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| Tangled Web by daw the minstrel | 48 Review(s) |
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| Bluetang | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| I have been reading Tolkien's books since the mid 60's. I read the LOTR at least once a year. I also read all the other books that his son has published since JRRT's passing. These also are read often. I can say without any reservation that this story was in all ways as good as his. The plot and character usage was brilliant. Thank you for such an enjoyable experience. Bluetang Author Reply: Wow, Bluetang. Thank you. Did lightning strike your computer after you typed this? :-) I had never written fiction at all until a year and a half ago when I decided to try my hand at fanfic, and I have to say it's a lot of fun for me, so I'm glad you enjoyed it too. | |
| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| Thank you for another wonderful story to add to our memory. There really is no joy in this victory when so much has been sacrificed. It was very touching the way you dealt with each of Todith's, Galelas' and Nithron's death. It will be a long time before those left behind will, if ever, forget them. The interaction among the Royal Family members was wonderfully done as well. Eilian and Legolas are finally recognized by Thranduil and Ithilden as capable warriors who can manage the realm when the need arises. But even as they gain this recognition, I can't help but feel that something else is being lost as well. I am suddenly very nostalgic for young Eilias and Legolas and their recklessness. Again, thank you for this great story! Author Reply: Thank you, Manderly. The victory was bittersweet at best, at least just now. But in the days to come, I think there will be a lot of joy. It's true that Sauron is gone and the woods will be more wholesome for a while. And Smaug is and 3/4 of the orcs are dead. Dale will be rebuilt. And maybe there will be elflings! I miss young Legolas and Eilian too, but fortunately, I can bring them back. I think I will. :-) | |
| Mer | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| I don't review as often as I like to--I'm here now though. DAW, this was such a good story and I am glad Sinnarn was spared. I did appreciate the idea that he might not and that his family was so worried about it. My favorite part of this chapter was when you wrote about how Thranduil felt he should discipline Eilian and Legolas but then realized in fact that he wouldn't. I guess you need some recovery time after this story. Whenever I finish reading a good story, I am anticlimatic for a while. Writing stories is like when a question is answered but that answer leads to 10 more questions. I have also heard the term "plot bunny" and I can see the reality of that (rabbit breeding). I know I can think of so many new stories based on this one. Hope to see more soon!!!! Author Reply: Thank you, Mer. Thranduil is still struggling to see his younger sons as adults but I think this experience pushed him along a little. They did well. :-) I do feel like I need a little break but it probably won't be very long. I miss writing. And oh yes. The plot bunnies breed. My favorite source of plot ideas is "The Tale of Years" in the appendix to ROTK. It lists event after event that could be used to scaffold a story. | |
| LOTRFaith | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| Ahh.. Another wonderful tale has drawn to a close, leaving the reader full of thoughts about the abruptness of life and how to draw closer to their friends before that day might come. I have throughlly enjoyed this story Daw:-) I don't know if I could have ever tackled such a thing and am glad you did! :-D Any more works planned out? ;-P Author Reply: Thank you, Faith. This turned out to be a bigger project than I anticipated, but it was kind of fun to try to work the material from The Hobbit from the elves' pov. I don't know what I'll do next. Some work first, I suppose, but then I have several other ideas. I have to let this story go first though. | |
| Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 | |
| Beautiful story, Daw! It left me with goosebumps. Thank you for sharing your tremendous talent with us! - Barbara Author Reply: I'm so glad you liked it, Barbara. Now that it's done, I can say I enjoyed writing it, although while I was in the middle of it, I wasn't so sure! | |
| sofia | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| good good story. I enjoyed reading it very much. the part with Tinar sitting silently over his older brother's body was such a touching part! Like that saying goes, " You never know what you have until you dont have it anymore." i think that fits so perfectly in with that part. And the image of a cranky beliond makes me laugh. I dont know why, but i think its funny. I loved the little conversation between Eilian and Thranduil. I think it discussed things from serious to humorous. and i think it was very well written. Untill the next story... -sofia Author Reply: Thank you, Sofia. Tinar will go back to being his obnoxious self soon, but just now, he's stunned. And Beliond has always seemed to me to be kind of irritable. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. I imagine that if he were wounded and laid up in the healer's tent, he'd get cranky quite quickly. Legolas is lucky not to be around him. Thranduil knows his children well. He knows what Eilian is grieving over and he wants to help him. He sees that Eilian wants to help young people and he can think of the perfect solution: Have elflings! | |
| rikki | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| What a nice ending to such an adrenalin feast as you gave us this time. Grand babies, eh? I can just see the look on Eilian's face as he turns back to look at his Adar after that comment. And another wedding, Thranduil is thinking of the future of his family. I really liked the part where you had Thranduil thank Eilian and Legolas for their help in managing the armies while he took care of Sinnarn and Ithilden. This seemed to be something that both sons took on naturally as their responsibility - checking on wounded, seeing that the dead are gathered together, and organizing the searching for orcs. And recognizing that they are adults - well maybe until the next time Legolas and Eilian do something that will upset their Adar. Hoping that you go back and fill in some gaps in a younger Eilian and Ithilden. I find both of them to be facinating OCs and would really like to see more of them. Salarikki Author Reply: Thranduil has just seen a lot of Elves die and he wants his sons and grandson to seize happiness now. And he doesn't mind ordering people around to get it! Have elflings, Eilian! Get married, Sinnarn! And it was good that Thranduil recognized that Legolas and Eilian had been doing hard things. He needs to do that more often, because as you say, the next time they annoy him, he'll forget. I don't like to write about Eilian or Ithilden apart from Legolas, which is why I've done flashbacks of them as younger people in a Legolas story. It feels too uncanonical to just have my OCs. Of course, Thranduil is there. Hm. I'll think about it. | |
| insignia | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| Excellent conclusion. Thank you, once again. It was nice to see Eilian and Legolas picking up the baton for Thranduil and Ithilden, and also to see that it was quite onerous for them but they did it anyway. I also liked Legolas's sorrow about the deaths of Nithron and Galelas, and also the other warriors. Very moving. So Eilian and Celuwen are to be thinking about progeny? Well, good and about time! It was also nice to see that when the two younger sons took on responsibility when Thranduil and Ithilden were looking after Ithilden and Sinnarn (I don't think that they have official positions for that?) it was recognised by Thranduil and he told them that he was grateful for it. Once more, I am looking forward to your next story. When/where will it be set? Best wishes. insignia Author Reply: Thank you, insignia. You're right that Eilian and Legolas just picked up the slack as captains and as Thranduil's sons. I doubt if anyone would argue with their right to do it, but still they were taking on responsibility just because they thought it was the right thing to do. Well,Thranduil is thinking about kids for Eilian and Celuwen anyway! I think he'd like more grandchildren. My beta suggests a daughter for Eilian, one who would wrap him around her little finger. :-) | |