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| The Wars of the Valar by Fiondil | 11 Review(s) |
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| Tari | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 8/22/2008 |
| Masterful, absolutely masterful. Your conception as to how Eä might have been created is mind-boggling. I do believe Námo is beginning to come into his own. Tari Author Reply: Thanks, Tari. I tried to integrate what we know of the history of our universe with the mythology given to us by Tolkien and offer a solution between the two. And yes, Námo is beginning to come into his own, though he still has a way to go. | |
| Agape4Gondor | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/13/2008 |
| Beautiful chapter. My heart broke as Namo tried to speak Melkor's name. How incredibly wounded he is. I know he will become strong and one of the best of the Valar - but still, this struggle is so heart-rending! Author Reply: All struggles are heart-rending, but they do make us stronger, even if we don't think so. | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 2/3/2008 |
| Loved Námo’s reaction to the flat model *grin* Though I felt sorry for Vána and Nessa! Hm, setting up sort of a Discworld to distract Melkor and to get the time and peace to construct another one? Not a bad idea. I hope it works. The planning for this new world was interesting, even if the technical details go rather over my head. It’s fascinating to see them playing with whole stars and planets and black holes! Author Reply: I tried to keep the technical stuff as low-key as possible without insulting my eaders' intelligence (some of whom have way more knowledge about these things than I do). Hopefully, though, I've not made it so technical as to lose readers either. An uneasy balacing act when writing this kind of story. As to how or if the flat Atharaphelun works as a diversion... we'll find out soon enough. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 1/16/2008 |
| Hughes drove me crazy yesterday, and refused to allow me to do a review. Love the idea of the flat Aman and Namo's shock at the idea! (/Me thinks of the Diskworld, Captain Carrot, and Granny Weatherwax, and the pre-Diskworld novel I enjoyed so much, complete with false fossils and the equivalent of a "Kilroy was here" sign I remember so well.) The poor ladies--to have their work so disparaged. And to have to make do with a small black hole until the Sun is to arise, and an empty place until Earendil takes to the vaults of Heaven to sail the Vingilot there! Loved this! Author Reply: I never read any of the Discworlds stories, but I can imagine the Valar planting false fossils and such in their discworld. LOL You really have to blame Yavanna and Nienna. They let the two younger Valier come up with the flat earth without advising them that it might not be a good idea. I think they just wanted to see what everyone else's reaction to it would be. Well, they got their wish with Námo in spades, I think. *grin* Námo's insistence that there be no sun or second planet at least initially probably did not go down so well with some, but they weren't about to argue with Atar about it. And it does fit in nicely with the mythology yet does not go against the laws of our physical universe too much. That was the challenge of this chapter. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reviewing (or should I thank Hughes for letting you. *grin*) | |
| Edlyn | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 1/16/2008 |
| "It's FLAT!!!" ROFL! I think I startled my co-workers when I laughed at Námo's reaction to the initial model of Atháraphelun (my Latin class was cancelled for today and the office is very quiet so I'm reading). The idea of using the "flat-Earth" as a decoy is most excellent. But will Melkor fall for it? Nine planets besides Atháraphelun? I suspect that Melkor had something to do with the destruction of the planet between our Mars and Jupiter. Of course, we know what is going to happen to fill the void between the first planet and the home of the Eruhini. I'm enjoying seeing how Námo is healing and growing (though it's obvious he is far from completely healed). Poor Varda, she doesn't think she'll ever live down her "failures", does she? Well, her "failures" certainly make the universe a more interesting place to reside. And if she hadn't accidentally created black holes, then building Atháraphelun would certainly have been much more difficult given Eru Illuvatar's decision that the Firstborn would wake to only starlight. But it seems that she is starting to be not so sensitive to references to her "mistakes". Besides, given that they are necessary to fulfil Illuvatar's design, are they really mistakes? This was a wonderful chapter, meldonya! I'm sorry it took me till now to read and review it. I'm definitely looking forward to the next chapter! hugs, Edlyn Author Reply: Hi Edlyn. No problem. I know you've been busy with the Latin. Hope it's going well for you. If you can master Latin, Quenya is a breeze after that. No, really. LOL Anyway, I'm glad you got a kick out of Námo's reaction to the flat Atháraphelun. I got a kick out of writing it and coming up with all the solutions to reconcile the Silmarillion mythology with our own universe. Whether Melkor falls for it or not, only time will tell. Yes, I think Varda is beginning to appreciate that what she considers mistakes Atar has merely incorporated into his own design. Makes one wonder just how our own 'mistakes' are so incorporated, doesn't it? Thanks for reviewing. Next chapter shouldn't be long in coming. | |
| Radbooks | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 1/15/2008 |
| I really enjoyed this chapter and how Namo is really becoming himself again... the healing is not complete yet - and won't be until he confronts Melkor, I suspect - but it's very close now. I laughed at the flat earth image, but it will be a perfect decoy for them. It would drive everyone crazy to be making all of these plans and then to have Namo interrupting and saying, no, wait we can't do that because this is going to happen in the future... but I can't tell you exactly why or when! I'm really enjoying this story and I keep looking for the last of the Valar to show up. I know Tulkas comes as some point to fight against Melkor, but I don't know when that is or if it even says in the books. Anyway, I'm looking forward to his arrival on the scene. :) Thanks again! Author Reply: Hi Radbooks. Yes, Námo is beginning to be himself again though final healing, as you suspect, probably won't happen until he confronts Melkor and perhaps even afterwards. I think the other Valar are getting used to Námo's pronouncements, annoying though they may be. *grin* But I imagine he finds it embarrassing sometimes as well. Tulkas will appear, I promise, though it won't be soon. The Silmarillion does say when he appears and in the Annals of Aman we are even given a date. I have a feeling Tulkas will prove very important to Námo. Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. | |
| Nieriel Raina | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 1/15/2008 |
| LOL! Love Namo's response to a flat world! And Orome's as well. Felt bad for the ladies though after all that work. Glad it will still find a use. Love Atar's sense of humor and how you fit in the mythology of the flat world! I am glad Namo was able to see he is not ready to speak of his experiences yet and get over his being miffed. But I also hope he will continue healing. I am still fearing his imminent confrontation with Melkor. I so loved seeing the Valar coming up with how all this would work without a star. Fascinating! Been wondering how that would work. Love the black hole idea. And holding off on the creation of Venus. *grin* Am a bit worried about Namo hanging out by himself. Loved this chapter! Can hardly wait for more. NiRi Author Reply: Writing this chapter was both fun and nerve-wracking because I really wanted to fit the two aspects of ME (flat and round) together and make them work and make them make sense in the context to the story. That's where Misty's help was so invaluable. Námo still isn't ready to talk about his experiences, but I think eventually he will and Irmo will be there for him. The confrontation with Melkor is due, but not for some time yet and Námo won't be alone when it happens. His family will make sure of that. Glad you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reviewing. | |
| MJ | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 1/15/2008 |
| How nice to come back after a spell of infection fighting to find not only so much to read, but answers to some puzzles! While it was lovely to see Namo appreciating the beauty of a total eclipse on a world other than Earth, I found the answer to the "flat earth" matter quite inventive, and entertaining. Now, who would've expected it to be amusing? Author Reply: Of course, you're assuming the Children do end up on the flat earth rather than the round one. *grin* You'll have to wait and see how I play this out. Not everyone will be happy about it, I'm sure, but then, they're always free to write their own version of things, aren't they? *grin* I'm glad you liked the chpater and Námo's reaction to the model. Thanks for reviewing and I hope the infections are a thing of the past. | |
| Misty | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 1/14/2008 |
| Yes, this works just fine. lol I do like this chapter, especially Namo's 'It's flat.' And the black hole works so well with Namo's fascination with them, that I think that solution was meant to be the one chosen. I'm glad I could help. :) I truly do look forward to seeing more of this story. Author Reply: Thanks, Misty. I really appreciated your help with this. My knowledge of astrophysics is pretty elementary, so I'm glad we were able to come up with a solution together. I think Námo's fascination stems from his still unremembered discussion about black holes with Acairis. He's fascinated by them but doesn't yet know why. Certainly, that fascination has helped with coming up with a viable solution to the "no sun" problem. | |
| Imhiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 1/14/2008 |
| Interesting research project for Irmo, Vairë and Estë! It's not one I hadn't thought about before, but as soon as you mentioned it, it seemed so logical and important. I haven't "osanwë kenta" myself, but I think I have read that there are some things in there that might be relevant to this, too. If you know the essay, can you confirm this? I have only read 1, 2 of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, but for some reason, that model and Námo's behaviour let me think immediately of it and made me laugh out loud - and I wouldn't have been surprised to see if Námo looking at the underside had discovered he was looking at a turtle... *g*! Námo's repeated "But it's flat!" was too funny! And the discussion afterwards where they are seriously contemplating the possibility of it! Just a little bit of poking fun at some of Tolkien's concepts? Very fitting in the context of this story, I find. And to then find such a neat solution to reconcile it and make it make sense - chapeau! I wish we could somehow know whether Melkor finds out someday how all his destruction has been taken into account and all he does is destroy some deliberate diversions and play right into the others' (and Eru's) hands... I would never have thought (before I began following this story) that I could be so highly entertained by a chapter where there was so much technical discussion about matters that generally go over my head *g*! Author Reply: I have indeed read (and re-read) the essay and in it Tolkien does mention the difficulty of communication by thought when one is in hröa and does say something to the effect that the Maiar were more inclined to ädopt hröar more easily than the Valar and remain in them longer to the point where it becomes so habitual they can no longer leave that shape, like Morgoth. I was sorely tempted to have turtles holding up the flat world but decided that would stretch readers' incredulity to the limit. LOL As for the discussion afterwards.... well, I really did need to reconcile the two models in some way. Perhaps Melkor will learn of his folly at some point in time though I doubt it will do any good. I'm glad you found the chapter entertaining in spite of the technical jargon. I tried to keep it as simple and as clear as possible, knowing that I was grossly oversimplifing the mathematics and physics, but since this is really fantasy and not an astrophysical treatise, I figured it didn't matter too much. Anyway, thanks for reviewing. | |