's transition from Rivendell to the Angle. Gandalfs Apprentice
really captures the politics well and creates a convincing picture of
what life in the Angle might have been like. Good work!

Title: Fell Memories · Author: Gwynnyd · Genres: Drama: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 191
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-26 00:00:58
This was really done. The torture at the hands of the orcs was a
little *too* effectively done at times, and it made me really feel for
our would-be king. And Aragorn's homelessness at the end was
heartbreaking. Nice work.

Title: A Texas Gay Boy in King Thranduil's Court · Author: Ignoble
Bard · Genres: Humor: Parody · ID: 182
Reviewer: Oshun · 2007-08-26 17:01:46
First of all, the title grabbed me immediately. I am a great fan of
Mark Twain and the idea of a Tolkien-based [i]Connecticut Yankee in
King Arthur's Court[/i] crossed with a Legoslash story was just too
humorous on the face of it to pass up. When I first read it I did not
know the writer's work very well and yet this story seemed to promise
me that it would necessarily be an entertaining and funny fic.
IgnobleBard's humor did not disappoint me, but delighted, and the
story contained all the elements I have come to love in his
work--warmth, humor and careful crafting. Sorry, as a New Yorker, just
the mention of Texas in this context gave me a chuckle in and of
itself. (To be gay in Texas? Well, could be worse I guess. Numerous
places come to mind. But, for those who don't know the U.S well, I'll
just say: it is not San Francisco.) I also adored the physical
description of the protagonist. He is just so cute and such a parody
of a Mary Sue (I think the writer calls him a Gary Stu?). The gags did
not get old for me and Legolas is adorable. Thranduil is well-handled.
A light-hearted, more thoughtful than it seems on the surface, romp. I
read it again now and then to remind myself of why I thought it was so
funny. I highly recommend this story.

Title: The Company of Heroes · Author: annmarwalk · Races: Hobbits:
Children · ID: 393
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2007-08-26 18:18:30
It's one thing to want to explore how Sam might have come to grips
with lingering ill-feelings toward Boromir, and another to bring about
his resolution through his children, in effect, his own voice. Well done.

Title: Web of Treason · Author: Linda hoyland · Times: Fourth Age and
Beyond: Gondor or Rohan · ID: 124
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-08-26 20:56:47
This most ambitious of Linda's stories takes a darker turn than do
most of her tales. [Web of Treason] examines, as its central theme,
the question of whether a good man can remain good while doing evil
deeds to accomplish a noble purpose. There are no simple answers, and
the verdict is largely left to the reader.

In the story, Aragorn disappears and Faramir comes to suspect a cabal
of lords who have made already made a dubious political move on the
Stewardship in Council, as well as a surprising proposal of marriage
for the infant Eldarion - which Elessar had opposed. Faramir decides
that to find his missing King and friend, he must feign sympathy for
the suspect lords, and infiltrate their ranks. To accomplish this end,
Faramir must lie, deny and betray his allegiance to the very king he
wants to save. A terrible price is exacted; which endangers Faramir's
soul, Aragorn's life, and the trust and love between them.

Linda reveals considerable depth and courage as a writer by choosing
to end the story in the way that she does - not with joy and
forgiveness, but with doubt and shadows. Even heroes of Aragorn's
mettle cannot completely recover from prolonged torture in a month or
two, though the king is saved and restored to power. Time is needed,
and there is still hope; a more upbeat ending would be less believable.

Excellent depiction of Aragorn as an upholder of justice, dispensing
both mercy and the ultimate penalties for treason.

Arwen is well-written here; as a woman of strong will, enduring fear
and physical hardship without ever losing faith in Aragorn.

There is also a delightful OFC - Elbeth, the mysterious child saved in
Linda's story [Shadow and Thought], provides both extra pathos and a
welcome thread of lightness amidst the sturm und drang. She is by
turns a wilful brat and a kind-hearted angel of mercy; and is
effectively revealed as a lonely child surrounded by venal
opportunists who alternately neglect or spoil her, including her own
mother.

The story is well worth the read, though it takes the reader down some
dark and unexpected paths.


Title: The Wink of an Eye · Author: Linda hoyland · Times: Mid Third
Age: 2851 - 3017 TA: Drabble · ID: 664
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-08-26 20:58:19
An unexpectedly amusing little piece, wherein it is seen that Denethor
has under-estimated the Dark Lord's evil mind again, and that said
Dark Lord really does have a sense of humor, even if the joke is
always on someone else.

Linda now has me wondering whether Sauron planted some scary
jack-in-the-boxes in the Sammath Naur, or filled Cirith Ungol with
whoopie cushions.

I get the eerie feeling, after reading this, that Sauron is still out
there somewhere, amused at mortal follies, and always getting the last
laugh.

Denethor really should have learned from this singular episode and
buried that perky but pesky Palantir somewhere...



Title: Welcome · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Elves: Fixed-Length Ficlet ·
ID: 694
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-08-27 01:36:24
Elrond would be the perfect host; there is something very strong and
yet kind and welcoming in him; this drabble captures it perfectly.
Excellent setup to the welcome by the mention of the various things
Glorfindel remembers from Valinor and does not know in Middle-earth.



Title: The Ground Portends · Author: Thevina Finduilas · Races:
Dwarves · ID: 638
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-08-27 03:05:43
Few Tolkien fanfiction writers get inside the heads of the Khazad as
seemingly easily as Thundera Tiger. I really feel like it is Tolkien's
Gimli speaking, thinking and acting in this story. Gimli's thoughts of
Galadriel, his recognition of her as a catalyst, work nicely here.