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| Stirring Rings by Larner | 6 Review(s) |
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| Lyana | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 7/19/2012 |
| I have so enjoyed this telling of a period of Middle Earth history for which we are given just broad brushstrokes; I've found the scenarios and personalities to be utterly believable and engaging. You know, I actually shied away from reading this at first because that time is tragic on so many levels, but you've succeeded in still showing warmth, humor and hope in the midst of horrific times - just like real life. Great story, especially the hobbits in the last few chapters. Hard to imagine that would all be forgotten by the time of the Ring War, but all so believable at the same time. Author Reply: I'd not intended to unveil this chapter, too, as its final betaing hasn't been done yet; but I'm so glad that the whole of the war between Angmar and Arnor as told from the point of view of the Hobbits who took part managed to strike you as it did. War is a terrible thing, but it has been the crucible that has tempered the spirits of so many over the millenia. Thank you so very much! | |
| Sunny | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 4/27/2009 |
| ”An army marches on its stomach”. Eärnur is in full agreement with Napoleon here. Good to see that an update on _Stirring Rings_ has managed to sneak past the migraine. That is Not Fun (so sayeth a fellow sufferer). Though right at this moment I am not suffering from anything that enough antihistamines can’t control. Bucca’s strike at the Witch-King certainly foreshadows Merry’s strike on the Pelennor – which opened the way for Eowyn to strike the killing blow (and Bucca’s blade also seems to burn up). And she was certainly no _son_ of man! Well, we tolkien aficionados know this, of course, and, I think, enjoy these little touches. And it is nice to see that Pippin isn’t the only slayer of trolls among the hobbits – though this one wasn’t retrieved from under the thing until it it was too late to heal his injuries. It is a sad homecoming for the two who returned – all the other Hobbits had perished in the war, and it has fallen to them to spread the word to the affected families. Not that the Hobbits who remained in the Shire have been unaffected by the war, and I suppose there were casualties in the Shire as well. I hope the Muse will provide you with more – and soon! Author Reply: I was hoping this would please you! Again this has proved a chapter that's come by fits and starts, although much longer periods of writing at a time than I'd been able to eke out of the last two. Aragorn told the Hobbits there beneath Weathertop that it was obvious the only damage Frodo had done to the wraith he slashed at was to inflict a cut to his mantle, as any blade that pierced his flesh would wither away. There HAD to have been SOME previous time when someone struck the Witch-king or perhaps one of his fellows that had given people that knowledge, so why could it not have been in this battle? We also are told that it was Glorfindel who originated the prophecy that it was not by the hand of a living Man that the Witch-king would fall, and that he made the prediction at this point in time. It was interesting to imagine the context in which these revelations were shown forth and came to be known by others. And I've often wondered how it was that although Aranarth chose not to style himself the King of Arnor, yet Bucca came home to serve as Thain and to keep alive the tradition that one day the King would return. Now I've been able to explore that scenario, and with a feeling of accomplishment! We aren't certain exactly how many Hobbits followed Bucca from the Shire to fight for Arvedui, but it doesn't appear to have been a particularly large company. We know only Bucca returned, however; so no matter how much I love Hobbits I had to let them go and watch them die within the context of the story. And that Hobbits of the Breelands might also have fought just seemed likely. As I've been following the ancestry of OUR Hobbits from Bilbiolo and Forodor on, I've found myself exploring how the names might have shifted and the natures of particular families might have begun to manifest themselves. Bucca and Holmwise also probably knew their own PTSD symptoms and undoubtedly fought depression at least from time to time. But they are Hobbits, and enduring. They will survive and prosper no matter how much they are toughing things out deep inside; and their legacy of persistence, sheer stubborn determination, and faithfulness will bless the Shire for generations! | |
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 4/26/2009 |
| Great battle scenes; and I loved it when Aranarth healed Bucca with athelas. Nice touch with Earnur's aide bringing the rhyme back to Gondor that Ioreth will one day remember. Is Holmwise an ancestor of Sam? Author Reply: Thank you so, Raksha. Here is something those of the line of Kings can do that Gandalf apparently was not granted the authority to do, apparently--call those whose spirits are wandering from their bodies back to the land of the living using the athelas. I'm sure that earlier Kings in Gondor must also have used athelas and made certain it was readily available; but once their healing skills became problematic or were lost when the lineage failed completely the tradition of cultivating it would have begun to fail as well. Whether or not Earnur had the skill or merely had no experience or training in using his healing abilities we don't know; but we know that after his disappearance the use of athelas in healing appears to have been relegated to the realm of nursery rhymes and old wives tales. As for Holmwise being an ancestor of Sam--well, look at Sam's family tree and the surname of Holmwise! Heh! Yes, I suspect he was indeed Sam's ancestor! Again, thank you so! | |
| ecrm | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 4/26/2009 |
| A good chapter, I especially liked the Hobbits and the parts that they had to play. I have to take issue with the presence of Haradrim in the Battle however. In order to reach Eriador they would have had to make a tortuous march north, to the east of Mordor through Wilderland and then bypassing Mirkwood by marching round the north. Many would die from exposure in a land much colder than their own and most of their route of march would be through or near to hostile territory. Better perhaps to use Easterlings? Anyway, nitpicking aside this is a great story, I'm looking forward to the years after with anticipation. Author Reply: I can understand the nitpicking, but how it was that Haradrim came to fight in this battle will be explained in the next chapter. My main desire was to have the red serpent on the black banner to have the symmetry between this battle and that of the Pelennor. I am sorry this tale is taking so long in the telling, but it is one whose chapters lately have been slowly giving themselves to me, and I find it frustrating. Hopefully things will pick up from here! And thank you so for the feeback! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 4/26/2009 |
| What a sad and fascinating chapter! To see play out a preview of what would happen in the years to come...poor hobbits! Your characterization of Earnur was also a sad presage of his eventual fate as well. And I wonder just why Saruman wanted to get Gandalf out of his way... Author Reply: Yes, almost a preview of what will come--but at least we now know how it came to be known any blade that pierced the undead flesh burned away, don't we? I'd always wondered how this came to be known, myself. I'm certain that Earnur was extraordinarily capable and proud, and we know that the thought of the supposed shame of being borne away by his horse added to his motivation to go to face the Witch-king himself. This was one thing I'd wished to explore. As for Saruman's motivation--I doubt it's all that negative--at least not at this point. I'm just relieved to FINALLY get this posted! It's taken SO long to get written! | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 4/26/2009 |
| What a fascinating story you're crafting. I was most impressed by how the 'athelas' rhyme might have emerged, and the first deputy ('theign') amongst the hobbits. Such courage and resilience. A marvelous tale. Author Reply: Thank you so very much, Shirebound. There had to be a source for the rhyme somewhere, I'd think. And we know Bucca was the first Thain--I've wanted to know for ever so long how that came to be! Again, thanks. I'm just so glad to have the chapter written and posted at last! | |