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The Wars of the Valar  by Fiondil 9 Review(s)
TariReviewed Chapter: 6 on 7/8/2008
Námo is able to see beauty in anything, even a desert. I like that.

And then there is Vairë. It seems she is beginning to openly weave her web around Námo. Given the fact that they can send thoughts to each other, I find myself wondering if she knows what he is thinking. He seems to be just as insecure as the Second Born males.


Tari
P.S. Where can I find the Wordlists and dictionary you mentioned in your previous reply?


Author Reply: The Ayanumuz are still 'young' yet... more like precocious teenagers, so naturally Námo is going to be as insecure as any male of that age. *grin*

You can find the Wordlists by going to "Resources" here on SoA. Don't click on the Ardalambion link as that's a dead link. Instead, click on the elvish/gwaith link (the first one) and go to Ardalambion that way. DragonFlame you can just google for.

LindaleReviewed Chapter: 6 on 2/22/2008
>>With a sigh he wondered if Manwë had ever felt this stupid with Varda.

I love the idea of the Aura surrounding the valar, it's a really good idea.

Not enough people write storys about the time before the Elves.
I really, really like the list of Maia at the end, it is very useful!

Thank You.


Lindale

Author Reply: Actually, I don't know of any stories written about the Valar before the Coming of the Elves, which is why I thought it was a story that should be told. I'm glad you are enjoying this tale. The idea of the aurae just seems logical to me seeing as how these are not corporeal beings but beings of pure energy, each resonating on a slightly different frequency which would be as unique a signature for them as fingerprints, voiceprints and retinae would be for us.

The Character list was requested by many of my readers in order to keep track of whose Máyar were whose. I find it helpful myself in keeping all the characters straight in my own mind as I'm writing this story (and others where the Valar and Maiar are major characters). *grin*

KittyReviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/9/2007
Well, the beginning of the chapter doesn’t sound good. I wonder what will happen with these stars ... :-(

But it was a comfort to watch Námo and Vairë together. At least Námo now knows how much she loves him, even if he doesn’t believe yet that he is deserving her.


Author Reply: Yeah, the stars are troubling and we will eventually find out what Melkor was up to. On the other hand, Námo's little interlude with Vairë probably went a long way towards healing him from his encounter with Melkor.

ImhirielReviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/30/2007
I love very much how you convey the fact that they are incorporeal and "consist" of their thoughts. How that changes their actions and interactions, and how you have to cast it into different language or not.

And then this:
"Let’s incarnate," Vairë said unexpectedly

had me laughing hysterically for some reason.

I also very much appreciate the innocence in their nakedness: there is no lasciviousness, and on the other hand, no shame in their behaviour. Thank you for this.

Privately, though, he was beginning to think of it as Ambar-Vaireva. Perhaps one day, he mused, it might even be renamed Ambaremma.

Oh, he fell really hard, didn't he?

Author Reply: Remembering that they are incorporeal and consist of their thoughts makes it difficult to describe actions and reactions. How can someone nod their head if they don't actually have a head to nod? Yet, our language is inadequate to describe such actions without evoking physicality. Sometimes, I just give up and use the laguage with which we are familiar to express what is a purely spiritual state of being. It's not easy but I do the best I can to convey their incorporeality.

Vairé's "Let's incarnate" is on the same level, in human terms, with teenagers suddenly declaring "Let's go skinny-dipping!" *LOL* and rightly so. They are, after all, at the adolescent stage of their existence, edging slowly into maturity.

In fact, there is no "nakedness" for them. Clothing themselves in flesh is like putting on a good suit or dress, not the opposite. And yes, Námo is falling very hard indeed, though he little realizes it at this point. *grin*

eilujReviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/13/2007
It never occurred to me, reading the Silmarillion, that Ilmarë, as Varda’s chief Máya, would be an expert in stellar dynamics!

Wondering what’s going to become of those twelve stars -- and what Melkor thinks he can accomplish by it. (Well, I guess he knows he’s going to upset Varda! That might be all the goal he needs.) I don’t know enough about astronomy to know what kind of star they’ll turn out to be. It was an awfully large distraction Melkor organized (not that he doesn’t enjoy destruction for its own sake), so the disaster potential of those stars should be high....

"I think about Atar and wonder if he misses us and I think about the Children to come and wonder if they’ll like us" -- I definitely like her. But then, she does fiber arts, so why shouldn’t I like her?

The two of them are indeed well suited, and I look forward to seeing more of the relationship. No worries -- Vairë’s got everything under control.


Author Reply: There is very little information other than her name about Ilmarë, but I figure any Máya of Varda's better know something about stars and stellar dynamics or they'll be looking for another Ayanuz to work for. *grin*

What Melkor has plans for those 12 particular stars will become apparent eventually but not immediately.

I like Vairë too. She's definitely a good infuence on Námo and whether he realizes it or not, she has her eyes on him and will not be letting him go.

Beruthiels CatReviewed Chapter: 6 on 8/13/2007
It's a joy to see Námo and Vairë appearing as young and innocent as your characters in EI....adorable courtship! I was just looking in on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive for their slant on the Perseids and saw a Star Factory link-guess who it made me think of,lol...I had to wonder if you ever use their site for visualizing your descriptions?

BC

Author Reply: I use another of "astronomy" sites for information and inspiration, including NASA's. And sometimes I just make it up based on my own memories of Astronomy 101 classes in college, as well as Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" series.

TiraReviewed Chapter: 6 on 8/13/2007
ooooooohhhhh! i loved it. so sweet. *sighs* and by the by...did manwë ever feel that stupid with varda? :)

Author Reply: Í'm sure he did, but I doubt he'd ever admit it; it'd do nothing for his image as the Elder King. *lol*

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 6 on 8/13/2007
Oh, how sweet! Now to find what the change in spectrum presages.

Soon they will be espoused properly.

Author Reply: We will find out what Melkor was up to eventually. And how do you define "soon" with respect to immortal beings? *grin* But yes, "soon" they will be properly espoused.

Nieriel RainaReviewed Chapter: 6 on 8/12/2007
*melts into puddle of goo* Do you know how hard it is to type as goo? Very messy!

Stephen Lawhead holds nothing on you, Fiondil. I'd much rather read a chapter from you. And what a lovely chapter! I am curious about what Melkor did to the stars. But I'll have to wait to find out.

The part with Námo and Vairë was perfect! Very sweet and innocent and so very well done. *stands back and applauds with enthusiasm* I love watching the young love between these too and look forward to seeing it develop. Námo is adorable and Vairë is so good for him. Like Manwë I look forward to seeing Námo discover this for himself. In the meantime, I'll just pull him over and hug him, shall I? *wink*

I recently read a story where someone else tried to write the Valar and I had to stop. You have spoiled me for other authors! I can't stop referring your work to everyone, it's so good.

Thank you for another chapter to such a captivating story! I look forward to more, but will wait patiently until such time as you grant us one.

*grabs Hood and finds it strangely lacking all of a sudden... *

NiRi

Author Reply: Well, I'm flattered! Thanks for your wonderful review. I haven't read any other writer's Valar-centric story so I have no idea how the Valar are portrayed in them. I have read other stories where the Valar, in partcular Námo, are portrayed and found them not to my taste. Námo especially is often portrayed as cold and unforgiving and I just can't see him that way. I think that the image we have of him in the Silmarillion is through the distorted lens of guilt and fear that the Exilic Noldor felt because of their rebellion. They would have reason to see Námo in such a light, but that isn't the whole truth.

Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed this little chapter. I am finding that Námo and Vairë's courtship is very sweet and tender and fun to write about.

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