Yahoo Forum Archive

Title: Choosing · Author: docmon · Genres: Drama · ID: 473
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
An excellent idea for a series of short fics. All of them were good. I
liked the links back to The Hobbit in the Dwarven one. Thranduil's
pain at his necessary and right decision stood out in the Elven one. I
didn't enjoy the Man one as much, but that's because I hate to see
that in Denethor. All three were very well-written with lovely word
choices as well as good characterisation.

Title: The Kindly Airs · Author: Dwimordene · Times: Late Third Age:
General Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 480
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 1
Such a different idea, and so poetically written. Just lovely.

Title: Diamonds For Forever I, II & III · Author: Elen Kortirion ·
Genres: Romance: Other Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 515
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
It's just beautiful writing and imagery. I would be hard put to choose
a favourite line or sentence but perhaps [delicately wreathing bare
branches rimed with diamonds... winter gems for Ecthelion's pale
northern bride] I also particularly enjoyed the description of
Ecthelion's snowy walks in the first drabble. It's a clever idea to
have Arwen create a new heirloom to reflect the new world of hope that
they and their children will now live in.

Title: The King's Colors · Author: Dwimordene · Genres: Alternate
Universe: Steward's Family · ID: 482
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Beautifully written! The idea is just such an unusual twist and so
well done. I could quote examples of language I loved forever but
here's a simple line that stirred me:
[Duty slipped through his fingers like water]
I loved this line too:
[And all of them standing beneath that splendid-dreadful banner.]

Poor Boromir - so much pain and to see his whole world turned upside
down and his pain and duty brought to naught.

I loved the storyline, but again let me say it was the way you used
words - elegant in its true meaning, beautiful, heart-rending and
incisive.

Title: Comfort · Author: Bodkin · Races: Elves: House of Elrond · ID: 161
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
Lovely images of the twins comforting each other. I enjoyed the
different angle taken on this story - so much less about Arathorn's
death and so much more about the twin's feelings of guilt and sorrow.
So hard for them to be to be so powerful and so helpless. The story
also contains some beautiful word pictures.

Title: Before You Go · Author: Nancy Brooke · Races: Men: Minas Tirith
· ID: 506
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Gosh, I'm pleased that the MEFAs caused me to find that. You've
written a brilliant Denethor - clever, stubborn, torn by what fate
offers him, loving this eldest son of his even as he sees the
differences between them and unable despite all his power to alter
what must be. Denethor is an incredibly complex character and it is
very nice to see him written as so. I also like the glimpses of
Boromir we get through his actions and through his father's eyes.

Title: Pippin's Secret · Author: shirebound · Races: Hobbits:
Friendship · ID: 599
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
What a clever idea! It's just a simple twist to the accepted canon,
but I haven't seen it done before. I thought Pippin's dialogue was
good - you managed 'young, but not too young' very well.

Title: Concerning Walls · Author: Larner · Races: Cross-Cultural:
Frodo and Faramir · ID: 112
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
I absolutely loved all the detail you managed to build into this story
- of Hobbits and Hobbit history and of Faramir's life too. That
stonecrop and stars - tiny glimpses of beauty from their life before -
would cheer them is such right idea. I'm with Frodo - if only the
HObbiys would never have to know the true darkness the world is
capable of; that's why the firing of the Shire upsets me so much.
A very nicely written story.

Title: Shall We Dance? · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Races: Men:
Steward's Family · ID: 93
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 5
This is as lovely as all your stories. I love your stories of the
cousins, and long ago lost my heart to your Imrahil. The content of
the story is wonderful, but let me pause a moment on the wrapping -
the words. Such elegant, beatiful word pictures! I love, love, love
all the descriptive touches - I think you'll understand the compliment
when I say that your ball may even have outshone a Georgette Heyer
one. The story itself combines lots of lovely reflective touches of
the past and of canon, yours and Tolkien's with a story deceptive in
its simpleness. An excellent job, all round.

Title: Hope comes for Estel · Author: stefaniab · Genres: Drama:
Featuring Aragorn · ID: 622
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 2
A very interesting concept for a gap-filler; certainly it seems likely
some such conversation must have occurred.

Title: Steward's Trumpets · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Times:
Late Third Age: Gondor Drabbles · ID: 400
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 2
Spoilers!
That's very sweet - such a nice way to show renewal. I loved the
description of the flowers - it was a great word picture.

Title: Restoration · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Races: Men:
Minas Tirith · ID: 19
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
That's one of the nicest House of Healing ficlets I've read. It was a
great combination of little details - Elrond's knowledge, the tired
and dirty soldier, the tan on Faramir's wrist still - with hints of a
new future to come. Well done.

Title: Drawing the Eye · Author: Linda Hoyland · Times: Late Third Age
· ID: 569
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 1
I particularly enjoyed the descriptive aspects of this story.

Title: Mournful Fords · Author: Imhiriel · Genres: Drama: Ring War
Drabbles · ID: 368
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 2
An interesting idea - it is indeed a pity that Tolkien gave us no
reaction from Theoden. It must have been hard to live with the
knowledge that he had let his son as well as his land down.

Title: Tree of Knowledge · Author: Nancy Brooke · Times: Late Third
Age: Gondor Drabbles · ID: 172
Reviewer: Avon · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
Oh that's so beautiful! The words, the imagery, the idea... and it's
got a killer last line. I could read pages of writing this beautiful.
It really is poetical. This is another treasure I'm glad to have
unearthed through the MEFAs. For Denthor to know that... I really
liked also the linking of Denethor and Elrond through their 'sons'.
You've done a wonderful job with it, Nancy.

Title: Fidelis · Author: Pentangle · Genres: Drama: Hurt/Comfort · ID: 612
Reviewer: Ainaechoiriel · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
I wasn't sure what to think of this one first. The prequel was well
written, with wonderous descriptions. The second was so much heavier
and yet still very well crafted. Legolas and Aragorn felt very much in
character and Kenuric had become familiar. Lenwe was intriguing and
Lenwe, well, perhaps too beautiful, but a deep character as well. The
struggle between life and death, suicide and loss of will to live was
well played out.

Title: Oathbreakers · Author: Thundera Tiger · Times: Late Third Age ·
ID: 470
Reviewer: Ainaechoiriel · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
Interesting perspective here, allowing for the Mannish side of Elladan
on the eve of the Paths of the Dead. I enjoyed his discussion with
Elrohir, both brought up good points and worries.

Title: A Cat in King Elessar's Court · Author: agape4gondor · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Friendship · ID: 66
Reviewer: Ainaechoiriel · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
Spoilers!
Being a cat person, I loved having this cat's point of view. I did
think the ending harsh, as I wanted to see his little heirs before the
end, to make sure the line went unbroken. Still it was a good story
and I felt it stuck to canon quite closely.


Title: The Weight of Power · Author: Nefhiriel · Times: Mid Third Age
· ID: 325
Reviewer: Calenlass Greenleaf · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
I've known only a few young fanfic authors who are able to write so
masterfully as Nefhiriel. The portrayal of Aragorn is deft, and all
original characters--both good and evil--are well-rounded. The story
is long, but worth the read.

Title: Kin-Strife · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Genres: Drama:
Incomplete · ID: 92
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 6
This story tells the beginning of the friendship between Imrahil of
Dol Amroth and Andrahar of Harad, an OC. Pretty much the whole story
is populated be original characters or characters which are more or
less just names in Tolkien's work with some exceptions like Denethor
and Thorongil. All the characters in this story are well fleshed out
and especially Andrahar develops a life of his own in this and
subsequent stories in this universe.

The contrast between Imrahil, the reckless(and a bit spoiled) Heir to
Dol Amroth, and Andrahar, a street rat in Umbar, although with a noble
background, couldn't be greater. But these two complement each other.
Where Imrahil is too rash, Andrahar may be a bit too cautious.

The story has everything I could wish for, culture clash, a mysterious
stranger, and courtship. I hope it will be finished soon.

Title: Gone Amiss · Author: Raksha the Demon · Genres: Drama: Ring War
Drabbles · ID: 44
Reviewer: phyloxena · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 2
Amazingly poetic piece. The image of the water - tide of life,
receding, Aragorn's anguish, mounting, all leading to Boromir's soon
departure.

Title: To Give Hope · Author: peredhil lover · Races: Cross-Cultural:
Elves and Men · ID: 456
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 5
Gilraen arrives at Imladris numb with grief and has to face grave
decisions. I like the way her grief is portrayed and the interweaving
of her last day with Arathorn and with the decision she has to make.
Arathorn is still guiding her, although he is no longer there.

The other thing I like especially about this story is the way the
twins are characterized. They are not just 'the twins' interchangeable
from the outside and from within. Each of them has their own distinct
personality. They may look identical from the outside, but they are
two very different people. Once Gilraen really gets to know them she
should have no trouble telling them apart.

Title: The Revenge of Curufin's Horse · Author: Moreth · Genres: Humor
· ID: 139
Reviewer: nancylea · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 1
Spoilers!
is that what they meant when they coined "straight from the horse's
mouth"?

Title: The Rescue of Celebrian · Author: NeumeIndil · Genres: Drama:
Incomplete · ID: 382
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
Spoilers!
This story is intensely emotional. From Celebrian's trauma and madness
to the reactions of her family. Throwing in some orcs with
personality, recognized by Celebrian sent a chill down my spine. I
especially like the characterization of the twins as two different
personalities.

Title: I Ain't Got Nobody · Author: Ignoble Bard · Genres: Humor:
Valar & Maiar · ID: 568
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 2
Spoilers!
LOL! Glorfindel is really accident prone. All the different kind of
ways dying are amusing. The best was the suffocation under the tapestry...