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The Wars of the Valar by Fiondil	10 Review(s)
Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 1/27/2008
Hm ... am I wrong to have a very bad feeling about Acairis wanting to know more about black holes and the like? Maybe Námo should not have told her anything ... And even more important, this b**** has to keep her hands off Námo! Grrrrr! Author Reply: Acairis' interest in black holes... well, we may discover what that is all about eventually. And at this point I think Námo would've told her anything if it delayed her... er... usual activities with him. In this case, talking is a good thing.

Agape4Gondor	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 10/9/2007
Sorry, Fiondil, for a double posting for the same chapter, but I was off traveling and didn't have time to do a 'proper' review. I've added a few things. I love the nose thing - I love all his reactions to his hroa - though the chapter is difficult - these little tidbits of 'discovery' were delightful. His wondering about the word 'death,' his sadness over the vision and the fear of those who 'came' to him, the addiction of the hroa for those high-born, The blank emptiness, the cry 'where are you,' the intrigue of Melkor... too powerful and potent for words. I warned him - out loud - 'be careful, Namo,' as Acairis grilled him about the black holes - what is the purpose? What is she after? Nothing so simple as curiousity for this witch! Finally, his hroa, at least, seemed to warn him, 'a frisson of dread!' And her last line - yes, there are all kinds of black holes and Namo seemed close, so very close to falling into the worst of all. Author Reply: No problem. I welcome the additional observations/comments. Námo is experiencing the gamut of emotions from the absurd to the terrifying here and isn't in a position to process any of it properly, hence his ambiguous reactions to Acairis and her seeming curiosity about black holes.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/30/2007
Námo experiencing being incarnate in more detail and with more attention than before was fascinating and amusing at the same time. I can imagine him grimacing and making face to ease the itch on his nose! It must be frightening to be so completely cut off, in particular if this is the very first time to be so isolated, even from Eru. I wonder if it is not his very belief that he is cut off from Eru that makes him unable to reach him. Perhaps, if he could calm himself and concentrate, he would succeed? Yet the passage of time as Eä knew it was an external thing, not touching him except as a referent to the approaching Time of the Children, Fascinating! As are Námo's later ponderings about Death. The descriptions of Acairis' actions and how Námo experiences them are chilling and haunting. For a long moment Námo merely stared at the fallen Máya and wondered. Was this interest in black holes something she had had all along or was it a product of her fallen state? He didn’t know and at this point didn’t care. I would have expected Námo to wonder about his own interest in black holes, and what that might say about him. Or is he, by this point, no able to form such thoughts? Take care lest you step too much closer, for it you do, you will never escape even if... if the One, himself, rescues you from Melkor. This suggests, to me, that Acairis speaks from personal experience, and I like seeing this additional facet to her character. Author Reply: The description of what Námo is experiencing while in an extended physical form I think is important to see, for no other reason than to show how very alien physical form is for beings whose natural state is Pure Thought. It would be reasonable to assume that something like an "itch" would be frustrating simply because the one experiencing it wouldn't even know what it was they were experiencing. They would have no word for it and by naming something you have power over it. The same thing with his thoughts about Time and Death, two external phenomena that he has not actually experienced within himself. I try not to make my evil characters so two-dimensional as to be uninteresting. As Elrond reminds the Council, nothing is evil in the beginning and so, there must still be a core of goodness (denied and ignored without a doubt) that exists within even the most evil character that can manifest itself, though not always recognizable as such. This is the case here with Acairis.

Agape4Gondor	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/28/2007
'He tried to open himself to Atar but there was nothing there, just a blank emptiness in the center of his fëa where Atar had always been even when he wasn’t consciously aware of it.' Devastating - 'She was evil but it didn’t mean he had to treat her with anything less than the respect with which he would treat any of the Máyar. He would not follow her down the black hole she had fallen into.' Profound - Wow - an excellent chapter! Author Reply: I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. Yes, the loss of communication with Atar would be devestating. The fact that repaying evil with evil only makes you evil is a lesson many do not learn. Námo will not allow himself to descend to Acairis' level whatever the cost to himself. More to come.

MJ	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/27/2007
I sometimes think that Acairis is closer to Thuringwethil than Ungoliant, and this chapter makes me feel that even more, the legendary seductive power of the vampire that I never imagined Ungoliant would have felt. But then, I have my own theories about the origins of Ungoliant, so that probably influences my feelings. :) I also suspect that Namo should consult his brother or Este about the proper nomenclature of "itch," since matters of physicality and its behaviors (and misbehaviors) would seem to fall clearly in their areas of interest, and purview. Thinking these things, however, did prompt me to wonder: what is Namo's sister, Nienna, doing during this phase of things? Almost as much as Namo -- even more so, I think -- one would not think she has much to do, except sit around and cry every time Melkor does something bad, or one of Varda's experiments goes wrong. I think both she and Namo would be equally attractive to Melkor as potential "recruits," willing or otherwise, and yet, I can't recall that anything has been said of what Nienna's up to (that may just be my memory, of course, can't be trusted to remember anything for two minutes, right now). It would seem to me that, even though this is clearly Namo's story, she should somehow enter into it, not just because she is his sister, but also because there are aspects of their natures that are similar, in particular matters of pity and compassion. There is much they might learn from one another, I think, and much support they could give one another. Maybe not. And maybe I'm just jumping the gun. :) Author Reply: Acairis does indeed have some vampiric tendencies, which is why I haven't explicitly said she later becomes Ungoliant. She reminds me at this point rather of a Lamia of Greek mythology than anything else. Nienna appeared two chapters ago when she and Námo were conducting experiments on salinity levels in the ocean (appropriate I thought considering how tears are salty grin). She will no doubt continue to make an appearance in later chpaters. She is, after all, Námo's older sister and will be in full older-sister mode once Námo returns to the fold. Part of the reason I started writing this story was that I had similar questions about all the Valar: what were they doing before they became the Valar? They spent uncounted ages building up the universe before they ever bothered to create Arda and so what were people like Námo and Nienna and Vána, etc. doing before Arda was created and they could get on with their real 'jobs'? Hopefully, this story is beginning to answer some of these questions.

Calenlass Greenleaf	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/27/2007
Currently I'm scratching my nose--your comments about "sensation at the end of the nose" was quite amusing! grin Acairis = creepy. What happens to her in the end--does she turn into Ungoliant or something similar? cocks eyebrow Of course, I could be wrong...but she oddly reminds of that spider. Poor Námo. Someone had better come by soon to help...Oh Manwë, where have you gone? Author Reply: What happens to Acairis at the end remains to be seen. Certainly she exhibits characteristics similar to those of Ungoliant, so who knows? Ungoliant did start out as a Maia, before she turned away from Eru and the Light, then spent the rest of her existence trying to snuff ouf that very Light. Anyway, help is on the way... next chapter, I promise. grin

eiluj	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/27/2007
Yes: black holes! (My subconscious just kicked me while I was making tea.) Very clever of you, Fiondil: Melkor would love the concept. But I fear black holes won't be anywhere near as effective in devouring light as he'd hoped. He'll never get it all; he's doomed to disappointment (both now and in the future). Just hoping the Maiar guards can get out of the way fast enough when those twelve stars go unstable. Aside from that: poor Námo! Icky Acairis! Glad you put in the humor of Námo's confusion over his itching nose. Author Reply: I decided before going on with the icky part, I needed to show the absurdity of life even in its most straiten forms. Námo is in a perilous situation yet his most major concern at the moment is to scratch that itch at the end of his nose even though he doesn't know it's an itch and what he wants to do is scratch it. grin Melkor and Acairis are both doomed to disappointment with regards to harnessing the power of black holes for their own nefarious purposes, for which we can all thank Eru.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/26/2007
And does she intend to enter a black hole herself, or consign others to it so as to live the experience vicariously? Alas, she is herself caught beyond the event horizon, I fear, and without probably fully realizing it. And she's lost touch with Atar. Alas. Author Reply: Or perhaps she does realize it and therein lies her dilemma: she already knows she's trapped and can't get out, but she can see that Námo might soon join her, and she both desires it and does not desire it, hence her warning. And she has lost touch with Atar, though not the other way around, if she just realized it. But again, she may well realize it, yet, in her prideful lust (or lustful pride) she refuses to seek forgiveness and so she is lost. I think she will take the idea of light being sucked into a black hole for herself as she seeks to consume all Light in an attempt to extinguish the pain she must feel at losing that Light within herself.

Tira	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/26/2007
"annoying sensation on the end of my nose".... too adorable, whether intended or otherwise. quite glad that when MY nose itches, I am not bound in manacles and can scratch it. grrr. now, you realise, I have to wait again for the next chapter? Author Reply: As a Vala unused to the ways of the flesh, it must have been pure torture on more than one level not only not be able to scratch the itch but not even being able to put a name to what one is experiencing because no one has come along with a name for it yet. I did indeed intend the opening to be humorous, to show the absurdity of life even in the midst of angst.

Nieriel Raina	Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 9/26/2007
Ok, that wasn't too bad, though I'd like to kill Alcaris! She is rather creepy, and with good reason! Now I see a very interesting lean to Ungoliant, no? You write creepy well. Now, I'm a little confused on one part... and a little embarrassed to ask. I think I'll email you that one privately. blush Námo and the itch on the tip of his nose was PRICELESS! Oh how well you described this from a Vala's POV! I was chuckling instead of squeezing my stuffed doggie (who turns out I didn't really need). But then SHE showed up and EWWWWW!!!! Námo's annoyance at first reminds me of those jr high boys who are squicked early on by kissing. grin What concerns me the most is Námo's inability to feel his Atar. Isn't that just like the devil? He can't actually separate us, but sure can make you feel alone and lost. Very nicely done. Great chapter, Fiondil! I await eagerly for more! NiRI Author Reply: Thanks. I guess being told I write creepy very well is a compliment of a sorts. grin Well, email privately if you need to. I'll answer your question(s) as well as I can. Yes, Melkor is very good at applying negative psychology on his victim, separating him from all sources of comfort, or making the victim think he is. Námo will learn differently though it will not be apparent immediately. Glad you liked the chapter even with icky Acairis and that you didn't need your stuffed doggies except perhaps to hang on to while laughing. grin

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