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Good Enough by The Karenator	10 Review(s)
Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/10/2005
I just love Daeron. He is such a character - the business with his naneth and the changes of underwear was hilarious. I'm not surprised that Legolas couldn't control his laughter. And Thranduil being able to put off kinging to be simply Legolas's adar is a lovely image. It's good to see Legolas with his naneth, too. Those brothers! I'm not sure which pair deserves most sympathy, but they play off each other like professionals. Then, in the midst of all the entertainment, there is Legolas communing with the tree - such a touching moment. And information about cricket noises and intruders. But I'm glad that Daeron's cooking is not as bad as Legolas feared. Perhaps they won't go hungry over the Endurance Games. Perhaps they will get on well with Belas. Perhaps there will be no spiders. Perhaps pigs might fly. Author Reply: Hi Bodkin, Poor Daeron. His mother is the ME equivalent of mother-earth. She wants everyone to be warm and dry, clean and good smelling, fed and watered and whatever else needs to be fussed over. Daeron, the typical teenager, thinks she's off her rocker. Legolas and the older brothers think she's a hoot too. Though I suspect that if Legolas were in Daeron's place, he'd react the same. Fortunately for Legolas, the queen is a little less heavy-handed in her mothering...at this point anyway. We might get to see her go into extreme mother-mode later. Legolas is so happy to be out in the woods communing with the trees. Daeron is not unhappy to be there, but he's a little more cautious in his enthusiasm, I think. Thanks, Bodkin. I'm always excited to get a review from you and very much appreciate you taking the time to do it. Karen

meckinock	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
It suddenly occurred to me on this reading that Legolas's nana is your self-insert. How else to explain her leisurely absence from the crack-of-dawn baseball breakfast? Great opening. Legolas is so excited he can't sit still, while Daeron is just groaning about the whole affair. Something tells me he'll have a good time once he gets there, though. I know the type. The older brothers and Thranduil are nicely done, too. I really liked Thranduil showing up to farewell the boys without the kingly regalia. Daeron's fit about the underwear cracked me up. Daeron and Legolas make a good team. They both have a great sense of humor and sharp observational skills, but what a different filter Daeron has on his lens! Legolas is nicely balanced between optimism and realism, while Daeron's precocious cynicism can't quite hide a deep idealistic streak. Look which one wants to tilt at the Belas windmill! I think Daeron has it right. Belas will still be an orc's rectum when he reaches the Blessed Realm. I can't wait to see him get his comeuppance. Great chapter. Author Reply: If my self-insert is Lalaith, then why was I up at 5 AM this morning slinging grits and eggs to a sleepy baseball team? I demand servants! They can take pictures and report back to me about how the whole thing went. :>) Legolas was excited about going on the games. He loves the whole weapons and shooting orcs and traipsing about the woods thing. Underneath, Daeron does too. You're right. His motor just takes a little longer to get started. He'll be fine once he's there. Daeron's underwear? Didn't you mother ever tell you to wear good underwear in case you're in a wreck and have to go to the hospital? It's a well known fact that the ER staff admires nice underwear. I hope Daeron and Legolas make a good team. Thanks for saying so. Legolas is more balanced and calm and reasonable. And Daeron does want things to be right for everyone. He has little patience with dingbats. Belas is the head dingbat in his book. Perhaps we can help Belas curb his nastiness, but all in all, he'll still be Belas right up until the bitter end. Thank you so much for reading this AGAIN! I appreciate all your help and support. Karen

Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
I have to say, Karen, you have such an easygoing style of writing that I just cruise along, happily engrossed, and then suddenly the chapter ends. ;/ Daeron is again hilarious. His outrage at his naneth's concerns were very funny, as were his brother's and cousins' reaction to it. We just know Seregon has been there before. Their discussion of what to do about Belas and Alar sounded like a couple of adolescents truly engrossed in the problem. It reminded me of late grade school and junior high. I can recall the kids who got picked on..and how it went on for years. I can recall taking on one particular boy to knock off teasing red haired Mary. It worked, I got away with it. I am rooting for Legolas and Daeron! Author Reply: Hi Nilmandra! What a nice thing to say. Thank you. I'm glad the story is flowing so easily. Getting into Legolas's head was more difficult than I thought it would be. It took me quite a while to finally get a fix on what goes on in there. The queen is used to being well...the queen. She's calm and composed most of the time. She's a good nana and loves her children, but she doesn't seem to be as blatant about her concerns as Noreth. I like Noreth: mother-earth, worrier of all things clean and right. Daeron is at the age where he thinks she's nuts. Someday he'll be able to look back on her 'mothering' and see that all the fuss was because she loved him so. This is just her way of expressing it. Bullies are bullies no matter where you run into them, aren't they? Legolas and Daeron are engrossed in this. Their hearts are in the right place in wanting to help Alar. I think they might need some tips from you on how to get away with telling Belas to knock it off and not get caught though. I bet red-haired Mary still remembers you fondly. I know I would. Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I appreciate you taking the time. I love hearing from you. Karen

Karri	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
The young ones encounters with their mothers and brothers was enormously entertaining, but I think my favorite it Legolas's observation that it was his father who was awake, not the king. :-) Author Reply: Hey Karri, I have a lot of experience as a mother of teenage boys and some encounters are enormously entertaining. Boys really are fun. The ones I know just crack me up. But they can be sweet and affectionate and full of good surprises. (They throw in some bad surprises every now and then too, just for good measure.) I don't think the king sees every novice training exercise off, but he did this one. I figured he'd be present as the king since he's, in essence, sending the warriors off to fight and the novices to train, but he's also a father seeing his son and nephew off. He just showed up that morning dressed down and smiling. I hated to make him get all gussied up. Thanks for the review, Karri. I appreciate you taking the time to read and leave me a review. Karen

perelleth	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
Well.. first of all, thank you for your warm welcome to greenwood the great! I fear Thranduil will find it difficult to chase me away now that I'm settling in! In fact, I must say that I like his sitting room a lot! Sounds like my grandad's used to look like, except Thranduil's lacks the "hanging heads" of poor beasts, thanks Oromë! Seriously, there's a detail I found very interesting: the fact that Oropher's weapons from the Last Alliance were displayed in Thranduil's sitting-room rather than in a more public place...I liked that. I'm sure lots of people in Mirkwood have such private shrines in their own cottages, and I find that the fact that the King would keep his own private is a comforting sign. Although I'd guess that many warriors would rather have a clearer reminder of their former king's deeds... I prefer your choice. Secondly, that trick of changing POVs definitely works!!!! It is so amusing to see through their different personalities... The contrast between Daeron's and Aldamir's was expected, but very amusing, but the contrast between Daeron's and Legolas's is... hilarious!!!! How different their interests and characters are! Where Legolas is cautious and tries to see the whole of the situation, Daeron is ready to be incensed and explode in rightful vengeance in defence of the weak! He's so fun! And I think I enjoyed Legolas's watch almost as much as he did. Nice ending! :-) Author Reply: Hello Perelleth, I don't think Thranduil would mind if you wanted to snuggle into his chair for a while on a cold winter's night. However, the queen might.... :>) I really liked you comments on Oropher's weapons. When I was writing that scene, I thought about what sort of things Thranduil might feel some attachment to. I decided that the weapons his father used at the time he was killed would probably hold great sentimental value for him. I also thought that Oropher probably had many different weapons, most of which are stored in the armory. Thranduil chose the Last Alliance weapons to keep personally. I'm not sure that there is a place...like a museum where such things are stored--but that's a good idea for there to be a public place to display important artifacts. I've got to think about that and see if I can come up with something. I'm VERY glad to hear that you feel the changing POV is working. At the time I started this story--a long time ago--I was having trouble getting a hold of everyone's personalities. I switched to doing each chapter from a different POV to try and get to know the characters better. I think it helped me to 'hear' them. I was most worried about Legolas coming through. I had to wait for quite a while until he decided to talk to me. Daeron came so easily that I was afraid I'd end up with everyone sounding like him. Thank you for mentioning that. And thanks again for reading this and reviewing. I always enjoy your reviews. This one was particularly fun...thinking about weapons and personalities and stuffed moose heads! Karen

Manderly	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
Another wonderful chapter. I loved the detailed description of the forest - almost felt as if I were walking along with the novices. Daeron never ceases to amuse and entertain with his words and thoughts - the south end of an orc? I had a real good chuckle over that one. It's interesting seeing the difference between Legolas and Daeron. Legolas, even though he's the younger of the two, seemed so composed and diplomatic. Daeron is more proned to speak whatever thoughts that come to mind. But I am sure one thing that they have in common is that they are both magnets for trouble - yeah, more for us to read! Author Reply: Hi Manderly, You're always welcome to trail along with the novices in the woods. Though I don't know how they would behave with a girl with them! I hope they'd have some manners. But I fear a bunch of boys know of no such thing when off together. I imagine a lot of spitting and scratching and other things I won't mention. As you say, Legolas is younger, but I think he's a bit more of a calm personality than Daeron. He's open and curious and willing to give people a chance. Daeron is able to see into the black hearts of men and elves and isn't shy about telling them that he's got their number. I think Daeron lacks filters sometimes; what goes through his head, comes out his mouth. He does, however, have enough sense to know to keep his mouth shut around adults, but his peers don't get such a courtesy, I don't think. And yes, indeedy, these two attract trouble like ants to honey. I'm afraid it's on its way. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I always love to hear from you. Karen

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
I love Good Ada!Thranduil. I just love him and he was in fine form here. The kid's typical, "No parents, please!" was done very well. That stuff is so true to life it's sad and alway amusing to me. But this was great: Our brothers held to their promise to not hug or kiss us good bye, but Adar had made no such promises. I liked that sequence. So far, the games had been a delightful exercise, but I knew this peace was false and soon enough the masters would be putting us through our paces. As difficult and tiring as I suspected the remainder of the games would be, I was glad to be in the forest and looking forward to what the next day would bring. I agree. Sounded fun and interesting. I liked the conversation (your dialogue/language usage just cracks me up it's so good). But I think he's right--I think they will be in for some excitement. Author Reply: Hey Elliska! I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter. I like Good Ada! Thranduil too. I've never bought the bad Ada!Thranduil. Legolas of the Fellowship was too well turned out to have had bad parents. I know there are exceptions to every rule, but Tolkien tells us that the Elves valued their children, and I can't see Thranduil being a dud of a dad. I've been fortunate that my boys don't mind me around too much, but I have friends--perfectly good parents--whose kids act like their parents have the plague or something. I think this behavior is fairly normal at that odd age when kids are trying to separate from their parents, but it's still funny sometimes. I'm pleased that you found this realistic. Thanks you for the kind words. Doing each chapter from a different POV has been fun, but sometimes a little difficult as I tried to 'hear' each character in their own voice. I was hoping to understand everyone a little better. Thanks again for such a nice review. I hope the rest of the story will be enjoyable too. Karen

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
I love the Elves getting up in the morning. Legolas is so excited to be off, he's like the kid on the morning of his birthday who can't wait to open presents. Daeron is the picture of adolescentus nocturnus, to whom morning sunlight is evil. And Thranduil, who has woken up as adar, but not as king (for there must be much more ceremony when the king rises). The sitting room is beautiful with the carpets, but even more beautiful with the portraits. My grandmother on one side and my aunt on the other both have lots of family pictures, and they're so wonderful to look at, to see all these people that one is related to -- it really gives you a sense of grounding. But beware naneths who check to see that you change your underwear -- no, scratch that. Beware kids who don't do it and thus need to be reminded. Ah, the inevitable problem of how to deal with a jerk in the group. The Endurance Games mean many things. One, perhaps, is how long one can endure Belas. But they also seem to be an excercise in relying on one another as a group, and Belas will endanger that unity. Who knows, he may have a lesson coming up. His own ego will punish him. Or a master may do it, finally. Our group arrived only a few minutes earlier than the other, but there was enough time for us to feign relaxed boredom when they came through the trees. How wonderfully adolescent. You've really nailed the way kids behave at that age. Author Reply: Hi French Pony, What a great review. I chuckled all the way through it! You've got Daeron's number! He's not quite ready for getting up before the sun and heading out into the wilds for what he knows will be a trying ten days. I imagine he didn't sleep much the night before they left either, but his worries were probably different than Legolas's. I think Legolas was just excited. This is their first big trip as novices, and he can hardly stand it, he's so excited. Daeron is worried that it'll be worse than he already imagines. I loved your line about there being more ceremony when the king rises! On this day, Thranduil is just plain old Dad. I love old pictures, too. Don't you look at them and wonder who in the world thought up some of those hairdos? I've never see anyone who I think I look like. My grandmother used to tell me I look like her Aunt Annie...a woman, I am told, who was meaner than a snake! I hope I don't act like her. I've never seen a picture of her, but poor woman, no wonder she was so mean. Belas, the bellower, is trouble. He's just asking for it. The masters are expecting some frayed tempers, but Belas might be biting off more than he can chew. A few novices--I won't call any names--might also find themselves in hot water. Being the mother of adolescent males has been an enlightening experience. Boys are a hoot! I just called my oldest son's cell phone--he's run off with my gas card and my car is on empty--and I got a five minute message where he names all his friends and gives a quick character sketch of each of them while doing an Elvis impersonation. When the tone finally beeped, I was at a loss for words. Elvis? Thank you so much for such a wonderful and fun review. Karen

Leaward	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
The king has not arisen yet, only my adar. I love how you have Legolas being able to distinguish between his father as 'dad' and father as 'king'. What an important distinction -- and probably one hard to have learned. The detail of the sitting room makes me able to visualize it so clearly -- and want to sit in that room all comfy -- especially in a winter with the fire going! LMAO about the ‘underclothes’ his nana wants him to bring! So typically a Mom! Does she think I have ten days worth of garments in this one small pack? Also a typical answer. I can see my kids complaining in exactly the same way! LMAO again! Author Reply: Hi Leaward, I imagine that it's sometimes hard for the Thranduilions to tell the difference when dad is dad and dad is king. So, I think you're right that it's a hard distinction to learn to make. Having to separate roles of parent and rulers would confuse me! I'm glad you liked the sitting room. I see this a private retreat for the king and queen that few enter other than family...and the maid, of course. That's one of the perks of being queen. Having servants. I want a few myself, but good servants are hard to come by these days with all these fair labor laws and such. Bummer, huh? :>) Unfortunately, I would most likely be the scullery maid. Oh wait! I already am. Noreth is the quintessential mother of all. She just can't help herself. She mothers everyone. Seregon has learned to deal with this aspect of her personality, but Daeron is at an age where he's just mortified. And yeah, I know what you mean about your kids. My sons' friends all tease me now that I can't let anyone go out the door without telling them to be careful...about forty times. For me, it's like hanging garlic around their necks. Wards off crazy drivers and pot holes and idiots with destruction on their minds. Oh me...I can't help it either. Do you think Noreth could be my self-insert here? :>) Thanks for reading and reviewing. It's always a pleasure to hear from you. Karen

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/9/2005
It's very interesting to hear Legolas's voice here. He's so much more into this than Daeron is. He's serious and responsible, like a king's son, but he's also able to laugh with Daeron. I see trouble ahead! Author Reply: Hi Daw, Legolas does have a more positive view of the games than Daeron. I see Legolas as optimistic and seeing the best in people and circumstances when he can. Daeron is a little more cynical and less trusting of others. Daeron also has such a keen insight into people that it's hard for him to dismiss his feelings. Legolas is kind and openhearted and somewhat innocent. I hope they sort of balance one another. Trouble ahead? Now, why would you say such a thing? Thanks for reading and reviewing! Karen

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