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| A Spring of Joy by daw the minstrel | 37 Review(s) |
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| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| Daw, that ending was beyond cruel! So many cliffhangers! Eilian confronted with a Nazgul, something unpleasant happening to Sinnarn, (Emmelin's reaction has me really worried), and Loriel finding something nasty in the woods. If she turned towards Celuwen's voice, then she's got her back to Gollum :( Grandfather Thranduil warned her to watch her back! Please, please, please, update by Monday. I'm out of town from Tuesday to the end of the week, and will otherwise miss the update. I can't bear the suspense. Jay (hoping you haven't killed Sinnarn like you wanted to do at the Battle of Five Armies :( Author Reply: I don't know if I can update by Monday, Jay. I'm traveling all day tomorrow. But then, airplane time is usually good writing time for me, so maybe. Blame Nilmandra for the cliffhanger. I originally had the chapter run on a little longer, but she pointed out that it would be very tense if I stopped it earlier. :-) | |
| thechevin | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| I see what you mean when you said you would pull the thread and everything would begin to unravel I don't know which is worse not knowing what has happened to Sinnarn and Tynd or finding out I fear the worst given Emmelin's reactions As for Loriel well she frightened me to death so goodness knows how Thranduil will react when they are re-united (they will be re-united won't they?) The suspense and horror in this chapter was incredibly intense The flower show was stunning by the way Author Reply: My beta is a real gardener and would probably appreciate the show. I'm not very good with growing things, but I do like flowers. Loriel is a lively child, rather like her father must have been at her age, and I'll bet Eilian scared Thranduil out of his wits on more than one occasion. I'm glad this chapter seemed intense. It was supposed to be, but to me, by the time I was done, it was just depressing. I need to write a fluffy elfling story. | |
| moonshine | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| Daw, I am begging you to update this ASAP. Don`t get me wrong, you update very quickly. But you left off in a lot of suspense on that chapter. I might cry if I don`t find out what happens soon!!!!!!!!! update please! Like right now would be great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This chapter was great! I like it best of all so far. Update! Author Reply: LOL. I'm afraid the chapter would be very short if I posted it right now! But it will be along within a few days. I'm glad you liked the chapter. It was a little tricky to weave together the story of Eilian's patrol and the people at home, but it seemed to work out. | |
| sofia | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| Now I'm worrying about Sinnarn and Tynd. Did orcs catch them by surprise? Then of course you have Loriel running off, and making ME panic. And then you leave us with this cliffhanger! I'm going to be on edge all day wondering what is going to happen, Daw you got to stop doing that! -sofia Author Reply: I don't write too many cliffhangers, and this chapter didn't start out as one, but Nilmandra pointed out the possibilities, so I took off the last section of it and posted what was left. It does sound as if Sinnarn and Tynd are in trouble. And Loriel is wandering a bit. I think Eilian must have been just as slippery when he was a kid. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| I'm kind of attached to him. But one is also attached to one's appendix. So I shan't stop holding my breath until I know. This is the torture of reading chapter by chapter instead of settling down and gulping the whole thing down in one go. As I intend to on July 16th. And it's one thing I have against series of books - sometimes authors make you wait years. At least you won't make us wait that long. But Sinnarn! And Loriel. (Dot's reasoning good. Dot VERY CLEVER.) And I'm glad Karenator is on your case! I don't know if I can bear to reread this chapter until I know the outcome. Author Reply: Is July 16 the release date for the new Harry Potter? I know it's soon. I just wasn't sure when. That should mean the library will have it for me to listen to on CD when I return to teaching in the fall. That will be good. All the reviewers here are clever! Too clever, sometimes. And they don't hesitate to let you know what they want, either. Bless them. | |
| Trish | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| I am in tears waiting for the next chapter. Author Reply: Oh dear. Just keep telling yourself, "These people are not real. Daw made them up!" I guess I'm glad I moved you to tears. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| Tar and feathers... I read that in a couple of reviews of another chapter, I believe.. and got me howling! Best thing about this site is that reviews are also very interesting to read through! Well, you've eased my mood a bit! thanks! maybe I'll be saved the embarrasment of punching someone's computer screen next week...:-) Thanks for your wishes.. but..business travel is seldom pleasant, as you surely experience yourself... Author Reply: The reviews on SoA are wonderful! I love reading them and the author's replies too. Business travel is indeed usually pretty tedious. I'm glad I eased your mood. | |
| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| Oh holy crap. What a chapter. What an amazing and horrifying chapter. I’m shaking all over. How in heaven’s name do you expect me to be able to go back to the start and write a coherent review now??? O.k. So Gollum has headed back into the forest. We knew that was going to happen. He eventually heads south, if I recall, and it seems like he’s in a hurry to do so. I like the little moment when Annael frowns at Beliond’s seeming doubt. But my stomach was already starting to twist with nervousness when Beliond kept insisting that Gollum will need to eat. Oh lord. The entire part in Dol Guldur had me glued to the screen. What an incredible job you did with the atmosphere of the place. The darkness and eerie silence sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to scream at Eilian to just get out of there but at the same time I could understand that he wanted and needed more information to take back to Ithilden and Thranduil. And I know they logically had to split into pairs but I think that’s the point where I started groaning aloud! “They were nearly to the meeting place when, in the distance, he heard a loud crack, followed by a muffled cry.” No! What the heck is going on?! For a second the sound of a horse’s hooves shocked me so much that I actually paused and couldn’t think what a horse was doing there. And then realisation dawned. So this is what it’s like to encounter a Nazgul? I actually thought the most powerful part was Elian’s “horrifying fear that if he had had the strength to scramble to his feet, he would have dropped his bow and fled.” My God, to see him driven to such terror… But then his strength shines through. I just dread the sight that will greet him if he does manage to struggle forward. Thranduil feeling restless is never a good sign. And the three wives seem to be becoming slightly unhinged in their worry. It’s especially unsettling to see Alfirin like this. I did love the part where Thranduil creeps up on Loriel and catches her! Emmelin seems to be particularly good with her too. I had to feel sorry for Loriel not having other children to play with. Everyone needs friends. “The gate was open,” Celuwen said in a strained voice, “and I cannot find Loriel anywhere in the garden.” *gulp* The search for her was so nerve-wracking. My heart just about stopped when Loriel realises that the trees sound the same as when they were disturbed in the settlement and that there’s something in the bushes. The idea of a hungry Gollum eyeing this elfling is just horrifying. “And then, to her right, she heard her mother calling her name, and weak with relief, she turned to answer.” But will she remember to watch her back??? Emmelin, Celuwen, Thranduil, Ithilden and half a dozen warriors will scare Gollum off, right? And as if that wasn’t enough excitement, “he burst from the trees and then stopped short, for there, kneeling on the ground and keening, was not Celuwen, but Emmelin.” I’m trembling again as I read the last line. I was always more afraid for Sinnarn than Loriel in this story. I tried telling myself that it was because I like Sinnarn so much and don’t yet know Loriel well enough to have become too attached. Thranduil’s dream does suggest that something will happen at least one of his grandchildren, and I think Legolas says something about his “brothers” in ‘A Question of Duty’ so Eilian should be alright. But as I said before, the fact that Gollum disappears again as well as Thranduil agreeing to hold him for Gandalf and the Wood-Elves showing him kindness give me reason to hope that Gollum can’t have done anything utterly horrific in Mirkwood. Hmmn. Even though, that could be an interesting reason for him bringing Gollum back to Mirkwood and believing that Thranduil would be willing to keep him captive. No, methinks Sinnarn is in real trouble. The scream could easily be from either Celuwen or Emmelin if they saw Gollum or if he attacked Celuwen or her daughter but Emmelin is clearly utterly distraught. But I can’t… I just can’t let myself believe that Sinnarn might be dead… I can’t think straight. I’m too distressed! I need to find out what’s happening very soon. Please! Please! Author Reply: You're right. Gollum crosses Mirkwood to the western edge and then turns south. That's an interesting turn actually, because what Gandalf says is that while lurking in Esgaroth and Dale, Gollum learns that Bilbo lived in the Shire. That's why he hotfoots it west again. But then he doesn't go to the Shire. I think that's the influence of Sauron, and maybe of Dol Guldur, which of course is at the southern end of Mirkwood. I'm glad the part about Dol Guldur was scary. The Nazgul first appeared in ME near the end of the Second Age, so it's possible that Maltanaur has encountered on before, but the other three would be too young to know what this was that they were feeling. The Nazgul's major weapon seemed to be fear, but it's hard to guess how afraid an elf would be. In FOTR, Legolas can function well enough to shoot at one, but by then he might have had some practiced exposure to them. Gollum is a couple of days ahead of Legolas and Annael, so he's here near the stronghold. And yes, Loriel does need to watch her back. Or someone needs to. Emmelin is very good with her. She'd like children of her own. I'll write as fast as I can. But then, I always do. :-) | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| WHAT? WHAT? Terror in the woods? And dread accross the computer screens around the world!you don't mean that, lady minstrel, no. no .no. no. You.Don't. Mean.That. Resist the dark side! :-) I'm most certain that you won't let Loriel come to harm, because a)you seem such a good mum, b) Thranduil would have never agreed to keep him in custody years after this and you're truly respectful to canon c)there's always the tar and feathers looming.. but Sinnarn? SINNARN? So, that's what the queen meant in her dream speech? the prophecy of the wood? "Let's have children, who beget grandchildren so they can be killed in our forest, I'm sorry, dear Thranduil, complain to Mandos, or rather, to authoress?" C'mon, daw, we've known him since before he was born, and we want to see him become an Adar, you cannot kill him! I'm tempted to write to your beta, too. I'm tempted to go to down to the cellar and even offer away my last three bottles of the family's more than excellent 96 vintage..what else? pretty please? :-) Wow, you brought the true addict out of me with this! There are many beautifully written scenes in this chapter, but I want to comment Eilian's brief pov when he felt the effect of the black riders. It was perfectly done, I could feel the shivers. Fortunately, next week I'll be travelling to a reasonably developed area, so I hope I'll be able to keep track of this, even if it means that I have to comb the whole village in search of an internet cafe! Beware! I'll be watching! Have a nice week! Author Reply: Resist the dark side! LOL. I haven't seen the new Star Wars movie yet. Maybe I'll get out and do that this week when I'm on vacation. Tar and feathers? Have you been listening to the Karenator again? She sent me an email threatening me with a pitchfork! :-0 Also can I just say that my beta was the one who told me to leave this chapter as a cliffhanger. I originally had another section at the end. Seriously, Sinnarn is a whole different kettle of fish from say Todith or Galelas or Nithron, who all died at the Five Armies. We have known him since before he was born, as you say. I'm kind of attached to him. I'm glad the Nazgul scene worked. I had to decide just how afraid Eilian would be. I remembered Legolas shooting a Nazgul in FOTR, so he could still function, but I thought Elves would have to be affected somewhat too. I hope your travels go well. | |
| Alison H | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005 |
| 'Terror In the Woods' should be preceded by a government health warning--my heart is about to give out! I'm still shaking. Poor Emmelin.Her scream really frightened me(good work BTW) and now I'm worried about Sinnarn, Loriel being stalked by Gollum and the Nazgul who has taken up residence in Dol Guldar. I thought it was sad that all the women were trying to carry on with their embroidery(except Celuwen)when their men folk are out in the forest, possibly in danger.At least Loriel was there to distract them, until she wandered off. Wonderful chapter, daw, but you better update soon! Take care. Ali. Author Reply: Everyone in the garden was on edge, except Loriel, who was just lonely for her ada. | |