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The King's Commission  by Larner 4 Review(s)
nancylea57Reviewed Chapter: 46 on 3/28/2012
after reading this how many times, today pondering if i could get to sleep after 36 hours of wakefulness i spot this:

Pando and Ririon had made the day before on Sir Meriadoc’s figure, and found it was almost ready for detailed shaping. Again it was the lower portions of the figure that he marked for rough cutting, and he directed Ririon and Ruvemir to use their smaller chisels that not too much be removed at a time.

think that it might have been meant to say Ririon and Pando to use their smaller chisels since its Ruvemir marking the sections. nothing life changing or anything just one of those small how did i miss thats? still loving it all the more each read.

Author Reply: No matter how many times this has been gone over, there are STILL errors to be found! Thirty-six hours, eh? That's more than I can stand any more--my years are catching up with me, I find. Thank you so, Nancylea, and I'm so glad to hear from you! Take care and God bless! Now--to correct the same error on all the other sites where this is posted!

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 46 on 2/12/2005
*great big grin*

What a great chapter, with so much going on!

I liked Ruvemir's gentle care of the sleeping Celebgil, and his even more gentle handling of the situation between the boy and his master. That situation is one I am following with interest. I like your subtle way of dealing with it. It's very clear, yet tastefully handled.

I appreciated the description of Ruvemir's "crafting trance". I like that phrase; it's something I've experienced myself once or twice with calligraphy projects, and it's exhausting but satisfying, and kind of scary in a good way.

The attempt on the ambassador's life was suspenseful. And I loved Pando saving the day with his thrown rock. That was not only unexpected, but a very welcome reminder of hobbity determination.

And finally, the scene at the end, returning to the Shire to announce the births of both the little princess and of Rosie-lass.

*sigh* *grinning again*


Author Reply: I try not to be offensive in writing my stories at the same time I try to reference real issues, just as Tolkien himself did. Too many of us have either experienced what Varondil is doing or have had to deal with friends and/or family who have been through it, and even, in some cases, we've seen some accused of doing what they never did do. So I will attempt to remain tactful and sensitive in following through on that situation.

I've found myself "in the zone" when writing more than once, and have suddenly come to to find I've written all night and am now exhausted. Did that more than once in college and grad school. I suspect many of us have been in "crafting trance" at times in our careers.

There are going to be problems with the new governments in Rhun and Harad--gotta be. That's just the way life is. That they are going to find the fairly decent new order under attack is simply consistent with political reality.

And I'm glad you appreciate Rosie-Lass and Melian being born at the same time. The news would be most welcome in the Shire, I think. And I'm certain that Merry and Pippin would be feeling proprietorial over both girls, and that Sam would indeed be wishing the two he honors so were there to see and rejoice with him.

EruviluiethReviewed Chapter: 46 on 2/11/2005
AWWW! They're both born at the same time, that's so sweet! Sam talking to Frodo and Aragorn was just precious. I am kind of wondering why Aragorn had a girl. I know we only hear about Eldarion, that Aragorn might have had others, but why did you choose to make his firstborn a girl and not Eldarion? I loved the Lion King baby presentation, including the sun spotlighting the baby. Poor Pando just can't avoid confrontation, can he? At least he handles it well. Interesting wrinkle in the diplomatic situation. Are there traitors in Rhun? I'm very interested where you'll take this next. Keep up the excellent work!

Author Reply: I'll take the comments out of order. It says in the story of Aragorn and Arwen that after Aragorn died she took leave of her daughters, so we have indication there were more than one. Secondly, if Eldarion were the first child born, he'd be well over a hundred when he took the throne; so I decided to make him the middle child in my vision of the early Fourth Age. He'd still be close to a hundred, so not much older than his father was when he took the throne. But a totally middle-aged Dunedain I didn't want to see.

I just like the idea that some of the children of the various characters might have been the same age, and I imagine little Rosie-Lass and Melian side by side at their first meeting, both toddlers similar in development and yet quite different due to being different sizes--I'd love to see them deciding whether or not they will like one another.

The end of the Keel on the Sixth Level has been so emblazoned on my mind by the movie that I find it has to have had some kind of ceremonial significance. Since usually the crowning of the new King was private between dying father and his heir, there would have to be some way of the people of the city to see the new King in some kind of ritual manner so his accession could be acclaimed--and so in "Light on the Way" I used the keel for that purpose. Well, if it is the acclamation point, it would be the point for presentation of possible heirs as well as the point where the new King first shows himself.

Any time there is a marked political change, there will be opportunists who will try to manipulate the situation to their own gain, and I'm certain such would have occured in Rhun and elsewhere. These folk have not had self-determination in about five hundred years at least--someone is going to try to put himself in charge as the new dictator to try to reap the spoils. Having a fairly honorable man in charge of a place like Rhun is going to be seen as not good by the opportunists.

SharonBReviewed Chapter: 46 on 2/11/2005
Ah, I've been busy and so have you. There are several chapters here. The story is proceeding nicely. I'm glad that Ruvemir has at least had a good talk with Celebgil. There is only so much he can do, but providing a good example is one of the best for Celebgil. And babies born, both girls. How nice Melian, after a certain ancestor of both? ;-)

Poor Pando is a little unsettled at the violence in the rest of the world. He really has not know how shelterd they were in the Shire. Hopefully he can adapt.

Author Reply: Oh, he's adapting very well, I think. We know from the appendices Rosie-Lass followed Frodo-Lad; but it was my own decision to precede Eldarion with a sister. And yes, both the daughters I've envisioned for Arwen and Aragorn are named after ancestors of both.

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