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| Interrupted Journeys: Part 1 New Journeys by elliska | 94 Review(s) |
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| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 8/22/2004 |
| I'll bet Hallion is absolutely right that Thranduil was a badly behaved elfling! Well, maybe not bad, but lively. :-) Author Reply: He had to have a boisterous personality, didn't he! | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 8/22/2004 |
| Why do I find the thought of Thranduil as a terribly behaved elfling so entertaining - and so in need of expansion? I am enjoying watching the Thranduil / Lindomiel relationship - and I also thoroughly enjoyed the political / military debates between the top elves (too many to name). And Thranduil winking at Galadriel! So many chapters too. Thank you. Author Reply: I agree. The more I re-read these chapters to post them, the more curious I am about Thranduil and Oropher's relationship. I hate plot bunnies. This is like some sort of drug. You just can't put it away and my husband is ready to call a psychologist! I'm glad you like Thranduil and Lindomiel. And I agree the relationship between Thranduil and the other elven lords is most interesting. To me the single most interesting would be Galadriel and Thranduil. So many people portray them as not getting along. I can certainly see where that comes from. You have Unfinished Tales giving one of the reasons Oropher moved his capital as Galadriel's presence in Lorien. And of course Galadriel is related to Feanor. And the fact is they were so sundered by the time of the War of the Ring that Legolas didn't even know if Lorien was occupied so they could not have been close friends. But Galadriel was very concerned about what was going on in Amon Lanc--so much so that she and Celeborn traveled around looking into it.(Unfinished Tales says, "But during the Third Age Galadriel became filled with foreboding, and with Celeborn she journeyed to Lórien and stayed there long with Amroth, being especially concerned to learn all news and rumours of the growing shadow in Mirkwood and the dark stronghold in Dol Guldur.") So Thranduil is going to have to react to that somehow. I doubt he'd like interference but how would he react to getting information and (possibly worse still) support from her? It would be interesting especially if his first inclination was to not particularly trust her. (PS. I love Galadriel and Thranduil's relationship in your two current stories by the way--especially the conversations about kaleidoscopes (sp?) in today's post.) | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/22/2004 |
| The glimpses of what happened at Dagorlad were interesting. You have to wonder what did cause Oropher and his troops to charge before the time. And then how did Thranduil and the other captain negotiate in the aftermath? What were the relationships of Gil-galad and the captains of the other forces? These folks were more like the Greeks than like a modern day army. Each leader could have taken his forces and gone home. But Thranduil didn't do that. Author Reply: True and I think it really says something about them and him that they did not go home. They had to have seen they were not properly armed. And they didn't want to be there to begin with. If you take stock in the Unfinished Tales, it says, "Despite the desire of the Silvan Elves to meddle as little as might be in the affairs of the Noldor and Sindar, or of any other peoples, Dwarves, Men, or Orcs, Oropher had the wisdom to foresee that peace would not return unless Sauron was overcome. He therefore assembled a great army of his now numerous people, and joining with the lesser army of Malgalad of Lórien he led the host of the Silvan Elves to battle." But even after a terrible beginning, they stayed. That has to say something about the strength of Oropher and Thranduil's leadership to convince them to stay. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/22/2004 |
| It's hard to think about the effects of age in Elves because we are so different from them. Obviously Thranduil (and Halllion) have millennia's more experience than the maidens do. I wonder when the difference in perspectives and understanding become too great to bridge. Author Reply: That is a fascinating concept I think and you are right on to hit on it. When you think about it, we (real humans) have trouble identifying with people from other generations in our own lives and we are separated by twenty years. How do people separated by thousands of years and experiences like kinslayings and the War of the Wrath relate to one another. On the one hand, you would think that someone who is three thousand years old would have surely developed some interpersonal skills to handle differences like that. On the other hand cannon shows us these elves have very long memories and hold some grudges. I guess, like mortals, how they would handle it would depend on the individual. But it would have to cause some misunderstandings and frustrations along the way. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 8/22/2004 |
| I have to say I kind of sympathized with Elrond during that exchange. Thranduil would be really tough to be in a meeting with. I hate meetings anyway and am told I'm too blunt during them, so maybe I should sympathize more with Thranduil, but he is being a pain. Author Reply: I am completely with you on that. Meetings are horrible and they are worse when I am there. When I was full-time faculty they used to put the memo about meetings in my box the same day as the meeting in hopes I would miss it. I may have been a little overbearing. And so was Thranduil. Just a little too prickly in the first meeting. It will take him a little time to see that all the preconceived notions he has may not be entirely true. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 8/22/2004 |
| I am enjoying this a lot. I like Thranduil here. Prickly, proud, and completely undone by a lady who's just as spitfiery as he is. I like Hallioth, too; I have a similar character, and there's just so much you can do with a close advisor like that. You are really extracting all the best juice out of these varied relationships. I will certainly be keeping an eye on this story in the future. Author Reply: I am glad to hear you are enjoying it. There is a lot of potential for any relationship Thranduil is in. I like to play with how he would interact with the people he would be close to and how they would react to him. Between his natural personality (and one must assume it was fairly strong if he defended Mirkwood for three millennia and then refused to sail after Sauron was defeated) and his position as king, it must have made relationships very interesting. But everyone has them and I would think especially elves. I love to play with these ideas. | |
| The Karenator | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 8/21/2004 |
| Elliska, What a wonderful story. I have truly enjoyed reading what you've put up so far. Your dialogue is smooth and realistic. Your setting and descriptions are vivid. And the plot itself is interesting. I like the way you have portrayed Thranduil as a young king. He is still learning the ropes and feeling out his counterparts. Lindomiel is a terrific character. I like her spunk! I agree that Thranduil is such a strong personality that only a female with the same strong will would be able to abide with him without completely losing herself. And I think Thranduil would respect her for this. He's too secure in himself to be threatened by a woman of substance. I really like that. And her father, the Lord Amglaur, is such an interesting character. It's especially intriguing that Thranduil sees Oropher in him. I can't wait to see where this goes. This is shaping up to be quite a wonderful tale. Karen Author Reply: Karen, Thank you for the review. I agree that Thranduil would both need and expect a lady with a little 'spunk.' I don't think he could even respect anything less. And I just think the idea of Thranduil having to deal with someone like Amglaur--especially since Thranduil is in a position where he must bite his tongue a bit--is amusing to contemplate. I hope you continue to find interesting facets of this story. It will cover a lot of territory. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 8/21/2004 |
| Well, Amglaur is a good father who wants his daughter's happiness. I like that. Author Reply: Yes, he is a good father and he truly does only want Lindomiel's happiness. Somehow parents often have excellent intentions for their adult children but trouble recognizing they are adults. Thank you very much for the reviews. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/21/2004 |
| I liked the comparison of Amglaur and Oropher, exemplified in Amglaur's questioning of Thranduil and his deciding that the king needs to eat more. Also he's very casual in speaking of Thranduil's parents, which obviously galls the kind a little. I kind of giggled at his horror over having to entertain Amglaur. Author Reply: Yes, Amglaur knew Oropher and Dieneryn fairly well but Thranduil doesn't really know that yet. He will and it will surprise him a bit. I think Thranduil learns a few things interacting with Amglaur. It forces him to look at some aspects of his father's personality and his own that he didn't recognize until he saw them in someone he did not respect. The question is, how well does he apply the lessons. And he will not enjoy all the aspects of the impending visit to Eryn Galen. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 8/21/2004 |
| Loved Thranduil's arrogance! "I can handle your father in negotiations. But how about as a protective ada?" Author Reply: He really is too much isn't he--fairly confident for a new king. | |