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Title: Diamonds For Forever I, II & III · Author: Elen Kortirion ·
Genres: Romance: Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 515
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2008-11-03 02:03:15
Spoilers!
Elen Kortirion's drabble triplet follows the history of the jeweled
necklace that the first Steward named Ecthelion gives as a bridal gift
to his wife, through to Denethor II, and finally to Arwen Evenstar.
Each drabble gives us a bit of insight into the artistic sensibilities
of the three main characters as each gives their opinion of the bridal
jewels.

Title: Bears With Honey · Author: Gandalfs apprentice · Genres: Humor:
Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 243
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2008-11-03 02:13:29
Spoilers!
This ficlet gives us a glimpse into what I suspect is largely
uncharted territory--what it must have been like to be married to
Beorn. As Gandalf's Apprentice would have it, the missus is quite used
to her husband's skin changing episodes. Very clever.

Title: Moonset over Gondor · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Drama:
Gondor Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 652
Reviewer: nau_tika · 2008-11-03 02:19:07
I love the way this story begins with a wonderful decsription, before
moving on to a poignant conversation and concluding with the couple
looking to the future. Well done!

Title: Oathbreakers · Author: Thundera Tiger · Times: Late Third Age ·
ID: 470
Reviewer: nau_tika · 2008-11-03 02:32:41
I've re-read this story several times, trying to rreview it properly.
There is no doubt that the story is well written, but it has a
deepness to it that challenges me. I appreciate the points of view of
each of the twins in the way they see their brother and in their
opinion of Eowyn. I'm sorry I cant do it justice.

Title: O Merry Mine · Author: Larner · Races: Hobbits: Hurt/Comfort ·
ID: 636
Reviewer: nau_tika · 2008-11-03 02:58:53
Spoilers!
This is a wonderful story following Frodo and Merry from just after
Frodo's parents died throughout the rest of their days. The overall
story taught me things I didnt know, and the ending brought tears to
my eyes. Thank you and well done!

Title: The Flute · Author: Golden · Races: Hobbits: Post-Ring War ·
ID: 150
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-11-03 06:39:07
Beautiful prose, particularly in the beginning paragraphs. It sets the
mood very well in its melancholy tone, and also somehow captures what
Gandalf says the flute expresses in its music.

I very much like that parts of the story are told from the perspective
of some wild animals, it gives the story a special insight, at once
more removed yet also in some ways more observant. The shift between
places and times was used to good effect: At first, it showed the
distance between Pippin & Merry, and Frodo & Gandalf; and at the end,
it all came together in one moment.

The deep emotions of all the protagonists are conveyed very vividly.

Title: No Man's Land · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Genres:
Alternate Universe: Drabbles · ID: 726
Reviewer: Robinka · 2008-11-03 09:37:11
A very skilfully crafted AU drabble. I am even scared to think what
might have been if... this scenario had come to pass. This little
story gives me chills. Very well done, in so few words. Bravo!

Title: Writer's Bloke · Author: stefaniab · Genres: Humor: Drabbles ·
ID: 431
Reviewer: Robinka · 2008-11-03 09:45:44
Very amusing and very true. This made me giggle. Well done!

Title: Autumn · Author: Linda Hoyland · Races: Men: Gondor Drabbles ·
ID: 489
Reviewer: Robinka · 2008-11-03 10:01:50
A very nice and warm drabble that presents the differences between
Aragorn's life as a ranger and then as the king of Gondor. What he
might miss, and what he might actually enjoy? Here, Linda gives us a
glipse at the possible answers to these questions. Very gentle and
well written!

Title: A Moment Away · Author: Elen Kortirion · Races: Men: General
Drabbles · ID: 474
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-11-03 15:09:37
Moving and very unexpected. I was very pleasantly surprised to see
that Éowyn did not have to suffer some horrible vision or other, like
I would have thought. I found this a wonderful idea, as my expectation
only hightened the effect of the touching scene between Éowyn and Morwen.

It shows a more vulnerable and softer side to Éowyn that seems to fit
with her immediate mood before and after this moment. But though there
is the touch of despair in it that she displays then, here she shows
more resilience, and is given new courage that perhaps she can't
immediately tap into once she awakens, but that nevertheless is there.

It's a convincing take on where Éowyn might have inherited her
strength - Morwen "Steelsheen" seems like a better fit than her mother
Théodwyn. A moment for a strong queen to give good advice to her
granddaughter the shieldmaiden, yet coupled with a deeply loving and
caring feeling.

Title: Relief · Author: Tanaqui · Races: Men: General Drabbles · ID: 446
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-11-03 15:10:33
Woo-hoo! Erm... *clears throat* A delightfully picturesque scene is
conjured up here!

But aside from painting this lovely scene for (suscepticble) readers
to swoon over, what I like most about this drabble is how it captures
the feeling of a person immersing themselves in cool water on a hot
day - how the freshness gradually creeps up and envelops the body, how
one can really feel as if one can breathe freely again etc.

And another lovely feature is how Tanaqui presents the water as almost
a living being, with awareness and motion, as if it actually interacts
with Boromir. My favourite of these moments is this: ["rivulets ...
meandering around old scars"], because it not only captures this
notion, but also because it "individualises" the scene, gives Boromir
a distinct personality.

Title: If You Could See What I Hear · Author: Cathleen · Times: Mid
Third Age: Eriador · ID: 614
Reviewer: Pearl Took · 2008-11-03 15:30:09
Spoilers!
This wonderful story takes us on quite a ride. First, you have the
terrifying situation of a lost child with all the family and friends
becoming frantic, but then, Cathleen adds to it all the wonder and
mystery of the Took faerie heritage.

Pippin is usually portrayed as an overly curious lad, so it isn't
surprising that he wanders off into the woods with his knitted piglet,
Tulip. Tulip is up for the adventure with her lad, that is until he
starts following a strange voice. He begins to catch glimpses of a
small person that makes it even harder for him to resist the urge to
follow. He is lost in woods he is not supposed to have gone into to
begin with and Tulip can't do anything about it.

Back home, everyone is in an uproar as search parties are formed.
Paladin goes with the group who head towards the woods.

The story has twists and turns. moments that make you hold your breath
and moments that make you laugh. There is danger mixed with beauty and
lessons to be learned by two special Tooks. Cathleen has blended
poems, and myths about the realm of faerie into Tolkien's Middle-earth
with great skill. There is an amazing amount of research in this story
that gives it wonderful depth.

Most Excellently Well Done, Cathleen!

Title: A Promise · Author: Golden · Races: Hobbits: Childhood · ID: 149
Reviewer: Pearl Took · 2008-11-03 17:52:57
Spoilers!
A beautiful, heartbreaking, yet hopeful story dealing with the death
of a loved pet. Golden has captured the sorrow so many of us know at
the loss of a dear pet, a pet that is more a dear friend. The hope
here is that we will meet our furry friends again someday where we
will never more have to part.

Pippin loses his dog, Jule when she does not recover from a difficult
birthing. The next night he ends up sneaking out to sleep on her grave
and he has a vision of her alive and healthy in a beautiful place.
There, she asks him to care for her puppy as he has loved and cared
for her. The next morning, his mother places the now out of danger
puppy and Pippin promises to care for her as he told her mother he would.

A truly moving story.

Title: Promise and Sorrow · Author: Virtuella · Times: Late Third Age
· ID: 607
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2008-11-03 22:05:35
Spoilers!
What a stunner "Promise and Sorrow" is. Virtuella goes where Tolkien
feared to tread: the affect of the Ring War's end on the lives of
every day humans. (Of course, Tolkien does show us the affect of the
War's aftermath on hobbits in "The Scouring of the Shire.") This story
is guaranteed to move you in a realistic, non angsty fashion, and it
is but a few pages long.

Here Virtuella weaves into a cohesive whole six points of view from
men and women in different physical locations of Middle Earth They are
young and old, soldiers, farmers, healers, humble folk, and city folk
of reasonable means. I particularly applaud Virtuella's inclusion of a
farmer's wife from Rhun as one of her characters. All suffer loss, but
in many cases the heartbreak is tempered with a glimpse of optimism,
delivering the promise that the story's title eludes to. Even the
Rhunish farmer who has lost her husband remarks on how clean and blue
the sky looks, as it has never been in her lifetime. The closing
vignette lends a sense of peace as an old healer contemplates her new
life in Ithilien.

"Promise and Sorrow" is a very worthy read and recommended to all