Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Interrupted Journeys: Part 3 Journeys Begin by elliska	110 Review(s)
wenderful51	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 2/1/2015
I LOVE your writing!! Love it!!

Zardi	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 6/15/2014
I have been reading this story for the past few days (haven't read part 1 and 2...I wanted to see Legolas ;) ), and I have enjoyed watching Amglaur reluctantly warm up to Thranduil. I just about died when he called Thranduil "ion" in this chapter. I am also enjoying the side plot about treason, but I like the family moments more.

perelleth	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 8/15/2005
Where to begin! Complex, but oh so interesting and well weaved tale within the many threads of the third age! I very much love that you took the time to mix life in Thranduil’s realm with the events of that part of the age. The wain riders and Gondor’s loss, as well as the dangers in the forest are perfectly done! Legolas birth was such a wonderful event. Despite the increasing difficulties of the political situation, Thrnaduil’s family life is reaching a much needed balance, and that shows in the way he reacts, too. It is amazing to think that so much time has passed and that he was able to refuse his wife for such a long time! But adar Thranduil is such a lovable character! I very much like how you manage the relationship between both brothers. It is not very common to read about Thrnaduil’s family, and I think that both are well balanced in their strengths and their different characters yet recognizable as children raised by the same father. Dolgailon is such a wonderful addition to the family. Serious and responsible to a fault, as he is, his adar can still surprise him and show him some tricks and lessons in life!. IT was great fun, amidst sympathy, to see him sent north to report to the king. Aradunonn must have had a fit when he heard of his son’s “invasion!” and the young captain resolved the situation well. But it was great fun when Aradunnon told him to meet him and his naneth in the green! When I was at college, my mum decided it was time to retake her doctorate, so for a time we met in the library or in the sports fields, or even at the cafes, hanging around, and it was very embarrassing to me! I can only imagine Dolgailon’s shock were he to meet with his parents in the green while spending the night away!!!! The attack on the queen and her escort got me on the brink of the chair! But I’m glad that you decided not to let Legolas orphaned, for a change! And the malcontent and conspiracies taking place In the southern part of the realm are very believable.I like very much how you explain the succesive moves these people had to endure along millenia, and how ubdoubtedly that must have met opposition and embittered relationships. It pained me to see Tulus inner struggle, and the fact that his son is not following his example is not a good omen! Glad that Dolgailon managed to discover that!! I love the many layers of your stories, elliska, the political and historical facts are so well balanced with the glimpses of family life and how the characters are growing. That it is a pleasure to read. I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to cope with a chaptered story now that I’ve caught up with you! I loved reading the first three as a whole! Thanks for the tip on the last chapter, I had missed it, and it was worth reading! The children are a delight, yet I could not help wondering how Aradunnon and Amoneth must have felt rearing up such a serious child. They must have thought someone came in and changed their baby! He’s so different from them! Thankfully he managed to find a lovely wife and hopefully he’ll relax a bit! I enjoyed this immensely, each of your stories discovers a new element, and even if things are going to get even darker, it shall be a pleasure to follow after! So please, go on!!!! Author Reply: :-) I am so pleased to hear from people reading this straight through (as opposed to chapter-by-chapter as I post) that it isn't too complex. I love mixing all this stuff in--canon, family matters, polictical matters--but it is impossible for me to tell when it gets to be too much at this point. I'm glad you like it. :-) I like adar Thranduil--he does have a very nice balance in his life right now, although I imagine it seems very busy to him too. I love playing with him and his family. Family is great fun, especially looking in on someone else's and seeing things we can identify with and laugh at. (I think I would have died going to college with either of my parents. I feel for you there.) I suppose I am evil to say that I am glad the chapter with the attack made you tense. Originally in that, Amoneth was going to die, but I didn't go with that in the end. I thought the attack and guards dying was scary enough for such young children without mothers dying too. And I am glad the little conspiracy comes off ok. I do think there would be malcontents, even amongst elves, in such a difficult situation as Mirkwood was in. Put someone amongst them with a grudge and that could create a very bad situation indeed. Tulus will continue to struggle, poor fellow. I'm glad you went back and read that change. I like the story better for adding it. Today I am locking my office door, being a bad employee and putting the final touches on some chapters of part four so I can get to a steady pacing of posting it. It starts out fluffy with young Legolas and then does get darker. I hope you continue to enjoy and I really appreciate your reviews. They have been so thoughtful and interesting to me since you read those first parts straight through. Thanks!

Finda	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 8/11/2005
Hi:) I hope you forgive me, but I've already read the story. I just couldn't wait and I was so curious. I loved this one especially. It had everything: love, treachery, drama, adventure, action. It was great. I think I like this one the most. It was very complex but easy to follow. Just great! I'm looking forward to read Part four:) Author Reply: I was very interested to hear what someone that had read this particular part of the story straight through (i.e. all at once as opposed to reading it along as I posted it chapter by chapter) would think of it since it is so complex. I'm glad (and relieved) that you liked it too. I was worried that it might be too complex, so I'm glad you commented that you found it easy enough to follow--it is very hard for me (and my beta too) to judge since we know this thing so well at this point. I have a lot of fun with the treachery and drama, I have to admit. :-) But I love the canon backstory of the Sindarin Elves so it is all weaved into that. I wonder if you read this since Sunday (Aug 7)--that night I split a chapter (Legolas) into two parts (Imminent Arrivals and Legolas) and added a scene. I also made a few transitions in the rest of the chapters a little stronger (I hope). Just FYI. I do so much appreciate your reviews on this story. Thanks and I hope you continue to enjoy.

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 8/8/2005
Well, thank heavens for author alerts or I’d never have figured out why this story appeared again! I always loved the image of them all in the room and of Thranduil singing to a sleeping Lindomiel, as well as Amglaur realising how much Thranduil must miss Oropher. But… uhhh… wasn’t there a part where Amglaur sings and Thranduil slowly succumbs to sleep? I loved that! Oh well. There was a marvellous sense of nervousness and anticipation in everyone leading up to the birth. I just love how involved they all are, but how respectful of Lindomiel too. "Mother and father turned their attention to the bright presence that was their son’s fëa, calling to him, soothing him, welcoming him into the world. Thranduil felt him respond, utterly innocent and completely trusting that he would soon be in loving arms." I love that! It’s so elfy and just so beautiful too. What is it with people trying to decide who the baby looks like?! I can never see much of a resemblance. Most babies look exactly the same to me. I can’t understand how mothers can tell which child is theirs when they’re all in their cots in the maternity ward. LOL. Can you tell that I’m not a mother?!! I also like the naming ceremony. I think I like the fact that it’s mostly informal but at the same time there’s a great sense of its significance. And, of course, it brings loved ones close together – not just family but dear friends too. It made me smile to see the pride in Hallion and Engwe :-) Arthiel. I was trying to think of her name earlier today and it wouldn’t come to me at all. I’ve always loved your explanation of Thranduil’s name too! I’m glad Dieneryn was feeling mischievous enough to share it with us ;-) Author Reply: I forgot it would go back to the front page and all that until after I made the change. It shocked me to see it there at first! Poor confused readers! :-) You have an incredible memory! Yes, it did originally end with Amglaur singing and Thranduil drifting off to sleep. Somehow that detail didn't make it into this draft. That whole scene is really from my sister-in-law's second pregnancy. She was 2 weeks over due and wanted to go into a natural labor so badly so we all got together and did all the stupid things that supposedly make you go into labor (bumpy roads, walking etc) and then when it didn't work, we all sat around her room with her and talked until we all fell asleep. She woke up in the middle of the night in labor, called the midwife and got to have her natural deivery. She was so happy. I'm glad this came off ok to you. I have never had a baby but I have been the birth coach for many natural labors. It was really hard to write. I'll probably play with it a little more but in the end, I decided Legolas's birth needed to be in the story about Legolas's birth, no matter how hard it is to get that scene right. :-) I completely agree with you and telling who a baby looks like. They all look exactly alike to me. If I had a baby and it was in the maternity ward, I'd need a sign on it, I'm sure. :-) I like the idea of a naming ceremony, even outside Tolkien's world--like you said: it would be a great reason to bring everyone together. And I had fun with Thranduil's name, putting his conception in the first flashback, and then refering to it here. The story may be a little racy / personal, but it is fun. And everyone at the naming ceremony is a parent--they all know how babies come about. :-) Thank you so much for taking the time to read the changes I made and leave a review. I didn't really expect people that had already read this to go to the trouble of reading it again. It is so nice to hear your reactions. :-)

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 8/8/2005
I wondered what was happening here. I love the family-oriented group labour and the involvement of the proud adar in the delivery. And Amglaur being forced to concede that - having watched him very carefully over a couple of thousand years - Thranduil isn't too bad a husband for his lovely daughter. (I'm still not keen on Gilbert, though! Although Aradunnon's attitude smacks of prejudice.) Author Reply: I'll bet you did wonder! :-) I forgot, honestly, that it would send notices and go back to the front page and all that until after I'd posted the change. Still, this chapter has been bugging me, so I would have changed it regardless. I'm glad you thought the additions came off ok. I struggled with this and it still isn't what I want, but I think including it is important because this part of the story is about Legolas's birth. Even if I can't get that the way I want it exactly, it should be there. So there it is and I will probalby continue to change it. Drives my beta nuts. Amglaur cracks me up. Old meany. Aradunnon's attitude caused problems, as we know. It was wrong. No doubt about it. Thank you so much for reading this and leaving a review. I didn't really expect people who had already read to read it again. I really appreciate it. :-)

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 8/7/2005
I like the expansion of the birthing scene. It seems very peaceful, with everything happening in its own time, and everybody being cool and letting Lindomiel set the pace. More births ought to be like that. And that's as far as I go before I turn into my sister and rant about the superiority of home birth for fifteen minutes until someone hits her with a pillow. Instead, I will just say that I laugh every time someone looks at a baby and tries to figure out which adult family member it looks like. The only adult I could ever see in a baby's face was Queen Victoria, in her "we are not amused" pose that you see on postage stamps. All babies look like unamused Queen Victoria. End of issue. Author Reply: Thank you so much for reviewing this--for a second time. :-) I like it better with the birth in it too. It always bugged me. I just couldn't get the birth scene the way I liked it so I left it out but I decided that I liked something better than nothing. So here we are... I will also refrain from the rant on homebirths. Suffice to say I've been the birth coach for both hospital and completely natural home births and the home births went better every time (even though all were either breech or a shoulder caught on mom's pelvis--even with complications, home births went better). So did I say I'd avoid the rant...wow, good thing. Imagine how much worse that would have been if I had gone on the rant. :-) I sooo I agree with you about the 'baby looks like XX' thing! That kills me. All babies are red, wrinkly, grumpy, tiny things. I'm not a mother. I guess mothers can tell them apart. Me, I'll wait until they are toddling at least. Again, thanks for taking the time to go back and read the change. I didn't really expect people to, so it was so nice of you to do it and leave a review too.

Brazgirl	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 6/8/2005
Ah Elliska! I finally managed to read the epilogue. So sweet to have the whole family back! I trully enjoy to read the family you created. That little aftection display between Thranduil and Lindomiel was lovely. And as far as we could see he is managing well to have Amgalur living so close. I like the brown wizard a lot!!! Looking foward to read more from you! Hugs. Author Reply: Hi Brazgirl! I'm glad you liked the epilogue. I can't deny that I love Thranduil's little family too. I have a lot of fun writing about them. I probably have more fun imagining him and Amglaur enduring each other than Thranduil does, though. :-) And I love Radagast. Being a big nature freak, he was my favorite wizard always. I had hoped to get the first chapter of the next two stories up this weekend but work conspired against me with two big emergency projects, so it's not looking good. But they will be up soon. Thanks so much for all your reviews. I really appreciate them. :-)

J.G.E	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 6/7/2005
Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeee! This update has certainly made my day. I loved how you mixe fluffiness with more serious discussions. I enjoyed the elflings and their parents in getting into playful antics, boy, Legolas is a sneaky little elfling, lol. I don't know why but the memory flashback gave me a feeling of bittersweetness, probably because Oropher is no longer around as well as Engwe's wife along with a few others. I'm so looking forward to your new story and plot. And I think we are going to see the true colours of Glilavan very soon, as well as everyone else, and more of dum dum dum Marti. Well, I hope you keep on writing so professionally, and I hope to see many more of your works once the Interrupted Journeys are over (which I hope will not be soon). Peace out, J.G.E Author Reply: Hi JGE! I'm glad you liked the fluffiness and seriousness mix. I actually did that in each section intentionally to show an underlying current of danger because that, unfortunately, is what the people in Mirkwood live with. And the flashback was indeed bittersweet because neither Oropher or Ninglor (who was important in Thranduil's childhood as Galithil will be important in Legolas's) are still with Thranduil. But I also love seeing Legolas and his cousins play with their parents. The idea of Thranduil simply playing makes me happy. :-) You will definitely see a good many people's true colors, including Glilavan's. Thank you so much for all the reviews. I will definitely keep posting these (just need to sort out a few more things before I start with the next ones). I hope you keep reading and enjoying them. :)

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 6/5/2005
Oh lovely. An update. Galithil's story of what his older friend told him was interesting. He's looking like a lively handful for Aradunnon to manage. Like all the Elves, I'm glad to see Dolgailon learning to relax a little too. Or at least trying to. I was impressed by his instant knowledge that Glilavan had lied to him. He's a perceptive guy, which I guess makes sense given his years as a captain, among other things. Loved the kids stalking their fathers! They're a great little group of tacticians. It's also interesting to see them watching the adults to try to gauge their reaction to Radagast. I also like the idea that they think of the fireworks as magic. Beautiful ending with the evening under the stars and the families all together. Author Reply: Hi daw! Galasserch is a bit of a show-off, I think. He's young enough that he'll grow out of it before he appears in this again (not the next story but the one I will post probably after that). He indirectly and unintentionally causes some trouble that turns out pretty seriously. So I thought it would be fun to throw him in here. He does get Galithil stirred up and Aradunnon doesn't want him around his son. I think Dolgailon has simply known Glilavan for a very long time. Glilavan was an older warrior in Dolgailon's first posting and I picture them as having stayed close until Dolgailon became an officer and I picture them as even closer after that. He could tell his friend was not being truthful. Unfortunately that was not something he wanted to learn and it puts him in a position that he doesn't want to be in. But it will be useful. I got a kick out of the kid's activities with their parents too. I used to do that sort of thing with my dad and my friends. He was really a good sport about it, poor man. As for Radagast, they're a little more cautious of 'Men' now, so they wanted to see what their parents would think of him. I think every elfling on the lawn would have likely been won over by the fireworks though. Fireworks would seem like magic too little children, wouldn't they? :-)Even when Gandalf wasn't there to make them turn into butterflies and dragons they are just amazing (from a distance, they scare me a little too). But, the truth is, I just love Radagast and I'll throw him in whenever I can. I just can't help it. :-) Daw, thank you so much for these faithful reviews. It really means a lot to me. Thanks!

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List