News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Oathbreakers by Thundera Tiger | 12 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Virtuella | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/4/2008 |
| This is a very insightful story with sound psychology and an interpretation of canon which is sensitive as well as original. The prose is immaculate and though it is heavily based on dialogue, the story never falters. In the conversation between the brothers, this one concrete point in time and space opens up to the wider scenario of the struggles of the peoples of Middle-earth and skillfully places the encounter between Aragorn and Eowyn in the context of several major themes of the Tolkienverse. Elladan and Elrohir are eminently suited to convey such a story line. I like this story very much indeed. (This sounds a bit formal, because I just copied and pasted my MEFA review.) Author Reply: Reviews are always good, formal or not, and many thanks for the vote in the MEFAs! I'm glad you felt that this story managed to keep itself afloat despite all the dialogue. There is a lot of it, but then, the twins are sometimes hard to keep quiet. :) And I'm thrilled that you caught all the theme references. I had no idea if I'd overplayed or underplayed that part, and it's good to hear someone appreciated it. Thank you again! | |
| Esteliel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/25/2007 |
| Wow... *mouth hangs open* WHAT an awesome story. Such awesome writing. Wow! I bow to you, Thundera Tiger. This tale is amazing. Thank you for writing and sharing it. ~Esteliel | |
| Mairi | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/8/2007 |
| I loved how you managed to keep Elrohir's voice Elrohir's and Elladan's Elladan's. Sometimes I feel they are written as one character who can switch his personality when the author finds it useful. | |
| Naledi | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/20/2007 |
| I love these gap-fillers and it is a real treat to see one from Elladan and Elrohir's perspective - their contribution is glossed over in the book. Not to mention totally ignored in the films... I loved the musings on oathbreaking and whether or not it is always ultimately a bad thing. Good coming from evil is a theme that runs through LOTR and you pick up on that nicely here. I also liked the flash of humour in the line: Baffled, Elladan could only stare at his brother. “We stand upon the brink of terrible war, our dwindling numbers are pitted against the dark forces of a fallen Maiar, the hope that is also our doom rests upon the shoulders of a simple hobbit, and you ask if there is reason to fear?” An apt summary of the apparent futility of the quest! Author Reply: Glad you liked Elladan's "summary," though I can't take full credit for that. It didn't exist in the original drafts, and then my beta Docmon pointed out that there was a rather sudden shift in tone where that summary now exists. So the inspiration came from her. But I'm glad you like it! Glad you caught theme of good from evil and vice versa, too. That came in kind of as an afterthought, and I wasn't sure anyone would pick up on it. So kudos, and thank you for the feedback! It is very much appreciated! | |
| phyloxena | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/20/2007 |
| I love it, esp. this line: For now, we must be as both elves and men: we must look to our own, and we must forget the past. I think this respectable, sad and phylosophycal tone is very fitting for Tolkien's T.A. elves. Author Reply: I think it's fitting, too, for Elladan and Elrohir, who are in a sense both. They straddle the gap, which is kind of an awkward position. And some of the purpose of this story was to focus on that, though it was more or less forgotten by the end. Ah well. Anyway, thank you so much for the review, and for highlighting what you liked. Feedback like this is always helpful! Thanks again! | |
| Adrianne | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/19/2007 |
| Hello Thundera. I am a fairly recent reader of your works. I've only just discovered Stories of Arda this past April and 'Land of Light and Shadows' was the very first story I read. I flew through its chapters utterly amazed and beguiled. I was subsequently disapppointed to reach the last chapter you had posted only to realize that you had not updated in quite some time. I feared that you might not. So imagine my great delight to come home from a brief trip out of town to discover an email update in my mail box. I was more than delighted. I was thrilled. Your perspective in this story is quite fascinating and brilliantly presented. The connection you make between Eowyn's situation and that of the cursed Dead is savory food for thought, and that the unheard but ever present Dead may be an influence on the choice she later makes to abdandon her charge is very intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue between Elladan and Elrohir. It is easy to see how the 'whispers' of the Dead have begun to influence even them. I like the distinction that Elrohir makes between 'Aragorn' and 'Estel'. He has changed indeed, through all of his trials. Who would not? Fortunately, those changes all prove to be the best for Middle-earth. I like the way you have written the duality of Elladan's bloodline exerting influence on him. Very well done. "Aragorn proved more difficult to locate, but by following the sound of his voice, Elladan eventually saw through the deceit of Lothlórien’s cloak." I really loved the description above. All in all, an amazing little gap filler containing much to ponder. And as I have come to expect in all of your writings, it is masterfully written. May I add my voice to those who would like to see Legolas' situation in 'Land of Light and Shadows' resolved? I look forward to it, whenever it comes. Adrianne Author Reply: Hey Adrianne, Thank you very much for your review, and I'm glad it was enjoyable. I was a little hesitant in posting about whether or not the connection between Eowyn and the Dead would go over well, so it's very good to get feedback on that. To me, it seemed natural, but I've been known to misinterpret things before. :) Glad you liked the descriptions, too, and the distinction between Estel and Aragorn. Sometimes I think that this distinction gets overstated, but at other times, I wonder if we give it enough credit. I was trying to find a balance here. Not sure if I succeeded, but for what it's worth, that was one of the story's purposes... Anyway, regarding the WIP LLS, I regret to say that there is another WIP that is receiving a bit more attention right now simply because its next chapter is closer to being finished. Which doesn't mean LLS is being tossed out. It's just still on the backburner. Sorry about that. I am trying, but it's more likely that there will be different updates before I swing back around to it. My apologies! | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/19/2007 |
| I wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed this! It touched on so many interesting aspects of events and not just of the characters. At a moment some people would never consider a real turning point. This sort of thing is not that easy to find in much of fanfiction, which imho tends to be very emotional and not emotionally driven. For a relativly short piece, it is simply chockful of interesting points and clever insights. I liked them all. But, the biggest goodie for me was pondering over Eowyn's choices, both forced and influenced. I have long felt her love for Aragorn was a form of hero-worship. Excellent, just excellent. Author Reply: Hello! First of all, thank you so much for the review. I'm glad it had the feel of a turning point, because to my mind, it kind of is. But I wasn't sure how to convey that in fic form without overdoing it. So I'm glad some of it came out. That makes me feel much better, and I have to say thank you again for giving me feedback on it. Glad you liked the Eowyn parts, too. I completely agree with you that Eowyn's love of Aragorn is largely influenced by hero-worship as well as distaste for what she's been forced to cope with when Wormtongue influenced Rohan. As for her choices, I have to strongly recommend Dwimordene's "Justice," which deals with that issue on the level of heroine vs traitor. Very good story. | |
| ZIGGY | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/18/2007 |
| Ah- I have miised you Thundera. The quality of this is superb. You start with Elladan's nervousness- building up a breath-holding tension- his ancestry whispers to him, and at the same time, Elrohir is hearing how they are forgotten by the Rohirrim ( and the last reference to the fading of the elves added to the sense of sadness). The overheard conversation is really effective because the eavesdroppers never intrude and the eavesdropping is in iteself complicated; for Elladan it is a protection for Aragorn, but with Elrohir's suspicion, it is a sort of betrayal of his own trust. He needs Elladan to put Aragorn into perspective for him, because he too, is caught by the whispering. And is shocked by being forgotten by the Rohirrim- not a shock born of arrogance but of regret that the alliance is forgotten. They do not remember, and that reference to the fading of the elves has all the more poignancy because of the reality Elrohir has faced in their forgetting. The distinction between Aragorn and Estel is esential here - it marks Aragorn as having changed, he is becoming the King. The notion of oathbreakers and oathkeepers is wonderfully explored here- the reference to Feanor's sons as oathkeepers opens up that whole idea. What marks this story is its many layers- as always. Eowyn, thrice wronged, is going to break her oath to her king if you like, but because of that, she slays the Witch-King. Because the oathbreakers did not keep their word to Isilur, they are there for Aragorn, and Minas Tirith is saved. So good to see you back!! I do hope Land of Light and Shadows is nudging your imagination- still cant leave poor old Dashnir stuck out in the desert having been so cunningly tricked by Legolas... I loved that momnet of realsiation when he realises the blood is old, and you cant leave Gimli alone for a second longer - he needs help!!!!!!! Author Reply: Hey Ziggy! To begin with, I have to thank you for a very analytical and insightful review. I wasn't thinking through all of that while writing. Some of it, yeah, but I'm thrilled you were able to pull so much from the story. That's one of the biggest compliments I can have. THANK YOU! And I'm glad you liked the layers in this story. That was something that gave me fits in the writing, because the whole timing is so nuanced and the way everything comes together has so many little connections that it makes it difficult to give credit to all of it in a gapfiller. So I'm glad that some sense of the layers was preserved. Thank you again for feedback on that, too! As far as LLS...like I told someone else, there's another WIP that's closer to having an update, so my energy is going there for a while. But LLS isn't that far off either, so if I get stuck, I might switch gears and backtrack to it. But I can't make any promises because I can't guarantee anything in writing. Wish I could offer something better, and I do apologize for that. I'm definitely not a very consistent writer. But thank you, anyway, for the review! You made my day. | |
| tnt2b2 | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/17/2007 |
| It is so good to read one of your stories again. “I do not doubt Estel,” Elrohir said, shrugging off Elladan’s hold and stopping his march. “I doubt Aragorn.” s I loved this particular line. Elrohir see the difference in the man that grew up in Imladris and the man who is to be King. I hope to hear more from you. Any hope of "Land of Light and Shadows"? Author Reply: First of all, many thanks for the review. And I'm glad you liked the Estel/Aragorn line. While writing it, it was one of my favorites, too. As for LLS...I'm working on it. One of the WIPs is much closer to having an update, though, so I'm funneling my energy into that. But LLS isn't that far off. I just got caught on a plot complication, swept into another WIP, and it's been unattended for a while. But I promise that I'm working on all of them. It's just taking a while. And I can't promise an update in the near future because...well, it's just better if I don't make promises. I wish I could offer you something better, but it's the best I can do. Sorry! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/17/2007 |
| Oh what a brilliant notion! The idea of comparing Eowyn to the forsworn Dead, that she might have been influenced by her nearness to them into taking her desperate action is really very feasible. And I love the way you chose to tell this from Elladan's and Elrohir's POV--wow, this was wonderful! Author Reply: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and I'm glad that the link between Eowyn and the Dead worked for you. I wasn't sure if I was grasping at straws when I didn't need to, but it made sense to me. I'm just glad it seems to make sense to others, too. Glad you liked Elladan and Elrohir, too. I needed some outside viewpoints that didn't have a lot of involvement in the situation, and they fit the bill nicely. | |