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| Stirrings of Shadow by Fiondil | 10 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/6/2007 |
| A wonderful, heart-warming chapter - what a novel, yet well-chosen 'punishment' for Aragorn! I loved Aragorn's having to sit on the floor because his legs were too long for the kiddie-bench, and the children's resulting glee. Nice touch with the kids developing a friendship with their older schoolmate. Thengel seems very much the wise and just king mentioned by Tolkien. Author Reply: Well, as Thengel says, the punishment should always fit the crime, so it makes sense that Thengel would "banish" Aragorn to a schoolroom to learn Rohirric. This solution to what could have been a nasty situation (can you imagine what Aragorn's brothers would have done to Rohan had they ever found out that Estel had been flogged for a stupid error?) shows Thengel's wisdom and sense of justice as Tolkien describes him. | |
| obsidianj | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/30/2007 |
| What a suitable punishment. I don't think that a flogging after the beating Aragorn sustained would benefit the Rohirrim nearly the same. It might have smoothed some ruffled feathers, but having Aragorn speak decent Rohirric would help them much more I had to laugh at the picture of Aragorn trying to sit on the school benches. I went back to my school after years and tried to sit in one of the chairs. My knees were beside my ears and it was very uncomfortable. I think Aragorn's solution to sit on the floor was probably for the best Author Reply: No, a flogging really wouldn't have done anything constructive. Thengel obviously learned much in the court of the Ruling Steward Turgon during his sojourn in Gondor all those years. And the image of Aragorn having to sit on the floor because the bench was too small is one of my favorite images. I, too, have gone back to my primary school and wondered how I ever managed to sit in those little chairs. *lol* | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/29/2007 |
| Indeed an appropriate discipline, considering the offense and the reaction he's already suffered, and what he'd intended to say. Author Reply: I'm glad you think the discipline appropriate (so do I), and it beats a flogging any day, doesn't it? *grin* | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/24/2007 |
| Wise move, Thengel. Aragorn really needs fluent Rohirric - and where better to learn it while teaching the king's children about people from beyond their realm! I wonder if this Theoden recognised Thorongil in the Aragorn of the post-Wormtongue days. He might have done, I suppose, but I suspect Aragorn got away with being recognised mostly because he remained far too young. Strange to see the king you knew as a boy as an old man. But he must have got used to it. Author Reply: I know PJ had Théoden recognize Aragorn as Thorongil in the movies. I have no idea if this Théoden would, although he is old enough that Aragorn would have made an impression on him that was not likely to fade. The problem, I find, is that we don't know how long Aragorn stayed in Rohan before going on to Gondor. The man was gone for 23 years after all. If he stayed in Rohan for a number of years Théoden would have grown up around Thorongil. So it's likely he would have recognized him, and knowing Aragorn was a Dúnadan would have been aware of the longer lifespan of the Ranger. I'm sure Aragorn eventually got used to seeing his non-Dúnedain friends get old while he remained relatively young, much the way the elves accepted this with their mortal friends (those elves who allowed themselves to have mortal friends, that is). | |
| Shoshana_Rose | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/24/2007 |
| This story has both pulled at my heart and made me laugh out loud (a rare occurence). I thoroughly enjoy your depiction of young Aragorn. He is shouldering his responsibilities well, yet not perfectly. He has clearly been groomed for leadership, yet he is still a *young* man, finding his footing in new situations and faltering, at times, as we all do when we grow and learn. I also truly love the paternal demeanor Thengel has taken with him. Thengel, as you write him, is a round character. You've given him a depth and warmth I've rarely seen ascribed to him, and it *works* without compromising him as a firm and decisive leader. Bravo! I cannot wait to see where this journey goes next. Author Reply: Thank you. I appreciate your review very much. I'm glad that you enjoy my depiction of a *young* Aragorn. So many people, I think, forget that some 60 odd years separate the Aragorn who takes service with Thengel and the Aragorn who joins the Fellowship and makes a bid for the throne of Gondor. That's a lot of maturing to undergo. I'm also glad you like my depiction of Thengel. I've not read any fanfics that have him in it, so I'm not influenced by anyone else's take on the character. Like most of my characters, canon or OC, Thengel pretty much took on a life of his own and made himself known to me in no uncertain terms. I like to think that he was as instrumental in helping Aragorn become the king he would someday be as Elrond or Gandalf were. | |
| Edlyn | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/23/2007 |
| Oh, I did so like this chapter! Thengel is a very wise man and the punishment was very appropriate. I think the thing I like best about this whole story is being able to see Aragorn as a young man, who makes mistakes (in this situation an unwitting one, but a mistake nevertheless) and who can get embarassed, who is a "kid magnet," and who has trouble doing translations (something I am sympathising with as I'm currently working on translating some Cicero in Latin Class that is more difficult than I expected). This makes Aragorn "real" rather than an archetype (though of course, he is an archetype: (initially reluctant, if you go witht he movie-verse version of the character) hero, priest-healer-king, protector/father figure, etc. He's a person I could feel comfortable talking to and even arguing with or teasing. He's human (even if he is from exalted bloodlines with special abilities). That's something a lot of fic writers can't seem to get a handle on. They either give him so many flaws that he's out of character or he is so perfect he's an unapproachable figurehead. This is one of the things that I like about your writing style. All your characters are real--flawed but inspiring, strong but with individual weaknesses, tempers, and even warped senses of humor. I do admit that I'd love to have a horse like Mithfaron I'm looking forward to seeing how this continues. Your elf-fic is most excellent as I've told you in the reviews of Elf, Interrupted and your man-fic stories are equally as good. May you lived blessed, Edlyn Author Reply: For characters to actually touch a reader they have to have some connection with reality. Even "evil" characters have to have some aspect about them that we can relate to or they just end up being caricatures rather than characters. The same is true for heroes. We are all a bundle of strengths and weaknesses, flawed in some ways and perfect, or near perfect, in others. That's what makes us unique. The same is true with characters in a story. If my "heroes" are too heroic, too perfect, then I as a flawed human being have no hope of aspiring towards their heroism, however that is manifested. Many critics of LOTR claimed that Tolkien's heroes were too good and his villains too bad, but one only has to look at Boromir and Gollum to see that isn't so. Even Aragorn exhibits doubt and a temper and an inability to deal with Éowyn's infatuation. He's not perfect, nor should he be. That's why I enjoy letting my characters be characters rather than caricatures, even my elves. The elves may be more perfect in many ways than mere mortals, but they are not perfect. Even the Valar never claim that role, which rightly belongs only to Eru anyway. Thanks for your review. I'm glad you are enjoying this story as much as "Elf Interrupted". | |
| SurgicalSteel | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/22/2007 |
| Ah - a very clever punishment, indeed. Wise of Thengel to have thought of it! Author Reply: Yes, Thengel is indeed wise and clever too. Aragorn is suitably punished, thus satisfying honor, and Thengel gets a valuable and sympathetic ally who understands his people's language out of it. | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/22/2007 |
| I'm enjoying this story very much. Author Reply: Thanks Linda, I'm glad you are. | |
| vaske | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/21/2007 |
| I can just imagine the kids riding Mithfaron trying to make him go faster, while Mithfaron just keeps going at a steady pace, ignoring them! With all his new younger 'brothers' and 'sisters' it's almost like Aragorn is getting paid back for clinging to Elrohir and Elladan for years (even though I'm sure he's enjoying it)! Author Reply: I'm sure Aragorn enjoys playing big brother to the royal children, remembering how his own older 'brothers' took him in hand and played with him with infinite patience. | |
| Calenlass Greenleaf | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/21/2007 |
| *g* Poor Thorongil! Such a punishment is quite...interesting. But at least he should have no more trouble with Rohirric. :-) Author Reply: Well, as Thengel says, punishments should fit the crime. *grin* | |