News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| The Hunting Trip by Ithilien | 143 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Estel_Mi_Olor | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 10/7/2012 |
| I know, I know. This seems...kinda silly. I mean, it's been almost 10 years since this story was posted, and about 7 years since your last story. All strong evidence that Real Life has come and claimed you away from (fake) Middle-Earth. And I've read this multiple times, and left a little review way back when. It's been a while since I've been on this site as well, but since my rediscovery of my favorite fics, I thought I would go back and reread them. And then it seems almost wrong to read your masterpiece and not review. Like stealing. So even if you never read this (or no longer care), here goes: This story is AMAZING. Truly, I think this is one of the best (I only won't say THE best because I can't claim to have read every fanfiction ever) fanfics out there. I'll talk about the plot in a minute, but first, you write beautifully. No, really. I have to force myself to slow down as I read in order to appreciate your craft. You know how people will say something is a gem if it has value to them? Well I would compare your writing to a pearl. The words flow together, rounded and smooth. They give off their own light. One of my favorite sentences: "The steps dissolved into the sheer face of stone before them, as if they had been created by an incomplete thought" in chapter 37. Like wow, what a great way to describe an incomplete set of stairs! You describe the horror of black magic so potently that stuff gets scary. Also the sea-longing. Wow! I'm just going to throw in a good word for Marius Suenor. I laughed out loud at that! Now, as to the story: talk about a roller coaster. I am so glad that I found this story after it was complete, or I really do think the suspense of waiting would have killed me. Merciless cliff hangers! I love how many twists and turns comprise this story and you must have been hyper organized in the outlining of it. I completely agree that the Romany seem a natural part of Middle Earth. I love the parallels throughout the story. Stuff gets really, really bad before there is any hope. And just when you think things can't possibly get any worse, they do. But you resolve the conflicts masterfully. My favorite part: character introspection! Your original characters are great. Kattica is a complex heroine, and you portrayed her coming into her own very convincingly. Bregus + Bala are an awesome mean team. I think they would rival Greek tragedy here on how much bad stuff they got going for them: greed, pride, murder, lust, incest, insanity, rape...nice job! But as for Tolkien's characters: I think this is the reason I love this story so much (besides how exciting it is), is for the completeness of the characters. Let me explain: Tolkien has given us so much, yet he really wasn't concerned with too much character psychology since he was writing the modern epic and not a romantic novel. So it's up to us, authors of fanfiction, to fill in the blanks, as it were, and give these people an interiority. And I think that you have completed the characters amazingly well, indeed as I think they should be. Faramir & Éowyn--I love to see how their marriage works, how they use their strengths to work together and separately, and I love the part when Éowyn chooses to keep her daughter. That was beautifully written. Aragorn & Arwen--you know, as frustrated as I was to have these two hanging out in a cave for most of this story, I think it was worth every minute just for the realizations about themselves and each other that came to pass. What a complicated relationship they have, and why not, since relationships in real life as just that complicated. Legolas & Gimli--my favorite theme in Tolkien is friendship. Thank you for making this such a huge part of your story and adding it to the realm of fanfiction. Legolas's suffering was truly sad, but the healing was all the more beautiful for the tests of his friendship. It is stories like yours that remind us what is important in this crazy world of ours. I hope you do write a book one day, or maybe you already have? since that would be a great piece of writing : ) I've been rambling for a while, so simply put, thank you for this story. I know this has been a long review, but, well, it's been almost 10 years in the making ; ) | |
| Eilenach | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/9/2007 |
| Well, I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that I don't think there's any valid reason, story-wise, to include the section on homosexuality among the elves. I suppose you would argue that it's all tied up with Legolas thinking about whether he is "priggish" and his thoughts for revenge against Gimli for the potent drink. However, to me, it seems more like you wanted to get your views on the acceptability of homosexuality into a story, and so you plopped it down right here. The section on Legolas's relationship with his father -- that Thranduil robbed his son of credit for his actions by claiming credit himself -- was excellent. And I'll be interested to see what's going on between Aragorn and Arwen. There is trouble in this relationship, that's for sure. | |
| Eilenach | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 4/9/2007 |
| The description of Eowyn, her sleep patterns, and her fears of another pregnancy was very well written. And yes, my husband falls asleep that quickly too, and it can be aggravating! I mourn for the troubles her near-death has caused in her marriage -- one bad experience does not mean that the next one would be the same! And yes, the witch's dark magic is VERY dark and icky. | |
| Estel_Mi_Olor | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/16/2006 |
| I've actually read this story several times, and (sorry!)I am such a selfish reader that I've never left a comment. Oops... Well I thought I might as well do so intelligently. Firstly, I love this story (as evidenced by my having read it several times...) It is so perfect. I don't know how else to say it but you have blended your own creativity and Tolkien into this unit that seems to always have existed. (I know, I promised intelligence, right?) Anyways, I am reviewing this particular chapter because I had a question about it. I was wondering where you got your references to Elven sexuality (from Tolkien). I am assuming that this is from HoME and I forget the volume. I think I'm wrong though since my knowledge of Tolkien lore is sadly limited. Anyways, I was just wondering since this seems like an interesting topic. Thanks once again for this great story! | |
| mypreciouslego | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 2/24/2006 |
| i loved your story so much. it kept me entertained for a month, it took so long to read, but i enjoyed every bit of it! I went to school and was so much MORE anxious to get home because of the thought of getting back to the story and reading it. I was on edge with dramatic irony!! i hated knowing that Bregus was luring Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn and Faramir into the camp, and i could do nothing to tell them!! Thank you for writing it because i was just so into it, i had to tell my best friend about it so she could read it and we could talk about it!! :) My mom got so annoyed with me trying to tell her about it, but i had to say it to someone!!! I don't know how else to say it, it was really good. better than good...it was awesome. I loved the way you described the character's thoughts and then described everything else. It made me realize that i need to apply that kind of stuff for my own stories. It inspired me to write better! Well, yeah, i loved it. Thank you lol. | |
| RS | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 1/29/2006 |
| I just wanted to make a comment on your epic of a story. I have kept coming upon your story and have wanted to read it but the length scared me. I finally dove in and started to read!! HOLY GUACAMOLE!! Have i been wrong to keep procrastinating on this story! Holy Cow!. Marvelous! I have not finished it but I just wanted to stop and tell you how much I AM ENJOYING THIS! You have a wonderful talent. I am so sorry that I haven't done this earlier. After I finish reading this I will look into your other fictions. I applaud you. Now back to my reading. THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL READ! Care to write another one like this? | |
| Justine | Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/25/2005 |
| very gripping. i will definatley print out the rest of this story. well done to the author | |
| Len | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 11/3/2004 |
| I'm a college student, and also a fan of Tolkien. After amny hours of reading about absorption spectrums, Calvin Cycle, and spectrophotometers, I decided I needed to read something completely unrelated to school. Although skeptical at first about reading fanfiction (as I am quite enamored of Tolkien) I was pleasnatly surprised by the fascination with your story that I found myself in. I am also glad that it was a lengthy story, because it allowed me to string out the chapters and let suspense feed my wish for escape from school. It was very well written...believable in fact, and not merely a superficial story that has actions without thought. I imagine I will be seeking out more of you work. Keep writing! | |
| docmon | Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 10/15/2004 |
| I'm back! I already said much in my last review, but your notes prompted me to say more and reminded me of a couple of things too. I never mentioned how much I appreciated the realistic portrayal of marriage. I've never read a story where even the pre-destined, supposedly idyllic pairing of Arwen and Aragorn is anything but that. To see them struggle (as well as Eowyn and Faramir) was so genuine, it added more reaslism and layers to the story. It also allowed us a little breather sometimes in the otherwise tense and suspenseful storyline. The other thing I wanted to mention was your treatment of the aftermath of the prisoners' abuse. Rarely is it addressed in a story, since it's considered aftermath/recovery/post-storyline. But your treatment was realistic and fair. Faramir's violations were just that, and I can see such a reaction to his abuse. As a man, he would have even more trouble dealing with it, not to mention the confusion brought on by the acts being 'invisible.' But it was also appropriate to show Legolas with similar reactions. His mental abuses were also violations, and after so many, that had gone so deeply, to paraphrase him, one can only take so much. His refusal to be touched, even his refusal to be helped seemed appropriate, especially for one who was fiercely independent and proud in doing without help. I liked your use of the Romany, and agree with your reasons - at least as far as is known about the people, I can see a place for them in Middle-Earth. I'm rather ignorant about them, but I'll say well done anyway. And I'll say well done again, it was a great story! monica | |
| docmon | Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 10/15/2004 |
| wow. what a story! I finished it last night (late!) and found myself thinking about it when when I woke! So involved, so well thought out. Your details were so consistent, I could see how significant each detail was as it was later used. And Yay! for the halberd!! I was waiting for it to reappear! And was the buck actually Kattica's grandmother, or symbolizing her? Perhaps as she watched over things? At least at the end it seemed so.And that ending! The culmination and final battle were full of nail biting suspense and terrific action. You did a splendid job of changing perspectives on a simultaneous event and yet keeping the action moving forward (actually throughout the story this was well done). I really appreciated the changing perspectives, as I'm always wondering what the others are thinking/feeling/reacting to events. You gave everyone fairly equal time, though I must admit I loved the extra Legolas time at the end. And he earned it! But damn, did you make us suffer with his near-death. There were so many near-deaths, near-misses, twists and turns in this story, plans going awry, betrayals GALORE, there was no way of knowing what was going to happen next. And that makes for a fantastic story. Your characterizations were terrific, and your original characters were so *alive*. Enough that I kinda missed a little closure with Kattica and family in the end, but you focused on the main characters then, and that was fine (you probably wanted it done by then!). Wonderful way to wrap up the story, btw, with the epilogue. Coming full circle, not only in the structure of the story, but in Legolas's path also. With subtle changes that showed that, thoguh they were coming back to where they started, it was also a new beginning. A beautiful scene that last one. Can't wait to read more of your work. You are a gifted writer! monica | |