Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Blooded by Raksha The Demon	16 Review(s)
Little Dwarf	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 6/27/2008
Wow. Sad, and angsty, and definitely painful. But extremely well-written and exactly how I imagined Faramir would feel... Poor lad! Taken away from his lute and his books and brutaly thrown into a battlefield... Of course, Tolkien himself must have felt the same on the Somme... :( Faramir thinks too much to enjoy fighting - unlike his comrades, it seems... I'm certain he loved to sparr with Boromir and to win archery contests, but killing, and especially killing men, as opposed to orcs, would have made his doubt himself... I loved this paragraph: "It isn’t fair; some part of Faramir wailed inwardly. But only children and fools expect real life to be fair, said another part; which was possibly his father’s remembered voice. He was a man now." How deep and sad... :( I loved this story, it made me think, above all... :) Author Reply: I think that Faramir probably was a lot more aware, during his childhood and youth, that he would end up on a battlefield, than Tolkien, but like Tolkien, he would have the thinking man's sorrow at what he had to do there, without diminishing his sense of duty. I think Boromir was more comfortable being a soldier; Faramir of course, did it because it was necessary, and because he was Faramir, he became a good soldier and a great Captain. Yes, it would be a far different matter to read legends of great and noble warriors, and train up to spar and shoot competitively, than it would be to actually fight and hack and kill other men. Faramir was not the type, I think, even as a young man, to allow himself to use self-pity as an excuse for anything. It's human to feel self-pity, but Faramir is controlled enough not to let it influence him. And I think Denethor would have been right to tell his sons that real life is not always fair. Thanx for taking the time to read and review, Little Dwarf!

Istarnië	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 9/25/2007
What a fascinating portrayal of Faramir's first 'blood' in battle! You have shown something of the true horror that all must face in such a situation - but through the eyes of the sensitive, thoughtful yet dutiful Faramir, they take on such significance. Your description of the 'grubbiness' of hand to hand fighting.. 'No artistry nor courage, merely his own quickness, his refusal to die, had saved him.' encapsulates this. I really like the way you begin - with the lads boasting, and naming their weapons. I wonder how much of that is bravado? I also really like the reference to the future hope of Gondor - though I suspect Faramir had little thought of it becoming reality in his lifetime. 'Might as well wish for Elendil to sail up the Anduin with a host of Elves, or the King to return, driving all foes from the realm! ' Calling his dagger 'Slayer' - how apt! I really enjoyed reading this. Author Reply: Whoops; I missed answering your wonderfully thoughtful review, Istarnie. Thanx for reading and commenting. I have been lucky enough never to have faced hardship, let alone battle. But I imagine that while one can find glory in feats of great courage, there is always a gritty, grimy, ugliness in war; no matter how necessary it is, one has to kill other people at some point. And hand-to-hand combat, to the death, must be an incredibly ghastly thing - exciting, with a great adrenaline rush, but still, if one survives, a matter of wounding, maiming, killing, better and faster than the other; and there would be dirt and blood and 'grubbiness' all over the place. I think different soldiers react in different ways to it; but if they are to survive, they must all use coping mechanisms. Faramir does not realize that yet. I think that the kids boasting is part of that coping mechanism; and part of young male machismo, part of turning a rather icky act into something great and exciting - which they will need to do if they are to continue doing what they have to do. We know that Faramir spoke to Frodo about how he'd like to see the Silver Crown return, but he wasn't speaking as someone who thought it would really happen. As a boy, his hope would have been more naked, though equally, in his point of view, hopeless. But the fact that Faramir carried that desire, even if he thought it could never come true, is part of his character. It really must have seemed miraculous, a thing out of legend, to the people of Gondor, to have the King return in the captured Corsair ships, driving all foes from the Pelennor - a shame that Faramir was stuck in the 'dark vale' at the time and couldn't see it happening on the Pelennor... I couldn't think of any other name for the dagger; and "Slayer" just seemed really, really apt for Faramir to use - I can't see him embellishing its purpose.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 4/3/2007
Poor Faramir. He cannot pretend that he doesn't know that this is now his life - battle, killing, strategy. Nothing will save him from it short of the king's return, which means it'll never happen. The bravado of the young soldiers is very well done - and I'm sure the tried and tested older warriors are understanding of their way of dealing with shock and disgust and loss of innocence. Author Reply: Thanx for reading and reviewing, Bodkin! Faramir is far-seeing in a way the other fledgling Rangers aren't; he sees that there is no going back to safety from here, and his knowledge of history and legends will not give him an escape from the soldier's life that stretches before him. Although, being Faramir, he cannot help but think of the legend of Elendil and the return of the lost Kings of Gondor; and we know that hope will endure and ultimately save him and many others (though of course it was Frodo and Sam who preserved Aragorn's victory by destroying Sauron). I doubt that the bravado of young soldiers changes much over millenia, except for speech patterns; their adrenaline will run very high after a battle where blood is shed; and it would have to be expressed in some way or another. Since this story was a Faramir's eye view of the aftermath, and he was focussed strongly on the memory of the battle and his own experience, we didn't see much of the older Rangers, but they're probably keeping a watchful eye on the kids; even Faramir had a memory of being given something to drink.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 4/2/2007
Very well described reactions Raksha! I was feeling almost as sick as Faramir. Author Reply: It's very hard to think of how Faramir must have felt; but he had to have been simultaneously shocked and horrified at what he had done; and, being Faramir, moved mentally to the inevitable (which not all the other youngsters would, or could, have done) future of having to do so for the rest of his life, indeed a rather sickening prospect for someone like Faramir. Thanx for the review, Harrowcat!

Ti'ana Luthien	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 4/2/2007
Raksha...I have but one word to say: wow. This was haunting, chilling, and...sad. Your view of Faramir is much the same as mine, I see. I really can't think of much else to say...but I was very deeply moved by this. Cheers, Ti Author Reply: I'm so glad you liked the story, Ti; and thanx much for reviewing. It is sad to see a boy like Faramir have to lose his innocence so suddenly and horribly, by killing another human being; but that is what war is about; and he and the others have to grow up fast or they won't survive.

Nesta	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 4/2/2007
Bravo! This nicely encapsulates the fact that so many hero-tales (and especially films) ignore: that you don't need true courage if you lack the imatination to appreciate the true extent of the danger, and above all if you are incapable of enmpathy. A lot of war-heroes are, I suspect, really psychopaths. I don't include Boromir among them, but I do think he lacks empathy and imagination. Faramir has real courage, as shown here, but he's in danger from too much introspection. Obviously he will learn to master this in time. And his refusal to boast really rings true. Author Reply: Empathy, a quality Faramir has, might be a hindrance in wartime; unless one can selectively employ it - to understand the enemy better, but refrain from letting one's empathy inhibit a killing stroke. Future-Faramir, as we see in LOTR, has learned to either control that empathy or dampen it when necessary; which is sad but necessary; however, young Faramir doesn't yet realize, after only brief experience of battle, that it is possible. You're right that he's prone to too much introspection; that will change over time, with more battles and killings, poor kiddo. I can't see Faramir boasting about his own killings any time; though as a commander he will have to praise his men for theirs. You are right, though, that Boromir does not have empathy, or at least he has much less than his brother. Thanx for reading and reviewing, Nesta!

Khorazîr	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 4/1/2007
Wow, Raksha, this is a great piece! It echoes Faramir's words to Frodo and Sam so many years later ("But I do not slay man and beast needlessly, and not gladly even when it is needed"), and one can see where they come from. I liked how he keeps himself a little apart from the other lads and their boasting, and begins to understand and cope with his future duties. Also, I was rather surprised how your version of Faramir's first kill resembled mine without you ever having read it. ;) Author Reply: Well, great minds can think alike about Faramir's responses to certain situations that probably happened in his life. And yes, Faramir would have been set apart, at first by his station as the Steward's son, then by his sheer intelligence and the burden of future command. It would have been very hard for Faramir at this stage, until he realized that he could indeed kill when necessary and fulfill his duty to land and lord. Thanx for reading and reviewing, Khorazir.

Branwyn	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 3/31/2007
This piece plays up the striking difference in how Faramir and his brother regard the necessary evil of war. It is difficult to imagine Boromir having sympathy for the enemy; he might respect their prowess in battle, but he would not pity them or feel guilty about killing. (As an aside, I don't necessarily see the other lads as simply callous. They may have heard more realistic accounts of combat and therefore had more realistic expectations. And of course they might be hiding their distress behind a show of bravado.) where there was no Enemy to demand his constant service I especially liked this line, the reminder that the enemy is to blame for the warrior's life that Faramir must lead. A very thoughtful vignette. Author Reply: I'm not sure if Faramir feels guilty about killing; more like miserable with the horror of taking a human life, however necessary it was. No, Boromir would not have felt sorrow or misery after the deed; in fact I imagine he painted a rather exciting picture of battle. I don't think the other young Rangers were callous either - everyone would have different feelings about killing and wounding other people, but the adrenaline would be running high in all of them, and one way of dealing with it is to boast of their deeds, to display bravado. I'm glad you liked that line; and thanx for the very thoughtful review.

Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 3/30/2007
I can definitely picture Faramir like this (and probably a few of those other boys under their bravado!). I think that you captured him very well, it must have been so difficult for him to go off to war when his inclinations lay in other directions. I really liked this line: He was born to lead men in battle, not run away from it, such was the payment of the privilege with which his high station had gifted him. Those that rule wisely and well remember these kinds of things - that you often have to do difficult things when serving/leading your people and you don't just walk away and send someone else in your place. There can be wonderful privileges associated with ruling, but the cost can be very high at times! Anyway, very nicely done and you know a sequel of some sort would be okay... say at the end of the war when he's done with 'Slayer' or the sword... something like that! I'm evil, I know, but the thought just came to me. grin Author Reply: I'm sure that war was difficult for all the young fellows; but perhaps hardest for Faramir, who probably had a better grasp of what was at stake, and who would have felt the burdens of reputation and duty to an even greater extent. I think that Denethor himself felt the obligations of his duty very keenly; which makes his later abandonment of his Stewardship all the more tragic. I think he must have imbued the young Faramir with that sense of obligation. Boromir might not have absorbed the lesson so well; he seems to have had a bit more arrogance. A sequel dealing with the sword and dagger? Hmm, intriguing idea. We'll see if the Muses are kind. Thanx for reading and reviewing, Radbooks.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 3/30/2007
And worthy is he who names truly and who does what he does not because he likes slaying, but because he must. Author Reply: I'm glad you liked the story, Larner. Yes, Faramir is eminently "worthy"; though at the point I wrote him here, I'm not sure he realized it.

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List