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Christmas at Edhellond: An Elf Academy Tale  by Fiondil 11 Review(s)
KittyReviewed Chapter: 14 on 2/6/2013
Hm, sounds like a nice house – and big enough to house some of the next batch of new Elves from Valinor, if necessary. They can't put so many up at Edhellond, save everyone is moving out. And even, to spread them a bit more would be good.

While I am familiar with that sort of reading to children, I only know it being done by libraries, basically. Nice idea to have Nick do that, too. It's getting more and more necessary in our time. When I think back to when I left home for the first time, there was no laptop, no internet, no cell phone with SMS for me to keep in touch with home. Just snail mail. Nowadays the kids can't even imagine that people can live without iPod and smartphone and all that. It's unbelievable how much has changed over the last 30 or so years alone.

Author Reply: Hi Kitty. Usually such readings are done at libraries but the parents have to bring their children. What Nick is doing is partnering with a nearby pre-school as a way of introducing them to the world of books. You are correct that today's children are woefully ignorant about such things. It's always nice when I'm at Barnes & Noble and see mom, dad and the kids all involved in reading, whether it's an actual book or magazine or an e-book.

Anyway, thanks for reviewing. It's much appreciated.

obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/20/2013
That bookstore seems like a nice place to work. I hope it turns out to be a good choice for Finrod. And the elves are starting to spread out. They need to move to separate homes. Edhelhond gets a bit crowded and with married couples and kids on the way, I think a bit more privacy is needed.

Author Reply: Hi obsidanj. I think the bookstore will work out. We'll just have to see, and yes, I think even the Elves would appreciate greater privacy among them. I'm sure others will start moving out as well as they become more settled in. Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them very much.

Agape4GondorReviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/19/2013
Seems kind of odd to have the Elves living apart from each other. Though I think Finrod and Glorfi should consider it. Just kidding!

I'm glad the bookstore worked out well. Nice chapters these.

Author Reply: Well, the Wiseman Elves have experienced living apart at times, so for them it's not a big deal. And actually, Finrod and Glorfindel having separate domociles isn't that bad an idea. It would certainly relieve some of the tension betweeen them, give them both breathing room, figuratively and literally.

At any rate, we'll see how well the bookstore job works out for Finrod when we get to Elf Academy 3 (though that won't see the light of day immediately). Thanks for reviewing, Agape. I appreciate it very much.

LaerReviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/18/2013
Love how fast you update :) Thank you for that. Sounds like Finrod will be fine working at the book store (I just drank some coffee so I won't confuse the two this time, LOL) Some of the elves can buy land to build on. The two Legolas' and maybe even Finrod can build their own homes. The younger Legolas might be able to help with building underground. I am sure Gimli gave him some in sight on caves. And from hanging out with hobbits he could help build some very natural homes. Something the other elves would love with their love of living things. Do you remember the underground homes they use to build with the natural grass roofs? Using the solar power for heating and cooling was one of the biggest benefits at that time. I don't know how true it was as I was only in one during the spring time, but I am sure the elves could improve on it.

Author Reply: Hi Laer. I update twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. I generally maintain that posting schedule unless RL intervenes, such as when I was in hospital for open-heart surgery last April. Anyway, years and years ago I used to have a subscription to HOME magazine and I used to design my own environmentally friendly homes, most of them underground and solar- and wind-powered. A nice little fantasy that will never come true but I really enjoyed seeing examples of earth-bearmed homes and dreaming about living in one. I think the Elves would enjoy such homes very much and I can see some of them doing so. Barahir, for instance, used to have his own company, if you recall. He could easily help design and build such homes for the others if he wanted to. I may have to have them discuss such possiblilites in a future scene in Elf Academy 3.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the subject in light of the chapter. I appreciate you taking the time to do so.

CS (indragonbloodink)Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/18/2013
Hi, Fiondil! Just dropping in to say I'm finally caught up with all your stories and I'm so happy to see your frequent updates. Your writing keeps getting better and better. I so hope you'll continue the Elf Academy series after this, I'm dying to see what happens next (although your earlier-age writings are spectacular, too!) Finrod is a love and as always your excellent supporting cast is well fleshed-out and so realistic I can practically see them in my head.

And the Alien Overlords (well, after all, they're not from Earth...ha!) continue to be hilarious and wonderful. I keep thinking up silly scenarios that I can't help wondering about, like what the Valar and Maiar would have thought of people deciding Pluto shouldn't be considered a planet, or the Apollo moon missions, or the Mars rover.

(And THANK YOU for the Highlander reference, because I said the exact same thing in my head a couple chapters ago and had a laughing fit when I got to that part.)

Bravo!

Author Reply: Hi CS. Glad to hear you're all caught up with my stories and still reading. I do intend to write Elf Academy 3 but that will probably not see the light of day for a bit as I have some other projects I'm working on. I'm glad you find my OCs realistic and Finrod is always a love no matter what. The Alien Over... er... I mean the Valar are always a lot of fun to write and I'm sure they have a great deal to say about such things as you mention. And you're welcome on the Highlander reference. I just couldn't resist. Too bad Finrod didn't get the joke even if Manwë did. *snicker* Anyway, thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I really appreciate it.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/18/2013
Well, he's beginning to get the hang of modern life. The new house sounds lovely, by the way. And Edhellond does sound to be a bit overcrowded indeed!

Author Reply: Which is why people are moving out. I think eventually Finrod will want his own place or others will. They need a second mansion and then they can call it Edhellond Edwen (The Second/Other Elf Haven). LOL! Anyway, Finrod is a smart ellon and he'll figure it all out eventually. Thanks for reviewing, Larner. I appreciate it very much.

6336Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/18/2013
Just read UTFrogs comment about the house only having two bathrooms and that not being enough with twins on the way, having just the two is doable, when my daughter and her mob descend on us at Christmas we seem to be able to manage with just the two!

Wish a book shop was closer, the one at the Mall I work at closed and the closest is in one of two other Malls, neither of which is readyly accessable! Darn Borders for closing!

Huggs,
Lynda

Author Reply: Well, as I said in my reply, we managed with just a single bathroom between seven people, so I'm sure Amroth and the others will manage just fine with two.

Sorry to hear about your lack of bookstores, Lynda. That's a real bummer. There are 2 Barnes & Nobles within reasonable driving distance and I am very happy for that.

FantasiaReviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/18/2013
I was laughing with Vorondur's description of the Elves and Finrod dismay. Wings and short....it will show them that we Mortals can be so irreverent. Someone should read him the Shoemaker and the elves. Wait a minute, someone has a story about that, with Legolas and Aragorn...I need to investigate, did you write it?

Author Reply: Nope, I didn't write that one, but I bet it's hysterical. And you can blame the Victorians for the image of fairies/elves as small and winged. The Celtic version is much closer to the truth and the one Tolkien obviously used for his Elves. Thanks for reviewing, Fantasia. I appreciate it.

6336Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/18/2013
Sort of a moving along chapter, Finrod/Quinn has got things sorted out with the book shop, he has his next Secret Santa clue and he is slowly getting over his wounding.

He has yet to tell Glorfindel about revealing themselves to to Alex and Derek's parents! I am waiting for the explosion!

Huggs,
Lynda

Author Reply: Hi Lynda. Yes, we're moving along and heading for the climax of this arc of the Elf Academy story. As for what Glorfindel's reaction to Finrod's decision to reveal all will be, we'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for commenting. It's much appreciated.

someoneReviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/18/2013
There's something funny in having Finrod work part-time in a book shop. I wonder if Nick will lose customers or get more of them... And it's always nice to learn new things through fanfiction, like the fact that not even all of the nobility could read in the Middle Ages.

Finrod's quest for the true reason for Christmas and the little glimpses of life in modern Valinor are interesting. They almost make one feel sorry for the elves for what they have missed. No children in millenia, for example! At the beginning the elves taught men, now it is men's turn to teach elves how to start living again.

By the way, your note at the end of chapter 8 explained why I was suddenly thinking about that old hymn *grin*. My subconscious figured it out before the rest of my mind did.

Author Reply: Hi someone. It will be interesting to see if Nick loses or gains customers because Finrod is working there. And it's always fun to throw in little tidbits of unusual or little-known facts.

I think you've hit the nail on the head with your observation that it's Men's turn to teach the Elves how to start living again in spite of what is happening in the world (or the universe).

I'm glad my note helped. *grin*

Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.

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