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| Elf Academy Part Deux by Fiondil | 12 Review(s) |
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| Diana | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/12/2014 |
| Okay, sorry to jump back in so soon,but I have a few criticism to make: Mate is not a word Americans use to mean friend very much,we would say bud, or bro or man instead. Also we don't say "you lot" or "that lot" much at all unless we watch too much Masterpiece Theater In rural Alaska the Native people are more intertraded into local community. The Elves would run into a lot more of them, and I bet they would learn all kinds of stories of what's in Winterdark Tarn. Okay, I've said my piece, I'll shut-up now Love, Diana Author Reply: You are assuming that everyone everywhere in America uses the same idiomatic expressions and ways of greeting one another as you do, and a little thought will show that this is and cannot be true. America is too large a country and its people too diverse and from different backgrounds to be that homogenous. Derek uses the term "mate" because of his naval background where it is short for "shipmate" and while you may not say "you lot" that does not preclude the possibility that others do whether they watch Masterpiece Theatre or not. Also, Wiseman is not rural Alaska, though admittedly it is a small city in comparison to Fairbanks or Anchorage and most of this story is from Alex's POV and his personal encounters with people so he probably has little contact with native Alaskans, though he does have some, as when he is at Max Lightfoot's farm. Whether the Elves have asked the natives anything about Winterdark Tarn is not something that even I know about yet as the Elves keep some things to themselves and won't even tell me. *grin* Hopefully, though, we may someday learn what the natives believe about it. | |
| Diana | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/12/2014 |
| Hi Fiondil, Oh I have so much to say about this chapter! As a witch I have more than a passing familiarity with warding and protection spells. I would love to be in Coven with Della and Misty. Yow Elven witches! Herb shop indeed! The idea of a living universe was only abandoned in western Europe after Descartes and the famous Dutch philosophical revolution of that time. While that mindset of a mechanical lifeless universe had it's benefits and helped humanity progress scientifically, most cultures around the world (esp the "primitive" ones) kept their core spirituality. It's thrilling to see science returning to examine those concepts. Personally I feel it can really help us change the dominant paradigm to a more loving one if we don't use it for religious wars. Remember folks, She loves EVERYONE! Not just the pretty ones. The Big Bang was the first orgasm! Starhawk tells a beautiful version of the Wiccan creation myth in her book "The Spiral Dance" if you're interested. I love all the creation myths in the Joesef Campbell sense. My favorite is the story of the Big Bang and subsequent evolution of current life. It's basic meaning that we are ALL related, and we all come from the same material as the Stars. I bet the Elves would like that. Imagine how we would be if our core mythology was based on that. Again, wonderful chapter! Well, that's enough outta me! Love,and Blessed Be! Diana Author Reply: Hi Diana. This is one of my favorite chapters of this story because of the discussion between Daeron and Alex about how Dante saw the universe as opposed to how modern humans, at least in the west, see it, though, as you point out, we are beginning to see a paradigm shift in certain scientific circles. I was first introduced to the New Cosmology by Brian Swimme, especially through his "Universe Story" and "The Secret Heart of the Cosmos" and Joseph Campbell was a great mythologist and I've used him as well. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it. | |
| Laikwalâsse | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 2/19/2013 |
| now Alex begins to understand what it means to live amongst elves - many mysteries and never a clear anwer to a clear question. Really frustrating, but that´s how they are and how we love them. Warding the perimeter - I had to shudder at that thought. For elves nothing unusual but for a poor mortal like me or Alex......? Again you have reminded how different the elves are from mortals. I like this the most. It´s another race and Alex is slowling realizing that - but I would go out of my mind with so many unaswered questions and on the other hand I would so enjoy to be among them - sigh. Liked the talk about Dante and his sight about the universe. I have never read Dante, but your description made me really curious. Thank you for a wonderful, interesting and very elfy chapter. Lai Author Reply: Hi Lai. Dante is certainly worth reading if you can find a decent translation. You can read the entire Divine Comedy online actually and there are several different translations. Check it out. Daeron is obviously trying to lead Alex to think in a certain way rather than in the materialistic way he has thought of the universe up to now. Basically, he's trying to prepare him for the revelation that there are indeed Elves in the world and he's living among them. We'll see how Alex reacts once he learns the truth. I'm glad you found the chapter wonderful, interesting and elfy (is there such a word? LOL!). I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. Thanks. | |
| tari | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/20/2012 |
| Now that was heavy. Darren has given Alax much wisdom to ponder over. Author Reply: Yes, he has. Thanks for commenting, Tari. It's much appreciated. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/19/2012 |
| Alex still has much to learn. Interesting he reacted only to his given name. Author Reply: He's obviously very conflicted and suffering from an identity crisis of some kind. We'll see how he resolves this problem as the story progresses. Thanks for reading and reviewing, Larner. I appreciate it very much. | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/19/2012 |
| That warding and spells business has really to sound strange to Alex – even I feel more taken to the world of Harry Potter than LotR when I see these terms, because it's more common there. No wonder poor Alex is confused. So Alex is finally beginning to put the pieces together. To notice the way the Elves are different from normal humans and reconsidering his opinion that Sindarin is an invented language is certainly the first step to accept reality. When he finds out – or is told – the truth, it will make more sense, I guess. And from what Gil said, it will be very soon. Ah, Freud and Jung ... we learned about them at school, though I have to admit that my memories of them are somewhat vague after 30 years. Alex must have thought he heard wrong, Ron studying under them ... Alex's remark about the old geezer seemed so funny, because I think about an old, grey man, more like Gandalf, when I hear that word, and you have to admit, the Elves are very far from that! Alex said what I have said before – the people in earlier times weren't as stupid as many nowadays like to think. I mean, they may be able to build skyscrappers with their cranes and all, but they are still arguing how the pyramids were built. And back then there were no cranes to lift the heavy stones up to the top ... so there's no need to look down their noses on the old cultures. That discussion between Darren and Alex was interesting. Darren is right, Dante's view of the world was more humane than ours nowadays. And it fits more with the belief of Middle-earth. Why do I get the feeling Darren knew Dante personally, btw? Author Reply: Hi Kitty. It's taking a little time, but Alex is slowly putting the pieces together. We'll see soon enough what brings him to the point where the Elves feel they can reveal themselves to him. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if Daeron knew Dante personally. I know he and Glorfindel and the Twins were living in Italy around that time, as were Nimrodel and Mithrellas, so it's not beyond the realm of reality that they knew Dante and other famous people. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much. | |
| obsidianj | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/18/2012 |
| The title of this chapter is aptly chosen. Darren is a loremaster and he can't hide it *g*. Alex's head must be swirling to make sense of it all. I like it that the elves don't try to tell Alex what they are, but they rather show it to him. He is still mostly in denial, but his denial gets cracks. Author Reply: Hi obsidianj. This is one of my favorite chapters in this story because we get to see Daeron at his best. And it's always better to show than tell, anyway. Daeron's conversation with Alex is forcing Alex to think outside the parameters he considers 'normal' and this in turn will prepare him for when the Elves reveal their existence to him. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much. | |
| someone | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/17/2012 |
| Sorry, it's been a while since the last review. *looks sheepish* So, here's for the last few chapters... "Tall, dark and handsome"...! I bet he is. Great description. And now Alex actually lives with the Elves and starts seeing better how they differ from the averange human (and that Sindarin is a real language). One thing I'm glad is that the twins act like adults in this story and are not just the comic relief, like you can see sometimes. Interesting discussion between Alex and Daeron, which shows clearly that Daeron is a wise, old elf. I've never read those books, but it looks like their view of the outer space is more positive/hopeful than the modern one, where there's just matter and empty space. Author Reply: Hi Someone. Glad you're catching up. Dante is not easy reading, but it is essential reading and I highly recommend it. You can find English translations online. Dante and his contemporaries saw a more humane universe populated by spiritual beings with God permeating all. Us moderns, unfortunately, have moved away from that worldview, though some aspects of it are returning as part of the New Cosmology. Anyway, I'm glad you like my portrayal of the Twins. They are many, many millennia old, so why shouldnt' they act as adults? Though sometimes they tend to act otherwise just to annoy Glorfindel. *grin* Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much. | |
| Sunny | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/16/2012 |
| I think I have spotted a couple of typos: "Interesting that he responded to Artemus and not to Alex," he heard Ron say. That would be Roy, I think. Later, you have "And what’s all this business about Ron studying under Freud and Jung? That should be either "You" or "Dan" (since he is walking back to the house with Elrohir (Roy). Keeping track of what name goes where must be tricky. And I also think that you put in Amroth's proper name in the last line of the previous chapter by mistake, since Alex is the viewpoint character there, and he thinks of Amroth as Ambrose. I just noticed it yesterday - I was just so blinded by the awesomeness of Alex' description of Námo as "tall, dark and handsome" - which isn't incorrect, btw - just like everybody else. ;-) At a guess, it must have been Gil and his companions who must have done the restoration work, while Glorfy was kept well out of the way. Unless Glorfindel has learned some things over the millennia. Though I suppose he could have been helpful enough with logistics - doing the shopping and such. I don't think Alex' inner sceptic is happy with all the talk of magic stuff. But I think some part of him is getting the idea that there is something rather unusual about the people who live in Edhellond... Author Reply: Hi Sunny. No. I mean Ron, who is Vorondur. We will be seeing more of this particular Noldo in subsequent chapters. He is the husband of Ercassë (Holly) and the father of Serindë (Sarah). But you are correct about Amroth'a name in the last chapter and I've made the correction. Thanks for pointing it out. Actually the renovations to Edhellond was done curtesy of the people of Wiseman, since Gil and the other Elves did not arrive until after Glorfindel and the others moved in. Alex is getting an to the point where he will be able to accept the idea of Elves in the world, though he's not quite there yet. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much. | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/16/2012 |
| You know, Atto, I was probably actually one of the first ones to read this chapter - I barely slept, (I didn't fall asleep until after 4 AM, and only for a couple hours) and I got the notification in my inbox around 3 AM - but because I didn't trust myself to be coherent, I waited, and look what happened, you got at least two more reviews before mine. =P Well, anyway, be that as it may...upon more coherent re-read, this chapter touched me even more deeply than it did the first time, but the main line that stuck out to me was still the same one, and of course it was from Dante. "...the Love that moves the Sun and the other stars." Hmm, where have I heard that before, once or twice? =) Profound indeed, and I think the other main thing that got me when I first read it was that Alex can read Dante in the original Italian. I know I sure couldn't! Hehe. So, what do you have planned for our ethir neth next, hmm, Atto? Or rather, what do They have planned? =) Tye-melin, Kaylee (P.S. On first read I blinked at 'Ron', which is my Ada's name. Then I remembered (wrongly) that 'Ron' had something to do with the Twins' aliases, and then I thought maybe you meant 'Roy', and then I guessed Daeron except he's Darren. Of course, I wasn't making much sense even to myself then. I forgot about the new Elves! Silly me...which reminds me, how is Serinde doing?) Author Reply: Hi Kaylee. I'm glad this chapter touched you so deeply, especially the quote from Dante, one of my favorites. As for what is in store for Alex, that remains to be seen. And I'm glad you remembered that Roy is not Ron and Ron is not Roy. Sorry for the closeness of the names, but, there you go. And Serindë is doing just fine. Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it. | |