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| Eärendil’s Tale by Bodkin | 72 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 2/9/2005 |
| How heartbreaking for Elwing and Elrond both. Elwing really had a tragic life. She saw so much destruction and death. The scene the Elrond witnesses is also frightening. It must have been both bewildering as well as terrrifying. And I kind of share the sympathy you give Maglor. Author Reply: The more you look at the early stuff - Doriath, Gondolin, all those First Age battles and so on, the more tragic it all is. And all squashed into such a short period of years. And Earendil and Elwing only appear to have been thirty-ish at the time the brothers Grim arrived in Sirion. They really are barely older than Elrond. But then, in some ways, I feel that Earendil and Elwing didn't have the happiest of times after they reached Aman either. It sounds quite romantic for Earendil to sail the night sky and for Elwing to fly out to meet him in the morning - but EVERY night for over 2 million of them? When do they get time to do anything else? Or interact with their family (such as is in the Blessed Realm)? And the White Tower sounds as if it is miles from anywhere else. I think it's Maglor's undecided fate that adds to my sympathy for him - at least the other sons of Feanor got to die and go to the Halls of Mandos, where, hopefully, they could come to terms with their actions - but Maglor is so isolated. And he seems the sort of person who might well be hard on himself. Not much to do with Earendil's Tale, but Elrond couldn't spend endless hours talking to his adar without seeing Elwing - and that was bound to be traumatic. | |
| Siorah | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/7/2005 |
| Wow! Terrific Story. Pleas continue it. Siorah Author Reply: Thank you! I'm already most of the way through the next bit - so there will be more. I hope you continue to enjoy it. | |
| Bejai | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/7/2005 |
| Oh, nice Bodkin! I sure do love your stories, and I'm a sucker for Valinor reunion stories. What a wonderful meeting! Appropriately tense, with a kind of hope and despair on both sides. I hope they get a chance to tell one another their stories, and learn to know each other better. *pokes you, wanting more* Author Reply: Thank you. If you like Valinor reunion, the next bit might be to your taste, too. It's just more or less written itself - on the way to stories of Earendil's adventures. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2005 |
| I'm late in reading this. Sorry, I didn't see the email notification. Wow, Bodkin. There is so much in this. Elrond behaves exactly as I would expect him to. He has seen too much and lived too long to hold grudges and I can't see that. But the little touches like, "He felt a wrench when he realised that, after all this time, he still cared more for Maglor than for the adar before him.." That is one strong statement and it would surely be true. And: It seemed – odd, to say the least, to see his sons so plainly in the adar he knew by name only. How sad, that struck me. And the realization that Eärendil has no hope of knowing Elros. That is truly sad. I liked the battle description. To me it seemed to underline how separate they were since that is what Elrond remembers seeing. But at least he had that. In that part, I particularly like the line:‘They never mention in the tales, do they, that heroism is in facing peril and death despite your fears. So true, as I imagine Elrond knows all too well. But this:If your adar cannot be with you,’ Eärendil said ironically, ‘at least you can boast of his peculiarities. Consorting with the Valar, fighting dragons in a flying ship, sailing the sky as a star. Not to mention a naneth who can put on feathers and fly.’ ‘We are a very special family,’ Elrond grinned. ‘Disregard us at your peril.’ is perfect. Great lines! I definitely would like to see more of this. What challenge it would be. I hope you take it on. Author Reply: Elrond has had a rough life in many ways - but I think Earendil and Elwing have had a tough time as well. I'm not sure that spending your time sailing the night sky, or sitting waiting in a tower and flying out to meet him each morning is much of a way to spend two ages. I hope they are not as isolated as they sound. I think children care most deeply for those who care for them when they're small - and Elrond scarcely knew Earendil and then Elwing was torn away from them in a very traumatic way - and Maglor and Gil-Galad seem to have shared the parenting of Elros and Elrond. I'm glad you would like to see some more, because they pinned me down and made me write the next bit - which will be along soon. | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2005 |
| When I mentioned in another review how odd it must be to have such legendary figures in your family tree, I hadn't thought of actually being reunited with them! What an unusual, awkward meeting that must have been. I do feel that Earendil and Elwing abandoned their young sons, but I suppose in the end they really didn't have a choice. Poor Earendil, and poor Elrond. Earendil, though, still has the pleasure of meeting his grandsons to come, and the slightly more dubious pleasure of eventually seeing his great-granddaughters (and taking them sailing!) Jay Author Reply: So many of them really had no real choice - I suppose the inevitability of sorrow and loss in the pursuit of the greater good is one of the things that makes the Elves so darn noble. I suppose it is a typical mother/father divide, but I can see Earendil sailing off in search of salvation, but I find it much harder to see why Elwing didn't just chuck the Silmaril in the sea and say 'you want it that bad, you go and swim for it. Now give me my sons.' Although, of course, that wouldn't have worked with the Plot. But then I don't see being stuck in a White Tower, or spending every night for two ages sailing your ship - on your own - across the night sky, with that *** Silmaril stuck on your head as being much of a reward for risking your life and your children's happiness and asking the Valar to come to the aid of Middle Earth. I feel Elrond would be aware of a terrible loneliness and grief in Earendil and Elwing and have a need to take them into his care - a bit of Half-Elven solidarity. Earendil has a while to wait before meeting E2 and still longer before the elflings arrive - I see this reunion as taking place before E2 Thranduil, Glorfindel and Celeborn sailed. | |
| Radbooks | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2005 |
| I enjoyed this first chapter and I would like to read more about how they get to know each other. They have a lot to catch up on and share with each. Author Reply: Oh good. Thank you for your encouragement. Earendil and Elrond need to learn about each other. And, for a lore master, there cannot be much more tempting than to learn about the adventures of the Mariner from his own mouth! By the time Earendil has told him all about the last couple of ages, they will have spent enough time together to be friends and fellow half-elves, if not a loving father/son. | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2005 |
| Oh, excellent. I am certain Earendil has marvelous tales to tell his son! :-) The tense meeting of father and son was nicely done. Author Reply: Thank you. I certainly hope he has! It must have been a difficult moment - it's a shame that Elwing chickened out of this first meeting, but perhaps Earendil thought it would be better to test the waters first. I think there will be more stories to come. Earendil is looking for an audience for some of those episodes that make Elwing sigh, roll her eyes and say, 'You've only told me that one about a thousand times!' | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2005 |
| The notion that Elrond cares more for Maglor than Earendil just tore my heart out, but I can see it happening. Children love those who care for them, and from little Elrond's and Elros's pov, their parents abandoned them. It's a decision that I find hard to accept and I wasn't their child. Elrond is quite generous here to forgive like this. Author Reply: I think that Elrond looks on Gil-Galad more as his father, but Maglor is definitely up there. After all, he spent longer looking after Elros and Elrond than Earendil ever did. Maybe Elwing has a bigger place in his memory - but her care of them must have been shadowed by her loss and the trauma of the Kinslaying. I find I can't admire the Silmarils - they seem far too tainted with obsession and greed. And poor Earendil got stuck with one! Elrond is generous - and wise. After 6000 years or so, he has probably had time to come to terms with his parents's decision. | |
| SharonB | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2005 |
| Oh good, "in progress" means there is more to come in this story. I can imagine that both Elrond and Earendil would feel awkward at first. It has been so long and how much, really how little, Elrond rememebrs of him probably did produce a large gulf between them. And to know how to act when intellectually you know what had to be done was done but emotionally you hate such things having happened is such a burden. Elrond was very gracious in opening that door of understanding. I'm sure his having been reunited with Celebrian helped strengthen him to this task. Sigh, next you have to bring Elwing back to meet her lost family. ;-) Author Reply: I have a feeling that Elrond would end up feeling that Earendil needed his care - I think Earendil and Elwing are very lonely and isolated. The philosophy of the Last Homely House would persuade Elrond to overcome two ages of division. And, in a way, Elrond and Elros received parental care - first from Maglor and then Gil-Galad, whereas Earendil and Elwind have spent all the intervening years grieving for the loss of their sons with no-one to console them. There should be more to come - Elrond, the lore master, really wants to know the stories that Earendil can tell him. By the time they have all talked themselves out, they should all be much better acquainted. And, if not parent/child, they should become friends and fellow half-elves. | |
| sqrt(-1) | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/6/2005 |
| Yay! Another story by Bodkin! I'm a bad reader and don't often review, but I really like your version of the elves in the Blessed Realm. I'll look forward to any updates on this story as I do to updates on your others. Author Reply: Thank you - I'm flattered. I think there will be more - some ideas are floating around rather. Earendil has lots of stories to tell about his voyages across and above the world. And Elrond needs to spend some time with his mother! | |