News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| A Woodland Prince by Bodkin | 18 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Ivy-Green | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/5/2009 |
| That was very, very good! I've never read a story quite like that. It was interesting. I liked it a lot! ^-^ | |
| oshun | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/15/2006 |
| These are great. I guess I'll pick a favorite--the 2nd Gimli one. You really caught his voice. He is so protective and so tender, and yet, typical of Gimli, he still can be gruff, frustrated. A pleasure to read. You caught so much of Legolas, while inserting so much of every other character into each one. Oshun Author Reply: Thank you - I'm glad you liked them. I like Gimli - I feel tempted to write more about him, but don't feel I know enough about dwarves. They are a rather overlooked race! I couldn't manage one drabble though - it had to be a series. I'm pleased you think Legolas's character came over. | |
| lwarren | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/7/2006 |
| Who ever would have thought a drabble-thon would be so delightful? Of course, the subject material is one of my favorites, and you are one of the most eloquent writers I have come across, so I am not surprised. I don't have time to go into my favorites - they all have a line or two worth quoting, but they're going to lock down the school in 10 minutes and I just wanted to let you know that these were SO good! I especially liked the way you began and ended with Laerwen. She's a wonderful character, Bodkin. I still have a picture in my mind of her first meeting with Legolas in the Blessed Realm...and that grand entrance the two of them made at the feast (you know, when Glorfindel thought it appropriate to kneel to "the Lady"). It sure brought me to my knees! Oops, gotta go! Great stuff, as usual! linda Author Reply: Thank you! This was tremendous fun to do - it started small, with Elrond, Aragorn and Thranduil and then just grew and grew as more perspectives occurred! Laerwen made a good frame for Legolas's life in Middle Earth. Poor Laerwen - she missed so much of her child's life! You could say that what she sensed in the baby was just maternal pride, but he went on to show himself a very modest hero. Laerwen and Legolas's appearance in the new realms - oh, how I enjoyed writing that! And Glorfindel knows the dramatic moment - what a picture. I really liked reuniting Legolas with his naneth. I'm glad you liked them, Linda. And you don't want to get locked in school - even if it is quieter in the absence of the killer bees. | |
| Ithildin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2006 |
| These are beautiful, Bodkin. So many wonderful insights! Some of my favorites are the drabbles from the pov’s of Bilbo: ‘If Frodo had to do this mad thing, he could do no better than to have Thranduil’s son watching his back,’ and Pippin: ‘There was no question – like called to like. The elf was mischievous. Gimli scowled at him, thinking him too flighty to know what he was doing – but the hobbit knew an expert when he saw one.’ I loved that one! In some of the others I like the lines that show that someone had underestimated Legolas. And Éomer’s line: ‘He had Théodred’s look – responsibility and duty, one used to eyes upon him, ready for bold decisions,’ is telling, as is Galadriel’s foresight that the quest would tear his love of the forest from him. It is touching how Arwen likens him to ‘a rock in the river’ and Eldarion speaks of a ‘loved uncle, hero, friend.’ I think my favorite of all, though, is Éowyn’s observation: ‘But now – where was the warrior in this healer of the soil? He crouched, war-calloused fingers teasing forth spears of green. Restful as a summer day, as generous, as warm. This was what he always should have been, had the shadow not driven him along different paths.’ And all of these bracketed by Laerwen’s maternal insight: ‘More than a warrior, he had become great – and he had no idea of it.’ A lot of priceless moments there. Very nicely done! Ithildin *( Author Reply: I'm grinning here! Thank you. The collection got rather out of hand - but, in the end, I couldn't resist putting in as many points of view as I could think of. I liked doing the hobbits - Bilbo and Sam were possibly my favourites, although, having said that I could just see Pippin gazing at him and noting what was going on - sharp as a tack, that hobbit! I think Eomer would recognise the natural authority in Legolas - he has been a leader for too long for it not to be instinctive. More than in Aragorn, possibly - he spent so much time alone. And the others all have their own reasons for recognising different parts of his character. I think to Arwen he would have been a symbol of an unchanging world - not aging, consistently there and supportive. With Gimli, he was the only person left who had been there at the beginning of her new life and would remain to the end. Eowyn sees him in Ithilien - a post-war Legolas - and, in his new role, probably takes hope for herself. As well as seeing a Wood Elf being a Wood Elf rather than an orc-slayer. Legolas's mother makes such a good frame for his life in Arda. I'm glad you liked them. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/5/2006 |
| These were absolutely wonderful, Bodkin--all the different observations from the various friends and kin who knew Legolas. Of course, you know I'd be partial to the hobbits' eye view of him. I was very much struck by Bilbo's faith in him caring for the old hobbit's young ones, Sam's: He moved like poetry singing in the ear and his passing barely stirred the dried leaves. How could anyone so tall move so softly? You captured so well that dichotomy of Sam's voice--his poetic bent and love for Elves combined with his practicality. Merry, taking an interest in him almost like a younger cousin as well: Perhaps he didn’t know what it was to be one of a rampageous group of youngsters. Too serious. They must make more of an effort to educate him. Here speaks the young hobbit who grew up amid the cheerful rambunctiousness of Brandy Hall--he'll take this Elf under his wing and get him to loosen up, LOL! Pippin--so insightful, this young Took recognized a kindred spirit: There was no question – like called to like. The elf was mischievous. Gimli scowled at him, thinking him too flighty to know what he was doing – but the hobbit knew an expert when he saw one. This put me in mind of your story of the two of them up a tree in Rivendell. And poor Frodo, feeling already the guilt of taking Legolas into danger with him: He could not let the elf follow to his death. And yet – the touch of his hand imparted courage and the sound of his song lightened the burden of the encroaching shadow. The others were lovely as well--I loved Gimli's grumbly and grudging admiration foreshadowing their future friendship, and then the second on from Gimli after that friendship had become a firm and established fact, and Eomer remembering that day on the Riddermark when the Three Hunters arose from the grass. I also enjoyed the bit from Eldarion, as well. And then to end it with a second one from his mother was just brilliant! *applause* Author Reply: Thank you! You know, with Bilbo, I thought - the dwarves might have been pretty suspicious of the Elvenking, but he and Bilbo seemed to be getting on quite well at the end of the Hobbit - he might well have seen something of Legolas at that time. Enough to trust him, anyway. And Sam has this lyrical streak he tries hard to keep hidden. I rather thought Merry might feel more comfortable with him if he could take charge of something - he seems a hobbit who likes to be in control. Pippin, of course, is very observant - despite being a 'fool of a Took', he knows how to manage people. Frodo, like Bilbo, has a real feeling for elves and would find Legolas a comforting presence - but he also has a huge sense of responsibility and a tendency to take the troubles of the world on his shoulders. I'm rather partial to Gimli. He hides such tremendous loyalty under his gruff exterior - I rather liked the thought that he might end up conspiring with Thranduil over Legolas's wellbeing. And, in truth, they were all such fun to do. And Legolas's mother made such a neat frame! I'm glad you liked them. | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/5/2006 |
| All were great, but my favorites were Emnity, Elrond, Gimli(1), and Aragorn. I wish there was a Lothlorien section. What his southern kindred thought of him would have been interesting to know, too. :) Author Reply: Thank you. I rather liked the orc, too. Elrond and Aragorn were, I think, the first two I wrote - and Gimli has just such a gorgeous voice. You could play with it endlessly, really! | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/5/2006 |
| Ah, Bodkin, I truly enjoyed these! Yes, he touched so many lives, and made an impression on all of them..... and your drabbles show that beautifully! They left tears in my eyes. Very well done! - Barbara Author Reply: Thank you. I'm so pleased you liked them. It was really interesting looking at Legolas through so many different eyes and trying to think how they all saw him. And the confinement of 100 words was actually rather liberating - and meant I could put in some of those whipped-cream moments that are usually too rich! I'm glad you liked them. | |
| Maid of Ithilien | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/5/2006 |
| I'd like to add my voice to this chorus of praise for this wonderful effort. I loved them all -- I couldn't pick a favorite -- but they were all so evocative of both Legolas and the personalities of the viewpoint characters (at least the ones that we know :). Great stuff!! Author Reply: I'm glad you liked them. Some viewpoints just seemed to sing out - Sam, for example. And Elrond. They were fun to write - I quite enjoyed the confinement of the 100 words. Thank you. | |
| White Wolf | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/5/2006 |
| TThis is terrific. I've never before seen a story about the life of a character that was told in drbbles from various points of view. Interesting format. It was great to see Legolas through the eyes of the different people that came to know him over the years. I hate to pick a favorite one, but I guess that is only natural. I particularly liked the one from Eldarion. You tied the beginning and the end together very well. Legolas helped save Middle-earth from darkness, yet he would never consider himself a hero or think he was great. Others obviously did, and I couldn't agree more. Author Reply: Thank you! It turned out this way because, although I wanted to try drabbles, there is no way I could confine myself to 100 words on the subject - and then Thranduil, Elrond and Aragorn started speaking. From there it just grew. And grew! Laerwen made a good frame for it. I'm glad you liked Eldarion - he got to see a Legolas who had experienced most of what he would see in Middle Earth. And he does seem a modest elf - not one to push himself forward, whilst knowing his own worth. But I don't think any of the Fellowship would consider themselves heroes. They just did what had to be done. Although others would think different! | |
| eiluj | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/5/2006 |
| Masterful. Author Reply: Thank you. I'm glad you liked them! | |