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| They Did Not Take Root In That Land by perelleth | 7 Review(s) |
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| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 4/13/2007 |
| I like how Oropher and Gil-galad seem to be developing a working relationship without sacrificing the thorns and prickles of their individual personalities. Together, they could be a formidable force, but they must learn to respect each other first. Yes, the stuff about shipbuilding is fascinating. It's funny how such big, complicated effects can come from something as simple as a saw, isn't it? Author Reply: Thank you, FP. THey both have their thorns and prickles, as you well remark! But beoing apart for so long is good for their relationship, I feel. They are a challenge for each other! ;-) And yes, you are right, such big, lasting impacts coming from a simple saw. Fingon did not know what he was doing.... | |
| erunyauve | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 4/11/2007 |
| >>The Noldorin king was kneeling on the ground, facing the sea, and he seemed quite busy humming worriedly to a short row of young, silvery-limbed trees that lined the front side of his secluded garden. What a lovely, sad image! >>“No matter what you sing to them, they do not feel at ease here,” he informed softly. Yes, that's really the Noldor's trouble - I've always had a strong sense of Galadriel that she really didn't love Middle-earth. >>Mine is a dwindling realm, Oropher,' he confessed with a resigned shrug. 'Much as these trees, who yield their fruit, fulfill their duty but dig not deep in the ground, raise not tall to the sun, for perhaps they know they are not meant to last long' Right, that's why Gil-galad needed Oropher in the Last Alliance - Oropher's people were actually growing. >>The Noldorin tools made it easier to cut and shape irregular wood into fitting parts and planks…but since we know how to select the right trees, and discuss our needs with them, we do not require shaping parts with such detail I love this idea, that Cirdan and his folk talked to the trees to get them to grow in the right way to build a ship. Author Reply: Thank you erunyauve! I am glad that you are still following this late! Every time I read about the origins of the mellyrn that got to Lorien I always had this picture of those magnificent trees dwindling and hardly surviving in the hAvens, and how vexing, depressing that must have been for Gil-galad and his people... I'm glad tha tyou liked the idea of the different ways of shipbuilding. The Teleri were forest tenders as well, and much as we artificially direct growth and "manage" forests to fit our needs, it was appealing to me as well the idea that the shipbuildersw ould discuss their needs with the trees and the forest would agre to yield what they needed within the boundaries of what was safe for it.... Thank you again for following through. There are just two chapters left... | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 4/11/2007 |
| I'm glad Oropher has learned that Gil-galad's elves are quite capable of playing in the forest! Although it'll take more than that to smooth his prickles. He is so defensive! And running into traps twice! (You won't always get a third chance, Oropher. Beware.) I love Gil-galad's worried tending of the mallorns. And his treasured book of Ancient Knowledge for Children. Poor elf. He is struggling so to hold everything together, while everybody demands his attention. And aid. Whilst blaming him for everything that goes wrong. (I am fascinated to learn that Earendil's Tale led you to develop a philosophy of ship-building! Isn't it remarkable what we discover and construct in writing these stories?) The complexity of your council meetings and the careful negotiations that are so easily tipped on end by an incautious remark are wonderful. Author Reply: THank you, Bodkin. I had always been interested in the reasons for the Numenorean's wild deforestation of southern eriador during the second age, and all I had comep up with was the tale of hte saws, which has been almost written for two years..more or less. And then when I read your choice of mixed clinker and carvel I began to think, because I had always thougth that the Teleri would build clinker. So the carvel might have come from an external source, as it happened in our history. So I began to fish for the sources, and it all came up perfectly bundled, thanks to Vingilot and you! :-) The complexity of your council meetings and the careful negotiations that are so easily tipped on end by an incautious remark are wonderful. Heheh. I wished you could have been listening ot a couple of very serious meetings I had this week! You'd have seen how lacking my imagination is! | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 4/9/2007 |
| I forgot to mention: I loved the book Gil-galad had. The idea of him having a book with all those 'foreign' trees and such that used to read to him as a child and he still has the book! I loved that. Author Reply: I'm tickled pink that you pickedup that detail, because I really really liked it. The poor elf keeping a childhood boo kas one of the few trasures from his family... :-) THanks again! | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 4/9/2007 |
| Alrighty then - I suspected wolves( or hounds) when the game got started, and it was scary enough being stalked like that without the guardians turning out to be something more supernatural. "Perhaps the battles of Beleriand would have turned out otherwise, had the Sindar taken part." Oh my, we could have a great discussion, I think , on how the Sindar did indeed aid the Noldor when they most needed it. But, not necessarily in open battle. ;D I absolutely loved the scene with the mellyrn. Poor things... Gil-galad's tree book was facinating too! I am assuming that these little guys cannot provide the seeds Galadriel carries to Lothlorien, though. And, the ones grown there are even bigger than those in Eressea or Numenor! I hope you let these tired specimens get back to their origin place and finally flourish. However, the thing that struck me most in this chapter was Oropher's acknowledgement that there is indeed a Blessed Realm in the West. "...that beyond the waters there was a land of peace and plenty." I loved that most of all! It is so easy to blind ourselves to the end game of life and what lies beyond the so-called ordinary world. "I do. You know that it is difficult for me to stop arguing..." Ha! That I can identify with myself! I am impressed with your insight into canon and trust your expertise, but... ;P I got a real kick out of Pengolod taking up movie!Elrond's position. :D It will be interesting to see how he ends up in Ost-in-Edhil before this conflict comes to a head. The A/N were most well-come. Just as with your notes on economics and ecology, this was needed education for us readers. I really admire how you extrapolated on the historical example. And, you notes are not insanely long. I should know. This chapter was very entertaining and thoughtful. I actually felt sorry for Taurlong, hehe! Author Reply: Thank you, Redheredh! YOu made me laugh and then groan comparing PEngolod with Movie Elrond! Ouch, that hurt! ;-) But perhaps you are true. WEll, point taken. :-) BUt on the other side, I'm so excited that you picked up Oropher's reaction to the trees! For despite the fact that when I started writing the tale I was intent on the mellyrn and explaining the deforestation while linking the technology trasnfer of which Fingin was to blame to a tale that is alost wholly written, as the tale developed I found the missing connection and reason for the mellyrn, and it was the impact of those foregin trees on a Sindar's eye. Thank you again. I have the feeling that this chapter came out too dense, and I feared that my own explanation for the Men's deforestation would not itnerst anyone. But it was fascianting to me, at least, to link technology, learning, and techniques to the later deforestation that takes place during the Second age, and from which the forests of southern Eriador will never recover! | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 4/8/2007 |
| I loved Oropher and the wolves and Gil-galad's guards! Hehehe! Poor Oropher. I imagine that he was pretty disgusted to be' trapped' by the wolves and then have to call his game with the guards a draw. Even if he did get this in: “Well, you must know that we did not use the trees to our advantage,” Oropher admitted with an easy smile. “Otherwise, you would have not stood the slightest chance. I love Oropher. He always wins somehow. But his conversation with the guards was certainly a chilling premonition of things to come. And I enjoyed the debate about what would have happened if the Sindar had joined the battles during the First Age. I have those debates later in my story as well. It definitely is fun to speculate about. But my favorite part was the mallorn trees. I loved the sad little things. Surely you will show us how they went east. And I also enjoyed the info about ship building. It was fascinating. Author Reply: THank you, elliska! I think that the Sindar role in the battles of Beleriand must have been a subject of discussion from time to time... :-) although I have no position there. The picture of those wonderful trees not taking root in the shores of LIndon always made me think. IT must have been quite vexing for those in Lindon, but I do have an explanatin for that.. :-) And the whole tale about shipbuilding one day exploded as the true reason for the deforestation in the Secnd age... or how techonology and raw materials have an ipact on culture, economics and so on, which is, after all, my area of expertise. As you see I cannot get free of real life! Thank you for following through, elliska! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 4/8/2007 |
| The stuff about Oropher rushing ahead into battle is certainly prophetic. How far away in time is that in this story? I'm out of town and don't have my books, but I thought the Last Alliance was not all that long after the sinking of Numenor. So are you going to show us how the mallorn tree got east? I have to say I've never thought much about ship building and tools and so on. Author Reply: Well, I think you are back home right now, I apologize for the delay... the L.A took place about two thournad years after this... and yes, short after the drowning of numenor. It was the deforestation that takes place in the Second Age that took me thinking, and at one point it connected with shipbuilding techniques... :-) I'm not burdening you with a long tale. We do know that the mallorn trees reach Lorien and only get to grow there... There are just two chapters left of this.. :-) THank you daw. I have a feeling that this chapter came out a bit too dense. | |