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| Truce by meckinock | 24 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008 |
| A cold mist coated the fine hairs on the hand he extended out the tiny porthole of their cabin. Geez, that's a great detail. Telling, vivid, and totally uncliched. Your experience living along a river shows too. "Flat, brown water" is great. The relationship between Denethor and Thorongil is interesting to watch. That moment when they join in taking a dig at the healer, for instance, is just an instinctive alliance of two men who both see a third as an unfortunately necessary pain in the butt. And of course, Turgon joins in, beating a dead horse, so to speak. :-) And then even Ecthelion calls the guy Saddlebags. LOL. As soon as he was bathed, shaved, and dressed, he went to see his father. He should have anticipated that word of his return would race through the city, right to the seat of the Steward. You know what I like about that? It's the indirectness. It's clear what's happened, but you give the reader the chance to infer it, and I liked that a lot. You are heralded as a hero of Gondor, and I could not be prouder of you if you were my own son. I actually gasped when I read that. Ouch! Oh man, poor Finduilas. What an awkward situations. And yet, she's so bold to defy propriety and her own fears and ask Denethor to give her his answer. She could easily hidden behind her father and she didn't do that. I've always thought of her fate as tragic, but maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was the best one she could have had. Still I cringed when Denethor finally decides to marry her because he wants to thwart Thorongil and please his father. his heart was pounding like that of a thief hiding in a house at night, waiting to make off with the silver. Nice image, and appropriate too. You can see how Denethor's suspicions make sense from his POV. When he was telling Turgon about how Thorongil planned to take the throne, he just about convinced me. And you've done such a nice job of showing us Ecthelion's love of Thorongil with that scene in the Houses of Healing. Great chapter. Just great. And now I'm late for the gym. Author Reply: Gosh, daw, if you knew how endlessly I twiddled with that opening scene, and the mist on the hair was the last thing I wrote. Isn't it strange how writing works? I really enjoyed the little moment of camaraderie at the expense of the healer, and I think you're right about it being just a pure Guy Moment. Guys who can't stand each other will still gang up on someone who has the wrong football jersey on. Guys. Say no more. I already told you privately about the deleted scene....but oh, thank you for liking Finduilas! Another character I never expected to like. I kind of hate making Denethor an ass for marrying her, but he'll feel so guilty he'll be the best husband ever. | |
| Cairistiona | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008 |
| The plot thickens! So much to like about this chapter, but what strikes me the most is the way Denethor paints Thorongil by his own brush. Denethor's innate insecurities and, yes, bent for trickery and deceit, have him seeing the same thing in Thorongil (ironic indeed that both men have their insecurities--yet one will rise above while the other utterly sinks). Just about the time I start feeling for Denethor in the matter of Finduilas, he turns like a worm. Excellent chapter, right down to the "slightly gravy-stained banner of the Steward", which had me laughing out loud. I also enjoyed the archivist and his absent-minded search for the keys. Well done, and glad you've been able to do some writing again! Author Reply: Hi, Cairistiona, Thanks for reviewing. That is such a good observation about how Thorongil is able to rise above his insecurities while Denethor is defeated by his. I feel bad for D, really. I'm glad you enjoyed the lighter parts as well as the angsty parts. Makes it easier to digest - gravy and all. | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008 |
| Denethor is such a wonderfully complex character! If it wasn't for his resentment of Thorongil, it's clear they'd be friends - they have much in common. I like moment of comradeship in their needling of the poor healer! Denethor seems to be making the right decisions for the wrong reasons, and the wrong decisions for the right reasons. It's clear that he loves Finduilas, and wants to spare her sorrow, yet goes about it the wrong way. Yet when he finally does decide to marry her, it's for all the wrong reasons. I liked his exasperation with the archivist, as well - you have some wonderful OCs in this story! Jay Author Reply: Hi, Jay, and thanks for reviewing. I really did enjoy that one moment of comradeship between them - the only one they'll ever have, probably. It's too bad. What you said about the right reasons and the wrong reasons - LOL, that's exactly how I was trying to explain this chapter weeks ago as I was writing it. Denethor must feel twisted into a pretzel. I'm glad you liked the archivist. Sometimes I'd like to be buried in my texts and oblivious of the outside world :-) | |
| Gandalfs apprentice | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/30/2008 |
| Ah, another chapter at last! And the plot is thickening like oatmeal on a stove! What will Denethor do next, I wonder? Besides making Finduilas a happy woman. Clever of you to make the marriage both one of love and profoundest political calculation. I do hope to see more of the Captain in future chapters. Author Reply: Hey, GA. Thanks for reviewing. WWDD, eh? I feel sorry for them both. They really do deserve to be happy and ride horses on the beach. | |