Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: Bitter May · Author: Cuthalion · Genres: Alternate Universe:
Angst/Tragedy · ID: 265
Reviewer: SurgicalSteel · 2008-06-28 21:50:19
This is another wonderfully awful tale of what if? set in Cuthalion's
'Before I Go To Sleep' universe. Cuthalion's heroine Lily Proudfoot,
the Hobbiton midwife, was kidnapped during the Troubles and taken to
Bag End for the pleasure of Lotho Sackville-Baggins, who's lusted
after her for some time. In the original tale, there are no sequelae
to the assault other than the usual and obvious psychological ones and
a few bruises and scratches. This tale explores what might have
happened if she had become pregnant as a result of that rape. The
author pulls no punches in describing Lily's humiliation, fear,
nightmares, and feelings of shame and desperation. The choices Lily
makes will be controversial and disturbing for some readers - but
they're handled in a way that felt emotionally honest and real for me.
I was priviledged to read this while Cuthalion was still polishing it
up, and I wept when I first read it, and wept again when she posted it
on her LiveJournal. It's extremely dark and angsty and contains
material that will be trigger issues for some people and controversial
decisions. All of that being said, it's wonderfully written and
gut-wrenchingly emotionally honest, and a good and thought-provoking read.

Title: Pride and Despair: A Defense of Ecthelion's Son · Author: Marta
· Genres: Non-Fiction: Character Studies · ID: 624
Reviewer: SurgicalSteel · 2008-06-28 22:11:07
This was an interesting and thought-provoking essay. Denethor
certainly isn't one of my favorite characters, and I won't say this
essay changed that opinion - and I won't say I agree with every point
the author raises. However, it is a well-written, well-researched,
well-structured essay and it made me *think.* Kudos to the author for
a job well-done.

Title: Lessons from the Mountain · Author: MithLuin · Races: Elves:
Incomplete · ID: 221
Reviewer: SurgicalSteel · 2008-06-28 22:15:24
This is an intriguing look not just at what happened to the spirit of
Maedhros after death, but what happened to the other five sons of
Feanor and Nerdanel as well - and there have been hints in more recent
chapters that there may be material about Feanor in the Halls of
Mandos as well, which I'm really hoping to see!

Title: Broken Star · Author: pandemonium_213 · Races: Villains:
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 54
Reviewer: SurgicalSteel · 2008-06-28 22:25:09
This was downright twisted, but gloriously so, and in exactly the way
that it needed to be. I wouldn't call it a fun read, precisely, but it
was a *good* read.

Title: Care to Ride My Hot-Rod Fell Beast? · Author: viv · Genres:
Humor: Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 180
Reviewer: SurgicalSteel · 2008-06-28 22:31:50
This made me laugh my butt off. I really enjoyed it!

Title: The Journey · Author: foxrafer (csevans8) · Times: Late Third
Age: General Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 604
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 00:44:28
This is quite an appealing view of Pippin, and much closer to the
books' characterization than the goofy frat-boy foisted upon us
(however entertainingly), by Peter Jackson. Pip's sense of
introspection, curiosity and fascination tinged with just a bit of
understandable apprehension, is very well drawn here.

Foxrafer's language, as always, is vivid and engaging: phrases like
[stars forming patterns that seemed unrecognizable] and [trudging
along on sturdy feet] marvelously convey Pippin's own recognition of
his coming-of-age journey, one that will change not only his life, but
the history of Middle-Earth as well.

Title: The Green Knight and the Master of Esgaroth · Author: Le Rouret
· Genres: Drama: Incomplete · ID: 455
Reviewer: Nieriel Raina · 2008-06-29 02:12:30
The Green Knight and the Master of Esgaroth has a wonderful opening
that sweeps us right into the lives of the characters a couple years
after we last left them. I just love how Le Rouret composes a story,
building from the opening and taking the reader on an exciting, and
sometimes frightening ride! There is lots of subtle humor, as well as
lines that had me laughing out loud.

I am enjoying Tamin very much. He is a delightful character, and I
want to hug him. He is so perfect for following Bandobras as Legolas'
squire. But I fear he faces challenges beyond him that will change him
and have him leaving forever the innocent, sweet elfling behind.

It has been interesting seeing Bandy all grown up. His lines are
classic as always, but in a much more mature manner, as should be
expected.

Fastred and Leodwyn have also grown up and with it have come
difficulties that most older adolescents face. They still have much to
learn. Little Theodred is so very much a little brother, he's charming!

Gimli is the voice of reason and is the steady friend and rock that
grounds Legolas. I always love reading Le Rouret's portrayal of him,
but this time he really shines.

While the opening is both fun and has its own drama, it's just the
early part of the ride. Things shift from humorous and exasperating to
serious and chilling. Le Rouret has written a dream sequence that I
hold is some of her best writing, with vivid imagery that leaves the
reader in a cold sweat. Lightened for a time with some humor, we
eventually leave the more innocent part of the story behind and move
on toward the imposing hill of horror.

This story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, terrified of
what will come next, but too engaged to look away. Extremely creepy,
but skillfully woven, the reader cannot take their eyes away. I'm sure
we're no where near the conclusion of this story and but I'm still
dragged along, anticipating and dreading the final climax.

While very dark, this story is one of Le Rouret's best. She has
incorporated all her talent into one tale: humor, use of letters to
tell part of the tale, angst, drama, and horror. Though still not
complete, it is a chilling, thrilling and brilliant tale.




Title: Early Winter at Himring Hill · Author: Oshun · Genres: Romance:
Elven Lands · ID: 79
Reviewer: Robinka · 2008-06-29 11:56:23
Stories such as this one always brings a huge smile on my face and
makes me happily sigh. Our favorite characters, no matter who exactly
we fancy the most, deserve a moment of peace and happiness in their
otherwise tough and often tragic life. This short ficlet offers a most
enjoyable and adorable glimpse at Fingon and Maedhros and shows their
playfulness, also the love and joy of life. And Oshun portrays them
with a great dose of care and humor, which I love. A delightful read.

Title: Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair · Author: Marta ·
Genres: Romance: Gondor · ID: 405
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:07:43
What a powerful series. I'm quite touched and humbled at having had
anything at all to do with this, and also delighted at the way you
picked up my story and spun it out so elegantly! That's part of the
great joy of fanfic, I think, the communal and collaborative nature;
how we can merrily play in each other's sandboxes, not just the
original author's. It's like adding our own craftwork to a quilt or
tapestry: the theme is there, and the original thread, but our unique,
recognizable contributions add to the loveliness of the result. And
the "result" is never really finished - two or five or fifty years
from now a new reader, writer, crafter, may add a bit of her own.
That's a lovely thought, isn't it?

But (as usual) I digress. This series is so wonderfully complementary
to your essay["Pride and Despair"] that I'm very glad I reread this
after reading the other. Poor Denethor! You've shown his life, really,
as consumed by longing for Aragorn, not just the anguish of his lust
and guilt, but his pride and jealousy overcoming his desire for
friendship, camaraderie, understanding, emotional kinship. The final
interlude - Aragorn reflecting on what he had always sensed, and his
own inability to overcome the unspoken barriers between himself and
Denethor - is heartbreaking. Thank you so much for your contributions,
in both fiction and nonfiction, to our fuller understanding of Denethor.

Title: Of Old It Was Not Darksome · Author: EdorasLass · Races:
Dwarves · ID: 70
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:13:18
The author once described this story as "dwarven angst", but it isn't
really; it's pride, tradition, and devotion to ritual and detail, all
hallmarks of the Dwarven culture. I particularly like the way the
somber scene is set, the hints of logistics and record-keeping so
necessary to provide documentation, and closure, to the families who
have lost [son or husband or father]. The imagery of the [low,
mournful song ] and [whispered words of blessing] is stunning. And yet
amidst all the grieving for his own people, Gimli must suffer one more
blow, a bitter reminder of his own grief and loss of the one who stood
by his side in this very chamber, sharing his pain, honoring his dead.

The final lines, though painful to read, are perfectly in character
for book!Gimli. A very lovely glimpse, and a very fitting tribute, to
a sorely-underappreciated character.

Title: Thawing Lily · Author: Soubrettina · Genres: Humor: Gondor · ID: 30
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:15:31
Oh, Soubie, Soubie, it's been years since I read this story, but all
this time it's been lurking in the back of my brain as one of the most
outrageous, original true-to-reality-if-not-necessarily-true-to-canon
depictions of Eowyn I've ever read. There's so much of
twenty-first-century-womanhood in your Eowyn, while at the same time,
she's embued with power and energy that the Professor, lord love him,
would never have understood to write.

The notion that all women know, instinctively, how to be comforting
and nurturing is quickly blasted to kingdom come here. I can easliy
picture Eowyn with that deer-in-the-headlights look: "Oh no, he's
crying, what on earth am I supposed to do to make him stop?" for,
though she may have gentled foals and tended scraped knees, and more
severe battle-wounds aplenty, teary-eyed men don't seem to be
particularly common in her world. (Though a tear-inducing tale or
ballad, in the Golden Hall, accompanied by copious amounts of ale,
would not be held amiss at all.) But she's young, and under stress,
and hormonal. Though the Steward, being older, might perhaps have been
expected to know better. A lot better.

[it was pity upon him that I gave the skin of my leg to his touch, for
he would treasure it much more than Lord Aragorn ever would; at the
end of all things, what did it matter, if hands became involved so,
tongues, thighs, breasts became involved, as we were caught together,
involved at the groin, hard to get much more involved than that-
Mayhap it was just as all well that the end of all things was nigh.]

*wipes tears from laughing * Oh, Soublie, Soubie, I love your mad
writing and Eowyn's mad monolog. And that's just the first chapter.

[What was it, what was it? did I look changed, now I was no more a
maiden, a maid-not-a-maid? ]

Oh, Soubie. The universal question, really; Can anyone tell? Can
anyone tell when a maid (of the first age, or second or third, or
twenty-first) had taken that step off the precipice, tasted the tree
of knowledge of good and evil, loved not wisely but too well? Éowyn is
certainly not alone in her confusion (or her lack of knowledge);
you've given us a loving glimpse of Everywoman.

Title: A Moment Away · Author: Elen Kortirion · Races: Men: General
Drabbles · ID: 474
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:16:18
I love the imagery of the warrior Dernhelm, cooly courting (and
welcoming) a warrior's noble death, suddenly transformed into Eowyn,
shieldmaiden and girlchild, seeking refuge and comfort for a moment in
her beloved grandmother's arms. And that that comfort comes from
another understanding and empathic warrior woman, Morwen of Lossarnach
and Rohan, is a masterful stroke on the author's part! I particularly
liked Morwen's advice, shieldmaiden to shieldmaiden: ["Never be
ashamed of screaming......only be sure `tis worth screaming over."]
Wonderful!

Title: Two Prisoners · Author: Lord Branwyn · Genres: Alternate
Universe · ID: 724
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:20:39
A brief, simple scene, just enough to whet our appetites for more. The
dialog is in charcter and realistic for the situation, and the
details, though sparse, are well integrated and pack an unexpected
punch. ["They didn't sink into the mud. Wonder how long you have to be
here to learn that trick."] Zounds, what a great detail!

["you could see it in their eyes. They've seen a lot of battles...']

When you stop to think of it, that's quite wrenching, isn't it? I
mean, they've got the long life, but when they just have to keep
watching the foolishness of Men, century after century, the poor
things. And we just don't ever seem to learn from our mistakes.

["There's a signals office who's an expert in languages, an Oxford
man.."] But of course! A very plausible AU (if that's not a
contradiction in terms, *g*). Well done, Lord B!



Title: My Precious · Author: SheBit · Genres: Romance: Drabbles · ID: 14
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:21:07
This is a very disturbing story, so much so that, for a long time, I
was of two minds over nominating it. I finally came to the conclusion
that the the certain disgusting quality, the utter creepiness, was a
hallmark and demonstration of SheBit's outstanding writing ability.
The author has certainly put a contemporary spin to the story, gone
where Tolkien in his delicacy would never even think to tread, and
brought us face to face with our own greatest fears. Vivid and
frightening and very well done.

Title: Beggar's Night · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Genres:
Humor: Shire · ID: 15
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:22:15
Spoilers!
This story just makes me giggle like a crazy giggling woman every time
I read it. The dialog, first of all, is perfectly in character (once
you can accept that each of these characters would actually be
participating in the activity depicted). The description of the
costumes makes them quite easy to visualize, especially Legolas's
over-the-top number, all silk and silver sequins. The image of Gimli
in green velveteen, setting his own alcohol-soaked breath afire --
too, too funny. And cross-dressing Eowyn and Faramir is just
outrageous! In a good way, of course *g*

The word choices, too, add to the vividness of the scene, making the
story as lively and entertaining as a children's tale. Words like
[muffled, bobble, swig, backside] carry their own cheeky humor and
hilarious imagery, just as Merry and Pippin do in the story; while, as
usual Gandalf steals the show ["I am going as a wizard, and if anyone
else asks about my lack of a costume, I will go as a greatly annoyed
wizard."] Hee!

Title: In the Van · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Genres: Humor ·
ID: 72
Reviewer: annmarwalk · 2008-06-29 18:33:20
*chortles* A witty and imaginative writer has taken an archaic
expression, given it a twenty-first-century spin, and reimagined
familiar characters and events to match. The updated characterization
- and the imagery it produces - just about makes my head explode with
glee. Thank you so much for writing this! It may be crack!fic, but
sometimes that's just what we need: something zesty and unexpected,
like a handful of wasabi coated peanuts or chocolate expresso beans.
It still makes me laugh out loud, wiping my tears, every single time I
read it.

Title: Wherever You Go · Author: Tena · Genres: Drama: Featuring the
Noldor · ID: 537
Reviewer: Erviniae · 2008-06-29 18:58:57
I loved how this story spanned Elrond's life and all that he lived
through. It was wonderful , the back and forth from present time and
linking it to an event in his past. It was sweet and sad and brought
about much emotion in me. A lovely read.

Title: Painting a Golden Light · Author: chaotic_binky · Genres:
Drama: Featuring the Noldor · ID: 364
Reviewer: Erviniae · 2008-06-29 19:01:07
This was such an original and well researched story. I enjoyed it very
much.
The ending was so wonderfully explained.

Title: Summer Heat · Author: chaotic_binky · Times: Modern Times · ID: 363
Reviewer: Erviniae · 2008-06-29 19:03:57
Another innovative idea from this author. I enjoyed the suspense of
the modern setting and the mystery that needed to be solved.

Title: Spiced Wine On A Snowy Day · Author: Nieriel Raina · Races:
Elves: Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 558
Reviewer: Erviniae · 2008-06-29 19:12:41
Much said in a short amount of words. Nicely done.

Title: Tolkien's Parish: The Canonical Middle-earth · Author: Steuard
Jensen · Genres: Non-Fiction · ID: 91
Reviewer: Dawn Felagund · 2008-06-29 19:33:49
[For most of Tolkien's readers, the choice of canonical texts is not a
conscious one: they assume that the books are equally authoritative
until they first encounter obvious ambiguities. Those assumptions can
persist through The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The
Silmarillion, but are quickly shattered by Unfinished Tales and the
"History of Middle-earth" books.]

These two lines in Steuard Jensen's essay describe well the feeling
many of us had upon discovering for the first time that, the further
one goes in one's exploration of Middle-earth, the neat, clean lines
defining our "canon" are anything but. Jensen's essay tackles this
conundrum--which each of us, as writers and researchers, has
faced--and offers various ways to view canon.

"Tolkien's Parish" gives a nod to many of the outlooks that I have
personally adopted, as have many of my peers, but does not ignore the
value of a simple good story: The fifth criteria on the list of how
canon might be determined from the mishmash of facts that is Tolkien's
life's work is that it ["makes a satisfying and enjoyable story"]. And
is this not the crux of why we explore canon? Because we felt an
initial blush of love for this imaginary world that has taken us
through multiple volumes of writing and years of research to even
begin to consider the question?

"Tolkien's Parish" offers logical suggestions without detracting from
any particular way to view Tolkien's world, a difficult task given the
passion with which Tolkien researchers often defend their
interpretations. A concise, reasonable, and very readable piece, it is
a must-read in any study of canon.

Title: The Ghost in the Garden · Author: Dawn Felagund · Races: Elves
· ID: 272
Reviewer: Erviniae · 2008-06-29 19:50:42
A very *haunting* (no pun intended!) tale of the questions surrounding
the differences between Noldo and Sindar in various ways.
I was enraptured by the style of this prose and of the skepticism of
one who seems such a strong character. Very well done.

Title: Arwen · Author: Neoinean · Genres: Romance: Gondor · ID: 359
Reviewer: Erviniae · 2008-06-29 20:21:47
Wow, what a crescendo of emotion here and a lovely testament to the
love between Aragorn and Arwen. You have captured the complexity and
yet the simplicity of their love and all that each have given up and
gained to be together.
Well done!

Title: Beggar's Night · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Genres:
Humor: Shire · ID: 15
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-06-30 06:07:37
Spoilers!
Ah--a means of working a version of Halloween into Middle Earth, and
involving several we know and love. It's fun to think that the Shire
should have its own traditions of costumed begging for sweets, and
that four of five non-Hobbits should fall in with the plan.

Humor is light-hearted and delightful, and LOVE Gandalf's "costume."
[Annoyed wizard] indeed! Heh!

Title: The Six-Fingered Glove Mystery · Author: shirebound · Genres:
Mystery · ID: 522
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-06-30 06:12:16
Two of our favorite young Hobbits find what appears to be a
six-fingered glove, and spend a time speculating on the creature that
must have lost it. But it proves Scamp appreciates its provenance.

A sweet, delightful addition to the "Quarantine" universe tales.