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Elf, Interrupted: Book One: Glorfindel Redux by Fiondil	3 Review(s)
Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 76 on 2/14/2008
An action taken in anger may come back to haunt one, but in this case it was the best that could be done. Finrod's father and uncle are truly coming to appreciate the younger Elf was indeed a king in his own right, and are seeing the different majesty he had to take on in his own day. Author Reply: It is here that Arafinwë and Ingwë first see Finrod, not as their son or great-nephew, but as a king in his own right. Manwë including Finrod in the discussion cinches it in their minds.

Rhyselle	Reviewed Chapter: 76 on 6/11/2007
OK... this chapter is... Wow! staring at the screen still stunned Ingwe is very intimidating... While I don't have any relatives in positions of power, I have met some very senior military officers in my career... and I have seen them transition from the nice social individuals who ask about the kids and how college is going, to the Commander who holds authority over me... their physical features do not change, but they certainly don't look like they do when they're asking if my cat had new kittens yet. Ingwe definitely feels that Finrod has run roughshod over his authority in his own court. So I was right in my assumption that Aldundil set something in motion that Finrod didn't have full control over. And now, as Finrod explains, Ingwe and Arafinwe both start to see him as a ruler in his own right. That was a drawback of the "elfling" behavior that Finrod displayed when he was released from Mandos... it made it impossible for his family to truly accept that Finrod was a King and had made decisions as a ruler that were just as hard, if not harder, than any that they had made in their centuries of ruling in Aman. They don't have a choice now; the proof of Finrod's status has pretty much been shoved down their throats by the day's events. I can hear the implacableness in Finrod's voice as he tells his father and uncle that Aldundil will wear his warrior braids again. And when he suddenly loses his anger and sits down, I can just see his expression, when he admits that he doesn't know what to do with Aldundil now. Manwe's appearance was perfect! And I loved how he pointed out that they were all rulers; reinforcing Finrod's status to the older kings. I am interested in what the ramifications of the oath being taken in anger will be. I can totally empathize with Finrod's feeling that he'd been given no choice at all about it. It is good to see he already regrets his anger. I loved Manwe admitting that even he didn't know how to avoid being forced into an action by circumstances out of his control. Valar are powerful but they are not perfect, ominiscient beings who cannot be surprised by actions that other beings of free will do. Ingwe's humbling himself and apologizing to Finrod for his snap judgment of Finrod's actions was very moving. And that he admits that he grieves over the changes that Finrod's experiences in Endor forced on the younger king. His admission of pride in his nephew was exactly what Finrod needed to hear after the traumatic Oathtaking, as was Arafinwe's. Oh, I've always loved the descriptions of Lord Namo's embraces, but to feel Lord Manwe's love in the way that you describe here was incredible. Wow... I found it interesting that it was Finrod who called the end to the recess, and not Ingwe or Arafinwe. And that last line said it all... Finrod went into the room with them as Finderato, but came back out a recognized King. I think I can understand why this chapter got so few reviews... it's relatively short and there's not a lot of "action" in it; but the subtle and not so subtle dynamics between the three Eldar, and the change in the relationship between Ingwe and Finrod, and Arafinwe and Finrod really made this an incredibly important chapter. As a reflection of character development, it tops almost everything else you've written so far, IMO. Well done! Author Reply: As short and as "nonactive" as this chapter is, I think it is the pivotal chapter in the entire "Trial" arc, for it redefines relationships and roles between four (if you count Manwë) of the most important people in Aman and that reordering of relationships will have far-reaching consequences for the future well-being of Aman. I think that Finrod telling Ingwë that he would have had no compunction in executing Vorondil if he had decided not to accept Aldundil's oath was probably the moment when the penny dropped and Ingwë's sense of reality took a 180-degree turn. For the first time both he and Arafinwë saw Finrod as "king", not as "son" or "great-nephew", and that is an important milestone in their relationship. Manwë showing up and addressing them all as fellow rulers made it official. This chapter also was important in pointing out some of the dangerous aspects of the Life Oath that has Ingwë so concerned. As Finrod points out, not only did Aldundil speak the words of the oath, but the fact that he spoke the words in Sindarin gave the oath extra weight. Then when he offered his life to Finrod, not for his own sake but for one who's "blasphemy" earned him death in the eyes of the Endorëans, Finrod had no choice in the matter. Either he took ALdundil's oath or he took Vorondil's life and consequences (either way) be damned. That's why both Glorfindel and Laurendil reacted the way they did when Aldundil uttered his words, since they digressed from the usual words offered. It's no wonder that Finrod is so upset and clueless as to what to do with Aldundil now, since he never expected to have to accept the ellon as a vassal. Manwë's timely appearance, of course, helps to put everything into perspective so that all three elves can deal with the situation and move on. His self-deprecating admission of imperfection helped to diffuse a potentially volatile situation that could have spelled havoc for Aman had it not been addressed and dealt with the way it was. This is one of those chapters (more frequent than I like to admit) where I don't feel as if it were I writing it but Someone Else taking over my fingers as I typed. I was just as stunned by the chapter after writing it as you were after reading it. It remains one of my favorite chapter in this particular story.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 76 on 4/13/2007
It is about time the Amaneldi learn more about the War of Wrath and what the elves of Endórë suffered. I’ve got more and more the impression that at least half of the problems are resulting out of their ignorance. Even Ingwë did not understand what happened between Finrod and Aldundil, and I’d expected him to be much more knowledgeable than the average elf. And if the Amaneldi who didn’t go with the host of the Valar to Beleriand don’t want to hear about this time, I fear it is necessary to tell them nonetheless. We’ve all seen what the outcome of their ignorance is. Loved Manweë’s appearance and his demand of Finrod to do something he himself hasn’t figured out how to do yet lol Well, at least he lightened the mood and comforted the three Kings. Author Reply: Since none of the Amaneldi who participated in the War of Wrath ever witnessed such an oath-taking, it's not odd that Ingwë would not understand what was going on between Finrod and Aldundil. Even Aldundil's knowledge up until this point was purely secondhand through his friendship with Laurendil, as evidenced by his attempt to "flee" from Finrod. Manwë's wit and deprecating humor was just what the three Kings needed to diffuse a potentially explosive situation between them, especially given their familial relationship.

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