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| History Lessons: The Third Age by Nilmandra | 23 Review(s) |
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| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/28/2005 |
| If I wasn’t so tense after this chapter I’d be relieved!! Great job. I really liked the opening, especially the way Elrond and Mithrandir use the rings to draw out the shard. A battle between good and evil right there in the room. I also thought it was a great moment when the metal “hissed and steamed”. The shard really becomes a presence. It’s so much more than just a piece of metal, even when it’s been removed. It’s sad, though, to think that Frodo is already so changed and he has so much further still to go on this journey, even though they don’t know it yet. I just love the image of all the hobbits around Frodo! Such simple and real love. One of my favourite parts of this chapter is Arwen taking care of Elrond and putting him to bed. He does need someone to take care of him sometimes. It brought tears to my eyes to think of Celebrían so worried about him and of Arwen promising to look after him. The absolute love between them is overwhelming. Mostly, though, I’m just glad that Elrond has someone to love him like that and to take care of him, and I think Arwen needs to do it too. You write the relationship between them so meaningfully. I’m already dreading the day they’ll be parted :-( I nearly fell off my chair when Elladan rode in clutching Elrohir! I knew something like that would have to happen for them to turn away from the road of anger and vengeance but still, shocks like that don’t do me any good!! Poor Elrond. I love what you did with the healing. It was a really special and very moving moment when Elladan joins in and tries so desperately to call his twin back. Even before reading on, Elladan’s guilt and despair come across so heartbreakingly. And it was so sad to think that it’s because he’d closed himself off that Elrohir was harder to reach now when he really needed their love and guidance. What hell it must have been for them all to sit and watch and wait. Arwen’s strength in particular really shines through throughout this chapter. It’s so moving the way Elrohir – all of them, I guess – respond to her gentleness and love as they would to Celebrían. The scene between Elladan and Elrond was actually rather difficult to read. Elladan has been carrying around such pain and now he has the added burden of guilt. As he told his story I was torn between frustration and pity. His obvious horror at what he did to his brother is just heart-wrenching. Galadriel and Celeborn must be worried sick too. I’m so very glad that Elladan was finally able to find a release for his pain. As for Elrohir… I was wondering how his healing would come about. More than anything, I think his confusion really comes across. He’s an emotional mess. And so hurt. Elrond was just fantastic here, the way he moved from being calm to gently pushing him to forcing him to see sense. I’m afraid the screen became a blur to me when Elladan arrived and asked so humbly for his brother’s forgiveness. The two of them finally understand themselves and each other. And Elrond and Arwen can be free of the worry they had for them both. I thought this was truly beautiful: “But yours is the light that guides those in need to your door and helps them to find their way.” That is Elrond and he deserves to have that acknowledgement. The ending was interesting – the question of parting Frodo from the Ring. To think that Frodo could be parted from it but that even now he would need aid in doing so really adds weight to the decision not to part him from it yet. Already Elrond seems to know that Frodo’s part in this is not finished. I tell you, I love Elrond, but I wouldn’t to be him for anything in the world. Fantastic chapter! It’s just full of wonderful character moments :-) Author Reply: I am relieved this part is over! Writing this form a psych/emotional standpoint was difficult. I rewrote parts of several times, playing with showing vs telling, I admit. I am glad you liked the part with the twins. Confession is good for the soul, and clearly their father is someone they trust. It was much easier to write them into despair than to write them out of it :/ | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/28/2005 |
| I liked the healing scenes. There's the usual drama and tension that comes with any good scene of surgery, from M*A*S*H to E.R., combined with that little extra bit of magical oomph from Vilya to remind you that there's more going on than just Hawkeye Pierce saving the day. I also liked seeing how vulnerable Elrond is after healing someone, and how the team springs into action to take care of him. That really drives home how serious a procedure he's doing. I liked that he was a little weirded out at having Arwen take care of him, and I liked that Arwen clearly has a natural talent for nursing and taking care of people. Someone needs to be able to do that. Elrond is a powerful force in his children's lives, being able to play both physician and therapist, and to be able to go directly into their minds. It must make them feel very watched over. I'm sure they resent it at times, but at this point, it seemed like they were pretty grateful to keep the healing all within the family as they learn to let go of their guilts. Author Reply: Elrond is a powerful force in his children's lives, being able to play both physician and therapist, and to be able to go directly into their minds. I was thinking about that..he does it only with permission and it can be very helpful - especially sine Elrohir was too close to be objective and see the problem, but one really has to trust the person to allow them to do that :/ I am hoping to show Arwen strong, as I think she was in the glimpses we saw of her. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/28/2005 |
| What a terrible time this must have been for Elrond. He had lost his wife, and it must have looked like he might lose his sons too, only in some ways, their loss would be worse, because they were lost to themselves. Thank goodness for the strength of Elrond, and Arwen too. And I have to say a hobbit pile is an extremely cute image. Author Reply: LOL at the hobbit pile. It is so tempting to write from POV's other than Elrond's in the current age, but I am trying to restrain myself. Showing the impressions of the house of Elrond to hobbits could be very fun. Wait, I can still do that. They are there for two more months. | |