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Elf, Interrupted: Book One: Glorfindel Redux by Fiondil	7 Review(s)
hawkeye	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 10/6/2014
Fiondil! This is probably my favorite chapter so far in this book (I'm sure there will be others, but still ;) I enjoyed Arafinwë's musings about Olwë. Olwë strikes me as someone a lot like Celeborn in that people might often miscalculate when they first are around him. That's a really dangerous miscalculation to make. I like how Eärwen can both support her husband and go with the flow at the same time. She is the anchor that holds everything together. I'm a little surprised that Finrod didn't bring his father in on the surprise, but it's a mark of the trust that Arafinwë has for Finrod that he didn't interfere. They are starting to work as a team, I think, which is wonderful. Sometimes though, I do wonder if Arafinwë is not hurt when he gets left out of his son's life. It's not intentional, but Finrod has had many experiences that his father has never had, nor ever will have. Interesting "coincidence" Finrod thought to make the knife before Sador and Glorfindel were even released, if you want to call it a coincidence ;) I also liked that, despite being not too pleased with Finrod for the sudden change in plans, Arafinwë supported both Finrod and Sador through the initiation. Here we see how really observant the Noldoran is, that he knows how to both see a need a respond to it without taking over. Something tells me that Finrod's initiating Sador will have long reaching consequences. It's interesting that it's the blood of the two oldest warriors, and those are Finrod and Glorfindel. I am curious if Arafinwë would not be considered a warrior himself, since he did go and fight in the war. Perhaps it is only the initiated by the Sindarin standards? In any case, I'm curious to know what Sador did as such a young elfling. I'm sure Arafinwë will get the story one way or another, I only hope we're there to hear it ;) Thank you for a fun chapter! I enjoy the subtleties that you bring into your writing. It gives me much to think about :) Author Reply: This is an interesting chapter and you're right that the initiation will have long-reaching consequences for them all. While Arafinwë certainly fought in the War of Wrath, he was not initiated into the Sindarin warrior society, and so he would not be involved in the initiation ceremony. As for the knife, you might recall from the Findaráto Diaries that Finrod created the knife when he was still in Lórien without knowing why he did so. And we'll learn what Sador did to earn those warrior braids in the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing, Hawkeye. I'm glad my stories give you much food for thought.

Kaylee	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 7/28/2008
blinks I skipped reviewing here? frowns Ooookay... "You two look positively barbaric." And... The Queen laughed and turned to Sador standing to one side. "You look lovely, too, dear. That tabard fits you well." Glorfindel and Finrod had stopped twirling by then. "Yes, he does, my lady," Glorfindel said, "but he’s not completely dressed." "You’re right, brother. I should have realized," Finrod said, with feigned shock, for he and Glorfindel had planned this earlier, though they had told no one, not even Arafinwë. He took a bemused Sador by the arm. "Where are your warrior braids, penneth?" Sador raised an eyebrow at that and shook his head in denial. "I-I don’t deserve..." "Nonsense," Finrod stated flatly. "You fought against my cousins’ armies, twice. Don’t think I don’t know about what you did in Doriath, young Sador. You’ve earned those braids and you will wear them." "B-but I died!" was the only thing Sador could think of in protest. Both Finrod and Glorfindel laughed, their faces lit with not only humor but with joy. "So did we," they said almost simultaneously and laughed even harder. snicker Really? I hadn't guessed. wry grin Brilliant as ever, meldonya. I especially liked the warrior initiation ceremony thing. grin Where did you get that from? Did you make it up? Was it Tolkien's? ~Kaylee!!!! Author Reply: The warrior initiation is definitely not Tokien... I pretty much invented it myself, starting with the question: How would Elves fighting against Melkor initiate their young warriors? And the rest, as they say, is history....

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 2/12/2008
Those from Elvenhome will appreciate it, I think. And they will rejoice that Sador is so loved by his brothers in guard. Author Reply: Yes, the elves of Tol Eressëa will understand what the braids mean and will have a greater appreciation of why Finrod and Glorfindel initiated Sador into the warrior's society.

Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 2/11/2008
What a touching ceremony. Sador is now a true "brother in arms" with Finrod and Glorfindel. Somehow I think he deserved it. You may receive replies from my home computer from time to time. My email addres there is faernaimladris@gmail.com. I was a bit saddended to read that you don't wish to return to America. I've done a little bit of traveling, and the only place I might have considered moving to was the North Island of New Zealand. That may change next year as some of us will be spending two weeks on the South Island visiting sites used in the LOTR trilogy. You're welcome to join us if you can. Tari Author Reply: Yes, Sador certainly deserves all the honors he is dued, even if he doesn't think so. I'll keep my eyes open for any private emails you care to send. And why would you be sad to read I don't wish to return to America? There's a whole world to explore and I spent most of my life in one country. There really is nothing for me back in the States and I'm having too much fun seeing other places and living in other cultures. Thanks, though, for the offer to join you in NZ, but my teaching schedule might not allow it. We'll have to see.

Edlyn	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 4/13/2007
Oops! My typoitis is so bad today that I just realized I ended up typing the word for 'my friend' in the feminine instead of the masculine in my review! Mea culpa! Am I forgiven, meldonya? Edlyn Author Reply: Hey, I've been called worse! grin You're forgiven (and that's five "Ataremma" and ten "Aia María"). But if you ever do it again... well, I understand Lord Námo does make house calls... lol

Edlyn	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 4/13/2007
I wonder what it was that Glorfindel was reading...Well, that's not surprising, as I wanted to know what book it was that Aragorn was reading in the sanctuary scene in the FOTR film, and what all the books in Elrond's library were (and I'd give almost anything to have that scriptorium!). I can just imagine how spendid everyone looked in their finery as it was described and yes, "barbaric" is certainly a good adjective for Glorfindel in particular. I think Sador uttered his challenge to his brothers on purpose. There is definitely a streak of mischief a mile wide in that young ellon. He could have very easily kept his mouth shut on teh matter of clothes and bets but he didn't. Given that he was the instigator of the prank with the bowl of water that morning that ended with Glorfindel chasing Finrod around the gardens, one really oughtn't to be surprised that he couldn't resist hte temptation to egg on the other two. Oh, my! I can just see Sador's face when Finrod asks him where his warrior braids are. The confidence that had filled him when he was twitting his brothers seems to have run away like water down a drain. His protests are understandable, Sador's identity is a potter, the fact that he took the role of a warrior when need dictated is something he is still not comfortable with. Potters don't pick up swords, they are protected rather than being the protectors, and they don't fight and kill other elves. His identity is undergoing some adjustment given his new position as a Royal Ward and diplomat in training but the new pieces have not had time to become an fixed part of his identity and he's been actively denying the martial aspects of his life all along. No wonder he can't believe what's happening when Glorfindel and Finrod are braiding his hair. And the ceremony itself was wonderful. The simplicity of it actually makes it all the more powerful. It's not a ceremony that the Amannildi would have come up with, it is obviously a cerremony of a culture who lives with frequent war and battle. I am minded of the time I saw an on-the-spot knighting at a field battle. The ceremony was stripped to the minimal skeleton of the more typical knighting and ended up being one of the most powerful things I've ever observed in all my years of the SCA. Why is it that I suspect that Eärwen has her ladies hemming an awful lot of handkerchiefs ever since Finrod returned home and and even more when Sador and Glorfindel joined the household? It sounds like someone inspired Finrod to make the sigil e-hereg when he was Lorien. I know that the Valar don't prevent people from exercising free will and they don't force people to do things but I get the feeling that Somone inspired Finrod in the hopes that things would work out so that Sador would be initiated. Besides which, Sador more than deserves the recognition of his deeds after all this time. Well, it should be interesting seeing the reaction of the embassy. Why do I get the feeling that Finrod knows more about hte reaction than he is letting on? Well done, meldenya! May you live blessed, Edlyn Author Reply: I had the same reaction to that scene in FOTR as you! I would love to know what Aragorn was reading. grin I have no idea what Glorfindel was reading. For all I know it was the Amanian version of a Jackie Collins novel, and knowing Glorfindel, I wouldn't put it past him. lol Sador does have a "mischievous little brother" streak in him, doesn't he? I'm sure he had lots of fun egging on his older brothers in that fashion and Finrod and Glorfindel equally enjoyed letting him. Sador is reluctant to accept what he sees as an aberration to his character. He isn't a warrior and really has no desire to be one, yet, circumstances keep pushing him into that role. Notice that Lord Námo has to force the issue by telling Finrod and Glorfindel the truth about Sador's past because even with Lord Irmo's encouragement, Sador refused to reveal that aspect of himself to his "brothers". So, Fnrod's words are especially shocking for him because of their unexpectedness. He thought his "secret" safe. Certainly Finrod was inspired to forge the sigil e-hereg, since, as far as he knew, there would be no need for such a ceremonial weapon in Aman. I'm glad you liked the ceremony. I had loads of fun designing it (especially the Sindarin and Quenya). I tried to imagine a ceremony that would necessarily be conducted "on the run" so to speak when warriors would be initiated in the field, so it would have to be "bare-bones" with minimal pomp. This, I think, makes it even more powerful when it is performed within a setting such as Arafinwë's throneroom. I look forward to seeing your reaction to the Tol Eressëan embassy's reaction to all this. grin

hanci	Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 1/16/2007
With descriptions so detailed -yet not boring- you may well receive pictures inspired by this story from some artistic reader... At the beginning, I thought "magpies" when they put all those sparkling stones in their hair, but of course such an important occasion requires adequate appearance. The ceremony was really touching, and grand, with all those elves gathered there. Sador deserves that. I'm glad you mentioned Thorondor. Author Reply: It would be interesting to see such pictures. I'm not an artist in the visual sense, so my "paintings" are done in words. I'm glad that you find such descriptions interesting and not boring. And being a lover of eagles, I just had to mention Thorondor at least once.

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