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Lesser Ring by Larner	13 Review(s)
harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 11/13/2021
I hope that others appreciate the story I’ve written and that it will continue to be happily read in the future. Thanks for reading this far. Definitely happy to be rereading this masterpiece so long after you first crafted it Larner. It has brought me joy yet again. Hugs 🫂

Skippy	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 7/12/2020
This is my favorite of all of your stories. Please write the story of King Elessar’s journey to Camilla with his family and friends to see Lord Benai and Lady Nera married and a new realm of the Dunedain joined with Gondor and Arnor. I would very much like to read such a tale.

Freyalyn	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 7/7/2019
I think this has got to be my favourite of all of your tales. The depth and detail that you've put into the worlds around the world that JRRT has left us with leaves me astounded every time. The idea of Camaloa is just wonderful, the careful adaption of ancient Egypt into the well realised culture of Harad, the suggestions of other races and ways of living yet further away... And an interesting comment you made in your endnotes about the minstrel and how he is struggling to adapt to the king he has found against the king he thought he'd have after Denethor's stewardship. I wonder how Hurin and Lynesse and others who were close to Denethor found themselves adapting to the new rule? We get detail on how Faramir loved his new king from the start, but I wonder how the others managed. (And if you think that's a gentle hint - you'd not be wrong.)

Tigger	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 8/5/2008
Hello M'dear, I was looking through my Favourite Stories list here the other night wanting something I haven't read in awhile and my eyes lit on the link to this. It has been a long time since I've read it, so clicked on it and... It's taken a couple of days, but this is such a wonderful story. It's been so much fun to revisit our favourite friends and family from Middle Earth's visit to Harad and then the Haradi Royals return visit to Gondor. It certainly has helped to pass the time of this latest bout of Insommnia and I thank you so much for that. Now to go and read the latest chapter for The Tenant From Staddle. I understand we've been invited to a Wedding? :oD Thanks again for writing and sharing this story w/us my friend. I really do need to print this one off one of these days, so I have it w/me whenever and where ever I am and would like to re read it again. :o) Author Reply: I'm glad to see this story gets occasional rereadings. I'm not fighting insomnia as much as stress, I find, and it does get old after a time. One day I'll print off all my own stories, although I suspect I'll go through a LOT of ink cartridges in the doing! Heh!

Szepilona10	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 5/6/2008
I loved this story! And you always write very interesting Authers Notes too! What happend to Benai and his crew? Did they defeet(you know, cut the feet off) the slavers(jk)? Anyway thank you for writing such interesting stories! God bless! ~Szepilona10~ Author Reply: Thanks so, Szepilona. So far I've not gone into what happened to Benai and his folk. Don't know if they'd defeet the slavers, but I'm certain they dealt with them effectively. And thank you for looking back at some of my earlier tales.

Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 5/16/2006
I've had to go through the rest just enjoying but unable to review. The nearer June gets, the crazier everything gets, it seems--I can't wait till the day I leave for the CCFB, since it will at least provide some relief and a very welcome change from this chaos that is my life right now. How nice that Ankhrabi and his family got to come to Gondor for a while, as well as the others. And it was good to see some of those most familiar to me--Master Faralion, Mistress Loren, Lasgon, and of course Ruvemir and Elise! I had to smile at Faralion trying to compose while listening at the welcome feast, and the way his hands moved as if he were already plucking the strings of a harp. Glad I'm not the only one who finds myself doing that, scarcely even knowing it at the time. :) I hope that in time Faralion and Aragorn will become close friends. I love that your royal household is inhabited by cats! :) Kitling seems to be the type that could get into a good bit of trouble if she wanted to. :) And it's so sweet that the little white kitten attached itself to Aragorn. That's just what he needs. :) And Ruvemir's gifts are wonderful! Wow, painting too? It was truly touching that he would do a portrait of Aragorn with his two brothers. Aha! So Aragorn was finally trapped into joining the guild of bards! grin And I trust it wasn't a small conspiracy that arranged that. Very clever! :) The vision of Frodo and the butterfly was beautiful, and I love it when you end your tales in Tol Eressea. That last chapter was very moving, and the description of the light and the butterflies so vivid and almost lyrical. So glad Frodo got to meet Earendil--I hoped he would, and I think they would find that they are kindred spirits. Wow! You really put a lot of effort into this--linguistic elements and everything! But it's perfect; the cultures and language blend perfectly together, and if you hadn't given the details on what was your own invention, I wouldn't have been the wiser. I think, even if I should read other stories of Harad in the future, "Mamari and Babari" will always be "Mother and Father" and "An" will always make me think of a ruler, and so forth. I've enjoyed this very much, and I'm almost sorry I've reached the end, though it's a peaceful and satisfying one. God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: So glad you enjoyed this one. I've only read a couple other stories in which Harad figures, and they've been more Arabic in feeling, so they'll give you a different sense altogether than my version. I used to play the piano (not particularly well, I'll admit) a good deal more than I do any more, and in listening to music I used to find my fingers would move to the music; and I've seen similar things with college friends who were deeply into music. It only seemed right Faralion would do so as he listened to the details of the trip to Harad and immediately think how he could make a lay of it. Most artist are trained in painting, even if it's not the medium they prefer to use. That now and then Ruvemir might do a painting just again seemed right. Yes, Aragorn is indeed now a member of the Bards' Guild--and just about time! I love cats and dogs, so of course they'd find their way into Aragorn's home, don't you think? And at least the new white kitten has accepted Aragorn as its own person. I, too, love to finish my stories on Tol Eressea, although not every one does so. And the image of Frodo and the butterflies was one that infiltrated my imagination about a month or so before I finished the story, insisting it be made part of it. And as I'd already indicated the meeting between Frodo and Earendil ought to happen according to Pippin, I had to work that in, too. And am so glad you appreciated the cultural highlights and how I worked historical and imaginative elements. Thank you so much for letting me know how you liked it. Now, once you've read "The Ties of Family" you'll be all caught up. Am taking time off to review "The Acceptable Sacrifice for myself, and am almost done; have begun on my next story, but found myself hitting a writer's block so let it stand for a few days. Have fun in Colorado. Wish I could go to the ACB convention this summer, myself.

Raksha The Demon	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 10/8/2005
Lesser Ring has been one of the finer-crafted LOTR fanfic stories I've read. Have you thought of writing historical novels? I would think you'd be very good at it. I've heard of the long-lost African Jews recently identified by Cohenim DNA - I think it was in a program on PBS that probably aired on the Discovery Channel as well, or earlier. I really like Benai; and would think it interesting to see if there will be more Camaloa-Gondor interaction. I'd love to see you write a story where Faramir plays a more important role; maybe a short story with him and Ruvemir, with or without Aragorn...Just because my inner Faramirist wants to see how you would treat the character in a bigger role.... Author Reply: I'll add that to the group of Nuzguls now taking up space in my bathroom, Raksha. Yes, I think the two would do a wonderful job checking out some of the peoples to the east of Gondor and Rhovanion.... So glad you like Benai, and I do hope to write more at some time--although that may take a while as I have several other stories fighting over which will be written and posted first. And apparently several have seen that same documentary on either Discovery or PBS. I thought it was fascinating. A close friend is Orthodox, and her family is Cohenim, so I feel a personal pleasure in learning more about the finding of more where none was expected.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 10/8/2005
That was a very interesting last chapter. Some details I knew already, but a lot of them not. I love it when you let me know more about the ideas behind the stories! Particularly because there are things I hadn’t even thought about before. Well, you’re with LotR some decades ahead of me and had had much more time to think about it. What you said about the lesser rings and the Necromancer sounds quite logically, I think, and I believe you do already know I loved your relation of Harad with the ancient Egypt. This old culture was very well adapted for the purposes of Middle-earth! And I had never before heard about the Ethiopian Jews – you see, one can learn a lot even from fanfiction! By the way, I think even if Arwen shouldn’t have had the healing gift of Eärendil, she could nonetheless be trained as a healer. She is Elrond’s daughter after all, and I doubt his family could be around him for millennia without learning a lot about healing. There are enough other healers without this gift, so it would be not absolutely necessary. And you are perfectly right about Aragorn being a shock to the Gondorians, particularly after Denethor! But he was it in a good way, no doubt. Thank you again for this wonderful story! I can only assure you I have enjoyed it so very much and will re-read it while waiting for the next fic. hugs Kitty Author Reply: I've been rereading The Lord of the Rings at least once or twice a year for the last forty-two. Got into it just before the release of the infamous Ace Edition here in the States, and was probably the first at my junior high and later my high school to have fallen in love with Middle Earth. I find lots of real-life things work their way into my stories, such as the volcano glass, the real effects of spider bites, feeding kittens, and now the Ethiopean Jews, which I first learned of in a documentary on The Discovery Channel, I think. (That was where I first learned about advanced research on spider bites and tick bites as well, so you can blame the Discovery Channel for a lot of odd ideas creeping into my stories, I guess!) I agree about Arwen having had training as a healer even if she should not have received the healing gift which was carried by her father and brothers and cousins however many times removed--grow up around her ada and you'll undoubtedly learn some healing skills even if you never meant to. Thanks so much for following my work. I appreciate it so much!

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 10/8/2005
Thank you so much for allowing us a little insight into your research. Your stories are always so full of detail and you managed to create a whole world and culture with your picture of Harad. I found it absolutely fascinating. I really do think you write Aragorn perfectly. I found him fairly sympathetic in the book, although he could occasionally be a bit arrogant. He was more sympathetic in the films, but I have to say that the voice he was given in the radio series did not help his cause. I've always liked Aragorn as a character and often wondered how an Elven upbringing and 80+ years had shaped his personality, and you have answered all my questions! I also love the link with Frodo and Sam. Thank you for your kind words recently. I think the late and much lamented Dingle will live on in the character of Rufus. Looking forward to the next story, when you've dusted off the Nuzgul! :-)) Author Reply: I haven't ever heard the NPR version of LOTR, but I agree with the BBC version--the guy who did Aragorn was a bit too much, I always thought. Glad you love the link with Frodo and Sam. I try to write Aragorn as I personally see him, capable of being ruthless, and yet at the same time highly compassionate and to the devil with protocol when it gets in the way. Harad was interesting to imagine, and I tried to make it in part true to Egypt and in part its own place, just as there is no way Middle Earth is actually Europe in spite of similarities. As for the next nuzgul--it's coming along. Thanks so much for the reviews and following along in my version of ME.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 52 on 10/8/2005
Larner, I am in constant awe of how deep you are in Middle Earth. And your Author notes just reinforce it. I love your 'what ifs' and happily journey with you as develop the details. Thank you for sharing this with us all. I do hope we will see more of all these characters. Your vision of Frodo living an almost 'monkish' existance across the sea was a new idea to me but as soon as I read your analysis it felt so right and you portray it so well. I have a friend who is a Carthusian Monk and he often reminds me of Frodo. By the way, Roman Catholics share both bread and wine in our communion service so the symbolism of Frodo's breakfast was perfect. (including the pouring out of the water on the ground.) Can't wait for the next trip! Author Reply: I'm High Church Anglican, myself; and you have to remember than when first Tolkien and then I were growing up the wine was rarely shared by the congregation in RC communion services, while it's long been considered a necessity in Anglican Eucharists. Also, as a member of the Altar Guild, I had to learn how to deal with all this stuff, of course. Tolkien, Lewis, and I were all influenced by George McDonald, who was himself a minister; in The Princess and Curdy the princess's father was sustained only by bread and wine for a time, which is where I think Tolkien chose to have Frodo and Sam sustained by the lembas and where, of course, I came up with Frodo's breakfast choices. Tolkien felt that in many ways the stay on Tol Eressea was for Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam their Purgatory; I like to think it was a pleasant preparation, waiting for their own advent to beyond the bounds of Arda. And thanks so much for following along. Am not too happy with the way the plotbunny with the wine bottle is working out, but am reasonably pleased with the pathetic looking nuzgul. May begin posting that one soon.

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