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| Paths Taken by daw the minstrel | 239 Review(s) |
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| Esamen/ Karen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/3/2004 |
| Responding to your response . . . I like prose that is so clear and liquid that it's invisible. I like being immersed in the total theater of reading without the distractions of fancy footwork in the writing. If an author can do both, that's fine, but I want the story, not the author (apologies to writers everywhere). So I really appreciate what you do with words. Author Reply: Thank you, Esamen. | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/3/2004 |
| Gosh, you're prolific! Done with one story and up with another! I look forward to every new chapter. You have an absolute gift with brothers, fathers and sons. I can't wait to see what kind of trouble everyone's going to get into . . . and I can't wait to see this new phase of Ithilden and Alfirin's story. I'm loving every line! It took me two weeks to figure out what LOL meant . . . here's my contribution to the acronym soup: LEL means "loving every line." And your prose just inspires me. I have never noticed a bump or an error in your writing. I don't know how you keep it up . . . you must have been hit over the head with the creative writing stick at birth. Deep bows with hand over heart for blessing us with another wonderful story . . . is there a crown of laurel leaves or some such thing that you would like to have? Would you prefer Cristal champagne? Author Reply: I'm glad you like it, Esamen. Usually, when one story is wrapping up, I start thinking about the next one. So I've been making notes on this one for couple of weeks. And I also have a list of stories to write if I ever get to them. I am a little lost when I'm not writing. Thank you for your kind words about my prose. I don't usually think of my language as such. I think of myself as a story teller who uses words, but the words are for the story. I am always impressed by the many fine writer on this site who seem to be in love with language itself. They play with words in ways I do not. So I particularly appreciate hearing that my words are still OK. | |
| LOTRFaith | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/3/2004 |
| Yes! Another story from Daw... Am happy... Was sincerely depressed after my story finished out but am happy that you are posting again. :-D Am very curious to see what the joke gone wrong is... I shudder to think that the joke might be pulled on Thranduil... But then again it does hold a certain ring to it doesn't it;-) A flour and water covered king? lol.... Great chapter! Author Reply: I was so depressed when my first story ended that I couldn't stand it and started writing again immediately. I hadn't expected that depression! I am trying to imagine who would have enough nerve to pull a practical joke on Thranduil. .... No. I can't. | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/3/2004 |
| I'm sorry, this is not a real review. Hopefully that will come later. I'm only commenting because when I read the title I thought it said "Baths Taken". Being so late (way past midnight), somehow the summary made sense, in a weird kind of way. I found myself speculating on how a practical joke in the bath could go wrong... "Brides in the Bath" comes to mind, and rubber duckies going missing, and who knows what else? Anyhow, it is too late to make any sense at all of what I read, so I'll just go to bed and hope to get back to this story with a bit more brain. Author Reply: ROTFLMAO. OK. That's so funny it's almost tempting to write, sort of as an MST of myself. | |
| Rose Sared | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/3/2004 |
| Ahhh, all's right with my world, Daw has another story on the go Its a bit of a wrench to go back to earlier days but it will be fun to follow Ithilden's courtship. yummy writing as always Rose Author Reply: I kind of like jumping around in time. I didn't write my stories in order and it's nice when I get tired of one age to go to another. The only problem is that I sometimes box myself in by saying things such as Legolas had never been to Laketown before. It would be so much fun to write about a visit now, but I can't! | |
| erunyauve | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/3/2004 |
| Well, I will only encourage the postponement of your work. You have some interesting conflicts going here - Ithilden's struggle with his father to be allowed to do his job as he sees fit - and make his own mistakes, and Legolas' need for more attention from his father. I suspect the latter comes partly from the loss of his mother - Thranduil may be forgetting that he has to be both mother and father to his youngest son; he never had to do that for his older children. And it's wonderful to see Ithilden courting Alfirin. I look forward to seeing him with butterflies in his stomach and sweaty palms for once. Author Reply: I am going to work during the week. I am going to work during the week. I am going to work during the week. Yes, I am! I think that Thranduil does have a hard time giving Legolas what he needs and maybe even noticing that he needs it. He's an experienced parent, but his experience took place with Lorellin there, so he has to relearn some things. It's fun to make Ithilden be unsure of himself. That is SO not like him! | |
| Antigone Q | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/2/2004 |
| Yay! A new story! With Little Legolas! Looks great so far - "Don't track dirt on the wet spots!" - LOL. I guess the treehouse is going to be an issue? I can't really see why, if Annael's parents are going to be right there. They are usually pretty sensible, and it wouldn't hurt for Thranduil to talk to them, at least, about some possible compromise that would let Legolas have an overnight with his friends. If Thranduil really has his knickers in a knot about Legolas' safety, he could probably just post a guard at the base of the tree all night. Oh, well. No use trying to change the king's mind (or, more realistically, your outline) once it's made up. Thranduil gives Legolas MORE latitude than his brothers? Holy cow! Author Reply: I suspect that Legolas never before noticed when people were tracking dirt onto a clean floor, himself included. But once you've had to keep a floor clean, your whole perspective changes! LOL about the latitude thing. I figure nana was the indulgent one with the other two. And I don't expect that Legolas gets away with much, but I think that because he's the baby and because the people around him would have felt so sorry for him when his mother died, he's probably been indulged in little things: bedtimes, treats, getting to do things at a younger age than the other two did, maybe. When I think of it, though, it must have made a difference that Eilian was a child during the Watchful Peace. I'll bet he could have quite a lot of freedom that was then yanked out from under him when he was a novice. That had to be hard. Glad you like the story so far. | |
| dr_seuss_is_cool | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/2/2004 |
| Hello. Ithilden seems very strong and capable in this chapter. When he leaves I felt as if he had bested Thranduil. That makes me feel even more love towards Ithilden. Calith, even if he is a small character, is one of my favorite small characters. He is so great in these stories. If you have ever read "The Odyssey", I imagine him as being Eurykleia or Eumaios. Aw, Ithilden is crushing on Alfirin. I think I know how that turns out! Yay! Poor Legolas. Woe is him. I feel just as Ithilden does in that Thranduil needs to pay more attention to Legolas. Well, thank you for writing. Bye Bye :) Author Reply: You are so right about Ithilden. He IS strong and capable. He's like his father in most ways, but I think it's probably important to him that he be allowed to be different from his father too and that's not easy. It's been so long since I've read "The Odyssey" that I don't remember minor characters, but I may have to reread "The Iliad," given that "Troy" is coming out soon. I am so excited about that! I have considered doing a story through the eyes of Alfirin, Celuwen, Beliond, and Maltanaur only. I could add Calith to that list. It would show my characters through the eyes of these other people. Poor Legolas yes, but also poor Thranduil, I think. He is so busy and he's a single parent whose child just did something stupid and dangerous and he wants to be sure that said child is safe. He's wrong, but I can understand it. | |
| Lera | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/2/2004 |
| Man you write fast! Which is an absolutely wonderful blessing. I had so much fun reading about Eilien and Celuwen in the last story, I'm so really, really excited to see Ithilden and Alfirin's love story playing out. The whole thing with Legolas and Ithilden thinking the other was being incredibly rude was really funny. It was strange to see Ithilden and Legolas, rather than Eilien and Legolas. I've always appreciated Ithilden. He's an absolute rock and it'll be interesting to see how he gets there. I felt kind of sorry for Legolas. It didn't seem that unreasonable a request to me. I mean he's spent the night at Annael's house and the flet is right outside the cottage and I'm sure Annael's ada has checked it to make sure it's safe. So it wouldn't hurt Thranduil to find out some details before saying no. I feel for him. It's obviously so hard to be a single parent, but he does it pretty well, overall. It's good to see a young Legolas story again. I had just got used to him being a grown up! I actually wouldn't mind some young Ithilden and Eilien stories. I love them and am curious about their childhoods. And even their relationship. Right now I can't think...have you really explored their relationship in other stories? It's late. You probably have and I can't think of where right now. I'm so tired. I"m going to bed. Thanks for the new story! Author Reply: You know, it doesn't feel like I write fast. I know I must, but it doesn't feel that way. Anyway, I don't know how far we'll get with Alfirin and Ithilden in this story because I have already shown them marrying when Legolas is about 40, so about 13 years from now. So that means the romance moved slowly, which I guess makes sense given that this is Ithilden and not Eilian. For much of Legolas's childhood, Eilian was around only occasionally (which is probably one reason he stayed the shining idol) but Ithilden was there almost every day. I don't think I have a very good grasp on what that must have been like, which is one reason I'm writing about it. I've shown glimpses of Ithilden and Eilian together over the years. It probably would be possible to piece those together and see their affection and respect for one another as adults, even though Eilian still drives Ithilden mad on occasion. I kind of hesitate to write much about their childhoods because then Legolas wouldn't be around. I use OCs so much as it is and I think readers expect canon characters. Of course, there would be Thranduil, but I still think that Legolas is the one that the stories should focus on. But in truth, I too wonder about their childhoods. :-) | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/2/2004 |
| Well, Legolas is certainly right -- he's not an elfling. No, he has morphed into that most fearsome of creatures, an Adolescent. An Adolescent who orders people off his freshly mopped floor, no less, with all the élan of a certified naneth! And Ithilden, number one son that he is, must obey an order. I am going to betray my standing as a firstborn and say that it's fun to see Ithilden taking orders from Legolas. When Ithilden looks at Alfirin, you can see the little birdies tweeting around his head. Thranduil ought to see that the flet is safe. After all, it's in Annael's back yard, and Annael's parents are experts at what is safe and what isn't. It's not as if it were in Turgon's yard, where there are probably snakes. But I think that Legolas will find himself on the flet before this story is out. Author Reply: It was fun to write about Legolas giving orders to Ithilden! I doubt if that happens too much through all the time in Arda, not orders that Ithilden takes anyway. And once a kid has washed a floor (or a bathroom), he takes much greater notice of the fact the fact that it's about to get mucked up again. I'm glad you could see how besotted Ithilden is even though he has spoken all of three words to Alfirin so far in this story. I think he needs lessons from Eilian. | |