Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

The End of Days  by Bejai 6 Review(s)
garrettReviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/21/2005
This one is so sad. I understand that this is how Tolkien could have ended it, but it breaks my heart. It's beautiful though.

Author Reply: Hi Garrett

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I've been out of town. I was thrilled to get your review; this is an older story, and I don't usually get comments on it anymore. Glad to hear that people are still reading and enjoying it. Thanks for taking the time to tell me so.

AdamasReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/4/2005
Beautifully written very sad. In the words of CS Lewis, Tolkien's stories are the saddest happy endings ever written.
Everyone is changed in the LOTR, and they can never go back to their carefree innocent days. Poor Celeborn who lets his wife go on to Valinor without him because he loves his home and is loath to part with it. Take a look at Celeborn's farewell words to Aragorn in the ROTK. The meaning behind them (or meanings because I believe there's more than one) is subtle and heart wrenching.
Tolkien never said whether or not Celeborn was able to reunite with his wife in Valinor, but he said that it is hoped that they did meet again in Elvenhome. There is a very vague reference about Celeborn departure from Middle-Earth in the appendix A of ROTK the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen. Tolkien mentioned after the death of Aragorn; Arwen when out unto Lorien and alone she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth for "Galadriel had passed away and Celeborn also was gone, and the land was silent."
I find Tolkien's books remarkably similar to real life. There is no such thing as a perfectly "happy" ending. But there is always hope. I think your story truly illustrates this point. Thank you for sharing your talent.


Author Reply: My, I'm delighted at the reviews you've left on my stories today! Really made my day.

I absolutely agree about Tolkien's sad happy endings. I'm hopeful that Celeborn did make his way to Valinor, and that wonderful family reunions happened there. Tolkien does tell us that Celeborn is "gone" in the appendix, but doesn't tell us where he's gone to. He also tells us in the prologue of "Fellowship" that "there is no record of the day when at last [Celeborn] sought the Grey Havens." There is just enough ambiguity in both statements that I can't help but wonder if he ever made it. I just had to try out one where he didn't. It turned out so unbearably sad that I think I converted myself to the idea that he did eventually sail.

Still, I think even with Tolkien's sad happy endings (what a great phrase. I hadn't heard that one), he did believe in ultimate hope. I think he thought that good things could come out of the worst situations, even if you have to wait until the last possible instant to realize it.

I'm so pleased that you've been enjoying my work, and thank you for telling me so. I'd continue to write with or without reviews, but it sure is heartening to hear from people!

SphinxReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/7/2003
Extremely well written piece. I had to go over this and re-read to see if I'd left anything out, all because I was so caught up with the prose in the beginning. Galadriel's slowly occupying a larger portion of my Muse's heart, and while that's mainly *because* she's Celeborn's wife, there is a lot more to her than just a mystical, Maia-like Elf Queen.

The angst demon loved this. :)

Fan81981Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/4/2003
No, no no! Celeborn sailed to Valinor to re-unite with Galadriel. He did - he had to. He would not leave her alone - would he? *Sniff*

This was so sad - a terrifying glimpse of what could have happened between them. It was beautiful. Sad but beautiful. I really really found this moving. Sorrow and pain do not disappear even in Valinor.

One of the most painful things in the fic was that Galadriel still hoped even when hope had lost meaning and she still waiting even after time ended. And even after all of that I still believe that she loved Celeborn. (The rat! How could he do this to her?)

Now can you write another one with an alternate (happy ending). Please - I am begging here.

Author Reply: One of these days I may bang out a happier ending. But in the mean time, might I suggest Sphinx's wonderful "Descent into Eternity" at

http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=615&cid=2330

if you haven't read it yet.

To me, it is surely what their reunion would have been like. Bitter at the beginning, but concluding with the sweet.

Thanks for the review.

CorielReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/4/2003
I agree that *happily-ever-after* was not often in Tolkien. And I read somewhere, I think in the Tolkien Companion, that Elladan & Elrohir chose to remain in Middle-earth. But just to ameliorate this story a bit, beautifully poignant though it was, I thought Tolkien at least implied Celeborn's departure, somewhere.

Author Reply: I know what you're talking about, but couldn't for the life of me remember where it was. Somewhere we get a line that Celeborn isn't in Middle Earth anymore -- but at the same time, I don't think it says he sailed to Valinor either. Just that he is no longer there; to me, that is enough ambiguity to play with.

Thanks for the review!

ElemmireReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/3/2003
I'm teary-eyed...

Return to Chapter List