News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Time's Turnings by daw the minstrel | 28 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| pipinheart | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/12/2005 |
| It seems Thranduil sees Legolas as still a young child...Ithilden and Sinnarn are at odds a little, and Thranduil gets a kick out of it too... Eilian still cares for Celuwen and she is stubron not reading his letters... Author Reply: Ithilden is truly dismayed by being confronted with Sinnarn the adolescent. And Sinnarn isn't any happier about it, poor thing. But Thranduil is enjoying himself as a grandfather. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/14/2005 |
Funny you mention the hobbit! I received my first copy almost 30 years ago as part of my "Wine on arts" education!!! ;-) (I still have it, my father wrote inside "Dorwinion is NOT a commercial label"!!) You see, I was truly ashamed of making this comment!;-) Author Reply: Your father had read The Hobbit! That's wonderful. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/14/2005 |
| How good to have you back on stories so soon!! Hope holidays were long enough to get started for the new year... See, there's something I had been thinking to comment about your stories, but somehow it struck me as a kind of silly comment...but now I take advantage of this calm beginning to tell you how much I enjoy the importance your elves seem to give to those special social gatherings around meals and wine. Wine has been part of my family's trade for generations, and that familiarity with enjoying a good vintage, or sharing a cup as an everyday treat is part of our family's socialization process too, and family meals are kind of ritual too. (we have at least three official gathering appointments a year for the extended family, and when home, each of us too try to gather people together for evening meal at least. Around a bottle of good wine, of course!!!) It helps keep track, and I'm sure Thranduil finds it a very useful way to maintain the family cohesion... It's nice to see this overbusy family enjoying some quality time together, and see how each one's problems and points of view reflect even then. I've not yet finished "The warrior", but then it is so funny to see Ithilden struggling with an adolescent son when Legolas has hardly left that stage... (hoho, bet Thranduil is having the time of his life, spoiling his grandson!) As I gather from other stories, I take it that Eilian and Celuwen eventually get married, though it seems a difficult proccess, and surely none of them is helping! ;-)... I find Eilian an endearing contrast to the rest of his family, and he must feel kind of ... estranged? from all those serious, respectable and somehow overresponsible elves.. (there's a line that called my attention on that,when Legolas reflects "He was only too aware that he always represented his father, even when he was simply sitting on a river bank listening to music.") It seems as if Legolas thought Eilian was not careful enoguh, or proper enough.. wow, I clearly symapathize with this poor middle child, who undoubtedly does his job as good as expected, but makes the horrible mistake of being a bit too carefree and happy.... mmm.. he is truly his mother's child, am I correct? So, it's great to have another of your stories going on... and I'm looking forward for more family meals and shared wine-times!!! ;-) ( and all the happenings in between of course!! Author Reply: That interesting about wine in your family. As it happens, my husband and I enjoy it too, but what set me writing about it in Thranduil's family is the events in The Hobbit. We're told there that the Elvenking enjoyed a good vintage, and we actually see Elves get drunk, something I might not have anticipated. The first couple chapters of this story will be domestic until I have to send Legolas back to his patrol, and it is nice to see them having some quiet time together for a change. I think of Eilian as more wood-elfy than either of his brothers is and indeed as more his mother's child. I kind of feel for him as he sees Thranduil and Ithilden sharing mutual respect and understanding, when he must know that he is so different from them. His natural state is happiness, I think, but he can be self-destructive, and his father is often frightened for him. I hope you continue to enjoy getting acquainted with him. | |
| Tapetum Lucidum | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/13/2005 |
| You painted a pleasant picture - everyone relaxing in the garden and singing. We rarely get to see the sons of Thranduil so at ease. Oh Homework, Oh Homewor, I hate you, You stink! - opening line of a poem my son's teacher put on his folder. I guess it is true for everyone. I am glad Alfirin came to Sinnarn's defense. The honey remarks are true for all males. Ithilden will wish he had kept the business in the office. Eilian was interested to hear about Galelas and apparently Legolas was as well. Jealousy is a normal thing and I don't blame him for envying Galelas' time with his favorite brother. Luckily Ithilden was saved by Thranduil. I am often reminded of Bill Cosby's musing on grandparents - they are old and are trying to get into heaven, that's why they are so nice. I guess it doesn't work with elves. Indeed there is a world of difference between the way he treats Sinnarn and the way he treats Legolas. At least they can commiserate together. Legolas is being stubborn about the horse and Thranduil is only making it worse. Poor Sinnarn - got ditched by his uncles. It had to be a little comforting to watch Thranduil treat them like elflings. It was very accurate as well. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone fetch you wine and glasses every time you went out? I could get used to it. The party on the riverbank sounded fun. I really liked the difference between the brothers' handling of maidens. Eilian was indeed a big flirt - though you could see his thoughts easily turning to Celuwen. Legolas had been burned before and was much more reserved and careful. Which one is older? I know Eilian tried to remind me but his actions spoke louder than his words. Good start! Author Reply: Hey, you're all caught up! I know I hate homework. I like teaching but I want it to end when I leave my office. I got to know Alfirin a little better while writing that last story, and she strikes me as the kind of person who likes to feed people. I want her to come to my house. And Ithilden should notice that Legolas asked a very perceptive question about why he was still in the same patrol. Of course, he did get to skip the whole Home Guard thing. Thranduil knows that Sinnarn already has parents who are seeing to it that he grows up to be an upstanding citizen (except for that little wine incident with the dwarves a few years down the line, of course). So he is free to just love the kid. But it must rock his sons back on their heels to see it. LOL about Eilian not being as wise as he thinks he is. He's a total fool really. He's waiting for Celuwen to decide she loves him and, of course, everyone knows how much hanging out with another maiden is going to help with that. | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/12/2005 |
| Remember how Nilmandra has taught you to show, not tell? I vote for you showing us Celuwen taking Eilian in hand. - Barbara Author Reply: Hey! I already wrote one smut scene for them, and several semi-smuts. Go reread. I have to go to a very boring meeting that's going to last a long time and by the time I get out, an ice storm is supposed to have hit. | |
| tigerlily713 | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/12/2005 |
| I've been following along with all of your stories, but I no longer have a computer available, so I have to go to the library and print them all off. I'm sorry I've been negligent in reviewing your wonderful stories! What a beautiful beginning to a no doubt wonderful story! The meloncholy and frustration that Legolas feels is very well written. I can't wait to read more! Lily Author Reply: Wow. No computer. I'm sitting here thinking about that. That would be hard! I'm glad you're continuing to enjoy these stories though, Lily. Thank you for letting me know. | |
| The Karenator | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/12/2005 |
| I just had this huge moment of identifying with Alfirin. As a female who lives in an all male household, I know exactly what she means about feeding the marauder-ing hordes. Most of the time if it's not moving, they'll eat it. And the part where Sinnarn rolls his eyes at her joke, yep, I identify with that too. My oldest son did an essay when he was the eighth grade on how his mother thinks she's funny, but she's not. Well! I am too funny. So is Alfirin. If we didn't have a sense of humor we'd never stay with a bunch of guys and see that they get honey on their parsnips. At least Eilian and Legolas have been deprived enough while being on patrol that they have some appreciation for what a good job Alfirin does. Loved the age old question: Is your homework done? And the surly response from the student. Yep...been there too. Sinnarn is finding out why Legolas was so anxious to have someone younger than he is in the family. But Ithilden, the over-organized, has his hands full with this child. The world is logical and straightforward to Ithilden and to have to direct a child that is a free spirit is quite mind boggling, I'm sure. He should talk dear old dad. Thranduil has one of those too. And Thranduil seems thoroughly amused to see his oldest son navigate those waters. Perhaps Ithilden can just 'tell' Sinnarn how to behave like he wanted the servant husband to tell his wife a while back. Let's see how well it works. But then again, I guess Ithilden's already tried that! Oh, Ithilden...Gotta love him. Two brothers on the town was fun. Poor Legolas. He's still so intent on being seen as grown up that he fails to see that parents will NEVER stop being concerned. Eventually, I imagine he'll realize that it's a growth process for both parent and child. Old habits die hard and some never go away, they just morph into a more congenial understanding. As irritating as it is, Legolas should be pleased that his father loves him enough to care. Legolas probably does appreciate it, just not on this night. Legolas's observations about Eilian were nice. Eilian is just a natural social butterfly and Legolas isn't. I liked the way you drew the contrast between them. Good show, your minstrelship. I'm so glad to have you home. I hope the trip was relaxing and you're all geared up for chapter two. Welcome home. Karen Author Reply: I think you're funny, Karen. My son used to roll his eyes at me too. He's kind of getting over that now. Ithilden is learning some big lessons. He should be okay in the long run. He seems to have done well with Alfirin, so there's hope for him with Sinnarn too, I would think. I'm sure Thranduil is remembering every time that Ithilden was sure he knew better than Thranduil did how to handle Eilian or Legolas. And really, Ithilden should now be seeing that Legolas was a pretty docile child compared to Sinnarn -- slippery but docile. I'm trying to think about what it means to be an elf adult in this story. I'd say it's not the same thing as coming of age, but they don't seem to have many of the markers that we do for adulthood. They are organized into "houses" for instance, so they probably don't leave home. Think about that one! Eilian is a wood-elf. He's been driving his father mad for years now and is not about to stop until Celulwen takes him in hand. Wait -- that sounded wrong. Until he and Celuwen bond. I'm at work this week and I'm still sick with a cold and kind of oddly dizzy from the boat, I think. But I'm hanging in there. I have about half of chapter 2 drafted and will write as soon as this building (and all others) stops rocking from side to side. | |
| Alice | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/11/2005 |
| The nice thing about SoA is that it lets me leave more than one review in case I forgot to mention something I thought was spiffy in the first go around. I loved the little discussion on Legolas's new horse. Aw, the baby's buying his first car all by himself. It sort of struck me like that. I like how your elves while intrinsically woodelf ( notice the singing) also have bits of humanity that I can relate to. Also, loved the bit about Sinnarn and his friends' appetites. I imagine Alfirin would revel in feeding adolescents. So, just some stuff I forgot to mention. Carry on. Author Reply: In general, I love SoA's review system. Yes, Legolas is buying his first "car," and he wants a sporty model, while Thranduil thinks he needs something more practical -- a little Honda Horse maybe. I think Alfirin is one of those females whose first instinct is to feed anyone in trouble. I wish she'd come to my house once in a while. | |
| Alice | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/11/2005 |
| You know, as much as I love Celuwen, this other girl isn't so bad. She makes sure she's not poaching on Celuwen's territory and sticks up for Legolas being an adult. Definitely an improvement on the girl Eilian necked with on Legolas's birthday. At least his taste is improving, even if his maturity still has a ways to go. Sinnarn is great. I love seeing Ithilden frustrated. It's sick, but he's in control so often, it's nice to see him flustered. Also, nice seeing Alfirin get them both to behave. Heh. No one's gonna pick on her baby round her, even if its the daddy. I noticed that the family was more relaxed about talking about business in front of her in the Garden. Of course, they were more relaxed and general. I also find myself agreeing with Alfirin in trying to keep the family time free of the business chit chat since they all seem to disagree on business matters during the rest of the week. Of course, watching Sinnarn and Ithilden together, I imagine that lately family time has just been a little bit tense. Poor Alfirin, so many stubborn males, so little time to civilize them. I enjoyed the last little bit with Legolas thinking about girls. Poor lonely elf. He needs a girlfriend to jolly him up a bit. Maybe his musician friend can set him up. Oh, also I like how Eilian's first thought was that he didn't think the girl Legolas was all buddy buddy with was that into young guys. He's just such a flirt. And a protective older brother. Nice thought about him worrying about whether his friends are appropriate to be influencing his baby brother. Very nice work on his POV that way. Actually, very nice work on the POVs in this chapter in general. I look forward greatly to the next chapter. Action in this one right? I find that I've missed the orcs and wargs and all the dangerous little critters of the Mirkwood forest. I'm not the only antsy one, judging by Legolas's desire to see another patrol. Which I've just noticed fits rather well with his love of travel as seen in his agreeing to go on a lovely tour of Middle Earth with a planned culmination in Mordor. Silly wandering elf. Update soon! Author Reply: That's a good point, Alice. The girl du jour is not so bad, and I suspect she knows just how lightly Eilian is taking this, so she's probably not likely to be hurt. If you could take the right attitude, Eiliah would be a lot of fun to be with. I too am enjoying Sinnarn the Adolescent sticking it to Dear Old Dad, and what's more, I'll bet Thranduil is enjoying it immensely. I hope he's thinking about all those times that Ithilden thought he knew better than Thranduil did about how a son should be raised. This was a nice, relaxed family scene for all of them, even though there were moments of irritation. There will indeed be action in this story. I have another domestic chapter coming up and then Legolas is back to his patrol and we'll be trying to figure out what's up with the dwarves. | |
| Brazgirl | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/11/2005 |
| Hi Daw!!! I am very happy to read from you again. I've been reading your fics lately and I am so absorbed by your characters... I can say I am in love with Eilian... Some of your fics are on my top list, really. Your OCs are so believable, so real, so enchanting! Reading Sinnarn as a grown up warrior was a bit weird... As a teen is better!!! Thranduil was very interesting in this fic... he was a little reluctant about Legolas going out with his trouble boy. Will you write about him when he is a little more cooled down with Eilian, after he bonded with Celuwen? Those stories about Eilian and Celuwen were so delightful... I wish I could express myself better to tell you how much I adore your plots. Your work is among the best in the internet, be sure of it. Author Reply: Hi, Brazgirl! Sad to say, there are days when I'm in love with Eilian too, although I expect he'd be kind of exasperating to live with. I'm eventually going to write about later times more too. I want to write about the time after the Battle of Five Armies, when it seems to me an elfling would be a good idea. But there's also that long stretch between his marriage and the battle. We'll see. Thank you for these very kind words. | |