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Interrupted Journeys: Part 2 Journeys Perforce by elliska	82 Review(s)
Lenielestel	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/18/2014
Reading through this fabulous epic for the second time! (Sharing it with a friend!). We read this chapter last night, and I was struck anew by your powerful way with words. I was reading aloud, and had to stop a few times because Thranduil's lines gave me chills! (Good ones!) You have made him an incredible speaker, and I love it! You also do a fantastic job of helping your modern readership into a feudal frame of mind without breaking the storyline. Amoneth's slowness to grasp the necessary facts of court life makes me want to hit my head against a wall, but she is a great literary device for educating without exposition. I feel for Thranduil here. You seem to have a very clear understanding of what happens to a leader when their own support system fails to support them properly. I hope that it is not from personal experience, but just a very good imagination on your part! In a small, insignificant way, I have been in Thranduil's shoes. For a time I was royalty in an mmorpg (puzzle pirates), and had my own Amoneths to deal with. (and a Marti, come to think of it.) You have captured the struggle and the feelings perfectly. Well done!

Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 7/28/2009
I wanted to let you know how much I've been enjoying these stories. I started reading them the other day - Sunday? - and I haven't been able to put them down. They are very well written and I really like all of the unique characters you've created. It's fun to have a new story (series) to read. I had sort of been waiting until the series was finished, but I finally decided just to plunge ahead and I'm so glad I did. It's going to be hard when I get caught up in a day or two and have to wait for the updates! I probably won't review again until I get caught up, since I've downloaded this and I'm reading this on my eReader, but just know how much I'm enjoying it. Thanks so much for all of your hard work! Author Reply: Sorry it took so long for me to reply. I've been doing a lot of home renovation and the internet has been on and off for me. I'm so glad you are enjoying them (and it was such a cool surprise to get this review). Now that I have largely finished the renovation projects for the summer, I intend to get back to posting soon, so hopefully, you won't have too much of a wait. I hope you keep enjoying. :-) And thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate them!

lwarren	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 1/10/2006
Another tremendous effort, elliska! Once again, I had read it before, but not commented, and after rereading just had to say how this story captivated me. Perhaps it was the return of Shadow to the forest, but for some reason the entire sequence of events just grabbed hold and wouldn't let go (I finished the last 2 chapters here at school this morning while my kids were taking a test! I know..BADDDDDD). I really, really liked the way you took the titles of each chapter using exerpts from different stories by Tolkien. Each little exerpt paved the way for the events of the chapter perfectly, IMHO. Let's see - Thranduil and Lindomiel continue to be the epitome of royalty. bows to the KING and QUEEN Aradunnon is a flirt of the first order, and of course, it came back to bite him later! Amoneth - that elleth! How dense can one be (or as my pastor says from time to time, how stupid can you be and still breathe?) She certainly had to be led literally by the hand by the King himself before she finally got the idea that she couldn't let her mouth flap off without employing her brain first! Nali - cool dwarf! Marti - she had a new name there at the end, but I see that this cat hasn't changed her spots...or stripes...or whatever! Still trouble with a "T"! Radagast - I love your Radagast! He always seemed somehow diminished by the sheer presence of Saruman and Mithrandir, but here you put his power into perspective so well as the servant of Yavanna. I came away thinking there was more to this wizard than meets the eye! :-) I held my breath during the battle at Amon Lanc - Aradunnon was fortunate he only received a hack to the thigh! That was close! I suppose, though, my favorite part was the relocation north and the delving and adaptation of the caverns into the King's fortress. All the politics that went on, the meetings with the village leaders (that ole' battleaxe that gave Thranduil such a hard time LOL), Amoneth (whip her into shape, Your Highness!), Nali and the dwarves, the tapestry rewoven (sigh)...I could go on and on. You really do the intimate details of governing the realm well! Anyway, the whole story was great (I'm rereading Part III tonight - I may have reviewed a couple of chapters for that one - but you may be hearing from me again, elliska! gasp) Wonderful writing as usual! linda Author Reply: Again, thank you so much for this review and I am so sorry to be so long in replying. This one is my favorite of the stories I have posted so far, so I am glad you liked it (and I don't blame you for reading while your students took a test--test days are boring for teachers). how stupid can you be and still breathe? This cracked me up--you are so right. This poor girl was just not bright. I'm glad you liked Radagast because I really love him as a character. I think he had a small role in the books, but Yavanna did choose him, so I think he mus have been powerful--just not a powerful that Saruman would have been impressed by. And Marti is consistent, unfortunately. Again, thank you so much for the reviews! :-)

Finda	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 8/2/2005
That was a great story. Very different from the first one. I'm glad to see that Thranduil's brother and his wife (sorry, but I have a hard time remembering elvish nameslol) have finally found their peace and happiness. It was about timeg I like the way the elves moved north. All the preparations you descriped and the period of time you gave them for the move sounded very believable. I could always follow your characters' line of reasoning and it was very interesting to 'listen' to their different opinions. That was very intruiging about your fic. Thank you. I'd be happy to read more:) Finda Author Reply: Yes, this one is very different. Much more serious. I had a lot of fun playing with the canon event of them moving north and how it made everyone feel. I'm glad it came off as believable. (And don't worry about remembering character names--it's hard for me sometimes and I have a list of them ;-) and those names/language that Tolkien made up are very complicated. I still have trouble with canon names--all the F elves and C elves in the Silmarillion). Thank you so much for reading this story. And thanks so much for reviewing. It has been great to see how someone reading straight through sees it. You are such a fast reader. If you plan on reading the next part, give me until this weekend to edit a few parts I decided I don't like in it. :-) It is also a very different story from this one and the first one. You see Legolas and a few other elflings born in Thranduil's family and you see the problem that is going to haunt him in this little series. It is the most complex story of all of them. Again, thanks for the reviews! :-)

Finda	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 8/1/2005
Hi:) Okay, this is the last one for tonight. Wow, this is like a very good book I can't put down. I really like Thranduil's character in this story. He is how I've always imagined him. I also like the development his brother is going through constantly. With every chapter he seems to grow more confident about his role in life. I enjoied your descriptions of the wizwards. It fitted them well. Thranduil's conversation with Radagast and Gandalf showed just how 'tame' the king has become over the years. He still has his tempers but he's definitely more open to accept advise that doesn't come from his own council. Oki, I have to go to bed, it's getting late over here. Thank's again for writing this story. Author Reply: I am really pleased that the story is keeping you reading. I often wonder what people think when they see a long fiction after it is all posted, if they want to put the time into it. So it is great to see the story is interesting enough to keep you going. :-) I love Thranduil and I'm glad he comes across well to you. I think he would be a strong, smart elf to keep Mirkwood together, without a ring, with Sauron in Dol Guldur. And I loved doing the wizards in this. I love them too, especially Radagast, for some reason. But I include them whenever it is reasonably possible. Again, thanks so much for reading and reveiwing. It really means a lot and it is so much fun to get these reviews while I'm between stories. It is motivating me to get the next one ready to go. :-)

Finda	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 8/1/2005
Hi:) It's me againlol I still love it. I like your battle scene and the fact that it holds 'surprises' for the elves they do not expect. An easy victory wouldn't have been that believable. I like the more romantic parts, too. So far you manage to combine romance and action very well. Another plus are the conversations and political discussions your character's have. That makes everything even more interesting and authentic. Author Reply: Hi, sorry it took me so long to reply to these. I was buried at work and everytime I opened the site to go reply, someone else would come drag me away. Grrr. :-) I'm glad you like the battle scenes. I find them really hard to write and make interesting so when people comment that they thought they turned out ok, it makes me so relieved and happy. :-) I like the romantic parts and discussions too. The political stuff had a place in this story and it helps set up a confilict that is going to pursue Thranduil throughout the rest of this series. And the romantic stuff is just fun. Again, thanks so much for the reviews. :-)

Finda	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 8/1/2005
Hi:) This is even better. I like the action and I always wanted to know how exactly the elves moved north. I've never found a fic about that either. That's so awesome. I'm so excited to read this:) Author Reply: Again, thanks so much for the review! I was so happy to see this review when I checked my otherwise work-filled email just now. :-) You are a fast reader. I like this particular part of the story too because I get to play with a canon event--the move to the stronghold. And because I like the political stuff. I hope you enjoy. (But since you are such a fast reader, I'll warn you. I am going to do some editing of part three this week (tried to get it all done this weekend but ran out of time). If you decide to read on, it will be a little better after the editing is done.) But I am so happy you are enjoying the story and thanks so much for the reviews. :-)

perelleth	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 7/24/2005
Just one thing.. may I ask that you numbered and gave the Chapter's title at the beginning, and not only on the chapter list? It would make it easier to follow, above all when you cannot sit to print it all down on a single session--- ;-) Author Reply: That is a really good idea. I will go back through and do that this weekend.

perelleth	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 7/24/2005
Hi elliska! I finally had time to go through this, in a most appropriate setting, as I have just spent almost the whole last week in Poland, in a forest the closest to greenwood I have ever seen! I was amazed, in truth, for although I've seen many places around the world, this is the first time I've truly felt I was entering one of Tolkien's scenarios! and with a Thranduil loooong story to enjoy as I had nothing to do in the evenings, once the day's job was done! I cannot tell you how much the environment helped enhance the already wonderful story!! To it. I love how you describe the organization and relationships between Thranduil and his family council. I like how he has the hierarchy set and respected and how he is able to draw on his authority to call to task even his mother or his uncle, not to speak of his own brother!!! The battle chapters at amon Lanc were very well done, it is amazing how you write fighting scenes with such skill and not boring at all! one can follow the action perfectly, while picturing the fast pace of events! I'm amazed at that! Then the council arguments are so well done! the neccesary balance between expenses and incomes, the need to have more funding, the reactions when it comes to cut trees and how the king has his decision prevail through sheer authority. Ruling is a very difficult task, and I believe that you're portraying politics and management of a realm in a most convincing, detailed and interesting way! congratulations! THen the trip to Lorien and the discussions there! Galadriel is great, teasing and taunting THranduil in her characteristic way. She's a great elf, no doubt, and I'm glad that Thranduil is able that recognize that, although the fact that she's the only one who agrees with him makes him cringe, and that made me laugh! A nice detail! Amroth's reaction was to be expectd, yet I could feel Thrnaduil's impotence as mine! I liked that. I love how you're entwining canon facts and pieces of history from the second age. The council at Imladris with the Five Istari and the Wise being puzzled by their strangeness was very amusing. Mithrandir dealing with Thranduil's suspicions and praising his will to overcome it seemed almost prophetic to me. I believe that's the difference between him and Oropher...btw, mAy I move to Elrond's library? I loved how you depicted it... Thranduil's emotion at Elrond's generous offer made me smile. For all his greatness, he has not yet grasped the fact that Elrond is deeply concerned, as every other elf in ME should be, about the possible return of the shadow. The fact that an elf would muster an army and march four weeks from his realm to fight an enemy some believe to be sauron seems incomprehensible to Thranduil...;-) at least, hit is something he wouldn't do...That's the difference between them too, and it was honest to show it. Elrond is a little, tiny bit more enlightened than Amroth, one could say.. ;-) I laughed aloud when poor Araduronn had to inform his hot tempered brother that he had "lost" Radagast!! poor one, you did not spare him one in this story! All the thing with Amoneth caught me by surpise. It was kind of PIgmalion sort of thing, and I found it quite strange in the beginning, but then it sounded quite logic. Maybe they all might have thought to offer/impose some guidance first? Oropher's Queen, above all? But it was interesting, although I felt for poor Araduronn when he was made wait standing before his brother.. that was very tense! And then Thranduil threateining to send him from Eryn Galen.. The needs of rank and station, that's it. I liked that you chose to show it in that almost ruthless way! Moving to the stronghold was heartbreaking, and difficult for the people,and again the discussions and the tense council meetings got me hooked!It is oh so difficult to please everyody and to widen everybody's point of view from their own considerations to a global need! Despite the apparent unity we come to see that there are inner point of dissidence, so life won't be easy for the next years! BTW, I also liked that you made it light of the fifty years Thranduil had to be separated from his wife. I agree with you that time is of different consequence for elves, so fifty years cannot be such a span! great, for it is not so common, author's tend to refer to elvish relationships and feelings of estrangement in terms of human reckoning! :-) All in all, I cannot help wondering why i did not start with this earlier. As I've told you, so many Ocs kept me from engaging in it, but , truth be told, once I decided to print it out and carry it along on my travels, it proved a more than entertaining company. So now, I'm on to IJ 3 in a couple of weeks or so, when I have a long haul flight, so beware, for then i'll start begging for the continuation to that story! Congratulations for this great story arc, elliska, it is truly impressive and very different from other Mirkwoods in the sense that politics, organization of the realm and strategy have a more important role here, and that is something I enjoy! Seee you on IJ 3! ;-) Author Reply: I was so happy when I saw this in my email! Thanks for the long, thoughtful review. It was a great surprise. :-) Oh, the forests in Poland! I would love to see that! Do you need a servant? I don't eat much and I'm a hard worker. :-) I am glad you liked the battle scenes--I found those amazing hard to write. I do historical reenactments, so I know a little about tactics, but it is hard to write. But I wanted it to show the difficulties building in Amon Lanc. I confess that I love the politics and council meetings and things of that nature. I had fun when I wrote this deciding what sorts of advisors Thranduil might need and what their positions would be on different issues. And I like to think Thranduil would make good decisions, even when all the options are hard. I felt for him when he decided to cut the trees. Those are, of course, brazilwood trees. That was a hard decision. I also had a great time with Thranduil in Lothlorien and Imladris. I always wondered how Sauron could grow in Amon Lanc and why no one squelched him while he was still weak. This was me trying to work out how that might have happened. I don't see Amroth as a particularly stellar example of leadership (since he fled with Nimloth when the Balrog came) so I thought he might refuse. But Galadriel and Celeborn were in the east looking into these things canonically, so I loved working them in. Whenever I can put Galadriel and Thranduil in a room together, I do it. :-) And I think Elrond definitely would have done what he could. I love Elrond more and more all the time. And I had an absolute blast with Gandalf and Radagast--I love the wizards, especially Radagast, and I use them where ever canon allows. I would not have wanted to inform Thranduil that I had lost his guest! :-) Amoneth definitely needed some guidance--she didn't listen to the guidance offered gently by some, so Thranduil had to take that in hand. I love Thranduil, but sometimes I do enjoy writing Angry!Thranduil. That was another situation where I would not have wanted to be Aradunnon. You're right, he didn't get a single break in this story. ;-) I think moving to the stronghold would have been very difficult for Thranduil--seriously. He lost Menegroth, Sirion, and three homes in Greenwood before this. I really see this move as a 'here, and no further' sort of stance for him--that's why he found a stronghold. He will lose no more ground. And he doesn't--that is why I love him as a character. And I see both his decision to remain in M-e after the Ring War and Legolas's decision to move to Ithilien as a commitment to help heal and rebuild M-e. Another reason why these characters and Celeborn (who does the same) appeal to me so much (and why I thought your story was so perfect--I can so see it). Be warned--IJ3 is really complex. I reread it recently and even I said 'whew!' when I finished. I am going to re-edit one chapter of it next weekend. But it plays with that bit of dissent (sp?) that we saw at the end of this story and lots of OC's from the first story come back into play. I am going to start posting the 4th part this week. It returns to being much less complex. I really appreciate the reviews! It is so much fun to see them. :-)

Jaylen	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 1/4/2005
Hello Elliska, Just wanted you to know that I started reading your stories a month ago and I am hooked! They are wonderful reading. The characters and history in them are very rich. You have done a wonderful job creating this history to fill in what Tolkien didn't. I can't wait for your next posting. This is indeed a wonderful "Journey". Jaylen Author Reply: Thanks! I just came back from vacation so it was so nice to see new reviews. I am very glad to know you are enjoying the story. I really like doing the 'fill-in' type stuff. It's a lot of fun for me. I'm glad it is turning out ok in other's eyes. The next part will be along soon. Hope you continue to enjoy.

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