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| A Good Man is Hard to Find by Wordweaver | 25 Review(s) |
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| LisaG | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/7/2010 |
| Seems we always hurt the ones we love, huh? Realistic story of true love gone awry...at least for a little while. Both Aragorn and Arwen had valid points and equally erroneous ideas of what the other was feeling. I love a happy ending! :) | |
| fadagaski | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/12/2005 |
| I'll admit readily that I opened this story with no small amount of trepidation. "Divorce in Middle-Earth? Ai, Eru!" was my inital thought. But your reasonings and treatment of the different, conflicting emotions of the characters - especially Arwen, Aragorn, and Faramir - were wonderfully meaningful and set the whole tale firmly in the context of the books. Not a trace of modern nonsense. Hooray! Author Reply: Thanks for the encouraging review. I'm so glad you enjoyed my story. I always felt that Arwen was set up for a fall in her relationship with Aragorn because all their relatives constantly send her the message that she's really too good for him, and he's extremely lucky to have her. While this might be true, from Aragorn's point of view, I felt Arwen had to move beyond such an attitude to the point where she would truly see losing Aragorn as a fate worse than death. Wordweaver | |
| Julia | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 2/14/2005 |
| Splendid ending! I liked Aragorn's apology, and how you had Aragorn and Arwen on one horse. That image of the knight and his lady on a single steed is also one of my favorites from the medieval legends. The little princesses were extremely cute, and it I loved it when they asked Aragorn if he'd brought them anything. Typical kids. Aragorn and Arwen are back together, Aragorn has taken up the mantle of kingship again, and all is well in Minas Tirith. What a lovely way to leave things. Thanks for thanking me for my reviews too. If fics are good, like this one is, I can get pretty involved. I hope you are planning on writing more fics soon. Author Reply: Thank you so much! I can't tell you how much your reviews have meant to me. You really did both encourage and inspire me through your enthusiastic responses to my story. I kept thinking as I revised a chapter, "Will this meet Julia's expectations?" You've been a wonderful audience. Wordweaver | |
| Pasha ToH | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 2/14/2005 |
May the Valar bless your muses... Pasha ToH Author Reply: Thank you so much for your encouraging review. I'm very glad you enjoyed my story. It's a privilege to share a story with people who find pleasure in reading it. Wordweaver | |
| Shaan Lien | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/11/2005 |
| Okay, i read a few chapters, and even attempted to believe that Aragorn would be so wary of his marriage with Arwen to depart. This story just seems rushed, you know, the plots aren't developing fully. Plus the huge factor that even if Aragorn wasn't satisfied with his marriage to Arwen, I find it extremely hard to believe that he would leave his children. Although I appreciate that you acknowledged tradition more than most fanfiction writers, I wonder if Faramir would actually persume to doubt Legolas' intergrity and then Legolas just stand for it, they rule ithillen together, that's a pretty hefty thing to say to a man without impunging his honor. Anywho, I gave it a shot, I'll see if I like some of your other stories if you've written any. I just felt I had to give you some feedback and hope this was kind of helpful. Author Reply: I appreciate your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to write to me. I'd like to clarify some critical aspects of the plot which your review leads me to believe you may have missed. Aragorn is not weary of his marriage to Arwen, but he is convinced that Arwen is tired of him, and that she is planning to take the children and leave him. Even though he might not want to lose his children, this is often the consequence when a marriage breaks down. If a father wants to maintain a relationship with his children it is a practical necessity that he remain on good terms with their mother, but Aragorn is convinced that the differences between himself and Arwen, are irreconcilable. He believes that the only way to prevent Arwen from leaving with his children would be to lock her up, which he is unwilling to do. He hopes that by disappearing he can at least prevent Eldarion from being taken out of Middle Earth, and perhaps reestablish a relationship with him later on. As far as Faramir and Legolas are concerned, Faramir was careful not to accuse Legolas of having improper intentions. He merely stated that scandalous rumors about the Queen traveling alone with him could bring dishonor on her. In truth, Faramir isn't so worried about Legolas' integrity as he is concerned with protecting the Queen at a time when he expects she may be emotionally vulnerable (remember, he is convinced that the King will not return). He's been entrusted to guard another Man’s family members. He must consider the worst case scenario and cannot afford to take any risks that could compromise their safety or honor. History and courtly tradition are on Faramir’s side. In a culture of chivalry, the importance of safeguarding a lady's honor by avoiding the appearance of impropriety, would have been obvious. I'm sorry you felt the plot was rushed. I'll try to take that into consideration in future revisions. Thanks again for your interest. Wordweaver | |
| Julia | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/7/2005 |
| Can I smack Faramir around for a bit? I can't believe he'd think that if Arwen was rejected by Aragorn, she'd jump into Legolas's arms! Just because his own wife once acted so rashly in the grips of an infatuation does not mean Arwen would. Arwen and Eowyn are light-years apart in knowledge and experience, plus Arwen has never shown one iota of sexual interest in Legolas. I just want to wash Fara's mind out with soap at this point. Nice speech by Arwen, now Aragorn's got to make his own speech and apologize for being an arse in own right. Also nice to see Eldarion buck up and find a solution to Fara's little roadblock. Fara is right about one thing, Eldarion is going to make an excellent king one day. Please update soon! Author Reply: Don't be too hard on the good Steward. He is only trying to do his job and he is responsible to protect the Queen and to defend her honor. Of course he will judge the situation based on his own experience. Since he wooed his own wife when she was on the rebound from Aragorn, it's only natural for him to see the paralels between that situation and Arwen's. It's also important to remember the lesson of Gandalf and Galadriel. Sometimes it is the strong who must be most on guard against temptation. Remember, Faramir saw his brother and his father seduced by the "dark side" because they trusted in their own strength. It is far better to safeguard yourself than to find out too late that you could not pass the test. Wordweaver | |
| Lyn | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 2/2/2005 |
| Very beautifully written.. but Tolkien made it quite clear that Arwen's fate was to share the fate of Man....whatever and wherever Aragorn went when he died. There would be no ship to take her to the Undying Lands where her father and mother were, the home of the Valar themselves. Once she had made the decision to marry Aragorn, she gave up her right to an Elvish end and chose (like the beauthiful elf Luthien who married the human Beren), a Human end. Your writing is a joy to read and I hope to read more stories of yours. Author Reply: Thank you for your very kind and encouraging review. I'm very glad to know that you found my story a "joy to read." As far as the issue of Arwen's fate, I think Tolkien's position is a bit more ambivalent than what you have stated. Aragorn, at least, believed that Arwen's choice was revocable and he told her on his death bed that "the utermost choice" lay before her, whether to sail into the West or abide the Doom of Men. I take her statement that there "is now no ship that would bear me hence," to mean that all the other Elves have already departed, not that she couldn't have taken a ship if one were available. Since the story is set only 21 years into the Fourth Age, I have assumed that there are still a number of Elves living in Middle Earth and making their way to the Havens. For the purposes of this story, what really matters is Aragorn's perception of the situation. He believes she can leave him (and fears that she will) whether or not that is actually the case. Sincerely, Wordweaver | |
| AM | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 2/1/2005 |
| Thank you Leggy! | |
| Julia | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 1/31/2005 |
| Thank goodness Legolas found him! And it was smart of Leggy not to confront Aragorn with his disapperance right off the bat. I confess I would have probably yelled "WHY ARE YOU BEING SO IRRESPONSIBLE!" which would just have made Aragorn defensive. Now what's Arwen going to say? More soon please! | |
| grumpy | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/30/2005 |
| Well at least they know he is still alive. Somebody needs to go and find the man, get some sense into him, and bring him back. His family needs him and he needs his family. | |