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| Reflections Bright in Water Dark by Lindorien | 14 Review(s) |
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| Chathol-linn | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/20/2004 |
| Lindorien, I meant to ask a question earlier. Your story refers to the moon as "she." Of course Tolkien portrayed the moon as male; was your twist part of the AU? I'm almost as interested in moon lore as dream lore. Again - great job! Regards - Chathol-linn Author Reply: This story is a reflection of what might have been. You know, most of my RW writing involves dreams of some sort, usually some surreal situation or another. I suppose it comes out in my fics. I just wanted everything to feel 'not quite right' as time proceeded, straight down to Faramir's obsessions. I used the moon because it's changeable, because everything in this fic is dark. Boromir is on a slippery slope from the beginning, so nothing is right. Nothing at all. It is supposed to 'feel' right, but not quite. Regarding the use of 'she' for the moon. I'd forgotten that about Tolkien and the moon. I knew it was opposite, but I couldn't remember who was 'she'. Somebody pointed it out in Free Fall that I'd called it 'her'. And I thought it would be interesting to have it opposite in this 'reflection'. I almost flipped Minas Arnor and Minas Ithil. I almost made Dad dead and Mom a widow, Boromir already Steward. Faramir getting along fine with Dad and Boromir being the one at odds with him. I had a bunch of different sorts of scenarios I considered as I wrote. But I didn't want to get too detailed. I wanted it to be a spare story that clipped along. I didn't want the reader to be CONSTANTLY stopping to reality check. In the end, this is what resulted. Thanks so much for your great reviews! I'm off to answer the other one! Lindorien | |
| Chathol-linn | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/20/2004 |
| This is the first AU I've ever read and actually liked, and I don't just like it, I love it. You hooked me by starting out with a Shakespeare quote. Then the quote involved dreams, and I spend most of my creative energy exploring dreams, so right away I was intrigued. Then the natural conversation of the two brothers (I'm not the biggest B and F fan but they sounded so right) seduced me so that when the teasers began showing up, I had to keep reading. What a competent hand with the story telling this was, to keep the reader's attention! Ghostly, gripping, creepy, dreamy, original, succinct, poetic, well-done! Way to go, Lindorien. Regards - Chathol-linn Author Reply: Thanks so much, Chathol-linn. I'm just glad people gave the fic a chance. This is my one and probably ONLY AU. I mean overtly AU, anyway. It just sort of resulted one night when I was writer blocked. I don't know that I planned it to go where it did. I had them talking, but then it seemed good for Boromir to mention wives and children. I originally meant it as no more than a dream that Boromir was having while away from Faramir. I planned a series of them. I did some 'sorta psychically connected stuff' in Free Fall and just wanted to play with it a bit. After a bit, I wanted no more than that these two to have a normal conversation in a normal situation. Just a couple of guys living a life that had never been plagued by war and dark and terror. Realizing I needed to weave it together, I decided to let this be THE vision, not just 'a dream. And when I arrived at the last line, I thought. 'Hey! This is finished.' Then I beat my head against the wall over the poetry for a day! Lindorien | |
| Imrahoil | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/8/2004 |
| Not sure, how I feel about this one. It IS a nice little twist to the scene in Free fall, but still not sure, how ... Author Reply: Hmmm...can you codify that better? Seriously. It's meant to disturb. It's meant to fall away from the reader as sand will fall through our fingers. I wanted to write the view from the other side. I truly value your opinions, Imrahoil and I'm glad you read this. Lindorien | |
| flick | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/1/2004 |
| Hi, lindorien. This is one of the best fics I've come across in a long time. Just wove a spell and drew me right in. Lovely writing and chock-full of good touches. What a great idea! Loved your verse as well. Author Reply: Why thanks, Flick! I so appreciate your review. When going for an odd angle like this, roping 'em in early is important. I had such a vision of people saying, Married? Kids? What's this meshugge woman writing here? I've just embroidered your commentary and hung it by my computer. (well, in a metaphorical sense, anyway). Thanks for reading, thanks for reviewing and really, really thanks for enjoying! Lindorien | |
| Hiro-tyre | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/29/2004 |
| Genius. Brilliance. Oh, wow, Lindorien, but this is fantastic. What an idea! A story of what Boromir saw in Galadriel's eyes! Author Reply: Genius. Brilliance. Fantastic. Yikes! I'm putting all that under my pillow tonight and sleeping happy! Thanks so much Hiro-Tyre! I have a little bit of the same idea in my fic Free Fall - beginning of chapter...8, I think. But from the outside looking in - not from the inside looking out. I'm so glad that you liked this! **beams like a little kid** Lindorien | |
| acacea | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/28/2004 |
| Well, methinks it was brilliant... nice and witty and creepy all at the same time. You're good, lady! You're very good. Author Reply: Oh, Acacea, thanks so much for saying that. I so hoped you'd like this. I wrote it with you in mind - I was worried you wouldn't like it! Hugs Lindorien | |
| Werecat | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/28/2004 |
| By now I usually avoid anything that says Faramir, boromir or both in the summary. But this was extraordinary. This had an atmosphere of real life in it, especially Boromir's marital status. I had figured it out long before the end, probably because I have been writing/reading horror and supernatural for at least two decades now. But the "dream within a dream" concept is one I always find appealing. And I was left wondering whose doing was this? The Ring's or was another magic at work, elvish or even the magic of the simple things as love? Loved it, in case this was not already clear. Author Reply: Ah, thanks so much for reading. I was thinking about that goofy short version of the LOTR and that's what got me going on this. That and the Poe poem and staying up to late. So - you pick whatever reason you want for this odd dream/event/whatever. Sure, Boromir would have married. Without having to figure he'd die and leave his kids orphaned at any moment, I can definitely see that happening. Sorta makes me want to write the AU that really does go like this. :( Lindorien | |
| Ariel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/27/2004 |
| I love the way you write these brothers. Tolkien never gave us much to go on, but you paint them richly and with such a real life that they literally walk off the page. I realize you do most of this for original stuff, but combined with Tolkien, you touch depths of ready made meaning that can stir the heart of even an ardent hobbit fan. Sigh... Sweet and loving, and totally credible. You know, for all the 'fanon' and bizzare takes on these characters, I still find realistic, believable takes far more stirring. Your pieces are like a window into what these characters really might have been. Thank you for sharing it. Ariel Author Reply: Ah, you're sweet, Ariel. I wanted to give a window on what life could have been like for these guys if Isildur had done as he should have. Weirdly, I was thinking about my Really Short Version of the LOTR when it occurred to me to write this. Imagine if these two were just a couple of brothers growing up in a world without all the tremendous stresses. I so pictured a more normal upbringing. Perhaps Faramir and Dad butting heads on occasion, but the rancor being soft, almost a family joke - not the dark streak that seems apparent in the glimpses we do see on occasion. Kinda like Free Fall Light, but with a mother who survived well into their adulthood. I even considered other siblings, but decided it was enough to give this view. While this is yet another experiment for something I'm thinking about out there in the big world, I wanted to give it a shot as fanfic. To see if the reader would go along with me an buy the story. Because it is rather like having somebody say the sky is yellow when one already knows full and well that the sky is blue. I figured Lothlorien might not even be there. That they might have long ago passed into the west and Ithilien stretching much further to the north. Only Thranduil's Elves would have stayed. The Maia never would have come. I imagined the hobbits trading freely with the rest of middle earth, very much a part of the community-at-large with their own place, but communications with the 'big people'. Listen to me ramble. Thanks, sweetie. Lindorien | |
| Rose Sared | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/27/2004 |
| Oh my, this is inspired, so good Lindorien. What an amazing AU, no wonder poor Boromir was sad after his interview with Goldilocks. Just the most wonderful writing. Well done (the devil on my shoulder is hopping up and down in rage and spitting i hate you i hate you cos this is so danged good.)( Even the danged poem -sniff) Love it Rose Author Reply: Ah. Thanks, Rose. I always say that Boromir got the bum's rush. Nasty Ring, we hates it precious. So, a fellow Galadriel fan, I see. If you cried, I am happy. Wait, that's coming out wrong! hugs, Lindorien | |
| maya_ar | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/26/2004 |
| You made me cry again, damn it! What an extraordinary account of what Boromir's heart's desire. "I dreamed thee real where shadows light" - loved the verses. cheers, Maya Author Reply: Sorry about the crying, but it's music to an author's ear. I'm glad the verses pass muster, but the third verse bugs me. It doesn't follow the same pattern as the first two so I'm still uncertain about it. If an idea strikes, email me? Thanks for reading this. Lindorien | |