Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

At Hope's Edge - The Appendices by Cairistiona	10 Review(s)
MikoNoNyte	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 2/3/2013
These two outtakes were intense. Seeing Elrond's point of view - his attempts to keep his emotions in check and get the job done. He's not the Rock we all think he is! But his journey into Aragorn's soul - or whatever we're calling it - I think I remarked in the story itself -what the hell is inside Aragorn to make his inner world like this - and it's amusing to see Elrond taking the same thought. The hard hard life of his son, delineated with his careful inspection for wounds made me pause more than once, thinking just how difficult a path Aragorn did in fact have (beyond the silly adventures we fans like to write). And that Elrond, essentially in undressing his son, is seeing just how difficult it has been! His judgment of his son vis-a-vis Arwen suddenly gets pushed aside and rightfully so. But again to that inner world and Elrond's view of it: thank you! Not just for letting we readers see it from Elrond's eyes, but to see it fade and become the world it should be before bringing Aragorn back. Oh, and you let me know if my "I'm talking to you directly" reviews annoy or bother. It's my style but I can be much more critical; it's just not fun that way. :) Author Reply: You're not at all annoying me with your chatty reviews! I thank you for them! I'm also very grateful that you're enjoying these old stories of mine (of which At Hope's Edge definitely is... my thoughts on Aragorn have become more refined since those days). "But again to that inner world and Elrond's view of it: thank you! Not just for letting we readers see it from Elrond's eyes, but to see it fade and become the world it should be before bringing Aragorn back." You're very welcome! I wrote this mostly as an exercise in writing Elrond and in getting that healing scene sorted out in my mind, then decided readers might enjoy reading it. I'm always interested in exploring those ways in which Elrond and Aragorn could come together rather than the ways in which they stand apart, and that thinking drove how I wrote the two of them. I like the idea of Elrond having an epiphany (or at least having the seeds planted for an epiphany) at some time between their initial falling out and the war of the Ring that his foster son is more than worthy of his daughter, even if he still wouldn't have allowed her to marry any Secondborn short of the King himself. And I kind of think that Aragorn likely carried a lot of really dark memomies--how could he not--but that under normal circumstances, he did not let them unduly trouble him. The Black Breath, however, stripped him of the strength he needed to keep those nightmares in check. It was fun (for me, not for him!) to explore that "what if" scenario.

Ellynn	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 8/25/2010
Wonderful. Perfect. Author Reply: Thank you!

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/25/2009
A very vivid glimpse of the shadow world that Aragorn was trapped in .I liked the way you explained the false Halbarad. Author Reply: Thank you, Linda! I'm glad you liked seeing that world from another's viewpoint. I think the false Halbarad was both a figment brought on by the Nazgul's evil and also something that sprung from Aragorn's own fears that he will let everyone down. I think any person who highly values doing the right thing and being responsible has those feelings... not doubt like the LOTR movies showed but just fear and doubt that he might not be up to the challenge because of his own shortcomings. And I think Aragorn likely hates to think he might let people down... so his brain, jacked up and screwed up as it was because of fatigue and injury and Black Breath, conjured up a worst-case scenario of what his own dearest friend might do if he did. It was hard to get all that into the story without belaboring the point, though. LOL But thank you for your review and glad you liked this! :)

Lily Baggins	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/19/2009
I'm enjoying seeing how Elrond covers his true emotions and thoughts when Aragorn is aware, in order to spare Aragorn any worry or pain. But inside, Elrond is very worried---about Aragorn's health, his future, his very soul . . . Words cannot convey how much I adore reading these details---as I said earlier, I never tire of them. I'm just so glad you decided to share these with us! Author Reply: Thank you, Lily! I'm glad you enjoyed the Elrond chapters. I have always imagined one of the hardest things a doctor has to is hide their emotions when dealing with patients who have become as close as loved ones, or indeed who are loved ones. The mental strength necessary to do that, for the good of the patient, must be enormous. Elrond has had centuries to perfect that, but then he's also never really had a foster son who was a son in every sense of the word like Estel is. Very hard moments for Elrond! Thanks again for the review!

Silivren Tinu	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/16/2009
The dark inner place Aragorn was trapped in was just as creepy and sinister seen through Elrond's eyes as it was through Aragorn's, if not more. shivers I'm sorry to repeat myself, but... poor Elrond! His fear to be too late and fail in saving his son was so intense that it almost made me worry, though I knew already how this would end. ;-) Still, it is nice to see Elrond worry so much about Aragorn and fear so much for him. It's far too easy from his description in the books (and need I mention the movies? :P) to see him as the bad guy or something close to it, but I far prefer to see him as a loving father who was brought into an impossible situation and trapped between his love for his son and his love for his daughter. I loved how you showed this conflict at the end of this chapter and also solved it, at least for one moment in time. :) Almut Author Reply: Thanks, Almut! I'm glad you liked this glimpse of Elrond and his own thoughts and fears... he really wasn't presented as a fully rounded character in Tolkien so it's interesting to play with him, see how he might think and act and feel. I wish Tolkien had given us more about Elrond, but at least we can explore him via fanfic! Like you, I like to think of him as a very compassionate and loving person... both toward his family and the free folk of Arda in general. I think he must have felt a real calling to make the choice of the Firstborn, so he could do what he could down through the ages to defeat Sauron. It's so interesting to me to think about Elros and Elrond and how instrumental they were in the history of Middle-earth. Anyway, I'm rambling... I'm very glad you liked this and thank you for the review!

Estelcontar	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/15/2009
You did a great job of portraying Aragorn's suffering, and the effect it had in Elrond. I'm glad Aragorn is in now on the road that leads to healing. Author Reply: Thanks, Estelcontar! It always is a relief to get Aragorn to that place where finally he's on the mend, isn't it? I'm glad you liked seeing it from Elrond's POV. Thanks for the review!

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/15/2009
A horrible vision of Aragorn's own private hell, to which the Nazgul's touch brought him. And there is pain, yes; but a hope he cannot yet imagine. Lovely! Author Reply: Thank you, Larner... that's a perfect summation of it all, isn't it? It really was a hellish place, and yet Elrond brought hope into it. The Nazgul are just beastly, aren't they? Thank you for the review!

Fantasia	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/15/2009
Hi, sorry for this late review and I want to clarify that it will be very poor one, but I'm so incredible busy. I'm glad that you are back, I'm reading, loving this story, it is good to see what happened to him from another POV. Well, everybody over there has a tendency to take the world in their shoulders, to many people feeling guilty...communication and love that is what they need and of course, it will help if Aragorn can get healthy Thank you Author Reply: Thank you, Fantasia, and that was not a poor review! :) Sorry you've been so busy but thank you for taking time out to read this. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I think it's true that Aragorn takes after Elrond in the "weight of the world on his shoulders" area, doesn't he? Thanks again for the review and hope life gets a bit less busy for you!

Laikwalâssê	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/15/2009
lovely-intense-heartbreaking-simply incredible. From Elrond´s POV it´s even more stunning than before. As a Elrond fan I´m so delighted you posted this additional chapters. Just wonderful writing. Thank you so much. Lai. Author Reply: Thanks, Lai... I'm glad I wrote Elrond to your satisfaction! I think Elrond deserves to have more stories written about him. :) Thanks for the review!

Calenlass	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/15/2009
lets out breath Such a tense moment. I know I've already read this from Aragorn's POV, but reading again from someone else's POV somehow makes it different--clearer, perhaps. Great writing, as usual. :) ~Cal Author Reply: Thanks, Cal! I'm glad it still held a lot of tension, even if you know how it turns out. That Elrond didn't know how it would turn out I think is why its still (hopefully) compelling. And yes, some things get clarified that could only be guessed at in the final version--the reason for the sadness in Elrond's eyes, for example. Aragorn took a guess, but it wasn't the right guess. :) Thanks for the review!

Return to Chapter List