Yahoo Forum Archive

Hello, all! At the moment we're looking at *checks list* 604 reviews
not yet posted to this list. Since we don't want to be posting reviews
into next week, we'll be adding a couple postings a day until we are
done. Two sets of two now; another set of two this evening, and
probably three set of three a day until done. Sorry for the spammage!

Title: At the Sign of the Prancing Pony · Author: Marta · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Drabble · ID: 163
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2007-12-28 18:41:51
This is a small character piece featuring Nob, and it makes me smile.
Insecurity and pride is well captured here, his thirst for adventure,
yet wanting to stay close at home and within known parameters is well
captured here. I love the way in which Marta set aside all races
neatly through Nob’s eyes and how he saw them as he did his best to
make serving a near art form. Besides this all, I really liked the
interpretation of the word and how that resounded in this drabble.

Title: Droplets · Author: Dawn Felagund · Times: Multi-Age:
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 566
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2007-12-28 18:52:35
What Dawn has created here is just... stunning. Elrond's
characterization just shimmers with complexity and nobility, but all
the individuals mentioned (present or not) are well crafted. I love
the author's style, too: it is very personal and intimate, and
naturally and completely draws me in to her story. The language might
be slightly modern but it never feels out of place, and I am
captivated at every turn.

I could go on raving about each separate drabble, for every one of
them is a self-contained chapter, full of gorgeous detail and
emotional power, with shining phrases and excellent technical
construction. I go through the ringer again and again, as the record
of loss in Elrond's life steadily builds and even his joys are
bittersweet. The connection of water in each feels right and fitting,
a constant thread that links these "droplets" of his life together.

The last one is particularly poignant. I love that Elrond seeks out
the rain in "perfect" Valinor. In his healing he can see the water as
not mocking or painful, but cleansing; and in his wisdom, gained
through impossibly hard experience, he knows that joy is not truly
realized unless measured against sorrow. Whether it is my recognition
of this or something else entirely, the contrast at the end leaves me
in tears: Celebrian against the ["grieving sky"]. Brilliant and moving
- a superb story, Dawn!

Title: Golfing Fever · Author: lbilover · Races: Hobbits: Pre-Quest ·
ID: 75
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 19:03:27
This was wonderfully tongue-in-cheek funny! I thought that all of the
very professional golfing terms were excellent, indicating just how
seriously hobbits took their golf!

Title: Merry’s Grandmother · Author: grey_wonderer · Races: Hobbits:
Pre-Quest · ID: 137
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 19:07:36
I have been impressed with this excellent story since the very first
time that I read it. This is a more serious sort of tale than Grey
Wonderer usually writes and it is written with great empathy and
understanding. I really enjoyed Merry getting to know his grandmother
and the humorous references to Pippin's questionable riding talents
added just the right amount of lightness and balance to the story.

Title: The Wizard's Coin · Author: grey_wonderer · Races: Hobbits:
Pre-Quest · ID: 480
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 19:12:29
All of the characterisations are just wonderful in this story but I
must say how much I loved Gandalf's little cameo, comforting little
Pippin! I really love to see those two interacting when Pippin is
young. I liked the highly original plot very much and all of the
cousins are in very fine form!

Title: Fate and Destiny · Author: pippinfan88 · Races: Hobbits:
Pre-Quest · ID: 300
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 19:20:14
I have said before that Degger is a wonderful original character and
the fact is proved again in this instalment of his saga amongst the
Tooks. I was so pleased by the revelation of just who Degger really
is! I also really enjoyed all the goings on at the Great Smials as
Paladin settled into his new role there. Lots of interesting plot
points, all excellently crafted into a most enjoyable story.

Title: Tamer's Tale · Author: juno_magic · Races: Cross-Cultural · ID: 41
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2007-12-28 19:24:33
With "Tamer's Tale," Juno Magic again proves herself to be a masterful
story teller, creating a world that not only evokes Tolkien's universe
but can also stand as its author's unique vision. "Tamer's Tale" is
Juno's love story for Gandalf, who certainly does deserve a little
love during his many years of sacrifice. Like Melian in the
Silmarillion, Gandalf must lose a great deal of his power as a Maia in
order to consummate his love for a lesser being. However, Gandalf's
choice is not a formidible Elf queen but a simple woman, Tamer, his
housekeeper. Tamer is Juno's great creation, an original character of
passion and sense, doomed to a simple life on a barren island, like
all the folk of Himling.

What makes "Tamer's Tale" so special to me is Juno's recreation of
life on that remote island, all that exists in the Third Age of the
great lands of the First Age. Juno's description of the wind swept
island, the humble lives of its fisher folk, and their total isolation
from events in Third Age Middle Earth make the story especially
powerful. As I read, I kept thinking of the bleak but beautiful places
I've visited in my own lifetime. I highly recommend this wonderful story.

Title: The Exile · Author: Raksha the Demon · Races: Men: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 537
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2007-12-28 19:33:46
In "The Exile," Raksha uses the ficlet structure to encapsulate the
feelings of Beregond of the Tower Guard, as he contemplates his
possible exile forever from Minas Tirith. Like a number of Raksha's
stories, this one uses the present tense, first person point of view
to evoke a sense of immediacy. Beregond shows us his great love for
the city that he had served so well, until the dire moment where he
had to choose between the city's laws and his love for the Lord Faramir.

Title: Sea Food · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Humor: Children · ID: 53
Reviewer: EdorasLass · 2007-12-28 19:40:04
Imrahil takes his young nephews out for a morning of crab-catching,
with the intent of preparing a beach-picnic breakfast, but things do
not go as planned.

As she always does, Ann weaves vivid images with carefully-chosen
words: [Some, like living flowers, waved their petals as if in time to
underwater music; others, hauling their homes on their backs, crawled
purposefully along the sea-mossy rocks. Fiddler crabs scuttled and
scurried away.], drawing the reader immediately into the story.

I love the dynamic between Imrahil, Boromir, and Faramir - Imrahil
comes across as that really cool uncle who's always full of surprises
for his nephews, "sneaking" them out of their beds before dawn to lead
them off on who-knows-what kind of adventure.

The boys' horror at realizing they're meant to *eat* the crabs is
priceless - I can just see their shocked faces! And it's wonderful
that Imrahil doesn't try to push them into eating their little crab
friends, understanding that they both aren't ready for that next step
in their education, even though that was the entire point of this
outing, in his head. Such a lovely, lovely man. *happy sigh*


Title: Clothes Make the Man · Author: Gandalfs apprentice · Genres:
Humor: Drabble · ID: 625
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2007-12-28 19:40:33
This drabble presents the value of a well-turned outward appearance,
as interpreted by Celeborn. Here the Elf King gives gentle advice to
his sartorially challenged future grandson-in-law, who definitely has
a different opinion on whether "Clothes Make the Man."

Title: For the Dwarves, Gimli · Author: annmarwalk · Races: Dwarves ·
ID: 155
Reviewer: EdorasLass · 2007-12-28 19:53:36
As I have said in the past, Ann does not write dwarves nearly often
enough for my liking, so when she does, it is always a treat, these
three drabbles being a wonderful example.

I can't say that I'd ever considered Gimili's mother, but Ann brings
Nandi to vivid life with just a handful of words: her worry about her
youngest keeping properly warm on the long trip to Imladris, sneaking
an especial treat into Gimli's pack, and the way none of the returning
dwarves dare meet her eyes when Gloin returns without their son. I
particularly like that Nandi, like mothers throughout time, is not
concerned with the supposed "honour" bestowed upon Gimli in being
chosen as one of the Nine Walkers, she's only concerned with when he's
coming back and the dangers that will surely be involved in such a
quest. It rings very, very true.

I also like Boromir's curiousity, peeking in Gimli's pack to see what
dwarves carry that might be different from men . This [I was but a boy
when I lost my mother, though I have heard many horrifying tales of,
shall I say, overexuberant protectiveness] is sweetly touching. I
suspect that Boromir would actually like to have experienced some of
that type of protectiveness, and it's lovely how Gimli, by offering to
share his socks, is passing on his own mother's care and attention.




Title: Bilbo's Gifts · Author: Llinos/Marigold CoAuthors · Races:
Hobbits: Children · ID: 207
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2007-12-28 19:54:09
I would call this nearly Bilbo centric piece and I was delighted to
read about him making those four birthdays something really special.
Marigold and Llinos showed us the different worlds of small children:
from a child whose parents has worries about money, a lower class and
poor family who does not dare to think about dreaming to become more.
And it takes us to a spoiled and pampered brat (sorry Merry, but your
father is absolutely right there) and to a child that appears to be
more ill than running around actively. All little hobbits have a
distinctive voice here and you can see the first traits if who they
will become later on. But oh Bilbo, he made me laugh and moved me so
often. From an all-knowing hobbit who knows more than he lets on (see
the stories about Frodo and Sam), to a hobbit who probably told a bit
too much and underestimated a very proactive little child and a hobbit
with important connections.

This bit is just precious: ["Well…" Merry took a big breath, " Unkla
Bilbo, he told me all of the Rules for birfday and today is my birfday
so I wanted to do all of it…"

Merry paused for another breath as Rory and Saradoc turned to Bilbo,
until now a silent witness, "Yes, I did give Merry a few details of
byrding* Rules. But no more than a brief outline, such as I thought he
would need."] These four short stories gives us insight in a very
important moment in the four halfling’s life where the author’s pick
out poignant moments and let’s us share in the woes, dreams &
expectations of the families involved. Marigold and Llinos form a
great team and their writing styles are merged together quite beautifully.


Title: The Treasure Hunt · Author: Jay of Lasgalen · Races: Elves ·
ID: 320
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2007-12-28 20:07:42
Poor Erestor, those twins really got under their skin with their
repeating questions. This was a cute little story, especially the last
riddle had me chuckling because at that point I realised that
Glorfindel would lead them to their parents. It was cute to see them
guessing back and forth what was meant with this. Leave it up to
Glorfindel to come to Erestor's rescue and the twin’s entertainment.
Well done!

Title: Cool Sunlight and Green Grass · Author: SlightlyTookish ·
Races: Hobbits: Post-Ring War · ID: 211
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 20:13:00
This story not only captures Pippin's essence but also the very core
of what it means to be a hobbit. This is a lovely short story, one of
my favourites by this author. The style is very effective and
emotional with most of the story evocative descriptions of the scenes,
with the use of dialogue only at the very end. It gave me the
impression that Pippin was awakening from a long sleep to a bright new
day that I liked very much.

Title: Ten Thousand Years Will Not Suffice · Author: agape4gondor ·
Genres: Drama: Incomplete · ID: 407
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2007-12-28 20:14:19
What a treat it is to become an official MEFA junkie with this review
for one of my absolute favorite stories of the whole competition. For
anyone who likes to dwell for days and weeks steeped in Gondor
culture, Agape's novel is a dream come true.

"Ten Thousand Years Will Not Suffice" is an incredible, complex, and
as yet unfinished novel detailing the life of Denethor, his family,
friends, and the wide lands of Southern Middle Earth. Talk about a gap
filler! Agape fleshes out characters that are mere names in the
Appendices of Middle Earth. The lives of two Stewards are depicted:
the gentle but negligent Turgon and the overly defensive, almost
paranoid Ecthelion. We also meet Thengel, soon to be King of Rohan,
who becomes one of Denethor's great friends. And, of course, Thorongil
makes his appearance to add further interest to the Denethor/Ecthelion
father-son dynamic. Agape also introduces some wonderful original
characters, such as the faithful Amdir and Denethor's capable sister
Indis.

Agape's Denethor is a brilliant but tormented young man, one whose
victories and defeats in his early years seem about equal. The author
is adamant that Denethor is not the Steward of the Jackson movies. I
would add that this Denethor is as much Agape's creation as he is
Tolkien's. Which is a good thing, say I, who writes Lord of the Rings
gap fillers that are heavily influenced by Movie verse.

The joy I get out of reading fan fiction is seeing how an individual
author interprets particular pre-existing characters and incidents,
and then makes them her/his own. Agape does this in spades in "Ten
Thousand Years Will Not Suffice." What a great story..so far!

Title: Could Will Have Its Way · Author: Nancy Brooke · Races: Men:
Gondor Drabble · ID: 286
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2007-12-28 20:24:11
Nancy Brooke has created a chilling and powerful drabble about
Denethor's motivation for looking in the Palantír. Although the
reasons supplied by the author evolve over time, each of them evokes
pity in the reader, and helps make the descent into his final madness
more comprehensible, while the repetition with subtle variations of
various forms of the phrase [How could I not look?] provides an
effective structure that reinforces the potency of the drabble. Well done!

Title: The Horses of Eorl · Author: Branwyn · Races: Cross-Cultural:
Drabble · ID: 477
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2007-12-28 20:24:50
Oooh, Radagast the Horse Whisperer! Nice concept, delivered with
Branwyn's usual excellent excecution.


Title: Setting the Captives Free · Author: pippinfan88 · Races:
Hobbits: Post-Ring War · ID: 245
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 20:25:13
There is a wonderful urgency to this story and I liked seeing an
expansion of what in the books was an all too brief mention. Pippin
really shines here! The descriptions and dialogue are very well done
and I was so pleased to see Pippin at last make it up with Sancho,
with whom he has a rivalry in the universes of several authors in the
fandom.

Title: A...Like An Antagonistic Arwen · Author: Linda Hoyland/Raksha
the Demon CoAuthors · Genres: Humor: Other Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 758
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2007-12-28 20:25:25
A cute set of drabbles â€" nice to see Arwen with a bit of fire in her,
and the situations were both plausible and funny. Well done.

Title: No Pain, No Gain · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Humor: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 435
Reviewer: EdorasLass · 2007-12-28 20:26:13
*giggle* This is a lovely set of drabbles, nicely showing how the
exact same dialogue can be applied to two vastly different situations,
getting a tattoo and giving birth. I like the sense of dread mixed
with anticipation in both, how both Arwen and Merry are assured that,
oh, yes, it is going to hurt, but it'll be worth it! I also like the
secondary parallels: with Merry, it is Eomer lending moral support,
while with Arwen, it is Eowyn, and how in each scenario, both Merry's
and Arwen's pain (or anticipated pain) has driven the person arguably
closest to them - Pippin and Aragorn - to nervous distraction. I
suspect Merry will show off his tattoo with as much pride as Arwen
shows off Eldarion, although I'm sure that Merry will be subject to
much more good-natured teasing about his pride.

Title: Letting Go · Author: SlightlyTookish · Races: Hobbits:
Post-Ring War · ID: 230
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 20:29:03
Paladin is portrayed just as I see him myself in this story; a kind
and loving father who wants only the best for his son. His realisation
that Merry can help Pippin better than he can himself at the moment
must have hurt him but he doesn't hesitate to give Pippin what he
needs. It is easy to see from looking at this Paladin how Pippin grew
into the hobbit he did.

Title: A Need To Know · Author: Pearl Took · Races: Hobbits: Post-Ring
War · ID: 776
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 20:34:20
Tom Cotton is definitely a shrewd hobbit and Sam's reaction doesn't
disappoint! It was nice to see Sam stick up for himself in this tale
and I especially liked the ending.

Title: Crossing towards Sunrise · Author: Imhiriel · Times: Fourth Age
and Beyond · ID: 14
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2007-12-28 20:38:41
[This review has spoilers]

I think this story has such a beautiful title and it fits the story so
well. Imhiriel writes a poignant story here where she carefully writes
Gandalf’s thoughts and observations. It just feels that he briefly
rests his gaze on the persons on board of this elven ship. Bilbo’s
curiosity and inventiveness made me smile; Frodo’s pain brought tears
to my eyes and Elrond’s anxiousness and weariness is so well conveyed
in this piece. Elrond suffered a lot and will suffer a lot still,
especially regarding the fates of the children he left behind or the
not knowing what became of his wife. Imhiriel builds up greatly to the
great moment and she writes the reunion of Elrond and his wife in a
very moving way.

[She stopped him with a hand on his mouth, shaking her had slowly. I
could read her lips. She said, "I know. There is nothing to forgive.
It is their choice."

The last tension drained out of him.]

This piece alone makes Elrond finally give into what he held at bay
for so long. Finally he can find healing and the journey has ended.
Imhiriel struck a perfect balance between writing the character’s
thoughts and describing the surroundings, giving this piece a near
magical touch as she explored every character on board â€"with the
exception of Gildor- evenly. What a gem of a story.


Title: The Great Blotmath Walnut War In The Year 1423 · Author:
grey_wonderer · Races: Hobbits: Post-Grey Havens · ID: 165
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 20:41:50
Grey Wonderer really outdid herself with the assigned elements for
this Challenge tale! The progression is excellent, building at last to
my favourite moment which is Pippin suddenly transforming into his own
father! And there are so many bits in between that were good as well;
Pearl's tricksy machinations, Pervinca nearly blinding Pippin, Nell's
efforts as mediator...I'll bet that Pippin and Merry both won't have
any desire to even look at a walnut for a very long time!

Title: Time to Let Go · Author: PipMer · Races: Hobbits: Post-Grey
Havens · ID: 261
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-28 20:44:17
I think that this might very well be PipMer's best story so far. The
characterisations are just lovely here and she has really captured
Elanor especially. Her thoughts ring true and the emotion is so very
well described. Excellent story!