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Title: Tide of Destiny - Part One: Choices · Author: Lady Bluejay ·
Genres: Drama: Incomplete · ID: 159
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-24 05:15:11
Spoilers!
Lady Bluejay has set herself a rather monumental task - to write the
life stories of Lothiriel and her brothers and Eomer. So far, her
narrative is suspenseful, exciting, and full of intriguing twists and
turns. I look forward to seeing what Lady Bluejay does with the
romance and marriage of Lothiriel and Eomer, not to mention the rest
of it...

Title: Confidence · Author: annmarwalk · Races: Men: Minas Tirith · ID: 38
Reviewer: Marta · 2008-09-24 11:45:28
Spoilers!
This is probably the first of the stories by this author that I can
remember reading it, and so coming back to it after all of this time
was a real treat. Since I am now familiar with Ann's original
characters and the world she has created "under the stairs" of the
Citadel, I can appreciate what she does here even more than I did at
first. What hasn't changed, though, is the delightfully light feeling
she brings to this piece and the love of details that is evident
throughout.

I think Mormegil might be my favorite of Ann's original characters,
and he really shines here. I love the way his history as an archivist
is detailed, not just for the physical details Ann tells us about such
an environment but also the way it sets up Mormegil's character as one
who never desired a high position but was chosen for his merits.
Denethor, too, shines through, as a bit gruff but not without
compassion in ways that would be missed by most people. When I read
about the large settlement I felt like cheering for my favorite
steward-to-be. Yet his actions are subtle and he is not familiar with
his servants, something I miss in a lot of fanfic.

A delightful glimpse into this world. I wish Ann would write more
young Mormegil, but I shall content myself with rereading this gem.

Title: The Dance · Author: Dawn Felagund · Genres: Romance: Elven
Lands · ID: 128
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-09-24 14:52:40
The premise of the story reminded me of Cinderella, and I liked the
perspective of Nerdanel as an outsider looking into this highly
stylised, rigid and hierarchic court ceremonial. No wonder Fëanor and
she wanted to distance themselves from this, per Dawn Felagund's universe!

Wonderfully plotted, with great descriptive detail.

Although I like my Elves ususally a little more "ethereal", I love how
Dawn Felagund can "humanise" them, with foibles and passions great and
small that anyone can sympathise with, and then really explore with
great psychological insight the consequences of this on the
individuals and those they interact with.

Title: A Dream Come True · Author: Lady Bluejay · Genres: Romance:
Gondor · ID: 162
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-09-24 15:52:10
Good handling of character behaviour and dialogue. The humour was just
right for this bawdy story. And also a good description of living in
the camp.

I could smell early on where this was going to lead, but this just
gave me more fun to read along and chuckle in anticipation for the
characters to "play it out" on the page.

I feel a bit ambiguous about the great shift in time at the end: it
does show what happened in the mean time, but it felt a little abrupt.
On the other hand, I love Éomer's last words.

Title: Surprise Inspection · Author: AmandaK · Genres: Humor: Gondor ·
ID: 207
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 16:34:00
Spoilers!
Although I have very much enjoyed reading AmandaK's stories in other
fandoms over the past year, I'm hopeful that she'll return to the
Tolkien fandom occasionally so that we will have the privilege and
pleasure of reading more stories from her in these awards in future.

In this particular tale, AmandaK weaves a wonderful story full of rich
description, narrative tension and humour. Boromir, setting off on a
surprise inspection of the garrison at Osgiliath, is stymied by one
irritation after another, not least the baking heat of a Gondorian
summer. AmandaK's language evokes clearly how hot, bothered and
frustrated Boromir is.

Arriving at Osgiliath, Boromir is in for a few surprises himself.
Here, AmandaK cleverly builds the tension and confusion – making sure
that the reader remains as uncertain and concerned as Boromir right
until we reach the denouement. At that point, Boromir's quality as a
commander shines through in his response to the situation.

This is a humorous, witty and yet highly perceptive character study of
Boromir in the years just before the Ring War, showing the qualities
that so captivated Merry and Pippin and won their admiration during
the journey of the Fellowship. It's also laugh-out loud funny in
places. An excellent, light-hearted yet nevertheless extremely
well-characterised tale from Middle-earth!

Title: Charge! · Author: Tanaqui · Genres: Drama: Ring War Drabbles ·
ID: 444
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2008-09-24 16:36:53
This is a nice melange of elements - joy, courage, sound, smell, chaos
and linearality.

Title: This crown of stars · Author: Fawsley · Races: Men: General
Drabbles · ID: 586
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2008-09-24 16:39:19
Spoilers!
This central dichotomy of Aragorn's personality is nicely captured
here. But mostly I liked how you captured his appreciation and respect
for the workaday man.

Title: Renewal · Author: Elena Tiriel · Times: Late Third Age: General
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 208
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 16:40:06
Spoilers!
Elena Tiriel may not be one of the most prolific drabblists in the
fandom, but she is certainly amongst the most accomplished. Her work
is always worth reading, and re-reading, because she produces drabbles
that not only meet the basic requirement of the form -- a tale told in
one hundred words -- but which compress story arc, language,
characterisation and every other facet of a longer work into a
satisfying package.

This particular drabble shows off every facet of Elena Tiriel's
facility as a drabble-artiste supreme. The choice of point of view
character for telling of the reforging of Narsil, the
blade-that-was-broken into Anduril is simply inspired, and shows Elena
Tiriel's gift for finding a fresh perspective whenever she tackles a
topic.

The language, as it always is in every one of her drabbles, is
meticulously chosen and as well honed as the renewed blade -- I have
been witness to the careful labour with which Elena Tiriel polishes
her work -- while the description of the forging and fashioning
process is both technically accurate and deeply poetic.

More than that, Elena Tiriel gives us the sword as a living entity, a
servant rather than merely a tool of the Kings. In the naming of
parts, she wittily anthropomorphize the various qualities of the
sword, sustaining the metaphor lightly yet with great solidity
throughout the drabble.

That she can achieve all this in a mere hundred words is artistry
indeed! Bravissima!

Title: The Journey · Author: foxrafer (csevans8) · Times: Late Third
Age: General Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 604
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2008-09-24 16:41:17
Dear Pippin! It's always nice to see a character grow.

Title: Home · Author: Aranel Took · Races: Dwarves: Drabbles · ID: 533
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2008-09-24 16:43:12
Spoilers!
This piece has such nice elements - community growing with the rock
and that home for Gimli is in part people. Well imagined.

Title: Men of the Twilight · Author: Elena Tiriel · Genres: Romance:
Drabbles · ID: 209
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 16:45:13
Spoilers!
I'll declare a vested interest in praising this drabble, as it was
written for my birthday. I am truly fortunate to have a friend who is
a drabblist of Elena Tiriel's quality to provide me with such
delightful birthday gifts. While any of her scrumptious drabbles would
be even more welcome than a pound-box of Ghirardelli chocolates, I am
particularly thrilled that this piece is about some of my favourite
Middle-earth characters: Faramir, Eowyn and Eomer.

I love the way Elena Tiriel shows Faramir's journey of discovery
during the course of this drabble. He starts encumbered by the
prejudices and accepted wisdom of his upbringing but brings to bear
the formidable intelligence and observational skills with which he was
endowed by Tolkien on order to make his own judgments and draw his own
conclusions. One suspects he also has sufficient self-awareness to
understand the many ways in which this fair-haired lady has touched
his emotions!

The interplay of light and dark, shadow and sun, in the drabble is
also strongly and effectively shown. Although never explicitly stated,
I see Faramir watching from some dim, creeper-shrouded nook, while
Eowyn sits in the full spring sunlight that offers her no warmth. The
deft touches of description are constrained by the brevity of the form
but still conspire to paint a clear and jewel-bright image of the
scene in my mind.

All in all, a simply beautiful, tender and hope-filled piece.

Title: My Precious · Author: SheBit · Genres: Romance: Drabbles · ID: 14
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2008-09-24 16:46:14
Yeah ... Ew! This is so palpably icky and yet written so simply with
wonderfully sensory details. The writer just tells what happens and
what the main character experiences without judgement and yet - Eww!
Well done!

Title: Autumn · Author: Linda Hoyland · Races: Men: Gondor Drabbles ·
ID: 489
Reviewer: Nancy Brooke · 2008-09-24 16:48:13
The changes of perspective time can engender are nicely rendered here
against a universal and affecting backdrop.

Title: The Work of Small Hands · Author: Dawn Felagund · Genres:
Longer Works · ID: 352
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2008-09-24 19:42:18
Spoilers!
This novel(la) is a remarkable tale of how Eärwen grew into her role
as the High Queen of the Noldor on Aman. Dawn simply crawls under her
skin and lets the reader experience the profound emotions and
experiences she has to go through during these dark times. From her
husband abandoning her, his return and dealing with the darkness and
experience of being bereft from all that she holds so dear with the
other ladies of Finwë's house, is just the beginning. As you read
along, every step Eärwen makes on her journey (be it the travelling
and her emotional growth): it makes sense. I probably would have made
the same choices as she did. It is such a treat to see her stepping
forward, first earning the respect of her own people and then she
tries to fight for the people of her husband, only to be coldly
rejected by the Valar at the end. Oh how furious I felt, knowing all
what Eärwen had done previously before she requested an audience, yet
Dawn brings it in a way that it is logical that only her husband can
heal the wounds of her own people and at the same time claiming his
kingship. Still, she could have done exactly the same for her
husband's people. Besides this great characterisation and the writing
of this gapfiller, Dawn weaves in the necessary suspense and drama,
making use of her great descriptive technique and inner introspection
of her chosen characters. This novel(la) left me with more wishes and
thirst to read more of that period, but then with different characters
like Nerdanel, but oh well, who knows! For those who are curious what
happened during the darkening of Valinor and what happened to those
who were left behind and would like to read a story about a female
character in Tolkien's world and much more, this comes highly recommended.

Title: The Dance · Author: Dawn Felagund · Genres: Romance: Elven
Lands · ID: 128
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2008-09-24 20:01:03
Spoilers!
[The Dance] is such a delightful romantic tale, and yet written in
such a realistic way. Dawn spins a fabulous tale full with court
politics and expectations for the high placed, having the daughter of
a common smith to be chosen by the high prince of the Noldor. It just
feels right that Fëanor simply ignores what is expected from him and
chooses for that what is or feels right for him. Nerdanel's surprise,
mingled with her family background: it just makes you go and cheer her
on! This story just feels like a story written by Andersen or the
brother's Grimm. However, it is Tolkien who came up with this and it
with the touches Dawn presents this story, you just feel like a fly on
the wall and this story just begs to be brought to the screen. I love
the touches upon court politics, the tangible emotions and the
incredibly rich scenery she provides, but it also has those gorgeous
down to earth moments like their first dance and how helpless the big
hero feels. The story is a beautiful mix with suspense and romance,
and even though you do know that these two will get married
eventually, it is still presented in a manner that makes you doubt for
a moment if it will ever be. This is a genuine feel good story, one
where you just for one moment can avoid thinking about how this ends,
but just revel in the moment Dawn brings. This is a must read for
those loving to read romance stories!

Title: My Shining Stars · Author: Oshun · Races: Elves: House of
Elrond · ID: 371
Reviewer: Rhapsody · 2008-09-24 20:17:22
Spoilers!
[My shining stars] is probably a story, which will evoke many
different reactions varying from reader to reader. As Elrond, finally
returns home, he looks back at his past, thinking about those two who
anchored his existence when he was left floundering by his own mother.
Because, well for a child to be left alone like that... The
perspective Oshun brings here will undoubtly give the reader a pause,
a moment to contemplate on why Elrond would think in such a manner.
With this skill, Oshun brings thoughts and a perspective to the
surface that none would like to think about (it is easy to say, ah,
Stockholm syndrome! Imho of course, because there is much more to
this). After all Elwing did make a difficult decision, yet it came at
such a great cost for both her children, being basically orphanaged
and all. It feels right that the half-elf would pay his respect to
those two who took him and his brother in, no matter the conflicts
both Fëanorians must have felt. I do think that this theme just
simmers below the surface, how those two brothers rose above
themselves, above the oath, loss and conflict and became two [shining
stars] (this is also a fitting salute to the house of Fëanor) which
gave Elrond *the* foundation to navigate through the rest of his life.
Bravely and beautifully written Oshun!

Title: Love at First Sight · Author: Gwynnyd · Races: Elves: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 432
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 20:27:35
Spoilers!
Gwynnyd has a real talent for describing domestic scenes with love and
precision, while exposing the political through the personal. In this
triple drabble, she gives us strong portraits of three characters in a
few deft words.

Here, we see Finwe's fierce love for his mighty firstborn son – filled
with pride and devotion that might be natural, but already feels
tinged with the indulgence and obsessiveness that will split his
family years later.

Miriel is drained by the act of creation, as any new mother might be –
yet this is clearly much more than normal exhaustion: we have the
sense of Feanor, even from before birth, grasping and taking all that
he can from those around him.

And Feanor himself, fretful as any newborn might be, but distracted by
the pretty lights -- yet one sees the seeds of an appetite that will
never be sated, and a fascination from the outset with the light of
the Trees that will shape his doom.

A masterly mingling of quotidian detail and high doom. Bravo!


Title: Night Terrors · Author: Gwynnyd · Genres: Drama: Gondor
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 433
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 20:27:54
Spoilers!
A bold captain may face orcs, southrons, nazgul and other dark forces
bravely, but be undone my the simplest of fears! In this charming
drabble, Gwynnyd captures beautifully the fears of first-time father
Faramir, almost undone by concern for the health of his son.

This quadruple drabble is filled with a wealth of sensory detail,
domestic minutiae and emotional content, all expertly described. We
are flung into the middle of Faramir's fears as he awakes, heart
pounding; feel his anxiety as he imagines the ways in which the nurse
may be derelict in her duties, only to discover there is no cause for
alarm; and experience his joy and love for his son.

The detail of Elboron spitting out his father's unsatisfactory finger,
which yields no milk, adds the perfect moment of levity to this tale.
Gwynnyd truly is the mistress of domestic detail!

Title: The Skills That Keep You Alive · Author: Gwynnyd · Times: Mid
Third Age · ID: 434
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 20:28:08
Spoilers!
In this short story, Gwynnyd once again uses mundane household tasks
to illuminate her characters and provide them with a lesson about the
world at large. Glorfindel demonstrates an unexpected talent as he
gently teaches Estel that it takes more to be a complete warrior than
mere facility with weapons. The scene sparkles with humour as this
wise elf teaches a frustrated and still clumsy boy the importance of
discipline and taming hand to obey will.

A clever coda shows how, many years later, Aragorn uses the lessons
learned as a youth to provide him with excellent cover as a spy in
Harad. The image of Aragorn as a street entertainer is amusingly at
odds with the noble figure he later cuts as king of the reunited
kingdoms -- but feels entirely consistent with the kind of tricks
Strider the Ranger would employ, and provides a perfect application of
the lessons well-learned from Glorfindel. A very well executed
scenario - bravo!

Title: Last Stroke · Author: Elena Tiriel · Genres: Alternate
Universe: Drabbles · ID: 465
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 20:28:25
Spoilers!
Elena Tiriel's writing displays many admirable qualities, and in this
piece it is the cleverness and slyness of her misdirection that most
charms amongst the writerly skills on display here.

The premise is simple. We are presented with a scenario and are
convinced by her clever use of certain phrases echoing Tolkien's
writing that we are in one place and time. We naturally expect a
certain reversal or rearrangement of facts. This is surely not merely
a retelling of a scene from the book. Yet the final line of the
drabble is truly shocking in how it turns our assumptions about the
preceding text on its head.

More than that -- the final line encapsulates and presents to us so
much other history that must have occurred for this twist of fate (and
story) to have taken place. Elena Tiriel's brilliance is that she does
not need to recite those facts: we can guess and imagine them as
easily as her protagonist must. The economy of her writing in
presenting us with a set up and conclusion that ranges so widely in
just one hundred words is truly breathtaking.

Of course, as always, this artful application of the drabble form is
conducted with Elena Tiriel's usual careful attention to language,
structure and rhythm which allows her to create a truly satisfying
whole. Well done, indeed!

Title: Galdor: An Elf By Any Other Name.... · Author: Marta · Genres:
Non-Fiction: Character Studies · ID: 475
Reviewer: Tanaqui · 2008-09-24 20:28:40
Spoilers!
I would recommend this article by Marta to anyone not just because it
provides an interesting perspective on a very minor Tolkien character
but also because it lays out an effective approach to extrapolating
intelligently from the slenderest of canon facts.

Marta has chosen as her subject Galdor, an elf who makes a brief
appearance at the Council of Elrond. There are few canon quotes
regarding this character, but Marta shows that by understanding the
context of the cultural background and literatary sources against
which Tolkien was writing, we can, with a fair degree of reliability,
deduce so much more about the character than Tolkien specifically
states. Of course, all such deductions are fanon, but the careful
methods employed by Marta, and her citing of other sources from
literature and the world provide her fanon with a sound foundation
that makes it convincing.

In short, this piece is a fine example for fanfic writers of how to
tackle any form of world-building from canon. Well done!

Title: Tying Notes · Author: Imhiriel · Times: Late Third Age: Gondor
Drabbles · ID: 378
Reviewer: Linda Hoyland · 2008-09-24 23:11:57
I loved this glimpse into Faramir's diplomacy,love of music and
diplomatic skills. It felt very true to the character Tolkien created.

Title: A New Day · Author: Oshun · Genres: Longer Works · ID: 35
Reviewer: Dawn Felagund · 2008-09-24 23:48:03
Spoilers!
Maedhros and Fingon are without a doubt the most written-about
same-sex pairing in the Silmarillion fandom, yet Oshun's evolving
series of stories about them are a must-read addition to the genre and
break type in many delightful ways. "A New Day"--which considers
Maedhros's healing and the reconciliation of the Noldor following
Fingon's heroics--continues to evolve and complicate the world she has
created for them.

While stories of this genre are almost always driven largely by angst,
Oshun's stories remain uncharacteristically upbeat. This aspect alone
makes a familiar pairing come to live anew. Instead of being driven by
despair, Maedhros and Fingon in "A New Day" are motivated by love and
hope, a logical conclusion given the scope of their heroics in years
to come that Oshun makes believable.

Yet, while doubtlessly a romance and erotica in some regards, "A New
Day" far surpasses this classification and also stands as an intricate
and sometimes uproariously funny commentary on the culture and
politics of the Noldor. Oshun's unerring ear for her characters'
voices and knack for writing dialogue both inspire and entertain.

As the Noldor pass their first major hurdle in Middle-earth--the
reconciliation of the factions of Feanor and Fingolfin--one wonders
what lies in store for Maedhros and Fingon and their respective
peoples in Oshun's world. This series of stories comes with highest
recommendations with "A New Day" serving as an apt example of Oshun's
skill as an author.

Title: Broken Star · Author: pandemonium_213 · Races: Villains:
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 54
Reviewer: Dawn Felagund · 2008-09-24 23:56:15
"Broken Star" captures in few words the essence of Pandemonium's
Annatar, at once a tender friend and unspeakably cruel inquisitor.
This reveals what is darkest in the tale of Celebrimbor and Annatar:
not the cruelty and torment but the betrayal of trust and friendship.
In the brief canon details we are given, it is easy to forget this
but, between the lines, it is inevitably read, and, in "Broken Star,"
Pandemonium brings this heartbreaking betrayal to vivid life.

Title: Lost Love · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Cross-Cultural:
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 271
Reviewer: Marta · 2008-09-24 23:58:18
There's a beautiful lyrical quality about this pair of drabbles,
capturing one of the lesser-written epic loves in just two 100-word
snippets. I particularly enjoyed the juxtaposition of Mithrellas's
need for the Sea against her love for her husband and children; that
seemed both poignant and very faithful to Tolkien's themes.

Title: To Give Hope · Author: peredhil lover · Races: Cross-Cultural:
Elves and Men · ID: 456
Reviewer: Raksha the Demon · 2008-09-25 01:10:46
Spoilers!
I have always felt sorry for Gilraen, who must have felt terribly
alone as well as bereft, when she came with her newly orphaned child
to live in Imladris. This sensitively written story addresses
Gilraen's loneliness and confusion, and her initial opposition to
Elrond's plan to raise the little Aragorn far from his Dunedain
kindred in Imladris and to rename the child. How she comes to accept
the change and all its consequences makes for an excellent resolution.
The author shows us Gilraen's limitations as well as the wellsprings
of strength and courage beneath the quiet surface of a grief-stricken
young widow.