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Fey  by Thundera Tiger 12 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 4 on 9/14/2011
And what are these wraith-like, orc-like creatures he half recognizes? Mewlips?

Raksha The DemonReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/10/2011
Oh dear, they're in the thick of it now!

Very intense chapter; things getting worse and worse until that final frightening line. A battle with orcs and Haradrim would probably be much easier, one would at least know what one was fighting.

Faramir's present tense viewpoint works very well throughout the story, by the way.

Author Reply: Thanks for your comments on present tense! It was a point of extensive debate while this story was being written and betaed. And it was a lot more work than I anticipated. But I learned a lot from the experience, so it was worth it.

PeriantariReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/9/2011
wow. just wow! what a cliff-hanger! I knew you would pull one of those classic, Thundera cliff-hangers on us... WOW!
I don't know where to start with saying how great this chapter was. Dialogue, action, adventure, chilling suspense-- it was all there!
I was so into the moment when Faramir, Mablung and their men were going to find out what happened to Aragorn... that kept me on the edge of my seat because you kept on finding possessions without knowing where the men are.
And the ending part is quite interesting writing because you do not know what exactly is going on but you feel the darkness, the reek, the fact that a lot is happening at one time.
It's interesting again, that you make Legolas affected but not to the extent of not being unhelpful-- i think you like picking on poor Legolas (example-Fear No Darkness story ;)
Looking forward to more! Wow! I hope to know what happened to Aragorn soon and to see what is happening to Faramir! I half expected him to also fall into a dream when he was in the Nindalf... you had an interesting juxtaposition between him being in the dream and not when you wrote the part of Gimli being in there.

Author Reply: Eh...yeah, sorry about the cliff-hanger. Kind of. The original intention was to build the cliff-hanger around finding Anduril, but the pacing was never right. This cliff-hanger seems to work, though, so I'm happy.

As for picking on Legolas...well, he was there. And convenient. And I like to imagine that he and Faramir formed a very close friendship in Ithilien. Plus he and Faramir or more or less equals, which means there's more give and take between them when they're in the same scene. It makes writing easier, anyway. :) Thanks so much for the review!

ElentarriReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/8/2011
Hello

Nice to see another story from you :) Brilliant style and originality as usual. Just so you know though - this is giving me nightmares :D

Author Reply: My apologies about the nightmares! I'm glad you're enjoying it, though. And in my defense, it is supposed to be a creepy story. So I guess the nightmares are more or less intentional. Come to think of it, maybe I'm not that sorry. ;) Thanks for the review!

ElflingimpReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/8/2011
Well after I get over the overwhelmingly creepiness and smell I may be normal again someday...I cannot stay with Faramir I believe I want to leave quick! But I am compelled to stay to look just a little closer and then......Hugs The Imp

Author Reply: Good luck with your attempts at normalcy! I've never managed it myself. Anyway, I'm glad you're the story is compelling, albeit a little creepy. Thanks so much for the review!

PraveenReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/8/2011
Some of the tantalizing questions, and my guesses as answers:

1. Who are the attackers? First I thought the houseless ones. The elven spirits. That was my guess until chaper 3, but now legolas says they are 'like' houseless ones. So they are NOT houseless ones. you would not give such a simple clue.

2. Nazgul. But according to Cannon, they were pretty much gone with Sauron. Perhaps they lingered and attained sufficient power again. Clearly Nazgul don't like fire. But not very plausible, unless this is AU.

3. Some obscure spawn of morgoth, which lingered in middle earth. Such as the watcher in Moria. That is my guess.

Who Gimly refers to as someone who can may be help Faramir? My guess is, Gandalf. I am surprised Faramir hasn't thought of him yet. If anyone, a Maia should have some answers. But where IS gandalf when this story happens? Has he gone to the west yet? If so, may be Radagast? However, it is obvious Fardamir has no time now to contact anybody physically away from Marshes.

What does Faramir fear? Fire, certainly, but also madness, and, I think, generally, the ways of his father. His disaspproval. A young Fareamir always feared his father would disapprove of his action. May be Faramir should get over his fears of disappointing his superiors, including aragorn, and be his own man?

Chilling, well written, fantastic story. The best ff I read for a while.



Author Reply: 1) Nope, not houseless ones. Although I'm dying to do a story about those, too. Maybe someday. But they're not in this story. Legolas is mainly comparing them to the Houseless Ones because they remind him of something he faced in a similar area. But he's a little too befuddled right now to pick up on what that something is.

2) Nope, not Nazgul. I wish they'd lingered. That could make for all kinds of fun Fourth Age stories. But unfortunately, they're gone. Or at the very least, not in this story.

3) ... Closer. Not necessarily a spawn of Morgoth, though Tolkien never really does explain where this creature comes from. But there are a lot of dangers in the world unrelated to either Sauron or his minions. These are one of them.

As for the other guess... You are very close to a couple of things. Very, VERY close. Hot. Burning hot. Mount Doom levels of heat, really. And that's on a lot of guesses. So I commend you for some impressive deductive work! And I hope you continue to enjoy!

FantasiaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/8/2011
What are those things?! Now I'm scared. And I keep thinking where is the place is what Gimli kept telling him that none that enters can help him. I thought that was the swamp, but it seems that it is the place were those beings live, but where? Under water? How people can survive? Too many questions, this is one of the best ff ever. The suspense is killing me.
Great, great chapter.

Author Reply: Oooo...VERY on the mark. Great guesses! You're pretty much right on track. As for the questions...some of them get answered next chapter. Some in Chapter 5. A few, I have to confess, I just leave up to Tolkien's lore. The underwater thing, in particular, though I made a few attempts at explaining the "how" behind that. But these are creatures from Tolkien's lore, albeit obscure creatures.

BeverlyReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/7/2011
Holy Moly! With the slithering, snake-like things on them, it made me think of the "Watcher" at the gates of Moria. LOL
I'm loving this mystery. Can't wait to see the ending.

Author Reply: There will be more slithering, snake-like things next chapter, so we're not quite done with them. I hadn't thought about the "Watcher," though. That might have made writing it a bit easier if I'd had a more concrete reference. Ah well. Next time. Thanks so much for your review, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

BodlinkaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/7/2011
Chilling, suspenseful and perfect.

Author Reply: Thank you so much! I'm glad the atmosphere is working!

AdrianneReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/7/2011
Not the Paths of the Dead, the Dead Marshes! Was there a battle in that place so long ago that no one remembers? Or something else? Were Aragorn and his men pulled beneath the swamp water? Will Faramir see them?

What means the name 'Nindalf'? A part of this name is similar to Gandalf which means 'wand elf'. Does this place have something to do with the elves from long ago? I'm grasping at straws, I know.

Author Reply: Well, a lot of your questions are going to be answered in the next chapter, which should be up shortly. The name "Nindalf" translates into "Wetwang." The Tolkien Gateway says it comes from "nīn" meaning "wet" and "talf" meaning "flat field." So the "t" went from voiced to unvoiced during the creation of the name. But as for that particular name being important, it isn't. It's more or less a description of the swamp. There are other names that are important, but that isn't one of them. Right track, wrong name. ;)

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