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The Green Knight and the Master of Esgaroth  by Le Rouret 10 Review(s)
ShlainReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/15/2009
This is my first review of any of your stories so it will be a bit lengthy. First I say thank you for your style of writing, because out of all the fanfics I have read your stories are the only fics that do not depict the elves as over sensitive drug enduced giggling hippies who have pefect lives and as beings who are incapapble of things such as rage, cursing, desire, jealousy, deceit etc. So many authors just do not seem to stick to canon or the personality Tolkien gave to his elves. I will not even mention that they cleary could not be bothered reading The Laws and Customs of the Eldar if they write about wench-lusting elves banging every female they come across. Anyone who has read the silmarillion will know that the elves (and the ancestors of the elves we so love to write about at that) were and are capable of pretty horrible things and are not such perfect beings. So again many thanks for writing such good fics. Good enough that I think were master Tolkien alive he would shake your hand and say, "well done dear girl". Now your Green Knight fics are so cool! Lol I believe I'm addicted. I'm currently reading them over a second time. Concerning this last fic... Poor Bandy! You cannot help but adore him and now he is gone. Poor Legolas. I hope he does not die although I'm sure with the loss of Bandy it must feel so. Please oh please DO NOT I beg you write a Legolas/Durfinwen romance. Mine heart shall shatter and I shall be driven to scratch eyes out lol. I have entertained thoughts of Durfinwen and merry old Galas as a pair. To me they would seem as milk and honey or butter and toast. A good match. On a more serious note, well done. You are a brilliant writer and made me laugh and cry at times. It takes real talent for an author to have her readers so absorbed in her writing. PS: I'm so happy for Himbalath and Andunie. Its was about time! I cant wait for chapter 28. Cheers. PPS: How could I forget about Meivel and Hirilcullas. Meivel and Hirilcullas! What more can I say except: so unexpected. Shlain

Author Reply: Thank you, Shlain! You're right; that was quite a review - but amortized out over the many Green Knight stories I've penned, we can call it of average length.

I'm glad you seem to like reading my fics as much as I like writing them. I get so attached to my little universe, and it's hard for me to see my OCs objectively. But I'm also pleased you enjoy how I've projected my elves - light-hearted and merry, deep and doomed, capable of great deeds and great errors. I love Himbalath and Galas especially, and Meivel's dialog is such fun to write.

As far as Legomance goes, I get split opinions on that. Rest assured nothing further in the Green Knight universe will be written until after I've mopped this mess up!

Again, thank you for reading and reviewing! Chapter 28 is up and ready.

IthilienReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/9/2009
Once I started the chapter and realized it WASN’T going to tell what happened next to Legolas and company, I thought I’d be irritated. But actually I loved seeing Durfinwen come back to herself. It seems the dragon is dead and the spell is lifted. She remembers herself and what came of her. And better, she has found a wonderful little vale that may be just the place the company may need to go to for healing. But I’m getting ahead of myself here. I should be happy just to see her wits are returned, as is her pride.

It seems she has met Radagast, and I have to say I adore him and his curmudgeonly ways. Of course now everything now makes sense. Radagast would send a bird to Legolas to rally him to strike – or perhaps Radagast WAS the bird. Matters not, he did his job and he’s on his way now to rescue the elf and his friends, gathering herbs along the way. I hope he makes it in time. I wonder what he meant though about never being able to heal the burns inside without starweed. What burns inside? I sense some dire pain ahead.

But again, Durfinwen. We now learn her heritage, and that is a good thing. It seems to bolster her and make her take pride in her given name. I have to say it is nice to see her back. I feared she would be forever altered. We’ve lost too many on this journey.


Author Reply: I do tend to switch perspective a lot, don't I? Ah, shame on me, keeping my readers on tenterhooks ...

I have always been curious about Radagast (and the other wizards on the Council), and wanted to insert him into the fic! He played a big part in this, and I wanted to illustrate that, just because he didn't have a ring of power or wander around like Gandalf, he was still an Istar and very powerful in his own right.

I've just sent the next chapter to my beta, and I hope to have it posted by the end of the weekend. Thanks for the review!

NalediReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/3/2009
I was so glad to see that the dragon's death has freed Durfinwen from the spell and she knows who she is again. I admire her strength in keeping going even after all that has been done to her.

I love Radagast! I assume that's who the strange man is. Telling Durfinwen of her past is the perfect way to distract her from the horrors of her present. I also love his gruff manner: "Don't like what you've done with your hair," LOL!

Author Reply: Of all the different hairstyles I've tried, I have not yet shaved my head. I suspect I can't pull it off, but my mental image of Durfinwen is that she's just as lovely with no hair as she is with lots of it.

Yes, it's Radagast! Kudos for recognizing him. I've always been intrigued by him, and wanted to insert him into a story!

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

FantasiaReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/2/2009
First at all, thanks to Nieriel Raina, for helping you with this story.

Glad than Durfinwen survives, good that she is half elf, that human blood will help. After re-reading several times the previous chapters I have half-thought that the brown wizard was behind this, you know exactly where? when Ve said that he could had liked to walk with a wizard, and I thought, hey, there is still at least is one over there, and Mirkwood is his home, he won't like to have it destroyed, and then, all Legolas' dreams were with animals, so it did make sense...At least that part I got right, I won't tell you all the other crazy thoughts that I had...I didn't think about a Dragon and still have not clue about the barrel. I can venture another guess; it is the strange sword that Legolas used the shears of the dream that he told Faramir?

I'm worry with the herbs that he needs for burns; I'm so, so worry for Legolas. I did like this chapter; you tell us the dragon dead with Durfinwen recover from her madness and to know that the wizard will play Doctor. Durfinwen is a remarkable character, so brave, the end is priceless and even when she is in her low moments she is with her sword and fighting for not to take the "easy way". it touch me when she thought about Melina and not helping her memory if she is to waste wondering around.

Thanks and again, waiting for more, I want to know about them!!!


Author Reply: Thank you, Fantasia! Yes; kudos to you for recognizing the Brown Wizard. I always wanted to use him in a story, and this one seemed the perfect venue.

The "barrel" marks on the ground were Muhk's marks, dragging himself along like the serpent he was. The extra sword will be explained later, and the shears as well. Don't worry! There's a lot of exposition to be done. I'm nowhere near finished with this story.

Thanks for reading and reviewing! NiRi has my next chapter to beta.

CalenharnReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/1/2009
Hmm... I really should learn to sit on my reviews before posting them...

So it seems that Dúrfinwen's father was smitten by love at first sight (I somehow missed that the first time around). Okay... I guess he had no chance there at all.

What I am wondering now, is how you are going to explain the fact that Dúrfinwen has (presumably) been around for some centuries - without aging - and therefore (presumably) is immortal. (Or, at least has "the life of the Eldar".)

(I might have missed some clue in the earlier stories and be totally wrong about that - but my impression is that she has been around for quite a while, long enough to age and die, if that were to be her fate.)

Canonically speaking, there simply weren't that many Elf-mortal matings. Two of them ultimately led to Elrond and Elros - both of whom were given the Choice of the Peredhil (which also devolved on Elrond's children). Is there possibly some Choice yet waiting in Dúrfinwen's future? (If so, why was it not revealed until now? Does Radagast perhaps have another task to do, besides saving Legolas?)

But then there was that Elf maiden who was the foremother of the Princes of Dol Amroth - who, I note, are all mortal. Did her children ever have any Choice - or did they automatically default to mortality? (I don't really know anything about their mother - whatever happened to her? Did she die, or go to Valinor?) If so, wouldn't that imply that Dúrfinwen herself should have automatically been born mortal?

Apart from seeing how the rest of the story spins out (Thranduil, the Dwarves, Malbeach and Renna, Kaimelas, Legolas), I now have another thing to look forward to - your explanation for Dúrfinwen's seeming immortality.

(And where is that troop of 100 Dwarves?!)



Author Reply: Good heavens! That was quite a review.

From Durfinwen's perspective, she looked like an elf, sounded like an elf, felt like an elf, and was raised by elves ... therefore, she was an elf. She didn't make a choice, because she simply didn't realize she had one. Therefore she could knock around for a couple of centuries in blissful ignorance ... until Radagast's boom drops on her.

I'm going to go into more detail on Fercast, Vandalia, and Renna, don't worry! And don't forget that little tidbit about Rhosgobel ...

My next chapter is at the beta's. I'll post when she approves of it. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

CalenharnReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/1/2009
Hmmm... Somehow I *knew* you were going to change the point of view again - just to leave us writhing on the cliffie! ;)

So finally we get some info on the nightingale. I suppose that I should have guessed (duh) that Radagast was involved - the only question is, was the nightingale *sent* by him (both real life and in Legolas' dreams), or was the nightingale *him* (both real life and in Legolas' dreams). If an Istari can clothe himself as an old man, why not as a bird, after all?

I am glad to see Dúrfinwen not laying down and dying. I suppose it was to be expected that she would turn out to be part mortal (and as some have suggested, that may be what saves her). However, I am not entirely sure that I like the idea that she is descended from royalty (from both her parents). On the one hand, that would (presumably) make her a suitable match for Legolas (Belias or no, I have not given up on my hopes there). On the other hand, it does put the damper on any even-a-lowly-maid-may-dream wish-fulfillment type of fantasies (if you understand what I am saying). I also have to question the Elf prince (her father) wooing a mortal girl... a situation not likely to have a happy ending. (But then, I am perhaps more curmudgeonly than Radagast.)

So Mukh is definitely dead, yet Legolas is not (yet). Hopefully Radagast has some small amount of healing magic in him (as well as be-friending of birds and animals magic) - and that this magic can help both Legolas and Dúrfinwen.

Meanwhile - what about Kaimelas? Maybe there is hope there, too? (Oh, please...) I presume that Thranduil is now (also) released from the ensorcellment, and has rallied the Elven troops and has come to the rescue of his allies the Dwarves, and is kicking butt. That, I would like to see!

As always, ever looking forward to the next chapter...

EmilyReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/1/2009
Aiwendil?? Did a whole lot of things just click into place for me? Since Durfinwen is no longer ensorcelled, I think I can safely assume that Muhk is very dead. Now timing-wise, how does this fit in with the battle taking place to the west? How're things looking for my boy Thranduil? Can I still hope that Kaimelas is hanging on? (I'm a hopeless optimist.)

This chapter was very nice. I'm so glad to see that Durfinwen isn't broken (though if anyone has a right to be, surely it's her). I thought it was really sad to see that her arms grew tired just at holding herbs. How devastated she has been. Make Malbeach pay and soon! I don't know if Legolas will be up to doing it any time soon, but please, please kill that wicked man. Let his majesty have the honor, or maybe Gimli. And in all your vengeance, don't forget the little snake Renna.

I can't wait to see where you go with the brown stranger. How interesting... pipesmoke, birds, impatient language... are you finally tipping your hand? BTW, what does Durfinwen mean?

Author Reply: Thank you, Emily! It's flattering to see how much thought you put into your reviews.

Don't worry; I haven't forgotten Thranduil, Kaimelas, or the battle at Esgaroth. And I have Malbeach's fate all wound up (when I related my plan to my daughter, she grimaced and said, "Oh, Mom! That's awful!" So I think you'll approve).

"Durfinwen" means "Dark-haired maiden." "Anoriel" is "Daughter of the Sun." Two very different names for a very divided woman!

The next chapter is at the beta's and I'll post it when she gives her Nieriel Stamp of Approval. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

CerencaeReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/1/2009
This chapter just brightened my day. I am so happy to see some optimism for Durifwen.
Your alliteration at the end there was fantastic, too.
Radagast (I'm guessing) is fantastically written, perfectly gruff enough to help Durifwen back to normalcy.

Author Reply: You know, I didn't even notice the alliteration until you pointed it out ... must be reading too much Beowulf.

Thanks for the review!

Nieriel RainaReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/1/2009
I was so glad to see Durfinwen wouldn't just lay down and die. While I figure she's got a tough road ahead of her emotionally, she's made of stronger stuff and it's good to see. :) LOVE the tweaks, btw!

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the appearance of the old man! I think it's very obvious who he is, but just in case someone hasn't figured it out. *zips lips* He had me laughing as his characterization is SPOT ON!

Some kicker info on Durfinwen! You knew exactly what they would do, right? You just renewed my hope in that Legolas/Durfinwen romance! I won't give up hope until you marry one or the other off to someone else. Sorry Belias (may you rest in peace). I look forward to seeing how all this information affects future events. Very nice! I've often wondered about whether the rumors about her having mortal blood was true.

AND I'm still worried about Legolas, but not so much as I was. Bet he and the others have a tough time ahead of them, but he always pulls through. The scars will run deep this time though. I do hope he can find joy in life again even without his Bandobras. :(

*holds out hand* Where's the next chapter?

PS The elfling started reading TGK yesterday. She's up to chapter 23 already! I don't think I'll let her read MoE anytime soon, but the rest she can read. :) So be looking for a review from her soon.

Author Reply: Hey, beloved beta! I've just sent you the next chappie. Have fun! Things are going to start looking up (at last).

You and your Legolas/Durfinwen pairing. You're hopeless! <>

eucalyptusReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/1/2009
Ooooh! I thought Durfinwen's origins might come up eventually! It was very nicely -- and very subtly -- foreshadowed; I only half-suspected it and even then only because I RE-READ the whole thing *how* many times??? LMAO! I am enormously relieved Durfinwen is proving so indomitable. She is quite endearing and too many of your OCs have already met an unfortunate end because of this bloody snake.

(Surely we *should* have an idea who the old man is by now without having jumped the gun, right? I don't want to spoil it for others but this chapter is really DOES tell us so much.)

Oh, Durfinwen better hurry! Could it be her sword that ends up in Legolas' left hand?!

Author Reply: Thanks for the review! No; Durfinwen's sword is simply another sword - light and well-balanced, like she used to be. The sword in Legolas' left hand is something else entirely.

The next chapter is at the beta's and hopefully will be posted this week!

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