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Senses by Misty	9 Review(s)
Fishpaste	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/8/2008
I love this story soooo much! I like the way he manages to hold 'conversations' and adapts to moving around when he can't see. Do you think you could write a sequel from the other charactors pov. It must have been quite traumatic for them as well, although nothing compared to what Aragorn was going through! Author Reply: Thanks. I'm glad you liked the story. :) I don't have any plans at the moment to write it from the others POV as I'm putting my efforts into other stories, but who knows? Maybe someday. But yes, I agree that it would have been very difficult for his family to watch him going through this.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/1/2006
This is great Misty. Can I just echo the most insightful comments of your other reviewers in lieu of a long considered reponse as I am dashing off down the motorway again? Sorry. Author Reply: Thanks. :) I just like knowing that people liked it, so thanks.

The Karenator	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/30/2006
I enjoyed this, Misty. You kept a tight focus on Aragorn's POV, his experience of suddenly finding himself in a silence dark world. Without resorting to cheap emotional devices, you took us on his journey of confusion, isolation, and depression as he struggled to understand, remember, and to communicate. I thought it realistic that he would retreat into sleep as often as possible to escape the reality of what had happened, and the boredom of having the daily activities he would have normally pursued while recovering taken away. The simple presence and support by Elrond and the twins was well done. I'm sure if we could have heard and seen what was going on around Aragorn, we would have seen the lines of worry on Elrond's face, the shake of his hand as he prepared medications, or the pale looks on his brothers's faces. Since his sensory input was limited, so was ours. What we saw was what Aragorn experienced. Aragorn's afflictions weren't long-term, thank goodness, so he didn't have to enter an intensive relearning of how to navigate a world where the rules had changed. You showed us enough that we got the sense that his family fought more with dealing with Aragorn's depression by getting him back on his feet and doing for himself than a belief his injuries would be permanent. I don't think they were ready to concede that Aragorn would be permanently impaired. And rightfully so, as it turned out. Even if the injuries had been too great, I don't think they were quite at the point of accepting it. Dealing with someone blind and deaf must have been relatively uncharted waters for them too. I doubt that happened much to elves, and the men Elrond treated probably remained in Rivendell only long enough to regain their strength to return to their families. But if anyone could see such grievous injuries healed, it would be 'the greatest healer' Middle-earth ever knew. While Elrond uses conventional methods of healing, he has something other healers don't have, a touch of magic, a mystical ability--whatever you want to call it. If it was possible to bring Aragorn back to wholeness, then he could do it. You did a very nice job with this, Misty. Author Reply: Thank you so much for such a lengthy review. I always love to see just what it is people like and think about my stories. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be to keep this strictly in Aragorn's perspective, and show only what he was able to experience of the 'outside' world. I tried to show the emotions that he would be going through as he faced the fears that his new condition could be permanent, and the questions of what his life would be like if that were the case. I think he was quite lucky to have his loving family around him at this time. They weren't about to let him just hide in his room and withdraw from those around him. He may not have appreciated their efforts at first, but he came to see the wisdom in it. You're right that his family probably were not ready to accept the thought that he might be permanently affected by his injuries. They all would have fought as long and hard as necessary to heal him. I'm sure that they ould only accept such a thing when all had failed and they had no other choice. I am truly glad that you liked this story enough to leave such a great review. :)

meckinock	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/29/2006
This was a very moving and insightful story, Misty. I really enjoyed it. In the beginning, you did a great job of capturing Aragorn's panic and confusion. It was touching when he recognized Elrond's presence and was comforted by it, and even more moving when he began the halting, painstaking process of learning to communicate using only his sense of touch. The way you focused tightly in on Aragorn's POV during most of the story really helped to convey his isolation, frustration, depression, and determination in turn. It seemed very realistic for him to retreat to his bed and the comfort of sleep to escape from the reality of his situation, and very moving when his family gently but firmly forced him out of his bed and helped him to re-engage the world around him. By letting us in only on Aragorn's sensory input, you brought us into his world with him, and at the same time invited us to imagine what conversations might have been going on around him that he could not hear. It was especially moving, for example, in the beginning when he could hear the vibrations of Elrond's speech and feel the tear fall on his head, yet could not hear the words. I felt as if I could well imagine what they might have been. The relationships between Aragorn and Elrond, Elladan, and Elrohir were key to the story and their strength was illustrated very powerfully without being sappy or maudlin. One of my favorite scenes of the story was when Elrohir took Aragorn out to the balcony and simply sat beside him, shoulder to shoulder (and put up with his pipe.) By reducing Aragorn's comprehension to short phrases, you managed to impart enormous impact to simple sentiments like "you are welcome my brother." The love of this family for one another really carried through. Author Reply: Thank you so much for this review. I truly do enjoy writing my characters emotions as they react to situations and interact with each other. I love showing the relationships between Aragorn and his elven family, and their support was instrumental in this story in pulling Aragorn out of his self-imposed exile. It would have been very difficult for someone to find themselves in Aragorn's position, and I did try to show a realistic view of the emotions such a person would go through. Writing this story strictly from Aragorn's POV was rather difficult, but it was something I knew that I would do from the moment I thought of it. I wanted the readers to feel as if they were in Aragorn's place, only experiencing the world as he was constrained to do. It wasn't easy, but I'm glad you thought it worked so well. That's a relief. ;-) And the scene on the balcony was one of my favorites, too. That and the opening one with Elrond. :)

EllyBaggins	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/29/2006
i really loved this!! Author Reply: Thank you. I'm glad to hear it.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/29/2006
Counting steps is only useful so far, because the length of paces will change from time to time, according to how well the person feels, how fast he walks, how constricted he feels within the setting, and so on. But in time the individual who is blind gets a kinesthetic sense of how much further he must go to find a object or objective. A draft from the window or door, the scent of a bathroom or kitchen, the perfume worn by an individual, vibrations in the floor as someone comes near--there are many cues by which the individual can orient himself within the setting, although getting just a slight angle turned can totally disorient him. (Speaking as one who has studied and taught orientation and mobility skills for individuals who are blind.) You wrote that Aragorn recognized the stew and the moonflowers by their scent; he probably would have noted a body odor associated with Elrond and each of the twins as well, and probably could have made a guess at their most recent activities, particularly if they'd been riding or doing exercises or been drinking wine or ale. For the most part this was well done and more than reasonably realistic, although I'll warn you most corneal scarring such as you postulate for Aragorn would have left at least small patches that would slightly skew some vision. Have such a scar on my right eye from an accident when I was a child. I have to pay attention and have the left eye to locate that spot, but it remains. However, the brain tends to do well at seeing around such sites. Author Reply: Sounds like you would have been a great resource while I was writing this. I don't actually have any experience with this sort of thing, though I do have a friend who is legally blind. But she can still see some things and does not even need to use her cane in most places. My knowledge on the subject comes mostly from TV, reading and my imagination, plus a little bit of internet research. I'm actually quite glad that you found this 'more than reasonably realistic'. :) Oh, and Aragorn actually escaped any corneal scarring. It was one of their fears, but didn't materialize, so he didn't have any residual effects to his vision. Since he became such a great tracker, I couldn't actually give him any lasting visual complications. Thanks for the lengthy review, though. If I ever write another story where a character is blind, can I ask you for advice? :)

websterans	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/29/2006
Very interesting story. The emotions were handled well, deeply expressed without turning the story into an angst-fest. Overall, a nice read Author Reply: Thanks. :) I do like to explore the emotional reactions of my characters as they're faced with unexpected circumstances. I always enjoy hearing that people thought the emotions were realistic.

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/28/2006
Misty-- This was well done, I thought. You paced it well, showing us Aragorn's physical and emotional pain, but also rewarding us (and him) with slow progress. I liked the fact that he learned to take satisfaction from his life even when he had not yet recovered. I also liked the details of touch and smell that you showed when he was blind and deaf. I enjoyed reading this. daw Author Reply: Thanks. I'm happy that you liked reading this. I think it was largely due to Aragorn's family that he learned to take satisfaction in his life during his recovery. They weren't about to let him continue to wallow in his misery. I tried to show how Aragorn might be experiencing his life, and am relieved that you enjoyed those details.

Idril Celebrindal	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/28/2006
WOW! this was great Misty! It was a good filler on how Aragorn became such a great tracker and aware of his surroundings. Thank you! Author Reply: Thanks. I doubt this is how Tolkien imagined that Aragorn became such a good tracker, but I thought it was one possibility. ;-) You would certainly become more aware of what information you were receiving from your other senses if sight and hearing were abruptly taken from you, even temporarily.

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