News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Fire and Shadow by daw the minstrel | 20 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| pipinheart | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/15/2005 |
| Legolas really should say something about not remembering... proubly happened when he hit his head. Am curious what happened that Sinnarn is in trouble... Author Reply: Good! You're supposed to be curious. When I first posted this, there was a several day wait between chapters and people were really curious. | |
| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/21/2004 |
| Poor Legolas seems to be growing increasingly frustrated. I like the way you show the conflict he feels between irritation at his father’s “fussing” and wanting his comfort. I feel bad for Thranduil – he’s clearly worried and must be at least a little disappointed that Legolas won’t confide in him. I really wish that Legolas would admit that he can’t remember! After all, as he gets stronger and is able to have conversations with those around him it’ll surely be more difficult to hide it. Although, he is doing an annoyingly good job of it….! I love affectionate Thranduil!! I suppose because Ithilden and Alfirin are such capable parents, Thranduil is free to lavish all his love and attention on Sinnarn without having to be responsible for disciplining him. I’m still chuckling at the thought of him being so submissive towards Alfirin! “I am sorry for what happened, Legolas.” Damn Legolas and his willpower – I want to know what happened and I want to know now!!! *stamps foot* I mean, guard duty at the palace?? It must have been really serious…. That flashback was fascinating. Sinnarn seems to feel as stifled as Legolas often did. He’s also going through the same stages as they all did – feeling that he is already a competent warrior because he has served some time in the patrol and annoyed at still being treated like a child or a novice, while still sometimes missing home. It seems as though Ithilden was the only one who respected Nithron’s lectures! “Nonsense,” Amdir declared. “We share, remember?” Ah, that really reminds me of Turgon – a complete troublemaker, albeit an often unwitting one, but loyal and loving to his friends. My heart stopped when Sinnarn fell over the edge! Talk about misfortune that this should happen when Eilian was in command. Still, the way I see it, while they should have had more sense than to be fooling around, it really was an accident because the chest had been moved. Eilian was already reluctant about having Sinnarn on a dangerous mission and his anger here must have been born largely out of his fear. Especially because, as he realises himself, he knows how like him Sinnarn is and what that could mean in the excitement of battle. I’m not used to Eilian appearing so powerful – it was quite startling. “Sinnarn’s father was capable of growing far more angry than Sinnarn had ever seen Eilian become” – that’s intriguing. We’ve seen him angry as a commander but I can’t for the life of me picture him in a rage with his son. Although, he’s so like Thranduil he must be capable of it! Sinnarn is quite perceptive, though, isn’t he? He reads Legolas quite well and despite a certain amount of immaturity he does realise the truth of what Eilian says. Annael has a daughter! I’m so happy for him! And his mother has another elfing to make jam tarts for…. Y’know, I had never heard the word “scapegrace” before. Hmmn. *files it away* Alfirin has her hands full with this family, hasn’t she?? They’re lucky to have her, though. So, um, where’s Eilian?! Is he back on patrol? He must be so angry and worried and….I don’t even know why…!! I’m feeling very stressed now….;) Author Reply: "So, um, where’s Eilian?! Is he back on patrol? He must be so angry and worried and….I don’t even know why…!! I’m feeling very stressed now….;)" This made me laugh out loud. OK, Dot, Legolas would like a little sympathy and he's apparently not going to get it from you! I figured the same thing about Thranduil and Sinnarn. He's not blind to the kid's faults. He just doesn't feel responsible for raising him. And you are nice and sympathetic to Sinnarn. Why not Legolas?!!! I think Sinnarn is sharp, just like his father, and he sees Eilian probably more clealy than Legolas does. I think Annael's daughter is probably a sweetie and her grandmother is happy again. Yes! When my beta had read this far in the story, she demanded to know RIGHT NOW what had happened. She said it was to help me with the story. :-0 | |
| The Karenator | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/20/2004 |
| Another very interesting chapter, Daw. It's been fun to catch up on all the news with Legolas about where everyone is now. Alfirin's brother...I'm sorry, I've forgotten his name at the moment, is away buying horses and Annael has a daughter! I think my favorite scene is where Legolas is lying in the bed fretting over his amnesia and along comes Sinnarn, the chatty. When the lightbulb goes off and Legolas realizes he can wheedle information from his nephew and demands, "What were you and Amdir thinking?", I just cracked up. And then when he sympathized with Sinnarn about being sent back home and he thought that learning something from Sinnarn was beside the point, I thought, "Yeah right!" It was a cute, but conniving little scene. I also like the "Naneth says" scenario. Alfirin is a warrior in her own right. Anyone who is willing to go toe to toe with Thranduil deserves a grand title of command. She has shaped up into a very interesting character. She has strength, character, and vulnerabilities. I like her. Sinnarn's insights into Eilian were interesting. He sees his uncle in ways that his youngest uncle cannot see. I felt there was a great deal of love between them all, but Sinnarn does not see Eilian through the rose colored glasses that Legolas does. It's an interesting perspective for the reader to get. I, also, liked the scene where Eilian snatched Sinnarn up like an misbehaving elfling and spoke to him as his uncle. Sinnarn was wise to contemplate whether Eilian meant the part about the quiver strap or not. It did him give him pause to reconsider. Over all it was a good chapter that left me with as many questions as I had before I read it. You only gave me enough information to confuse me throughly and to make me wait impatiently for the next chapter. I hope it won't be too long. Karen Author Reply: Legolas has lots of relatives and friends who will fuss over him so he can get quite a bit of information without leaving his bed, I think. And "What were you thinking?" seems to be one of those universal demands that older people make of younger ones. I think the Elves must have known it too. Alfirin has turned out to be a much tougher character than I anticipated. She's not aggressive. She's just earnest and certain that when she's right, she's right. It's hard to fight that. I absolutely agree about Legolas seeing Eilian through hero-worshipping eyes. He has always admired his brother and thought he could do no wrong. But Sinnarn has a different perspective. And so does Eilian. I can't imagine him grabbing Legolas's tunic! Thank you for the review, Karen. | |
| Estel_Mi_Olor | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/20/2004 |
| Ahh curse cliffhangers, curse them!!! Nasty, tricksy cliffhangers. They don't care for us, precious, they don't care. Leave us wondering, guessing, they do. Gollum, Gollum. Why does she not write, precious, why? We are miserable, yes we are. We want to know, yes we do. Why is the nasty elf hurt? We wants to know, percious. We will know. I am not crazy. That is just me creatively expressing my feelings towards this particular cliffhanger. Author Reply: LOL. That's clever! You're going to need to be patient a bit longer, I'm afraid, Gollum/Estel_Mi_Olor. | |
| tigerlily713 | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/20/2004 |
| Great two chapters! I am happy to see this story coming together, and I am delighted in the way in which you are accomplishing the task. It is an intricately woven story with so many different aspects to it that one must wonder where you keep all of the other information that you brain must deal with on a daily basis? I eagerly await more! ~Lily Author Reply: LOL. I have notes all over the place on this story, Lily, and I still have trouble keeping track of it. I am glad you are enjoying it. | |
| Fadesintothewest | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/20/2004 |
| Ai, Ai, I am supposed to be working on policy review for a case, but here I am reading about Legolas. Poor guy, he is doted on but my what a wonderful thing that is. I loved this chapter because we get to see another side of Eilian, more mature (although he still seems to be up to his same shennanigans). You know what I realized, you could do an entire chapter of Eilian but I wouldn't mind at all, even if it didn't have Legolas. Poor Ithilden, it's not that he's not interesting- I just find Eilian more sexy, poor ole dependable Ithilden. And Legolas well speak not, but that boy, I just can't get enough of him. It seems he is slowly and wittily unraveling what happened to him with Sinnarn's aid to boot, but me thinks that others are more clued into his inability to remember than he thinks! Author Reply: I am sorry to have corrupted you like that, Fades! Eilian does look more mature when you put him in charge of the young. He is very concerned for them and becomes more responsible in their presence, I think. Younger Ithilden will be back in the next chapter, and you can see if you can warm to him too. Actually, I was thinking about an Eilian story yesterday. A young Eilian, maybe just starting novice training, who has mostly hung out with Gelmir and Celuwen. He's driving the novice masters (and his father) crazy and has begun to eye maidens. Celuwen finds him less amusing than she used to and he can't understand why. I'm tempted to keep writing right now, but I have to go to work too. | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| I think my favorite scenes in this chapter were Eilian taking Sinnarn down a notch, and Alfirin - how Thranduil apparently obeyed her and then how Legolas did too! She is becominng a very strong character in this family. I was also struck by the fact that Legolas is only 40 some years older than Sinnarn - closer than to Eilian or Ithilden. Yet Sinnarn had his mother and is very comfortable with himself, very much like Eilian. I felt bad for Legolas not having a mother to dote on him as Ithilden, Eilian and Sinnarn have all had. I also just considered Eilian - Legolas has been very ill and home for some time now. Eilian must be worried sick about him! I better go comfort him, bring word and all that. :D Author Reply: I amused myself with the scene between Sinnarn and Eilian. "You know I love you, right?" Fistful of tunic. "Don't ever do that again or I will make you very sorry!" End of discussion. I was just thinking last night about how the loss of his mother still affects Legolas. He's close to Thranduil partly because he drew the kind of comfort from him that children often get mostly from their mothers. But he had a tremendous loss to deal with when he was really young. That must have taken a lot of energy that usually goes into other things. You are so generous to think of Eilian like that! I am sure he welcomed you with open arms. :D | |
| Lera | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| Goodness! Who ever thought a healer would need a healer just for being a healer?! :) Ok, I'm dying to know what happened! Especially since everyone in the family wants to ask Legolas how he "feels" about it. Still it's kind of lovable. I'm kind of feeling for everybody right now. I wouldn't want to be Eilien! Imagine if something happened to one of them, and you had to going home to tell your father or brother that their son had been killed! Plus obviously you're going to feel sadness over your own loss. Good grief! Of, course it would be bad if any warrior on your patrol got killed, but when it's your own family...poor Eilien. And I can understand Sinnarn's feelings as well. He wants to prove himself a warrior and adult apart from his family, and with their eyes on him all the time it can't be easy. I actually have to remind myself that he's an adult, because the last time we saw him he was a little boy learning to swim. Eilien's reaction was funny. "I'm your uncle right now and I love you, SO SHAPE UP!" I doubt Eilien would have reacted so strongly had it been anyone but Sinnarn(or Legolas). Actually, knowing Eilien if it had been someone else he probably would have had some stern words and then have some private amusement over it. I'm glad to see Amdir again. I always wondered what happened to him. Does he know the details surrounding his brother's death I wonder? It's kind of funny he's so much like his brother. And the royal family has the same worries over Sinnarn's friendship with him as they did with Legolas and Turgon. Even though I think I'm starting to get some idea of what happened, please post more soon! God bless! Author Reply: Eilian is in a terrible position! I wouldn't want all the family young ones in my keeping like that. I know that Sinnarn and Legolas are likely to resent it if he tries to keep them same (as when I say I know, I mean I really know!), but then how can he risk them? But how can he favor them? He's been a captain before and he knows his job. Poor guy. I don't blame him for getting in Sinnarn's face. I have to keep reminding myself that Sinnarn is more or less an adult too. And it seemed to me that Amdir would be someone he would be interested in as a friend. They could drive those responsible for them crazy together. :-) Thank you for the review. | |
| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| I can't get over how brilliant it was to leap the action forward 50 years or so - it infused an incredible amount of energy into the story - not only do we have the actual plot to focus on, but also we are catching up on where everyone's been. The scene from Sinnarn's POV was particularly effective - the last time we saw him he was a little boy, and now he's a warrior - and seeing his uncle Legolas and uncle Eilian from that perspective. Eilian's threat to him was very amusing - isn't this just what we suspected oh so long ago? And poor Legolas is still playing the bed-ridden Sherlocke Holmes, trying to figure out what happened... Author Reply: I guess you could call it energy. I do know that I racked my brains for a while trying to figure out how to work in news of Annael without actually whirling him across the stage. And actually, I'm interested in Sinnarn's view of things right now. I thought he would be sharp like his father and he reads Legolas and Eilian very well, knowing better than Legolas how Eilian is likely to react. He's not blinded by the years of brotherly hero worship that Legolas has felt for Eilian or the tender cherishing of little brother that has marked Eilian's attitude toward Legolas. Not that he acted on his understanding, of course. He's too young and impulsive yet. Eilian is right: if threats will work, Sinnarn needs to be threatened! | |
| ANA | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| Reading this story is like doing a giant jigsaw puzzle. The pieces at the edge are in place but the telling pieces at the centre are still missing. Oh well, I guess that's the beauty of suspense and testimony to your fine writing. Sinnarn is quite the brat, isn't he? It was rather amusing how Eilian handled him after that near accident. I can't imagine Eilian being that rough had it been Legolas, but I believe Legolas is not quite as reckless as his young nephew. I think Eilian is more the doting older brother than a doting uncle. Anxiously awaiting your next post. Author Reply: We're edging a little closer toward the center, though. At least I hope we are. I thought a little bit about your comments about Eilian with Sinnarn vs Eilian with Legolas and I think you're right. I think that Eilian recognizes his younger self in Sinnarn and has no illusions at all about what that's likely to lead to. So he leans on Sinnarn. But he still sees Legolas as his vulnerable little brother who is anxious to do well and serious about becoming a warrior. So he is gentler with Legolas. Now I like Sinnarn. I think he's sweet natured. He's just impulsive and needs time to grow up and settle down. But the world he lives in makes it hard to give him that time. If he lives long enough, he will make his family proud of him! | |