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| They Did Not Take Root In That Land by perelleth | 64 Review(s) |
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| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/18/2007 |
| Wow, finding out what happened to Maentêw...the whole conversation about Annatar...that was pretty scary. Well done! If I were Oropher, though, to hear all Maentêw and Amdir knew without telling Oropher, I would have been just as hot as he was. No wonder he refused to follow them in the Last Alliance if that is what he dealt with before it. And: It was not I who used to lead secret forays into Eöl’s forge when we were but shootings, if my memory serves me well… I love the thought of this! But I absolutely loved Oropher and the chieftain! That was priceless. Author Reply: As I told you in the review before, I think that I am settling for an oropher who voluntarily retired from politics until he was forced by events to come back. ANd the more I think of it, the more I believe that perhaps his charge was not forced by his dislike of Gil-galad but rather by what his own stubborn, independent people would expect of a Sindar leader they had allowed to lead them... | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/18/2007 |
| Oh this chapter is packed! Ennin ago you would have insulted Ereinion for his arguments and most assuredly you would have walked away in rage…and look at you! Now you are even trying to understand his motives! Again, *snort!* I love the relationship Oropher has in this with Cirdan. And poor Glorifindel--his questions in this chapter show his great character. And I love that the maids enlisted him as a mediator! Oropher's musings over the rise of Shadow are excellent, as is his conversation with Cirdan on that topic. But he was definitely trapped in the end! At least he found out the truth of the meeting before he embarrassed himself. :-) Author Reply: GLorfindel must have been an unknown entity for those in Lindon, a reborn sent... with what purpose? Annatar coming from the East and GLorfindel from the west, both claiming to have something to do with those beyond the sea... Poor GIl galad must have been pretty confused regarding both! I see Oropher as someone who voluntarily hid in the deepest of the forest... and was reluctant to come back to light, though unable to resit it when h eknew it was necessary... and I must confess that I am finding some paralels with him myself! ;-) | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/18/2007 |
| Oh and I forgot to put in: loved the references to the Old Forest and the goings on there. Author Reply: Thank-you! THere must have been so much going on at that time, as the shadow slowly spread! Actaully this story was born out of my re reading of LOTR; when Bombadil speaks of the Old Forest and the darknes that crept there! | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/18/2007 |
| I am most glad to see that the position as official thorn on the King and his chief counsellor’s side has been filled by someone so talented. *Snort!* The incident with the lost guard was great. It certainly shows the distrust the Silvan feel clearly. But that last conversation and what is really going to going on in the ceremony is very intriguing and making me very happy that I get to read this without waiting for updates! ;-) Again, wonderful dialogue and wonderful Oropher. Author Reply: I found out that showing the court in LIndon through the eyes of two outsiders proved an entertainig source of misunderstandings. The SIlvan are distrustful by nature, and none there is even aware of their nistrust, which I find hilarious! And I confess that I enjoyed a lot writing Oorpher again. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2007 |
| Ok, I have had time for proper reading and not just skimming of the beginning of this. I am so glad I found it and I still can't imagine how I missed so much Oropher. I love the way you portray him. His conversation at his arrival with Cirdan is a hoot--he won't give up his guards and they won't give up the bows! Great! But the part that had me howling the most was Glorfindel's questions about who is vassal of whom. Talk about the way straight to Oropher heart! Great dialogue! You know I love the politics. Author Reply: I am glad to see that you managed a lot of time for yourself in the spring break, elliska! and glad that this stroy provided some entertainment! Glorfindel is exasperating in his strangeness, while Oropher is still the usual thorn on everybody's side, but you will find that he has calmed down a bit since the last time he was in LIndon! | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/17/2007 |
| I love the greater understanding that has developed between Glorfindel and Gil-galad - even if Glorfindel's foresight is really sad. Poor Gil-galad. He did his best, always, to be the most honorable and wise king his house could provide, but it sounds as if there was an element of despair deep within him that he could never succeed. To know that he was mistaken about the reasons behind Glorfindel's appearance was doubtless a reassurance. The - er - competition? between the different groups ... well. Not surprising. And I daresay they enjoyed themselves - as long as no group trounced the others too overwhelmingly. And Idhren ought to have enough sense to know that you can't make everything go as you wish - much better for Bronadel to reach the sea in safety than disappear so that his family don't know what became of him. I love the ... model? And Oropher is the perfect person to work on Doriath - and he'll love it if only he can get over his instinctive suspicion that everyone is out to get him. While it will do a lot to boost his relationship with all those working on the project. And knowing that Annatar was Sauron might really be a good reason for keeping an indignant Finrod in Aman. It is not a Good Thing. But I am very glad to know that Gil-galad's kin are proud of him - and it's just a shame that he doesn't really realise how well he is doing. Delightful, perelleth. Thoroughly enjoyed this! Author Reply: THank-you Bodkin. Fighting a long defeat seems to be a constant in TOlkien, and to these elves it might be clear at this point that theirs was a hopeless fight, yet one they had to fight nonetheless, so no wonder that they would feel less than useful from time to time. Fortunately, Gil-galad's friends know how to lift his spirits and GLorffindel has finally found a way to ease the king's... suspicions towards himself. Things will get better, before they get worse. | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/16/2007 |
| The sea was calm as far as elven sight reached in that silvery night. There were a few passing shreds of mist, hurrying in the darkness towards early morning appointments and barely dimming the glorious light of the stars and the almost full moon. Tilion and Eärendil seemed deep in conversation, surely watching over the white ship as it took the Straight Road, Glorfindel thought as he stood in the long terrace, enthralled by the deep stillness that shrouded that night of partings. That was lovely... Oropher's back to doing his thing, I see. ;) Which was fun! Enjoyed the references to Pengolodh. :D Glorfindel got interesting as his personal motivations were explained. But, the last part with Gil-galad and Glorfindel... wow... Every bit was excellent, every detail savory. Brilliant plot points. Nice conflict/conversation between them. I especially like Annatar casting a subtle dark spell over Gil-galad - and Gil-galad not being stopped by it. The young king's fears were so rational, yet steeped in emotion. That might have made them very damaging, if this had been another, more selfish, elf. Very tough investigation they are embarking upon. Maybe spies would be of help. Chilling conclusion by Glorfindel, though. Goodness, he must realize he is in the same boat. And if the Valar know about Sauron and foresee destruction - has not Sauron figured out the odds are in his favor too? That ending pushed this chapter from the good category into the great. Author Reply: Thank-you, Redheredh! The idea of a reborn sailing back to Middle earth is so strange that it was worth exploring, and I finally decided that he was an experiment, for the Valar much as for Glorfindel himself. I pictured a very optimistic elf, and one so in love with Middle earth that he would be eager to go back and fight again, even after his sojourn in the halls. And it made me think why Finrod would not, since he so loved Men and middle earth.. so I made that coneection. Facing twice the same enemy, whom he was not appointed to defeat would have been a bit to much in the Valar's mind... LOL. I am so glad that you are wnjoying this convoluted tale! The plot lines are not unravelling as smoothly as I wished them, so I am very reassured by your support. Oropher keeps growing on me, though, as I write on! | |
| erunyauve | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/16/2007 |
| Can I squee a little at a new chapter? >>Was that unfulfilled longing somehow embedded deep within himself, only awaiting the right moment to awake, he wondered in trepidation not for the first time? A rather sad foreshadowing of Legolas' sea-longing. I like the idea, however, that elves descended from those who turned back before the Misty Mountains had less interest in the sea from the outset. >>"Meeting my cousin Idril was one of the greatest joys of my life," he recalled in a warm voice. ::g:: I adore Idril and Tuor, so of course, I think all elves should have felt likewise (well, except Maeglin). >>"It was difficult for a child to understand why he had to apologize every time a word in his own tongue slipped in conversation," That's such an interesting idea, and very logical. The sons of Feanor, of course, wouldn't have seen any reason to speak Sindarin among themselves, they being the reason for the ban, and I can't see that the rest of the Noldor - especially Fingon, being a friend to Maedhros - dropping Quenya altogether. And yet it would be very confusing for a small child, who wouldn't understand the politics of it all. >>We both know that you were sent to protect your king’s line, I can well understand that Oh, I wasn't expecting that! But it certainly fits. >>The Valar knew. Oh, they must have known, and considering that, just as in the case of Morgoth getting loose, it was their own fault, one would think that they would have done more - on behalf of Men, at least, if not for the Elves who were supposed to leave Middle-earth. >>a foe that had been beyond the power of the best of them to defeat Well, Luthien did, but to be fair, she used what she had inherited from her mother to do it. Author Reply: You are most welcome, and your squees as well! I apologize that it takes me so long to update! yet I am so glad that you are still following and enjoying! I am most curious about sea longing an dhow it affected elves... Probably Oropher could not know that one day a grandson of his would sail west, but it was intersting to play with the idea of what it mean tto him... REgarding Quenya, I had not thought of what you are pointing ourt, which is a very intersting idea as well. I rather meant that Ereinion, being rtaised since wuite young in the HAvens, would have been more pressed not to speak in Quenya, being among Teleri and the son of a kinslayer, so I think his early years there would have been difficult.. ;-) Thank you very much for your kind words. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/15/2007 |
| Oh my gosh, I have missed this entirely! How did that happen? I read this last chapter and I was thinking, this is not familar, I don't remember any of this, so I scanned the other chapters and realized I have missed a whole story. Well, good in a way because now I have something new to read! :-) And all this Oropher. How could I have missed this? I love him here. But I must say, the character I was most impressed with in this last chapter was Glorfindel. From Memories tasted differently in Middle-earth in the beginning, to the end, his character is wonderful. I will have to get caught up on this tomorrow and leave more reviews. Fun!! Author Reply: LOLOL! You are welcome, elliska, I too love to find a story that I have skipped, so I get to read it as one! Glad that you enjoyed! I was thinking that Glorfindel's arrival must have been a disturbance, no matter the date of his arrival, being such a unique case and all, although in this chapter he is being less obnoxious an dmore supporting, in his friends pov, at least! :-) | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/15/2007 |
| Glorfindel's final insight is chilling here, Perelleth. For me, one of the joys of fanfiction is that we know people's fate, so we read the stories in light of that and it adds depth. But for Glorfindel, foresight about Gil-galad's fate is just too sad. I've always loved that poem that Sam speak in FOTR, the one about Gil-galad being an elven king who fell in Mordor, where the shadows are. Author Reply: I also love that poem, it sounds so sad, that it always made me curious about the backstory of the elven king... Knowing the ending makes things more meaningful, doesn't it? | |