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Elf, Interrupted: Book One: Glorfindel Redux by Fiondil	5 Review(s)
hawkeye	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 9/22/2014
Poor Sador. He needed lots of hugs in this chapter. Being Reborn would be intimidating enough, but to add to that, he's in Aman among the Noldor with the Noldoran. For someone who doesn't come from a royal background, I'm sure he feels way out of his depth. While I was hoping he would find Glorfindel and Finrod in the tree, I'm not surprised he just stayed away. Hopefully those two can draw him out a bit more. And Arafinwë as well. Olwë was amazing. The minute you said he was like Celeborn (or Celeborn was like him ;), he immediately went to favorite status. Silly perhaps, but I really love Celeborn. In any case, I really liked seeing how you write Olwë. There is a genuineness about him coupled with the necessarily strong personality of being a monarch that makes him quite likable. I was especially impressed by his attitude towards Finrod and what happened in the Kinslaying. The total lack of bitterness is what surprised me the most, and didn't at the same time. It would be a natural response, I think, but to see him rise above that was wonderful. I think Glorfindel and Finrod need to chase Sador more often. If nothing else it keeps Arafinwë young ;) Thank you for another fun read :)

Kaylee	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 7/27/2008
"Celeborn. You look like Celeborn." Yes, I think that would throw Finda off a bit. wry look Anyway, I'm glad that Olwe was so understanding with these "elflings". And did Sador sound like a fifteen year old elfling or fifteen year old human? laughs because I would say either one, depending on the 'elfling' or child in question. snicker Yes, that sounds like his inye, doesn't it? Heh...I remember Celeborn telling Finrod about calling her Galadriel... "Artanis, I mean. Galadriel is what I call her."... "And so, naturally, she hath adopted the name for herself..." Well, that was another story anyway. grin Sorry. Lestanore...Doriath...At least Ondolinde is easier to remember as it looks like Gondolin. Lestanore doesn't look a thing like Doriath. How does that translate??? ~Kaylee!!! Author Reply: Lestanore and Doriath actually mean the same thing: "Fence-land" which refers to the Girdle of Melian.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 2/12/2008
Healing comes, and they do act at one and the same time as the responsible Elves they were and self-centered children that they sometimes are. And Finrod's memories are expanding and enriching others as is needful. Author Reply: Yes, they are slowly reclaiming their former selves while forging new identities as Reborn. Finrod has been 'out' for nearly a century now, so he's more advanced in his progress than the other two ellyn.

Edlyn	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 4/2/2007
Good afternoon (Dayton-time), mellon-nin! I think one of the things I truly love about Sador is that he is an accepting soul. He accepts that Glorfindel and Finrod's relationship is a special one and isn't jealous of either of them. He accepts the snobby attitudes of Amarië and other Amanildi with a shrug. He really is a humble soul, isn't he? It hasn;t really sunk in that his situation has changed at this point, has he? I can see how uncomfortable he'd be sharing a meal with on;y a grumpy Amarië, however. He's an adolescent and I don't know of very many young adolescent youths who are comfortable with having to make conversation with an older women when she's in a good mood, much less when she looks like she's about to spit nails. Of course, given the fuedal society of Tolkien's Elves (and Men, Hobbits and Dwarves, it you want to look at the entire canon) in Middle Earth and in Aman, it's not surprising that he is leery about putting himself forward. He is the son of a potter--one of the "middle classes"--and subconsciously is uncomfortable stepping out of his identity from his previous life. I was discussing the medieval "ladder of society" with some gentles at the event I attended two weeks ago and some of the things in Sador's behaviour in this chapter brought the topic to the forefront of my mind. I was trying to correct their misapprehension that Catholics pray TO the saints and explain how the whole "intervention of the saints" thing developed in the medieval period. An individual was born into a particular level of society and he would never leave it. The stability of the world (both physical and spiritual) would be endangered if one tried to ascend beyond or drop below the station that God had placed him at. Thus a potter would find it as psychologically impossible to consider praying directly to Jesus or God the Father as he would to speak directly with the King. The norm of the secular culture was to make use of intermediaries to deal with those above you and the same thing developed in the spiritual realm. Our potter would ask the local knight to present his petition to the baron who might run it up the chain through the nobility to the King. In the case of prayer the same potter would ask one of the saints (who was logically higher on the spiritual ladder) to intecede on his behalf. It's really no different than asking your family and friends to pray for you or to putting someone's name on a prayer roll but for some reason most non-Catholics seem to not get that. OK end of religious/historical digression. Well maybe it's not that much of a dirgression, after all, Tolkien was Catholic and his belief structure underpins the entire Legendarium. People could leave their original social rung under extraordinary circumstances (hence all the stories of poor and humbly born boys doing some fabulous deed of bravery and being elevated to a higher position. The acceptability of those stories were usually tied to the idea that the boy was mistakenly born on the wrong rung and by grace he was permitted to show the world that he really should have been and was always meant to be on the higher rung. Now to bring this back to Sador (I can hear you saying "finally!" as I type this), it's obvious (to me, at least) that our young potter definitely meets the requirement of an extraordinary circumstance in order to leave his original rung. That event, of course, was his death at the Havens at Sirion. Potters don't take up arms and act like knights i nthe general order of things. But Sador did. He behaved as a knight was expected to and so proved that he was more than a potter. By dying while protecting his sister and others he was able to be in a situation to meet and befriend Glorfindel (who as a resident of a "noble rung" was already friends with Finrod). He was orphaned (as are most of the boys in the "jumping rungs" stories as it was easier for the nobles to accept a single individual than an entire extended family) and in need of mentors to take the place of his missing family. Since Glorfindel wasn't going to leave him on his own once they left Lorien, he was able to skip over all the other intermediary levels and is now at the topmost level. He intellectually knows that he is part of the King's social circle now but emotionally he can't believe it. Hence his diffidence concerning asking questions when he finds there are guards all around one section of the gardens. Of course, this diffidence is exacerbated by his emotional immaturity due to his rebirth. And of course, his memories are stabilizing more and more and are being triggered by what he sees, hears and experiences so no wonder he was reminded of his sister. And of course, he weeps because he misses her and its rather hard at this point to think about the fact odds are that he will see her again soemtime i nthe future (either she died and is in Mandos and will be reborn one day) or she survived and will eventually come to Aman when the sea longing hits her. Of course, she could also decide to stay in Endorë, but I think it would be easier for Saodr not to think about that option right now. The matter of fact way Glorfindel and Finrod handled Sador's breakdown makes me wish for friends that tactful and understanding. Glorfindel's and Finrod's words regarding the unnecessarioness of apologies between them also demonstrates that Sador is considered to rightfully belong in his new elevated position in the society (yes, I know not everyone agrees with that but Gareth/Beaumains had his detractors at Camelot, too.). I was so very happy to see the banter and teasing beginning again in Finrod's study and practically fell out of my chair when the three of them burst in on the King. But of course, that led to the "recognition scene" where the youth is publically acclained and his new higher rank is confirmed. Can you tell that I am SO enjoying the parallels with medieval history and literature? "And you thought this was going to be a peaceful visit with family." What a wonderful line. And now the focus is changed to Finrod. What a shock to see Olwë! But shock can trigger good memories as well as bad ones. I was very glad to find that Finrod was retrieving the first sort. And Olwë's request to Sador to talk about what he remembered of Doriath was inspired (hmmm, I wonder which Valra may have had something to do with that?) and led to mroe healing for our new royal ward. And of course, the running joke about Glorfindel whining... we have to have that pop up every so often, just to keep things light. And of course, the healing isn't just for Sador and the other Reborn but for all. And oh, to feel just for that moment that Divine laughter! Thank you, mellon-nin. As usual, I wrote a review/commentary longer than the chapter. Are you sure you want to keep posting them here instead of emailing you? I hope you have a good week and are well. May you live blessed, Edlyn Author Reply: Your analysis of Sador's position in elven society now that he is Reborn was quite interesting. I certainly didn't set out to write this chapter with all that in mind, though perhaps I was unconsciously drawing from my own well of knowledge concerning medieval social structures and the "orphan lad is really a prince in disguise" motif that is very popular in medieval tales. The parallel with intercessionary prayer I think is very apt in understanding the medieval mind-set. Naturally, there are no "saints" in Middle-earth, but the idea holds true nonetheless. No one speaks directly to Eru (except Manwë) and everyone else, even mortals, "pray" to the Valar to intercede on their behalf. I think Glorfindel and Finrod's acceptance of Sador, though, is due more to the fact that they are all Reborn (however they got there) and in one sense they see themselves as belonging to a new "class" within their society, one where rank doesn't matter so much as the fact that one has died and has gone through Mandos [there is, of course, a medieval parallel with the rise of the merchant class and merchant princes grin]. Such an experience would likely cause such people to form a brother/sisterhood, banding together against the Once-born who do not understand, even if they are not hostile. There is no need for Sador to apologize for his tears to them because they at least understand not only what he's going through, but why. Which brings up the next point: In a society where there are such strict lines of communication (in the sense of 'communion' rather than in the sense of 'information coding') the presence of the Reborn, who among themselves tend to ignore the social structuring of the rest of society, can be seen as a threat to that social structuring where everyone knows their place and acts accordingly. When a prince of the realm hobnobs with a potter on an equal basis, this is threatening to many people, hence the resentment towards the Reborn. Of course, this is not the only reason, or even the most important reason, for such resentment, but it would certainly undergird many people's sense of self, which is what is ultimately being threatened. Luckily, those in positions of power, such as Arafinwë and Olwë, are wise enough to see that the Reborn are not threatening their society but they may be changing it. Change, of course, is threatening, even when it is for the best. We've all experienced that kind of change in our own lives: change of jobs, change of marital status, change of hairstyle (sorry, but even trival change can be threatening for some people grin). While I don't think elven society in Aman is quite as strict as the medieval society of our own world was, long acceptance of "the way things are" would make it hard for many to see that the changes that are occurring are not necessarily bad. Immortality doesn't guarantee a willingness to try new things when you've been doing the same old thing for the last three thousand years or even longer! And please keep posting your reviews/commentaries here. Others might benefit from them as much as I have, and for me as a writer, I love to be able to actually discuss my writings with those who read them. I hope you have a good week and are well, too. Thanks for this wonderful review.

hanci	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 12/15/2006
"Uh-oh, we are so dead," he said in a strained voice. "Again?" ---- and Celeborn making an appearance, at least indirectly - I'm really happy. I never thought about all the slain Teleri being reborn, good thing you didn't forget them! "Before Aman can be healed, it’s rulers..." (feel free to correct my reviews to improve your mood, if you feel the need) :o) Author Reply: "I never thought about all the slain Teleri being reborn, good thing you didn't forget them!" I think many people tend to forget that before the first Noldo died in Beleriand, the Teleri died first on the shores of Valinor. Naturally, they would be reborn, and sooner than any Noldo, I suspect. I'm not sure what your last comment means, but if it's in reference to "rulers", here I am referring specifically to the two elven kings, Arafinwë and Olwë, who were most effected by what happened during the Rebellion, but also Ingwë as the High King. Perhaps, I even mean the Valar themselves, who must feel some guilt (I would hope) for their part in all of this. They need healing too and their method of healing themselves is to make redress by providing healing for the elves.

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