Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: The Long Winter · Author: Baranduin · Races: Hobbits · ID: 159
Reviewer: Inkling · 2007-12-30 22:26:24 Score: 7
This is an enchanting and beautifully written story, with a framing
narrative that captures the style and spirit of Tolkien’s epilogues. I
like Sam's guess that Holman may have heard the story from that master
storyteller Tom Bombadil, although I could as easily imagine it as a
tale that grew up among the hobbits themselves.

Most intriguing to me was the close parallel drawn between the tale
and the Quest of the Ring, and between the respective protagonists.
Could it be that Sam is grafting something of his own experiences onto
his recollection of the folk tale? Such is the way of stories passed
down orally: they change subtly with each telling, according to the
times, tastes, and memory of the teller and the audience.

While directly inspired by "Saving Spring," a Scandinavian legend,
"The Long Winter" contains echoes of so many other tales as well--"The
Last Unicorn," "Spirited Away," "The Lion, The Witch, and the
Wardrobe." The great themes of fairy tales are universal...


Title: The Tides of the World · Author: Raksha the Demon · Times: Late
Third Age: 3018-3022 TA: Gondor · ID: 101
Reviewer: Firya · 2007-12-30 22:26:38 Score: 2
Like this sentence [Each healing has taken a little more of his
strength and had given him back a little more hope]. It’s original and
more encouraging than the concept that healing process is just drain
the healer.

Title: The Eagle's Gift · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Drama:
Minas Tirith · ID: 591
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2007-12-30 22:28:20 Score: 6
[Two alpha males] indeed! You can almost imagine how those two stags
would fight the other. I found that this story shed a different light
on how those two might have interacted. Denethor feels proud to have
mastered Thorongil in this matter, whereas Thorongil at his turn shows
that Denethor's father entrusted such an important task to him above
his son. Two very complex characters with both their own problems and
you can surely feel that Denethor's room was the last place his
opponent would be, even if it would be to safeguard the line of
stewards. The tension between the characters is immensely palpable and
the story flows along smoothly, this is yet another great story where
Raksha knows how to handle conflict and tension to the utmost limit of
control.

Title: A Mother's Touch · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Humor:
Other Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 44
Reviewer: Elena Tiriel · 2007-12-30 22:28:59 Score: 4
(Possible spoilers within:)

Oh, I so like this! Smaug as a young whippersnapper! And his mother
chiding him for getting dirty!

I imagine that dragons never have to put up with their mothers
spitting on their fingers to rub the dirt off their grubby offspring,
unlike children of other species that will remain nameless for their
own protection....

Very funny, Raksha!

Title: Fell Memories · Author: Gwynnyd · Genres: Drama: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 191
Reviewer: Anoriath · 2007-12-30 22:30:47 Score: 6
For all that it is so dark, Fell Memories is one of my favorite of
Gwynnyd's writings. Aragorn's comment about the Nazgul and their
nature, and his discomfiture at the memories of them could easily be
passed over, but for the later revelation of Aragorn's nature as the
hardiest of Men of the current Age. Trying to capture that kind of
terror is a challenge, one that I think that Gwynnyd met admirably.

Gwynnyd portrays Aragorn's physical and mental strength in the
tenacity with which he endures his tortures and humiliations. So, it's
with a wrench that I experience his moments of despair, that [love and
eminence] elude him. It's that contrast, the wearing down of a man
whose force of will allows his survival under extreme circumstances
that, I think, effectively captures the terror of the Nazgul.

Title: End Times · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Drama: Gondor Drabble
· ID: 702
Reviewer: Dot · 2007-12-30 22:31:19 Score: 3
This is very well done. You’ve really captured the sense of urgency,
of unstoppable events unfolding, of chaos, bewilderment and
desperation. That last line made me smile, even as it sent a chill
down my spine. Really, great job.

Title: A Truth Universally Acknowledged · Author: annmarwalk · Genres:
Humor: Gondor or Rohan · ID: 556
Reviewer: Inkling · 2007-12-30 22:34:06 Score: 3
A charming blend of Tolkien and Austen, with a touch of G. B. Shaw
thrown in...Boromir in this reminds me not only of Darcy, but of a
cantankerous Henry Higgins as well. The bantering among the cousins is
great fun!

Title: Day and Night · Author: Peredhil lover · Genres: Drama: Youth ·
ID: 190
Reviewer: Radbooks · 2007-12-30 22:35:35 Score: 8
A thoroughly enjoyable story. As I mentioned in a review of one of her
other stories, Peredhil Lover does an excellent job with all of her
characters and this story is no exception. This was the first story of
hers that I'd read that had Glorfindel in it, and as he is my favorite
elven character I was glad to see him portrayed so very well. He is
both a stern, strong elven warrior and a laughing, kind elven friend
to those in his care, which is how the books portray him.

Elladan is still having a hard time showing his love for Estel; he so
wants to protect himself from being hurt that he tries to keep the
young man at a distance and almost refuses to see the good qualities
Estel has. But over the course of this story, Elladan comes to see the
truth worth of this man who will be king someday and perhaps it will
lead to a new openness in their relationship - I hope so!

There is a nice amount of tension in the story; both between the
characters and then with just the action in the story itself - with
the trolls, etc.

It is a very good story and one I can recommend without reservation.
Thanks for sharing this with us.

Title: Where There's Life, There's Hope (and in need of vittles) ·
Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Drama: Gondor Drabble · ID: 463
Reviewer: Dot · 2007-12-30 22:37:19 Score: 3
Oh wow! I love this! My heart went out to Aragorn as he suffers along
with those he tries to heal â€" and then comes this wonderful sign of
life and normality. What a comfort that warm, familiar scent must have
been. This is wonderful.

Title: The Right Choice · Author: Linda hoyland · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Drabble · ID: 437
Reviewer: Radbooks · 2007-12-30 22:41:24 Score: 2
A touching drabble that tears at your heart when you consider what
Arwen gave up to stay in Middle-earth. Very nicely done!

Title: From Evil to Sorrow · Author: Elfique · Genres: Drama: Second
Age or Earlier · ID: 781
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2007-12-30 22:42:43 Score: 4
[spoilers]

Elfique writes a chilling account of the sack of Eregion and the cost
of lives that came with it. This use could use some touches of a
proof-reader to filter out some grammar mistakes for example,
nonetheless, you feel swept away by the action and emotions of this
piece: it simply draws you into the story. Then the waiting starts
before despair claims another life and it leaves me to wonder what
will become of this orphan, now bereft of his parents. This piece is
short, but it makes up for its intensity. It is nice to know that
there is a sequel. :)

Title: The Yuletide Festival Feast Song · Author: Llinos · Genres:
Poetry: With Hobbits · ID: 802
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-30 22:45:06 Score: 9
Llinos always manages to come up with different things and this is no
exception. Also, not that I am complaining, I have to wonder why she
makes things so difficult for herself? A list of festive food in rhyme
would be nice enough, but to do it in alphabetical order and manage to
find a food for every letter must have been a tall order. I hadn't
even heard of some of the foods that she had managed to come up with!

But she is an author that really likes to challenge herself and to do
things outside the norm, never one to take the easy way. I am
constantly impressed with her drive to improve her writing and to go
above and beyond what most authors would attempt, myself definitely
included!

The result is quite amusing, though I found it a bit hard to read at
first, but it is certainly worth persevering and by the second reading
I found myself getting into the rhythm of it.

A jolly fun-packed romp through a hobbit menu is a pleasant diversion
and I can easily visualise Merry and Pippin standing on a table with a
great long scroll of a list, singing out their extensive menu to
cheers and jeers from an appreciative audience. I won't even bother to
say that it makes me sooo hungry every time that I read it!


Title: A Useful Skill · Author: EdorasLass · Genres: Humor: Children ·
ID: 46
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:47:23 Score: 2
I love all the reactions in this. They are all so true to
character--Faramir, Denethor, and Nanny!

Title: Inroads · Author: Raksha the Demon · Races: Men: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 45
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:47:52 Score: 4
I love this. We see the Gondorian pride in pure blood which has marred
its history rearing its ugly head in the haughtiness of these ladies
Eowyn must face. And yet, there is another pride at work here, pride
in the way evil was resisted and overcome. I found myself proud of
Eowyn's keeping her composure when faced with disapproval--but I was
even more proud of the young OFC who sought to break down the
barriers. Beautifully done, and I found myself wanting to know more of
that child.

Title: Death of Hope · Author: Linda hoyland · Genres: Romance:
Drabble · ID: 618
Reviewer: Radbooks · 2007-12-30 22:47:53 Score: 2
A sad, yet moving look at Aragorn's death from Arwen's point of view.
It's very well done and packs a lot into a drabble. I think it
captures Arwen's thoughts very well.

Title: Romancing the Smut · Author: Llinos · Genres: Poetry: With
Hobbits · ID: 797
Reviewer: Marigold · 2007-12-30 22:47:58 Score: 10
Llinos actually wrote this to settle an argument and show me how easy
it is to get laughs by just being smutty. I think the result was
really funny though so I suppose it proved her point.

Nevertheless, I persuaded her to let this poem go forward for the
MEFA's as I thought it a worthy piece. I liked the fact that Merry was
the one trying to be serious and pen a romantic love poem to Eowyn and
that it was Pippin who was being irreverent and interjecting with
smutty lines.

The great humour is the way Pippin likes to supply the last line and
is obviously constantly jogging Merry's train of thought and that this
apparently ends up in the poem. One has to hope that it never actually
got sent to Eowyn! Although I would really like to read THAT scene!

I think what I also liked about it was that although it was just a
spoof piece to prove a point, it is still very much in character and
even though our hobbits are grown ups at this point, I can see shades
of their past together with Merry trying to do things right and Pippin
constantly throwing a spanner in the works with impish behaviour and
general naughtiness!

It also rhymes and scans surprisingly well, as I know it was knocked
out in a very short time and that Llinos never even intended to post
it anywhere. It was only my insistence that made her do it!


Title: Making the best of a bad situation · Author: Hai Took · Races:
Hobbits: Gapfiller · ID: 535
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:48:06 Score: 3
Poor Pippin--the journey from Weathertop to Rivendell must have been a
nightmare to Frodo's loved ones, but Pippin, worried that his own fear
and grief will be a hindrance, tries to hide his feelings.
Fortunately, Merry is perceptive...

Title: Mighty among both Elves and Men · Author: Tanaqui · Times:
Multi-Age: Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 606
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:48:20 Score: 2
This drabble set, a series of snapshots from the life of Elrond,
showing his interaction with the famous of three ages, is very well
concieved and executed.

Title: An Expansion of the Family Influence · Author: Auntiemeesh ·
Times: Early Third Age: 1-2850 TA · ID: 819
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:48:38 Score: 3
We are given one brief and tantalizing sentence about the founding of
Buckland and Brandy Hall, and the Oldbucks becoming the Brandybucks.
Auntieemesh comes up with an intriguing explanation of just how and
why Buckland was colonized.

Title: Fissures · Author: Thundera Tiger · Races: Dwarves · ID: 804
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:48:59 Score: 3
This is a interesting glimpse into how the other Dwarves might view
Gimli's friendship with Legolas, and the very subtle signs they would
see that show them how that friendship has affected the Dwarf. Very
well concieved and executed, and I really like the Dwarf OC who is
making the observations.

Title: The Inner Light · Author: Rhapsody · Genres: Drama: Elves in
Later Ages · ID: 236
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:49:13 Score: 3
What a very interesting idea of who and what Erestor was, and also of
what happened to Maglor! I have only the barest notions of The
Silmarillion--enough to follow what Rhapsody began to imply with the
first beginnings of this beautifully written story. Very lyrical and
emotional!

Title: Love Story · Author: Gandalfs apprentice · Genres: Humor: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlet · ID: 273
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:49:36 Score: 2
*chuckle* I love the way the children dramatize the stories Bilbo has
told them! And Bilbo's response was priceless.

Title: Adolescence · Author: Larner · Races: Cross-Cultural: Gondor ·
ID: 143
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:49:49 Score: 3
I love the friendship shown here between Sam's daughter and Aragorn
and Arwen's daughter--and the sort of "adventure" they get up to seems
just right for their age. A very fun story.

Title: The Bearing of Burdens · Author: Larner · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Gondor · ID: 792
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:50:04 Score: 2
A very thought-provoking conversation between Sam and Faramir, in
which we see the respect the two have for one another. Very insightful
observations on Sam's part.

Title: Death of Hope · Author: Linda hoyland · Genres: Romance:
Drabble · ID: 618
Reviewer: Dreamflower · 2007-12-30 22:50:29 Score: 1
Arwen's grief at losing her husband is beautifully explored here!