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The Findaráto Diaries  by Fiondil 5 Review(s)
hawkeyeReviewed Chapter: 27 on 8/1/2014
Herendil deserves a medal for making Finrod laugh. I hope they can become good friends and Herendil can help Finrod navigate the court waters a bit. I really like that he seems willing to accept Finrod without judgment. And maybe that will help when his own son returns from Mandos as well.

Finrod's attempt to comfort Herendil and Alundil was beautiful. In spite of his nervousness he did quite well. Herendil will be good for Finrod, and I can see why you like him so much. I like him as well. Maybe there will come a time when he can trade war stories with Alundil. It might even be good for Herendil, and even Arafinwë and Eärwen, to hear some of their experiences.

Arafinwë's keeping a close rein on Finrod rankled a bit. It's completely understandable, but I feel sorry for Finrod always being treated as an elfling. On a side note, you do a wonderful job giving depth to your characters. They're not only relatable, they feel real and genuine. Is a Manwendur the same as a Lóriennildo? Is that something like a child who has been dedicated to spend their life in holy orders? (Sorry for the odd question. I'm a bit confused.)

I'll go continue cheering Herendil and Finrod on :P Thanks for writing!

Author Reply: Hi Hawkeye. Herendil is definitely good for Finrod and Aldundil will have an interesting relationship with Finrod later, though you'll need to read "Elf, Interrupted" to find out what that is. And Arafinwë is just being cautious.

I'm glad you like my characters. I do my best to make them as 3-dimensional as possible with flaws and quirks and graces mixed.

Manweduri are adult Elves whom Manwë has selected as his own. Being a Manwendur is to be recognized for one's excellence in one's particular field of expertise, for instance as a bard, or for one's devotion to Manwë, as is the case with the falconer, Sorondur, since Manwë is Lord of the Air and Birds of Arda. The Lóriennildo are similar but dedicated to Irmo and Estë and they are exclusively healers of one stripe or another, though not all of them reside in Lórien. Vardamir, for instance, would be considered a Lóriennildo, but technically only if he were living and working in Lórien. Tolkien coined the word "Aulendur" to indicate those who were especially dedicated to Aulë and under his tutelage. I merely expanded the concept to encompass the other Valar, though I've only mentioned those dedicated to Irmo and Manwë to date.

I hope that clears things up a bit for you. Thanks for commenting. It's appreciated.

TariReviewed Chapter: 27 on 12/14/2009
Poor Aldundil; he has no idea what he’s getting into by marrying Lady
Calladindele.

The hunting trip without his father in attendance was an excellent idea. I feel it help to build up confidence in Finrod. He is beginning to feel more comfortable in the company of others and is gaining new friends


Author Reply: Yes, knowing Aldundil as we do in "Elf, Interrupted", one cannot help but feel sorry for the poor ellon, but at least we know things do eventually go right for him.

Making friends with Herendil is the first step for Finrod. Eventually things will get easier for him.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 27 on 12/11/2009
At last he is beginning to make positive relationships with those beyond his family. And this marriage is perhaps one he will have reason to rue. Alas! But a worthwhile friendship nonetheless.

Author Reply: Very true, Larner. Of course he has no idea how intertwined his life will be with Aldundil's but we know he makes the best of it.

KittyReviewed Chapter: 27 on 12/5/2009
That entry at the beginning makes it very clear how necessary it is that the Reborn and Returnees are sharing their memories and experiences with these who never left Aman. The Elves should learn about the Secondborn and that some of them were such great people.

Oh, nice that Herendil brought Aldundil along. I always liked him. And knowing EI, it is particularly interesting to watch him. Of course, we know the reason for his feelings of guilt ... poor guy.

Anyway, that dinner went quite well, and I was glad to see they got along so well and even organised the hunt. That was what Finrod needed – some friends who are neither looking down their noses at him nor want to befriend him just to get something from his father. So this is probably a good beginning; I hope over time Finrod will find more of these friends.

Author Reply: Very true, Kitty, and in time, some of them will learn of the Secondborn from those Elves who knew them personally.

Originally I was not going to introduce Aldundil, but Herendil insisted on bringing him to dinner, so what could I do? *grin* Anyway, it is interesting to see many of these characters from EI in an earlier time and knowing what is in store for them all.

We will see how successful Finrod is in finding new friends, but I think now that he has made the first move with Herendil he will find it easier to do so.

SunnyReviewed Chapter: 27 on 12/3/2009
A good start for Finrod and Herendil's friendship - finding an activity they can enjoy together.

On an unrelated note, I find myself wondering how Herendil reacted when his son swore the Life Oath to Finrod. Has the Muse whispered anything about that in your ear?

Author Reply: As yet, there has been no whispering of the Muse in this regard, but I think Herendil will be making an appearance once Finrod and company return to Tirion. Until I wrote this story he was just a name.

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