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| Glorious Summer by daw the minstrel | 24 Review(s) |
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| Antigone Q | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/10/2004 |
| Whew! Things are getting tense. And Legolas and his brother are about to cross paths - that should be interesting. Author Reply: Tense is good! | |
| Alice | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/1/2004 |
| Well, this one's has a slow start but it's certainly picked up. I'm on the edge of my seat here, Daw! Don't leave me hanging. I don't have many comments to make on this chapter. Other than that it's delightfully thrilling. My breath quickens when reading it, and I become utterly absorbed in the danger and excitement. I don't see how they're going to get themselves out of this one without someone getting hurt. Especially with that Zalan character around. He's certainly chilling. This is certainly proving the practicality of Celuwen's plan. Those settlers are capable of defending themselves as they so determinedly set out to prove to Legolas. I liked that line about Legolas realizing he didn't have a snowball's chance in Hell in getting them to listen to them if they didn't listen to his father. Being the younger brother of at times overbearing Ithilden and tempestous and reckless Eilian, not to mention the son of an impatient King, has taught him nothing if not to pick his battles. I look forward to the next chapter. It's nice knowing that Maltaunar's going to be alright though. That's what's nice about you jumping around in time. I know if a character shows up in a story that takes place later than the current one he's going to make it out okay. However, I don't recall Solith being in A Tangled Web or Isiwen for that matter, so I'm not completely free from anxiety. Update soon! Author Reply: I had to take the time to get ready for this scene in the cabin because I didn't think it would be realistic to have Legolas be an effective officer instantly and I wanted to have some sense of Celuwen's and Eilian's new roles as wife and husband before I put them into this situation. But I have to say, I'm glad that your blood pressure apparently went up when you read it. Zalan scared the wits out of me when I was writing about him. Sharp observations about Celuwen's plan and Legolas's long "training" for picking his battles! You are so right about both things. Legolas can give way fairly gracefully. He's had to learn how. I had to laugh at your last paragraph. I was regretting having written "Tangled Web" already because if I hadn't, readers could even have been worried about Celuwen surviving. Now that would have been a high stakes story! | |
| Susanlu | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/1/2004 |
| Sorry--Add something. Legolas also do well at hiding his position by address his eldest brother as "Lord Ithilden", which I think just his habit, as well as call Thranduil "my Elven-lord" in Ithilien. Hereby, some fans of my country have concluded that Legolas didn't get along very well with his father, and that's also the reason he wants to move out of Mirkwood. Anyway, it's an interesing topic. My opinion is if he didn't get along with his father-king, he would not have the idea to "bring some of our folk" remove hither at all! Did he want to break up his father's kindom and start another kin-slaying? I think the background you made for Legolas and his family can explain this issue very well. I remember in "Tangled Web", you have mentioned that "Legolas did not ordinarily refer to Thranduil as his father when he was on duty, and he did not encourage others to do so either. "If he didn't like to refer Thranduil as his father in front of his own warrior, say nothing of in front of other races. A result of family education, as simple as that.:-) Author Reply: This is interesting. I think that Thranduil's sons have to be very conscious of the difference between Thranduil in his role as king and in his personal role as their father. It's like those are two different sets of relationships. They don't call him "Adar" in court, because in court they're his subject, not his children. And for Legolas to call Ithilden his brother while he's on duty is sort of the same thing. It might feel like he was trying to take advantage of his personal tie, and that wouldn't be right. It would be as if your mother or father were the teacher of your class in school. You might want to act the same way the other kids did. | |
| Susanlu | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/1/2004 |
| Daw I'm curious about the "bond" thing. So "bond" only exist between husband and wife or parent and child? Eilian and Celuwen have no same blood, but after they get married, they could not only share feeling, but also sense other's location. While though Legolas and Eilian are exactly the same born and love eachother much, they cannot spot their borther in a very short distanceT_T Now I know why Legolas writes to Thranduil not Ithilden ;-) It didn't surprise me that the settler hasn't recognised their youngest prince. In fact, sometimes I wonder if they can even recognised Thranduil without any introduction when the elven-king inspects his realm^0^. Tolkein said "The Silvan Elves hid themselves in woodland fastnesses beyond the Misty Mountains, and became small and scattered people......Under the leadership of these(the Sindar) they became again ordered folk and increased in wisdom." Thus I incline to that the slivan are natural anarchists, especially the settlers. Just see they address Eilian as "Solith's son-in-law", maybe some of them even not bother to memorize his name despite his position as a prince and a patrol captain? Well, Thranduil really should make some posters of his family and post them all over the settlements in his woods^o^ Author Reply: I have to be truthful and say that I don't know how canonical my treatment of the parent/child bond is. Tolkien does seem to show married people as able to sense a lot about one another, so I extrapolated! And in my world, no, the siblings don't have that same kind of ability. I tried to show the bond forming between Celuwen and Eilian when they first made love. According to Tolkien, it's the consummation of the marriage that forms the bond. You're making me laugh about the anarchist silvan elves and the need for posters, but I think you're right. I don't think these folks are naturally reverent about their leaders. | |
| caz - baz | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/1/2004 |
| oh my god! just hurry up I've never been good with tension. I work better under pressure but tension I don't do! plus, you've got me on the edge of my seat and it's like your drawing to the end of the book and about to find out what happens then you realise there's been a major printing mistake and for the next 80 pages there's the same thing repeated over and over again. Yeah, i have to get back to waterstones before i pull the rest of my hair out. well hurry up is all i can say and tell your boss to stop being so inconsiderate and give you some extra payed days off work by the orders of queen caz baz of York! later - hopefully sooner rather than later though caz baz Author Reply: Sorry, Caz-baz, tension is what I was going for because I don't do torture. (And I work badly under pressure!) You're correct that we're drawing near to the climax and end of this story. I'll write some this weekend and see how fast I can be. | |
| Brenda G. | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 9/30/2004 |
| Well, no need for me to take a stress test, cause I can tell you now - I'm STRESSED! This story has produced bloody stumps of what used to be nailed fingers on my hands! Easterlings in the Woodland Realm! Wasn't it Easterlings that took Legolas prisoner in one of your stories several months back? I believe that was the case. Their leader kept a wolf as a pet, and the leader also beat Legolas with a whip, as I recall. Please refresh me on the details, would you? I am going to be quite satisfied (although no where near as much as Eilian) to see that fiend Zalan get his. Eilian is just itching to kill him (and I hope you afford Thranduil's second born that privilege before the story ends). Celuwen impresses me. She's almost as cool and collected under pressure as is her steely husband. And now - TA DA! - Legolas to the rescue! The blonde bombshell is about to explode! I'm so proud of our elfling, all grown up into the wonderful warrior he is. Maltanaur HAS to live, Daw. Even though Eilian has another "keeper" of sorts in Celuwen, you just CAN'T kill Maltanaur off, okay? He's way too much of a family member, like Beliond is becoming. There needs to be a law against killing keepers. Hey, did Thranduil ever have a keeper himself? Just wondering. I can't remember you ever writing about such a person. This is a great story so far. The tension thus far rivals Legolas' bow at full draw! All right. I've taken a handful of tranquilizers which may help get me through until your next chapter is posted. May help, so hurry. You're a wonder... Author Reply: You really don't need to be refreshed on the details, Brenda, because you have them all right. From what I can tell, the Easterlings were a more or less tribal bunch though, so these wouldn't necessarily be from the same group. A bunch of them were evidently involved in the war with the Rohirrim. Zalan is one of these people the world would be better off without. If I were Celuwen or Isiwen, I'd be collapsed, gibbering on the floor, but they're both doing well. Maybe Eilian's calm is helping them. He's very much the warrior, right now. And so is Legolas, bless him. He is ready to show exactly what kind of leader he is. I never ever wondered if Thranduil had a keeper, but that's an excellent question! Maybe that's where he got the idea for providing them for his sons. | |
| emjo | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 9/30/2004 |
| Ahhh, Daw you can't do this to me anymore! I thought the last cliffy was bad and now this! Poor Maltanaur I had to go back to tangeled web to make sure he was still alive! I was disappointed that Solith was knocked out, I wanted him to see how capable Eilian is. Legolas has quite the task ahead of him, but I have faith he'll do well! Please hurry with your next update I can't wait to see what you have in store for everyone! Author Reply: It would be nice if Solith has to eat crow, wouldn't it? Maybe I can still arrange that. Sadly, I don't think that any change in him would be permanent. Unless that blow to the head shook up more than I had planned! Legolas does have his work cut out for him, but he's been growing into his role and now we'll see how he does. I think. I haven't actually written it yet. :-) | |
| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 9/30/2004 |
| Oh, goodie! I love hostage situations. I kind of feel sorry for these The last thing he wanted to do at the moment was surprise the Man by his movements. There would be time for that later. Oh, baby. But I have a feeling that Celuwen has a few tricks up her sleeve, too. And Legolas must have about spit a molar when it dawned on him that Eilian was the factor missing from the dead-Man-bloodied-Maltanaur equation. He's taking charge of the situation quite nicely, counting all the windows and doors and setting up his perimeter. Don't keep us waiting too long - we're all on the edge of our seats! Author Reply: You are so right. The Men ARE outmatched. They have no experience with Elves, though, so they don't know it yet. Won't they be surprised! :-) For Legolas, this is what this story has been building to. He's be trying out his wings as a lieutenant, and now I think he and his patrol are ready to get down to business. | |
| White Wolf | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 9/30/2004 |
| Hang on Eilian, little brother is coming. I'm glad you spared Maltanaur. I rally like both keepers. Zalan is truly the evil one, isn't he? People who like to kill for killing's sake are scary and hard to reason with. It may take brute force to deal with him. I'm curious about something. When Legolas told Celoril his name, the settler didn't know who he was. I would think that all Mirkwood elves, no matter where in the realm they lived. would know their princes' names. I found that odd. How is it that Celoril, even never having seen Legolas before, would not know that Legolas was the youngest son of his king? Author Reply: Legolas is doing very well, isn't he? And Zalan is, indeed, the evil, scary one. I didn't think Celoril would necessarily know the names of the king's sons. I didn't think he would care and it's not as if there's TV or something. I don't know the names of George Bush's two daughters and I do have TV! | |
| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 9/30/2004 |
| Holy crap. You’re killing me here. And you weren’t far wrong when you said that poor Maltanaur was dead in a ditch :-( Great chapter, though! My pulse is still racing. Those Men are seriously scary. Especially that Zalan. Félas is dead? So, does that make Sólith the leader of the settlement now? He seemed like second in command. Eilian is amazing in this chapter. They’re basically being held captive, there’s a knife at his wife’s throat and his missing keeper’s arrow is lodged in a Man’s leg, yet he still has the wits to go into warrior-mode. Staying calm is ultimately what will help him because it gives him the opportunity to observe and file away all the little pieces of information for later. Still, the feeling that he’s not super-elf and that it’s a struggle for him not to panic comes across very well. I like the little bit about Susta seeming slightly disturbed by Eilian’s gaze. I was beginning to think that these Men had no fear of Elves – plus it reminds us of how different Elves and Men are. I’m so used to reading about Elves that I think I tend to forget! LOL at Susta resenting Isiwen’s height. I suspect it would not be wise to underestimate these particular ladies. It’s actually quite disturbing how used to dealing with arrow wounds Eilian is. Obviously he’s had to remove arrows himself, had them removed or watch it being done countless times. I think something like that would really drive home to Celuwen and Isiwen what his life is like when on patrol. Like Celuwen wouldn’t be worried enough about him having to return south at some stage… I found Eilian’s thoughts about Zalan, and Men like him, being “broken inside” quite touching. Clearly this guy has a few screws loose and is all the more dangerous because of that but it’s rather sad to look at it in such an Elven way, that his very soul is missing. How frightening for them, though, to know that he would have absolutely no remorse in killing any of them. How completely surreal to be in this situation and to know that just outside the window life goes on as normal. When Ithilden hears about all this he’ll be having fits. Accidentally wandering into Mirkwood is one thing but Men travelling through largely undetected and attacking a home should never have happened. It’s all a bit bizarre, really. That this forest is known to be the home of Elves is enough to scare off most Men and they definitely wouldn’t challenge the natives like this just for food and medicine. But then, these particular Men are hardly local to the area… I felt so bad for Gelmir finding Maltanaur like that. Apart from the fact that he’s fought with him for so long, like Legolas and Beliond he knows that Eilian has to be around somewhere. Maltanaur obviously fought well if he killed one Man and shot another. I take it the rest of the Men think he’s dead. Now, I know it’s not at all funny, and I’m blaming nervous tension, but I had to laugh at Celoril at first. He kind of gives the impression that if any of the other Elves saw the blood or heard fighting they’d have taken absolutely no notice because they know Eilian was ‘visiting’ Sólith ;-) Like Eilian, Legolas does a very commendable job of swallowing his anxiety. He even manages to think of a decent plan. Actually, it’s interesting how they both react. If either Ithilden or Thranduil were in their position I think we’d be seeing fury rather than fear. As ever, I’m glad for Beliond’s presence. He must have been worried about how Legolas would react when they piece together what might be happening and discover that Eilian, Celuwen & co. could be in danger. At least he can be reassured by Legolas’ completely competent handling of matters. Lol, I don’t blame Celoril and his fellow stubborn settlers for wanting to help. It could indeed end up in chaos, but I can see why they wouldn’t settle for “Thank you. You should go home now.” Let’s hope they do have enough sense to do as they’re commanded. I notice Celoril doesn’t recognise Legolas. He must have lived in a settlement for a long time. Right, I’m completely putting my faith in Legolas. The crowd in the cottage seem to be holding up well but I don’t see how they can get out of this without outside help… Personally, I’m hoping that all three of the Men are killed, Sólith’s head is too sore to think of a way to blame all this on Eilian (Sólith’s going to miss seeing his son-in-law be a hero, isn’t he??), Thranduil and Ithilden acknowledge that Eilian was right, even though he should have brought more warriors with him, and Legolas realises how well he’s doing as lieutenant… Well, sometimes life does have a happy ending!! But we’ll see… I’m ready and waiting – bring it on! :-) Author Reply: I think that Solith is indeed now the leader of the settlement. I said he was in "Tangled Web" and I hadn't even thought of killing Felas then, but when the opportunity arose, I decided to use it. I did want this to be seriously scary because I won't get another chance to write this same scenario. I think both Eilian and Legolas rise to hero mode here and I enjoyed writing about that. Eilian's training and experience help him, and he's courageous to start with. He's fighting off panic but he's keeping his head enough to note every little bit of advantage he might be able to use. I love him! These Men do NOT have a sufficient fear of elves. They have no experience with them and don't know how strong they are, for instance. They probably do think Maltanaur is dead. He will be wanting to show them otherwise, assuming they all live long enough. I need to work in the story of how they came to be here a little more clearly maybe. They are from the fighting in the south, and just got caught on the wrong side of the Anduin when the flooding happened. They couldn't cross until the Ford and wound up in Mirkwood, because they have to go east. I found Celoril kind of funny myself. He's just coming home from fishing and makes this innocent, placid contrast to terror. I thought that the king's youngest son, whose been off in border patrols for years, might not be known to settlers. What do they care? And it's not like Thranduil's sons are on TV every night or something. What good endings you think up! | |