Reviews by Rhapsody

The Witch-king's Cloak · Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:38 am

Simply brilliant and what an astute observation! I love the vanity and the grumpiness of the WitchKing here, now completely irritated by the course of events and yeah I have to chuckle at the foresight that his new cloak will be washed too in the Bruinen. This is delightfully tongue-in cheek and splendidly written!

Joy Like Swords · Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:35 am

Nancy! This one is very special! I love the way how the minstrel is struggling to compose an ode for the fallen and the events and how he finds his inspiration in the future and as the quote of Tolkien feels to me, bringing joy and happiness to the crowd. But what stands out is the moment how that song comes to him and where he derives it from. That feels like a very magical moment and you captured that greatly!

The White Tree · Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:50 pm

Linda, you outdid yourself with this story! Unique, special in interpretation, I think it was good to read that even though we know Faramir will help Aragorn to restore Gondor completely in her valour and might, I haven’t read that many stories who actually tackle the problems the characters might have encountered. So yes, why not let them experience difficulties and letting them overcome the necessary hurdles?

To me it feels a clash of two Dunedain cultures combined with an upbringing and ghosts from the past that influences the characters still. I think that you gave us a troubled, but yet a very muchly in character Faramir here: fully unleashed when pushed to far and Aragorn, used to being a loner still has to adjust to governing so many while he is so uncertain if everything he went through is worth it. I love the way you picked the parts of the books to form a solid background for this story and fills in the small gaps in the story. One thought that crossed my mind suddenly and made me smile was that Aragorn comes across like a manual physiotherapist with his healing, since these specialists in modern medicine do exactly what you are writing: elvish healing indeed. Very Happy smiley face

This was a great read!

A Season Of Aeons · Sat Nov 04, 2006 6:37 am

This feels like a some sort of rhyme children learn at school to remember the signifance of two great wars against the evil Sauron: the War of the Last Alliance and Ring war. You brought this very effectively. It reads easy on the eye and yet there is a lesson buried underneath it! Greatly drabbled Rous!

Another Man's Cage · Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:45 am

Oh wow Dawn; I could remember this chapter so clearly which says so much about this great story. Yet again, I cried because this chapter has so many moving moments. I am not going to copy them all into the review (although I have to fight hard to resist showing you those moments), but I do think you have Celegorm spot on here as a child (both Nerdanel and Fëanor have their moments where they feel their children grow up too fast). It is sometimes so easy to think Celegorm is cruel and vindictive, but the way you write him and gives insight in his character shows so incredibly well, how he became the elf later on. Which of course, as you know, changed my whole perception of him. It is just as if everything falls onto it's place and from every son of Fëanor you can see what exactly they have from their father and what from their mother. Of course, a child has a lot from itself too, but still, this chapter illustrates this greatly.

I think today I realised that Celegorm and Fëanor have the same fiery temper, Nerdanel says it so great (yes I know I promised no citations)

and he knows that you did not mean to hurt him, just as he surely did not mean to treat Findekáno as he did.

I am intrigued by the cultural differences between Tirion and Formenos, but still Fëanor has a house outside the walls. Wink smiley face

As if he (or his spirit for that matter) would feel too restrained if he lived inside the city. As last, I love the way how Celegorm objects to the scented water, what a great image and so fitting for a boy his age!

Thanks for this great chapter Dawn, now I am going to buy new tissues.

Friendliest Foe · Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:30 am

This is a lovely drabble about hope and endurance under the toughest circumstances. I love how you wrote Frodo here, very earthy and hobbity, depending on Mother Nature to see him through.

Where No Sea Runs · Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:53 am

Oh Nancy this is special, especially how you weave in the past with the present where Boromir stands at his mother's tomb where he hopes she returns to him again, just as he watched her swim. I already got warm fuzzies with the 'fimming' and this personal touch makes it a very personal story.

Eternal · Sun Oct 22, 2006 1:19 pm

And they are gone, just as quick as they came through the mists. I do feel for Maeglin though, it is if nobody, well except for Ecthelion who cares about this grief. I shook my head when Idril said this:

“Do not think that this world is made to service your whims and joys. We all have our own lives to tend to with loves and grievances.”

As if the world for Maeglin is such a happy place. It feels to me as if he tries to cling on what is his family right now, but all they do is pushing him away. Poor elf.

But oh, the oath will come at great cost for the house of Hurin... A great chapter Trekqueen! Where is the next one? Wink smiley face

Another Man's Cage · Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:57 pm

Ow Dawn.. what a delightful chapter again! Gosh I had to laugh so hard! First the tension between Celegorm & Fingon, and yeah my heart melted when I read how Celegorm thrashed through the thicket, hoping that he didn't killed the poor creature. Fingon forgiving Celegorm later on is such a key moment, but it wil take a while before Celegorm will accept him. But how I giggled while reading this chapter:

“You haven’t shown her how to do the sword-swallowing trick?”

“You haven’t let her hold your princely scepter?”

“You haven’t shown her your Fëanorian ability to delve for treasure in dark places?”

LOL sign smiley face

And then the icing on the cake

The path widens, and Aunt Nerdanel canters up beside us. “Nelyo, really, must you abuse Macalaurë in his injured state?” she scolds and rides past to join Uncle Fëanáro at the front.

ROFL smiley face

I love Maglor like this! And there is so much more goodness! Actually, I loved this chapter from young Fingon's perspective. I am eagerly looking forward to next week Very Happy smiley face

Another Man's Cage · Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:20 pm

Oi long overdue, but these were two incredible chapters Dawn. Your Nerdanel is so wonderfully earthy and solid, and yet so full of emotions that you so easily can symphatise with her. And oww such delightful banter with Fëanor.

Fingon's observations are simply wonderful!

For the last six nights, we have slept like this in the wild, with the Treelight growing fainter as we move farther into the cold north, and with my nightmares growing in intensity with the darkness.

This is so intriguing, it feels as if Fingon draws his energy (or lifeforce) and faith from the trees...

I had been romanced into fantasies about roaming the deep forests with him, hunting game too ambitious even for Tyelkormo, or the pair of us studying in my room late at night, whispering to each other about the awfulness of his father for making us labor so hard. My heart had quivered with longing for such companionship.

Awww poor Fingon, so actually he's been made happy with something which turned out to be the complete opposite. It makes me wonder what Nerdanel might have promised Celegorm in return.

“I do not love many,” he says, “but those whom I do claim most of my heart. Our sons I love more than my own life.”

These two lines smply got to me, not only since it is such an eerie foresight, but you write the depth of his love, compared with how he treated Maglor's injury with so much effort so wonderfully. This combined with Fingon's observations about nurse maids telling him not to cry or servants taking care of matters like these... it surely puts Fëanor in a different perspective than his brothers and in a way I think Finwe would have done the same.

And this, ow Dawn, this made me laugh so hard:
“Yes, dearest husband, and then we shall have to quiet Carnistir when he walks down the path and finds us and goes to Nelyo crying that Atar is trying to drown Amil in the spring. Or have Tyelkormo telling everyone at every feast for the next ten years about how his parents were spawning in the pond south of Formenos.”

LOL Laughing smiley face

I can so see Celegorm & Caranthir doing that Laughing smiley face

Login

Navigation

RSS Feeds

Reviews by Rhapsody