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Journey Home by Dot	15 Review(s)
Lisa	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/12/2006
Wow...great story, I absolutedly loved how you wrote from an Original character's point of view....I also loved how you portrayed Legolas :) Wonderful story...bravo! Author Reply: Thanks, Lisa! I really enjoyed getting into Nendir's head and using him to give us a glimpse of Legolas and of life as a Mirkwood warrior. I'm so pleased you liked it! Thanks for the review :-)

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/10/2006
This was great! That first person looks so hard to write but you did a great job of it here and I think the story is much more powerful because of it. Great choice of a time to use it. The images in this were really well done--the warrior waking up for the first time, confused about where he was seemed so realistic. And waking up again thinking the orcs had returned--you did that really well because I skipped ahead to see if they survived the second attack. You fooled me! :-) But of course the best part was Legolas's words to the young warrior, their dicussion about parents and then the warrior finally meeting Thranduil in the end. Thranduil was so great there. I loved it. And the warrior did speak well, didn't he. Wonderful! Great story and really well written. Author Reply: Thanks, Elliska. I rarely write first person but I actually really enjoyed it. It can be very interesting to be in someone’s head and trying to find their voice. I’m so glad you thought it was realistic. And that you thought there really were Orcs! LOL. That’s a huge compliment. I thought Legolas would be a competent captain and part of that would be being perceptive to the needs of his warriors, especially the new ones. He gave away a few things about Thranduil but it seems to have helped Nendir - and Thranduil himself gained a bit of reassurance too :-) Thanks so much for the review.

lwarren	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/9/2006
What a compelling look at the fears and insecurities and discoveries of a young, untried warrior, Dot! Your description of the camp in the aftermath of this battle had me right there! I know that feeling of wanting your parents when ill or injured - rather disconcerting when you're supposed to well grown and away from the nest! LOL Nendir, tho', is still young and learning the ropes. Legolas as captain was great - mature and competent, caring, compassionate - he did much to ease the injured under his command. I think Nendir had a rather startling revelation once the pain had abated some - he WANTED to be there with his fellow warriors. Somehow, they had become family and that's where he belonged. "...we few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." (I love that phrase - it seems to really illustrate a little of what Nendir was feeling.) Home - the appearance of his parents sigh - so well done. The arrival of the King - ah, now that was an event. A walk-on part, I believe someone commented earlier, that stole the show! Hey, when you can charge the air literally with your presence, what else should be expected? :-) I really liked the way Legolas' leadership is a reflection of Thranduil's (on a smaller scale - but his training shows and he is most definitely his father's son!) and that the King would take time to visit the returning injured of his warriors. But why wouldn't he - Nendir himself was struck by the King's care and determination to protect his people and regain a peaceful life for them. The King's visit only proved where his heart is! Just a wonderful story, told from the POV of a subject of the realm, which we don't see too often. Well done, Dot! linda Author Reply: Thanks, Linda! What a lovely review. I’m just thrilled you enjoyed this. I think Nendir really got caught up in his fears and the shock and pain of his first serious injury but Legolas and the more experienced warriors would have known what he really needed and how to draw him out of himself and help him towards the realisation that he belonged there and could do his job. I wanted Nendir himself to come across as a young warrior, but someone who deserves to be there nonetheless. I’m particularly pleased that you liked Thranduil’s little part. He does have a tendency to steal the show! But I thought it seemed right that he’d go and visit his wounded warriors if he could and reassure and encourage them. Luckily, Nendir was seeing things a little more clearly by that stage and was able to offer a bit of comfort to our favourite king :-) I like your comment that Legolas’ leadership reflects Thranduil’s. I’m so glad it came across like that. Thanks for the review!

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/4/2006
Oh my. I just logged on, since my friend has gone home, and look at all I found! Thank you so much for this! I love the way you show Nendir dealing with his first wound, the last frontier before he truly becomes a warrior. His first wish, as with anyone who's sick, is for his mommy and daddy, and his patrol mates and captain are sensitive enough to let him know that there's no shame in that. He's done his duty, and it's okay to be sick now. This also makes me think a little about the son of a family friend of ours, who just joined the Marines. His parents are Quakers, but he thought that it was the right thing to do. They're proud of him for Doing The Right Thing, even though the Marines wouldn't be their first choice. Author Reply: I’m delighted that you enjoyed this, FP! I wasn’t sure how appropriate it would be for a birthday story. I’m glad Nendir’s youth came across and that his reactions seemed realistic. And I thought the more experienced members of his patrol would be familiar with the needs of an injured young warrior and be able to make him feel better without hurting his pride. His parents are proud of him, I think, and maybe they had to experience this first battle/ first injury as much as he did. Thanks for the review :-)

JastaElf	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/4/2006
Aww, that was wonderful! So nice to see it from the other side of the coin, as it were, for a change! And I love your Thranduil.... g The way Legolas and the other warrior spoke to keep Nendir from feeling badly was just great. Thank you for sharing this--and happy birthday, French Pony! Author Reply: Thank you so much, Jasta! I have a big smile on my face at the idea that you like my Thranduil :-) He insisted on going to see his wounded warriors and even though I hadn't planned the ending like that, I felt he deserved some reassurance about his own son. I thought it might be interesting to see Legolas and life as a warrior in Mirkwood from a different perspective so I'm really pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for the review!

meckinock	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/4/2006
I love the way you drop us into Nendir's POV without any introduction, and let us slowly find out about him as the story progresses. Every revelation was a discovery, as it would not have been if you had led with more personal background about him. I loved discovering that his captain is Legolas, and learning about his worrying parents, and his reasons for becoming a warrior. Interesting that we just had a discussion of h/c elsewhere, because this story beautifully illustrates how a little h/c, gracefully and subtly employed, can illuminate a character's vulnerabilities (in Nendir's case) or his compassion for others (in Legolas or Thranduil's case.) But the story isn't about Nendir's injuries; it's about Nendir's coming of age, and his place in his society and his family. His discovery that even the king is a parent who worries about his children, and that Legolas is a son with a worrying ada, was delightful. I'm glad he got the chance to meet the king (what an entrance - whoo!) and didn't find himself tongue-tied. It was a very sweet moment when he found the courage to speak to the king. A very lovely story. Author Reply: Thanks, Meckinock! It started as a POV exercise for me but I really enjoyed writing it and Nendir kind of grew on me. I’m so pleased you enjoyed finding out about him! And thank you so much for your kind words about the use of h/c. I was a little bit worried after that discussion – I had intended any hurt and comfort to be a device used to show us Nendir’s journey and to allow us a glimpse of life in a Mirkwood patrol and of characters that we already know and love. I’m really glad you felt it all worked. Thanks for the review!

Redheredh	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/3/2006
This was a good story. Well-written and well-told, the end well worth the read. I love ocs that reveal something about the characters we love and also a little about ourselves as people. Author Reply: Thank you, Redheredh! Originally the central character was going to be Legolas but I thought it would be more interesting to catch a glimpse of him and Thranduil from a different point of view. I really enjoyed writing this and am so pleased you liked it. Thanks for the review.

Elflingimp	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/3/2006
Aw!!! I just loved this one too,I hope there are more birthdays cos I love the presents (even thou they are not mine) Author Reply: Thank you so much! I get very excited when I see the birthday stories too - we all get to share in the gift! I'm so glad you enjoyed this one :-)

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/3/2006
Nendir is a wonderful OC! He seems so young and vulnerable at first, but his injury makes him realise the comradship of an elven patrol. Legolas is wonderful as the patrol's captain, and I like the simple expression of his worries about his father. Thranduil ... Thranduil is just marvellous. Such a short walk-on part, but he steals the show! The way his presence fills the chamber despite his humble dress, and his gratitude for Nendir's words about Legolas. A lovely story, Dot - I'd like to see more of Nendir! Jay Author Reply: Thank you, Jay! I'm smiling away here at your words about Nendir. I'm so glad you like him! I really wanted his youth to come across and to see what he learned from this experience, as well as giving us a glimpse of life as a Mirkwood warrior. Legolas seemed to me like he'd be competent, but perceptive and by sharing his thoughts about his father he's helped not just Nendir but Thranduil himself. Thranduil has a habit of stealing the show! But I'm delighted you think he did :-) Thanks for the review!

Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/3/2006
Dot, you brought tears to my eyes. This was lovely. You have a real knack for taking a character whom we do not know and letting us into their world, so we feel their thoughts and fears and hopes and dreams. And in light of what we were talking about, I would say this is realistic, well done use of hurt and comfort. Nothing too graphic, but a great sense of how it feels to be young, alone and injured; then as he strengthens he senses anew the great bonds that develop between soldiers, these people who he lives and serves with, is injured and may die with. His youth comes through well, too. This experience is new. And the care of his captain and the other warriors is realistic I think, based at least on war stories that soldiers tell. They care deeply for one another, and they share in war something that the rest of us can only hope to understand. And I love his words to his King.. plus I love that the king comes to visit the wounded. That is a king that his people will follow to whatever end. Well done. I think this is a great gift to FP. :D Author Reply: Nilmandra, this is one of the nicest reviews I’ve ever got! Thank you so much. I’m really pleased that you felt it worked – especially, as you say, in light of the h/c discussion. I really wanted his youth to come across and all the mixed emotions that go with it, but at the same time for him to be an adult who is trained as a warrior and is respected as such by those in his patrol. As well being a POV exercise for me, I wanted it to be about Nendir's journey and to give us a glimpse of life as a warrior in Mirkwood. I felt Legolas and the other members of the patrol would not just provide physical care until he got to a healer but would be experienced in dealing with young warriors and know what he needed. You saying that it’s realistic made my day. Thranduil was coming to visit the wounded whether I wanted him to or not! I wasn’t going to argue with him. And I thought he could use a few kind words himself :-) Thank you so much for the review.

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