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Interrupted Journeys 11: In Foreign Lands  by elliska 8 Review(s)
NoraReviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/13/2013
The first chapter was so good. I already love this story.
I'm impatiently waiting for the next chapter.

Author Reply: Sorry to disappear. I ended up spending some time in the hospital, so I am a little slow in getting caught up. I'm glad you liked the first chapter. I will hopefully be continuing sometime soon in the next few days. I hope you continue to enjoy. Thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate them so much.

katrinaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/27/2013
What a marvelous description of the circus- I burst out laughing at the yellow yarn haired figure who was suppose to be Thranduil. I do wonder if, after joining the quest, the people of Laketown put on puppet shows with our little Greenleaf as another yellow yarn haired figure!

Like what everyone else has been saying, I think you did a great job portraying the immortality and long lives of elves versus men. Lindomiel making the tapestry that has now become almost a relic, and Legolas accidentally mistaking Fengel's son for Fengel. It was really a touching moment and feeling that you captured.

Looking forward to your next chapter, as always!

Author Reply: Sorry to be so long in responding. I got sick and then fell behind, but I am getting caught up now and hope to be back to posting in a few days.

I'm glad you enjoyed the Thranduil puppet. I had fun writing that. And yes, Legolas definitely does deserve a puppet of his own in the future. :-)

I also had fun playing with the elves/men age/time thing. It has to be something that would be impossible to grasp until you are confronted with the evidence of it. And then it has to be a little tough. I'm glad I captured it.

Thanks so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them!

MornReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/25/2013
I love seeing the culture of men through the eyes of the elves. How strange it must seem.

That puppet show gave me a vivid picture of thr Elvenking in a punch and Judy style show which really made me giggle.

Speaking Quenya to them. Thank goodness it wasn't Thranduil or Engwe there! Seems to be a lot of tension in Dale.

Dolgalion turned up in the nick of time there. Sounds like an awkward dinner party coming up...

Author Reply: Sorry to be so long in getting back online. I was not feeling well, but I am getting caught up now. I'm glad you enjoyed Dale through elven eyes. And Punch and Judy puppet show is exactly what I was going for, so glad you enjoyed! I had fun with that. :-) As a language teacher myself, I can't resist playing with Tolkien's languages whenever I have the chance, so--you are so right they should be glad it wasn't Thranduil! And Dolgailon is not going to enjoy dinner. :-)

Thanks so much for the reviews. I really appreciate them and I hope to be back on track now in the next few days.

FantasiaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/24/2013
Dolgailon has a lot of restrain. I could have strangled her just as soon she talked, but then, I'm not royal or leader or patient. She is so hateful. It is sad to see the village so manipulated, and see those people that followed his parents being in her grasp. It seems that his old friends are going underground, so they are not noted by Manadhien. A dinner with her, I'm really worried for Dolgailon.

The interaction of the young elves with men was interesting. The fair was just perfect. Love the interpretation of King Tharnduil. And Berior was right, Legolas will be a famous character, for sure. Puppets, I love puppets. They are not so popular now, I do have fond memories of them, I really don't know why they are not so many shows around, at least in CA.

Hmm, Is Forwen's family in law just simply making fun of the soon to be sovereign or there is more in there?
I'm glad that you show the elves impressed with Men, in most of the stories, they are portrayed with so much arrogance that they don't really seems agreeable to Human race.
And Legolas' shock about the natural way that men talk about mortality it is a nice detail. I assume that it is a concept very hard to understand for elves.

I wish I can comment in every single sentence, I really love your stories, but, I should be working....

Thank you

Author Reply: Sorry to disappear so long. I got sick and I am just now getting caught up.

Dolgailon did a good job, didn't he? :-) Yeah, I am ready to strangle Manadhien too. She really is horrible, but she is only going to get worse. She is really mad now.

I love puppets too and I had a good time writing that part. I love picturing Thranduil's reaction. :-) But yes, Legolas will definitely deserve his own little puppet in the future.

Good question about Barad and Forwed's relationship. There is more to it and it will come out and make an impression on Legolas.

It is really fun to play with cultural differences and people's reactions to them. I used to take students to Spain and Mexico and it was always so much fun watching them see all the differences and similarities. I pictured that when writing this.

I'm glad you enjoyed and I hope you continue to. I hope to be back to regular posting in the next few days. Thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate them so much.

picaraReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/24/2013
Glad you have another one up so quickly. The beginning, with everyone having so much fun, was great. They need a break. And Tureden's thoughts that Thranduil would like to see men swallowing swords made me laugh. Somehow I think he was implying that Thranduil would like to see them fail at that trick. I'm not sure he really would, but he might like imagining some men do that. ;-) And there was some interesting tension in the meeting with Forwed and Barad. They don't seem to like one another, but Barad must really not like Forwed, given how he mocked him right there in his own court. And it looks like Dolgailon arrived just in time. That story, the way Marti would have told it, could have been very damaging for sure. Looking forward to more.

Author Reply: Yeah, so much for quickly, huh? Best laid plans and all that. I got sick and I'm getting caught up now. I'm glad you liked the beginning. I agree they all need a break and a little joking around. There is more coming about Forwed. He will be king in a few years when Erebor is founded, after all, so we need to know a little about Forwed. And yes, Dolgailon did arrive just in time. Thanks so much for the reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy!

cbelleaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/23/2013
I loved how you bought a bit of Legolas' childhood into this story with Fengel! What a great way to depict the difference that years have on men and elves- it was a little sad when Legolas mistook Fengel's son for the lord, and when Fengel claimed that he had hoped he would see the "elfling" before he died. The meeting reminded me of what will later be Legolas and Aragorn's relationship- and how Legolas will be forced to endure Aragorn's aging while he himself remains little changed. I also smiled when Fengel praised Legolas for his Westron, and it brought back good memories of cute little elfling Legolas!

I can never get over how manipulative and evil Manadhien is! I really hope that she gets what she deserves soon!




Author Reply: Sorry to disappear for so long. I got sick and I'm getting caught up now. I really enjoy bringing minor characters in and out of the story. And Fengel is one of my favorite mannish characters. He is truly a good person. I also had fun playing with Legolas confronting the concept of mortality. That has to be jarring when you really see it. And yes, it is exactly what he will be dealing with when he's with Aragorn. Too sad!

Manadhien is hateful and now she's really mad. Not a good combination!

Thanks so much for the reviews. I really appreciate them. I hope you continue to enjoy. I expect to be back back to a regular schedule in a few days.

rikkiReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/23/2013
Was very happy to come home to find this new story on my computer. This starts out with a very light-hearted display of simple entertainment that entranced Legolas, Galithil and Berior. I had to chuckle when Galathil and Legolas were discussing juggling swords and then swallowing the flames. Lets hope noone tries that trick when the children get home.
It is probably a good thing that the king does not travel out of his realm. I have a feeling that a greeting in Quenya would not go over well at all considering the way he feels about Noldorin elves. Perhaps Forwen is trying to impress the elves, but he has managed to insult them without knowing it. And then insisting that Lindomiel discuss buying lumber. Hopefully Forwen will learn some tact in negotiating with elves before he really makes things worse.
Your tension was right on with Dolgailon. I was holding my breath when Dolgailon rode into his village. He was definitely on time to explain what really happened to Demil and the other elves that were killed. Moralfin is a consumate actress to not show her displeasure when Dolgailon does appear on the scene. She has got to be furious at him for disarming her attempt to incite people against the king. Hopefully Dolgailon will get to talk to Tulus and he will have good news about the other elves that need to be caught.

Author Reply: Sorry to be gone for so long. I ended up spending some time in hospital, but I am getting caught up now. Hopefully. I had fun writing the fun Legolas and his cousins and mother were having. They needed it. Galithil definitely learned a bad habit. :-) And yes, it is a good thing that Thranduil stays at home. Ignorance can be bliss. He doesn't need to know about puppets, juggling flaming swords, quenya or rude men. And yes, Dolgailon was right in time. Manadhien is furious and she is not going to react well.

Thanks so much for the reviews. I appreciate them so much. I hope you continue to enjoy!

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/23/2013
What a great surprise. I was not expecting this so soon.

The entertainment in Dale sounds lively. No wonder the boys were entertained, but Lindomiel sounds like a big kid too. Her enjoyment is fun to see. Also, there's nice contrast between the longevity and experience of men and elves. It must have driven the elves crazy to have to get used to a new ruler every time they turned around (from their perspective anyway).

Dolgailon is fencing well, but he has a sly, nasty opponent. I wouldn't turn my back on her and I'd make sure she tasted the food first.

Author Reply: Sorry to disappear for so long! So much for getting the next story posted quickly, huh?

I had fun writing the mannish festival. The kids definitely enjoyed it and Lindomiel too. She is still a big kid in many ways. I also have fun with the differences between elves and men. Tolkien did such a good job with his different cultures.

It must have driven the elves crazy to have to get used to a new ruler every time they turned around (from their perspective anyway).

So true. That was actually a line in the next chapter, but it ended up getting cut, unfortunately. But, yes, that has to drive them nuts.

Dolgailon is in a difficult place. Manadhien is really mad now.

Thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate them so much!

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