Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Tide of Destiny - Part One: Choices  by Lady Bluejay 5 Review(s)
EStrunkReviewed Chapter: 18 on 7/4/2011
I love your Tolkien excerpts. The combination of your story with the Return of the King gives me chills.
I loved how they originally despaired when they saw the ghost ships, before realizing that Aragorn was leading them. Eomer's words when he thought they were lost were magnificent. (I loved "Morgoth's balls" as an exclamation too.)
I still wasn't clear who had grabbed Lothiriel.
Elphir's reaction to Lothiriel felt very real, very human. But I did love that Meren stood up for her.
Just beautiful.

Author Reply: I used the Tolkien excerpts because not all readers are familiar with the books and also because I could not improve on what the master had written. I am glad it worked so well.

Sorry if you were a bit confused - one of Elphir's men grabbed Lothy to stop her giving them away just before they attacked the Harad camp.

Thanks a lot for reviewing - its much appreciated.LBJ

ElflingimpReviewed Chapter: 18 on 8/6/2008
This chapter was just fantastic! I love the way you are putting this story together, with following the book and your own story, I had hope Lothiriel would be okay when she went out of the secret passage, I see Eomer and her coming closer and closer to meeting each other. I just can't wait for the next chapter The Imp

Author Reply: Ha! Don't expect them to meet quite yet! And I do enjoy weaving my story around the canon.

Thanks for reviewing. LBJ

PryderiReviewed Chapter: 18 on 8/5/2008
Wow Lady Bluejay! This was fantastic (in all senses of course). Both youngsters have made blunders from which they have been reprieved (because the wind changed by whatever agency) and are now stronger as a result.
I loved your extended quotes. Your intro, as I'm sure you know is featured in the PS to Tolkien's letter No 165 where he says that despite its faults his book has some merits and that "....I am most stirred by the sound of the horses of the Rohirrim at cockcrow...". The quote at the end is one of my personal favourites and one day I may expand on the little thing I have written to the effect that it is poetry not prose.
Tolkien uses alliteration for serious occasions. The hobbits do not use it (I don't think). At least that is my interpretation. Your first quote has in the first line "Grond was hurled forward by huge hands". There are a lot more examples. I did not expect you to emulate this but then I read "merciless predator intent on pulling the entrails from his prey" when describing the Witch King and Mithrandir (I do hope Lothiriel meets up with him again) followed by a change to the language of ordinary people (Morgoth's balls indeed. It ought not to be allowed!).
What else? Well Elphir raising the siege was a surprise to me as I suspected him to be supporting Angbor on the Pelennor. I think we must have another chapter about Derufin and Duilin and the deaths of all the other noble warriors: Grimbold, Halbarad etc.
Probably already too long but just a brilliant job. Thank you.
Pryderi.

Author Reply: Thank you for your lovely review. I have to admit to the passage about Gandalf facing off the Witch King to be just about my all time favorite.

As for the language - LOL - I think Amroth and Eothain would describe things and speak, differently - they must have had very different upbringings.

I am glad I surprised you with Elphir - I enjoyed fitting his story into the canon.

You will hear more abut Duinhir and his sons, but maybe not until the next part. What happened to them is central to the plot of the second part of the trilogy.

Hope you enjoy the rest. LBJ

AlquawendeReviewed Chapter: 18 on 8/5/2008
Eomer must be so glad to meet with Aragorn again. I like the idea that Aragorn and Elphir had met during the war. Another fabulous chapter! I can't wait for the next one!

Author Reply: Thank you - I like to focus on the relationship between Aragorn and Eomer - it was forged at Helm's Deep and lasted thought Eomer's life.LBJ

whitewaveReviewed Chapter: 18 on 8/5/2008
Hi! Thanks for the update. I was very anxious to see what happened with Lothy but managed to restrain myself from looking at the middle of the chapter. I wondered where Elphir was in the first few paragraphs and I'm glad I waited. I'm liking how things are progressing and wonder how Legolas perceived Lothy's distress. It's good that she emerged unscathed from all this. I enjoyed the way you fleshed out the siege of Gondor and the battle in the Pelennor fields from Amroth's and Erchir's POV.

BTW, I've reviewed a number of your stories in HASA but where would you prefer me to review, here or there?

Author Reply: Hi Whitewave.

I am so pleased to get reviews for this that I really don't mind where you post them - wherever you feel most comfortable.

As regards Legolas - I was just playing with the idea of thought transference - he's an elf and she is fey! But he didn't see all - he just knew something was wrong in Dol Amroth.LBJ

Return to Chapter List