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| Aspects of Aragorn by Inzilbeth | 13 Review(s) |
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| Silivren Tinu | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 11/9/2009 |
| I really like how you subtly show the difference between Denethor and Thorongil in the last two chapters without ever being obvious about it. It's really hard not to like Thorongil, and it's equally hard to like Denethor. Somehow, Denethor just does not seem to be able to be selfless, or to place the welfare of others above his own, though I think he tries (occasionally). As noble as he is, it's really not easy to warm up to him and his attempts to pry into Aragorn's private matters do not endear him to me. ;-) A great chapter, and a very interesting glimpse into Denethor's mind! :) Author Reply: Thank you so much! Denethor is a very complex character and he undeniably has his strengths, but I agree with you, he is hard to like. On the other hand, Aragorn oozes charisma which of course further distances him from Denethor. It was interesting to put those two men in the same room together and see what happened. I'm so glad you enjoyed the result! | |
| Mirach | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 9/5/2009 |
| This chapter was very powerful, every word is in its place to create the bigger image, and the subtle mood that underlies the whole chapter. I can vividly imagine the matrons of the city throwing their daughters in his direction. But indeed, it is far more complicated. If Denethor almost felt sorry, what can I do? Author Reply: Lol! What indeed! I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter. The underlying tension between these two great men was enormous fun to write. | |
| BeeGee | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/19/2009 |
| I just started reading this great story. As I read this chapter I thought that Denethor and Thorongil had much in common too, but the one thing that (I think) caused their division was Denethor's lack of self-confidence, or maybe I'd call it "self-worth". You have brought this out very well. If he had truly thought, he would have known that of course his father loved him more than Thorongil. However, it was that tiny flaw of jealousy in Denethor's character that made him such a great tool for Sauron to use. Your last line "He almost felt sorry for the good captain." gave me a pang of regret because in the end Denethor lost Finduilas, Boromir, Faramir (through his estrangement of him), Gondor, his mind, his character, and his life. Author Reply: Hi BeeGee. I'm delighted to receive your thoughtful review and am so glad you're enjoying this story. You've completely hit the nail on the head about these two great rivals. Denethor and Aragorn were so similar in so many ways yet Denethor had that fatal flaw - jealousy. He had pride where Aragorn had humility. Without it they might have been friends, but then everything would have been different! | |
| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 11/16/2008 |
| I just love being in Denethor's POV for this chapter. He's so happy and proud of his son, and so annoyed at Thorongil's intrusion into his happy occasion LOL. He's just so darned ambivalent about Thorongil- he tries; he really tries to give him the credit he's due, but really he just wishes he would go away. It was a very telling moment when he resisted Thorongil taking baby Boromir into his arms. An instinctive aversion to the influence he might wield, perhaps. And I laughed at Denethor's honesty in admitting that even Finduilas was not immune to the charms of Captain Thorongil. I hope you decide to do some more stories about Thorongil's time in Gondor. Author Reply: I'm just so glad you enjoyed this chapter as it was great fun to write! Denethor is such a complex character and so nearly there with Thorongil, that he is really quite tragic in his way. I'm sure I won't be able to leave these two alone LOL! | |
| Virtuella | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 11/2/2008 |
| Aya, Denethor hasn't got it easy! I can see how Aragorn would have unconsciously been a constant pain in Denethor's backside. I really liked the atmosphere of the banquet and how carefully Denethor prepared for it. Author Reply: Yes, you have to feel a bit sorry for Denethor, having your father's favourite time up in time to spoil your big day, especially when he had gone to so much trouble. Many thanks for your review. | |
| RS | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/29/2008 |
| I really feel sorry for Aragorn in this chapter. I feel his pain and longing. Denethor is really a complex character.. his gloating with Aragorn's apparent discomfiture and awkwardness made me dislike him more, and yet his love for his wife and baby makes him a likeable character. And yet being second best to Minas Tirith's eyes and his father's...who can blame him for enjoying this moment! Etchelion's speech sure gave some comic relief to this chapter! Not his speech but the reaction to all who were listening...or should I say..NOT LISTENING! "At last Ecthelion finished his long monologue and, as he took his seat again, there was an almost audible sigh of relief from his guests before they broke into the customary round of applause. " --- HILARIOUS! And Denethor's "one-sided parlor game"... nice (must have been a real exciting speech!) I really enjoyed this chapter. Good Job! PS - I also read Raksha's "The Eagle's Gift" and like you, I couldn't stop thinking about it! It was a wonderful read! Author Reply: Complex is a very good way to describe Denethor. I feel he has been rather tarnished by PJ's portrayal of him as a completely unlikeable, even evil, character. He did have many good points after all. I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for your review. Yes, Raksha's tale was unforgetable! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/28/2008 |
| And we see the rivalry deepen, relieved only because at last Thorongil has revealed he loves a maid, and things are apparently difficult there. At least Denethor has a valid reason to feel smug--for the moment, at least. Author Reply: Yes, at the moment the score is about one all for Denethor and Aragorn out of my four Thorongil chapters! Many thanks for your review. | |
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/28/2008 |
| I'm flattered that you took some inspiration from The Eagle's Gift. The rivalry between Thorongil and Denethor is fascinating, isn't it? The two of them doing the immovable object/irresistible force relationship back and forth...Here, Denethor approaches the apex of his personal happiness, and Thorongil appears to have very little; and Denethor is still unsettled, and makes some very good guesses as to Thorongil's relationship with the mysterious Lady in the North. A fine exercise in irony and intrigue. Author Reply: Thank you so much, Raksha, I'm so glad you were flattered and didn't mind. I wrote this chapter not long after you posted your story and as your tale was such a wonderfully entertaining one, I couldn't get it out of my head. In the end I stopped trying! And yes, they are fascinating; I so wish we had more to go on, but Denethor is definitely the one with the upper hand at this time which must have been hard for Aragorn. As Thorongil, he certainly showed his humility and his willingness to serve. | |
| Estelcontar | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/28/2008 |
| As I've already mentioned a couple of times, what I liked best about The Rival is that you've succeeded in making us feel that Denethor started disliking Thorongil exactly because everyone else, including his father, gave Thorongil the respect, love and friendship that Denethor in his pride felt were his due. I've always thought Aragorn must have felt very lonely loving Arwen without being loved in return during those 20 some years before they met again in Lórien. The respect and friendship of his men, might have assuaged his pain a bit but completely. You can feel his loneliness, and intense longing in your story, and I like that very much. Author Reply: Thank you so much, Estelcontar. Yes those years in Gondor must have been very strange for Aragorn. For all the success he made of his time there, he must still have felt set apart because of the secret he was guarding and longing for Arwen could not have helped either. And I'm sure you're right; Denethor's resentment increased only as Thorongil's popularity grew. Not for nothing is pride such a sin LOL! | |
| Elflingimp | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/28/2008 |
| Just wanted you to know that I enjoyed your chapter greatly, I have never liked the way Denethor felt about Aragorn, in fact it made me dislike Denethor but I don't think he was a very popular character. I also felt Denethor's mind was messed up and with his wife dying I felt sorry for him, it was sad. Hugs Deb the Imp Author Reply: Hi Deb, I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter. Poor Denethor had so many good qualities but unfortunately his pride, which is such a crime in Tolkien's world, over-shadowed them all in the end and does make him a more difficult character to like. Yes, his wife dying so young must have been very hard. | |