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Elf, Interrupted: Book Two: Glorfindel's Quest by Fiondil	8 Review(s)
Sitara	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/15/2010
Well, that was a nice surprise for Glorfindel, to meet again some old friends, who were probably about to die last time he’d seen them. The First Age Legolas, hmm?...In regard to Glorfindel’s outburst, I cannot do else than sympathize with him when it comes about the degree of manipulation he’s subjected to by the Valar. Still, in my opinion, as long as there is trust between the Valar and him, nothing is beyond hope. So, Mánatamir was given the task to protect, so the speak, Eärendil and Elwing’s little haven. Interesting. What is more interesting is the fact that they are on their way to gave again a realm to rule, in a matter of speaking. You know, there is something in regard to Tolkien’s rulers that always struck me as an oddity: none of them would have made a decent leader in the real world. Or , at least, no one as far as my knowledge goes. Well, except for Arafinwë, perhaps. Somehow, they have always managed to put their oaths, their grief, their pride, their longing for parents or spouses, their honor and whatnot above the wellbeing of the people. Of course, what rubs me the wrong way is that only some are getting the blame for it, not all of the culprits, but this is another story. As for this story, I can only hope that Eärendil and Elwing have indeed learned something from their experience in Middle-earth. As for the war training…I’m as much as confused as Glorfindel is, I’m afraid. I don’t think he or Ecthelion have had some special skills or training aimed specifically to annihilate balrogs. They did simply it because they had to do it, period. The fact that the balrogs died too along with them sounds to me more like dumb luck than anything else. Then I suppose there should be more than meets the eye or Glorfindel’s special training with the Maiar will come into play? P.S. By the way, I love Antigone. "lol" Author Reply: Many of the earlier Elven rulers certainly fit your description. Arafinwë is an exception and I would also include Gil-galad and Círdan to that list, as well as Ingwë and Olwë though for different reasons since they really don't come into the stories all that much. Perhaps someone like Finrod has since learned that lesson and would make a decent leader in our own world. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), if all those people had been saints, there wouldn't have been any story to tell. grin I think Eärendil and Elwing have learned from their experience and are doing well as the leaders of their little haven. Certainly, neither Glorfindel nor Ecthelion had any balrog-killing training. They did what they did simply because they had to, as you so rightly point out. I think it's because of all the warriors, they were the only ones who bothered to face the balrogs head-on even though they knew they were dead men. That sort of heroism is rare even in a culture that celebrates courage in warriors as an expected virtue. At any rate, others have invested a kind of cult surrounding these two heroes since no one else ever slew a balrog. Glorfindel's training with the Maiar also comes into play since he will be able to show his fellow warriors what they are capable of with further training.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/7/2010
And why do they wait for him to start seriously training? Because there will be more evil Maiar in the last battle? I'm with him as far as questions go. Author Reply: I'm sure that they have been training all along since they are warriors but with Glorfindel there, having been trained by the Maiar, the level of training will go up a notch or two. These Elves will most likely be the elite troops that will in turn train the other Elves more thoroughly than they are training at this moment.

ellie	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/3/2010
I'm glad he has met up with others who he knew and loved in Gondolin. I wonder though at these warriors being called to Earendil to train for the Dagor. It seems kind of early to train, but then again, maybe not. They do have to stay sharp and who knows what they will face in the Dagor Dag. I wonder who will do the actual training of these warriors? Curious chapter. Looking forward to more! Author Reply: Well, you may recall (or perhaps not) that when Glorfindel was in Vanyamar, he discovered the training salles and was told that Ingwë had instituted the training (or continued training) of warriors after the War of Wrath in preparation for the Dagor Dagorath. Since even the Valar do not know just when that will occur then it behooves the elves to always be in a state of readiness. I get the feeling that those who are congregating around Eärendil are meant to be an elite fighting group, perhaps because, unlike the other kingdoms in Beleriand, Gondolin and Doriath never joined the Fëanorians in any of the battles against Melkor (Gondolin only did so once). It was only in the War of Wrath that any of them actually did join with the rest of the elves of Beleriand as well as the Edain in fighting and they had no choice in the matter, not like before. It may be that the Valar feel that those from Gondolin and Doriath should be given an opportunity to 'redeem' themselves by being in the forefront of the upcoming final battle. At any rate, I suspect that one reason for Glorfindel's training with the Maiar is to help them with the training of these warriors, in a way, to be a visible example of what they can achieve as elves with the proper training.

Hel	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/3/2010
So the Valar have stationed Mánatamir there to keep curious onlooker away. I wonder why the elves around Elwind and Earendil need Glorfindel or Ecthelion to train. The Valar could send Maia for that. And Glordindel is still angry the the Valar meddled with his mind and his life. But I´m happy that has met some old friends and didn´t end as cat-fodder. Author Reply: Well, as it was pointed out, Glorfindel and Ecthelion were the only ones to have killed balrogs and I think the elves were being trained by Maiar but they were also eagerly waiting for at least one of the two balrog-slayers to join them in the next stage of their training which would intensify.

Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/3/2010
So may questions fill Glorfindel's mind. Having to wait for the answers to appear is really taxing the poor ellon. What even the reasons, they are only for the good of all. Author Reply: It can be taxing waiting for answers, but hopefully when they come he will be ready to accept them.

6336	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/2/2010
Hm, yes, Glorfindel has been having a rather dificult time with the Valar lately, they still seem to be able to get him to do what he needs to do though. I am not surprised that the Valar have a guard on Earendil and Elwing, curiosity seekers not being the least of their worries. So Glorfy gets to meet some old friends, I have a feeling he misses Ecthelion just as much as he missed Finrod. Hope he feels better soon, he is such a bad patient, I think the healers must be glad to get him off their hands. More please, Lynda Author Reply: That's true, Lynda. Whatever his complaints about the Valar, Glorfindel does seem to do whatever they need him to do when they need him to do it. Glorfindel doesn't talk about Ecthelion too much, but yes, he misses his best friend in Gondolin terribly, but knows that he will be released from Mandos when the time is right and not before. And now he has all his other old friends with him and that will help.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/2/2010
Well, our dear Glorfindel isn't in the mood for niceties, that much is obvious. But considering all the meddling he has experienced by the Valar, I can't really blame him. lol Trust Glorfindel to bring up the three bottles of wine as soon as he sees Galdor again! "I imagine it was a way of keeping me out of trouble and out of certain people’s hair for a while." Now that's a way to put it grin Now that's intriguing - they have waited for Glorfindel to start their training? I guess Glorfindel's stay in the tower will be an interesting time and he will not be bored. Author Reply: No, I don't think Glorfindel will be bored there. Eärendil and the others, including the Maiar, will see to that. grin Glorfindel, of course, has a history with the Valar that isn't exactly cordial, but I think much of his grousing is due to the circumstances, his injuries and the pain. That's sure to make anyone a little testy and feeling put upon by the Powers That Be.

njomo	Reviewed Chapter: 101 on 3/1/2010
Hi Fiondil, Old acquaintances for sure! I'm glad to see you include Galdor and Legolas, the use of both of which may engender some questions, but which to me seem entirely appropriate. And it seems only right that Glorfindel is finally surrounded by old friends such as these, after watching Finrod collect such at every turn he made! I was thinking as I read this chapter that on the one hand I might like Glorfindel to be a bit less....irrascible...but on the other hand that's what makes him a more believable character. And under the circumstances we find him in at the beginning of this chapter, his irritation is understandable, as is the bitterness he feels over the seeming interference of the Valar. One could--almost--feel sorry for Mánatamir when he comes under fire from Glorfindel. So I wonder what you have in store for us in the next chapter. More training, that's for sure. One wonders if Eärendil might be able to find a solution to Glorfindel's not being able to see Gil-Estel...but seriously I'll just let the story come as it will. Can't wait to see where the story goes from here! Thanks Fiondil. Joanne Author Reply: Hi, Joanne. Well, Tolkien does say somewhere in HoME that Legolas Greenleaf of Gondolin is not the same as Legolas of Mirkwood and that the former resided on Tol Eressëa. I have him moving to where Eärendil and Elwing live for purposes of my own. And Galdor is a rather common name in Sindarin. In the Silmarillion, the name is also that of a Mortal, the father of Húrin and Huor, so it is likely that there was more than one Elf with that name. Glorfindel certainly has a history with the Valar and Maiar and he's still young enough emotionally to strike out at those who are innocent, such as Mánatamir, who was only doing his job, as it were. I think as he matures he will be less irrascible and more accepting of things as they are and not as he would like them to be. Something we all should strive for. What the next chapter brings remains to be seen, and I am glad you are looking forward to seeing hohw the story unfolds. Thanks for reading and reviewing, Joanne. I really appreciate it.

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