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Title: Even Legends Fade · Author: Star In Ruin · Races: Elves · ID: 555
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-21 03:56:36
Spoilers!
A sensitively written story focussing on the reactions of Arwen and
Legolas, together, to Elessar's death. It is fitting that they express
their grief in song at the funeral.

Title: Unwilling · Author: Elena Tiriel · Races: Elves: Drabbles · ID: 64
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 07:16:27
Spoilers!
To see the reasons why one of the Green Elves found himself fading is
a sad affair; and the final expression of that fading is both poignant
and powerful in its imagery.

Excellently written.

Title: The Revenge of Curufin's Horse · Author: Moreth · Genres: Humor
· ID: 139
Reviewer: Lethe · 2008-09-21 07:25:52
Spoilers!
This truly amused me. I had no idea what this would be about from the
title and I was laughing at the end.
Beren embarrassing Celegorm and Curufin as he did has always struck a
wrong note with me. We have Fëanor fighting long and undismayed
against Balrogs, Fingolfin lasting long enough against Morgoth to
wound him seven times ( adrenal surge and madness or no, still a
legendary feat ) Balrogs being slain in Gondolin ( and the one
Glorfindel fought was supposed to be huge, according to BOLT II ) and
now we have one man making two sons of Fëanor look like blustering
teenagers slapped down by a seasoned warrior. Deserved or no, it
sounded unlikely unless Men in those days were supposed to be some
kind of supermen, and while they did some remarkable feats, I never
thought Beren showing up Celegorm and Curufin ( especially ) was
likely - but hey, I was probably the only one who thought Lúthien was
mental and should have chosen Celegorm. ( or no, I think not, I am
sure other people have thought of that )

The idea of Curufin's horse coming back to him is loyal and I like
that, and his hearing Beren's poetry in praise of Lúthien and bearing
it back tickled me pink and gave the brothers something to truly have
a good laugh about after their not so stellar showing a little earlier.
Moreth writes with a lightness, a deftness and effortless skill, and I
have been looking forward to some longer works by her for some time,
as she has an " epic " in her, and simply has not had the time.



Title: In absentia · Author: Robinka · Races: Elves: House of Finwe ·
ID: 84
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 07:34:30
Spoilers!
The title tells it all; since his rescue from the depths of
Thangorodrim Maedhros has sunk increasingly into a darkness of
immovability and depression until Fingon fears he shall fade
altogether. But at the end Maehdros finds himself, perhaps
reluctantly, giving over his self-doubt and the resentment he has been
holding toward his kinsman.

The depression and loathing toward himself and by extension all others
is so well described!

Title: The Onion Riddle · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Post-Ring War · ID: 13
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 07:44:58
Spoilers!
Ah, been a time since I last read this one.

Appearances can be deceiving, and particularly when one has had very
little experience with other races of Arda. What to think of this
youthful-appearing Dwarf is the decision Beregond now knows. Is the
lad sickly, or is it something else. When at last the
youthful-appearing Dwarf's secret is told, the Man finds himself
agreeing to help keep it.

So nice to see another excellent Dwarf-fic among this year's nominations!

Title: Call of the Wild · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Romance:
Drabbles · ID: 94
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-21 16:02:04
Spoilers!
Few Tolkien fanfiction writers tackle the relationship of Thengel and
Morwen.

Annmarwalk explores that very relationship through the eyes of Morwen,
falling head-over-heels in love with a man very different from her own
countrymen, but who is at home with them, and no less worthy. Morwen
considers the Horse-Lord even more worthy of her affections than the
lords of Gondor - an interesting historical counterpoint to her
Rohirric grand-daughter's later observation that the Steward of Gondor
[was one whom no Rider of the Mark would outmatch in battle].

This drabble also reveals that Morwen herself is young, an
individualist and non-conformist (it is Thengel's differences from the
Gondorian lords that attract her, as well as Thengel's strength and
nobility) and very determined/strong-willed herself - an apt choice to
be the future Queen of the Mark.

A wonderful drabble that says so much in so few words.



Title: Taking Roots · Author: Imhiriel · Genres: Romance: Drabbles ·
ID: 367
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-21 16:06:27
Spoilers!
An exquisite drabbled look at a great moment in the history of
Lothlorien, from the point of view of Celeborn, himself as mysterious
and powerful as the great trees that will spring from this day. I love
the characterisation of Galadriel as a little unsure as she performs a
task more Silvan than Noldorin. The drabble makes me wish that more
mallorns could have survived into the Fourth and later ages.

Title: Bibliophile · Author: Imhiriel · Genres: Romance: Drabbles ·
ID: 370
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-21 16:10:03
Spoilers!
Finduilas' frustration with the well-meant gifts of books about the
First Age princess of the same name is understandable; yes, that
Finduilas was Elven-beautiful, but what a miserable ending. This
Finduilas at least was able to have know the love of an adoring
husband and two sons before her own untimely death. But the main point
of the drabble is a lovely moment between Eowyn and Faramir, written
both playfully and romantically by a drabbler extraordinaire.

Title: The Pillar Perished Is · Author: Imhiriel · Times: First Age
and Prior: House of Finwe · ID: 356
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2008-09-21 17:21:54
Ah, Feanor: trying to get close to you is akin to hugging a porcupine.
Or maybe a smoldering ember would be a better comparison. In short,
you are not easy to relate to.

The Silm is admittedly an often dry, remote read (thanks to Chris
Tolkien - I appreciate his effort, but the execution is sometimes
lacking), and it doesn't make a complex character like Feanor any
easier to snuggle up to. His motivations, his inner thoughts, etc. are
not really laid out, and his actions often so difficult to accept that
the average opinion about him is often a flippant "he's a total jerk".
However, I think there are some excellent authors out there that have
made it much easier for the rest of us to begin developing an
understanding of a brilliant if marred individual. With this story I
would definitely include Imhiriel in those authorial ranks.

["The Pillar Perished Is"] offers a powerful glimpse into a truly
["unquiet mind"] at a moment just the other side of one of the
defining events of Feanor's life. No - perhaps *the* defining event.
The narrative is as driving as the wild seas in the story; for a short
piece, this packs a great deal of punch. Wonderful, wonderful
scene-setting. Imhiriel seems to have a special touch when it comes to
depicting the ocean. I always receive an absolute immersion in the
sensations described.

The effectiveness of the piece is definitely heightened by the
beautiful and haunting poem that is interwoven with the story. It's a
brilliant touch that helps open a door into Feanor's thinking. There's
some poignant symbolism tucked in there, too, and the collective
result is a marvelous and (I think) unique take on his possible state
of mind and motivations.

I should heartily recommend this to Feanor fans - and I do! - but even
more I'd say that anyone who dislikes Feanor, even hates the Elf,
would do well to read and absorb this work. Imhiriel makes no excuses
for Feanor, nor does she water down his tremendous ego and forceful
personality. She does offer some context, a lens through which to view
some of his actions via a single passage in the Silmarillion and the
"real world" poem. Her take on this combination helped me to connect
to this enduringly amazing and ambiguous individual - yes, even to
feel sympathy for him.

Title: Shall We Dance? · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Races: Men:
Steward's Family · ID: 93
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2008-09-21 17:35:14
On the surface, this is a very charming and lighthearted short. But
the charm is a cover, in a way, for much deeper and very interesting
revelations, especially where Denethor is concerned.

There are so many great interactions that beg for multiple rereads: a
splendid mix of poignant and humorous, sweet and slightly bitter. All
the PoVs are written very, very well, and Denethor's in particular
fleshes out this so-called "fluffy" event into a decades-spanning
stage. I adore Isabeau's other characters too much to place demands on
her for more Denethor, but she does an exceptional job handling his
actions and thoughts here.

The opening had me smiling right away: it is a quintessential
father-daughter moment, and wholly in keeping with the individuals as
Isabeau has painted them. We soon see, however, that Lothiriel has
inherited not only her father's fashion sense and social charm but
also his strategical abilities.

As much as I love the other inhabitants of this particular fandom
universe, Denethor's perspective is the one that I was most fascinated
by and actually appreciated the most. He is a harsh individual in
almost anyone's vision, but here Isabeau offers a brief and piercing
glimpse into a facet of her Denethor's personality that shines a great
deal of light on his past and future actions. Everything is revealed
so naturally in the course of the story, too: there's no
hammer-over-the-head reaction, more a "Well, of course!" It fits
seamlessly.

Finally, I love how the brief vision bridges this with future events.
["Shall We Dance?] is an excellent addition to the list of Unabeaverse
tales, but I think anyone would find this a enjoyable character study,
whether or not they are familiar with the specifics of this particular
story arc.

Title: Consolation · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Races: Men:
Steward's Family · ID: 341
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2008-09-21 17:40:45
Spoilers!
I feel like I'm constantly repeating myself with this author's
stories, but it's worth saying again: I love how cleanly and
delightfully Isabeau can set these one-shots among her huge, overall
story arc. Even in something this short there are multitudes of
references woven in; they flow cleanly with the story for someone not
familiar with the other works, and offer repeated opportunities for
greater depth and delight for faithful readers.

The characterizations are marvelous, as always. Faramir would indeed
feel every Ranger's death very heavily; even something so small as his
refusal of the poppy fits him. Boromir and Faramir's conversation is
perfect, up to and including Boromir's confession about his past
thoughts on Amrothos, and Faramir's apt summation of 'Rothos' reaction
to the commendation. Boromir keeps Faramir from sinking into
melancholy, and Faramir reminds his brother to do what is right – such
good complements to one another.

Boromir's care for his beloved brother, by inviting some of the core
Rangers, is wonderful. It reminded me of his assistance to Imrahil in
["Motherless"]: going directly for the practical method to help out,
and explaining afterwards. And of course, it's so much fun to see
Faramir with his Rangers. Nice touches about Heth remembering the
book, and how the anonymous army captain quietly backed down. And
perhaps my favorite line out of so many excellent candidates: ["The
Rangers are yours, my lord, and no other Captain would suit us half so
well."] Absolutely touching and true...

It's a bittersweet ending, for Boromir is hiding his own pain under
that cheerful whistle - and so much additional heartache comes of his
need for comfort, re: other stories in this universe. Very well done!

Title: Dark Dreams · Author: Avon · Races: Men: Steward's Family · ID: 282
Reviewer: dkpalaska · 2008-09-21 18:29:09
A few years ago I stumbled onto fanfiction (different fandom), and
was, I'm afraid, immediately unimpressed. Not long after and quite
accidentally, I came across Tolkien-based stories, and Avon was one of
the first authors that made me realize how professionally-written
"mere" fanfic could be. This story is definitely a prime example:
first read years ago, it has stayed with me over time and remains a
fixture in my personal internalized canon.

I've mentioned elsewhere how character-driven a reader I am, and
certainly ["Dark Dreams"] shines brightly in that regard. Avon's
portrait of the adult protagonist makes this worth reading all on it's
own, and if you are not already an adoring fan of this man, this story
will probably make you one. He is simply exquisite here.

Matching that gracefully-drawn characterization are awesome portrayals
of the young brothers 'Mir. One can take the interactions seen here
and project them right into LotR; the glimpses of the men they will
become, especially Boromir, are deft and accurate.

The personal connections are beautiful and moving, and are cast
against the greater universal theme of how badly we wish to protect
those we love against the forces of evil in the world. And also,
sorrowfully, of how we often cannot - the young grow up, and must face
the darkness on their own.

Excellent writing, wonderful descriptions and individuals you can fall
in love with - the story has it all!

Title: Charge! · Author: Tanaqui · Genres: Drama: Ring War Drabbles ·
ID: 444
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 18:36:32
Description and misdirection--Tanaqui manages to use both to
perfection in this drabble. Am so glad Elena Tiriel inspired such a
wonderful short gem! As I read the final sentence and realized whose
point of view this was taken from and had the image of that one movie
moment in my mind. Perfect!

Title: Diamonds For Forever I, II & III · Author: Elen Kortirion ·
Genres: Romance: Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 515
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 18:46:38
Spoilers!
Indeed diamonds are considered to be forever, as is evidenced by this
wonderful trio of drabbles that looks at the jewelry commissioned by
Ecthelion I for his bride and how it reflects his own delight in the
snow and ice crystals he associates with Mindolluin; then how
Finduilas chooses to interpret the same set of jewels, and finally
how, once they come to Arwen, they are transformed to reflect the
renewal represented by the presence of herself and her husband within
the reconstituted double realm.

Well done, and the symbols of the Lady's Jewels are superbly done.

Title: Trouble at Bag End · Author: Angiet · Races: Hobbits: Childhood
· ID: 728
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 19:00:19
Spoilers!
Ah, this one is fluff, but definitely the best quality of fluff
available--vicuna-level fluff if there ever was such a thing!
Wonderful and warm as we find a most unusual visitor, quietly slipping
into the Shire so as to visit the Hobbit he first met when he was a
child, suddenly charged with caring for Bilbo's other guest, one who
will later hold no memories of this visit.

Wonderfully warm and comforting; and the final image of the story is
one that has me melting.

Title: Apostate's Ruse · Author: Calenlass Greenleaf · Genres: Drama:
Incomplete · ID: 676
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 19:05:26
Spoilers!
Oh, I so keep hoping this story will be added to and hopefully
finished one day!

Elrond's return from his visit to Lothlorien appears to be far earlier
than had been anticipated, and his subsequent treatment of his
foster-son totally out of character. When Estel, having learned the
subjects of study of this unrecognizable Elrond, is chastized with
peculiar harshness, he decides to run away.

Who is the pretender, and how does he manage to hold this seeming so
convincingly? And will young Estel find his real Ada in time to stop
whatever plans this one has in store?

I'm waiting impatiently for answers to these questions and more!

Title: The King's Surgeon · Author: SurgicalSteel · Genres: Longer
Works · ID: 90
Reviewer: PipMer · 2008-09-21 19:14:23
Spoilers!
This is a wonderful story about a delightul OC named Serinde, who is a
surgeon who winds up being Aragorn's surgeon once he's crowned.

The story takes place over the span of Serinde's entire life, through
her training to be a surgeon at a very young age, to a banishment in
Bree, to her marriage to Halbarad, and the raising of their two
children, through the War of the Ring and beyond.

I especially enjoyed the interaction between Aragorn and Serinde; she
very rarely treats him as the royalty he his, but more like a brother.
My jaw dropped a few times during some of the conversations the two
would have; definitely not conversations one would normally have with
Isildur's heir!

My only complaint is that the story ends too soon for me; but then
again, I haven't read the author's happy AU of this story yet.

Wonderful writing, surgicalsteel!

Title: One Step More - The Heroism of Frodo Baggins · Author:
ConnieMarie · Genres: Non-Fiction: Character Studies · ID: 395
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 19:17:56
Spoilers!
This has been one of my favorite essays about Frodo Baggins for years.
No, not at all a one or even two-dimensional hero--Frodo is a hero for
the ages, and precisely because he is so human, going on in the end
not for the promise of glory and the girl--he has no thought for the
one and never gets the second save in the imaginations of some of us
who wish he'd had that joy--but solely because IT needed getting rid
of. He'd accepted the task, and would see it through no matter what,
and so kept taking that one additional step, and then the next one
additional step, until at last, helped and even at times carried along
the way physically as well as emotionally, he stands at the brink
within the Sammath Naur.

And the reasons for ConnieMarie's appreciation for this and how heroic
it truly is I find compelling--I who have spent so many years working
in special education, who have lived with and loved so many who are
less than whole physically, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually at
times. I've known the frustrations, the griefs, and the pain, physical
as well as emotional, of struggling to bring someone to fuller
awareness; and have had often to find my reward in such apparently
small gains--the delight of accomplishment when a student suddenly
grasps a concept struggled at for weeks or the relief as a client
realizes she can still do what she did yesterday in spite of the
deterioration her condition imposes, or the sudden smile of comfort
offered by one who is struggling just to stay alive a bit longer.

Yes, I, too, honor Frodo Baggins--and Sam--for what the two of them
accomplished in seeing all those steps taken so the Creator could
bring from it all such a triumph. Frodo is my kind of hero also.

Title: With Hope and Without Hope · Author: docmon · Genres:
Adventure: Incomplete · ID: 466
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 19:26:51
Spoilers!
This one now approaches completion enough for me to feel free to do a
review.

A might-have-been story, it starts with the premise that the scout
that first spotted the troop of Uruks and Mordor orcs carrying Pippin
and Merry toward Isengard was killed rather than escaping to draw
Eomer and his Riders to the eaves of Fangorn to the battle that kept
them from carrying their prize to Saruman. From there it works toward
how each of the five members of the Fellowship remaining west of
Anduin finds the way back to their eventual tasks that must be
accomplished for the story to come out the same.

I was afraid at first this would prove another of those tales in which
the author plays repeatedly with the characters' hopes and attempts to
escape and make things right until you want to beat the author over
the head with "Enough, already! Too much time is passing! Let them
succeed at last so they don't actually become too weak to accomplish
anything!" But Docmon realized such tales are unrealistic, and stops
the tortures in time not to let all begin actively fading. It makes
the final decisions to do what needs doing more heroic in the end,
seeing how each is but barely recovered enough to contemplate essaying
the Paths of the Dead or whatever other path is set for him.



Title: Arranged Marriage · Author: Claudia · Genres: Alternate
Universe: Incomplete · ID: 725
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 21:39:49
Oh, but I can't believe I actually read it--and even more that I wish
it were finished. I hope one day Claudia will go on with it. And I
ONLY read it because she wrote it!

Interesting premise, and rather sad for Frodo so far!

Title: Boromir at the Bat · Author: White Gull · Genres: Poetry: Late
Third Age · ID: 632
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-21 21:41:41
This was so funny and well done. I remember doing my own adaptations
of this one, many years ago in Mr. Leque's English class!

A wonderful read.

Title: Men of the Twilight · Author: Elena Tiriel · Genres: Romance:
Drabbles · ID: 209
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-09-21 22:34:27
A wonderful, multi-layered play with the meaning of the title and its
ramifications. Elena Tiriel weaves the drabble on the straight plot
level as well as the metaphorical one around the theme of light,
shadow, twilight, and so achieves a very tight cohesiveness between
narrative and meta-level.

What also struck me was the fact that Faramir here knows neither Éomer
nor Éowyn, and I found his therefore unbiased observations and
deductions particularly interesting. And despite his ignorance, he is
a shrewd enough judge of character that he can recognise Éowyn's
detachment and despondence without interacting with her.

Faramir's pronouncement of the Rohirrim as ["Men of the Twilight"]
seemed to me more an academic categorisation than a personal
judgement, and I appreciated that this idea found expression in the
drabble.

Title: The Search For Middle-earth · Author: Jules14 · Genres:
Alternate Universe: Incomplete · ID: 346
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-22 00:28:30
Spoilers!
This is a rather strange end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it story, one in
which men and elves seek together to find and assist hobbits, only to
learn at the last there remain some dwarves in the world, and together
those brought together by the odd Rowley watch as a biological plague
born in the Middle East destroys civilization as it's been known.

Sad and yet in the end hopeful, and I loved that Kalimac, Ban, and Ran
all had a part to play as the story approaches its end. Sad that the
human protagonists leave no children of their own, even as they watch
the renewed peoples of Hobbits begin to return to viable biological
numbers.

Title: Here's To The King! · Author: Jael · Genres: Humor: Elven Lands
· ID: 204
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-22 00:48:03
Spoilers!
The strange Elf was imprisoned by Thranduil's guards for singing a
song thought seditious--or at least highly disrespectful of the King
of Eryn Lasgalen and his princely son; and Legolas was asked to judge
the fool as he returned from a long patrol. But to learn the truth
behind song and singer was a bit of a shock.

A charming, very humorous tale, and filled with snerks! Enjoy!

Title: Terra Incognita · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Genres:
Humor: Drabbles · ID: 723
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-22 00:53:45
Spoilers!
This possible impression of Tolkien given by an imaginary subordinate
in the trenches of World War I is humorous, touching, and prophetic.
We understand the meaning of the map being painstakingly drawn by the
scholarly lieutenant, but not the soldier.

A nice drabble to bring a smile of recognition to our lips.

Title: Moonset over Gondor · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Drama:
Gondor Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 652
Reviewer: Larner · 2008-09-22 01:00:47
Spoilers!
There are memories to cherish and share, here behind the falls of
Henneth Annun--memories of dark days and dark quests, memories of
other talks with those who did not think to survive the tasks they'd
taken upon themselves.

Poignantly written, and the thankfulness toward the heroes of those
days and the hopes for their present and future happiness are
palpable. A well constructed ficlet, with the sadness of loss
sweetened by the grace of compassion and hope restored. Raksha has
constructed a most worthy story here.