Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Elf, Interrupted: Book One: Glorfindel Redux  by Fiondil 6 Review(s)
hawkeyeReviewed Chapter: 11 on 9/16/2014
It's surprising, but I can see why Glorfindel was disappointed in Lórien. But that also made me wonder if other reborn don't feel the same way too. Like you said, it is a lovely, wonderful place, but it is a place of healing and learning. Glorfindel strikes me as a bit of a restless soul, a person who acts. Lórien doesn't really strike me as a place for action so much as it is a place of meditation and renewing.

Glorfindel's friendship with Sador was beautiful, and I'm already getting attached to the Sinda. I really like how you are bringing in some Sindar elves into the story (I have a bit of a soft spot for them ;). It's a sign of Glorfindel's character, I think, that he immediately takes Sador under his wing, not only as a friend but also as a protector. The role of protector seems to come naturally to the Balrog-slayer. For all his emotional immaturity, I really felt like Glorfindel acted very maturely in this chapter, especially in the way his defends and comforts his friend. He reminded me a bit of a mother hen in this chapter. I was also really impressed by his concern for Artelemnar, and even his grief over Artelemnar's consuming guilt. Hopefully Artelemnar will become a nicer elf in the future, though if Lord Námo can't scare the meanness out of someone I'm not sure who can. I have every confidence in Lord Irmo though.

And Olórin! I just about cheered when he showed up again. I'm glad he was there when he was, and Glorfindel wasn't left alone to deal with Artelemnar. Though, it is interesting how he can be kind and scary at the same time. I guess the lesson is, never underestimate a Maia.

Thank you for a fun chapter :) I'm looking forward to reading more :D

Author Reply: Hi Hawkeye. Yes, Lórien is a place of meditation and renewing so for someone who is more action-prone, it can be rather boring as well. We see a hint of the Elf-lord Glorfindel was and is here with his relationship with Sador and even in his concern for Artelemnar. And Olórin is indeed a Maia and should never be underestimated. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

MongwenReviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/24/2014
So every time I re-read these stories of yours I get odd questions popping into my head at odd times. For instance, I find myself wanting to know how Artelemnar was lessoned. What brought him to a point where he could receive the correction intended? If I come up with any more possible plot bunnies or odd questions I'll pass them along -- unless, that is, you tell me to go away.

Author Reply: Hi Mongwen. Well, your questions are welcomed but I don't need any more plot bunnies at the moment. *grin* Some questions will never be answered because I don't actually know the answer or I'm just not interested in supplying one through a story around the question. You'll just have to imagine what might have happened on your own. Artelemnar was lessoned and his attitude corrected and that's all that is necessary to know. But go ahead and ask your questions. Some of them I might even know the answer and if you're asking them, chances are others are as well and are just as curious as to what the answer might be.

KayleeReviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/27/2008
Boy, that Celepharn is a piece of work, isn't he? I don't envy Irmo that one. *shakes head* Emma and I were working out Oropher's geneaology and we named Oropher's father Celepharn, since I liked the name *wry grin* Don't know if he would've been this same Celepharn, though. I like to think the House of Oropher is stubborn without being stupid. *snicker*

Though Thranduil was very...precipitous in addressing Lord Namo in your Confrontation fic...but that's literally another story.

~Kaylee!!

Author Reply: Some people take longer to learn certain lessons than others but I think in time Celepharn will come around. I don't think Irmo has lost a Reborn yet and he's not about to lose this one if it can at all be helped.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 11 on 2/12/2008
I knew the name was familiar to me, as I've studied and restudied the roles of Kings as I've worked on Stirring Rings. He's been a hard one and needs to rekindle the flame of acceptance within him, I think, this Celepharn.

Now, to think of Glorfindel dancing naked in the light of the song Irmo plays is a delightful one, although I'd personally like it more if it were Aragorn there--I suppose I'm hopefully tied to mortality, aren't I? Heh!

Author Reply: I don't always make up character names but will steal them from obscure sources. Most people would be unfamiliar with the Kings' Rolls in Appendix A or elsewhere and in this case I had to find a name that could be easily translated into both elvish languages.

Glorfindel dancing naked would be a delightful sight to behold and I think you mean "hopelessly" rather than "hopefully" but both sentiments would be true, woouldn't they, seeing as we are mortals?

EdlynReviewed Chapter: 11 on 3/14/2007
Oh, no! It's the Roommate From Hall! I think there probably isn't a soul I know who hasn't experienced having to live with someone who is rude, bigoted, or just plain nasty. I was so glad when I had garnered enough rank to have a room of my own in the barracks because I certainly never had a choice of who my roommates were going to be. At least I was used to sharing quarters as I had always shared a room with my twin. I truly can sympathise with Glorfindel and Sador (BTW how is Sador pronounced?)

I think one of only things worse than having a roommate from Hell has to be someone who refuses to call you what you want to be called. And poor Glorfindel and Sador are stuck with both problems in the same person.

I love harp music and am listening to a recording of harpist PAtrick Bell playing some of Turlough O'Carolan's pieces as I type this. It's an instrument I really want to learn to properly play if I can find an instructor. At least I can read music in both treble and bass clefs already. Four years of music theory, 34 years of playing the flute and more than 20 years playing accoustic guitar, I'd better be able to read music ! I can close my eyes an imagine sitting on the grass and listening to Glorfindel play his harp...sigh.

Oh. Finding out that Artelemnar was one of the elves slautering the Sinda at Doriath has to be like discovering the next door neighbor who you've been helping with yardwork and having cook-outs with is a convicted axe-murderer or worse. It's the stuff of nightmares.

Glorfindel is the kind of person I wish I was more successful at being. It's very hard to to be generous towards people who drive you crazy and there are a number of very unlovable people out in the world who need to be loved in spite of that unlovableness. Artelmnar is definitely one of the least lovable elves I've yet to meet in any fic. I likely would have bloodied his nose, and felt a righteous satisfaction that he was being dealt with and that it wouldn't be a comfortable experience. But I think what makes me angriest at Artelemnar is that he was attacking someone else. I can put up with a great deal of stuff from people if it directed only towards me but if they direct it towards my family, friends or any person I am responsible for, then watch out! Our Balrog-Slayer not only knows how to love, he knows how to love the unlovable and even better is willing to do so.

I was so glad to see that Glorfindel finally accepted permission to grieve for himself as well as the others. It was a catharsis that was most definitely needed.

Well, I had better finish this and get myself off to choir practice and make a joyful noise. I promise I'll carry on with reviewing tomorrow, mellon-nin.

May you live blessed.

Edlyn

Author Reply: Sador's name is pronounced "SAH-dor".

Yes, I'm sure we've all had our share of roomates from hell; Eru knows I have! Maybe that's why I created the character and had Glorfindel act the way he does because I'm afraid I'm not that noble, but like you, I wish I were.

I also included Artelemnar into the mix to show that eventually all these elves with all these different kinds of histories will have to learn to live with one another. Had Artelemnar shown true remorse for his actions, it is possible that he and Sador could actually have become friends in time. That, of course, is no longer possible, but the Valar had thought it worth the try.

It's interesting for me as a writer to see what others pick up on when they read my stories. I will have one idea of what I hope will be people's reactions to a particular chapter and find that a reader has focused on some other aspect that I considered not as important. This is a case in point: Artelemnar was never the focus of this chapter, although I admit he rather dominates it as only extremely rude and obnoxious people can dominate any situation. The main focus of this chapter is actually Sador and his relationship with Glorfindel. Artelemnar is really a foil against which one can see Sador and Glorfindel's relationship as it develops from cautious acknowledgement of each other's existence to brotherly love for one another.

Still, that doesn't mean that the focus is wrong, for obviously something about Artelemnar spoke to you and made you think things out, and that is more important to me than having a reader agree with me on every point. *grin*

And, I too, have had the experience of being called by a name that I truly detest and having to tell people not to call me by that name. At least, in my case, people will comply with my wishes and call me by the name I prefer rather than the hated nickname everyone assumes I would like. And I bless the people who actually have the curtesy of asking me what I prefer to be called before going ahead and calling me whatever name they think I should be called. *grin*

hanciReviewed Chapter: 11 on 12/11/2006
Authors use both Quenya and Sindarin all the time, but to use bad Quenya based on Sindarin grammar, that's... incredible.
Glorfindel is better than me, I'm afraid I wouldn't care about Artelemnar after his display. Well, he's Glorfindel.

Author Reply: It was actually quite fun to see how I could mangle this favorite greeting in such a way as to seem plausible. Living in China and trying to learn Chinese, I can sympathize with Sador. He's known one way of speaking and must now learn another way and he easily confuses the "rules" between the two languages. At least he doesn't have to deal with tones. After five months, I still have a problem differentiating between the second and fourth tones. *grin*

And Glorfindel is indeed Glorfindel... which is why he's my favorite Third Age elf, for all that he's barely mentioned in the book.

Return to Chapter List