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| Drawing Straight With Crooked Lines by Fiondil | 24 Review(s) |
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| Eruherdiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/15/2014 |
| I had never really thought about it, but Namo was right, without Boromir's actions, then things would have been far, far worse. ~Eruherdiriel Author Reply: A lot of people only see that Boromir failed and label him a bad guy because of his betrayal, but I wanted to show that God (or Eru) can take even something like that and turn it into good, not better, but different. It doesn't negate the person's actions, simply place them within a larger cosmic context than most of us can see. At any rate, I'm glad you enjoyed the story, Eruherdiriel. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I appreciate it. | |
| Tegi | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/28/2012 |
| I know it has been almost three years since you last received a review for this story, but I couldn't resist dropping a line to tell you how amazed I am by this story. It's one of the best pieces of fanfiction I have read, and I loved that it stayed completely in accordance with Tolkien. I was a bit fearful in the beginning that it was going to be too preachy, but I need not have worried, for the writing was sublime. It was an honor to get to read this story. Thank you. Author Reply: I am indeed surprised, but very pleased that you found this story and felt moved enough to leave a review. Thank you for your kind words, Tegi. I appreciate them very much. Receiving this review really made my day! | |
| 6336 | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/27/2008 |
| Or another way of putting it, Iluvator does things 'Back arsewards' :<) Lynda Author Reply: I auppose. | |
| Ces | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2008 |
| Great view of why things happened as they did on Amon Hen. Boromir's actions did indeed give Frodo the time he needed to escape. I like that while Namo shows compassion to Boromir, there will also be judgment, as all, including Finrod, Glorfindel, Sador, etc. had to go through. Author Reply: Of course, the judgment that Boromir goes through here is different from what the elves experience, and I suspect his true judgment awaits for when he (or any other mortal) goes beyond the Circles of Arda and stands before Eru. Still, Námo gives him the wherewithal to see what his actions were and why they were necessary so he can leave with a clearer conscious. | |
| Haleth | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/27/2007 |
| This is a truly beautiful story. Namo's compassion for Boromir is what truly stands out. How often in fiction, which holds a mirror to real events, is a character forever condemned for one bad deed? He can live a life of sacrifice and valour but our perception of him will always be tainted by that one instant, even if the misdeed led to good end. You have given me something to think about. Thank-you for the story. Author Reply: Thanks, Haleth. I appreciate your comments and what you say is true, we often condemn people for one single bad deed, ignoring all the good the person has done. I think many people feel that way towards Boromir, quite forgetting that he is a courageous warrior who cares deeply for his people and has ever striven against the Enemy. This one "bad" deed is not an occasion for condemnation but an occasion for humilty on the part of ourselves, hoping that our own "bad" deeds will be treated as favorably by the One in our own time. | |
| Rhyselle | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/14/2007 |
| I've been a member of the "Boromir is NOT Evil" club since I first read LOTR when I was ten years old, thirty-five years ago. I couldn't have put it into words why I felt that way then, but over the years, I never changed my mind about that. I loved how Lord Namo helped Boromir understand the outcomes of his actions, and how even though the individual actions and choices were Boromir's to make, that Eru Iluvatar would make good come out of them. Like other reviewers here, I admit that I had not thought about the fact that by putting on the Ring, Frodo (in the book) was protected from their enemies and given the opportunity to escape across the River. The same with the other members of the Fellowship in being scattered. Thank you for allowing me to see something new in the books that I have read on pretty much an annual basis for so many years. I'm very glad that Boromir chose to wait for Aragorn, and that he would also get to meet with his other loved ones and friends as they make their final journeys. It just seems right that he would do that. :) Thanks again for sharing your visions of the Valar and the path to the afterlife. I have truly enjoyed visiting your Arda. Author Reply: Until I wrote this story and had people review it I never knew there was an Evil!Boromir club. I don't know if I ever considered Boromir as irredeemable, though I probably thought of him as fallen (not the same thing). I do know that I spent years contemplating this one scene and Boromir's role in it before I ever came to write about it. I'm glad you've enjoyed this story so much. I know that in writing it I was given a vision of hope that with my own bad or indifferent choices Eru will make good come out of them. Thank you for your lovely review. I really appreciate it. | |
| MithLuin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/24/2007 |
| I must start out by saying that you are amazing, and I am in awe of your work. Because what I am about to say is a *minor* detail and complaint, and in no way reflects what I thought while reading this story. I only thought of it the next day, after the effect of the story had worn off ;). It was...unsettling...to hear Namo nearly excuse Boromir. He is, as you portray him, very loving and merciful, and I can accept that. But the one thing he can *never* do (from my point of view) is call something bad, good. Good may come of it, surely...but the action remains evil (in itself). That was his answer to Fëanor, and also Manwë. I realize you haven't really equivocated on that, it's just...in trying to convince Boromir that he *had* to fall, to fail, it seems to excuse it, in a way. Of course, I am perfectly willing to excuse Frodo for his 'failure' at the Sammath Naur, so it's not like I'm even consistent in my criticism. ;) I just can't help but feeling that an un-fallen Boromir could have acheived the same end, somehow, in helping Frodo to make up his mind. The story would have been different, surely, but maybe the Fellowship would have split earlier, and Gandalf the White would have had to stir up the Ents. I mean, there could have been another way.... So I must end by saying that your story is very thought-provoking, and certainly offers a different point of view. Namo is nothing if not the spokesman of fate. And I agree that Boromir should have died with a clear conscience, but probably did not. Author Reply: The point, I think, is not that Námo excuses Boromir's actions so much as he helps put them into perspective. He never actually comes out and says that Boromir's actions were bad or good, only that these are the consequences which follow from the actions that Boromir chose to take. Free will enters into everything and Eru will take even our bad choices and turn them towards something good. Boromir must have indeed felt guilty about what he had done. Námo simply lets him see that guilt is a useless exercise in self-indulgence and self-pity. What many people don't seem to realize is that Boromir resisted the Ring from Rivendell all the way to Parth Galen. Look at a map of Middle-earth and that's a good distance. It is only when he crosses the ancient northern border of Gondor (the Argonath) that he succumbs. I think Eru used Boromir's 'failure' to set into motion the events that followed, hence the title of the story. | |
| nautika | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/21/2007 |
| I'd been missing Boromir stories! The writer I normally get my "Boromir fix" from has sidelined him during her last 2 or 3 stories so I was really glad to fine this. Wonderfully done. Thank you for sharing. Author Reply: Glad you were able to find this story and that you enjoyed it. Thank you. | |
| Eilenach | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/5/2007 |
| A hauntingly beautiful piece, full of great truth. That Boromir saved Merry and Pippin so that they could save others, I knew. But you made two points that I had not thought about. One was that Boromir's actions caused Frodo to be invisible when the orcs came -- the movie images tend to replace the truth of the book, where Frodo is wearing the Ring all the way down to the water. The other is that the scattering of the Fellowship when the orcs came saved most of the members of the Fellowship. "Drawing Straight With Crooked Lines" is a wonderful title. Is it your own, or is it from some other piece of literature or poetry that I am not familiar with? Author Reply: Thanks for your review. The title comes from a favorite saying of a character from the pen of Andrew Greeley. His character, Bishop Blackie, is fond of saying that "God draws straight with crooked lines". I don't think that's actually original with him. I think it actually comes from Julian of Norwich, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, I've always liked the saying and merely adapted it to Middle-earth. And actually, if I recall the movie correctly, Frodo does not wear the ring all the way down to the water since Merry and Pippin see him and distract the uruk-hai so that Frodo can escape. In the book, of course, no one sees Frodo before Sam finds him, but that's a minor point. | |
| Katharine Moores | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/30/2006 |
| That was truly lovely. Edifying, well-crafted, and enjoyable. Your tale was in full accord with Tolkien's style; never preachy, yet utterly Judeo-Christian in approach. This was the best Boromir story I have yet read, outside Tolkien. Bravo! Author Reply: Thanks, Katherine. I hadn't expected to see another review of this story after so much time. I'm glad you found it and found it to be enjoyable. I think Boromir gets a bad rap from a lot of fanfic writers and such and felt the need to write something that showed him to be simply a human who found himself in incredible circumstances. I doubt most of us could have done half as well as he under similar circumstances. One has to remember that Boromir resisted the lure of the Ring all the way from Imladris to Parth Galen; that's an very long distance. It was only when he crossed the ancient northern border of his homeland that the Ring was finally able to take it's hold on him, but even in the end he rejected it and was saved. This story was my way of showing the reader (and Boromir) that not everything is what it seems and certainly not as clear-cut and black-and-white as we like to think. Thanks again for your review. | |