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| History Lessons: The Third Age by Nilmandra | 15 Review(s) |
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| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 5/24/2006 |
| And so the Lost becomes Lost no more, but finds his identity and begins to think of the place he will have in the world. A moment for consideration, of course, as Estel learns to become Aragorn, already having met his kinsmen and proving himself among them. But also a moment of confusion as the accustomed identity must be cast off. Author Reply: I was thinking about this, that it was Elrond who now lost again, for he gave up 'Estel' to restore 'Aragorn'. No good deed goes unpunished, as the saying goes. But love is like that.. you do what is right and good and spend your heart, even if you must sorrow in the end. I did wonder if Estel/Aragorn would look back and see this as a test and be okay with it or a little miffed! | |
| Eruanneth_Luin | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/23/2005 |
| Glorfindel ear-lifting the twins and then Gilraen getting Glorfindel, was too funny. Trust that golden elf to be in the thick of merriment of whatever kind. The now grown Estel encountering the Dúnadain was well done; both the observing and the testing; his ambush plan well thought out, and seeing the lessons learned young put to practical use. Again Elrond shields not this heart from future loss and the resultant pain, this time exposing his son’s to the same fate. The healing hands of the future king are already being established caring for fellow warriors. Such a gloriously, grievous moment with his son’s coming of age. Author Reply: I enjoyed writing Estels's coming of age - it was fun to see the confidence his family had in him as they more or less presented him to his people. And the Rangers were pleased, I think. Their chieftain was worthy. :) But, as always, poor Elrond! He gave away his heart yet again, only to have it broken. Fortunately he knows its better to experience the loss than to never experience the love at all. | |
| TithenFeredir | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/21/2005 |
| Again, the warmth among the elves in Elrond's house was wonderful. I loved the twins' insisting on bringing tea to Gilraen's room, (two deadly elven warriors serving an aging woman...probably very gently), and Glorfindel yelping when she tweaked his ear. I hadn't really thought about it being a sacrifice for Elrond to open his heart to Aragorn or the pain he would feel upon revealing Estel's true identity to him. "He embraced him, holding him close for a moment, for he knew it was the last time he would hold Estel." That bit was so poignant and beautifully understated. This is a wonderful story. ~TF Author Reply: I hadn't thought much about it until I was writing this, that Elrond raised him as his own son..and so giving him back his name and identity had to be like losing his son too - not completely, as Aragorn is more Estel than anything. And Elrond went into this knowing that - knowing it might lead to loss and pain, as you can't raise a child as your own and not give that child your heart :/ I am glad you are enjoying the story. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/21/2005 |
| Hey! you hurried up this week! less than five days away and now I'm TWO chapters behind! Great!! I liked seeing the battle through Elladan's pov. You do not write him so often, and it was good to hear his voice, so different from Elrohir's... you seem to have captured them nicely ad they both have grown up to fine adults. The way they're caring for Estel shows it. And Estel was great, composed, self assured but modest, and succeeding in the test ufailingly and with the same modesty and dignity that shall go with him his entire life. I think you've made a perfect exercise of showing how much he has learned and how ready he is to embrace his heritage. And that scene was so moving. Returning Gilraen's son to her, and to their people, must have been so hard for Elrond! But, what i'm enjoying above all in this story is the time you've devoted to recreate those missing parts in the book. What was going on in Imladris as the events took place elsewhere was somethng i had always tried to picture. I loved the beginning, the sense of uneasiness, Elrond watching from the porch, so immersed in the approaching evil that he's unable to recognize the song of MIthrandir's ring. Mithrandir, with his hat askew and tired beyond words was perfectly rendered, and their conversation was exactly as I had imagined it. The good thing about fanfiction, i believe, is that one can enjoy even more, because is aware of more things. Facing this apparent calmness and hidden tension in secluded Imladris and knowing the dread, danger and horror the hobbits and Aragorn are facing makes it all even more meaningful by contrast. Glorfindel's departure was so well managed, too. I just wonder, have you got any idea as to whom else Elrond must have sent away? I kind of remember Glorfindel saying that there are few in Imladris that can face the nine, and those Elrond sent away, or something like that...any clue? ;-) Now, on to the next cahpter, although the summary makes me cringe... Such good job Nilmandra! Author Reply: I am glad you liked Estel - it seemed likely if Imladris set its mind to raising a future king, they would turn out a fine young man indeed. I think you are right about fanfiction being something that can mean more to us than the average book, as we know what is happening elsewhere and how things turned out. That hindsight can allow for more poignant views of the characters. I don't know who else could have been sent out! I have even searched HoME to see if there were any other Noldor named and there were not. So they are nameless here, too, just so not to distract from the story. And yeah..the next chapters are hard... | |
| Radbooks | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/19/2005 |
| Another terrific chapter, Nilmandra. You did an excellent job of showing the pain Gandalf and Elrond felt at Saurman's betrayal. The frustration of looking back and wondering, what if we had done this or that and wondering when he had turned away. I had never thought about Elrond being so intertwined with the ring that he could never go back to being as he was before. I hope and believe that that to could be healed in Valinor. The reactions of the rangers to Estel was very moving, to see their leader back after all those years and testing him out and being pleased with the job Elrond and everyone had done teaching him. And to see the joy of a young man, excited about his future, when you know that the life ahead of him is going to be full of hardship and sorrow, somehow just moved me. Then Elrond hugging 'Estel' for the last time... were you just trying to make me cry in this chapter? ;) And you haven't even gotten to the really tough things with Celebrian! But I just feel so for Elrond, knowing all the things he has gone through and here is another loss for him... even if it's just a, I don't know, a partial loss. Though, of course, he will still lose him in the end. sigh. Very well done and I eagerly await the next chapter! Author Reply: I was thinking when I wrote this that while Gilraen and her family were getting their son back, Elrond was losing his. It made me sad to think about it as well. :( And yeah, the tough stuff is coming up. | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/18/2005 |
| Excellent chapter, nilmandra! I really enjoyed Gandalf's perspective on things (always wondered what was going on elsewhere as Tolkien showed us the hobbits.) Have to admit it made me a little teary when Aragorn meets the rangers and his grandfather stays apart from the group to gather himself. Very good! :-) Author Reply: I am glad you liked that - it was fun to imagine how the Dunedain might react to meeting their chieftain after a long absence like this. :D | |
| Harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/17/2005 |
| I don't know how I missed this Nilmandra as I love seeing Elrond in fics. Your vision of him is great and I have just read all three chapters straight through. Can't wait for more! Author Reply: Thanks, Harrowcat! Glad you like it so far. ;D | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/17/2005 |
| Great to see an update! I liked how you showed how much Aragorn had learned from the twins and Glorfindel about strategy and battle skills - and leadership. He came up with a well thought out plan of attack, and clearly impressed Halbarad and the other rangers. It was interesting to see the battle from Elladan's POV - as he was not participating it gave us an overview that would have been missing had he been fighting himself. BTW, I like the name of the OC ranger they first encoutered! Jay Author Reply: I really hesitated writing Estel's 'great deeds' as including the rangers, but the more I thought about it the more I thought it might work, as they would see him without any pretense...and he would see them without bias. He has learned a lot from the elves, who I think took the responsiblity of raising him seriously (in a fun sort of way, of course). As for Devon...I probably heard it on the news! :>) | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/17/2005 |
| Glad I found this today... printed it out and hope to read it at the airport...shall review next week,but thanks! it came so in time :-) Author Reply: Good! I hope you have a safe flight and good trip. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/17/2005 |
| Elrond would spend many a night sitting alone under the stars, waiting for them to return. Poor Elrond. The quiet heroism that doesn't make the subject of lays. You can sing of defeating Balrogs and questing to Mount Doom, but being prepared to let other people grow and do what they must while you hold everything together just doesn't seem dramatic until you think about the cost. And Arwen - what a toughie to look forward to that is - either way. He will find Estel's loss nearly as bad, too - comparable to Elros's, maybe - even though he has always known of his foster son's mortality. I loved Gilraen, the naneth close on to 3000 years younger than her son's foster brothers getting towards finger-wagging at the twins and Glorfindel - they've done a good job on building her a place here among the elves (and they're right - if Celebrian had been there, Gilraen would have been much happier. So perhaps would most others!) Estel makes an enchanting practically-adult elf-raised man. He is charming and courteous and skilled and intelligent - without ever being cocky or arrogant. I'm not surprised he won over the Dunedain - and there must have been some looking at him doubtfully. (I love Halbarad - giving Estel the opportunity to show his talents - and being cryptic. And Dirhael. I'll bet he found it hard to keep quiet.) I even enjoyed reading about the fight. I normally skim read fights to pick out the key bits, but this was clear enough to read and visualise the whole action (very well done!). He embraced him, holding him close for a moment, for he knew it was the last time he would hold Estel. You know how to tear at heartstrings, don't you. Reminds me of the day before the Firstborn arrived - thinking that nothing would ever be the same. And when Aragorn hesitates over saying Adar. Wrenching. Mithrandir is pretty sharp - knows when not to know things. A very sophisticated understanding of learning, that. And the image of what will happen when (if) the rings lose their power is worrying. But you do promise healing (Glorfindel had smiled sadly and said that Elrond would not receive that until he reached elvenhome) even if it is combined with sorrow. And Elrond is girding himself up to defend his valley in a way that doesn't require swords and arrows. The cost, though - well. At least the long defeat ends in a victory of sorts. Eventually. I just love the characterisation here. They are all so . . . themselves. If that makes sense. Can't wait for more. (And I know you won't make me wait as long as JKRowling, too!) Author Reply: They are all so . . . themselves. That is probably the greatest compliment you can give a fanfiction writer. :>) Elrond's heroism is the type that is not sung about or remembered in lay, or perhaps even recognized by the vast majority of people. How tempting it would be to take in Isildur's heir but hold him at a distance, for you know he is mortal, so why get attached? And for Elrond to love him as his own son, knowing that one day he will need to be Arathorn's son again - well, it nearly broke my heart. The end result is hopefully what made Aragorn who he was - he was Arathorn's and Elrond's son, raised to be given back to his people as a confident and strong leader. Even more humbling to me is to think he let Gilraen be the child's mother in more than name only. She answered hard questions too, and they consulted each other and each had responsibilities to Estel....yet they don't share a bond as most parents do, so they have to work a little harder to communicate. Gilraen was so young that it is likely Elrond who took the extra steps to mold and shape her as a parent, since she is deprived of her own parents and community who would have normally helped her to raise him. So melancholy...and the next chapters are done and angsty and quite long, so I just need to figure out where to break them to make them reasonably sized to read on line. This chapter probably pushed it. Thank you for reading :) | |