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The Wars of the Valar by Fiondil	11 Review(s)
Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 9/24/2008
And isn't Atar the source of all our healing? His love and mercy far exceeds anything we can possibly imagine, even though we don't deserve it. Your wisdom and insight continues to amaze me. Tari Author Reply: Very true, he is indeed the source of all our healing if we just let him be. And thank you for your sentiment. Believe me I'm far from as wise and as insightful as I would like to be but I do my best.

Agape4Gondor	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 6/20/2008
This was a beautiful chapter. Though it was hard to read, being a wee bit stubborn and proud myself, I enjoyed the ending! giggles Author Reply: Hi, Agape. Coming to terms with one's foibles is not easy and in that regard I think we're all stubborn. Thankfully we have a very understanding Atar, as Námo finds out. Glad you liked the ending. Thanks for reviewing.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/22/2008
The exploration of the planets and their qualities was very enjoyable. As was the banter between the characters (especially Maranwë's quick repartee). I'm glad about Maranwë's uneasiness about Námo's violence against Rushirithir - I confess I was uneasy about it myself, at the same time as I was guility cheering him on. (And do I rightly detect a bonding between Maranwë and Therindë?) Further release of poison. It's good of the two survivors to speak of their ordeal, even if they couldn't bear to speak long of it. Tears are good. I like the description of all the surroundings, in this chapter they really complemented the plot particularly well (although they often do so in other chapters as well). but why dost thou thinkest that what thou didst to Rushirithir be right and what he did to thee be wrong? This is a truly powerful statement. It made me think of so many things in the real world, eye-for-an-eye, vigilantes, death penalty, etc. I suspect it will resonate with me for a long while. Author Reply: This chapter, I hope, answered many readers concerns about the rightness of what Námo did to Rushirithir, even while they were cheering our hero on. There is indeed a fine line between Justice and Revenge and Námo crossed it, or at least, stuck his toe across it. I'm glad you enjoyed the descriptions of the surroundings and Maranwë's banter. As for whether there's anything happening between him and Therindë, only time will tell. Thanks for catching up on all your reviews. It was a nice little gift with which to end the week.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/4/2008
Of course Maranwë couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Why do I get the feeling Námo and Vairë will be teased about this kiss for a very long time? As for Rushirithir ... that’s something I have mixed feelings about myself. Námo shouldn’t have done what he did – but to be honest, I can’t with a good conscience say that I’d not done the same after all that happened earlier. At least the matter seems to be settled now, and I am glad for it. And I hope poor Námo will have a bit of a reprieve now. You’re putting him through a lot – could you please go and torture another of the Ayanumuz for a change? ;-) Author Reply: But I'm having so much fun torturing Námo! LOL Seriously, this chapter will be the turning point of the story. We are now definitely within canon and The Silmarillion as far as the plot goes, although there is still a lot of 'gap-filling' that will go on, but the focus is going to be more on the establishment of Arda and Melkor's attempts to destroy all that the Ayanumuz try to create.

Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/3/2008
I loved this chapter! I am so glad that Namo was finally able to release his pent up emotions and then talk to Atar. It seems like he (and Vaire) has finally gotten the healing he needs to go on. And, also to be reconciled with the rest of the Valar and his own people needed to be done before that healing could be totally completed. The talk with Atar was so powerful and moving... you did that very, very well, Fiondil. Author Reply: Thanks, Radbooks. Just as the confrontation with Melkor was a long time coming, so was this little "chat" with Atar. grin Healing is indeed almost complete and we will be seeing both Námo and Vairë maturing into the Valar they were meant to be and whom we meet in later stories.

Agape4Gondor	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/2/2008
A lovely chapter. I was spellbound by the beauty of the planets, but moreso - by the beauty of Atar.... Author Reply: Thanks, Agape. I'm glad you found this such a beautiful chapter. It's one of my favorites for a number of reasons, but Atar has to be the top one.

Edlyn	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/2/2008
This was an amazingly powerful and most excellent chapter, meldonya. There is definitely a very fine line between justice and revenge, something that many people end up crossing. I'm glad I wasn't on the receiving end of Atar's discussion with Námo. I'm sure that he wishes he hadn't been either but it was so necessary for the completion of his healing. The scene between Námo and Atar gave me shivers. It was terrifying to read it in a way and I had to stop reading for a bit at the end of the scene to absorb the emotions--strong ones!--it generated. Then all at once it struck me that THIS was the pattern that the Valar would use when rendering Judgment on the fëar of the Firstborn. It also occurs to me that it was necessary for Námo to undergo the trials Melkor put him through as well as the difficult path of healing (detours and all) in order for him to become the Valar we know from EI1:GR and your other fics. Having experienced the pain of rape, physical and psychic assault, the ensuing shock, fear, grief and anger, the longing to hurt the one who hurt him back in the same way and finally, letting go of it, allowing it to remain in the past without carrying the weight of hate and rage and revenge on his shoulders, and eventually even forgiving his attackers means that he can sympathise, even commiserate with the fëar that come to Mandos. That sympathy and shared experience are a definite asset in healing his future charges. I finished reading this chapter with tears in my eyes and feeling perfectly suspended between joy and sorrow. Joy that at last Námo was healed and sorrow that he had been hurt so badly that it took the ultimate of interventions to sort him out. Perhaps that's because I have had experiences in my life that mirror in a (very) minor way the trauma and hurt that Námo and Vairë have gone through. Perhaps now that Námo is sorted out Vairë can finish her own healing. Of course, the test as to whether the healing of these two is complete will be their reactions the next time Melkor or any of his minions show up. We shall have to see. I was so glad to find out that Maranwë had stayed behind in spite of Námo's orders. It had to be tearing him up inside being caught between his love and loyalty to his Lord. And Therindë, though she didn't disobey the order to depart, still worries about her Lady. I hope someone takes the time to comfort the two Máyar. WARNING! Grammar nit-pick squad on duty! I found one sentence that you might want to revise: "He still felt that he and Vairë had done nothing wrong in their encounter with Rushirithir, but now tendrils of doubt began to encroach upon his sense of rightness and for the first time he wondered if perhaps he hadn’t erred." -- I think that what Námo was actually wondering if "he HAD erred." The way it is currently written it sounds as if he thinks that he didn't make a mistake. END Nit-pick session. AS I said at the beginning this is a wonderful chapter and has made my Friday. Take care and Eru bless! Edlyn Author Reply: Hi, Edlyn. Thanks for a wonder review, it made my Saturday. LOL Everything you say about Námo is correct and it's what I've been trying to convey, in my own stumbling way, trying to get behind the cold exterior that we see of him through the eyes of the Rebel Noldor, who have a good reason to fear him, and see the real Vala that he is and always has been. While Therindë wasn't there with Námo's Máyar, she was told what happened by Maranwë so naturally she would be concerned about her mistress's actions and would want to help. And thanks for the grammar alert. I don't know how Mari missed that one (or I for that matter).

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/2/2008
A most appropriate place for him to be to speak with the Father. Author Reply: I thought so, too.

6336	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/2/2008
Poor Namo, he still has some growing to do, but he is getting there with Atar's help. It is so easy to step over the line between justice and vengence. I am sure his Maier(sp?) appreciated his apology as did his brothers and sisters and Vaire. When's the wedding? More please, Lynda Author Reply: There is indeed a thin line between Justice and Vengeance and Námo still has to learn where that line is drawn, but he's getting there and we know he learned his lesson since we see him dispensing Justice rather than Vengeance much later on. As for the wedding... I'm still waiting for my invitation to show up in the mail. LOL As soon as I know, everyone else will, too.

Kaylee	Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/2/2008
Awwwwww...hugs Namo and Vaire Maranwe and Therinde were quite right to be concerned about them, for what they did was indeed wrong (though I dare anyone to say that in Namo's situation they would have done differently, really shudder) But of course Atar was there to gently guide him to a better understanding of what was right and wrong, and I see that Atar laid the truth out for Namo...sounds rather like the Judgement of various Eldar later in the story when Namo is in his rightful place as Lord of Mandos, Judge and Comforter and everything else grin so this is where he learned it from, hm? "Mount Olympus" on Mars...Sounds perfect for a meeting with Atar, though if it were called "Mount Sinai" or something I could see that too. I love reading your little notes, I'm learning much about astronomy from them ^_^ Poor Namo and Vaire's planet...it's going to be destroyed eventually I see, judging by its position between Mars and Jupiter...but at least it has a lake similar to the one on "Vaire's planet" and they can enjoy it for now. And I'm glad Mars is a good place for Namo to go and think. Off topic, a bit...Do you suppose even in the days after the Coming of the Children, the Valar (Namo especially) would take "time off" to go check over their planets or go play in the tenth dimension once in a while? Because rather randomly, I vaguely recall one of the Valar confusing a Maia by saying something about 'needing a vacation'...I think it was Vaire, lol. I love this story! ~Kaylee!! still sleepy at seven AM but unfortunately has to go to work in a little over an hour Author Reply: Everything Námo has suffered and the lessons he has learned (and is still learning) from them are designed to prepare him for his ultimate role as Judge and Comforter. It's a painful, but necessary, process, but Námo will be a more effective Lord of Mandos because of it. Tolkien states somewhere that, according to ELVISH tradition (not necessarily according to fact or Valarin custom), once Arda was established, the Valar and Maiar voluntarily remained within Arda, but Arda, strictly speaking, means our entire solar system, so it's possible that they wandered about the other planets every once in a while. grin And actually it was Sador who overheard Námo talking about 'needing a vacation' and not knowing what was meant by that. LOL I'm glad you are enjoying this story, especially the astronomy. Thanks for reviewing.

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