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Fiondil's Tapestry  by Fiondil 10 Review(s)
AntaneReviewed Chapter: 44 on 1/1/2009
An interesting view of the darkening of the days and traditions begun and names given. A frightening time to live with changes but also a wonderful time. Happy New Year!

Namarie, God bless, Antane :)

Author Reply: Thanks Antane. I appreciate you taking the time to read and letting me know you enjoyed tihs story. I enjoyed thinking about how traditions might have gotten their start once the elves had to deal with a sun and seasons and all. With all the changes in the world going on it was indeed both a frightening and wonderful time in which to live.

Happy New Year to you and God bless.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/28/2008
Ah--how very wonderful! Thank you!

Author Reply: You're welcome.

EllieReviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
Beautiful! I love the way you switched back and forth showing how each arrived at names for the seasons and ideas and made new customs/traditions for celebrating. I also really like the way you have the elves confounded by the shortening of the days. Brilliant piece of work! Bravo!

Author Reply: Thanks, Ellie. I thought that the first time there were actually seasons as we know them would prove confusing to the elves and this is what came of it. I'm glad you enjoyed this story so much. Thanks for letting me know.

Independence1776Reviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
This is a wonderful story! I never really thought about how the Elves would react to the changing seasons.

"It is always well to keep estel in one’s heart when the darkness comes." Exactly.

"'I never thought I would be giving these Children a lesson in elementary astronomy,' she said out loud." *laughs* No, I don't think any of the Valar (except for Námo) expected that.

Love the fact that Elu threw his first snowball at his wife!

"'Nothing is the same as before,' Elindis said softly, sorrow dripping from every word and Ingwion embraced her, his own grief nearly overwhelming him." For we cannot forget why the sun and moon had to be created in the first place.

"We’ll forget about the ball for now and just sit beside the fire and watch the snow fall." I can picture the two of them doing this.

"Elu mouthed the strange words to himself, sighing in frustration at the tongue-twisting language of the Powers." Tongue-twisting it is, just on the samples you've given us in Wars.

A royal decree about the names of the seasons?! Well, given the trouble Fëanor caused, it's necessary.

"The younger elf shrugged. 'I have no idea, Uncle, nor do I care.'" Just one more thing for Elu to wonder about.

"Turgon gave his daughter a gentle smile and a kiss on the top of her head. 'If that is what you wish, sell nîn. We will make it our little tradition. Every year we will come out and spend the longest night under the stars, just the two of us.'" Wonderful tradition. And I actually did the same thing last night- went out and watched the stars for a while.

The Ainur's ceremony, for some reason, seems to be the most meaningful. But then, I like simplicity.

Merry Christmas and Ilúvatar bless!

~ Indy

Author Reply: Hi Indy. I'm glad to see you found lots of things in this fic that you enjoyed or made you think. I thought the Ainur's ceremony to be the most moving and poignant myself and a great contrast with the brighter, more colorful ceremonies of the elves. To them, the change of season hold no terror or concern and so they would not bother with that so much and I figured this more private ceremony of thanksgiving, different from the feast of thanksgiving shared with the elves, would have more meaning for the Valar and Maiar.

Merry Christmas to you as well and Ilúvatar bless!

KittyReviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
We're so used to the change of seasons that I never thought about how that had to be for the first men (or in the case of Middle-earth, elves). You're right, it had to be confusing and frightening.

Nice to watch how the elves in Endorë and Aman both had the same idea - to celebrate on the longest night of the year the return of the light, bringing joy, colour and light into their hearts, and then to give the seasons names based on Valarin.

I see it didn't take the elves long to realise what snow is useful for *grin* Great image of this august company having a snowball fight!

The bit with Turgon, Idril and Glorfindel was lovely, too.

Author Reply: Thanks, Kitty. I'm glad you enjoyed this story.

6336Reviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
I needed this, the Orclings have landed,(my 3 1/2 year old grandaughters)and all is chaos, the cats have headed for the high country and I am hiding in the den reading this!
Oh, well, Christmas only happens once a year, thank Eru!
I liked the way you described how a tradition was established in both realms, Aman and Endore and both celebrated in similar fashion, light, song and dance to drive away the dark!
May I wish you a joyous and blessed Yule,
Lynda

Author Reply: Thanks, Lynda. I'm glad this little tale offered you a bit of calm amidst the chaos of Orclings descending. *grin* May you have a joyous and blessed Yule as well.

PeppyPowerReviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
My dear, dear Fiondil. That was a task, at least what I'd call a task: write about the first Winter Solstice in Arda. And it turned out to be a very touching tale, with an icing made of divine and delightful humor. Very original and most entertaining. Yavanna, in this case, came up with my fav quote: "Some of the Elves are complaining that we cannot keep even these great lights in the sky properly." THAT was a first *grins*. Anyway, a perfect tale for a winter evening. And do you know what? It is very strange commenting on a story when the author is in the next room.

Author Reply: Thanks, PeppyPower. I had a lot of fun writing this and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm sure Yavanna was pretty peeved at the grousing of the elves about her *new* inventions. *grin*

And do you know what? It is very strange commenting on a story when the author is in the next room.

No less strange than to be replying to said reviewer. *grin*

KayleeReviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
A beautiful solstice tale for our Christmas gift, meldonya! Merry Christmas to you, as well. *huggles* I loved the way each group of elves, and the Valar of course, greeted the new solstice (the elves with uncertainty, the Valar with familiarity) and the new traditions that have begun.

~Kaylee!

Author Reply: Thanks, Kaylee. I'm happy to know you enjoyed this story. I thought it would be interesting to explore how the elves (both in Aman and in Beleriand) and the Valar greeted this first winter solstice and seeing the beginnings of traditions that are alluded to, not only in the Silmarillion but also in my fic "Elf, Interrupted".

SunnyReviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
Lovely little story of the first winter solstice in Arda!

I must say that it certainly didn't take the people of Doriath long to figure out what snow is for! ;-)

Hope your Christmas continues to be merry and also hope for a happy and creative new year for you!

Author Reply: Thanks, Sunny. I'm glad you enjoyed this. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you as well.

NaineReviewed Chapter: 44 on 12/25/2008
Thank you for the Xmass present

Author Reply: You're welcome.

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