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| Stirrings of Shadow by Fiondil | 427 Review(s) |
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| vaske | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/21/2007 |
| I can just imagine the kids riding Mithfaron trying to make him go faster, while Mithfaron just keeps going at a steady pace, ignoring them! With all his new younger 'brothers' and 'sisters' it's almost like Aragorn is getting paid back for clinging to Elrohir and Elladan for years (even though I'm sure he's enjoying it)! Author Reply: I'm sure Aragorn enjoys playing big brother to the royal children, remembering how his own older 'brothers' took him in hand and played with him with infinite patience. | |
| Calenlass Greenleaf | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/21/2007 |
| *g* Poor Thorongil! Such a punishment is quite...interesting. But at least he should have no more trouble with Rohirric. :-) Author Reply: Well, as Thengel says, punishments should fit the crime. *grin* | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/17/2007 |
| A most awful and to be expected understanding. Aragorn is trying, at least, which is more than Grimbold tried to do. I rejoice he learned better over the years. Author Reply: Yes, I think we can all rejoice that Aragorn learned better over the years. And I think you meant "misunderstanding". | |
| Calenlass Greenleaf | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/15/2007 |
| Sorry about that. A glitch made my computer close my browser. Poor Thorongil. Translations problems...*g* I myself learned Chinese for a number of years (15), and still, I mess up when speaking a long, fat sentence with complicated words. So I can sympathize with Aragorn. :-) At least I never got hit by anyone... This is a wonderful and interesting story. I look forward to more, my friend. Author Reply: Well, I've only been learning Chinese for a few months so you're ahead of me there. *grin* Still, anyone who's had to learn another language should understand Aragorn's plight even if they've never been beaten up because of it. Glad you are enjoying the story so far. | |
| obsidianj | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/15/2007 |
| Very nice story. Aragorn is my favorite character and reading something about his travels is great. I love the idea that he travels with a companion and not completely alone. I could so feel with him about his gaffe in Rohirric. I was in his position when I moved to the US, luckily not with such severe consequences. But when you say something and everyone around you gives you this funny look... He made an easy target for Grimbold who obviously doesn't like foreigners and especially not foreigners who bedazzle everyone else with their prowess. I think Aragorn's stunt in the last chapter didn't endear him to everyone. Isn't he a bit free with his back story? Throwing around names of elven princes and lords, especially since I got the impression from the books that the Rohirrim were not too friendly inclined toward elves. But maybe that was different during Thengel's time. And wouldn't that make it more difficult to hide his real identity? Author Reply: Sometimes the best way to hide something is in plain sight. Aragorn has obviously decided not to hide his "elven" heritage, but has disguised it as best he can. However, he is young enough to be a little freer with it than he probably should be. Among the Rohirrim, that would not be a problem. By the time Aragorn is ready to move on to Minas Tirith and take service with Ecthelion, however, he probably will have learned to hide his abilities a bit more and to downplay his elvish upbringing somewhat. Among the Rohirrim, there would be little knowledge of "Isildur's Heir" or the history of the Northern Kingdom, so I think Aragorn's true identity is safe for now. *grin* Even Thengel probabaly would not make the connection in spite of having lived in Gondor for so long. | |
| SurgicalSteel | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/15/2007 |
| Nicely done again. Subtle changes in pronunciation really can make a huge difference, can't they? Classic one that happened to several med students in my class when we rotated through obstetrics: the Spanish words for 'push' and 'whore' are only different by one letter. So they thought they were telling a woman in labor to push... Very nicely done! Author Reply: Yes, it's fun learning new languages and discovering all the pitfalls for the unwary. I have to be careful to whom I say the English word "muffin" here in China because it sounds remarkably like the Chinese word for "horsesh*t". My middle-school kids thought it was hysterical when I used the word in a sentence. And thanks. I'm glad you are enjoying the story. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/15/2007 |
| Well - Grimbold was certainly looking for an excuse to be offended and attack Aragorn. But Thengel's response is remarkably intelligent! Making the punishment fit the crime. And - in some ways - it's not a bad thing for Aragorn to be forced to take a back seat for a bit. He really doesn't want to be Mr Totally Perfect - not if he wants to earn himself any kind of liking! (And Thengel might do well to insist that Aragorn learns much better Rohirric before he rides with the eored. And it'll give him something to do while he heals!) Author Reply: Well, you'll find out in the next chapter just what Aragorn's punishment will be for insulting the Mearas the way he did, however inadvertent it was. I think you'll find it both amusing and appropriate for our itrepid hero. *lol* | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/12/2007 |
| Circus!Aragorn!! Well - I imagine that tremendous talent on horse-back, together with weapons' skills would win over many of the Rohirrim. (While a few will, maybe, look on him as a rather cocky young man who needs to be taken down a peg or two...) Author Reply: *(While a few will, maybe, look on him as a rather cocky young man who needs to be taken down a peg or two...)* Oooh, you read my mind! *lol* But I did have fun writing the scene and Gilhael's response about Aragorn not practicing. | |
| Edlyn | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/9/2007 |
| Having had a quarter hour available to take a break this afternoon I decided to read chapter 1 and hopefully get a review done before I have to go back to work. So here it is... As much as I am enjoying your Elf, Interrupted, I am so glad that you have begun this tale. Truly, of the all the peoples of Middle Earth, the one I identify with the most is the Rohirrim. Of course this may have to do wit hthe fact that I have been horse-mad since I was four-years old and the idea of living in a place where the everything revolved around horses suited me to a T when I first read The Two Towers back in 1971 (the paperbacks having been a present from my father). In fact, the only thing I took issue with was that it appeared to my young mind that all the Rohirrim were blond and blue-eyed and if I lived in middle-earth I'd be stuck in Minas Tirith without any horses at all because I had dark brown hair and eyes. Of course, later on I discovered that Thengel had married Morwen of Lossarnach and even in the royal family darker hair would likely show up from time to time. In regards to the chapter, I found that seeing Edoras through Aragorn/Thorongil's eyes helped me visualize the place even more clearly (I admit I had some issues with the depiction of Edoras and the Rohirric villages in the movies, but that is based on my personal independent research in regards to Anglo-Saxon and Viking history in the British Isles, though I would have given anything to have been able to transport Meduseld to a vacant property here in Ohio). I also had issues with the amount of black being worn by the common people in the film since it is a colour that is difficult and expensive to achieve even if you begin with dark coloured fleece. However, as I was reading my mind's eye was seeing the people dressed in colours and undyed cloth waiting patiently for their turn to present thier petitions to the King. Young Theoden is charming and I couldn't help but grin at his figiting during court. You did an excellent job introducing the culture in detail and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. And if the university ever gets anyone in the English or history departments who teach Old and Middle English, I'm going ot learn to speak and read it properly! May you live blessed, Edlyn Author Reply: I'm glad you think I did an excellent job introducing the culture in detail. I combined Tolkien's descriptions of Edoras with the visuals from the movies in a way that I hoped would not turn-off the purists. I too would love to have been able to transport Meduseld to a vacant lot anywhere! *lol* As for learning Old English, why wait for the university? There are online courses you can take that will at least teach you the basics. Try King Alfred's Grammar, which I use to double-check my declensions and conjugations since all my OE books are safely stored away back in my brother's house. There are also OE dictionaries online too. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/8/2007 |
| A wonderful display, and worthy of the training he received. Love Thengel coming down cloaked and hooded, and the reassurance of young Theoden. Author Reply: I figured Aragorn would need to prove himself worthy of the Rohirrim in a rather spectacular way, given that he's A). a stranger and B). young. I guess his little stunt worked. *grin* | |