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Interrupted Journeys: Part 2 Journeys Perforce by elliska	6 Review(s)
ghemstone	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/31/2004
Hi. I feel firstly that i have to apologies for not reviewing sooner. I started reading part 1 when there were already a few chapters written, and didn't think to let you know how much your story had ensnared me. In a way it could be taken as a compliment, because i find that, the more talanted the author, the harder i find it to review. I love stories which give the characters and emotions time to grow and develope,while being engaging and entertaining when this is happening. This fic has certainly done that, and on top of that you have created a wonderful storyline with brilliantly thought out, and developed O.Cs. It goes without saying that you have created a totally believable Thranduil, with all the fierceness, pride and almost arrogance that people have come to expect from him, but also a less written about softer side that few, but his closest see. This fic is one of my absolute favourites, and i can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing this wonderful tale, and i hope to see more soon. ghemstone Author Reply: Wow, thank you very much! It is always such a treat to get reviews like this. I am so glad to know you are enjoying the story. I loved the character of the Elvenking when I read The Hobbit (there seemed to be so many sides to him) and the more I read of Tolkien's other works, the more curious I became about his story. So I had a lot of fun writing this thing. I also like stories that explore the growth of the characters I find interesting, so I guess that it what I naturally write. I think it is really fascinating to think about what made the characters do the things they do in canon. There are so many interpretations so this is just mine. :) I'm glad you like how Thranduil comes across in this. The way you describe him is exactly how I want him to appear so I'm happy I accomplished that in someone's mind. I know what you mean about finding it hard to review. I started reading LotR fan fiction around January of this year and I read for months without really reviewing anything. Other fandoms I read don't really have a review function on their sites so it wasn't something I was accustomed to. Then I read two particularly fantastic stories that I had to review and that got me started on it. I didn't really do it regularly until recently. The more involved I get in the LotR fanfiction, the more I realize how much I miss teaching lit. So this has become my substitute! I love talking with people about lit and some of this LotR fanfiction is better written than supposedly 'great lit' that I used to teach. Enough babbling. Thank you so much for the review! I appreciate them very much anytime folks feel inspired to take their valuable time to write them. I hope you continue to enjoy.

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/26/2004
Sorry I'm late. I just struggled out from under a bear of a homework assignment, which chewed up six hours in the library on Sunday. Can I borrow your Thranduil this evening? I want to buy that Elf a drink. Of course the only sane thing to do when you think Elrond's guests are Maiar is to ask them about it, for who knows better than they do? All these other Elves just pussyfoot around the real issues, but not our Thranduil. He knows that the first best way to get an answer is to ask a question. You gotta wonder what the other Elves would ever do without him. Probably they'd wait until the War of the Ring, and Elrond would hold his council and say, "Welcome everybody. This here is Frodo the Ringbearer, Aragorn the would-be King of Gondor, and this chap here is Gandalf. He's just this guy, you know?" And nobody would pay any attention to what Gandalf had to say, and that would be a major disaster. So props to Thranduil for asking questions. I'd do the same thing, were I in his shoes. He is a good leader. He knows when to fight and when fighting is useless. But he's still open to exploring all possible avenues of hope to the bitter end before deciding to retreat. I think his decision not to waste Elrond's entire army was a good one. It's just too much to ask, and preserving Elrond's people and his friendship will be better for Thranduil and the Wood Elves in the long run. Even if Elrond's army won against Dol Guldur, they'd probably lose so many people so far from home that the alliance would be worthless anyway. Author Reply: You know, I saw this review appear in my email at work and I said--don't read it. Don't do it. Wait until you are at home in private. Don't humiliate yourself again and make your coworkers think you are insane. But, as usual, I succumb to temptation. I love your vision of the Council of Elrond. "He's this guy, you know." Can I add 'kewl' to that description? Cringe. I am giggling and my lab assistant is looking at me nervously and gauging if she can make it to the door before I snap. Of course Thranduil is going to ask. And I think any of the rest of them would have too. I also think they get a kick out of Thranduil's directness. I would. It can be funny sometimes being around people like that. I agree with what you said about Thranduil's decisions. He has explored all the options as a good leader would and he sees what his only choice is. Now he just has to pick a place to move and that will be that. Hmmm. Do you think it will be that easy? :) If it takes me a week to post a chapter, you have the right to take your time reviewing. :) Getting reviews is a privilege to me and I appreciate every review I get. And I definitely know what you mean--I do not miss graduate school at all. Maybe you should take Thranduil out for a drink tonight. Thanks so much for the review!

Elena Tiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/24/2004
You know, I don't usually like politics (especially since it's a presidential election year in my country -- a plague on all their houses!), but I have become fascinated by the discussions and decisions in this story. I always thought Thranduil was intelligent, but he is impressing me more and more. Great story! - Barbara Author Reply: I know exactly what you are saying. I live in the US and it is an election year here. It is really funny. I wrote this part of this story before the Iraq War and I had to cut a lot of parts because they made me sick to read them after all this foolishness in the Real World. A pox on them! :) I am glad you are enjoying this. I love Thranduil. I think he would have to be sharp as tack to lead Mirkwood through to the War of the Ring and he is making a good showing in these early decisions and debates. This chapter was my favorite to write in this story and it also made me the most nervous because there is so much potential and I know there is no way I could have exploited it all. But this story and all of its political debates is central to the overall story I am writing. Obviously, the decision to move to the caves was a major turning point in Thranduil's life with implications for his entire reign, I'd think. Or at least that will be the case in this story. :) Thank you so much for the review. It is so nice to hear people's thoughts. Author Reply: PS: As I said to Daw, we will see in the next few chapters if my friend liked the rewrites you and she inspired with those really interesting discussions in the Yahoo Group. Made for a fun Saturday of debates between me and my friend if nothing else. Thanks to both of you for the inspiration.

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/24/2004
This first glimpse of Gandalf through Thranduil's eyes was well done - and I like the fact that he was so suspicious! Thranduil is right not to take anyone on trust in those times. Jay Author Reply: I enjoyed playing with that but I wondered about it at the same time so I'm glad you thought it turned out ok. I see Thranduil as a little suspicious and there would be too much unexplained about Gandalf. I think he'd want an explanation before he'd trust him. And I think he'd be just direct enough to go ask for one. :) But obviously they develop a friendship if Thranduil is saying the 'oftener' Gandalf visits, the better in the Hobbit. Thank you so much for the review!

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/24/2004
Yes, I know who I am. :-) I'm working on a new story idea and I needed to know that stuff! You really do a nice job with ME politics. You make it very plausible that people behaved as they did, delaying the attack on Dol Guldur, for instance. And you show the relationships between all these people very well. Author Reply: :) Oh I am very happy that you are working on a new story and anything you need, you just do it! I am definitely going through withdawal (who coined that word? I can't remember). I enjoy the politics and trying to figure out why people made the decisions they did. Obviously they did what they did because that was what Tolkien needed to make LotR start out where he wanted it, but that just gives us room to play. It's a fun puzzle. Just my thoughts on it. There are thousands of other really good takes and a lot of good stories telling them. Now most of the debates are over and the decisions have been made. We will move on to seeing more of the reactions and results. My friend, who I have dragged down with me into the abyss of fanfiction, has the rewrites caused by your wonderful questions. If she likes them, we'll post that version. It was fun, regardless, so thanks for the weekend entertainment. And for the review. :)

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/24/2004
Long chapters are good. I really enjoyed seeing Thranduil going to Imladris and meeting Grey and Brown. (Good names, those. I'm not surprised they developed rather a lot of alternatives.) Good for Elrond! Amroth ducks out of helping, because he's an idiot, but Elrond says the battle is worth fighting and he's in there. Good thing he didn't have to at this point, though. And Thranduil is finding that Galadriel and Celeborn are good to have on your side, too. Interesting how the assumptions of who are his friends are being turned round. Good addition. Loved it. Will read it again when my eyes aren't trying to go to sleep. Author Reply: Thanks Bodkin. And I know just what you mean about wanting to read but falling asleep that happens to me too often these days since they've been keeping us like slaves at work. When I was originally writing this whole thing and I sat down to try to think of all the things that would be involved in making the decision to move to the caves and I was really pretty happy to realize that surely one of those things would be meeting these new people in ME, the wizards, for the first time since they came when the Shadow spread over Mirkwood. Since a lot of sources (the Sim and the Appendices, for example) say that no one knew from whence they came, I wondered what that would mean. UT's essay on the Istari says they were ordered not to oppose Sauron power against power or sway wills with majesty. So what did that mean? I thought it raised some fun questions to play with especially given that I don't think Thranduil, Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn could possibly miss seeing them for what they were and that would certainly raise expectations for someone in Thranduil's position. Anyway... I'd love to know other people's thoughts. This is a chapter I've rewritten a hundred times because there is so much it seems that could be there and I certainly could not have gotten it all. As for Elrond vs Amroth, I'm aware of that contrast but it kind of came from nowhere. When I wrote this, in the first draft I didn't have anything in the chapter discussing Elrond's reaction to Thranduil's plight. My friend who is reading this pointed that out and said it was really pretty ridiculous that either Elrond or Thranduil wouldn't say something since the both know he just came from asking Amroth for help. We decided we couldn't really see him asking Elrond. But we couldn't see Elrond not offering. So that's what we did. It all depends on your view of their relationship. I definitely think Thranduil's views of his allies are being challenged and that would be an experience for him. It's good for him. Builds character. :) Poor Thranduil. Now he's got to go face the decision he's made. Thak=nks for the review!

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