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Title: The Houseless · Author: Jael · Genres: Horror · ID: 178
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-08-18 19:37:12
Spoilers!
It takes a very gifted writer to take elements from one world and
seamlessly weave them into elements of another. And that seems to be
exactly what we have here. The adaptation of the Days of the Dead for
Tolkien's world is a thing of beauty. I love the idea of children
dressing up to frighten off Houseless Ones while the older elves sit
around telling tales of the departed. The setup makes what happens
next somewhat obvious (especially given the brilliantly described
actions of Legolas's horse) but here again, Jael proves what a gifted
author can do with an obvious plot. Sometimes, there is more power in
knowing what is wrong than in wondering what is wrong, especially if
the main character in the story remains ignorant. It gives readers a
chance to shout at their computer screens, as if yelling at a
character to not go into the haunted house (or in this case, offer the
ghostly figure a ride home) is going to change anything beyond upping
the tension level. But the true power in this story is the resolution,
which lets the tension simply unwind and turns a horror story into a
story of haunting comfort. The final feeling seems to be one of
uncertainty as ghostly remnants linger on, despite a parting message
of peace to the bereaved. Very powerful and very moving!

Title: The Ritual Disturbed · Author: Larner · Genres: Horror · ID: 68
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-08-18 19:37:54
Spoilers!
As chilling as the story is given the wight's warped and twisted
perspective, what impacted me most was the characterization of Tom
Bombadil. I especially liked him in the moment of confrontation with
the wight, and I loved the sense of power and timelessness that
transcended the entire story. It felt like a strange combination of
the Silmarillion and The Hobbit, actually. There were great deeds
remembered and ancient powers tapped, but by the end, there was also a
much lighter air as Tom distracts the hobbits from grim memories. I
can't think of two tones more different than those brought forth in
this story, and the brilliance of this story is that it all feels
completely natural. Great writing!

Title: I Can Feel It! · Author: Sivan Shemesh · Genres: Horror · ID: 673
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-08-18 19:38:35
Nice expansion on some urgently spoken movie lines. I hadn't thought
about it before, but those lines do give rise to the question of what
might have happened if Aragorn had listened to Legolas and acted
sooner. And conversely, they give rise to the question of how bad
could things have gone by not acting, a question that this story
ultimately answers.

Title: The Other · Author: Dana/Lindelea CoAuthors · Genres: Horror ·
ID: 27
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-08-18 19:39:43
Spoilers!
I can't believe I forgot about this story! I remember someone
recommended it to me earlier this year, and I very much enjoyed
reading it then but forgot to review. I'm glad the MEFAs are here to
remind me! This is a wonderfully paced story that offsets the horror
of the present with well-timed flashbacks that reveal exactly how
Pippin, Sam, and Merry managed to get themselves in to this situation.
Aragorn's arrival was a relief to one and all, and I loved the
tension-humor combination as he found himself caught by some
patrolling hobbits. It was exactly what was needed to offset the
horror that was enveloping Pippin. Good characterization all around,
and Pippin's desperation was keenly felt throughout the story. Very
engrossing.