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| Paths Taken by daw the minstrel | 31 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/12/2004 |
| Poor Ithilden! I knew spiders were going to be involved somehow - all those references to the antidote. Thank God Legolas didn't just throw the packets away, or forget where he'd put them! I hope, for both their sakes, that the patrol returns quickly. Is Legolas about to save his other brother's life? Jay Author Reply: I was afraid I'd given myself away with all the references to antidote, but I had to do them to set things up. Karri's challenge was to write about a practical joke that went wrong, and this was about as wrong as I could think of. | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/12/2004 |
| Oh, dear... I don't think I should have read that chapter just before going to bed... going to have serious nightmares! You really know how to get a person anxious! - Barbara Author Reply: You know Ted Nasmith who does the LOTR calendars? He has a truly horrible picture of Mirkwood spiders. For some reason, I can't get the link directly to that picture, but here's the link to the Nasmith site: http://www.tednasmith.com/main.html That should take you to the page for The Hobbit. Then click on the second little picture from the left at the top of the page. It's scary! | |
| vic | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/12/2004 |
| Dear Daw, ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!! How could you do this to me??? How could you??? Excuse me for a second, while my heart leaps back into my chest. What a chapter. I've been incredibly busy with work and uni, but I just had to spare a few minutes to send you a very quick review. Poor Ithilden, it must have been a tough night for him. I think he began to see that children, unlike warriors, do not obey simple commands. I'm sure when he's better, he will appreciate the job his Adar has done, all the more. I'm sure that Legolas will prove his worth, and show his older brother, and also his father, what he is really made of. He has a huge responsibility on his shoulders to care for his ailing brother, but I think he'll be great. Ok, better go back to reading Ulysses... or may be I should re-read this chapter again... and again...and again... Vic Author Reply: I read "Ulysses"! I even liked reading "Ulysses." I assume we're talking Joyce and not Homer here, although I'm looking forward to seeing "Troy" some time soon. But it was a tough read, so you should be glad I got your heart pumping! You're right that Ithilden is gaining far more appreciation for the good job Thranduil does with Legolas. It's true they need more time together, but Thranduil at least understands that Legolas is a child who needs something beyond simple commands to guide him. My university finished its exams last week. I am doing the happy dance!!! | |
| erunyauve | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/11/2004 |
| I love your spiders - they certainly act like Tolkien spiders! And it is certainly ironic that Ithilden has his moment of clarity in the midst of a crisis. I can imagine how frightening the situation would be for both of them - with Ithilden mostly concerned with protecting his little brother and Legolas wanting to be grown-up and yet terrified at the same time. This certainly isn't anything he is ready to face. Author Reply: Nilmandra encouraged me to have the spiders talk. I was afraid it would be so incongruous that readers would laugh. That's OK for The Hobbit, which is a gloriously funny book, but it's not what I wanted here. People seem suitably freaked out, though. Legolas isn't ready for this indeed. But when you put him and Ithilden together, they really do support one another, even in their present shaken condition. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/11/2004 |
| Goodness, Legolas does indeed spend quite a bit of time schlepping injured brothers around, doesn't he? This would explain why he was so relatively calm about dealing with Eilian and the poisoned hip wound, I suppose. One thing about adolescents, they make a great deal of noise. Even adolescent Elves. Ithilden shouldn't worry about losing track of Legolas. Of course, he's got lots more to worry about now. And of course, now that he is forcibly slowed down, it occurs to him that Legolas is Just A Kid. Irony of ironies. You think Legolas picked up a few hints from a month in the infirmary? He's a smart cookie (if a noisy one), and listening to the healers was probably a good distraction from the smell of vomit. Somehow, the spiders are even more horrible because they talk. I keep forgetting that they can talk, and it's a really creepy effect when they do. Author Reply: I'm sitting here trying to think if I've ever had Legolas be the one who was seriously wounded and I just realized that I don't think I have. It's always been the brothers. How odd, given that he's younger and less experienced. I'll have to remedy that! I expect that Legolas learned enough in the infirmary that he knew that big dose of antidote was unusual. And he's seen people with spider bites. Poor thing. I was worried that the talking spiders would actually seem funny, which was NOT the effect I wanted, so I'm glad they're horrible. | |
| Duchess | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/11/2004 |
| Whoa! Poor Legolas getting all caught up in the hunt and doing exactly what he wasn't supposed to do, again, and grabbed by spiders. *insert heebie jeebie fit here* I HATE spiders, awful things! Yuck! Poor Ithilden too, getting bitten twice and worrying about his baby brother so. *shaking my head* So how do they get out of this one? I hope Legolas has to take care of Ithilden and does it well for as long as they have to wait on the Home Guard. :) That's just my two cents worth though, you're the author and can do whatever you like. Just in case you're in doubt, I'm sure I'll like it too. lol Author Reply: I don't even like the itsy bitsy spiders that wander into my house once in a while. Can you imagine facing a giant one? Ack! Tolkien sure knew what he was doing when he made up that horror. I wonder how he felt about spider? Ithilden's has gulped down a mega-dose of antidote and did it almost immediately after the second bite. Maybe that will help. ;-) | |
| rikki | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/11/2004 |
| Now the light bulb comes on! Ithilden finally realizes that Legolas is a child and this modifies his relationship to his brother as he speaks in the last paragraph. Legolas, on the other hand, goes from bratty little brother to find that strength and courage of a responsible elf to get to camp and back to his brother with the antidote and to shoot the spider that is attacking Ithilden. How interesting that Legolas calms down as he imagines his father's voice in his head. I feel sorry for Ithilden, he is going to be one sick elf. And a ten year old elfling is basically going to have to move a dead weight adult to get his brother back to camp and then provide support until some of the Guard check on them. Now would be a good time for Thranduil to have a feeling that his two sons need help. Author Reply: Poor Ithilden. He is so competent in most things but he's really been having trouble with his little brother and now he's physically helpless. Legolas, on the other hand, can still move around, but he's got a kid's brain and is scared to death. Fortunately for them both, he's brave. This is Legolas of the Fellowship in a teeny form. :-) | |
| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/11/2004 |
| Wow! You've left me breathless. Even though I've been expecting something to do with spiders (all those previous references to spider venom antidote surely were not put in to fill up the page), you still got my heart pounding. The poor brothers, what a way to strengthen the bond between them. I bet both of them will have nightmares after this. I still have to laugh at Ithilen though - bitten by a spider and he's worried about losing control over the situation. Talk about a control freak! Great chapter! Author Reply: Yes! Your heart was pounding! Excellent! Ithilden just can't help himself. He IS a control freak. It must kill him to send Legolas into danger on his own. Serves him right! | |
| nessie | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/11/2004 |
| I KNEW one of them was going to get hurt! Aww, poor Legolas, having to see his poor oldest brother get attacked by spiders, and also poor him for getting caught in a web. Poor Ithilden for thinking something horrible happened to Legolas when he screamed. Lucky he was there in time to save him... I could just imagine how guilty Ithilden would have been if something happened to him. Poor princes of Mirkwood. I wonder what's going to happen now? You gotta update asap! The suspense is killing me! ~nessie~ Author Reply: It is hard to imagine how Ithilden would have coped if the spiders had killed Legolas. He already seems to feel responsible for everything under the sun! They both are in scary situations here. And, Nessie, I *always* update asap. ;-) | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 5/11/2004 |
| Does you husband know that there is a rebellious ten year old inside of you trying to get out? Legolas is very realistic in this whole chapter - his persepctive in the beginning all the way to the fear and panic we see with the spiders. Ithilden's sudden reminder that Legolas is not a small warrior to be commanded was also well done. He is a disobedient, bratty......child. Now is when both brothers will find out what the other is made of. Author Reply: That's a really good way to put it: the brothers will find out what the other is made of. I love getting into kid Legolas's head. Not as much as into Celuwen's, but still! | |