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| Freedom From Fear by Fionnabhair Nic Aillil | 23 Review(s) |
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| Jen | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 7/5/2004 |
| I guess all good things must come to an end -- but there is "In the Forest" to look forward to -- Yeah! Really enjoyed this story. You have developed all the characters so well and the ending, though short, was really sweet. I guess Eowyn, with Morwen's sword, can start a tradition of shieldmaidens in Gondor. (Wondering if the "younger" characters think it really wierd when Aragon pipes in with comments about their ancestors who have been long gone. Gosh, it makes him look reeeally old.) | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 7/4/2004 |
| What a nice ending. it had that long, rich feel of a good yarn winding up to its conclusion. Everyone is accounted for at long last, and Elfhelm has his happiness just as Éowyn has hers. And her grandmother's sword will be an heirloom that she will treasure for the rest of her life. I liked how you spent some time at the beginning describing some of the differences in the lands of Gondor and Rohan and mentioned the adjustments that Éowyn will have to make -- her story certainly does not end with her marriage to Faramir, and you really give a sense that it will continue on. I am curious about the pattern dances, though, being a fencer myself. Can you say a little about them? They strike me as an odd way to learn swordplay, but I'm sure they're nicely grounded in your superb research. Author Reply: Pattern dances are something I've heard mentioned in various histories of the Crusades etc. I know very little about swordplay (beyond long swords for fencing, short swords from horseback that is) but as I understood it, the idea was to do a certain number of movements in a particular order, to build up muscle memory, speed and strength. Sometimes it would be done with targets, in order to improve accuracy - the truth is it sounds slightly silly, but in essence it would have meant going through the motions of a duel, at full strength, just without an opponent. It struck me that they would be right for someone like Éowyn who, given how big the men of Rohan seem to be, would have started out with a huge disparity of strength with whoever was supposed to teach her (i.e Théodred.) | |
| BKB | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 7/4/2004 |
| Many, many thanks for a well written set of stories. I'm delighted that you are planning to revise "In the Forests of the Night". If my memory serves me correctly, I think that there are two or three places where the two stories contradict each other. I'm looking forward to haering from you soon. Author Reply: You're quite right - they do contradict each other in a few places, which, as they're meant to be companion stories, I want to correct asap. Fortunately, since so much of "In The Forests of the Nigh" is already written, it won't taken nearly as long to get a completed version up - but it'll be a much better version! Thank you so much for all your reviews, by the way, and I'm glad you've enjoyed them. | |
| maya_ar | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 6/21/2004 |
| *I* felt close to weeping when Eowyn first met Arwen. Author Reply: I know - there is something painful about that moment. I was nearly crying when I wrote it - so it's good to hear it had the same effect on some one else. I'm glad you like the chapter titles - I thought it would be better to acknowledge my plagarism! | |
| maya_ar | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 6/21/2004 |
| May I say how much I'm enjoying your chapter titles? | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 6/20/2004 |
| Hi there! I know I've been really terrible about reviewing for the past few chapters, but I did want to drop a line and let you know I'm still reading this, and I'm still enjoying it. It's interesting to watch how things are shaping up after the War. Éowyn seems as if she hasn't forgotten all her friends from Edoras, arranging for Modwyn's care and worrying after Poldon and all. That just makes me like her even more. She really does seem like she's blossoming in her newfound sunlight, and that makes me happy for her. Author Reply: I'm enjoying writing happy Éowyn so much - because, I just think that, given what I've put her through this last while, she really deserves it! She is playing her part in the reconstruction of Rohan (perhaps that's a rather charged term to use) and is getting to help her friends in the process. She's able to reconnect with all those people (well those of them that aren't dead) who she hasn't been able to communicate with in years, which is wonderful for her. | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/17/2004 |
| Again this was a deftly handled chapter. Eowyn has always been a fascinating character and reading how she could have possibly developed into the woman that she becomes in really enjoyable. What you said in your previous response to my other review was illuminating. Her complete fear of staying at home with the womenfolk come have been borne out of watching her mother waste away after her father's passing. MM | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/17/2004 |
| Hello! just finished the first chapter. I like the idea behind the story tracing Eowyn's life. It's a really good idea. I like the characterisations that you are portraying. I can see that young Eowyn could be so traumatised by her mother's death. It was a nice piece of character sketching and a good insight into a child's mind to write about the idea that Eowyn thinks that she will die early simply because she resembles her Mum. Nicely done. Also liked how you write about Eomer reason's for becoming the man that he becomes. Again good insight into how a young son might view the responsibilities shoved onto him at such an early age! Mirkwoodmaiden Author Reply: Thank you. I always view the death of Théodwyn in particular as a kind of submerged motivation in Éowyn - part of the reason why she wants to die in battle, rather than wait at home. Like so many of us, she cannot stand the idea of becoming like her mother. In many ways one of the major points in FFF is how Éowyn's search for some kind of mother figure, and her later willingness to accept that role for herself. (In a weird way this explains her attraction to Aragorn - he smells like Théodwyn.) | |
| Jen | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 6/16/2004 |
| You write all the characters so beautifully. Although "In the Forest" is my favorite because it has a lot of F/E moments, this does not disappoint. Author Reply: Thank you. "In The Forest" is due to come up here fairly soon - but it has to be edited rather a lot (which include the addition of more Éowyn/Faramir moments, you'll be glad to hear.) | |
| Amy Earls | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 6/7/2004 |
| Just a drive-by review to say that I am enjoying this v. much. I enjoy having Eomer's pov. And to thank you for what may be an unintentional pun?: "Elendil's heir was more matted . . ." Should that be "Elendil's heir's hair"? *snort* Looking fwd to more (fic, not necessarily puns, although puns are good!) Amy | |