Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: Enter the Fourth Age, Hastily · Author: Dwimordene · Times:
Fourth Age and Beyond: Drabble · ID: 140
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 15:59:15
This is a really cool drabble! It sounds exactly like Treebeard. I
loved the way that he mentions the hobbits here; he sums up the hasty
natures that are so foreign to him very well.

Title: Bitter Springs · Author: Dwimordene · Times: Mid Third Age:
2851 - 3017 TA · ID: 634
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:01:41
I liked the sense of resignation here and wish that Theodred could
have found a way to counteract what he saw taking place. Knowing the
later outcome made this story even more effectual.

Title: Through Shadows · Author: Marta · Times: Late Third Age:
3018-3022 TA: General Drabble · ID: 620
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:05:43
What an excellent thought, that Frodo would be capable of seeing what
others might not be able to. Maybe that was why Sam didn't answer
Merry's question, he hadn't seen anything himself. Wonderful that
Gimli wanted to share this with Frodo and had the feeling that Frodo
would see.

Title: The Rose in the Courtyard · Author: claudia6032000 · Races:
Cross-Cultural: The Fellowship · ID: 560
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:07:59
A wonderful glimpse of Frodo's generous and forgiving nature, showing
just how enlightened and special that he is.

Title: Steward and Thain · Author: agape4gondor · Races:
Cross-Cultural: The Fellowship · ID: 87
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:09:51
There are some really nice scenes between Boromir and Pippin in this
story. It was interesting to see the ways that the two are similar,
and yet so different.

Title: An Apple for Your Thoughts? · Author: Demus · Races:
Cross-Cultural: The Fellowship · ID: 716
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:12:29
It was nice to see this interaction between Frodo and Boromir. The
relationship between these two is one of my favourite things to write
and read about as Tolkien didn't go much into it. I thought the
characters were both really well written in this story and liked it a lot.

Title: The Sword of Elendil · Author: Gandalfs apprentice · Genres:
Drama: Incomplete · ID: 69
Reviewer: Doc Bushwell · 2007-12-16 16:12:36
I await installments of [The Sword of Elendil] much like Jean
Shepherd's protagonist of _In God We Trust. All Others Pay Cash_
waited for his favorite radio serial. Gandalf's apprentice (GA) has
crafted a superlative on-going novel that is as well-written and
compelling as any number of works of original fiction that have made
their way to my reading docket.

In a technical context (as I mentioned in another MEFA review), GA is
a fine writer. Pacing, dialogue, points of view, and language are all
executed deftly, and to my tastes, confer excellent "readability." I
never stumble or become bogged down in GA's narrative.

The series itself is a welcome gap-filler and expands on Tolkien’s
milieu in a highly satisfying way. The characters - major and minor
alike - are drawn in engaging detail. Frankly, Tolkien's Aragorn left
me cold whereas GA's Aragorn is a far more compelling and empathetic
character. The foundations for who Aragorn will become as a mature man
are made very apparent in SoE. GA's vision of Aragorn resonates well
enough with me that I now "see" that character as she does. This, I
believe, speaks to her skill as a story teller.

Another particularly gratifying character component of [The Sword of
Elendil] is the depiction of the _women_ in Aragorn's life. The women
of the Dunedain are largely glossed over by JRRT. GA fleshes them out
nicely. Specifically, I am thrilled with the wonderful
characterization of Saelind, Aragorn's great-grandmother. Although a
more prominent female character than many in canon, GA's vision of
Arwen is far more palatable and complex than the orthodox version.

GA's exploration of Mannish (Dunedain) and Elvish cultural conflicts,
the growing reach of darkness, and the atmospheric descriptions of the
difficult life of Men in the Third Age serve as vivid backdrops for
the series. Although canon informs GA, she is not an orthodox adherent
of such. This further enhances the story by grounding it in JRRT's
secondary world but imparts much-needed realism. The practice of being
informed by canon but not enslaved by it also allows GA to make subtle
commentary on JRRT's world view, which undeniably is present in his work.

Although I read [The Sword of Elendil] as both Tolkien fan and critic,
“Sword of Elendil” is a darned good story in its own right and is
highly recommended. Now whether I'll get a secret decoder ring
(allusion to Jean Shepherd) as an avid fan of the SoE is anyone's guess.

Title: Concerning the Curious Healing Properties of Soup · Author:
pipkinsweetgrass · Races: Cross-Cultural: The Fellowship · ID: 571
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:15:46
I really liked the way that everyone worked together here to help cure
Pippin. I would think that there would be a very real chance of an
illness like this, trekking through the Wild in the middle of winter.
This is very much a story about bonding and friendship and an
excellent example of the hurt/comfort genre.

Title: Freddy and the Thain's Rabbit · Author: grey_wonderer · Races:
Hobbits · ID: 251
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:19:20
There is a lot to read between the lines in this story. On the surface
it is humorous, but beneath it is very thoughtful and full of caring,
love and wisdom, including the lesson of how life goes on - there is a
wonderful sense of continuity here.

Title: Oliphaunt am I · Author: Elemmire · Races: Hobbits · ID: 768
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:22:47
This story makes a lot of sense! What a terrific idea that this was
how the hobbits came to know about Oliphaunts.

Title: It's No Mystery, Really · Author: grey_wonderer · Races:
Hobbits: Merry and Pippin · ID: 36
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:26:26
This story does a really good job of summing up both Merry and
Pippin's personalities and closeness in a very short space. I wish
that the piece were longer because I really like it, but it doesn't
need to be; it is just the right length to say what needs saying. The
dialogue is really entertaining and I really like the scenario.

Title: Like Falling Asleep Again · Author: lbilover · Races: Hobbits:
Merry and Pippin · ID: 299
Reviewer: trikywun · 2007-12-16 16:28:38
This is a beautiful and lovfilled story. It is sad, but in a good and
peaceful way. I recommend it even for readers who don't usually like
this genre. You won't be sorry that you read it.

Title: Weary Beyond Joy Or Sorrow? · Author: Imhiriel · Times: Late
Third Age: 3018-3022 TA: Gondor Drabble · ID: 671
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-12-16 16:52:33
This drabble did a really good job of capturing Aragorn in a state of
high emotion. I think that because he was so worn out at this
canonical moment, the lack of control seemed very believable. Nice use
of the prompt!

Title: Keepsake · Author: Marigold · Races: Hobbits: Vignette · ID: 256
Reviewer: Marta · 2007-12-16 16:56:49
Beautiful, Mari. I've always loved the connection between Pippin and
Gandalf, and you do a nice job of exploring it here.

Title: Rage · Author: Deandra · Genres: Drama: Minas Tirith · ID: 353
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 18:52:09
This author is well-known for her creative and well-crafted tales
about Rohan in the Fourth age, particularly her stories about Eomer,
Lothiriel, their children, various OC's, and other canon characters.
This story is no exception. It takes a slightly darker, but still
realistic, viewpoint of the how Eomer and Lothiriel fell in love and
came to be married. The setting is realistic to the story, as the
author uses her imagination to expand upon the details of life in
Meduseld and in Rohan after the war, following upon what Tolkien told
us. The dialogue is very good, with no modern phrases to jar the
reader out of the story. The character of Eowyn, who is sometimes
over-used as a prankster in E/L romances, is used appropriately here,
as she does what she can to encourage her brother and Lothiriel,
without resorting to such tired devices as locking them in a linen
closet or something equally silly. Overall, this is a top-notch fic
and nice change from the usual "Eomer and Lothriel meet in MT
before/after the War of The Ring and fall madly in love at first site"
type of fic.

Title: The Slave of the Ring · Author: Linda hoyland · Races: Men ·
ID: 418
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:08:21
This is one of the best short fics I have read this year. It returns
the character of Boromir to his bookverse status, very welcome, since
many other authors, perhaps influenced by their admiration of Sean
Bean, have degraded the original proud Captain-General into nothing
more than a romance-novel type of hero. Tolkien's Boromir deserves far
better treatment than that, and receives it in this story. The reader
sees and experiences Boromir's own emotions through the first-person
POV. His distrust of Aragorn and his enrapturment by the Ring are
well-portrayed, and yet one can still see glimpes of the character's
good side, despite his growing lust to take the Ring for himself. The
author has done a good job of showing the shadow taking hold of
Boromir's soul, leading ultimately to his attack on Frodo and his own
death. Overall, this is very effective piece of fiction from start to
finish. The mood, tone, dialogue and story construction are all first
rate.

Title: Night of Love · Author: Linda hoyland · Genres: Romance: Gondor
· ID: 617
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:31:06
I love Aragorn and Arwen romance fics, as they are my favorite
Middle-Earth couple. This story is particularly good, as it tells of
the wedding night of this canon couple in a very romantic but
non-smutty way. The author uses nature to soothe Aragorn and Arwen on
what must have been a nervous night for both, sending them out of
stone buildings and away from prying servants, into the beautiful
garden, where they can finally become one. A very good ending too,
which harks back to a vision Faramir saw in one of the author's
earlier stories.

Title: The Wink of an Eye · Author: Linda hoyland · Times: Mid Third
Age: 2851 - 3017 TA: Drabble · ID: 664
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:43:33
And who says Sauron didn't have a sense of humor? I love seeing him
toy with Denethor's mind in this ficlet, keeping him off balance.
Today some winking, tomorrow some false visions, the day after that a
candygram from the Barad-Dur (you know Sauron sends the good
chocolates, but only if you like your chocolate DARK). Whatever it
takes to drive the Steward mad and weaken Gondor works. Denethor never
really had a chance!

Title: Glimpse of Glory · Author: Linda hoyland · Times: Late Third
Age: 3018-3022 TA: General Drabble · ID: 575
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:44:51
Love this little drabble, which does a wonderful job of showing us
what might have been passing through Galadriel's mind when Frodo
offered her the Ring in Lorien. I particularly like the emphasis on
blooming trees and flowers, because what the Ring would bring would
actually be the opposite, yet even Galadriel is seduced by it. In the
end though, she rejects the Ring, and the author uses one of Tolkien's
most beloved lines, about Galadriel "remaining Galadriel" to wrap up
the drabble and tie it to bookverse.

Title: Temptation · Author: Linda hoyland · Times: Mid Third Age: 2851
- 3017 TA: Other Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 419
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:45:39
Non-pervy fic that nonetheless manages to answer to the question "what
if Aragorn had been tempted by another woman in all the years he was
in love with Arwen." Aragorn is tempted by the pleasure-woman, but
ultimately it is just because of her superficial resemblance to his
beloved, and he is able to remain true to Arwen. If he cannot have
Arwen, he will have nobody. This fits in with the character of
Aragorn, and thus is an appropriate end to his moment of temptation.

Title: Seeing Red · Author: Linda hoyland · Genres: Humor: Drabble ·
ID: 121
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:50:44
Completely hilarious parody of all those bad "Faramir is really
Aragorn's son" fics! I remember when I first started reading
fanfiction, how that particular category of Alternate Universe fics
completed squicked me. Their skewering in this little fic is very
satisfying. Faramir's last line about Boromir not having dark hair
either ups the humor quotient exponentially.

Title: Kissing Hope · Author: Linda hoyland · Genres: Romance: Drabble
· ID: 574
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:54:28
A very sweet and romantic Aragorn-Arwen ficlet. This couple is very
appealing and the author always treats their romance respectfully yet
is not afraid to show their love for each other. You get the idea that
Aragorn and Arwen treasured their kisses and their moments alone,
because they were so often apart, and Aragorn so often in dange.

Title: Death of Hope · Author: Linda hoyland · Genres: Romance:
Drabble · ID: 618
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 19:59:48
Sad but sweet ficlet--Arwen and Aragorn knew this moment had to come,
but that still doesn't make it any less difficult when it does. Arwen
is left alone to deal with her beloved's death until she can make her
way to Cerin Amroth, give up life herself, and then be reunited with
her true love beyond the circles of the world. She must cling to the
hope that she will see her Estel again to get her through the next
difficult weeks of bidding goodbye to her children and all she has
known as Queen of Gondor.

Title: The Right Choice · Author: Linda hoyland · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Drabble · ID: 437
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 20:05:03
Arwen did make the right choice, and the author shows that with very
few words in this lovely little ficlet. Arwen is thinking about how
she will not see Celebrian again until the world ends, a consequence
of her choosing to stay in Middle Earth with her love, rather than
take the ship to Valinor. Then her darling little son cries for her,
and her beloved husband awakens next to her, and she realizes that
what she has now is truly what her heart desires, and all's right with
her world again.

Title: Thengling Mighty · Author: Linda hoyland · Times: Late Third
Age: 3018-3022 TA: General Drabble · ID: 420
Reviewer: juliaaurelia · 2007-12-16 20:12:15
Theoden is one of my favorite canon characters, and there just aren't
enough good fics about him out there. Other authors never seem to know
quite what to do with him, and often villify him as a consquence, but
this author recognizes his true worth. She portrays his darkness and
return to the light with few words, yet with great clarity. He has
been in darkness but has returned to the light, and will ultimately
die a hero's death, quite the punch in th eye for his tormentors
Saruman and Wormtongue.