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| The Hunting Trip by Ithilien | 11 Review(s) |
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| Estel_Mi_Olor | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 10/7/2012 |
| I know, I know. This seems...kinda silly. I mean, it's been almost 10 years since this story was posted, and about 7 years since your last story. All strong evidence that Real Life has come and claimed you away from (fake) Middle-Earth. And I've read this multiple times, and left a little review way back when. It's been a while since I've been on this site as well, but since my rediscovery of my favorite fics, I thought I would go back and reread them. And then it seems almost wrong to read your masterpiece and not review. Like stealing. So even if you never read this (or no longer care), here goes: This story is AMAZING. Truly, I think this is one of the best (I only won't say THE best because I can't claim to have read every fanfiction ever) fanfics out there. I'll talk about the plot in a minute, but first, you write beautifully. No, really. I have to force myself to slow down as I read in order to appreciate your craft. You know how people will say something is a gem if it has value to them? Well I would compare your writing to a pearl. The words flow together, rounded and smooth. They give off their own light. One of my favorite sentences: "The steps dissolved into the sheer face of stone before them, as if they had been created by an incomplete thought" in chapter 37. Like wow, what a great way to describe an incomplete set of stairs! You describe the horror of black magic so potently that stuff gets scary. Also the sea-longing. Wow! I'm just going to throw in a good word for Marius Suenor. I laughed out loud at that! Now, as to the story: talk about a roller coaster. I am so glad that I found this story after it was complete, or I really do think the suspense of waiting would have killed me. Merciless cliff hangers! I love how many twists and turns comprise this story and you must have been hyper organized in the outlining of it. I completely agree that the Romany seem a natural part of Middle Earth. I love the parallels throughout the story. Stuff gets really, really bad before there is any hope. And just when you think things can't possibly get any worse, they do. But you resolve the conflicts masterfully. My favorite part: character introspection! Your original characters are great. Kattica is a complex heroine, and you portrayed her coming into her own very convincingly. Bregus + Bala are an awesome mean team. I think they would rival Greek tragedy here on how much bad stuff they got going for them: greed, pride, murder, lust, incest, insanity, rape...nice job! But as for Tolkien's characters: I think this is the reason I love this story so much (besides how exciting it is), is for the completeness of the characters. Let me explain: Tolkien has given us so much, yet he really wasn't concerned with too much character psychology since he was writing the modern epic and not a romantic novel. So it's up to us, authors of fanfiction, to fill in the blanks, as it were, and give these people an interiority. And I think that you have completed the characters amazingly well, indeed as I think they should be. Faramir & Éowyn--I love to see how their marriage works, how they use their strengths to work together and separately, and I love the part when Éowyn chooses to keep her daughter. That was beautifully written. Aragorn & Arwen--you know, as frustrated as I was to have these two hanging out in a cave for most of this story, I think it was worth every minute just for the realizations about themselves and each other that came to pass. What a complicated relationship they have, and why not, since relationships in real life as just that complicated. Legolas & Gimli--my favorite theme in Tolkien is friendship. Thank you for making this such a huge part of your story and adding it to the realm of fanfiction. Legolas's suffering was truly sad, but the healing was all the more beautiful for the tests of his friendship. It is stories like yours that remind us what is important in this crazy world of ours. I hope you do write a book one day, or maybe you already have? since that would be a great piece of writing : ) I've been rambling for a while, so simply put, thank you for this story. I know this has been a long review, but, well, it's been almost 10 years in the making ; ) | |
| mypreciouslego | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 2/24/2006 |
| i loved your story so much. it kept me entertained for a month, it took so long to read, but i enjoyed every bit of it! I went to school and was so much MORE anxious to get home because of the thought of getting back to the story and reading it. I was on edge with dramatic irony!! i hated knowing that Bregus was luring Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn and Faramir into the camp, and i could do nothing to tell them!! Thank you for writing it because i was just so into it, i had to tell my best friend about it so she could read it and we could talk about it!! :) My mom got so annoyed with me trying to tell her about it, but i had to say it to someone!!! I don't know how else to say it, it was really good. better than good...it was awesome. I loved the way you described the character's thoughts and then described everything else. It made me realize that i need to apply that kind of stuff for my own stories. It inspired me to write better! Well, yeah, i loved it. Thank you lol. | |
| RS | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 1/29/2006 |
| I just wanted to make a comment on your epic of a story. I have kept coming upon your story and have wanted to read it but the length scared me. I finally dove in and started to read!! HOLY GUACAMOLE!! Have i been wrong to keep procrastinating on this story! Holy Cow!. Marvelous! I have not finished it but I just wanted to stop and tell you how much I AM ENJOYING THIS! You have a wonderful talent. I am so sorry that I haven't done this earlier. After I finish reading this I will look into your other fictions. I applaud you. Now back to my reading. THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL READ! Care to write another one like this? | |
| Len | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 11/3/2004 |
| I'm a college student, and also a fan of Tolkien. After amny hours of reading about absorption spectrums, Calvin Cycle, and spectrophotometers, I decided I needed to read something completely unrelated to school. Although skeptical at first about reading fanfiction (as I am quite enamored of Tolkien) I was pleasnatly surprised by the fascination with your story that I found myself in. I am also glad that it was a lengthy story, because it allowed me to string out the chapters and let suspense feed my wish for escape from school. It was very well written...believable in fact, and not merely a superficial story that has actions without thought. I imagine I will be seeking out more of you work. Keep writing! | |
| docmon | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 10/15/2004 |
| I'm back! I already said much in my last review, but your notes prompted me to say more and reminded me of a couple of things too. I never mentioned how much I appreciated the realistic portrayal of marriage. I've never read a story where even the pre-destined, supposedly idyllic pairing of Arwen and Aragorn is anything but that. To see them struggle (as well as Eowyn and Faramir) was so genuine, it added more reaslism and layers to the story. It also allowed us a little breather sometimes in the otherwise tense and suspenseful storyline. The other thing I wanted to mention was your treatment of the aftermath of the prisoners' abuse. Rarely is it addressed in a story, since it's considered aftermath/recovery/post-storyline. But your treatment was realistic and fair. Faramir's violations were just that, and I can see such a reaction to his abuse. As a man, he would have even more trouble dealing with it, not to mention the confusion brought on by the acts being 'invisible.' But it was also appropriate to show Legolas with similar reactions. His mental abuses were also violations, and after so many, that had gone so deeply, to paraphrase him, one can only take so much. His refusal to be touched, even his refusal to be helped seemed appropriate, especially for one who was fiercely independent and proud in doing without help. I liked your use of the Romany, and agree with your reasons - at least as far as is known about the people, I can see a place for them in Middle-Earth. I'm rather ignorant about them, but I'll say well done anyway. And I'll say well done again, it was a great story! monica | |
| docmon | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 9/19/2004 |
| hi there, i haven't read your story yet (the first pre-review perhaps?) but i wanted to let you know that this story is listed as "In Progress" still in the summary. To some, like me, who don't like to read (or try to avoid it) stories in progress (for the agony of waiting that inevitably occurs!) this deterred me from reading this story. For some reason I clicked on it today to see if there was any mention of an update in the near future and to my surprise - it's finished! I'm glad and very excited as this looks to be an excellent story! I'll be reviewing as often as i can, but at the very least when I am finished! monica | |
| Little Mouse | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 4/2/2004 |
| Hey there. I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your story. It took me more than a year to finish reading it because I am a calloege student, and that kept getting in the way. However, when I could read it, it offered a wonderful escape from the stress I was dealing with. It was a well crafted story, and I found myself on the edge of my seat many times wondering what would happen to them and how in Middle-Earth they were going to get out of what they had gotten themselves into. You sucked me in and kept me intrigued enough to keep going. I didn't even give in to the anxious desire to peek at the ending and make sure everything came out all right because I felt that the end result would be too precious to spoil before I got to it. I've added you to my favorites list so that I can keep an eye on what you are up to. Again, thank you so much for an enjoyable journey and keep up the good work! -Little Mouse | |
| *~SuGaR~* | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 12/10/2003 |
| that's what i forgot!!! the "legless" thing!!! I started to see it when they entered the bar and was going to say something about...but i forgot...*blushes* to caught up with the ending *tear* Well, he definitly isn't leg less anymore...i always use that..hehe, like when I'm drawing him and i haven't gotten to his legs >.< too bad elves aren't around anymore...damn it... argh...i so can't do foreshadowing, i could never outline a story that long or that complicated...so many lessons to learn, so much wisdom to gain!!! thanx for everything and best of luck...here's your safety harness back, thought i could keep it as a souvenir...dang... lotza luv xoxoxo *~SuGaR~* | |
| Ral | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 12/9/2003 |
| I loved your story, and that is rare. I can usually find something I don't like about every story I read, but not yours. So congrats, you've done the impossible, and I still have enough money to go on other rides. But before I go, I have a question, will you be writing another story? If you are, I'd love to be informed as to when and the title, or a plot summary, or something. Anyway, great job again, and I hope to be reading your next story soon :P ~ral~ | |
| Tintalle | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 12/3/2003 |
| Once, again, Ithilien, bravo. Very, very satisfying ending and as a whole a wonderful piece. hope your husband continues his recovery and please keep writing. | |