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| Glorious Summer by daw the minstrel | 17 Review(s) |
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| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/8/2004 |
| Well, it seems as though everyone's doing as well as can be expected. They all have psychic aftershocks to work out, so it's good that they can have a few days to chill before packing up and going home. I'll bet that this time to hang out with Celuwen and Gelmir and Legolas is something that Eilian is going to treasure in his heart for a very long time. So, it turns out that the only way to get something through Sólith's skull really is to beat him over the head with it. . . Veddy interestink. Thranduil should probably make a note of that and have future negotiating teams arrive at the settlement bearing an assortment of coshes, brass knuckles and blackjacks. You've called this story "Glorious Summer," but I'll bet that the main characters would be inclined to take exception to that, what with the Shadow and the in-law arguments and the troop tensions and the hostage situations and whatnot that they've been going through. It's like one of those vacations that's so stressful that by the time it's over, you need a vacation to recover from the vacation. Okay. You'll have to excuse this next comment, but I'm back in college now, so I can think like this. I'm imagining Eilian wearing his rune and Celuwen wearing her necklace, and the two of them going at it on the furniture, and what an awful clanking that must make. And before you ask, I did eat dinner at a reasonable hour tonight. I'm taking a class where we routinely sling around words like "dominant-hegemonic" and "recontextualization," so my brain needs all the help it can get! Fortunately, the first thing I learned in that class is that the phrase "the dominant-hegemonic cultural paradigm" is in fact a meaningless bit of academic gibberish that has no meaning in real English and can thus be safely ignored. Apropos of nothing at all except that I'm telling everyone I know, I just found out on Wednesday night that a choral piece I wrote a few years ago is going to be published in March! Author Reply: First of all, congratulations on the publication of the choral piece. That's wonderful! And I should tell you that I, too, live among people who say things like "dominant hegemonic pardigm." Also "paralogic hermeneutics." Lots of big abstract words in a row make my head hurt. So you're right. This chapter was about the psychic aftershocks. I tried to think of a way to make it more active and less talky, but this is what came out. The title of this story is taken from Shakespeare's Richard III: "Now is the winter of our discontent/made glorious summer by this sun of York." And then hell breaks loose. Why I chose it, I don't know since it probably makes no sense to anyone else. Hm. So you think the jewelry might be a bit much? Could be. Maybe they think of ways around that. ;-) | |
| Alice | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/8/2004 |
| Eilian is wise beyond his years. I wouldn't question Celuwen about the guards either. Best to leave that in Ithilden's capable hands. Those two butting heads is not a happy thought. I'm glad Gelmir gets to hang out with his two friends. I kind of grinned to myself when I read about him knowing that Celuwen and Eilian were in love before either one of the two lovebirds themselves knew. He's a good friend. Legolas is so funny as an officer. Scratch that actually, it's fun seeing Eilian react to the thought that he's an officer. You just know he's picturing some little elfling with a lieutenent's uniform. He is his little brother after all. I also enjoyed Celuwen yelling at Solith. He needed to be yelled at. Wake up Solith, the entire kingdom's in trouble, not just your little settlement. I keep kind of thinking of the settlements in terms of the former American colonies, which isn't entirely accurate. The American Colonies were much more independent. They didn't depend on the King for their protection for instance. They were just as small picture though. I look forward to the next chapter, if not Eilian facing Ithilden and Thranduil. Always assuming Ithilden and Thranduil leave him in one piece indeed. Author Reply: Eilian is very smart to stay out of the way when Ithilden tries to give Celuwen a Talking-To. I look forward to it! I enjoy Gelmir and don't get to write about him enough. Eilian has been lucky to have a friend like him, just as Legolas has Annael. I kind of feel sorry for Ithilden because I haven't given him someone like that. Alfirin is really the closest he has. I'm smiling at the thought of an elfling in a lieutenant's uniform, all dressed up to play pretend! And I think Legolas kind of feels that way sometimes too. I think his brother's endorsement is important to him. You are so right that Solith needed yelling at, and Celuwen was ready to do it. Go her! | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/8/2004 |
| Truly astounding! For a brief moment there I actually liked Celuwen. =-O It is very odd to see Maltanaur off his feet, instead of Eilian. Author Reply: Ah, Karri! You're so cruel! LOL Maltanaur is off his feet, as you say, but he did a good job on the men. He killed one, put another one out of the picture, and wounded a third before that snake Zalan knifed him in the back. I love the guy. | |
| sofia | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/8/2004 |
| yes, i kind of missed the last chapter. All i have to say about that is that it was very exciting. This chapter had a lot of reflection on the day before, which is understandable. very good. -sofia Author Reply: Thank you, Sofia. I was a little slower than usual getting this chapter up because I was struggling to find some way to make all that reflection a little more exciting. I finally just gave up! | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/8/2004 |
| So many great conversations here. Celuwen reminds me of Thranduil banging her fist on the table. I really like the conversation between Eilian and Gelmir. It was good of Gelmir to tell Eilian what he didn't feel he could ask about Legolas and the joking about Celuwen was funny. It must be strange for Eilian to interact with baby brother Legolas as a fellow officer. They both do a very good job together. The conversation about the guards is good...funny really. Like the bootprint line. :) I think my favorite line in this chapter though was: “All we want to do is live peacefully in the forest,” Sólith said at last. “I hate the idea that we are now to be trained as if we had chosen to be warriors. Is that the only fate left for any of us?” That just seemed very powerful. It's so true that no one wants to be in that role, as Celuwen said, but they spend thousands of years with no choice. How sad. I am so glad that we get at least one more chapter to see Eilian go home. That ought to be a fun chapter...not for Eilian though. By the way, I realized that I hadn't commented in any of my other reviews in this story what a good job you did showing Legolas growing into his first command. That was really well done. Legolas did a good job and so did you. :) Author Reply: I wish I could use Gelmir more. He and Eilian and Celuwen have been friends for a long time and the dynamics between them might be interesting. But I just can't seem to include him much without going off on a tangent. SoA reviewers helped me a lot with deciding what to do about Celuwen's guards. I loves them. One of the things I've been trying to do with Solith is see his point of view on things. It's hard because he's such a good foil for Eilian, so it's fun to make him stubborn and unreasonable. But when I try, I can see what he's driving at. How sad for the wood elves. This was not how they were meant to live. Thank you so much for your comments on how Legolas is growing. He's really slippery to write about, much more so than Eilian. | |
| lwarren | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/8/2004 |
| You are SO right! Female elves kick butt...and Celuwen finally had enough of her Adar's stubborness and let him have it full blast! :-) This was a great chapter to tie up loose ends at the settlement: Celuwen accomplishes her mission for Thranduil and quietens Solith's complaints/gripes/sour grapes for the time being anyway. Legolas gets some well-deserved praise and time with (and from) his brother. And Gelmir gets a trip home!! Celuwen's guards LOL...LOL...!!!! Enough said! :-):-) Eilian begins looking to the future and his confrontation with father and older brother...(I'll bet Celuwen has something to say about that, too!) Maltanaur is on the mend - his little conversation with Celuwen was great!!! :-) Khi...well, he'll get to see justice first hand as dispensed by the Elvenking! Great chapter...update soon! I'm nervous waiting to see Eilian meet up with Ithilden and Thranduil again!! (sympathy pains, ya think?) linda Author Reply: I was happy writing Celuwen's little speech to her father. She loves him, but all it's taken is a few weeks on Thranduil's council to show her how limited his view of things is. Legolas has grown into his officer role quite nicely, and the praise from Eilian meant a lot to him. The keepers always amuse me. I think Maltanaur sees an ally in Celuwen. I thank all SoA reviewers for their thoughts on Celuwen's guards! | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/8/2004 |
| Hmm - is Eilian going to be for the high jump when he gets back? Despite the fact that he was correct in his concerns, I don't think he can get away with simply assigning himself where he likes. I'm glad that Maltanaur is recovering, and loved Beliond ordering Legolas to bed. Quite right too! The elfling, even if he is a competent lieutenant, had had enough. Celuwen is growing on me - but like it or not, she is going to have to accept the need for guards. :( Jay Author Reply: Jay, I've seen you use that expression "for the high jump" before, but I don't know what it means except to be in trouble. Is that right? Eilian and Thranduil and Ithilden have some things to settle, I think. Beliond and Maltanaur both amuse me. I like the way they order treat their charges as if they were troublesome children, which I suppose is what they sometimes feel like. And oh yes, Celuwen was wrong, wrong in a way that almost killed her. She was lucky that help showed up when it did. Like her father, she's going to have to accept the presence of warriors. | |