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Title: Rivendell International Airport · Author: Primsong · Genres:
Humor: Elven Lands · ID: 345
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-20 03:08:29
A funny tour of a busy airport in Eriador - good use of modern
real-life conventions and the foibles of the Fellowship.

Title: The Weight of Power · Author: Nefhiriel · Times: Mid Third Age
· ID: 325
Reviewer: Linda Hoyland · 2008-09-20 03:16:49
This is an enjoyable page turning angsty account of Aragorn's days
serving King Thengel of Rohan.All our favourite Ranger's skills to
survive are needed here.In places,the story seemed a little modern in
the dialogue,but overall I liked this story which kept me glued to my
screen wondering what would happen next when Aragorn discovers an evil
plot.

Title: The Birthday Blessing · Author: Larner · Times: Fourth Age and
Beyond: Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 687
Reviewer: Linda Hoyland · 2008-09-20 03:21:43
I loved this.I do love all trees and these three are special.You
capture the link brilliantly as even the trees seem to rejoice for
Sam's birthday.
I especially liked the ideas that the White Tree should blossom that
day,as well as trees in Valinor and in Sam's beloved garden.
These are a beautiful trio of drabbles.

Title: Here's To The King! · Author: Jael · Genres: Humor: Elven Lands
· ID: 204
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-20 03:56:37
Spoilers!
This is a very funny story, with well-researched Sindarin usage, that
shows a delightfully earthy side to both Mirkwood royalty and certain
aspects of First and late Second Age history. I can really envision
Thranduil, who I think has a rascally side, carrying this off; and
enjoying himself hugely. And there is wonderful characterisation of
Legolas, who is one of Tolkien's most difficult characters to pin down
in fanfic; but there is just the right touch of irony and practicality
and sense of humor.

And I loved the image of Oropher and his friend singing that
scurrilous song on the plain of Dagorlad a week before their deaths in
the Last Alliance...

Title: The Captain's New Clothes · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres:
Humor: Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 421
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-20 09:55:05
Spoilers!
Many of the older Tolkien calendar illustrations are so awful as to
defy belief. Certainly the one on which this story was based was one
of this category!

A delight to read this again. One wonders of Aunt Ivriniel was
somewhat color blind, considering the outfit she's sent to the Captain
of the Ithilien Rangers! As for the Hobbit he faces....

Well, I'm just glad you didn't write that encounter!

Title: Renewal · Author: Elena Tiriel · Times: Late Third Age: General
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 208
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-20 09:57:31
Step by step we see Anduril reforged. Well chosen images, and a proud
tone to match the glory of the Sword Reforged.

Title: A Day in Time · Author: Pearl Took · Times: Multi-Age · ID: 230
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-20 10:00:32
After this experience, I doubt sincerely Merry will ever again
undervalue any of those from whose point of view he looks briefly. An
excellent example of the old saying that to truly understand another
one needs to walk at least a mile in the other's shoes.



Title: Pippin-Frog For A Day · Author: Neilia · Genres: Alternate
Universe: Incomplete · ID: 115
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-20 10:04:37
Spoilers!
A rather nice look at what Pippin might indeed have faced had Gandalf
ever followed through on his threats and turned the hapless Took
indeed into a frog. For all his new shape, Pippin remains at heart
Peregrin Took, including his insatiable appetite, although he is
somewhat alarmed to find just what tastes now go along with that appetite!

A nice chuckle.

Title: Loving a Book Lover · Author: Avon · Genres: Romance: Drabbles
· ID: 721
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-09-20 16:21:53
Spoilers!
Oh, as a voracious book-reader I can soooo empathise with Faramir!
People trying to tear you away from a good read can be annyoing as
flies, unless they offer such a tempting distraction as Éowyn has in
her repertoire.

The drabble excellently manages to convey the feelings of the
protagonists without stating them outright; and I liked how Éowyn's
distraction was never in any way spelled out, but the reader could
imagine exactly what it was.

The characterisations are spot-on and engaging. My favourite part was
that I could *hear* Faramir, his distracted dismissal and then his
pleased surprise. I also liked the reference to Boromir, and to
Éowyn's active nature and love of horses.

I usually don't like head-hopping (meaning frequent PoV shifts) in a
story, and I when I consciously noticed the back-and-forth between the
PoV of Éowyn and Faramir, I wondered why it didn't trouble me in the
least, and, quite the reverse, I thought it an asset of the drabble. I
think that perhaps it's because it really makes it very lively and
brisk and light-hearted.

Title: Call of the Wild · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Romance:
Drabbles · ID: 94
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-09-20 16:46:38
The drabble perfectly conveys what its title and its first sentence
say. There is something wild in the way Thengel is described, and the
readers can really feel how his directness, his boldness, and his
fierce nature speak to and attract Morwen at first glance.

I like how the narrative is cast in terms of wild hunting beasts of
prey, and how Thengel is contrasted with the more refined but staid
Gondor as ["harmless as coneys"].

Morwen and Thengel too often get short shrift in fanfiction, but
Annmarwalk convincingly mines the rich potential they could provide
for writers in exploring the cross-cultural aspect of their relationship.

Title: My Precious · Author: SheBit · Genres: Romance: Drabbles · ID: 14
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-09-20 19:03:34
Gack! Brrr, this was repellent and yet, compelling reading - very well
done!

The very descriptive, detailed writing, the almost poetical language,
only serve to highten the effect of disgust that is evoked. It is as
if there is a disconnect between the words and the meaning they convey
(it reminds me of the effect the description of the flowers in the
Morgul Vale always has on me).

Gríma's creepy, lecherous obsession is described convincingly, and I
found it a particularly neat touch to allude to Éowyn as the
frost-chilled flower Aragorn calls her (or Gríma himself, if you go by
film-verse): it encompasses so many different sensory details that are
invoked in the drabble; scent, temperature, touch.

And the last line leaves the readers with a very ominous feeling.

Title: A Race, To Be Like Me · Author: Imhiriel · Races: Elves:
Drabbles · ID: 375
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2008-09-20 20:12:08
Spoilers!
The opening line of this drabble is shivery, goose-bumpy good... Oh,
I've got the place and time in mind immediately - anyone who's read
the Silm will know it right off - and it captures the immediately
preceding events in a remarkable economy of words. The metaphor of
Feanor as storm-bringer is brilliant, as is the inspiration for the title.

I had not read the poem "Prometheus" before seeing the author's notes
here, but the sentiments contained within feel *right* for Feanor. The
connection to thumbing his nose at the Valar, particularly, and the
forming of a people in his image - perfect for one who himself is a
magnificent creator, if flawed. Having his PoV seem remote and
distanced really enhances this, and emphasizes perhaps just how little
he truly connects with the very people over which he now claims
kingship. I love the description of his sons as the first to follow
him - already creations in his image, to a degree - as full of
eagerness to meet the challenge as Feanor is.

It is a moment of glory for Feanor, although knowledge of how their
tragic future unfolds casts a bitter light on it all. The initial
description captures this very well with the reference to [blood-red
shadows on naked swords]; as he has begun this with symbols of
violence, so shall it be ended. And finishing the piece with a final
mention of his sons makes me recall just who ends up paying the
heaviest price for the Oath said this day.

A beautifully portrayed scene of a terrible moment. The language, word
choice and structure all enhance the turmoil and intense emotions to
render a perfect whole that fits seamlessly into canon.

Title: A Path of Wisdom · Author: Dana · Genres: Alternate Universe:
Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 641
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2008-09-21 00:09:59
Spoilers!
Dana's writing always shines - she writes surely, smoothly, and with
spareness, and manages somehow to get everything important into little
spaces at need. Her hobbits continue to testify to Tolkien's vision of
them, as a people whose looks belie their power for endurance and for
forgiveness.

The tale of Lotho surviving is a story that makes one realize how much
easier it was for him to die, canonically. Not that it makes murder by
night less awful, but it isn't a continual labor and struggle for all
who come in contact with him. Wisdom is more than proverbs and beyond
any strength of arms - it's a strength of soul and a willingness to
suffer the harder path without any promise of reward. Frodo leads
others along that path, and Lotho, almost miraculously, manages to
follow, begins to change.

Stunning series of drabbles, worth the reading - thank you once again,
Dana, for a terrific story!

Title: Shadow King · Author: Claudia · Genres: Alternate Universe:
Angst/Tragedy · ID: 227
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2008-09-21 00:18:51
Spoilers!
[Naught for naught does Mordor fear him], Legolas remarked, and right
he was. And what Mordor and its lord fear, the rest of us mere mortals
should fear as well: Aragorn with the Ring is the nightmare scenario
for many, and here we see why.

I can all too easily imagine this scene, so vividly described and
bookended by the image of the dead White Tree. More than just
innocuously embalmed, its death throes are images of putrefaction,
dying spiders, barrow-wights - just in case anyone had any doubt as to
the precise measure of disaster. Faramir's participation in this
obscenely staged power ritual is another indicator of what the Ring
could achieve, given a host with Aragorn's strength of will: Frodo
notes that there is nothing left to steer them on a wise course, and
Faramir appears as the very symbol of the truth of that thought:
Faramir, who is so well-renowned for wisdom, has been cowed enough to
abandon that native gift.

Well portrayed and chilling!

Title: Two Prisoners · Author: Lord Branwyn · Genres: Alternate
Universe · ID: 724
Reviewer: Dwimordene · 2008-09-21 00:26:42
Spoilers!
If Elves - or perhaps Half-elves - did indeed still walk the earth in
embodied form, this surely could have happened. Although, if in fact
they did still walk the earth, one wonders: why hadn't they managed to
pick up any modern language, elven aptitude being what it is?

However, in point of fact, the reader doesn't care about elven
aptitude: what makes this delightful is the fact that we can't
understand these two, that German, English, French, and Russian won't
serve, and there's a need for a language specialist to figure out how
to communicate with these two prisoners. An [Oxford man], indeed!

I loved the comment at the end about the boots - that joke, part
gentle jibe, part envy, part uneasiness, struck the right chord. That
sounds like trench humor, all right!

Title: Grandmum's Button Box · Author: pippinfan88 · Races: Hobbits:
Family · ID: 135
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-21 00:28:52
Spoilers!
This is a charming story that shows the power of even items we take
for granted, to beguile children, in the hands of a loving
grandmother. Nice characterisation of all the hobbits!