Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: The Weight of Power · Author: Nefhiriel · Times: Mid Third Age
· ID: 325
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-14 19:07:36
Spoilers!
A thrill ride of a novel - Aragorn fights enemies and treachery in the
service of Thengel of Rohan, facing torture and other dangers. I
thought the original character Araedhelm very well written. Nefhiriel
writes a well-paced, entertaining story, which is enhanced by the
credible use of Eorling original names and Elvish phrasing.

Title: Dirt and Gold · Author: Empy · Times: Mid Third Age · ID: 590
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-14 19:16:13
Spoilers!
Although I disagree with the implication of a sexual relationship
between Eowyn and Eomer; I found the characterisation of Grima to be
otherwise very well-written; the depth of his obsession with Eowyn and
his frustration that he could not turn it into reality come alive here.

Title: Legacy · Author: Raksha the Demon · Races: Men: General
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 500
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2008-09-14 19:23:31
The very first sentence sets the stage so well for the remainder of
the vignette. In lovely, poetic prose, we learn immediately that the
lost kinsman is well-loved and much-missed, and that the narrator is
steeped in family lore concerning this long-dead individual.

The introduction of who is being mourned is achieved very effectively,
with a listing of titles that emphasizes the legendary character of
the man over his humanity. In fact, we don't even know if the musing
young man has been told of his kinsman's greatest failure. But this
feels completely appropriate, given how we all prefer to remember our
dead: at his best, with his worst not "swept under the rug", per se,
but reduced to insignificance against the myriad - and here, legendary
- accomplishments of his life.

It would be easy, I'd think, for the narrator to turn to resentment at
having a family hero lauded at every turn, even to being named after
the man. But I don't get the slightest hint of that - only profound
respect and honor for both the dead and the terrible times that
defined life back then. The only nod to the possible difficulty of
bearing a version of a hero's name is when the narrator, thinking of
his own soon-to-arrive firstborn, decides that he will break from the
naming tradition into something new, something for the New Age vs. the
past.

Although the author used a "tribble" format that limits the wordcount,
this does not feel either constrained or fluffed out unnecessarily -
just using the perfect amount of words to express this brief but deep
reflection by one of Gondor's Fourth Age sons.

There are many layers and allusions richly woven into a beautiful
tapestry of love, remembrance and regret that has direct links to our
own day. I was left somber but also with joy, and much respect for the
fallen heroes of today. Most excellent work, Raksha.

Title: Another Country · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: General
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 438
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-14 20:10:04
Spoilers!
A thought-provoking set of two drabbles, wherein Boromir, after death,
encounters his father in the Halls of Mandos. I particularly liked
Boromir's seeing the tapestries, his realization that the history of
Gondor was part of a greater tapestry - this reflects the learning
process undergone by many LOTR characters, and would have probably
been hardest of all for Boromir.

Title: The Road Trip · Author: Garnet Took · Times: Modern Times · ID: 410
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-14 20:19:32
Spoilers!
A cute bit of whimsy; the four hobbits doing a modern road trip. Good
juxtaposition with the hobbits' movieverse personalities and the
realities of real life long distance journeys by car. I loved the bit
about Merry obsessing on his duties as the Navigator - that is very
true to life, at least in terms of the hazards of allowing any male
access to a map during a road trip. And movie-Pippin being the fidgety
'child' of the group is perfect...

Title: Seven Sisters · Author: Pearl Took · Races: Other Beings · ID: 388
Reviewer: Garnet Took · 2008-09-14 20:55:56
Pearl has woven a lot into this short story.

The myth of the Pleiades and the American Indian lore of the Seven
Sisters is cleverly mixed with the constelations of Arda.

Plus, poor Pippin get a lesson in both being careful what you wish for
and not over-indulging in strong drink.

Nicely done.

Title: Dirty Jobs · Author: Pearl Took · Genres: Humor: Shire · ID: 232
Reviewer: Marta · 2008-09-14 21:02:13
I found this to be a very fun read; it speaks well of Pippin's
character that he'd take on those less-than-pleasant jobs, and it
seemed so hobbity to joke about it. Nice use of the challenge
requirements to build a tale that is a nice read completely on its own
- not always easy to do, I know!

Title: I Give You a Rainbow · Author: Golden · Races: Hobbits:
Friendship · ID: 571
Reviewer: Garnet Took · 2008-09-14 21:23:30
The first time I read this story I got tears in my eyes.

Golden captures the emotions of both the blind child who can't quite
do everything the sighted children can and the seeing child who wants
to open the world to his blind friend.

This story brought back memories of my own childhood and trying to
explain colors to my friends or describe a variant of a primary color
to my mother who had lost her vision. I know just what Pippin was
going through in this story and I admire his creativity.

Title: Tying Notes · Author: Imhiriel · Times: Late Third Age: Gondor
Drabbles · ID: 378
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 21:46:55
aww, our precious little nerd.

Title: Summer's End · Author: pippinfan88 · Races: Hobbits: Post-Ring
War · ID: 380
Reviewer: Garnet Took · 2008-09-14 22:19:32
I'd love to go to a Halloween party like this one.

Frodo is a great story teller and still has a great sense of humor
desptie everything he's gone through.

Title: Summer's End · Author: pippinfan88 · Races: Hobbits: Post-Ring
War · ID: 380
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 22:24:43
you show a finese that bilbo and frodo would envy in story telling.

Title: The Last Stand · Author: Rhapsody · Times: First Age and Prior
· ID: 82
Reviewer: pandemonium_213 · 2008-09-14 22:27:01
Spoilers!
As a dedicated Silm-geek, I tore through Rhapsody's [The Last Stand]
when she first published it and have since re-read it several times.
This is an excellent gap-filler for a battle of great import in First
Age Beleriand: the Battle of Nírnaeth Arnoediad, translated as
"Unnumbered Tears," an appropriate name for an agonizing defeat.

The Noldor, encouraged to believe that victory against Morgoth is
possible, attempt to unite a disparate group of allies: Elves of
fractious tribes, Dwarves and mortal Men. However, only Mablung and
Beleg came forth from Doriath since their king, Thingol, rejected any
alliance with the sons of Fëanor.

In [The Last Stand], Rhapsody drops the reader right into the fray
from the viewpoint of three warriors: Ecthelion of Gondolin, and Beleg
and Mablung of Doriath. Ecthelion, Turgon's reknowned captain, who
Rhapsody writes with an excellent balance of compassion, bravery and
Noldorin hauteur, surveys the battle churning around him, knowing who
has fallen, and sensing that the tide is turning but not in the
alliance's favor. He sees Beleg and Mablung and recognizes them as
wood-elves. He sends his men to rescue them from their embattled
state, and then Rhapsody lets us become "a fly on the wall" looking
and listening in on the interaction of these three Tolkienian icons.
Then she takes us into Beleg's thoughts and his perception of the
Noldor. I'm a big fan of Rhapsy's Beleg (well, Beleg in general --
he's an intriguing character save for that inexplicable soft spot of
Túrin) so I enjoyed reading his thoughts here. Lastly, we hear
Mablung's voice in the final melancholy paragraphs of the story, who
salutes his Noldorin comrades in a manner that no doubt would make
Thingol apoplectic.

[The Last Stand] is classic Silm-fic and garners my strongest
recommendation.


Title: Writer's Bloke · Author: stefaniab · Genres: Humor: Drabbles ·
ID: 431
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 22:30:18
sighhhhhhh! lucky you! ssiiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggh!

Title: Love at First Sight · Author: Gwynnyd · Races: Elves: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 432
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 22:33:06
Spoilers!
and now we know how it began.

Title: Night Terrors · Author: Gwynnyd · Genres: Drama: Gondor
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 433
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 22:43:34
Spoilers!
this is a faramir we could worship, dedicated father who is first and
formost the slave of his child.

Title: The Skills That Keep You Alive · Author: Gwynnyd · Times: Mid
Third Age · ID: 434
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 22:47:29
have you considered a training video, you would have the most views in
a short time?

Title: Duty, Honour, Country · Author: Rhapsody · Races: Elves: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 81
Reviewer: pandemonium_213 · 2008-09-14 22:48:47
In [Duty, Honour, Country], Rhapsody uses consciously repeated phrases
to great effect, like stanzas of a march or a drumbeat. She links
Maglor's perspective into the modern words of General Douglas
MacArthur. As someone who relishes connections made from the icons of
The Silmarillion to those of our contemporary world, I really liked
this series of drabbles.

In [Duty], Rhapsody captures Maglor's strong sense of duty to his
father, his brothers and to himself. I particularly appreciate this
perspective since my interpretation of the sons of Fëanor's allegiance
to their father was never one of coercion, but through love, loyalty
and familial duty. [Honour] evokes the battles which Maglor
experiences as an exile in Beleriand, and finally, [Country] evokes
the price of war and offers a reason for why Maglor remained in
Middle-earth which was not to wallow in self-loathing and regret, but
rather for vigilance. With these words ["These green lands and long
beaches, this is what I inherited: an inevitable end after all that
has passed."], I can't help but imagine that Maglor had foresight of
Dunkirk and Normandy

[None will/shall understand] is a fitting chorus for the bard turned
warrior who does understand duty, honour and country.





Title: The Roses of Imloth Melui · Author: Aervir · Genres: Drama:
Gondor Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 435
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 22:53:35
an over due look at stoic preserverance, beautiful

Title: Supporting Acts · Author: Tanaqui · Times: Fourth Age and
Beyond: Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 436
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 22:57:30
the price of truth, the rewards of justice. great shorts.

Title: Handy With A Sword · Author: Tanaqui · Genres: Romance: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 437
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 23:03:53
nice touch, betting her bridegroom, so close to the wedding. if anyone
wonders who wears the pants in the family, i think their concerned
about the wrong part of the partnership. his resume is longer, hers is
much more precise. can't wait to see the rematch for their twenty-fifth.

Title: And Whisper You to This Earth · Author: Lady Elina · Genres:
Romance · ID: 151
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-09-14 23:22:47
I loved how the story is set up with the tale of the
["Whisper-stone"], branching out from its meaning - real and imaginery
- to the importance of listening and of awareness of history, which
then sets up an important quality of Erestor's character and of one
thrust of the story.

The metaphors and actual physical descriptions are interwoven
wonderfully, to make the story a rich, multi-dimensional experience
from the text itself to the meta-level (e.g. ["The man is tall, his
body is that of a warrior and his words barren and few as the
weather-beaten paths of the North."]). I especially liked how the
landscape was slowly formed in my mind's eye, barren, wind-swept,
still, but somehow still beautiful in its mysteriousness.

The sensuous aspects are not only to be found in the intimate moments,
but also in the rest of the rich descriptions and evocation of atmosphere.

The growing intimacy is described very convincingly; steady yet
somehow inexorable, born of understanding and gentle compassion. And I
liked the understatedness of it, and of the so-unobtrusive,
un-demanding parting at the end.

Title: Saruman of Many Colours · Author: Tanaqui · Genres: Drama:
General Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 439
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 23:32:03
you are one scary writer... lovely stories, funny stories, short and
sweet, and this mish-mash of terror just waiting to strike; is there
anything you can't write?

Title: Songs of Innocence and Experience · Author: Tanaqui · Races:
Men: General Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 440
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 23:35:44
yes some of us are more believing than we should be but better naive
then bitter. and you give him the opportunity to correct that in the
future; bet you she never gets that chance again.

Title: Dreamscape · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Dwarves: Drabbles · ID: 442
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 23:37:39
and he remembers them well and frequently.

Title: No Mercy · Author: Tanaqui · Genres: Drama: General Drabbles ·
ID: 443
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-09-14 23:39:42
hellish imagery, you just have such talent.