News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| All that is gold... by perelleth | 13 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| ziggy | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/22/2009 |
| This is wonderful! It absoutely captures the atmosphere of the Hobbit, its sort of fairy tale lightness and the eerie undertones and subtle hints at greater things. Beautifully written! Author Reply: Thank-you, Ziggy! I am glad that you feel it close to The Hobbit! That was what I was aiming for. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/10/2007 |
| Absolutely wonderful!! There are so many details in this that I absolutely love I cannot even list them all here. Such a perfect meeting between young Estel and Bilbo. And everyone's characters were so perfectly captured. I love this! Author Reply: Thank you! It was great fun to write, even if hobbits and children are far from my comfort zone! But BIlbo is truly delightful, I find, and the story asked for a sequel! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/28/2007 |
| Yes, a momentous meeting between two who will remain friends for many decades. Love the realization the Ring is being used, even if they have no idea what is happening. And love the beginning of the Riddle of Aragorn. Author Reply: THank-you Larner, I am so glad that you liked it! I love the the "All that is gold.." part of the riddle, so I wanted to fnd even a deeper meaning to those words for Aragorn. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/27/2007 |
| That first line is brilliant! I can just see little Estel looking jadedly at his wooden warriors! And his justification for going to the kitchen to find his knife - well, of course he needs it. He doesn't want to risk Elrohir getting hurt, now does he? While Bilbo - you can't keep a good hobbit from a kitchen. He must be desperate for a snack after all that feasting! And the presentation of Elladan's anger that the goblin problem - and Dol Guldur - had been allowed to fester to their family's harm is really very reasonable. Although, I suppose, the whole problem with trying to anticipate history is that, however many threads you see, there are far more that you don't. Not even if you're Mithrandir. (Otherwise Saruman would never have become the louse he did.) But the feeling that overcame Elrond and Mithrandir when Bilbo donned IT - very ominous. I wonder if it is part of what led Mithrandir to spend so much time visiting the Shire thereafter. Even if only indirectly. The charm of Bilbo being trapped by Estel! Each finds the other absolutely fascinating. I love that Bilbo thinks he's an elfling. Why shouldn't he, after all? I doubt he has much experience of the children of Men - and probably none at all of the Dunedain. While Estel's learned honesty is touching - he can't have found it easy to hide misdemeanours around a houseful of adult elves (and a sharp-eyed mother) and certainly knows it is better to confess than be found out. And being found out is probably infinitely better than telling a lie. While what Bilbo says about love/friendship being above treasure - both true and good words for the boy to hear from someone who was not in a parental role! I love the gift that Bilbo leaves for him! Beautifully woven! A delightful and very clever story, perelleth. I love it. Author Reply: I'm so glad that you picked up the first line! I fought so long with the opening, but in the end I am quite proud of it! :-) I think that Bilbo was expecting elves in an elven house, nad it was night and elven children and huan chidlren were not very differnt in their first years...so all in all I think it was quite belivable that he would have assumed what he expected to see. As I said, I had always wondered whether ELrond had felt something when Bilbo was there carrying the RIng, and I assumed that if hte hobbit wore the RIng, the RIng bearers would perceive something they were not used to. Something strange and unpredicted. Glad that it worked for you. Thanks again. | |
| grumpy | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/25/2007 |
| Such a great story, Bilbo and Estel stories are some of my favorite ones to read, and yours was a good one. Estel learned many things that night, not to leave his things arround, and friendship is a treasure. Loved the part about how Elrond could feel the ring, but did not know what it was that he felt. Author Reply: THank you, grumpy. THere are so many good authors writing hobbits and young Estel that I felt a bit intimidated, so I am glad that you liked it. I alwasy wondered about the presence of the ONe in IMladris in Bilbo's time... and its effect on the other two RIng bearers present. | |
| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/25/2007 |
| Poor Estel. I'll bet he's not really used to the "children should be not seen and not heard" routine. My heart dropped when he realized his most treasured belonging was gone - and that it'd become a permanent part of Elrond's collection if he found it first! And it's so endearing - if a little sad - that he's already old enough to take seriously advice on the care of his weapons. His stealth mission to the kitchens was so adorable. You can really see the Ranger inside the boy. It was lovely to imagine how happy Bilbo must have been in Thranduil's halls, the center of attention and lovingly composed songs. Oh, but what's this? He put on the Ring! In the Last Homely House? I never thought about what effect that might have on the other Ringbearers, but good grief, I can see where it would rock their senses. And poor Elrond, thinking it was some misfired attempt by Gandalf to reassure him LOL. I absolutely loved the scene with Estel and Bilbo, chatting and sharing apples. You can tell Estel has had a good upbringing to be such a good listener at that age! Cruel author, leaving Elrond and Gandalf to ponder their momentary disorientation like that...and to surprise Gandalf with news of Elrond's "youngest son." LOLOL. This was wonderful, Perelleth. And Happy Birthday (again) to Dot! Author Reply: Thank-you, meckinock. I had always wondered if Elrond had felt something strange during BIlbo's brief sojourn in IMladris after his adventure, since that was the first time the ONe was there..I thought that if he wore it, the other two RIngs could not help but feel it, though briefly and distortedly. I am glad that you liked it! | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/25/2007 |
| What a terrific story! You really captured the character of both child and hobbit so very well! And the writing was wonderful, too! I especially like several of the small things you included. Like Estel trying to stalk his way to the kitchen and not even making it out of his room before yelping in surprise. And Bilbo being somewhat surprised by his sedentary side at the sight of a soft bed. I personally can relate to that! His discovery of the Ring in his pants' pocket was subtly ominous without distracting from the moment of his being discovered. Following that with the parallel scene in the Hall of Fire was just great stuff! The setup to that scene was handled beautifully as well. Estel listening with the intensity of a young, innocent adventurer was as endearing to the reader as to Bilbo, I think. His honesty about the broken jar where he would have kept silent about sneaking around to fix a problem was so honorable and perfectly human. Last bit I must mention - Gandalf so causally informed about 'that youngest son of yours'. Priceless! All around of lovely gift for Dot, who as Daw says deserves special appreciation for her lovely reviews. Author Reply: THank you, Redhered! Hobbits and children are truly dfficult to me, so I'm doubly glad that it came out rightly. I had a great time playing aorund with the set up and the timing, and the two wandering the halls, and of course, picking up the details. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I personally can relate to that! Boy, so do I! :-) | |
| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/25/2007 |
| I’ve never seen anyone write a restless child as well as that! LOL. That was really great. Poor Estel. It’s so true that the harder you try to get to sleep, the less likely it is to happen! And that moment of horror when he realises that the knife is missing after being warned to look after his things! You captured perfectly the reaction of a child. I admit I laughed when he considers all the things that might happen that he couldn’t do anything about if he didn’t have his knife. He’s so serious about it. I love your Bilbo. You capture him so well. He’s so utterly delighted with the teasing, light-hearted elves and so interested in their tales and yet so practical about such important things as being well fed :-) “We could have done this five hundred years ago!” Oh, wow. That stopped me in my tracks. I’d never before thought of how Celebrian’s family might react like that. I’m sure Elrond has enough wisdom to know that Mithrandir is right that they don’t know what might have happened but still, it must hurt to think that such pain might have been avoided. And what an incredible moment when Elrond felt that shift when Bilbo put on the ring. […] a darkness that was pooling and lurking at the edge of reality, extending probing fingers and searching blindly for a way in. I felt a chill at that. It’s so frightening. I though it was very well done too how everything around Elrond becomes more muffled and distant even as he’s still aware of Mithrandir. LOL at Estel lying in wait to pounce on Elrohir only to discover it’s the very person he was supposed to keep away from! Good thing Bilbo is so good-natured. I love how he tries to put the child at ease. I’m still grinning at how the two of them end up munching apples. What a wonderful time they both must have had with Bilbo telling his tales and Estel listening. It was a nice touch that Estel is most interested in the strategies of the battle and weapons used. I particularly like Bilbo’s humility and honesty with the child. He’ll tell a colourful tale but he never glorifies it. “All that is gold does not glitter. Thorin gave me his friendship and that is a treasure that I will carry within myself for as long as I live and beyond. That is of more worth than gold” Now that’s beautiful. For all that he wondered what lesson he could teach the child in front of him, I think he found a pretty good one. It would be too easy in the midst of the grand tales to forget what’s really important. And I’m glad to see that this is what Bilbo brings back with him. I absolutely love that these two become friends. They each seem to recognise something very worthy in the other. The brief scene between Elrond and Mithrandir was very well done too. There’s such a sense of foreboding in that realisation of the great need now for vigilance. Estel’s honesty made me smile. He really does have a good heart and I was glad to see that he admitted to his little escapade. What a shock for Mithrandir, though, to hear Bilbo so casually refer to Elrond’s youngest child! ROTFL! So it seems that part at least was mostly successful - and Bilbo didn’t realise that Estel wasn’t an elven child at all. I love too that Estel seems to have shared with Elrond the lesson that Bilbo taught him. It just shows that it made an impression on him, even if he mightn’t yet quite understand the depth of it. It was an eagle-shaped cloak pin that looked quite ancient, judging by the notches and scratches on its dull, lustreless surface. “It does not glitter,” Bilbo explained with a conniving wink. “But it is still gold. He will understand.” Oh, I love that!! And eagle! A sign of who he will become and a wonderful reminder not only of a friend but of the importance of knowing what’s really worth treasuring. This is a truly wonderful story, Perelleth. Thank you so much for the gift, not only of the story but of your time, which I know has far too many demands on it these days. Author Reply: WOw, thank yo Dot! It was not my birthday but yours! :-) Seriously, I am glad that you enjoyed it. I really like BIlbo's hionestyl common sense and good heart, and it was a great chance to explore how the adventure had affected him. And the all that is gold part in the riddle always caught my attention, and I love the underlying sense. And also I always wondered if Elrond would have felt, and how, the One's presence in IMladris. SO in the end it was a light and dark tale, with the ominous things that are to come and yet light enough, I hope, as it becomes a birthday present. THank you again for your kind words. I had missed the appointment last year so I owed you, and had started with enough time! | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/23/2007 |
| What a charming story! Estel and Bilbo make such a pair, what with Bilbo being so good with kids, and Estel being such a kid's kid. I like that it was Bilbo who gave Estel the pin that would eventually make him Thorongil. Those sorts of connections are too cool. Author Reply: THank you, FP. I too think that BIlbo and Estel at that age ould have been an entertainig pair to watch from a hidden place! Hobbits and children I find terribly difficult to write, but I must admit that I enjoyed writing their part. And also I loved the detail of the pin. If my meory serves me, Thorongil's was of mithril, but there was still the wink. Glad you caught it! :-) | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/23/2007 |
| You're so good with canon, Perelleth. It never occurred to me to wonder how Elrond reacted to the removal of Sauron too late to save Celebrian. And that moment when Elrond reacts to Bilbo wearing the ring is wonderful. I hadn't even thought about how wearing one of the Three would give him particular resonance with it. The idea of Bilbo and Estel being friends forshadows their relationship in FOTR so well. And I loved Estel's unwillingness to deceive, so that moment when Elrond says "So he told me" is very satisfying. Of course, Gandalf is going to want to know! Author Reply: THank you, DAw! I love canon, as you have suffered for yourself! :-) SEriously, I think it offers so many chances and different povs that it is always enough source of inspiration to me. Canon is what happened in the lives of these characters so it is easy to introduce in the whole tale. Glad that you enjoyed it, and thanks again! :-) Author Reply: THank you, DAw! I love canon, as you have suffered for yourself! :-) SEriously, I think it offers so many chances and different povs that it is always enough source of inspiration to me. Canon is what happened in the lives of these characters so it is easy to introduce in the whole tale. Glad that you enjoyed it, and thanks again! :-) | |