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| The Acceptable Sacrifice by Larner | 15 Review(s) |
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| Tigger | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 11/19/2005 |
| I have a feeling Aragorn will have his head first. Loved the exchange between Aragorn and the Warden of the Prison. For him, first, to realize Aragorn did indeed intend to be a King of justice and wanted a witness w/him during the questioning of the prisoners...That would go a long way to Aragorn's intentions being proved to be true. Not just on their own merits, but also in stark contrast to the way Denethor did things during the last years of his rule. Second...And another has recogized Thorongil. This was a very bittersweet realization though. For Aragorn to say how Denethor felt about him, the fact Denethor saw him as a rival instead of a friend, that must have hurt Aragorn terribly. Interesting thought that Faramir would have figured it out, but not Boromir. Never thought about that before, but it does make sense when you consider the make up of the two brothers. Looking forward to the audience in the Hall of Kings. Gondor will not take well at all to what Angrapain has tried to do and the implications on the party of Umbar will not help them either. I'm finding I'm checking my Inbox awfully often for updates on this Larner. Can't wait for the next one to appear. :o) Author Reply: The next chapter will be tomorrow, I fear--too much to do today, and needed my nap after a long night at work. Aragorn never appeared to have confided his identity as Thorongil to Boromir, and I had wondered about it, while Faramir woke up automatically knowing this was the King, and heard some of the arguments between Mithrandir and Denethor and undoubtedly had gained some idea that this coming Ranger who is apparently Isildur's heir was someone with whom his father was already acquainted, which had to lead to the tying of Aragorn to Thorongil. After all, Tolkien indicated that Faramir saw into the hearts of Men and was far more intelligent and quick to draw correct conclusions than his more military brother. And I do believe Aragorn would wish to keep himself from acting on the temptation to use unacceptable means himself to obtain information. Thanks so much for the compliments, and hope the next chapter is found worthy of the wait. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 11/19/2005 |
| Wonderful. There's always something in your chapters I admire, and for this one, it's this: "I’ll want a responsible guard to stand as witness to what is asked and the responses given.” Madog looked keenly into the King’s eyes. He’d suspected that the Man would wish to question the prisoners alone as Denethor had done; but this was untrue? His respect for the new King, which had tended to be higher after the respect shown to Halargil and Berilieth, was raised again that he wanted witnesses to what passed between himself and the prisoners. Author Reply: So glad you approve. Aragorn is, in my view of him, the capable, often devious, and yet in the end just judge, which is why he changed the sentence he gave the Anmarians in The Ties of Family. Aragorn knows the temptations to want to strongarm and perhaps place words in the mouths of his prisoners, and he guards himself from that temptation. | |
| Baggins Babe | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 11/19/2005 |
| I suspect Angrapain may end up wishing he could remain in Gondor and face the King rather than depart with the rest of his party and face them. Something tells me he is in for a rough time. So Denethor was going off the rails and using Gondorian justice to his own ends - not a surprise. Glad Madog has recognised the King, and how nice that Aragorn continues to enjoy this little joke. I am eager to see what happen next. Author Reply: Oh, Aragorn's going to enjoy his joke for many years, and even sees it in Harad years from now! Part of the upside of being the Dunedan, I think. And Angrapain isn't going to get to go home--yet. He's still facing a trial in a few hours, and he's not going to like his sentence. Denethor was reacting to fear by becoming preemptive, which leads to injustice. Many, I think, will appreciate Aragorn's rule after the way Denethor's had begun to deteriorate. But the deterioration first tends to manifest as paranoia, and I think Denethor would have been a prime candidate for it. Thanks for the comments. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 11/19/2005 |
| So Denethor was going further off the deep end than we originally thought, hm? Sounds like he'd begun using the justice system to pursue personal vendettas. But Gondor looks like it has a firm grasp of Roman law and the concept of innocent until proven guilty. Certainly, their prisons seem fairly decent places, though they probably don't have much of an overcrowding problem. The running joke about Thorondor and the King continues to amuse me. Especially the mutated rumor that the King is Thorondor's son. Author Reply: For those whose experience is probably that those of the more pure Dunedain lines in the South is that they tend to live to be 120 or so, someone who is almost ninety and still is hale is going to be a shock. Aragorn's of even purer stock, after all. The assumption that Aragorn would be Thorongil's son would be a natural one, I think. And I think that this type of prison system would indeed be the ideal envisioned by Elendil, Isildur, and Anarion, who had such a close relationship with the Eldar and Valar, after all. So glad you approve! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 11/19/2005 |
| And you score again with another lovely OC. I find myself liking Madog immensely--that a Warden of a prison would have such care for his charges is really most unexpected. I like the comparison between Aragorn's ways and Denethor's, and Madog's unexpected realization of who the King was. Angrapain is in deep s***. Really. He's far better off where he is now than he would be free in the City, once his crime is known...Improper advances to the Ringbearer could easily cause a riot, and perhaps mob justice, if Aragorn doesn't keep the lid on. Author Reply: I think most of the Dunedain would be pretty decent folk, and so envisioned Madog similar to Paul in The Green Mile, a man who does a decent job and tries to help his charges find some dignity again while they wait to see what will come of their lives. And Angrapain is going to find he wishes he could keep in that nice, safe prison. He's NOT going to like his sentence. | |