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Shards of Memory  by Mirkwoodmaiden 6 Review(s)
LisaGReviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/13/2010
Excellent short! Loved the father/son relationship you depict between Elrond and Estel.

ShimmeringWaterReviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/21/2007
Perfect companion for the other story. I wish you had written more stories about Estel as a child.

Author Reply: Shimmering Water!

Glad you liked it! I may still dust off the keyboard and write a few more. The initial purpose of the Book was to give me a backdrop upon which to build other smaller stories! So I got a few ideas for more. Hopefully the Plot Bunny will strike in the near future!

Thanks for reading!

MM

Baggins BabeReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/22/2005
I really love this story. You capture little Estel's character so well, and I love the fact that he feels something of Narsil's history when he holds it.
I really like the relationship between Elrond and Estel here. Beautifully done!

Author Reply: Cheers! BB!

I am so glad that you like it! I felt that another bit of Estel's childhood needed exploring! The Film-verse set just prompted the story!

MM (PEF)

DotReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/30/2005
Hey. This is a very nice companion piece. You did a great job at capturing the sense of boredom of a young boy!

I just love the idea that the sword seems to speak to him and, being the perceptive child that he is, he can distinguish the various emotions that seem to flood through him. I really like too the fact that he feels a sense of warmth; it suggests a certain comfort offered. The reverence with which he treats it comes across beautifully.

Poor Elrond. The sight seems to have stopped him in his tracks. It never occurred to me before that every other child would have known the history of the sword but that it had to be kept from Estel. With a child so intelligent it must be difficult for Elrond and, of course, for Estel’s tutor to educate him as much as possible without having him realise that there are gaps in his knowledge. It must be hard too for Elrond to finally be able to tell the story to the wide-eyed child who has no concept of what the future might hold for him.

I think what I particularly liked about this piece is the way you’ve managed to combine Estel’s growing awareness and perception of emotions and events previously beyond him with the fact that he is still a child. He’s felt something unexpected this day and learned something new but he isn’t ready yet for any more and even he seems to realise that for now the sword to which he feels somehow connected should be left “in peace”. Plus, this is a wonderful take on how he might have learned of the sword-that-was-broken and there’s a lovely undercurrent of Elrond’s compassion, regret and faith. “It is a sad tale but it is not finished yet. There is still hope.” What a perfect line to finish on.

This is a great piece. Oh, and I hope the new job is going well :-)



Author Reply: Dot!

I am so glad you liked it! Estel is an extremely intelligent, perceptive little boy, but he is still a little boy. That's why he snuggles next to Elrond at first. He only partially comprehends the emotions that the sword has evoked in him. I tried to keep both ideas in the story. Also this is extremely hard for Elrond. This is unlike any fostering that he has had before. He loves Estel as his son, and is trying to love him, guide him as much as possible for he pretty much knows that Estel will be the restored king of Gondor. Not only that but he comes love the child not matter what Estel will mean to the future of Middle Earth but for himself only. Will email you.

MM

Mysterious JediReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/30/2005
Awww, that was cute. I wonder if Aragorn remembered that moment after he discovered his true heritage?


Author Reply: I think he probably will when I am writing that chapter! Glad you liked it!

MM

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/30/2005
What a lovely scene, and such a beautiful way for Estel to hear the story for the first time. I'm especially intrigued with this:

"Every child that Elrond had fostered before Estel had always known their destiny, known who they were and what might be asked of them. It was family lore that he spoke of when he told the story of the Sword-that-was-broken. Estel had no knowledge of his past"

I never thought about that! Fascinating.

Author Reply: Shirebound!

I've always been fascinated with how Estel grew up in Rivendell. For the others it was their family history and they were bred to it. Estel in a sense is too, but unknowingly! So many fascinating little ideas to toy with! Little plot bunnies hopping everywhere! LOL!!

MM


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