News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Of Rowan and Ruin by Thundera Tiger | 21 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Estel_Mi_Olor | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/20/2012 |
| Oh dear...I'm still crying... Thundera, that was so beautiful! There is no greater test of friendship (I think) than sharing grief and mourning together, as you beautifully portrayed Legolas and Gimli doing so. I really can't say anymore; truly speechless. I have to admit though I haven't yet worked up the courage to read your other fic "Beyond This World" because I know I'm going to cry my eyes out for that one. There is something inherently sad in your subject matter, but then the real ending of the Fellowship forever is just so...sad. I feel that of all the questions Tolkien never answered this particular one about the ultimate fate of our beloved characters is pretty overwhelming. Yes, I'll stop now before I get any more wrapped up in death and dying ; ) Please keep writing! Author Reply: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed this story. It was an odd one to write, but once underway, it really did polish itself off. As for this subject matter being sad...well, I like the bittersweet in Tolkien. There's something achingly wonderful about the fact that victory wasn't accomplished without sacrifice. And that no matter how much we may it, happily-ever-after comes with a price. I like exploring how various characters paid that price and what their response to it was. I think Gimli and Legolas faced a most unusual version of that price in what their friendship did both to one another and to those around them. To me, it says something that they left together with no mention of any others. Thank you again! | |
| wantanelf | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 4/28/2012 |
| I just had a great cry reading your beautiful story. It made me reflect on those I have loved and lost. The friendship between Legolas and Gimli makes me smile and laugh and cry, and makes me appreciate my friends and family more. Thank you for another great story. | |
| obsidianj | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/24/2010 |
| This is a beautiful story. I love it. The Rowan tree as the anchor of the friendship between Legolas and Gimli and as symbol of the passing and changing of time really pulled the different scenes together. You gave a great explanation of how it came that Gimli left his folk and sailed with Legolas. He had nothing to lose. Author Reply: Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you felt that the rowan tree was an appropriate symbol. It was an experiment in writing for me, but it seems to have worked. And I'm glad the decision to sail felt plausible. By that point, it was really the only decision that could be made and still be in keeping with who the characters had become. Thank you again! | |
| curiouswombat | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/7/2009 |
| Such a beautifully written piece, this - by the time I reached the end I genuinely had tears in my eyes. This is not to say that the end is sad - the last notes, like those of a good piece of music, were perfectly uplifting. The whole story is a joy to read; to achieve this mixture of emotions, of humour, hope and angst is the work of a master craftsman - thank you Thundera. Author Reply: Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad that you felt it had many different emotions. I didn't think friendship should be exclusive to either happiness or angst, but I wasn't sure how clearly that came across in the story itself. So it was very good to hear that you caught that and felt it appropriate. By the way, I saw the review you left over at the MEFAs and am getting around to sending out thank you notes for those. But until that time, I wanted to say "thanks" over here, too. So thank you again! I very much appreciate the feedback! | |
| Anoriel Bragollach | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/15/2009 |
| Beautiful symbolism between the rowan and Legolas and Gimli's lives in Middle Earth. I think I moistened my keyboard . . . ~AB | |
| Mysterious Jedi | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/22/2008 |
| Excellent story. The portrayal of their friendsip through time was very artistic. The characterizations were excellent and realistic. | |
| docmon | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/8/2008 |
| It's taken me entirely too long to write this review. This story is deserving of much better treatment! This story at once is a wonderful series of peeks into pivotal moments in the lives of Legolas and Gimli, while showing through those peeks the development of their friendship, with the growth of the Rowan tree as the vehicle. I think the interludes of the Rowan worked well, showing us the latest to happen to the tree, and foreshadowing what would soon come to pass in the lives of the dwarf and elf. It helped too to handle the passage of time. Very adept handling of emotions, which were intense at times. Overall a very enjoyable piece, one that will give the reader a real sense of how these two ended up sailing off into the west together. Yay for Thundera once again! Author Reply: Hey Docmon! Well, it's taking me entirely too long to reply to your last email, so I'd say we're even. :) I'm working on that, by the way. Anyway, thank you so much for the review! I wouldn't have had the courage to post this piece without your input and encouragement, so you really deserve much of the credit. And I'm glad you think the episodic nature works and that the rowan interludes act well to create the illusion of time. As always, you're a huge help. Thank you again! | |
| Bakoneko | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/28/2008 |
| Oh, this was beautiful. I'm always guaranteed to love your stories, and this is no exception. Beautiful and heartbreaking. Thank you. Author Reply: You're very welcome, and thank you so much for reviewing! | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/19/2008 |
| Wonderfuly done. I particularly liked the viison of these two as dwindling reminders of a past ready to be forgotten as progress spreads beyond the race of MEn and their own peoples assume their own dwindling and retreat into protective stances, so they are left adrifs, like a couple of old mathoms until decide to sail. A beautiful read. Author Reply: Thank you so much for the review! I love the imagery you've come up with. A couple of old mathoms, indeed! That's exactly the feeling I was hoping to get at because I think it would feed very well into the decision to go ahead and answer the call of the Sea. Thanks again! | |
| illereyn | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/14/2008 |
| Hey Thundera Tiger! This is very well written: I love how you use the rowan as a symbol for Gimli's and Legolas' relationship, and the emotional arc of the story is very well constructed and timed. I never thought that the dwarves and elves might become more insular after the war, but you made that concept very realistic and plausible. I can't help but feel pity for all those who fought in the war though - mistrust and conflict arises from insularity, but it seems we never really learn from our mistakes! Author Reply: Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you felt the timing and construction were on in this story. I was a little worried about that. Regarding the insular dwarves and elves... I rationalize it this way: The elves were already becoming isolationist before the end of the war. Both Gildor and Haldir make that clear, so it's not even just one division of elves. They're all doing it. Sauron's fall didn't really change that, but the resurgence of a new kingdom and Legolas colonizing an elven realm within that new kingdom put it on hold temporarily, but eventually, they reverted. Same thing with the dwarves except that they weren't withdrawing so much as they were dwindling. The HOME series hints at that, and while Gimli's colony in Aglarond masked the problem, it didn't solve it. So in the end, it was inevitable. ::shrugs:: That's my justification anyway. Thanks again! | |