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| Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Lindelea | 99 Review(s) |
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| Soledad | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 4/15/2024 |
| Thank you for your detailed answer to my woefully short review. :) As to your question, my Harad-themed story is "The Face of the Enemy". I, too, diverted Harad into different realms, with various cultures that once existed and partially still exist. Should you want to discuss particular aspects of it - or indeed of Dwarves - I've got a LiveJournal community called edhellondawards that is for all things Tolkien... including fanfic. It is mostly dead in these days, serving as a personal archive for my stories, but you are welcome to join or just take a look. :) Author Reply: Oh! Wonderful! I just renewed my activity on LJ after more than a decade, so I will certainly check out that community! (And your story! I looked at your list of stories on SoA but didn't realise "The Face of the Enemy" was the Harad-themed one. At second glance, I ought to have been able to make the connection. Ah well. You've made it for me, and I've added it to my list, so all's well that ends well. Just as soon as I post the last chapter of this story, "Face of the Enemy" will go to the top of my list.) Okay, I managed to find elhellonawards on LJ and I think I friended it. I find LJ a bit confusing. But we'll see if it shows up on my friends feed. I don't know what the "Notification Center" is, but I checked that to notify me of new posts. I guess we shall see! (I don't know what they meant by "Inbox", either.) And you're welcome! One of the things I've treasured about SoA over the years have been the interactions between authors and readers (I've been both, and though I took a long hiatus, I'm glad to find it still here. It would be nice if more people would return and if new authors should start to post stories, especially now that I have time to devote to fanfic again. I'm still getting used to retirement, but reading and writing seem to be excellent and satisfying ways to fill the hours that were, up until a few weeks ago, filled with steady, heavily-focused work. Author Reply: (And hah! I see my old nemesis, the unfinished parenthetical thought [I keep forgetting the "close parenthesis" to end such a thought] continues to haunt me... Hopefully it bothers me more than it bothers other people, lol.) | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 4/15/2024 |
| I enjoyed that Cuillon realizes that Merry and Pippin will both relax and accept treatment better if they are allowed to lie together, that this is indeed Hobbit healing technique. And poor Mittens, needing his own rest after the horrendous doings of this day! And at last the injuries of the wounded aide to the general are recognized and will be given proper treatment as well, and Ambassador, General, and aide see the King himself as the great healer King his was born and bred to be. I look forward to seeing Mittens finding his proper place in Gondor's capitol, and the Haradrim accepting the friendship of their former foes. Thanks so for the time we spent together today, and may healing find us all as our own wounds and griefs are relieved. And thanks so for the bunny--it met its intended fate after I finished my dinner! Heh! Author Reply: It was lovely to see you! I have been avoiding angst or reading/writing light angst in recent days and emphasizing comfort food(-for-thought). Luckily, this story is in its last stages, where the comfort and healing kicks in, which makes it easier to work on than some of the other WIPs (like Bill's story, which is "Angst Personified" at the present stage of the journey and won't really reach the "comfort stage" for quite a few chapters yet. Whew. Well, at least it's outlined, for the most part - except for the gap I realized was there when I was musing aloud today. But I think I hit on a good solution. Thanks for listening). (and "Thain", which is stopped at an incredibly angsty part. Maybe I'll be able to write angst once more when we have a pup again. It was always so much easier to get through difficult scenes with a slumbering dog at my feet. Sadly, we were notified this evening that the puppy we were anticipating fell through. It would have been the same age as Panda when we brought her home, 4 months old, but much smaller than Panda, of course, who weighed 44 pounds at 4 months. *sigh* But the right one will come along, and the rescue organization now has us on their list and will let us know when another dog comes to their attention that needs a good forever home. Since they brought us Zoe, years ago, I trust they know what they are doing.) You're most welcome. I'm glad the bunny was a success! Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. *hugs* Wishing you comfort and healing. | |
| Soledad | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 4/14/2024 |
| Have just come around to read the story in its entirety. Love what you are doing with Haradric culture - so different from my own ideas and yet so interesting and convincing. Great job! Author Reply: Glad to see you here! I had to envision Haradric culture for an earlier story where Harad was a major plot point. I made it more interesting for myself by dividing Harad into the Hundred Kingdoms with varied cultures and landscapes but some common elements (like being conquered by the Dark Lord before He was thrown down). Lots of scope for the imagination! I also enjoy complicating the rather simple dichotomy of "good-bad" by showing that enemies can be noble and honorable (with good as well as evil people), even when their culture differs markedly from that of the West. In what story/stories do you write about Haradric culture? I'm intrigued! I will add them to my "Want to read" list. p.s. I find your Dwarves fascinating! I have a story in progress featuring Faramir Took as a tween visiting the Lonely Mountain; the outline is complete, along with draft chapters of the non-Dwarf scenes. But - obviously - a Fourth Age story about the Lonely Mountain is going to heavily feature Dwarves, isn't it? ...and the main part holding me up is trying to imagine Dwarf culture and society! Tolkien showed us homeless or travelling Dwarves. Who are they when they're at home? And the hints I've seen from other authors (like Dwarf women being hidden away, in at least one story I saw a few years ago) - would parts of their culture be off-limits to a visiting Hobbit? Or not? (And unless JRRT wrote about Dwarf women with beards, it's not something I can easily wrap my brain around unless, like your story mentions, fake beards are involved.) All that to say, I've barely scratched that surface. Hence, I'm so impressed by the amount of thought that has obviously gone into your "Balin" story. p.p.s. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to leave a good word! Author Reply: p.p.p.s. Did you get my email? I was just wondering if I had the right address. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 4/14/2024 |
| it seemed to him as if Pippin settled deeper, safe now in the older cousin’s protective hold, and he sighed, though it hurt his head. I’ve got him, Frodo, he murmured. Well, you can imagine my joy in this scene. "Hobbit healing" indeed. *happy sigh* What a lovely chapter for everyone. Author Reply: I certainly can! Very similar to the joy I feel, I'm pretty sure. (I can see how Cuillon rose from apprentice to the Head of the Houses of Healing over the years. He's a good listener!) I love the last few chapters of a story, when the angst is resolving (dissolving?) and I can lay the comfort on thick and pile on the joy. I do love a happy ending. Thanks so much for reading and stopping to leave an encouraging word! *hugs* | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 4/2/2024 |
| We pray for the healing of your hearts, now that your Panda and mine are together on the far side of the Rainbow Bridge, awaiting our coming in our own times. A beautiful acceptance of the peace between them as King and Ambassador exchange swords once and again, each realizing his own place in the new relationships between their lands. And did Sam really say, "That's a good Ambassador" as if he were encouraging a small lad in how to meet a new responsibility? Had me giggling! Author Reply: Thank you, my friend. The pain is not as sharp and constant as it was a week ago, but comes in short bursts now, whenever Panda would usually make her presence known. Walking in at the front door (to be greeted by a cat, nowadays, who has taken on the role of official greeter); the passing by of a delivery vehicle or a car parking out front; a cat scratching the furniture; the rattle of ice cubes (how she adored ice cubes); the striking of the clock at six o'clock, her favourite time of day next to "treat time"... Every time, I can't help looking around, expecting to see her bright eyes, full of mischief, and her wagging tail. D'y'know, I didn't know Sam was going to say that until he actually said it, and I looked at it for a moment, and it seemed a perfectly natural thing for him to say. It still made me smile just now as I read over the chapter again. I think it's an echo from a memory of a scene in the old 1960s film Zulu, where the Colour Sergeant says to someone (the wounded officer? the drunken minister?), "There's a good [fill in the person's identity (officer or minister, perhaps)]." (Come to think of it, it seemed rather incongruous there, as well.) Again, thanks for reading and stopping to leave a good word. The next (second-to-last?) chapter is about half done now, in terms of turning the draft chapter into a finished state, so I'm hoping to have it posted by the weekend. Think good thoughts, if you don't mind my asking. Author Reply: Because I should be sleeping instead of working on the laptop, I decided I might as well go the extra mile (as far as foolishness goes) and looked up that quote I was remembering. At least it won't keep me up, wondering, like an itch I can't scratch. The context was that the drunken minister had been thrown into the jail because he had been trying to urge the British soldiers not to fight. While in the jail, he resorted to saying such jolly things as, "You're all going to die!" The Colour Sergeant noticed that his guards were looking uneasy, so he stepped in. Here's the whole quote, as I found it written out by someone (meaning I am not responsible for punctuation or capitalization, lol): "Mr Witt Sir. Be quiet now will you, there's a good Gentleman; You'll upset the Lads". Author Reply: I also remember being upset that the Colour Sergeant was not mentioned among all those who were awarded the Victoria Cross from that incident. Interestingly, in looking for that quote just now, I ran across this explanation: It has been suggested that Colour Sergeant Bourne DCM took promotion instead of a VC. He ended his career as Lieutenant Colonel Frank Bourne OBE DCM. He is buried in Beckenham Cemetery and Crematorium, found on Elmers End Road on the A214, details of location can be obtained from the lodge on entering. (I thought it might have been because he was a fictionalized character, like I seem to remember reading about the sergeant in the movie Gettysburg, but apparently Bourne in the film was based on a real person.) And now I will stop nattering on and try to wind down while it's still dark outside. *hugs* | |
| demeter d | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 3/30/2024 |
| Oh, I was going to mention...when I read on Microsoft Edge, I can right-click and a list comes up, including "read aloud". Try to see if your browser does that. I thing I have not gotten Google Chrome to do that. Author Reply: Ah to be able to edit review replies... I am constantly starting a parenthetical thought and then forgetting to close it. (As I did in my reply to your previous comment.) Hmm. I don't have Microsoft Edge. I do have Firefox and Safari. I will have to see if either of those browsers has that feature. Thanks for the tip! (I got locked out of SoA when my password saved on my laptop got corrupted, not long after I posted the latest chapter to this one, but I was luckily able to locate a note where I'd written down the password quite a while ago. Whew. I'm so glad to be able to answer reviews and post new chapters. This story is nearly complete.) | |
| demeter d | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 3/30/2024 |
| "Picking up where we left off". Indeed! And oh, my. That conversation between the General and his poor wounded aide reminds me of a conversation our departed friend Fiondil wrote, in his "Elf Academy Christmas" tale, between one Father Charles Waverly and one - returned to Modern Earth and ready to fight the darkness again - Prince Finrod. The discussion centered around ancient humans's habits of sacrificing various animals and even each other to their idea of The Creator. And sadly, even still, we hear on the news of people who see the need to bomb and kill those different from them. And then, Eomer King taking it as his right and duty to carry his esquire up for care. You have nicely shown the relationship between the Rohirrim and their horses; from the slower, more controlled, but still a gallop, to poor Firefoot who had no idea where they were going, but responded the best he could to his master's directions. The description of the examination room is very vivid. I could picture each of the patients and those caring for them. King Ellesar clearly values and cares for his Hobbit friends, not even bothering to shed that dusty mail, going right to work. I would imagine anyone there who had been in the city during the Battle of the Pellenor, or at the Black Gate, would always remember that battle song. I suspect for some troubled veterans, the steady purpose of their commanders would be the only thing keeping their emotions steady when hearing that sound. And off goes the king, and like before, poor Merry is ordered to stay and rest! (On a silly side note, my spell-check is going crazy over all of those Middle Earth names!) Author Reply: Oh, my, it has been so long since I read Fiondil's stories... They are on my "want to read again" list, which I'm beginning to work through, along with stories on my "want to read list" that I didn't have time, over the past decade, to read. Your comment has moved that particular Elf Academy Christmas tale to the top of the list! (Whichever list it might be... I know I read and thoroughly enjoyed several "Elf Academy" stories, but I don't know if that was one of them. Actually, the General's first words are loosely adapted from a Civil War account of Joshua Chamberlain. A bullet passed through his horse's neck and hit something (a framed picture of his wife and a pocket Bible, I read in one description) in his pocket, preventing the bullet from penetrating his chest near his heart. The impact knocked him unconscious, and he awakened lying facedown on his horse's neck, covered in the horse's blood, hearing his commanding general, who was supporting him in the saddle, say, "My dear general, you are gone." According to Chamberlain's account, he heard a rebel yell at that moment, sat up, said, "Yes, General, I am," and directed his wounded but still standing horse to take him back into the battle to rally the faltering Union line. You are very perceptive to catch the implications of the slower gallop! And yes, I can imagine that those who were sent off to safety during the Siege of Minas Tirith would not recognise the battle song, but the sound would have an impact on all those who were in the City during the attack, as well as the Rohirrim who were outside the City. It's so good to hear from you! Thanks for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. ((((hugs)))) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/29/2024 |
| And something deep in the General’s heart and mind and spirit broke within him and then, miraculously, reformed, fresh and light and healed and, at last, made whole. What a lovely moment! And Frodo and Sam's participation (and further praising) here just warmed my heart. Author Reply: Thank you! I hope you and yours have a lovely weekend. The sun is shining here, and it looks like spring outside (blooming trees and daffodils). | |
| DADGAD | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/26/2024 |
| Oh, such a lot going on all at the same time in this chapter. Horses, soldiers, Hobbits, dogs! Is everyone going to bump into each other on the 6th circle? Can't wait for next chapter! Author Reply: I know! It's hard to keep track of so many threads and so many bodies, even though they all seem to be converging on the same spot. Or most of them, anyhow. Thanks for reading and stopping to leave a good word. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/24/2024 |
| Gandalf's evaluation of Faramir was all too accurate. Now--to forstall disaster! Author Reply: I was thinking of Gandalf's description of Faramir as I fleshed out the chapter from the outline, actually. You hit the nail on the head. The next chapter is lovely, if I do say so myself. I'm halfway through turning the draft into a finished chapter. Even though it may run long, I don't need to split it in half to upload it - not like the old days of dial-up, when I started posting fanfic and had to limit chapters to 2k words or so to be able to upload them. (Immersing myself in fanfic is helping me keep the grief at arm's length for the moment. I've fallen apart at various points today, clearing away Panda's toys and treats and bowls and bagging up things to donate to the Humane Society, even just opening the freezer to get ice for my drinking water. She always came running when she heard me rattling around in the ice bin; ice cubes were among her favorite treats...) Thanks. | |