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| Home for Now by daw the minstrel | 34 Review(s) |
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| obsidianj | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/13/2006 |
| Oh, I love hearing more from Eilian. That is quite a different situation for him, having to go off and leave a wife and child behind. Maybe he is growing up, finally. I love his musings about being head of the house and how this somehow doesn't seem to apply to him, although it fit, from his pov, his father and elder brother perfectly Author Reply: This story wrote itself quickly, in a little more than 24 hours as a matter of fact. I guess I must know these characters by now. In writing it, I thought about Eilian's relationship with Celuwen in contrast to Ithilden's with Alfirin. Eilian and Celuwen were children together and have probably scrapped and told one another off lots of times. Neither is at all intimidated by the other, and they have a very equal relationship that's structured by their personalities rather than societal role expectations, such as that the man is the head of the house. On the other hand, Ithilden is centuries older than Alfirin and she's a traditionalist. I think she'd give in to him most of the time, until they hit something that was a matter of principle for her or maybe something to do with Sinnarn. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it. | |
| caz-baz | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/9/2006 |
| awww... that was really sweet - good job you didn't kill Eilian off in that story when Legolas was kidnapped with that little human girl. I've missed reading your stories. I had a few spare minutes today and thought - hey why dont i see if daw's written anything recently!!. Loved it, Eilian's always been my favourite character and this just shows how much he's grown since those earlier stories!!! Author Reply: With marriage and the arrival of a daughter, I think Eilian is staggering toward maturity. As his father would say, it's about time. He dotes on this little girl, and I suspect she has him wrapped around her finger, him and Grandfather Thranduil both. It's a good thing Celuwen is an adult! Thanks for your kind words, Caz-baz. | |
| ziggy | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/6/2006 |
| So I have finished reading - I should say re-reading- every story on this and ffnet site and have had a real immersion in ME.I need another fix! Eilian is just so ...so.. hmmmm. Yes.I love the way your characters grow and develop- actually I caught myself thinknig what good lessons these are in parenting and patience (oddly enough consdiering the not very patient characters) and remind me of the need for kindness when sometimes I dont feel like it. (THsi review will probably be long and rambling- sorry!) Thranduil is the BEST Thranduil I have read- you catch that imperiousness that Tolkien gives us in the Hobbit, but is tempered utterly by his compassion and his love and responsisiblity. A most illuminating moments in terms of what you cast on the books, is in the Battle of the Five Armies- the motivation for Thranduil going for the treasure- I have always felt Tolkien was a little unfair on the Thranduil's love of shiny things (nothing wrong with that!) but you give it a real sense and purpose with that whole discussion between Ithilden ( I love Ithilden) and Thranduil, and the looks between the various advisors as they struggle to pay for weapons/ steel etc. It is something that you would not think of during the novels. In fact, you reason out a whole load of stuff that I took for granted in reading the hobbit/ LOTR. Ithilden adn Alfirn - I so enjoyed following the course of their love story through the various stories. Particularly when Ithilden is stammering and blushing and Legolas smirks at him! In fact, he does that quite a lot- I'll come back to that! It broke my heart when Sinnarn dies, although I never feel the same affection for Sinnarn that I do for the others (really becasue he is sort of second string of characters I suppose), but it was very hard to see Ithilden grieivng for his own son, when he feels so keenly the loss of any elf. I love the way Lorelin pops up- oh, and the grwoing sense Thranduil has of his bond with her! Emerging from his grief... beautifully written and totally convincing. Legolas is totally in character as Tolkien presents him. I noted the particular qualities that Thranduil gradually watches and notices as his youngest grows up- the sense of loyalty and protecting those he loves. But he has the light humorous side that we also see in LOTR. Legolas has always been my favourite LOTR character and it is SO gratifying to read a story that is so faithful in characterisation. I enjoyed the story with Aragorn's ancestor and the reference back to this in Quesrion of duty. Poor little Turgon- missed him, but I think it was always going to happen. Annael though comes into his own, doesnt he. But what can I say about the body guards- particularly Beliond. He is so wonderfully curmudgeonly (Think I spelt that wrong) but so loyal and loving in his own way. The way you develop that relationship is extraordinarily poignant and the Camping Trip just pulled at my emotions. That incident where Beliond uses the chest with his son's sword in it to teach Legolas to pick locks! ( I had a tear or five at that momnet - thought Legolas wasa bit hard to say he wasn't Lalorn. So the momnet at the end of the Camping trip (which cleverly tricked me into assuming it was Thranduil and Legolas at first- obviously you intended that ans it worked well to jolt me out of my assumptions- and did intersting things with my perception of Beliond)Another tear or five becasue I was glad you didnt kill off Beliond (you must resist those terrible urges you know!) and that he got his heart's desire. I cant end without EIlien.... hmhm. And Celuwen- who is wonderful! She manages Thranduil to perfection- and it makes me think that Thranduil and Eilian have a lot more in common than they realise. Seeing him play the dutiful husband and father is amusing and shows that Lorelin was always right- of course. The whole development of Eilian's connection with the forest and trees is interesting and sheds light on why Legolas was chosen- his connection witht he trees, his loyalty and duty as well as his own innate skill (one lovely momnet when Eilian is trying to tease him about his skills and legolas just shrugs- Eilian knows he is better then!) SOlith and Eilian's relationship is hilarious- and that very domestic detail is what I have loved about your stories- so thank you. Told you this was a bit rambling and I could go on and on- but it only eulogises endlessly. Just thank you. I would love to see a story with Legolas returning home- or have thought about a one off Celeborn and Thranduil meet at teh end of the war and Celebron would of course, have letters for him that Legolas would have left with him perhaps- just in case? I am quite sure you have lots of little bunnies running round anyway. Author Reply: Thank you so much, Ziggy. This review came at the right time for a couple of reasons, among them that I'd just been puzzling about what makes a compelling character. And then here you go and talk about what you like in these characters. I'm totally shameless about my characters. I love them and want everyone else to love them too. But as I think about that, I wrote my way into that. I grew fonder of them as I saw them in more situations and got to know them better. For me, puzzling out bits of canon is one of the pleasures of fanfiction, and all that stuff around the Battle of Five Armies was a real mystery when I thought about it. How did the dwarves get so far into Mirkwood without being seen? (Then my beta said, "Do we know they weren't seen?") Why were the elves so intent on keeping the dwarves away from their feast? (It was a wedding and the words were sacred.) And so on, and so on. The extent to which Thranduil was greedy was part of the puzzle. I'm glad you like the answer I managed to come up with. he got his heart's desire What a beautiful line about Beliond. I actually feel a little teary thinking about it. I also have to say that your praise for Celuwen is very gratifying. It's hard to write good female OCs and when I started with a romance for Eilian I was very nervous. I was sure readers would hate her. Karenator's birthday is November 22 and I'll probably write a birthday fic for her. Other than that, I've been spending my time trying to write original fic, which turns out to be quite a challenge. | |
| docmon | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/13/2006 |
| heartbreaking, bittersweet, but a wonderful story. It seems Eilian is learning a few things that might come dangerously close to being called maturity. ;-) well done! Author Reply: Thank you, Docmon. I'm not sure marriage alone would have made Eilian into a grown up, but having a daughter and seeing the arrival of the Nazgul sure did. I thought this was going to be a "cute" story but it veered off into angst. | |
| erunyauve | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/10/2006 |
| >>He was the head of his household, an idea that seemed plausible when he looked at his father or older brother, but much less so when he looked at Celuwen. Heh. Though I suspect that his father and brother's wives made it equally difficult for them to feel that they were head of the household. >>A bit more stuffing drifted past, and he shooed it under the bed so they would not leave a mess. Oh, yes. That should clean it up! This is so heartwarming and sad at the same time. Poor Eilian - none of this is easy for him. I'm glad that Celuwen at least gives him some peace of mind at the end. Author Reply: My guess is that Thranduil knew his wife because she intended to do what she wanted. But then, I suspect he seldom opposed her and she was good at making him realize that's what he wanted to do anyway. Ithilden is a different type and so is Alfirin. I think she'd give in nearly always. Then they'd hit some subject that she felt strongly about -- Sinnarn, or something that mattered to her sense of right and wrong -- and she'd be immovable. He'd probably be surprised the first couple of times it happened, and then he'd learn to back slowly away. Eilian and Celuwen are more evenly matched. They've been friends since childhood and I'm sure she's told him more than once that he's not the boss of her. I seem to be wittering on about my characters. Thanks for the review, erunyauve. I had a good time thinking about Eilian and his daughter. | |
| Socket | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/10/2006 |
| I laughed then cried when I read this story. You move effortlessly from the idyllic world of a father with his innocent daughter to a warrior departing from his loved ones to defend what he values and loves. One of your best efforts, I have to say. Just a beautiful, funny, and sad story, all at once. And I adored the description of poor Ithilden startled by Elian and his drum -- oh, God, what a terror he must have been. How Nimloth didn't sail West after tending to him, I don't know. BTW, a story from Nimloth's POV, thinking back to all the years tending to all the royal Elf children, would be great. Author Reply: What a great idea for a story! In addition to Thranduil's sons, Nimloth looked after Sinnarn and now Loriel too. She must know them all pretty well. And yes, I imagine Eilian was about as lively a child as anyone would want to be around. I'd have to look to be sure, but I think Loriel will be about 60 by the time of the Ring was, so she'll have done all her growing up under this threat while her father was a warrior. That had to have been hard for all of them. Glad you liked it, Socket. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/10/2006 |
| Catching up on reading finally...this was wonderful. I loved Loriel going through Elian's chest. Children absolutely adore seeing the things that their parents loved as children. That was an adorable moment. Especially in the saddness of everything else going on around them. You showed the power and importance of family and especially children very well here. This is a very different Eilian--so focused on his family and how they felt rather than the adventure of battle. Elian is truly grown up here. I know I always say this, and I know it is not likely to happen because you are writing 'real' things now, but I would just love to see even one chapter of this family after Legolas returns from the Quest. Eilian here is so amazing. I would like to know if he survives the Battle Under the Trees. Great story! Author Reply: Thanks, Elliska. Eilian still feels like himself to me, but he's always been better at caring for others than himself, and he has this little girl. As for after the Battle Under the Trees, Bodkin took the pressure off a little when she wrote "In the West," using my characters. I've occasionally toyed with ideas. For instance, I think it would be cool if Eilian suddenly realized he could open and close the Great Doors, which tells him something about either his father or Ithilden. But I probably won't do that. It's too mean. | |
| lwarren | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/7/2006 |
| This was lovely, daw - like opening a particularly beloved scrapbook and revisiting old friends (even if they were in the depths of mourning). I have actually been working my way through all of your old stories for the past few weeks. Just finished "Prodigal Sons" and "The Novice" yesterday evening. I miss your characters, even more so when you treat us to a new story after being without for a time! LOL (I sound like someone in need of a fix...yep, an Eilian/Maltanaur/Legolas/Beliond/Thranduil/Ithilden - and others - fix, I guess *g*!) As usual I enjoyed Flower Face - she is certainly going to give her parents a run for their money, I think. And Eilian demonstrated some maturity and clear thinking when he didn't put his foot down, beat his chest, and yell at Celuwen! It seems that Shadow accomplished his goal for him, unfortunately, and his two girls will stay with Thranduil. Again, great story! Linda Author Reply: Thanks, Linda. "Prodigal Sons" really is old. I think it was my third story. I hope I've learned some things since then, but I do feel for poor Turgon in that one. I remember sitting at my desk at work and suddenly thinking "Legolas's friend Turgon is a tragedy waiting to happen." Then I wrote the story. If Eilian ever announced he was head of his household, I think Celuwen would tell him what to do with his little title. So he was indeed wise to hold his tongue. In the meantime, Thranduil will look after Eilian's family and that's good. Glad you liked it. | |
| emjo | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/7/2006 |
| Loved this Daw! I miss hearing from your characters. I think I might just go back and re-read a few of your older stories. Any way great story! Author Reply: I miss these characters too. I'm particularly fond of Eilian, I think. Glad you liked this one. | |
| Idhreniel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/6/2006 |
| Again it was a pleasure to read from you. Every one loves your characters and this was a delight. One quick glimpse at married Ellian... and a father too! The little I saw from Loriel already makes me fall for her. Thank you for the fic!!! Hugs, Author Reply: Thanks, Idhreniel. I picture Loriel with her father's daring and her mother's stubborness, so Eilian and Celuwen are going to have their hands full. Glad you liked it. | |