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Title: Nightfall · Author: Jael · Times: Second and Early Third Age ·
ID: 87
Reviewer: Ignoble Bard · 2008-11-14 02:01:01
Jael is the premier writer of Thranduil fanfiction and this
continuance of [The Rose in the Fisted Glove] is one of the best in
this writer’s oeuvre. In this previous story we found Thranduil
preparing for the Battle of the Last Alliance with his trusty valet
Galion offering him comfort on the eve of combat. While Thranduil’s
concerns at that time were more for the new bride he had left behind
than the looming battle, he nevertheless bravely leads his troops into
the fray as their prince but emerges as their king.

With two thirds of his men killed and the kingship thrust upon him in
the most traumatic way possible, through the death of his father
Oropher, Thranduil finds Galion and his men looking to him for answers
he is not certain he has.

[Nightfall] opens at this most significant turning point, with
Thranduil having to suppress his grief for the sake of his people,
while at the same time demonstrating to the Noldor the mettle of the
Wood Elves, who are now held in low esteem by them due to Oropher’s
ill-fated charge.
With two thirds of the Mirkwood troops killed and the morale of his
remaining men severely depleted, Thranduil marshals his wounded spirit
and hatches a plan that will result in either victory or suicide.
Determined, proud, brave, and perhaps a bit mad, Thranduil leads a
small band of Wood Elves behind enemy lines for one final, desperate
gambit.

The beauty of Jael’s writing is that Thranduil becomes a living,
breathing, flawed yet fascinating character who leaps off the screen
the way the best characters do from classic books. With each story we
watch as another chapter of his life unfolds, giving us insight into
the character Tolkien began but did not flesh out as elegantly, or as
satisfyingly, as Jael is able to achieve.


Title: No Regrets · Author: Linda Hoyland · Times: Fourth Age and
Beyond: Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 490
Reviewer: rosethorn59 · 2008-11-14 08:03:58
this is a very, very nice ficlet. I do not think Faramir would have
been all that happy being Steward. He probably didn't feel like he
could do it justice. I do not think it would really have been in his
nature. He now has a wonderful wife, and I think he loves being
steward to his king, his good friend, and his brother. That beautiful
field of flowers represents to me the fact that the evil, fearful
times they had experienced with the war of the ring was now completely
past, well hopefully, signifying a beautiful new beginning for them
all. Yes, I think Faramir was very happy where he was at in life,the
friend and steward of the king. There is nothing like a beuatiful
field of flowers to cheer one's moods, heart and it's very relaxing. I
liked this story very very much.

Title: An Elf-lord Revealed · Author: Tanaqui · Times: Multi-Age:
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 406
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-11-14 09:40:19
What I liked most about the series is that the various drabbles
highlighted Glorfindel's unstinting courage and yet there is never a
hint of recklessness or arrogance in it. Instead there is focus,
wisdom, humility, and compassion. He is not only the warrior, but also
a leader, and an advisor in public and private matters alike.

The interactions with the many different characters that touched his
life are well-written and poignant.

My favourite drabble was ["Comparing Notes"] - I liked the dry humour,
and the picture of Glorfindel observing the golden flowers that are an
emblem of his house.

Title: Tree of Knowledge · Author: Nancy Brooke · Times: Late Third
Age: Gondor Drabbles · ID: 172
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-11-14 09:41:20
Spoilers!
Beautiful, elegiac prose; I particularly appreciated the very
effective use of word order to give the drabble a special tone. The
metaphor of the tree which is used so consistently and in such a rich,
creative manner is particularly poignant and meaningful, considering
Gondor's own White Tree. I especially loved the idea of the demanding
environment of the "tree" due to its proximity to Mordor, in contrast,
according to Denethor, to the safe shelter in Rivendell's garden: the
complaint mixed with the pride at overcoming such odds, and the
foreboding that in the end, it will not be enough to stave of failure.

The last line gives rise to speculation about how much exactly
Denethor knew - or has learned by now - about the heirs of Isildur, if
he knows about "Thorongil" in particular, what his motives might be to
still keep his silence etc.

Denethor's character comes through clearly in a very indirect way,
which seems to fit with his difficult, complex personality.

Title: Supporting Acts · Author: Tanaqui · Times: Fourth Age and
Beyond: Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 436
Reviewer: Imhiriel · 2008-11-14 09:42:07
Very engaging slice-of-life drabble series. The original characters
come fully alive; each individual and three-dimensional.

The technical aspects are conveyed very knowledgeably, and I
particularly liked that they were woven into the narrative subtly,
avoiding an infodump. Good use of the drabble format in judiciously
choosing gaps and trusting the reader's ability to read between the lines.

Title: Home is where the heart is · Author: Linda Hoyland · Genres:
Romance: Drabbles · ID: 505
Reviewer: rosethorn59 · 2008-11-14 10:57:31
Arwen had changed one life for another. Not just becoming mortal to
live her life with the one she loved, but also leaving the comfort and
love she had always had living in Lothlorien. That place was ethereal,
beautiful, serene and had a magical charm to it, as did her home in
Imladlris. There she had had her father and brothers. She had loved
and adored her Elven family, but Aragorn had captured her heart and
her love. He led her to another place of love and beauty, himself.
Exchanging one life for another cannot be easy, but I am sure Aragorn
tried to make it as easy a one as he could. He also was making another
beginning which was huge for him, too. They were each other's rock. To
Arwen, Aragorn was her home. Nothing else really mattered. Have you
ever heard the song The Dance by Garth Brooks? This makes me think of
that. The song was about taking chances in love and life so as not to
regret that possibility of losing that and never getting that chance,
again. The lady in the song had died, but he was basically saying that
it was better to have lived with her and loved her, even if he lost
her, than not to have ever been with his love at all. It's one of my
very favorite country songs. This was a wonderful drabble, Linda
You're the greatest!

Title: Hide the Knives · Author: Nieriel Raina · Genres: Humor: Gondor
· ID: 485
Reviewer: rosethorn59 · 2008-11-14 12:07:56
Oh, NiRi, I just can\\\'t imagine Arwen being so angry, even in
childbirth , to threaten to get rid of his manhood, shall we say? I
think that would have been so funny to see! Of, course we all have
heard of things like that before, but Arwen? I could just see Aragorn
running from her in terror, and protecting himself. The look on his
face would have been priceless! What have you done to me, it is all
your fault! she probably was screaming. Having all the knives from
their quarters removed, huh? He really was scared!! But he knew she
would calm down eventually, just not when. She knew it wasn\\\'t
anyone\\\'s fault, just a sweet baby that came out of their love. That
was a sweet, touching moment they had with the baby, there. This was
very, very good. I liked it very much! NiRi

Title: The Water's Song · Author: Nieriel Raina · Races: Elves: Family
· ID: 707
Reviewer: rosethorn59 · 2008-11-14 13:46:11
Hey NiRi, this story is very good. I think it is great. I really hate
the whole idea of sea-longing, though. I makes me very sad and a
little angry. It must have been hard on Elves in general; leaving and
leaving those you love behind. Legolas was so small and innocent when
he first heard the song of the waters. To be able to foresee the
future must have been both a gift and a curse to her. A gift such as
that would always be a blessing simply because it was an Elven gift.
And a curse if the outcome of your foresight is painful and hurtful.
But to know you will lose your son to the sea one day and that you
yourself will die long before that time has got to be exceptionally
hard. It was averry touching that when Thranduil found out about
Legolas' future, he told his never-ending love for him. And the fact
that no matter what he did or went he would always be loved
unconditionally. I think that really helped Legolas down the road
remembering that talk and realizing that he would alway be love by his
father and friends. But I think his love for his friends was a little
stronger than his sea-longing. He fought alongside them during the War
of the Ring and wouldn't leave until his good friend and brother was
gone. He was a very honorable being. It sas interesting that when
first heard the song as a child it was in a small stream and when he
actually felt the longing so strongly, he was near the ocean.
Interesting. This story was really great, NiRi. I like it Pam

Title: A Large Bold Hand · Author: Jay of Lasgalen · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 10
Reviewer: rosethorn59 · 2008-11-14 16:17:47
This is really a nice little drabble. So, Ori the Dwarf could write
well in Elvish, and could write the Elvish characters very quickly,
and often did in later life. That is an interesting idea; to have had
Elrohir be his teacher in writing the Elvish language. (Or at least I
am assuming that is what you mean). Obviously it would have taken a
great deal of time to learn it, so he must have been there quite a
while, or often, at least. You would not think a Dwarf would be that
interested in something like that. You might say he was even a bit
romantic talking about the writing as beautiful and flowing, like
rippling water. Ori obivously never did say where he had learned it
from or who taught him. And it also seemed he had an interest in his
people's history. He was a very interesting Dwarf. This was a very
nice Drabble, Jay. I like it! Pam

Title: This crown of stars · Author: Fawsley · Races: Men: General
Drabbles · ID: 586
Reviewer: stefaniab · 2008-11-14 23:35:43
Spoilers!
Talk about Aragorn angst, Fawsley captures a lonely Strider,
contemplating his past and future. The language is so arresting I had
to make sure that this wasn't a poem. I recommend this to all who
believe that Strider did have his moments of doubt and pain.