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Msg# 9646

MEFA Reviews for Tuesday, December 2, 2008 (Evening Set, Part Four) Posted by annmarwalk December 02, 2008 - 19:48:53 Topic ID# 9646
Title: Wedding Nerves · Author: Jay of Lasgalen · Times: Late Third
Age: Gondor · ID: 48
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
There are a lot of stories detailing the trials Aragorn had to endure
when he went from Ranger to King, and I never tire of them. This one
is especially good as it plays the narrative on a more subtle note and
lets the dialog handle the story. There is definitely a sense of
what's happening, but mainly it's just the characters interacting,
which makes it all the more endearing.

Title: Sing All Ye People! · Author: Raksha the Demon · Times: Late
Third Age: Gondor · ID: 249
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 6
Spoilers!
If anyone was to pull such subtle nuances from the voice of the Eagle,
it would definitely be Faramir. I found the progression of voices, and
particular the order in which they appear, to be very telling. It's as
though the things for which the departed strived hardest are the
things their voices pertain to. Denethor's long struggle against
Mordor makes him the first herald. Boromir's long watch and his
journey with Aragorn earns him the second verse. Gandalf looks out for
all the children of the West and hopes for a better future both for
the morrow and for years to come, giving him the third verse. The last
verse hearkens back to the promises between Eldar, Edain, and Valar,
which could easily make it Manwe's verse, though Faramir can't be sure
on that point. Simple yet profound as well as very natural given that
its Faramir doing the musing.

Title: Comes the moment to decide · Author: Linda Hoyland · Times:
Late Third Age: Gondor · ID: 418
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
Great insights into the desperate acts that preceded the fall of
Sauron. I was especially intrigued by Denethor receiving a vision of
Faramir emulating Ecthelion in his regard for Aragorn. It does much to
explain some of his decision to burn both himself and his son. But for
me, the best part of the story was the final chapter in which Faramir
names Aragorn as King before the council. Powerful and moving!

Title: For the Want of ... · Author: Larner · Times: Late Third Age:
Gondor · ID: 681
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 5
Spoilers!
It's always nice when someone explores Pippin's mindset during the
War, and it's even nicer when that someone decides to give Pippin a
mature and understanding outlook. This is one such story. Pippin's
reasoning about being the last hobbit able to distract attention from
Frodo and Sam was something that had never occurred to me, and it
makes all the sense in the world. There's not much that Faramir can
say in response to that, especially not when Pippin throws in the
lynch-pin argument, too. I enjoyed seeing both the traditional and the
altered version of the horseshoe nail poems. It definitely seemed to
clinch the debate.

Title: The Lost Restored · Author: Larner · Times: Late Third Age:
Gondor · ID: 59
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 6
Spoilers!
Once the Ring is destroyed, the books seem to forget about Gollum, and
I have to admit that I did, too. He served his purpose and that seemed
to be the end of it. That might be one of the reasons this story hit
me so hard. The first punch was when Gwaihir and Gandalf paused at
Mount Doom to search for a third individual, and it took me a second
to realize who that third could be. I never imagined that they would
hunt for Gollum, but the more I thought about it, the more I
understood that they couldn't do otherwise. And the constant
references to Gollum afterward felt natural and needed. It was as if
the story was truly complete for the first time, because for all his
deception, Smeagol was integral to the Ring's tale, and the story just
wouldn't be finished without his redemption. Because he, too, was a
Ring-bearer, and I must thank Larner for reminding me of this.
Brilliant story!

Title: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream · Author: Ariel/Auntie
Meesh/Budgielover/Cathleen/Dreamflower/Gryffinjack/kellyfrankenfield/Lindelea/Pearl
Took/Rosie Took/SlightlyTookish CoAuthors · Times: Late Third Age:
Gondor · ID: 496
Reviewer: Thundera Tiger · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
With so many authors, it can be difficult to write a single story and
have it work, but these authors seem to have pulled it off. There are
definitely different styles and different takes on the characters, but
the story as a whole does flow and the plot is easy to understand and
compelling. And as I love just about anything with an ensemble cast, I
enjoyed the inclusion of many major characters who each got to
contribute something during the unfolding of the mystery. Very fun.

Title: Giving Gifts · Author: Marta · Genres: Humor: Other
Fixed-Length Ficlets · ID: 426
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
LOL! The nightmare of all parents. I love it that Faramir really liked
his gift. Although it seems that, as his mother's son, Imrahil's gift
was painful in more than just one way on the sensitive ears of
Denethor. How long will this subtle war last?

Title: On Amon Sūl · Author: Dreamflower · Genres: Drama: Featuring
Frodo or Sam · ID: 299
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
This is a great gapfiller, for the stabbing at Amon Sul. I love the
way you formatted it to underline Frodo's distance from the real
world. The change between fading into the wraithworld and coming back
to his friends is done with with great skill. And on top of everything
the evil voice of the ring tries to subdue Frodo, although with not
much success at this point.

Title: Fine Art for Future Generations · Author: stefaniab · Genres:
Humor: Gondor · ID: 561
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
Spoilers!
Questionable art is always good for a laugh. I like the depiction of
the two young boys here. They don't question the picture, but take it
at face value. Arwen's reminiscence about how the picture came about
is funny. I like Gimli the gnome.

Title: Shall We Dance? · Author: Isabeau of Greenlea · Races: Men:
Steward's Family · ID: 93
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
So, Denethor has a softer side under his stern exterior. But still he
can't do anything without calculating or cataloging the effect his
actions have on others. I love it how Boromir and Faramir conspire to
get their father to dance with Lothiriel, but that it is ultimately
Lothiriel herself that convinces the Steward, consciously or
unconsciously to comply with her wishes. This is just a short piece,
but all the main characters are deftly drawn and come to life.

Title: One Summer Day · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Humor: Gondor ·
ID: 535
Reviewer: pipkinsweetgrass · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 7
This is an amazing story which bears reading more than once. Living
near the sea, I can tell you that the writer has the mindset down
perfectly! No matter how well off you are or how poor, you just can't
beak that vital connection to the sea or to the precious land around
it. Yes, we have gardens, here, too! The brothers were so perfect
here, and I was overjoyed to see them all happy for a change instead
of only the grief-riddled ones, which are needed...but happy is great
too. Ans the fact that others loved them was shown! That is good use
of point of view! We see that both brothers are beloved by family and
friend and by their people as well. Both brothers were beloved Sons of
Gondor, here we see the foreshadowing of that. The interconnectedness
of the story was seamless, characterization flawless, why I could
almost taste the crab! And I bet I know what spices Imrahil said use!
This story really grabbed me with it's faithfulness to canon and it's
groundedness in reality...a fine balance, and a good story!

Title: Forsaken · Author: Imhiriel · Races: Elves: Drabbles · ID: 369
Reviewer: Alquawende · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
I loved the emotion coming out of the 100 words. Imhiriel has made
every word count in this drabble. I've always been curious what Finrod
thought when his nephew/brother (depends) did not come to his side and
aid him against the Sons of Feanor, but instead did nothing. This
drabble shows perfectly, Finrod's emotion and thoughts about all the
sorrows he has lived through. Overall, I really enjoyed this drabble.

Title: Faithful · Author: Dwimordene · Times: Second and Early Third
Age · ID: 105
Reviewer: Alquawende · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 5
Spoilers!
It is a rarity to even come upon a story that takes place in the time
of Gondor's Kin-strife, so when I saw this story, I knew I had to
read. I have had this upsession about this period for quite awhile and
this fic has only made me want more, sadly, because there are too few.
Anyway, back to the short fic, I like that the author brings out the
political effects the Kin-strife has on the various lords of Gondor.
It makes the story more realistic when the author narrated,
beautifully, the situation, but did not give away too much. The ending
suprised me, and I liked it very much, even if it had bad effects for
others... A lovely fic, Dwimordene!

Title: A Cat in King Elessar's Court · Author: agape4gondor · Races:
Cross-Cultural: Friendship · ID: 66
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
This is a lovely cat story. I was a bit surprised by the title, since
most of the story (page wise) plays during Denethor's time. But in the
end it made sense.

I love the characterization of the cat. As a new cat owner myself, I
could recognize behavior I would observe in my own cats. I could feel
pity for Denethor for the first time. He is not someone I really like,
but the cat showed the good sides of Denethor and grew in me an
understanding of his plight.

Title: In Passing · Author: Altariel · Races: Men · ID: 104
Reviewer: Aervir · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 10
Spoilers!
Altariel has always been one of my favourite authors in Tolkien fandom
because she captures one of my favourite characters so wonderfully;
this ficlet -- which I somehow failed to notice until now -- is no
exception.

Faramir's characterization is as subtle as it is precise in this brief
story. Within the space of a few paragraphs, he is presented as a
ruler, prince and strategic mind; as a scholar attracted by the lure
of words and gifted with verbal dexterity himself; as a supreme reader
and judge of other people; and, above all, as a 'family man'
connecting lineage and posterity.

The latter theme is of outstanding importance in 'The Lord of the
Rings', and it is picked up in this piece of writing in a very hopeful
manner. The title is a deft pun on the seeming effortlessness of this
casual history lesson for young Beren; on Faramir's advanced age that
has brought him close to death, and the essential distinction between
'passing on' and 'passing away'.

What is passed on here are the most life-affirming aspects of
Tolkien's idiosyncratic brand of conservatism-with-a-small-c, where
restoration, regeneration and renewal meet each other in the image of
the garden of Ithilien -- not the land of old any longer, but won back
for all the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to come.

Wonderful!

Title: They Also Serve · Author: Marta · Times: Late Third Age · ID: 365
Reviewer: Aervir · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 9
Spoilers!
This story touches on a certain 'behind the scenes' element of the
Fellowship's Quest that Tolkien himself did not include -- much to his
later regret -- so I am very glad to see it picked up in fanfiction:
the 'homefront' in Rivendell.

There is a certain cruelty in being forced to wait for news from your
loved ones in a dangerous situation, and a certain quiet heroism in
the perseverance of those who stay behind, and it is lovely to see
this acknowledged. Of course, this sort of requires the symbolic
kitchen setting -- the comforts of the hearth, and the domestic work
we never actually read about in 'The Lord of the Rings', although the
importance of the great ladies as bread-givers, in the original sense
of the Old English word, is stressed throughout Tolkien's legendarium.

Here it is Arwen, however, who has to be given emotional nourishment
in a world where mothers are so frequently dead or otherwise absent.
The imagery that Marta chooses to describe her confidante, [as strong
and unchanging as the bones of the earth,] is the perfect description
for courage and bravery in seeming unlikely places -- something
Tolkien himself might have highly approved of.

Title: Call of the Wild · Author: annmarwalk · Genres: Romance:
Drabbles · ID: 94
Reviewer: Aervir · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 6
Spoilers!
Somehow, I 'managed' to miss this drabble when it was posted on
tolkien_weekly, so I am very glad that I have the chance to redress my
lack of attention now.

In the very constricted format of a true drabble, this ficlet succeeds
in fleshing out a character who is one of the many names in the
Appendices, being consistent with the little canon knowledge that we
have of Morwen (that she married Thengel, that she earned the name
Steelsheen) and yet transcending these facts.

Her physical attraction to Thengel as well as her longing to see
herself reflected in his wildness and match it with hers are perfectly
highlighted; especially the imagery of [glory calling them in the echo
of a far-away battle horn] appeals to me: It seems very fitting for a
future queen of Rohan and it's also very much in line with the
conflation of admiration of martial prowess and desire that sometimes
occurs in Tolkien's writings.

Bravo!

Title: Lost and Found · Author: Branwyn (Lady Branwyn) · Times: Mid
Third Age · ID: 23
Reviewer: Aervir · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 10
The friendship between Gandalf and Faramir, which has endured since
the latter's childhood, the everyday life in Minas Tirith before the
War of the Ring and the Steward's family relations are themes only
hinted at in canon, much to the delight of fanfic authors and readers,
and Branwyn's treatment of the subject certainly does not disappoint.

Her characterization of the protagonists as well as her foreshadowing
of more important things to come are pitch-perfect. Gandal's kind and
avuncular attitude towards the innocent that have no idea of his true
powers is evoked in the friendliness, patience and seriousness with
which he treats Faramir here, and yet the author doesn't us forget
that he is more than a nice old man. His true age is brought to mind
["It has been far too long since I spent any time around children"],
his ability to see beyond the surface ["( he) could feel the warmth
and the tremulous spirit, as quick as the flutter of wings, that were
bound in his flesh"], and his budding worries with regard to Bilbo's
ring ["Though there are some things that were better never found"].

And wee!Faramir is definitely a joy to read about: He is an
intelligent, precocious and amiable child, but I especially like that
Branwyn nevertheless depicts him as a _child_ -- eager to please,
prattling, impatient, fond of a little gossip, and a bit of a dreamer.
Nonetheless, we can also see the character he is to become in LOTR:
scholarly, but also clever in a quick-witted, pragmatic way; fond of
lore as well as of the beasts in nature (whom he slays neither
needlessly nor gladly, as he says), deeply bound to his father and by
no means unlike him.

As a Faramir fangirl, I am also very happy about the fact that he's
now bound up in the Quest already; he indirectly helps Gandalf to
uncover the truth about what Bilbo found by a find of his own; in the
future, the Ring itself will find him -- and this ficlet might as well
give us a small clue why he won't claim it: He is interested in
learning and in helping others, not in possessing.

A wonderful read!

Title: Estel I Was Called · Author: Marta · Genres: Drama: Featuring
Aragorn · ID: 351
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 3
Spoilers!
It had to be difficult for Aragorn to go back to his folk after being
denied his heritage for so long. Luckily, he has his cousin Halbarad
to teach him the ropes of his new existence. And how fitting that he
again has to choose a new name. I liked the details about the pelts on
Aragorn's parents' bed.

Title: And Whisper You to This Earth · Author: Lady Elina · Genres:
Romance · ID: 151
Reviewer: Beruthiel's Cat · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 8
Spoilers!
Rather than my own lack of eloquence, this story speaks for itself.
Rarely do I find stories

that move me as this one has, making it an even more precious finding
among usual fare. This

tale of an elf and a mortal speaks to all of us, of the terrible
weight of time. For some, as

Erestor, time and sorrow are a crushing weight, for Halbarad, an equal
sorrow in the fleeting

rush to the unknown. One will live to lose so much without hope of
regaining, the other will be

lost to the dust of time. Each wants to be remembered, each searches
for meaning and hope.

Both will be forgotten, except within the memory of the earth itself.
So symbolic, the

crumbling wisdom of the library, the Whisper Stone embedded within the
earth. The

bittersweet fragility of their coming together gives each a
transcendence of fate, a memory,

and courage to go forward to whatever end. Incredibly lyrical,
intensely visual, a must-read

for anyone who wants to gain insight into a subject I wish was within
my ability to review

well. A tale deserving to be on anyone's list of best-of-the-best.

Title: Thawing Lily · Author: Soubrettina · Genres: Humor: Gondor · ID: 30
Reviewer: obsidianj · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 1
A very unusual 'courtship'. But I can see it as a possibility.

Title: Loss · Author: SurgicalSteel · Genres: Drama: Hurt/Comfort ·
ID: 196
Reviewer: Beruthiel's Cat · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 7
Spoilers!
In every one of this author's tales is woven her personal experience
as a surgeon, as well as a love of medical history and Tolkien. Taken
together, they paint a very realistic picture of survival in primitive
conditions. A tale that pulls out all the stops, 'Loss' is a tribute
to the harsh realities we do not often think of in regard of any of
Tolkien's characters. This window into an epic tale built around the
family of Halbarad, is skillfully blended with the author's original
character of his wife, Serindė. The circumstances portrayed here are
doubly tragic, and chillingly real. the author skillfully avoids any
of the traps in which her character could be labeled as the dreaded
Mary Sue, instead giving us a view into the canon characters that
could not be achieved elsewise. Skillfully written, utterly
captivating, not to be missed. Deserving of any reader's list of all
time favorites, Surgical Steel's tales becomes like an old friend,
someone you'll want to spend time with over and again.

Title: The Stolen Child · Author: SurgicalSteel · Races: Men · ID: 197
Reviewer: Beruthiel's Cat · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 6
Spoilers!
'The Stolen Child' makes me glad that both it and 'Loss' were
nominated together, as it would

be impossible to separate them without losing some of their incredible
impact. 'Loss' deals

with tragedy, Stolen Child with the aftermath, grief and the
beginnings of acceptance. So real

are the characters' feelings, so terrible their circumstances. The
pain of their loss will never

truly heal, but Halbarad and Serindė have a relationship that isstrong
enough to keep them

from breaking. For two people so dedicated to the preservation of
life, the author's

no-holds-barred approach to this story and its predecessor intensifies
their personal tragedy

almost beyond endurance. A sensitive, wrenching subject handled with
style and grace,

Surgical Steel proves exactly why her stories are worthy of the
nominations they receive.

Title: MAGIC: The Password · Author: Fiondil · Genres: Humor: Elven
Lands · ID: 451
Reviewer: Beruthiel's Cat · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
451 Magic-The Password

This little jewel strikes a little too close to home for me. If you
write something down, it

doesn't do a bit of good to not put it somewhere you can find it
again! A thoroughly delightful

jaunt, Fiondil proves that even elves can have their moments. That it
happens to Thranduil is

even better. At least we know now where that password came from, lost
again to fall into the

most unlikely hands.

Title: PROPHECY: Changing the Future · Author: Fiondil · Genres: Humor
· ID: 11
Reviewer: Beruthiel's Cat · 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Score: 4
Spoilers!
11-Prophecy-Changing the Future

Humor abounds, even among the Valar as Nįmo attempts to derail some
rather creative

writing by a pair of mortal wags bent upon polishing their image as a
species. One can only

imagine the resulting brouhaha if and when all the different versions
come together under one

roof. As is the hallmark of this author, the best is saved for last,
when the One running the

show will remind them of who is really in charge. Not to be missed,
one of the best of

Fiondil's Tapestry series.