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More Dangerous and Less Wise  by daw the minstrel 17 Review(s)
Red Squirrel Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/5/2013
ohhhhh a dragon's egg! Very interesting and very dangerous!! So glad they found that egg before it hatched into a dragon!

OMG! Poor Thranduil and Stubby! Ouch! But I also like how Oropher was highly amused by the whole situation and let them get away with it. That is so how I picture him too.

I noticed that you have not written anything in a while. Have you ever thought of writing any elfling or young Thraduil stories with Oropher or anything? So far I have really enjoyed your characterizations of both Elves and I was soooo happy to see no Evil!Thranduil in your work.

Author Reply: When I first started writing fanfic, there was a rash of Evil!Thranduil stories and that didn't gibe with what we see of Thranduil in The Hobbit or Legolas in LOTR. So I deliberately set out to show him as a good father. I'm glad you liked it.

I haven't written fanfic lately because I've been trying to write original fiction. I have an agent and everything but haven't yet managed to sell a book to a publisher. We'll have to see.

sofiaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/1/2012
I haven't read Lord of the Rings fanfic in years, but with the upcoming arrival of The Hobbit movie, I decided that I wanted to reread some of my favorite fanfics and who's stories was the first to come to mind? Yours of course!
So I just finished rereading all your wonderful stories again, and I have to say they are just as good as I remembered they were the first time I read them! I had a blast going through all the stories; first by the ones you list ( by legolas' age) and then by the ones not under that list. Most of the events taking place in the stories I remembered, but there were some that I forgot and it was kind of great to reread those ones and wonder 'what's gonna happen next?'-- it made me feel like I was reading your stories for the first time again.
I have to say that rereading Siondel, Tuilinn and Sinnarn's deaths still made me teary-eyed; even though I knew each death was coming. I think thats a testament to your writing, as I've reread other stories (both fan-fic and non) that have resulted in less emotional responses from me the second (or third, fourth etc) time around. So kudos to you for still being able to tug at my heart strings!
I also still LOVE Eilian, and the two bodyguards- so I'm glad you never killed any of them off, though I think I remember you mentioning once long ago that you almost did kill Eilian off....
I know I'm just remarking on my random, passing thoughts, and I'm not really providing anything of substance for you to respond to... but I can't really remember what else I wanted to say (I should have taken notes while I reread so i could remember everything!)
So I'm going to end this rambling review by saying it was really a pleasure to reread these stories again, to get invested in the characters and their world and I will definitely reread your stories again.
I would love to read anything new you wrote on these characters (ie: Loriel, the battle under the trees during the Rings quest, and this unnamed, unborn daughter of Ithilden and Alfirin) but I completely understand if you are done writing fanfic. I think I remember you saying once that you were working on originial stories and i hope all is going well with that! Truly! You are a very talented writer and I would love to read anything you write, whether it be original stories or fanfic.
So again: thank you for writing, good luck with future writing, and I guess I'll be leaving another review whenever i reread your stories again (hopefully then I'll have something of more substance to remark on!)


Author Reply: Hey, Sofia! Good to hear from you. I'm so looking forward to the Hobbit movie and also hoping it generates some good fanfic. The fandom has been dying back and maybe this will rejuvenate it.

I can't believe you read all those stories. Aren't you sort of stunned?

I have to admit I miss writing about these guys sometimes, and yet, when I consider writing fanfic again, it usually seems to me I've said all I had to say about them. I still love thinking about some of the characters though, especially Eilian. He was sort of a lucky creation for me, and then readers seemed to like him too.

I've been working on original fic, but I'm getting kind of discouraged about getting it published. I have an agent who's working on selling manuscripts to publishers, but no takers so far.

You're really kind to tell me these stories still spoke to you. As I say, I'm a little discouraged, so I value positive reader reactions all the more.

daw

MorganeReviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2012
I allow myself to answer you;

I think you do not really seem determined to write more, but maybe someday you will change your mind. I'm an optimist :-)

You are a great writer. The editors are idiots. If one day you are published, let me know, i am interested!

Oh and, I think we still have much to learn about your characters. And not just about the main characters, the others too (Lorellin, Beliond, Maltanaur, Sinnarn... Tinar lol)

Anyway, thank you for all these stories.

Ps : English is a beautiful language, but it drives me crazy sometimes ^^

MorganeReviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/24/2012
Hello!

I just finished reading all your stories. I'm French, so I did not always found easy to read, but I loved it so much I really immerse myself into it. I'm, in passing, sure to have made some ​​progress in English (it's my English teacher who will thank you).

You have an imagination and an attention to details really incredible. Basically, I did not really want to read your stories because I do not really like the character Legolas, but you managed to make me fond of him, and I immersed myself in each of your stories with a lot of pleasure.

Your O.C are just really well written. I almost feel like they are real and they are truly part of the family of Legolas and his father. Special mention to Eilian, which is just a pleasure to read.

I ask what interest me especially; do you continue? I can not help thinking that this would be a waste to stop there. Please, another story! I'm sure I would not be the only one to be happy!

Thank you! (and sorry for all my spelling mistakes)

Author Reply: Hi, Morgane--

You won't believe it but I just spent the last three days in Paris where I embarrassed myself thoroughly in French and people were very kind. Now I'm in Rome where I'm even less articulate.

Thank you so much for telling me how much you liked my characters. I'm deeply fond of them myself, especially Eilian, just like you. He's the classic bad boy with a good heart and a hidden vulnerability.

As you've noticed, I haven't been writing fanfic lately. That's because I've been trying to write original fiction. I have an agent and everything, but she hasn't yet managed to convince a publisher to buy one of my books. Every once in a while, I consider writing more fanfic because I do love these characters but then it feels like I've said everything I had to say about Thranduil's boys.

But when I get a nice review like yours, I have to think again! Anyway, take care. Thank you for taking the time to review.

daw

obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 4 on 2/21/2010
This was such a lovely story. I loved the way, the blame got shifted from one to the other in the story Beliond and Maltanaur told. It is always fun to listen to stories of your parents misspent youth, and I can understand that Legolas and Eilian were avid listeners. Who knew Thranduil was so adventurous.

Author Reply: Thanks, Obsidianj.

It was a lot of fun to try to picture Thranduil, Maltanaur, and Beliond as young elves. I had almost as hard a time imagining it as Eilian and Legolas did, I think. :-)

FadesintothewestReviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/3/2008
What a great story. I love that Beliond has a light side to him. I don't know why I actually felt bad for the dragon's loss of the egg. I have always liked dragons, but dragons I fancy aren't for Tolkien's universe.

I especially loved the ending, the reunion of sorts with Dwarves, although a different sort of reunion.

I'd still love to read about how Legolas' family deals with his becoming one of the Nine!

Author Reply: Oddly, I felt bad for the egg too. But Tolkien sure seems to think dragons are evil.

As I was working on this story, I worried about the multiple stories and clashing tones but when I got to the end, the Dwarves seemed to draw it all together and I was reasonably pleased. Glad you liked it.

how Legolas' family deals with his becoming one of the Nine!

It'd be hard to write about that with any surprises, sadly.

The KarenatorReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/25/2008
I was a little worried about what the warg was crunching on there for a minute. That egg would have made one heck of an omelet though. Still, the scene was tense with swarming wargs, smoking ashes and crunchy things. I'm glad Eilian got the warg instead of Beliond with the dwarf's ax.

So, the wily threesome rolled the dwarves in firethorn. Ouch. And ouch for Thranduil's hand and cheek. Beliond and Maltanaur were quite sneaky in obtaining Pounder to make a dwarf set. Then rolled them in firethorn. Poor Stubby was face down. I hope Galadriel had some Calamine Lotion.

The ending was nice. The dwarves showed up--unfried--Eilian returned the ax to its rightful owner, everyone was safe and the brothers had a fun story to tell and some details to compare.

Delightful story, Daw. I had a great time knocking around Mirkwood with your guys. Thanks.

Author Reply: I needed a short battle, with something dragonish in the neighborhood. No real dragons because I was already having enough trouble juggling four narrators, two versions of a flashback, and mixed comic and serious tones. So dragon eggs seemed just the ticket.

I hope Galadriel had some Calamine Lotion

LOL. That's a funny line, but really, she's another problem I had! This story is early SA, so what was Lothlorien like then? As far as I could tell, she's not there yet, and quite possibly, the mallorn trees aren't either because one source I found said she brought the seeds with her. And that meant Caras Galadon hadn't been built yet. Maybe. It's all extrapolation and made me crazy.

Thanks for the reviews. I hope your DSL is fixed.

perellethReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/25/2008
Well, this was priceless from beginning to end. I really loved the two versions of the same tale, and how you managed the voices of these young ones. They really sound like younger versions of the elves we know. And boy, Hang on, THranduil! That was my favourite part. I could picture THranduil's face as the walked away! And then Oropher! more placid than Amdir's guard, if that was possible! NO wonder they all followed him blindly!

A dragon egg! For a brief while I feared the wargs were feeding on the poor dwarves! And I really liked how you let us see Beliond's undisguised excitemtn at the thought of a dragon!

Delightful, daw. And I wonder what will happen when the two brothers compare notes and versions... And I did not remember that Beliond and Ithilden had served together! That must have been something worth seeing!

Author Reply: What story was it where Beliond was Ithilden's captain? Hm. I must know that! I think it was in a flashback in "Fire and Shadow," the previous story about this patrol's encounter with a dragon, the one where Legolas has amnesia. Of course, Ithilden didn't fall out of a tree in that story because I just made that incident up for this last chapter.

I'm so glad you think the characters are true to themselves, though much younger. It's actually tricky to do, I find. Except for Beliond. He's always himself :-)

Thanks for the review, Perelleth. And glad you're home in one piece.

elliskaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/24/2008
Tense fight! And I can't believe they had a dragon's egg! That does not bode well for the wood.

And I cannot believe they had the nerve to grab a second dwarf and throw him over the ledge into the poison ivy while they left Thranduil hanging there in it. You are horrible! ;-)

Beyond the captain, Oropher waited, looking faintly amused. Spit tea on the keyboard at that. I was wondering how they were really going to get away with this because the dwarves are going to remember what happened and tell--they're going to get away with it because Oropher just doesn't care. Hilarious!

Eilian waited to feel annoyed as he always did at being reminded of how his father worried, but instead he felt only sadness for the loss of that other time, when his father and his friends were young and carefree. This was sobering. How sad.

"When we have time, I have a story to tell you." That comparison of versions should be very amusing!

Great story. I love your young Thranduil. You should do more of him!

Author Reply: And I cannot believe they had the nerve to grab a second dwarf and throw him over the ledge into the poison ivy while they left Thranduil hanging there in it

Priorities! They had theirs and, as Beliond said, Thranduil wasn't going anywhere.

Yeah, Oropher doesn't care. He'd probably like this story if he ever got wind of it, but I suspect none of the trio is going to tell him.

For a while, I worried that the comic and somber tones in this story clashed too much, but when I was done, I was reasonably pleased with the sort of layered effect it created. I wouldn't do anything like this in my original stuff right now but this was interesting to play with.

sofiaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/24/2008
It's one thing to have Legolas and Eilian with the others keeper, but its another thing to find yourself in that position and in a skirmish of sorts. It just makes everything more interesting, especially seeing how they work together (which really isn't that different).
I would love it if you wrote more of our favorite elves in similar situations- just a thought.
And I loved the end- I can picture it clearly in my mind. Thank you for another wonderful story Daw!

Author Reply: Thanks, Sofia. I wonder if Eilian and Beliond would have had more trouble if the situation had gone on longer or the battle had been bigger. Just lack of familiarity with one another's fighting styles might have caused problems. Who knows?

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