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| History Lessons: The Second Age by Nilmandra | 13 Review(s) |
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| naneth | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 3/19/2004 |
| I just had to say that I miss this story!! I love "Hunting" and look forward (a lot)to an update there, but I still miss this story! Author Reply: I am back to it! Expect a new chapter soon. Hunting was fun and a good stress reliever while going through a difficult time at work, but now its back to HLII and the complicated second age. Thank you for hanging in there! | |
| Melje | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 3/10/2004 |
| I admit in this story I'm most interested in the parts with the twins, but your account of Sauron winning over the trust of the Elves is fascinating. Oh, and I also liked Glorfindel going all Mithrandir and dishing out wisdom. That image of the spider's web is very fitting. As you know from Hunting, I've taken up the charge of speaking up for Elladan, and I hope when Arwen wakes up she won't be angry at him anymore (well, actually I'm quite sure she will forgive him as soon as she opens her eyes). Poor Elladan, all this must be taking its toll on him, too. He's being very brave, being the strong one for his brother and sister, but her lashing out at him like that must have been hard on him. Author Reply: Elladan is really getting a bit of a beating this story. Elrohir has the physical pain, but Elladan is having to try to be helpful to them when both Elrohir and Arwen are so crabby and fretful that nothing helps. I am looking forward to writing more about the forging of the rings of power, but it means writing from the POV of Galadriel and Celeborn at times - and that does intimidate me. We will see how it goes :/ | |
| Nikara | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/5/2004 |
| Very well done and very interesting. I look forward to learning more of Elrond's and Glorfindel's first hand perspectives on the rings of power! Author Reply: Oh, me too. I wish they would tell me more now, but they insist I just write down what they tell me! :-) | |
| LKK | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/5/2004 |
| I nearly missed this chapter! The update notification must have come in while Evil!Denethor was hanging around. He probably deleted the email before I had a chance to read it. Anyways..... poor, poor Elladan! He must have been shocked when little Arwen yelled at him for hitting Elrohir. She's probably seen him do that over 100 times which made it all the more confusing. I sympathesize with Elrohir's struggle just to stand up after his injuries. That section was all too realistic. I hope it didn't come from an actual experience in your life. I admire Glorfindel more and more with each chapter. I would not have been as willing to say "yes, that was Sauron, but we can't say that we should have followed my advice or not." Me, I would have said, "Told you so!" I appreciated your Author's Notes at the end. I'm always fascinated by what Tolkien wrote versus what you have written (plot-wise). I think you came up with an excellent way to combine Tolkien's different plot points. I believe that the Professor would be very proud of you. :-) Author Reply: Thanks, LKK. Actually, when I first stood up after having major surgery, I pretty much felt like Elrohir did. I wasn't thinking of that when I wrote it, but I am sure the experience is enough a part of me that I just drew upon it at will. I am glad you noted that about Glorfindel. I think it is human nature to want to say 'I told you so'. He has lived so long and perhaps had time to ponder the outcomes of different choices. I like that he tries to have the reader/listener walk in the shoes of the king, rather than stand in the shoes of the judge of the king. And boy, if the professor were to read my stories, I would fall over if he were proud, but I do hope he could at least see that I tried to handle his world with care. Thank you for all your insightful comments! | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/1/2004 |
| A lovely chapter, Nilm. Arwen was sweet. She reminded of my neice - my bro-in-law can tickle and tease her all he wants, but when he picks on mom, the little one breaks down in hysterics. Her protectiveness is rather adorable. Elladan and Elrohir were wonderful, as well. It was nice to see them regaining some of their spunk. Author Reply: Ack! Forgive me for taking so long to respond! Elrohir regained some spunk, a little too much I am afraid. I am glad you like Arwen - I know if I had the twins for older brothers, I would adore them too. Thanks for the review :D | |
| Iawen Londea | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/1/2004 |
| I think Arwen is still feeling BIG TIME guilty for Elrohir's injuries. I can't wait until Celebrian joins them. =D Hope to see another chapter soon. Sorry I haven't been reviewing.... I don't know why I haven't lol. Author Reply: Thanks, Iawen Londea. I am behind now on writing too! Soon, though,we will see a mother-daughter reunion - I think Arwen needs her nana right now too. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 1/31/2004 |
| That's a wonderful description of Annatar. As Frodo might have said, he "seemed fair but felt foul". Author Reply: I think Frodo was very perceptive about evil. I am glad you liked that meeting, and know I am gearing up to write about Eregion :S | |
| Antigone_Q | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 1/31/2004 |
| "The path ahead twists and turns, and you cannot know what other obstacles you may encounter that will further help or hinder your journey..." Very Tolkienesque. Also very much what I needed to hear today, as an added bonus. Have I said how much I enjoy your writing? Author Reply: Oh, I like it when Elrond and Glorfindel advice applies to our lives today. I am glad you enjoyed it. I love history in general, and it is interesting to place myself in someone else's shoes and try to imagine what decision I might have made with the only the information that person had available to them. It is said that hindsight is 20/20, but only for the outcome of that one choice. :D | |
| Bejai | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 1/31/2004 |
| Ah, how I love this story! It always comes when I need distracting. Though I should be working ;) This line here cracked me up: “I am glad to be able to walk again, Ada,” said Arwen solemnly. “I am glad also, for it means you are recovering. Why are you glad?” Elrond, demanding thoughtful, reasoned based answers, helping her see the process below her emotions. The second age story was breathtaking. Loved the politics, the weighing of concerns. Maybe if Gil-galad had taken a firmer stand, the agonies of the next two ages would have been avoided. Or maybe there would have been no hope at all. So interesting! Love how you brought that out; I'd never thought of it before. How frightening that Elrond met Sauron and thus earned his personal hatred! I wonder how many of Sauron's later actions were, at least, in part a function of that hatred. “Shadow and deception masquerade as light, but at their core they remain evil.” -- profound bit of wisdom, there. Good ol' Glorfindel. Author Reply: Glorfindel was feeling profound today! I wondered as I did my research if that was the closest Elrond and Glorfindel ever came to Sauron - how scary. I read a discussion once of how Gil-galad and Elrond blew it when it came to the rings and Sauron, but I remind myself that we are looking back on a situation that played out - we know so much more than they did at the time. They had to go on instinct. Thanks for your nice words! | |
| Marnie | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 1/31/2004 |
| Aha! I managed to find this early this time :) Great chapter! I loved Arwen being furious with her brother for the teasing and then bursting into tears when they tried to reassure her - that rang so true for an overtired, hurting little girl. She's a great character! And Annatar! Wow, I wouldn't have stood a chance against him. I like him already, even though I know who he is. I think I should be worried about myself there ;) What I wonder is why C+G let him into Eregion. If she abhorred him as Tolkien says, why did she let him hang around? I'm looking forward to see what you make of that one! Author Reply: I tried to use Saruman's voice as the basis for Annatar's - they both seemed honey tongued - using many words but speaking only in generalities. Great politicians :D What they say sounds good, to disagree with them makes you seem like the bad guy! When I see little Arwen in my head, she is such a sincere, sweet and generous little girl. For her temper to flare at Elladan as it did shows just how stressed she was. I love it when I can picture a scene in my mind like that, and I just write what I see. | |