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| Avoidance by Stefania | 92 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| spinster | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 5/4/2015 |
| You are BRILLIANT! This is the first time I have read anyone dealing with the volcanic output of Mount Doom. I have often wondered how the post Ring-War folks dealt with the 'volcanic winter' that the eruption caused. The West Wind of the Valar was a stroke of genius. Great story too. Thanks Author Reply: Gee, thank you. My dream is to write a story where Faramir, Eowyn, and other residents of Minas Tirith journey into Mordor five years after the big eruption. I've been fascinated with volcanoes, ever since my dad told me about Mt Vesuvius, which erupted while he was stationed in Italy during WWII. I have done easy hikes on Kilauea and Haleakala volcanoes in Hawaii, and Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen here in California. This January I finally got to see the three famous volcanoes of New Zealand. Yeah, these are the ones Peter Jackson used in LOTR and The Hobbit. Next fall I hope to finally see Mount St. Helens. So maybe I can finally show Faramir and Eowyn's reaction to the devastation of Mt. Doom close hand. | |
| irene | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 9/12/2007 |
| I absolutely loved your "Steffverse"! Since I am neither a purist nor too fond of AU this is the perfect balance to me. Well, I hate movie-Éowyn - stupid little doll - but you managed to give her profile and character. As for Faramir, you know -- I remember a discussion on the net where one stated: `Faramir is a ranger.Aragorn is a ranger. Both live in the wild. Both sleep on the ground. How come Aragorn always looks he would need a bath and Faramir not´? Therefore, my only complaint is your dirty Faramir... I'm waiting for the epilogue but I want to thank you now for a most enjoyable read. Hopefully, you have a new story somewhere back in that clever brain of yours! Thank you, and NOT goodbye... Irene Author Reply: Hi Irene - I really appreciate your support as I moved along, and hope that "Avoidance" ended nicely for you. There were four major avoiders in "Avoidance." Three of them had to have a confrontation before the story could end. The fourth "avoider" was Aragorn, of course, and he needed his moment of realization. That is in "Hope Comes for Estel." Stay tuned for the "Avoidance" Epilogue. And yes, I do have some more ideas for stories. For me, as always, the stuff I have to write for my job comes first. Nevertheless, my LOTR fanfic writing and reading finds time in my life. Thanks to all for reading "Avoidance." - Steff | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 8/12/2007 |
| You had me laughing out loud here. I liked the way you showed Eomer's hurt over his sister's refusal to come to Cormallen, something I fear I have overlooked in my stories,which is very plausible. Faramir is a very clever man. Thank you for your kind words in your notes.I am greatly enjoying this story, even though,as a Tolkien purist, I don't agree with everything,but it is a very good read and I've laughed the most over what I don't think Tolkien would like! Author Reply: Hi Linda - You said: even though,as a Tolkien purist, I don't agree with everything,but it is a very good read and I've laughed the most over what I don't think Tolkien would like! Well that comment got me laughing. I'm sure my story must have Tolkien rolling in his grave. I hope it's with laughter. I must admit I got a kick writing all those canon infringements. If I go to heaven and meet Tolkien there, I'd be in deep and serious trouble. - Steff | |
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 8/10/2007 |
| I felt sorry for Eowyn here, caught between those two macho reprobates; but she certainly got most of her own back. I had to LOL at Eomer's loud demands to know if Eowyn and Faramir had SEX, and Faramir's angry (justifiably) reply that it was none of his business. And then of course, the guys talk about beer and courage and become buddies. The story has been great fun to read the whole way through. I look forward to the epilogue; and congratulations on reaching the ending. Author Reply: Thanks Raksha, and I couldn't a done it without your help. I've been waiting over a year to finally write the show down between these three, and must say I had a lot of fun composing it. So many people have written the initial meeting between Faramir and Eomer as confrontational. But I thought these two might get along famously, after getting a few sensitive issues out of the way--such as will Faramir be a good husband and perfect match for Eowyn. They both are powerful war captains who appreciate a tasty tankard of ale :) (how "guy" like). The Epilogue, which is about one third written, contains the Coronation scene from Eowyn's POV, which a few people have asked me to write. The other scene, of course, is the finale of the big shower that Faramir and Arwen have held for Eowyn. Both have some surprises that I think give a nice closure to "Avoidance." Again, thanks for your support, hope you and all the quiet masses that I know have read "Avoidance" had lots of fun, a few shocks at my, uh, interpretation of book and movie canon, and LOLs in the appropriate scenes. - Steff | |
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 7/11/2007 |
| A pleasant, anticipatory chapter. I loved the part where Eowyn was cataloguing Faramir's various scars, seeing if everything was in working order. But the woman has got to be careful about how she words things - lost her virginity to a horse indeed! Author Reply: She was being rustic, wasn't she :) . I hope you didn't mind that I did, indeed "get a room" for her and Faramir. Thanks for keeping up with this. - Steff | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 7/10/2007 |
| This chapter made me smile,though I do consider your Faramir and Eowyn AU to Tolkien in their behaviour, though you give plausible reasons. DEspite my reservations I was amused by Eowyn "mapping " Faramir and her comments about horses, very Rohirric !I'm sure all lady readers sympathise by the end. Author Reply: That's right. The ethics that my Faramir and Eowyn adhere to are AU, as I have cautioned readers. Earlier chapters in "Avoidance" actually allude to the moral code in Rohan that Eowyn goes by. However, since it's taken me so long to write this story, I probably should give people references to the chapters where Eowyn discusses Rohan's common laws regarding marriage customs, pre-marital sex, and nude bathing. These laws have nothing to do with Tolkien and Jackson, totally my invention, though I hope people will find it less weird than the many "pairings" on other fanfiction sites. Re: Eowyn's mapping Faramir's body, heck, she's had a great deal of practice as a healer by now. She's seen a lot of bodies, male and female, by this time, and can't but help assess the state of her fiance's health. What a mother Eowyn is going to make! Thanks for reading, Linda and supporting this tale. - Steff | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/20/2007 |
| I loved the kitten here. I think Tolkien's Faramir and Eowyn would wait for marriage. I eagerly await seeing what the King and Steward will say at the party. Author Reply: Hi Linda - I think most people will agree with you about Tolkien's Faramir and Eowyn. That's why I said in my blurb on the Stories of Arda home page, "Tolkien didn't write this scene. Jackson didn't film it. It's my chapter alone and you may consider it AU." I realize that I took a big, big chance by implying that my characters consummated their love before marriage. I've read a great deal of Tolkien and have yet to find anything in his stories that defines a strict moral code for his human peoples. And then there was the story I recently read, set in Middle Earth, where a man unknowingly marries his sister. Sibcest Fanfic? Nah, Children of Hurin. If it's some consolation for anyone who might be disappointed that I put my couple in bed before the wedding night, trust me that I did not write this to give F and E a gratituous sex scene (discretely "off stage," to honor the PG-13 rating). There was considerably more at stake the end of this chapter than mutual lust and Eowyn's ticking biological clock. In the next chapter, you'll find out why Eowyn realized she could "no longer wait." But anyway, Linda, thanks for hanging in with me this far, even though what i write might be very atypical among Tolkien fanfic. - Steff Author Reply: Hi Linda - I think most people will agree with you about Tolkien's Faramir and Eowyn. That's why I said in my blurb on the Stories of Arda home page, "Tolkien didn't write this scene. Jackson didn't film it. It's my chapter alone and you may consider it AU." I realize that I took a big, big chance by implying that my characters consummated their love before marriage. I've read a great deal of Tolkien and have yet to find anything in his stories that defines a strict moral code for his human peoples. And then there was the story I recently read, set in Middle Earth, where a man unknowingly marries his sister. Sibcest Fanfic? Nah, Children of Hurin. If it's some consolation for anyone who might be disappointed that I put my couple in bed before the wedding night, trust me that I did not write this to give F and E a gratituous sex scene (discretely "off stage," to honor the PG-13 rating). There was considerably more at stake the end of this chapter than mutual lust and Eowyn's ticking biological clock. In the next chapter, you'll find out why Eowyn realized she could "no longer wait." But anyway, Linda, thanks for hanging in with me this far, even though what i write might be very atypical among Tolkien fanfic. - Steff | |
| utfrog98 | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/16/2007 |
| I do hope you plan to give us all the verses to the song! This is a very well done story and very realistic. Thank you Author Reply: Thanks, utfrog98. I've been thinking long and hard about that song, but I'm not much of a poet. We'll see. I might just take the easy way out and give a line or two. Cross your fingers for me. - Steff | |
| irene | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 5/4/2007 |
| Fine that you decided to continue! This story is too good to be left unfinished. "...a bottle with all the milk gone" -what a wonderful phrase! By now, you should be used to my "buts"; here is one more: Since you follow the movie-verse I have to point out that Aragorn flirted shamelessly with Éowyn. Of course, she told him soon that she loved him and h told her that he didn't. So, why he now is astonished she's avoiding him is beyond me. Maybe he isn't the brightest blade in the armory, but more, his character lacks decency. Oh well, I never liked movie-Aragorn. Continue, please! Good luck! Irene Author Reply: I'm so glad you are following "Avoidance," Irene. And, as you know, I love your reviews. You say that Aragorn flirted shamelessly with Eowyn in the film. I think that's a matter of interpretation. I'm a big fan of Aragorn, book and film. Someday I want to write a short tale starring him. I think film Aragorn flirted harmlessly (from his point of view), not shamelessly. Eowyn is the one who wore her foolish heart on her sleeve, in regard to Aragorn. When you say Aragorn isn't the brightest blade in the armory, I agree, but only in regard to his knowledge of females. Remember that he's been engaged and reasonably faithful to a "she-elf" for longer than Eowyn has been alive. In the Steff verse, Faramir would be far more woman savvy than Aragorn, which I realize is a violation of prevailing fanon, but so be it. At any rate, Faramir would have had more opportunities as a young'un for romance with human females than Aragorn, raised in Rivendell among the Eldar folk. As far as Aragorn being astonished at Eowyn's avoidance behavior two years after the Coronation, in the first few chapters of Avoidance (now two years on SoA!!) we find out that Aragorn hasn't really been in Gondor for a good part of his reign. He's left administration of Gondor to Faramir, Imrahil, and Hurin, the Keeper of the Keys. He's never really had a chance to just TALK with Eowyn about her crush. And the few times that he's tried to meet with her on a personal level, she's not only been too scared to confront him but also very afraid of how jealous Faramir would take it if she did. This is the crux of "Avoidance," which I've just laid out to you. BTW, I should have the next chapter up in the next week or two. - Steff | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 4/30/2007 |
| I enjoyed Aragorn and Faramir's conversation.Faramir badly needed to ask that question. Author Reply: No kidding. He'd been avoiding the issue for several years and it was starting to affect his marriage. It's funny how I named this story "Avoidance" three years ago and have finally gotten to the the part where the protaganists face what they've been avoiding. Thanks for following along and supporting this story. The last few chapters will have much more Aragorn. I hope you enjoy how I portray him. (He's a big fave of mine, if that's not apparent already!) - Steff | |