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Msg# 8254

MEFA Reviews for October 12, 2007 (Part 2) Posted by Ann October 12, 2007 - 5:40:36 Topic ID# 8254
Title: A Game of Chess · Author: Marta · Genres: Drama: Gondor Drabble
· ID: 605
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-08-27 03:23:18
A clever vignette that carries a certain wry sadness. Denethor deigns
to teach Captain Thorongil the game of chess; unaware that Thorongil
is already familiar with the game, and Thorongil plays along,
unwilling to dispell Denethor's illusion.

When is it important to tell the truth, and when is it better to veil
oneself? Aragorn spends much of his first 87 years being someone else.
Sadly, Denethor comes close to treating Thorongil in a friendly way
here, and still, Thorongil remains hooded.

What would have happened if Thorongil had offered Denethor more trust?
We will never know. This intriguing snippet raises all kinds of
possibilities while drawing a portrait of two powerful men who can
never be friends.

Title: Elements: Dreams of the Dead, Visions of the Living · Author:
pipkinsweetgrass · Genres: Alternate Universe: The Shire or Buckland ·
ID: 202
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2007-08-27 20:29:27
This is a lovely vision, with true, complicated and compassionate
characterizations. The first two chapters I thought were great, nearly
flawless but the introduction of the fairy element took things in a
cliched direction I was sorry to see, no matter how tenderly those
cliched elements were used. Pippin actually became a sort of Mary Sue,
I'm sorry to note.

Title: Perturbation of Fate · Author: Rhapsody · Genres: Drama:
General Drabble · ID: 428
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2007-08-28 03:28:59
I have seen a number of stories that try to figure out an end for
Maglor - sometimes he dies, sometimes he has a close encounter of the
Christly kind (and usually then dies), sometimes he just remains in
Arda seeking after the likenesses of lost
siblings/cousins/lovers/lovers-who-are-cousins...

I like this take on his fate, because Maglor has always seemed so
damaged by the end of the story that I'd think he'd be rather
unhinged. The idea that he remains the only one of his brothers who is
ultimately faithful to the oath and its self-imposed exile seems
right. None of Feanor's get are able to lay down their burden
peacefully. It's sad, but it does fit in my mind with the tenor of
Maglor's last appearance in the book.

Title: All in a Day's Work · Author: Gwynnyd · Genres: Adventure:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 421
Reviewer: phyloxena · 2007-08-28 09:59:51
Cool! Imrahil is adventurous and practical, and cares for his people.

Title: Concussion · Author: Dreamflower · Genres: Adventure · ID: 711
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-08-29 06:15:17
A good hurt/comfort story that involves hobbits other than Frodo or
Pippin; that is, one particular hobbit, namely Bilbo after the Battle
of the Five Armies. Well-researched and with a delightful cast of
characters.

Title: Respite · Author: Lindelea · Races: Men: Gondor Drabble · ID: 303
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-08-29 08:48:48
Gondor's favorite son gets little chance to read while traveling
throughout the wilds of Ithilien with his Rangers; but for a few
stolen moments his imagination is stirred until reports of the enemy
are given.

A wonderful drabble involving our beloved Faramir, reading within
Henneth Annun, evoking mood and setting well.

Title: Field of Dreams · Author: agape4gondor · Genres: Drama · ID: 374
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-08-29 09:02:05
The war has cost this farm its menfolk, father and sons; and the widow
and their daughters remain to complete the harvest.

A well told, all too realistic look at the aftermath of the war told
from the point of view of one who has lost most of her joy in it, but
who struggles still to provide not only for herself and her remaining
children but for those left with nothing within the city as well.

One of the best pieces I have ever read by Agape, and one I'm proud to
endorse.

Title: Measures of Time · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Romance:
Gondor · ID: 50
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2007-08-29 12:22:03
This is a terrific piece of writing, a great example of how an epic
story can be conveyed through a single scene. Throughout, the author
includes all the details of Faramir and Eowyn's now long and happy
marriage, and much about their characters, with strokes so sure they
are hardly noticeable: Eowyn's being a warrior, noblewoman, and ruler;
her trust of and attraction to Faramir; her Rohirric cultural
background; her mother- and woman-hood; Faramir's strength and
nobility of character, his courtliness, and Gondorian ethnicity; that
it was he who sought her in courtship, and that they have had a long
and successful union. I had to read this piece through a second time
and make detailed notes before I felt I'd uncovered most of its
treasure, buried in plain sight. Though not a drabble, it should be
required reading for anyone considering that form as it exemplifies
all the hallmarks of the best drabbles: grasp of a single moment,
crystal-clear vision, and profound depth.

Title: The Smile That Wins · Author: Marta · Genres: Romance: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 258
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2007-08-29 12:27:38
This piece starts out well, with sweet and fresh details, but then
gets muddled. I found it very AU - Eowyn was in such despair when she
and Faramir met, how could smile remembering Eomer when she wished so
much to be riding out dying beside him? And is that a typo in the last
line? [could *she* be mere *man*]? Sorry, just doesn't work for me.

Title: All Lies and Jest · Author: Jael · Races: Elves: With Mirkwood
Elves · ID: 104
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 16:58:56
This is a great look at how LACE, if it had been available to the
Silvan elves, might have affected things. I think questions like these
would have been unavoidable in the wake of the slaughter of the War of
the Last Alliance, and Thranduil's spiritual quest (and the dealing of
the aftermath, with no God he could argue with) felt genuine. This
story made me respect what the character had to endure even more than
I had after just reading canon, and it really added a new dimension to
the Mirkwood Elves for me.

Title: Emmaus · Author: Dwimordene · Genres: Drama: Vignette · ID: 636
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 18:28:31
It seems that every one who writes Gondor (except possibly me -- knock
on wood) has written their version of Faramir being called back from
the Black Breath. Which makes it a tough spot to write, if you want to
seem like you're saying something new. But Dwim does that here, making
his wanderings seem almost peaceful at first, then mixing just enough
dark dreams in to accentuate how much he had to lose. The stone with
the seashell fossil was a touch of genius in particular, and a great
way to touch on how much the world had changed since Numenor's
destruction.

Title: Fissures · Author: Thundera Tiger · Races: Dwarves · ID: 804
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 18:38:43
I can think of maybe three authors who really "get" dwarves on a
fundamental level and write them well, and Thundera is certainly on
this list. In "Fissures" she shows her skill both with turns of
phrases like [nothing he could put his hammer on] and with the way
certain cultural factors like the importance of heritage and the way
Otin thinks in metaphors of masonry. No one could mistake this for a
story about men, elves, or hobbit if a few names and canon details
were changed. Which is what I like so much about all of Thundera's
writing, but it shows through particularly well here.

Characterization aside, though, this is a really good piece of
writing. I particularly liked the ending, which has just enough
closure to keep me from thinking I've wasted my time reading the
piece, but is also open-ended enough that the conflict transcends the
single scenario the piece examines. It made me think that Otin will be
looking over Gimli in the coming years, and so felt like a natural
peak at a life that began before the first word and continues on after
the last. Which gave the piece a very integral feeling. I liked it.


Title: Farewell · Author: Vilwarin · Genres: Drama: With Aragorn · ID: 706
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 18:41:04
This is an interesting piece. I particularly liked that it was from
Halbarad's POV--that felt fresh, and you captured him nicely.

Title: Sometime Ever After · Author: Dwimordene · Times: Fourth Age
and Beyond · ID: 363
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 18:42:00
Ai, this was a good read! As with most of Dwim's stories I find myself
completely sucked into her world. Her writing style creates a very
vibrant scene, as when she writes [Valar, merciful Valar, someone
anyone Niennapleasesomethinginthisworld MUST. KNOW. MERCY, AI ERU--!]
-- that was more powerful than any description of what Aragorn was
physically feeling could have been, and made me ache for Aragorn. A
similar thing happened when she slips into the dreamworld (if it can
truly be called that). The scenes felt so genuine and rich, it was
like I was seeing them play out before my eyes.

Yet Dwim's beautiful writing isn't the only thing I liked about this
story. The scenes with Aragorn and Halbarad that we see tell the
reader about the strong bond Aragorn and Halbarad had, one that even
seems to transcend death. It is almost as if Aragorn was living with a
ghost, who was just as much a part of his life in the early Fourth Age
as Arwen or Faramir were. I know that feeling, and Dwim captures it
beautifully. It seems perfectly natural to think of Halbarad
baby-sitting Aragorn's daughter, and I imagine Aragorn in his
hallucinating state would be all too willing to accept the
authenticity of the moment. It's a horrible injustice that Halbarad
should not have continued on living -- and I think it speaks to
Aragorn's and Halbarad's closeness that even several years into the
Fourth Age, he should dream Halbarad into his life.

Really nice writing, Dwim -- as I said, the read was beautiful.


Title: Celeborn's Trees · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Races: Elves:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 514
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 18:50:14
Ah, lovely little moment! Celeborn shines through admirably here; I
can see why Galadriel would fall in love with him.

Title: Enter the Fourth Age, Hastily · Author: Dwimordene · Times:
Fourth Age and Beyond: Drabble · ID: 140
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 18:52:09
There's something about Treebeard that always fascinates the author in
me, and perhaps in true Entish fashion I should not try to simplify
that something into hasty words. But you hit it on the head in this
drabble. Funny that a piece about the lon-winded Ents told in just 100
words could do that, but there is an almost Zenish quality that seems
to fit Treebeard's character very well here. It really "worked" for
me. And the ending of that single word, [peace], seemed to sum up the
drabble perfectly. Excellent character writing here!

Title: Deadly Fate · Author: TrekQueen · Times: First Age and Prior:
House of Fingolfin · ID: 282
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 18:52:38
This is such a huge, mythic moment in Tolkien's history; you made it
seem real, and the sacrifice tangible. Good work.

Title: A Thankless Task · Author: EdorasLass · Genres: Drama: Youth ·
ID: 49
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 19:00:39
This is a nice interlude. It seemed very like Boromir not to want to
do "women's work", and Nanny's practical wisdom shown through well.

Title: Descent · Author: Dwimordene · Times: Early Third Age: 1-2850
TA · ID: 632
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 19:00:55
This is a delightful little interlude, developing a lot of the world
of Gondor during the Kinslaying. Even though there are all original
characters, it is wonderfully tied to the politics of
book-canon!Gondor. The names in particular were foreign enough to make
it clear that both boys were not native to Gondor. I really liked this
slice of life.

Title: The Undiscovered Country · Author: Wimsey · Genres: Drama:
Elves in Later Ages · ID: 715
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-08-29 19:01:17
This is an interesting look at Arwen's grief. You fleshed out what she
must have felt, and made me really feel sorry for her.

Title: The Return · Author: mistycracraft · Races: Men: Eriador or
Rivendell · ID: 90
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-08-29 19:10:49
When the new King and his lady wife come to the village on their
progress through their lands, Edric the tavernkeeper looks to see if
his Ranger friend Strider is in the King's train but fails to see him.
Yet that evening Strider does come to the inn to have his second bowl
of stew at the place, and spends some time speaking with Edric of the
years that have intervened since they first met when Edric was yet a
boy. Oh, he's been a year married, and his bride has seen to it his
wardrobe is now filled with well cut and constructed and becoming
garments.

Then comes the wife and the realization hits--the King Elessar is Strider.

A wonderful encounter charmingly told.

Title: Prince of Winter · Author: jastaelf · Genres: Alternate
Universe · ID: 93
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2007-08-29 19:16:35
I am unfamiliar with the "Dark Leaf" arc, but I was easily able to
decipher prior events with but a few well-blended references - a
difficult task that JastaElf carried off well. The sole uncertainty
was just how old Legolas was, but I understood the important point: He
was a very young Elf, possibly an adolescent.

The premise is intriguing, as is his carefully constructed ancestry.
They contribute much to explaining Legolas' "difference" from other
Elves, pointing forward to LotR. In fact, given how little Tolkien
stated on Legolas, I'm not even sure the story has to be considered
AU, but rather a fascinating extrapolation.

The story itself has very good descriptions of Elven rituals and
excellent characterizations and interactions, especially
Celeborn-Legolas. I particularly loved patient, fatherly, magnificent,
sexy Celeborn, and the chemistry between him and Galadriel.

Title: The Blue Book of Bilbo Baggins, or, Tales of the Forbidden
Silmarillion · Author: Gandalfs apprentice/Greywing CoAuthors ·
Genres: Alternate Universe · ID: 195
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2007-08-29 19:18:31
This is a very original retelling of the "myths" and stories of Arda,
at turns both touching and extremely funny. They resonate well with
our own real world myths, without being mere copies of them.

The introductions at the beginning of each chapter are works of art in
themselves, capturing wonderful characterizations of some of our
favorite LotRs folks, and leading into the tales perfectly. Even the
[Notes from the Translator] had me in stitches. The transmutation from
the [Blue Book] into [Laws and Customs of the Eldar] felt particularly
inspired.

Title: Stopping by Woods · Author: Branwyn · Genres: Drama: Vignette ·
ID: 19
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-08-29 19:19:37
A wonderful working together of a journey by the aging Steward Faramir
with Robert Frost's famous poem, as Faramir finds that in stopping by
a waypost he has been following a part of the path taken so long ago
by his brother. Soon enough, he realizes, he will need to follow the
path that will at last lead to a reunion with Boromir; but for tonight
he will go into the village and drink a cup in memory to many.

Very nice interweaving of themes.

Title: Resurrection · Author: Dwimordene · Genres: Alternate Universe
· ID: 265
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2007-08-29 19:20:38
I've lost count of the number of times that I've read this now, but it
still brings misty tears to my eyes with the wondrous mixture of
uncertainty and sadness and pure, light joy it contains. It's
certainly become one of my favorite stories, AU or not, for its moving
themes of death and life and the steadying call of duty and friendship.

For one, the portrayal of Halbarad's near-death experience is just...
exquisite. Somehow the perfect blend of word choice and sentence
structure and length, and it feels as though I am sharing this
horrific experience with Halbarad, understanding at least something of
the terrible hold that it has on him - alive, and yet not really
belonging to life. The symbolism of the [One All In Grey] (Mandos) is
used very well here to represent Halbarad's closeness to death, as is
the references to the transparency, filminess, insubstantialness of
himself and the world around to show his semi-living state.

I was hoping for Aragorn's return as much as Halbarad and the people
were, though not for his kingship, of course - but for what he means
to Halbarad. The deep and easy relationship is so well done, even
though shown only sparingly, exactly as I'd see two such longtime
friends and comrades sharing. And Aragorn, of course, knows just what
Halbarad needs to anchor him to reality and living - the call to duty,
to friendship and those who *need* him.

The dream at the end was particularly beautiful, and left me with the
strangest and most wonderful mix of joy and bittersweet sympathy. The
Return of Halbarad will probably be no more easy than the Return of
the King, but I greet it just as happily.