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Msg# 9408

MEFA Reviews for Thursday, August 28, 2008 Posted by annmarwalk August 28, 2008 - 20:48:58 Topic ID# 9408
Title: Elanor of Westmarch: Still There · Author: Baranduin · Genres:
Drama: Final Partings · ID: 183
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-08-28 04:32:17
Spoilers!
I haven't read too many stories about Elanor as an adult. This one is
quite a nice read. The farewell between her and Sam is gentle, filled
with melancholy but also having a hobbit cheerfulness and sense of the
inevitable about it. I found Elanor's desire to accompany her father,
her longing to share in the wonders he was going to experience, quite
credible and poignant. And her eventual decision made definite sense
in the context of all we know about Elanor and the mature, loving
hobbit that the story shows her to be.

Title: The Tower Hills · Author: DrummerWench · Genres: Drama: Final
Partings · ID: 608
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-08-28 04:50:23
Spoilers!
I like the descriptions of the Tower and also the Tower Hills. And
there's a nice sense of finality, and a gently melancholy atmosphere,
as Frodo and the Elves take their last journey in Middle-earth. The
comradeship of Frodo and Sam is well-written, and it is something of a
shock to see the other hobbits traveling back home without him.

Title: Lost and Found · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Times: Mid
Third Age · ID: 23
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-08-28 05:23:16
here is a story that opens the archives of gondor as a place of
adventure, and it all starts with faramir,gandalf, poetry and
ballistics. without giving the story away, i think it is safe to tell
you that we get a young energetic faramir who is dealing with gandalf
if not the first time at least very early in their relationship. she
had a cute plot and she keeps it moving in a very smooth pace and does
not resort to cute-sy underdeveloped conversations or plays on
words.it plays well with my own preconcieved views of these two
characters and how they might have built their friendship. this is a
little boy that you want to learn more about, it will be a joy to
watch as he matures and grows into the man we have all read so many
times. lady branwyn's wizard is niether the grumpy old crudgmudgeon or
the indulgent loremaster that so often is how authors feel they should
portray this keeper of great wisdom. he comes out in this story as an
easy-going, dilegent loremaster who may not have been exposed to very
many children. the only regret that i have is that there was not more
interaction between her characters there were places where they were
in the same area but not truly dealing with each other, though these
moments were indeed well written and smooth flowing.

Title: Thoughtful Company · Author: EdorasLass · Genres: Humor: Gondor
· ID: 16
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-08-28 18:02:33
Now *that* is a fascinating question Faramir poses to Mithrandir! And
one that, I'm sure, I'm not alone in never even thought about
before... Faramir's suggestions seem very reasonable to me, and it's
obvious that he has thought them through and really has taken into
account the difficulties and possible consequences.

Faramir's characterisation as a bright, earnest child rings very true,
and Mithrandir's, as seen through Nanny's perceptive and kind eyes, as
well.

Title: A Harmony In Autumn · Author: Oshun · Genres: Romance: Elven
Lands · ID: 49
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-08-28 18:11:26
This is a lovely story. I can feel a lot of back story I'm not
familiar with; although, the author notes help with that. Fingon is
sneaky in getting Glorfindel to admit his love. I like the emotional
warmth radiating between the two lovers that shows this is about more
than just sex. What would they have done if not for Fingon?

Title: The Citadel · Author: Claudia · Genres: Mystery · ID: 732
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-08-28 18:12:39
This story gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. Although the setting is a
strange town not really fitting any of Middle-earth' cultures, Frodo
and his ranger friends Strider, Faramir and Halbarad create a cozy
home in an otherwise bleak environment, mostly of Frodo's doing. I
like the characterization of the main protagonists and the way Frodo
persevered in doing the right thing even if it seems nobody
appreciates it. And it pays off to the surprise of some people.

Title: Chance Encounter · Author: Telcontar Rulz · Times: Late Third
Age · ID: 203
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-08-28 18:24:13
Spoilers!
In this crossover Balian finds his way to Middle-earth and gets to be
part of the Fellowship. The story follows closely the movies with some
great detours to incorporate Balian and his archenemy who provides
some comic relief. I never thought about how well Balian's philosophy
fits into Tolkien's world. I love the running commentary from Balian
about the strange things he encounters in Middle-earth.

Title: My Brother. My Captain. My King. · Author: Amarok · Times: Late
Third Age · ID: 602
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-08-28 18:25:04
This story tells Boromir's journey from foe to friend of Aragorn and
at the same time from friend to foe of the ring. It is written very
effectively in little significant scenes mostly along movie verse in a
stream of consciousness style from Boromir's point of view.

Throughout the story it is chilling to see how subtle the ring's
insinuations are. It took me sometimes a re-reading to really see the
ring's influence. Most of Boromir's inner reasonings and monologues
start out very logically and reasonable to then just take a turn where
you finally see that this cannot really be Boromir's own thought.

I love the major added scene which, to me, is a turning point in
Boromir's relationship to Aragorn.

I love the wordplay on Aragorn's name.

Title: Tolo Dan Na Ngalad · Author: Elwen · Races: Hobbits · ID: 735
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-08-28 18:25:44
Spoilers!
This is a lovely gap filler which shows more than the few words in the
original about Elrond's struggle to remove the shard of the Morgul blade.

Although everyone knows the outcome, the story manages to let the
reader forget that they know the ending. The story manages to build
tension from one try to remove the shard to the next.

Poor Frodo, that shard is even worse than I ever thought. I like it
that even Elrond needed help in removing that shard.

Title: King Stag · Author: Jael · Races: Elves: Mirkwood Elves · ID: 86
Reviewer: crowdaughter · 2008-08-28 22:13:43
Spoilers!
This is a powerful and beautiful story, and every time I read it again
I am compelled anew by the raw and wild images and the intense
descriptions Jael uses here to craft her tale. The imagery draws one
in from the first moment - one can see Thranduil on that forest path,
rather unsure what he will tell his new father in law...

The image of the the strange Avari customs and ritual Thranduil has to
partake in to become worthy of his wife, the to-the-point symbolism,
and the sad overtones of the long-time implications of these rituals -
all this is worked into a perfect tale which gives deep insight both
into Thranduil's character as well as into the question what binds him
to his kingship, and the forest. As a whole, the tale fits perfectly
in Jael's greater story arc about Thranduil, and even gives some
foreboding of the later AU modern time tales of Not Fade Away and Out
Of The Blue.

But the most impressive thing about this tale, in my opinion, is the
insight it gives into the life and customs of the Avari.

Tolkien gives us little information in canon about the Avari or Evyr,
and so any tale that tries to give a glimpse of their culture is
especially intriguing. That the "Unwilling", who refused to leave the
Waters of Birth to start on the Great Journey, would be more tied to
natuire in their way of living than other Elves, is a given. However,
tied to nature does not necessarily means primitive, and Jael's tale
drives that point home here with great impact. The reason given here
why they and the Silvain elves of the Great Greenwood might have been
willing to accept Oropher, one of the Sindar princes who came east to
them "to live as Elves should", as their ruler and king, is very
believable too, and drives that point home even more.

It speak volumes of Thranduil's character in this tale, then, that he
is willing to accept and honor these strange customs, instead of
looking down on them, as apparently some other Sindar of Oropher's
entourage seem to do, here. And the way we finally see him accept his
fate is pure Thranduil, too - defiant, proud, and with great strength
and sense of loyalty. Perfect!

All in all, a well crafted tale, and one that can be read and enjoyed
many times over. One of my absolute favorites of this author.

Title: Bombur's Diet · Author: Primsong · Races: Dwarves · ID: 677
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2008-08-29 00:01:09
There are so few stories of Bilbo and the Dwarves after their quest!
This is quite the amusing tale, with Bombur at the center of it all.
The descriptions of food are enough to make one want to go peek into
one's own kitchen to see what's lying about.

Bilbo's viewpoint, and his small assists - never too much, but just
enough to try to help Bombur out a bit - are priceless. I love his
becoming the Burglar again, and his shared appreciation for a good
meal gives him an understanding of his friend's love of fine food and
plenty of it that the others lack.

Entertaining throughout!

Title: Moon of the Sea · Author: pandemonium_213 · Times: Second and
Early Third Age · ID: 213
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2008-08-29 00:01:19
Spoilers!
Mark another in the noble list of efforts to give a name, a face, a
life to the women who litter the Tolkien histories as textual ghosts,
artifacts deduced by the presence of offspring or perhaps a name. The
pieces in this collection work like a collage, proceeding
chronologically from birth until - one surmises - death, and hitting
the milestones of puberty, menarche, first love, marriage, and
motherhood. The moment of foresight in the audience with Tar-Palantír
was suitably uncanny, and must have made everyone wonder: what do you
do when the king tells you you shall be mother of kings?

Lovely sketches that fill out a much-neglected corner of the Ardaverse.