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The Wars of the Valar  by Fiondil 8 Review(s)
Agape4GondorReviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/13/2008
Sorry I'm so late reviewing - and I will be gone for a week - so I must get something written at least.

I'm miffed, very miffed, at Manwe's threats. They ill become him! Demeaning Namo is not the answer, as Manwe's states, but that is exactly what would happen, and probably worse, if he demoted him. *shudders*

I liked the ceremony - glad everyone is back where they belong!

Author Reply: Sometimes being the leader sucks when you have to make the hard decisions and sometimes being mean is part of it. Manwë is giving Námo a wake-up call here and as harsh as it might seem, it's really one aspect of tough-love that few of us want to look at.

Agape4GondorReviewed Chapter: 18 on 2/2/2008
Somehow I've missed the last few chapters... but at the moment am battling another interminable cold! Drat... therefore I will just say here that I am glad that healing is really beginnning - for all. Great last chapters.

Author Reply: Well, at least you found them eventually and I'm glad you enjoyed them. I hope your cold gets better soon.

KittyReviewed Chapter: 18 on 1/30/2008
"I fear that our younger brother must eventually face Melkor again or he will never be free of our Fallen Brother’s hold on him." I fear Varda is right, though I don’t like it much *sigh*

Ah, good. Now everyone has his own Mayar back, and the ceremony itself helped Námo to remember a bit more about his past. He’s truly on the way to recovery. And I think it helps to know that Vairë’s Mayar loved him, too. It was very nicely done, btw.


Author Reply: Another confrontation between Melkor and Námo is inevitable and it's debatable how Námo will handle it.

The ceremony of redemption has gone a long way to helping Námo to heal. And thanks for the compliment. I appreciate it.

Nieriel RainaReviewed Chapter: 18 on 1/6/2008
YAY! Another chapter!

-- the "Red Star Incident". --

LOL! I love the occasional phrases that are almost reminiscent of Star Trek or Star Wars. *grin*

As sad as it was to see Námo relive those memories and strike out against his own, and to see him so downhearted, here we begin to see him mature again.

-- The thought of ever hating their lord was so alien to Námo’s Máyar that none of them could respond adequately to Manwë’s words. --

I just love the loyalty and faithfulness of these Mayar!

-- "I fear that our younger brother must eventually face Melkor again or he will never be free of our Fallen Brother’s hold on him." --

Yea, I’ve known this for some time, and am dreading it, but also preparing to cheer! For only in another confrontation, this time victorious, can we see the future confident Námo begin to emerge. I suppose I’ll keep my blankey and my new wolfie (gift from Nina) close by. *pats wolf* His name is Tulkas. *smile* Fitting, no?

I can’t help but wonder at the significance of the eclipse here. And I do wonder how you will marry your portrayal of the universe here (complete with solar systems) with Arda under the stars only and the sun and moon only coming later.

So glad to see Námo finally remember Vairë, and see her return and redeem her people. These two still have a long way to go, but maybe now, they can find some healing in each other.

Another fabulous chapter! I really am enjoying this story greatly. Thank you!

NiRi







Author Reply: There are bound to be setbacks in Námo's healing (as there are in all healings) and we see that here. Still, the experience does open the door to greater maturation on his paqrt, which is all to the good. His Máyar are fiercely loyal to him, perhaps because they probably are looked down upon by some of the other Máyar (being fewer in number than the others who have taken allegiance with one of the other Ayanumuz). At any rate, that loyalty will help Námo come to terms with himself and claim the Lordship that is his by right.

I think Tulkas is a perfectly apt name for your wolfie. LOL

As for the eclipse... I think we're seeing the beginnings of where Námo comes up with the idea for his personal emblem of the Sun-in-Eclipse. As for the how I plan to integrate Arda under the stars only with the physical universe as we know it today.... you'll find out soon enough. *grin*

Glad you enjoyed this chapter and are enjoying the story overall. Thanks for reviewing.

ImhirielReviewed Chapter: 18 on 1/6/2008
I think you described the gradual development (both progress and setbacks) of Námo's recovery very well.

"And he must begin to guard himself," Varda added. "I fear that our younger brother must eventually face Melkor again or he will never be free of our Fallen Brother’s hold on him."

Biting fingernails in anticipation and sympathy...

And more incentive for my "fangurling" of Maranwë *g*...

I enjoyed the ceremony of transfering the allegiance of the Máyar back to Vairë, especially that mix of formality, endearing awkwardness on all sides, and the confidence shining underneath it despite it all.

Author Reply: Hi, Imhiriel. Námo's progress is a matter of two steps forward and one step back, but it's progress nonetheless. And we all know that the confrontation between Melkor and Námo has to happen (or there's no real point to this story, is there? *grin*). Happily, it will not be for some time yet, so we can all relax (sort of).

I'm glad you like Maranwë. He's one of my favorite OCs too and I enjoy writing about him in my other stories as well. And I'm happy to know that you also enjoyed the ceremony. It is indeed a mixture of formality, endearing awkwardness and a hint of Námo's confidence and lordliness which he is slowly but surely beginning to reclaim for himself. Thank you for reviewing.

RadbooksReviewed Chapter: 18 on 1/3/2008
Oh, so finally Namo remembers Vaire! Hopefully, some of the other memories will follow soon. Well, I suppose those won't be pleasant but I know it has to happen for full healing to take place. Though I shuddered when Varda mentioned that he'll have to face Melkor again. Of course he will, but oh, I dread that scene. (Good lord, you'd think these were real people! :)

I liked the ceremony where the Mayar were returned to Vaire. That Namo had to come up with it himself was good because it seemed like it would make him more Lordly in the eyes of the Mayar who might have been wondering about him - not his own people who seem to love him without question, but I just wondered about the others. It was moving, especially where the one knelt before Namo one last time and everyone else followed and then it opened up more memories.

Thanks for sharing!

Author Reply: Hi Radbooks. We all know that there has to be at least one more confrontation between Námo and Melkor. I don't look forward to writing it myself, but I know it's something that will have to be done. Anyway, it's like a soap opera, isn't it, thinking these characters are real people? LOL Yet, who's to say they aren't? Certainly they seem more real to me than many of the people I meet in daily life.

I'm glad you liked the ceremony. I think the way Námo came up with it helped others, especially the Máyar of the other Ayanumuz, to see him as Lordly, in spite of what has happened. Námo is beginning to reclaim his standing within their society and this ceremony was an important milestone for him in his recovery of himself.

Thanks for reviewing!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 18 on 1/3/2008
Ah, it's good to see the memories returning, and indeed the families restored. Now, to see him remembering his attraction to Vaire.

Author Reply: Yes, the memories are slowly but surely returning and families are restored. I'm sure Námo will remember his attration to Vairë eventually, if not as quickly as Vairë would like.*grin* Thanks for reviewing, Larner.

AlquawendeReviewed Chapter: 18 on 1/3/2008
I loved the ceremony part. It's very creative and it shows perfectly how Namo felt during it. The part where Vaire embraces her people is just such a perfect scene to end the chapter. This chapter though shows that you are very good at showing the emotions of characters, specifically Namo. His fears are perfectly shown, not told. Thanks for writing!

Author Reply: Hi, Alquawendë. I'm glad you liked the ceremony of redemption. And I'm glad you think I'm good at showing, not just telling, the emotions of my characters. It's not easy to do and I'm sometimes never sure if I'm getting it right. I appreciate it when a reader tells me that I have indeed gotten something right. Thanks for reviewing.

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