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Elflings   by Bodkin 110 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 5 on 10/24/2006
The chapter titles are superb, by the way.

Love the way these twins work secretly, but not to destruction as do the Terrible Two. And also love that Legolas, silvan Elf that he is, sneaks up on Hithiel. Wonderful that he's still who he is.

And the thought of Oropher joining his great grandson in hawking is delightful. Hope it does happen one day.

Author Reply: The chapter titles are getting harder to find!

Legolas's pair are calmer and more reasonable than poor Elrohir's. And their interests are much less likely to have them deep in trouble most of the time. Legolas enjoyed sneaking up on Hithien - who is pretty good at sneaking herself.

It would be great to have Oropher and Galenthil hawking together. Hawking seems quite an elven sport to me - in that it provides food for the table and the hawks agree to co-operate with those who fly them. Without hoods and jesses. Maybe one day!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/24/2006
The night with Elrin must have been a delightful thing; while that with the twins was something I'd not wish on anyone. That both should come together at the same time was just too bad! I do not envy Earendil at all. But I'd love to spend time with Elrin--without the Twin Terrors at the same time, I fear, however.

That sandwich will ever remain in my mind, along with the joy Elrin felt as he watched and recognized the other ships sailing the Sea of Night. How glorious for him!

And Celeborn has the more gentle, everyday experiences to go through with them, from frogspawn to the realization these are indeed Galadriel's great-grandchildren.

Author Reply: It would be a truly amazing experience to journey with Earendil. I wonder if he has taken Elrond with him ... I think Elrond might have refused to go - at least until there was no longer anything drawing him back to Middle-earth. He would have been afraid of breaking his heart, I reckon. The twins would go - and relish the experience ... probably. Once they are truly recovered from their last years in M-e.

I don't reckon Aewlin and Nimloth will be asked back. Not until they are at least a century old and displaying much more sense of responsibility. Elrin, though, will, I am sure. And he found it a wondrous experience.

I feel sorry for Earendil. Yes he can occasionally offer this splendid experience - but Celeborn raised his daughter and loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Earendil has had to watch from afar and none of his descendants really have a loving relationship with him. He seems so lonely. And so does Elwing.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/24/2006
They are the descendants of Galadriel on one hand, and have most likely inherited the foresight of the descendants of Luthien and Earendil as well. Of COURSE they'd try such a thing and be shocked when they found it worked, showing them their ancestors' experiences! Well, they've seen what much of the history their fathers and their fathers' families knew was like. It may help them appreciate the stories they will finally hear.

Author Reply: Aewlin and Nimloth have the kind of certainty that I suspect Galadriel had as an elfling. And Aewlin has inherited double shares of foresight, I think. Nimloth's talents are a bit different. They don't show it at the moment much - and don't want to see it, either - but they will. In time.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/24/2006
I am pleased to report that the parents' curse did work in my daughter's case--indeed the grandsons are JUST like she was! Now she knows indeed what we went through, and more. Heh!

Love the twins' awareness for one another, and that they found Galenthil so easily. Lovely!

Author Reply: It must be fun to sit back and watch! Eleniel and Galenthil aren't going to be quite as close as Elrohir's pair, I think - but that's fraternal as opposed to identical.

I just watched a most fascinating TV programme on the dangers of carrying twins. A good thing that Elrond is such a skilled healer, I reckon!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/23/2006
Am looking so forward to reading this one. How I've missed it I have no idea, but the children as they come are so wonderful.

My older brother decided he wanted a baby sister; and when I was born was very upset to find I wasn't likely to go out and play with him for quite some time. Rather disillusioned him, it did.

Lovely, lovely birthings here; and wonderful to see how Legolas and the others come to accept the newborns readily as the second two follow the first one.

I like Elrin very much.

Author Reply: When I was posting the last chapter, I noticed that the last one was last December! Where does the time go?

Parents so rarely think to point out to kids that baby brothers and sisters come pretty small and helpless. And that you don't generally want older siblings to treat them like dolls.

E2L are ready for parenthood, I think. An adventure to replace orc-slaying.

And Elrin is a star. A typical oldest child of a group. Very responsible - but sweet and hard-working and genuine.

lwarrenReviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/23/2006
Ho! Surf's up!!!!! This was a neat addition to the Elflings saga and I liked hearing more about Surion and his enforced trip to the woods. He sounds so much like my middle son, I almost cried! And good for his parents seeing that they needed to remove him from the temptations of his friends! Galenthil and Eleniel are great (I would love to see more of the interaction between Eleniel and Oropher, as well as the twin elleth getting hold of Surion...but...that would be mean, wouldn't it? *g*) I'm glad Surion was experiencing a change of heart (sort of) at the end, and the thought of Legolas and Camentur trying to shoot the waterfall that night was intriguing! (Sure they don't belong in this Elfing group?) :-) Wonderful as always, Bodkin!

Linda

Author Reply: I hope your middle son outgrew his adolescence and grew up to be comfortable with himself. Although I suspect he didn't find himself through surfing waterfalls! Poor Surion - he is such a much-loved child, but I don't think cities are great places for kids trying their wings. Too many traps. Surion has shed a bit of his I'm-almost-grown-up-and-you're-kids dignity - and will be much happier for it.

Oropher is relaxing in the deep woods at the moment. I'm sure he'll be back. And Aewlin and Nimloth are about due an appearance.

Thank you, Linda. I'm glad you liked it.

NilmandraReviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/23/2006
Cool, adrenaline junkies. I hate to admit it, but I'd be out there with the ellyn. Surfing a waterfall. Dude!

Author Reply: And dude is elvish for ...?

I'm sure most active kids are adrenaline junkies and this is better than a theme park! Eleniel is miffed that she isn't allowed to play, I think, but the ellyn don't want her around while they're skinny-dipping.

Perhaps she needs to arrange a girls' day out - with Aewlin and Nimloth.

Jay of LasgalenReviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/23/2006
Riding a waterfall?? It sounds horrendously dangerous - and just the sort of thing boys (and girls) would love. Poor Surion didn't have a choice, really - he had to do it, or lose face.

I'd love to see the older (and supposedly more sensible) elves trying it - but I seem to remember that the sons of Elrond and waterfalls are a bad combination ...


Jay

Author Reply: It's not a very big waterfall - but it still has potential to be dangerous. But what hasn't? (Well - I suppose there's not much risk sitting in the library researching old scrolls...) Surion is a bit nervous around water, but you're right - he had to do it. Or he would never have been able to show his face around the lads, however much the girls admired him. And seeing the younger elves do it has been good for him - how can he not be impressed? So he's shining their egos and they're appreciating him. They should get on much better now!

I'm sure the older elves will have a go - I can't see them resisting it. And I'm sure the sons of Elrond don't hurt themselves every time they're near water. Probably!

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/23/2006
Lovely chapter, Bodkin. I think these elfling tales are my favorites among your ongoing stories. I like watching kids grow. Surion is touching, I think. You can see his fundamental sweetness but it's time to rescue it now or it will be gone forever. His parents did a good thing in getting him away.

Author Reply: I enjoy following the elflings - there is something very satisfying about the trials of young ones. Things that seem so important to them - and life lessons learned. Surion's parents needed to get him away - he was in a silly crowd of spoiled brats. He will be better in this pond.

elliskaReviewed Chapter: 12 on 12/19/2005
‘Andaernaneth can be just as scary, though.’ Elrin raised his eyebrows. ‘And she told us to be sensible.’ Ooohooo! I thought that was funny but they had better hope that comment is never repeated in the wrong company!

The children's observations about their elders' behavior are absolutely spot on and they are positively hilarious. I tried to find the lines I wanted to single out and realized I was hightlighting the whole conversation. So suffice to say, I loved it all.

Now it will likely not surprise you that I love Oropher every bit as much as I love Thranduil and I must say I absolutely loved your portrayal of him here--he's headstrong and he admits it to himself. I love that. And I really felt for him--how lost he must feel coming back into life when everyone would seem to have a place and he does not. I wondered who's presence in the tree he would tolerate. Laerwen's! Perfect!

And then sending him off to 'play' with Galenthil--too look at raptors. I think you can guess that I loved that image.

It was a trifle embarrassing to listen to his adar’s frequently expressed doubts about the background, character and motives of Celeborn’s wife. The more embarrassing, really, because he had himself indulged in similar debate over many centuries. Perfect! Loved it!

‘I determined that I would grow up to be a great queen, when I would do whatever I wanted – and that would never, ever include the tasks that ellyn escaped.’ And this--now that is a take on Galadriel's desire to be a queen that I never thought of and that I really like. I bet some small part of here really did decide she wanted to be a queen just so that no one could tell her not to muddy her gowns or sew instead of practicing with her sword. Loved this too.

And Thranduil is going to make his adar pay for that story about the pearls! He thought the Dagorlad made him angry! That was cruel! ;-)

And I absolutely loved that Galadriel and Oropher could find common ground in an understanding of what it is like to long for a missing spouse. That was so well done, Bodkin!

‘Of course,’ Galenthil said, ‘now they have decided to behave as if they are friends, it is even worse.’ *Snort!* Very well framed. This is my favorite chapter of this story, I think! Loved it!

Author Reply: I think Galadriel would be secretly highly entertained by the statement. But she wouldn't show it! They are very observant elflings - and the whole situation is rather obvious.

Oropher's - well - not-quite-monologue almost took over here and I stuck there for a time wondering whether he ought to have his own showcase. (By the way, I've been stuck with an idea for something to do with Oropher around the time of the War of Wrath that might find itself getting some attention shortly.) Laerwen is the one person there who really understands how it feels to return to life - and probably the one person he would be prepared to listen to. What he really needs is someone - or several someones - to look after.

I even researched fish eagles! And used some of the information to describe their behaviour, so that Oropher and Galenthil could have a really fun day. Galenthil is rather one-track-minded, though. For him, it's enough to spend time in the forest with its creatures - whereas the ellyth have more long-term schemes in mind.

I think, since they have been in the Blessed Realm, the friction between Thranduil and Galadriel has become rather more of a game than true ill-feeling. Neither is prepared to back down and admit they are actually quite alike in some ways, so they continue to jab at each other - but everyone ignores it. Oropher means it - and Thranduil has found himself saying all those things he has been denying for years!

Oh yes - I can see little, golden-haired Artanis deciding she wanted to be boss of the world. And then she would make her brothers do what she told them. She probably became a bit more sophisticated about it - and she does come from quite a competitive family. Galadriel, the original feminist. Equal rights for ellyth. (Tolkien's equality doesn't seem to put females in positions of power. They might be able to do the same jobs, but the top elves are mostly male. And they appear to have Salic law when it comes to inheriting thrones.)

The 'little oyster' story just came - and I have to say I loved it. Thranduil will cringe. This must be one of the downsides to have multi-generational families! You are never allowed to forget the more embarrassing episodes in your life.

Galadriel and Oropher have quite a lot in common, really, if only they could be persuaded to look for it. And admit their weaknesses.

I'm so pleased you enjoyed this chapter. And Oropher is fighting to escape from Elflings and have his own series. Too many prima donnas!

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