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Title: In Silence Remembered · Author: fantasyfan · Genres: Drama: The
Shire · ID: 598
Reviewer: Elanor · 2007-10-17 14:29:56
This is a stunning piece of work, beautifully written in a haunting
voice: subtle, sad and inexpressibly touching. The simple hobbit
narrator, recounting the death of his best friend in the Battle of
Bywater and, in casual asides, the horrors of Occupation in the Shire,
both plumbs and transcends his plain-speaking origins to become in the
telling of his story a bard of piercing perception and skill. The
author, who has gentle, if total command of the language, and an ear
that is always finely tuned to the tremulous sweetness of humanity,
endows her protagonist with heart and humility, and though he remains
nameless throughout, we know somehow his voice will speak for the ages.

I am a huge fan of this author's work. There are few among us who
command this level of technical skill with such discipline and
artistry, and few who are so in tune with the artless beauty of human
nature that lies at the heart of The Lord of the Rings. Simple,
thoughtful, and compelling, this is writing at its most careful,
considerate best. Bravo!

Title: If You Could See What I Hear · Author: Cathleen · Races:
Hobbits: Incomplete · ID: 488
Reviewer: Elanor · 2007-10-17 14:32:54
I have been following this captivating story for some time now, and I
have to say I find Tulip the Knitted Piglet as charming and as
integral to Pippin as that other famous suffed toy, Erroll, The
Thain's Rabbit! Truly, Pippin's childhood has been blessed with wise
and wonderful friends.

Tulip serves as a sort of pre-integrated conscience and common sense
for the very young Pippin here, and she is droll and grumbly and Mary
Poppinsish. She is a marvelous character, cleverly conceived and
written with flourish; it takes very little time to realize that Tulip
is the grownup here, and I often look to her for reassurance as little
Pippin wanders through his enchanted wood. A very interesting byplay
takes place between Pippin and Tulip, a skillful and sophisticated
conversation that suggests the brilliance of Pippin's imagination and
an internal dialectic belied by his youth. Very nicely done! And the
appearance of the fairy Rhoswen creates enough uncertainty to give the
story just a kiss of danger--a magical read, well-written and guided
by a very accomplished hand!

Title: Three Things About Pippin · Author: grey_wonderer · Genres:
Humor: Children · ID: 133
Reviewer: Elanor · 2007-10-17 14:33:11
No one can paint a picture of wee Pippin like GW can, or put funnier
words in his mouth. The GW signature is plain to see here, in this
sweet story of an absolutely charming whirlwind of destruction and the
folk who can't help but love him, even when they want to ["send him
back!"] Pippin's mother and sisters (in particular the fiery Vince)
are well drawn here, and Frodo Baggins, who happens innocently upon
the scene, is alternately wise and wily. But Pippin steals the show in
a tour de force of sparkling dialogue and heart-warming contrition.
Gentle and touching, well-paced and written with considerable skill
and great heart, this is a hot-cocoa-and-marshmallows bedtime story
that teaches a tender lesson--even Vince comes around in the end! Well
done, as always; this is a particularly wonderful writer.

Title: Field of Dreams · Author: agape4gondor · Genres: Drama · ID: 374
Reviewer: Elanor · 2007-10-17 14:34:33
An anguished tale of war's aftermath in the countryside around Minas
Tirith, this little story also reflects some admirable research into
farming in the Middle Ages! This keen insight drives the touching
story of a war widow bringing in the crop not only for what's left of
her family, but for the needs of the suffering community at large. An
interesting idea and a perspective that tends to be forgotten as we so
often consider the lives of the Great in the after-stories, this
gently paced and deeply-realized piece fills in the tapestry of Men in
Middle-earth with many tough and shimmering strands of emotion and
endeavor. There is no escaping suffering and sacrifice here; the
author brings home the war in ways the grand Tower of Ecthelion is
helpless to portray. Very nice work; unforgettable!

Title: The Arachnid's Appeal · Author: TrekQueen · Genres: Humor · ID: 114
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2007-10-17 15:53:42
[this review contains spoilers]

Oh my goodness, it was great to read this letter again. The author
leaves the reader with this brilliant visual of a Shelob sitting there
as a supporter, probably with a hat, a Sauron shawl supporting her
troops. At the same time I can see her missing one eye, still feeling
a bit sore after the encounter with Sam and Frodo [The nasty run-in
with those two dastardly creatures, one of whom was the one who
stabbed me, also had an annoyingly bright, white-glowing bottle of
light.] At the same time Trekqueen gives us insight in the relations
between the fractions within Sauron's army and Shelob's description of
the Witchking is just fabulous:
[Mr. I-am-the-former-king-of-Angmar-hear-me-roar] That sentence alone
is good for a fit of laughter, it makes sense though that Sauron's
creatures – including Shelob – would have a some sort of resistance
against the WiKi's cry. This whole letter is just full of details and
what makes it so great is that it just reads so reasonable seen from
her perspective – an isolated creature, yet serving the current evil
in ME. The tie in to her predecessor Ungoliant and her offspring in
Mirkwood was a good one, making it all fit so perfectly.

I love this piece: it is fast paced and the so-called punches appear
at the right time, and all the ingredients of a humour piece are here:
this all poured into the form of a letter. Darn and now I am stuck
with this visual of Shelob cheering for her boss while probably eating
popcorn, could you pass on the bucket?

Title: Requiem · Author: Rhapsody · Races: Cross-Cultural · ID: 280
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-10-17 17:52:26
A thoughtful, extremely well-researched account of the latter days of
Celegorm, his bond with Huan, and the roles they play in the Last
Battle alluded to in HoME/The Lost Road/The Book of Lost Tales. Good
usage of Orome and Vana, among others. And the quotes from the Requiem
material are quite lovely and appropriate.

Title: Aragorn's Moment · Author: docmon · Races: Men: Eriador or
Rivendell · ID: 509
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2007-10-17 19:37:18
I love fanfic not just for its ability to speculate on the large
spaces in time or between events that populate Tolkien's vision, but
for these more subtle gapfillers, where an author sometimes takes but
a single line - often one that I have unthinkingly breezed over a
dozen times in my reading - and expands it such that the potential
import of the words comes thundering down on me. Docmon has done that
here, in a vignette both beautiful and heartbreaking.

She has turned her personal vision into an excellent exploration of
Aragorn's thoughts in that moment just before the Quest sets out. The
full weight and burden of his doom is laid out convincingly, plainly
and painfully, but this is not an Aragorn that I feel pity for. He is
much too strong, too noble for simple sentiment. When he stands up at
the end, ready to accept whatever the results of the Quest may be,
prepared to walk this horrible road not for any gain to himself but
for the good of Arda, my chest does ache with sorrow for him. But
more, it burns with pride and triumph, for it is this commitment to
individual self-sacrifice and the determination to do one's best which
has always conquered evil.

Wonderful writing, believable speculation, and the Aragorn I love and
admire! Thank you for giving me such a vision to hold, docmon, during
every future reading of that FotR passage.

Title: Signs · Author: permilea · Races: Hobbits: Children · ID: 384
Reviewer: Inkling · 2007-10-17 19:38:06
The aftermath of an outrageous tea-time prank provides a quirky,
delightful glimpse of two young cousins and their relationship. The
event is all the funnier for being seen in retrospective, through the
lens of Pippin's cockeyed logic and childish superstitions, and
Frodo's barely suppressed hilarity.

With the wonderful economy of words I admire in all of her stories,
Permilea paints a vivid word-picture for us: Frodo braced in the
window seat, a profusion of flowers spilling over the sill, and
Pippins' knees jabbing him in the ribs.

The danger in writing stories about children, and perhaps
hobbit-children in particular, is in letting them become overly cute
and cloying. Permilea avoids that trap skillfully. Her Frodo and
Pippin are funny and charming, and their affection for one another
shines through, but there's just the right touch of tartness in their
interactions that makes them believable youngsters: Pippin pokes
Frodo; Frodo shoves the "bony Took" off his lap.

I love Frodo's canny grasp of child psychology. He dutifully runs
through all the "grown-up" reasons why Pippin's act was wrong, but
then plays his trump card: they didn't get any apple-cherry crumble!

"Signs" was the first piece published by this talented author under
the pen-name Permilea (following terrific stories written under a
different alias), and I dearly hope that it won't be the last by her
that I have the pleasure of reviewing.


Title: Shadowfax, Lord of all Horses · Author: grey_wonderer · Races:
Cross-Cultural: With Pippin · ID: 597
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-10-17 19:39:16
The name of a tavern in Minas Tirith, and the sign outside it, gives
rise to an amusing tale about Shadowfax taking Pippin for, well, if
not necessarily a ride, then a good lesson. Very good characterisation
of Gandalf.

Title: At the Sign of the Hungry Hobbit · Author: Mews1945 · Genres:
Humor: Parody · ID: 475
Reviewer: Inkling · 2007-10-17 19:45:37
Ever wondered about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?
Let Samwise Gamgee--hobbit philosopher, barkeep and much, much
more--explain it all for you (and no, the answer's not 42).

No one is off-limits in this wickedly funny, irreverent piece, from
Creationists to atheists, gods to men. Sam has the latter pegged
pretty well: ["Men would rather argue than eat, if you give 'em their
druthers..."].

Even the good Professor comes in for his share of skewering. One of my
favorite things about this story is that, unlike all the gentle,
affectionate fanfic encounters between hobbits and their creator that
I've read, this one has an irate Tolkien throwing them out of his
house for their ["heathen claptrap"].
.
I don't want to reveal too much, but suffice it to say that the Valar
and Maiar are not all they're cracked up to be in Sam's universe. Nor
are Aragorn and Legolas...er, make that Legless. And don't be
surprised if the Earth Mark 3 turns out to be mushroom-shaped...


Title: The City and Star Island Line · Author: lipstick · Genres:
Mystery · ID: 524
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2007-10-17 19:46:33
[The City and Star Island Line] is an unusual take on one of the most
popular couples in LotR fanfic. The style is smart and unique:
humorous with dashes of horror and grief, off-beat with just the right
amount of twisted, such that I came away from it with a renewed and
fresh appreciation for the tale of Faramir and Eowyn. Lipstick somehow
manages this while capturing the essence of the book
characterizations; these are the people we love, just shown through a
different filter.

There is wonderful, witty dialogue throughout the story, spectacular
descriptions and sometimes startling character moments. I love the
story-within-a-story effect, and Faramir's "Halloween" tale is
fabulous in its own right: the perfect mix of hair-raising and
ridiculous, with dabs of modern references to tweak recognition and an
entertaining and subtle portrayal of Denethor.

There are so many favorite bits in here... I love the off-kilter but
accurate view of Numenorean history; the scent of paraffin and the
comment on breaking down; and ["My family were very against that kind
of thing."

There was a silence that went on for longer than it should have.

"Yes," he said, "really."]

Followed by the marvelous description of Arwen and her "tactful"
wedding gift; and that superb, evocative section on what loving
Faramir has brought to Eowyn. Threaded within it all is Faramir's
efforts to cope with his father's legacy - none of the poignancy is
lost here, and it often has an extra sharpness due to the unexpected
way it is presented.

Title: Miss Dora Baggins' Book of Manners · Author: Dreamflower ·
Races: Hobbits: Incomplete · ID: 239
Reviewer: Inkling · 2007-10-17 19:55:11
It's a shame that Tolkien didn't do more with Dora Baggins...she
always struck me as a character with great potential, comic and
otherwise. Fortunately, Dreamflower has stepped into the breach and
given us an entire book of etiquette penned by the formidable Miss Dora.

I like the foreword's canonical basis, drawing on Bilbo's character in
"The Hobbit" for the chief Principles of Respectability: kindness,
hospitality, and (pre-Adventure, at least) predictability. And I
appreciate the amount of research and knowledge behind this tome, from
the invaluable Letter # 214 in "The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien" to the
conventions of classic etiquette guides generally, supplemented and
embellished by Dreamflower's own prolific imagination--providing the
reader with reams of Useful Information on hobbit customs and manners.

But make no mistake, what I love most about this piece is Miss Dora
herself.

Tolkien likened the Shire to Victorian England, and Dora is a prim and
proper Victorian through and through, with quite a flair for
euphemisms like ["Goings On"] and ["Putting the Dessert Before the
Main Course"]. She is nonetheless full of shrewd insight and dry
humor, even on subjects that, as a spinster, she might reasonably be
expected to take a pass on. Consider this observation about older
children looking after their younger siblings:

["It steadies a child to have to set a Good Example, and even if their
Natural Affection and Protectiveness does not serve as a deterrent,
the knowledge that Little Brother or Sister is a witness often will."]

Yes indeed, this is one spinster who knows how children think! Some of
Miss Dora's finest moments, in fact, come in the sections on the
rearing of children--topped only, perhaps, by the chapters on
mealtimes and manners, in which she extols ["the importance of
Respecting Food."] I can just picture her penning those last two words
with a flourish!

Despite the occasional dig (properly veiled, of course) at her
scandalous cousin Bilbo, Dora is never mean-spirited, and in her
tireless zeal to anticipate and provide instructions for any
eventuality, she clearly has her readers' best interests at heart.

We should all be so lucky as to have an Aunt Dora!
.



Title: Looking Awfully Hard · Author: Gryffinjack · Races: Hobbits:
Merry and Pippin · ID: 779
Reviewer: Elanor · 2007-10-18 00:27:58
It is not often that we consider the trauma that Pippin's experiences
with Denethor must have engendered. The Steward was a hard and bitter
man, beside himself with grief and beset with madness. His hall was
tense and his relationship with his only living son shockingly
insensitive. What must an innocent, sheltered hobbit of the Shire have
felt in the darkly erratic company of such a Man, and how might the
Steward's horrifying death by fire become Pippin's own experience?

Gryffinjack explores these interesting ideas in a gap story of
admirable insight and sensitivity. Here is a writer who brings a
deeply thoughtful perspective to a moment that passes without incident
in the Original; readers will be glad to know that Pippin's staggered
soul is redeemed here. Nicely done!

Title: Tales of the Innkeeper · Author: Allee · Genres: Drama:
Incomplete · ID: 237
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2007-10-18 01:47:21
[This review includes spoilers of some plot details]


Nice series of vignettes from the point of view of an OMC, a busy
innkeeper who finds himself hosting a weary King Elessar and his men.
Interesting contrasts between the down-to-earth innkeeper and the
King; the crusty innkeeper finds common ground with and respect for
his royal guest.

Title: Tales From The Garden · Author: Elemmire · Races: Hobbits:
Incomplete · ID: 793
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 03:19:05
Alas that we have but one chapter of this as yet, as we see the
normally predicable but now love-struck Bungo Baggins planning his
grand smial, to be dug within the Hill on the edge of Hobbiton.
Orchards, vinyard, children, they're all planned for. Love will do
that to a Hobbit, you see.

Beautiful imagery and descriptions,

Title: Steward and Thain · Author: agape4gondor · Races:
Cross-Cultural: The Fellowship · ID: 87
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 03:23:37
As wonderful a series of exchanges between the heir to the Thain of
the Shire and the heir to the Steward of Gondor as one could hope to
find. Each is expanding the understanding of the other and learning
the ways of leadership with humor, pathos, and grace. A warm telling
of a special friendship.

Title: Outmatched · Author: Tiana Luthien · Genres: Drama: Vignette ·
ID: 132
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 03:30:58
When Faramir offers for the hand of Eowyn, her brother seeks to assure
himself his prospective sister's husband will be worthy of the
Shieldmaiden from Rohan. A worthy protector does he find.

Title: Of Echoes of Bruinen · Author: Berzerker Prime · Races: Elves ·
ID: 345
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 03:36:29
The challenge was to "correct" a scene from the movies, and it has
been accomplished here with grace.

Title: The Beginning of a Wonderful Friendship · Author: Imhiriel ·
Races: Cross-Cultural · ID: 629
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 03:46:03
Finrod's comments on the compositional skills of dark Elves were taken
badly, but his sister's support of the Elf who'd overheard them won an
unexpected devotion.

Wonderful look at the first meeting of these two.

Title: A Very Good Teacher · Author: Cathleen · Races: Hobbits: Merry
and Pippin · ID: 700
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 03:49:28
A humorous slightly AU take on the Movie-verse identification of a
pint at the Prancing Pony, as Merry and Pippin find themselves in the
midst of a free-for-all. And who really taught Pippin all he knows?

Title: Before the Gate · Author: Jay of Lasgalen · Races: Elves:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 704
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 03:51:46
Two of those fighting before the Black Gate accept that whatever
happens now, they will remain side by side.

A lovely look at two we KNOW were there but rarely see mentioned by
the Master himself.

Title: The Green Hill · Author: Baranduin · Races: Cross-Cultural: The
Fellowship · ID: 562
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 04:00:35
Not quite canon, perhaps, but desirable as Aragorn admits the
trothplighting of himself with Arwen to Frodo.

Title: A Moment Lost · Author: Fawsley · Races: Men: Gondor Drabble ·
ID: 491
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 04:03:30
A good question--at precisely what moment did Aragorn truly embrace
his destiny as King? A movie-Aragorn moment, perhaps, and well told.

Title: Thengling Mighty · Author: Linda hoyland · Times: Late Third
Age: 3018-3022 TA: General Drabble · ID: 420
Reviewer: Larner · 2007-10-18 04:09:35
Although her first loves are Aragorn and Faramir, Linda here proves
herself one fully capable of picturing Theoden, going from the shadows
of Saruman's spells and Grima's dark counsels to the brilliance of his
renewal by Gandalf. In so few words she packs quite the wallop!

Marvelous!

Title: The Rose in the Fisted Glove · Author: Jael · Genres: Drama:
Second Age or Earlier · ID: 240
Reviewer: Oshun · 2007-10-18 04:48:47
I had read nothing, or practically nothing, of Jael's work when I read
this and fell completely in love with the story and particularly with
her subtle but well-developed characterizations of Thranduil and
Galion and their relationship with one another. I adore Galion's voice
in particular and Thranduil's understanding of him. One of my all time
favorite lines is: ["You have marks in your shoulder from the straps,"
said Galion, in a tone that managed to mix concern with irritation…]
This story is so smart, tender, funny, and sad-- totally satisfying,
beautifully thought through and executed in the unique style that I
have come to expect from this author. Loved the references to those
laws and expectations in regard to the expression of sexuality as ["a
pile of pious Lachenn cant"] and the further observation that perhaps
Elves are less ["a chaste and virtuous people"] than ["a very discreet
people"]. The ["no man is a hero to his own valet"] point is well
proven in the first chapter, but also that friendship and shared
experiences can cross the boundaries of ethnicity and station. I
really loved Thranduil's little squeak and also the revelation on the
part of Thranduil of how he would characterize their shared experience
that gives near the chapter's end.

The second chapter is at least as moving as the first in a totally
different manner. It gave me a subtly altered insight into Oropher's
disastrous charge and his subsequent death along with two-thirds of
his army in the Battle of Dagorlad. Prince Thranduil of the first
chapter has significantly grown and changed to become King Thranduil
of the second.