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In Darkness Bound by Fiondil	941 Review(s)
Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 69 on 7/6/2013
I hadn't intended to review quite so often, but this chapter... Oh, Fiondil, what a horror to juxtapose this one with the last one. Both showing featuring familiar characters to spotlight a range of details, but what a contrast. Although over the last one already hovers the dread of what is to come, in this one you show it in stark, terrible details. Well done, but oh, my heart! I don't recall, is this the first time we actually learn something about Glorfindel's parents? Did his father recognise that he had just killed his own wife? And what happened to him - I presume he died soon, too? And this chapter was also remarkably visual - I often have a hard time really picturing scenes as more than vague outlines and nebulous figures blocked in scenes, but this I could see in my mind's eye very well. Alas! Author Reply: Hi Imhiriel. This chapter does make a nice (if that's the right word) contrast with the previous one, where everyone is leaving with high hopes, so proud and noble, and then they barely get out the door and it all goes pear-shaped in a real hurry, and again, I show the general through the particular. We actually hear of Glorfindel's parents and their fate in Elf, Interrupted, Book Two, when Glorfindel is on his way to Oromë's Forest for training with the Maiar and has an emotional meltdown that necessitates the Valar to intervene. Can't remember the exact chapter, but I think it would be easy enough for you to find if you so wish. I tried to keep the blood and gore to a minimum in my description of this chapter, focusing more on people's emotions and reactions to what was happening. I think it is more effective, if only because it leaves the reader free to imagine the horror at their own comfort level, if that makes sense. Sometime I find less is more and leave it to the readers to supply the grisly details on their own. I'm glad that the details I did provide were vivid enough that you could see this scene in your mind's eye very well. Thanks for telling me and thanks for the review. I appreciate it very much.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 7/6/2013
That was a beautiful chapter, using people familiar to us through your other writings to illustrate what would be happening all over Tirion. And to learn where their stories intersect "the big story" that will lead them all on such circuitous paths back towards Aman again. I have to grumble about Ingwion here. I'm quite accustomed to the inequality of gender roles in Tolkien's writing - some window dressing about Elven equality notwithstanding, it still almost always comes down to "men first" (though Númenor was better in that regard). But Ingwion's repeated show of male chauvinism and snearing at the thought of elleth ruling, whether Vanyar or Noldor, is grating. Author Reply: When I came to this part of the story (and the next chapter), I wanted to show what was happening all over Tirion, from the palace on down, by drawing upon particular characters, both canon and OC. In fact, I kept "adding" characters to the description. My particular favorite part is Findaráto and his father commenting as the procession out of the city is stalled, never knowing that Eönwë was there delivering the Valar's message. One has to wonder what would have happened if they had actually heard it. As for Ingwion, what can I say? He is a product of his culture and in that time and place, the idea of an elleth ruling on her own behalf just wasn't something he would have thought as natural. I don't necessarily approve of what my characters believe or think, but I respect them enough not to try to rehabilitate them and make them politically correct (by our standards). That is being dishonest, both to the characters and to the readers. Anyway, thanks for reviewing, Imhiriel, and I think you're the first reviewer to actually claim this chapter to be "beautiful". Thanks for that.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 66 on 7/6/2013
It's funny, I was reading the scene where the four guards come upon Ingwë and as soon as the first one said his name, I thought, "Uh-oh, Tulkaner!", before he had even finished his sentence with the even more ominous revelation that he was sent by Ingoldo, and even though, although I remembered the name from GI, I couldn't recall any more details about him than a vague sense of "not good". I find Amarië's mother highly presumptous in how she deals with her daughter. She constantly harangues her and treats her like a child, and here she even goes as far as to imprison her? And it's not only an insult to her own grown-up daughter, but also a political faux-pas, I should think, depriving the sister of her king and dowager queen of the Noldor of her newest lady-in-waiting. By all rights, that shouldn't go down so well for Amáriel's "career" (although I suspect that in these troubled times, it won't have major consequences for her, and from stories later on in the timeline, she hasn't felt the need to change, poor Amarië). Seems a favourite way to deal with wayward female offspring, doesn't it looks askance at Elu Thingol. But now to find out what's happening with Ingwë and what Ingoldo is up to... Author Reply: Hi Imhiriel. Yeah, that scene with the guards does have that "don't go up into the attic alone you fool" sort of feel to it, doesn't it?" LOL! And I think you meant "EI" (Elf, Interrupted). And Amáriel is Amáriel, but she does show her true character later on, as you will eventually see. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 51 on 7/6/2013
While reading about the pillars bordering Formenos acting as a barrier, I had been having the niggling sensation that this sounded somewhat familiar, and while reading this chapter I finally knew why: it reminds me of the pillars in the TV series "Lost", that IIRC "the Others" had erected on the island as a barrier. I kept waiting for someone to dare to go between two pillars and get zapped...! ;-) You captured very well the total confusion and cluelessness of the Elves in how to deal with a death, emphasised by some of the very stark, horrific yet mundane details of a what a corpse is. I wonder if Míriel had any foresight when she made that diaphanous cloth and knew it would be used as a shroud one day. I haven't read BolT except in some excerpts, so I don't know the particulars, but I find it interesting how what Fëanáro says hear sound so much like a dress rehearsal for what what he is going to say later in Tirion. One last thing: in ch. 50, you twice write "access/accessing", when I think you meant to write "assess/assessing". Author Reply: Hi Imhiriel. Never saw "Lost" so I can't say I borrowed the idea from there. grin I'm glad you think I captured the total confusion of the Elves on how to deal with death, particularly since Fëanáro and his sons never encountered it. Elves of an older generation, like Finwë, must have experienced people dying during the Great Migration for any number of reasons considering how dangerous the place was at the time, but none of those born in Aman would have. And Fëanáro's speech is taken directly from BoLT. What I like about the Histories is that they contain so much more than what we find in the Silmarilion, details that help set the scene and the characters more than what we see in the published text. That is especially true for this story, though I stayed very much with the Silmarillion for this part of the story since there are aspects of the Darkening that Tolkien eventually abandoned and so I do not use here. At any rate, thanks for pointing out the error. It's been corrected, and thanks for the review. It's greatly appreciated.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 44 on 7/5/2013
It's been a while that I've read much of any Tolkien fanfiction, and I'm currently enjoying catching up on what you've been gifting us with in the meantime. Although I don't know if "enjoying" is quite the right word for this story, is it? There is a constant cloud of dread hanging over it, coming ever closer, and with this chapter you can't ignore it any longer if you haven even just a smidgen of SILM knowledge. I admit it's uncomfortable (in a good way, good reads should put you through a wringer of emotions), and I'll be glad once this cloud bursts and we no longer have to contrast what we know is going to happening with the false hope and attempts to make things better on the side of the characters that makes it that much more tragic. I'm surfacing on this chapter specifically because I just have to get a rant against Finwë off my chest, else I'm going to eat my keyboard, so please bear with me. That ellon is such a self-indulgent, mindless, ill-considering excuse for a ruler and a father as there is! It's been mentioned several times, but I really do wonder why he bothered to go to the lengths he did to be able to marry Indis with the ostensible reason that he wanted to have more children if he continuously ignores and dismisses them! And it seems he care not one whit that this is not merely a personal family problem, but a public, political problem - and not "merely" for his own Noldor, but for all the Eldar. And he isn't doing Fëanáro any favours either with obviously favouring him and spoiling and indulging him so much. No wonder the "spirit of fire" never showed much self-restraint when he was never much checked or curbed from infancy onwards through what should be adult responsibilities. And no wonder the Valar had to put matters into their own hands when they exiled Fëanáro. I suspect Finwë would have more or less dismissed the incident, and what would that have been as an example for how to deal with a breach of the peace of Valinor? He really put Ñolofinwë in an untenable position. Not only is his being regent a self-fulfilling prophecy that only hightens Fëanáro's doubts and resentments against his brother, but Ñolofinwë is also not undisputed Noldoran in his absence, because of that second "colony" in Formenos. And what Finwë did in this chapter just broke the camel's back as far as I'm concerned, even though it seems a relatively minor detail all things considered. It seems to me almost unforgiveable when he overruled his son's decree. Either he is thoughtless and shortsighted to not see the ramifications on his family and on his people, or he is passively or actively spiteful towards his son and regent - and either way, he should never be ruling again so much as a colony of tumbleweed. woooooh Sorry for that ;-)! Anyway, I think I will close my diatribe with saying that it's good in a way what happens next to him, as the dignified manner of his death is the only way he redeemed himself for me at least part-way. Please don't stop writing such immersing plots and characters, Fiondi! And now onwards to the doom-laden, doomful days of doom... Author Reply: Hi Imhiriel. You have a lot of catching up to do. LOL! But that's the beauty of the internet. The stories are there when you need them. Anyway, You're pretty much preaching to the choir as far as Finwë is concerned. He is not the best ruler the Elves have ever had and it's unfortunate that he acted as he did toward his children and his (second) wife. Well, he died well, as they say, and that's about all one can say about him. At any rate, I have no intention of stopping writing as you will see if you glance at what stories I've written since this one. I am glad you are finally able to return to reading fanfiction, especially mine. Thanks for "surfacing" long enough to let me know. I appreciate it very much.

Monalex	Reviewed Chapter: 60 on 6/30/2013
Hello!!! I'm re-reading this story and have one question. Why does Findarato refer to Feanaro as his cousin when He is his uncle?? Author Reply: Hi Laer. Sorry about that. It should be uncle and I've made the change. I think because earlier in the chapter I kept referring to Findaráto's cousins, the word just stuck. Thanks for pointing out the error. You're the first to do so. If you find any others of like nature, please let me know so I can make the appropriate correction. Thanks for reviewing.

Sitara	Reviewed Chapter: 73 on 12/30/2011
Well, as I was thinking about giving the bodies of the dead Noldor back to their kin for a proper burial, my accusation against Olwë stands. It wasn’t like he had no other choice than to burn them. He deliberately chose to destroy them and this is a war crime. And, to be completely fair, the Teleri fought neither for their lives nor for their homes, as far as I recall. But, as the Teleri’s attitude towards the Noldor as a whole could be understandable, even by likes of me, I cannot begin to comprehend Arafinwë’s. Did he really think that it was the case to pile more guilt upon the returning Noldor’ shoulders? He said that they all were guilty because they followed Fëanáro. How is that true since the most part of the Noldor were actually following Nolofinwë whom they had chosen as their leader? Furthermore, as the Valar themselves said that everyone was free to leave Aman at will, I would ask Arafinwë which was exactly the fault of the people who returned with him. Why, but following his logic, the Valar should have forfeited their name as Ainur because of their brother’s Melkor’s deeds. And, because he was so eager to make reparations with the Teleri, I would ask him whether he thought to bring forth that long forgotten issue of the Teleri’s own debt to the Noldor for the help given when the Teleri arrived first in Valinor? As it seems, Olwë wasn’t as eager as he to pay his own debts. Was the Lindaran saying something about Finwë’s worth as Noldorán, if I’m not mistaken? As for Arafinwë and his cowardice issues….he’ll never know for sure what exactly was that prompted him to take the road back. But fear is not always a bad thing and that’s the nicest thing that I may ever say about Arafinwë. Also, I must commend the Teleri for their speedily learning of the craftmanship of weapons. Pity that, according to their king, with such skills, they couldn’t build any more Swanships but, well, the Teleri have mastered instead another fine art. Author Reply: You don't seem to allow for the fact that they're all a little insane at this point and no one is thinking straight, not Arafinwe, not Olwe, no one, so they are doing, saying and thinking things that they might not otherwise do, say or think. And obviously the Teleri continued building ships, otherwise, where did all the ships that they made available to ferry the Host of the West come from? Thanks for commenting.

Sitara	Reviewed Chapter: 72 on 12/28/2011
Well, I did say that I wasn’t done with Olwë, especially when he keeps handing me weapons. Let’s find out how much would he like to see himself judged as he had judged Fëanáro, for sake of fairness. Apparently, the Teleri knew all too well the meaning of the word “vengeance” when that Darkness they knew only from hearsay came to affect their lives and property. Furthermore, the “innocent” Teleri would have liked to exact revenge on people who had no part whatsoever in what happened at Alqualondë, only because they were born Noldor, as it seems. As for not wanting to have anything to do with the Noldor anymore, I recall that the same Noldor were more than handy when the Teleri first arrived in Valinor, even if Olwë didn’t seem to do it anymore. However, I would commend Olwë for not condoning his people’s intentions, although I would point out to him that actually it wasn’t the case to worry about the Teleri becoming Kinslayers like the Noldor; tehnically, they already were. They slew their kin as surely as the Noldor did, all of it for ships, and the worst part in my opinion is that they never acknowledged it as such. A real pity, for them. As regards some of Olwë’s decisions….it seems that he decided to burn the bodies of the dead Noldor, as being only fitting for their crimes. From what I know and read so far, I gather that it wasn’t a practice of the Eldar to burn the bodies of their dead. Now I’ll ask him: did he order to be burned along with the rest also the body of Glorfindel’s mother? Did he ever think that he ordered to be defiled the bodies of people who were only caught in the crossfire? If Fëanáro was accused with good reason for what he did in the aftermath of Morgoth’s crime, then I bring the same accusation against Olwë! To desecrate the bodies of slain enemies was ever condemned throughout the history, ranking even among the war crimes, and Olwë’s deed speaks volumes about his character, in my opinion. Even more than in Fëanáro’s case because Olwë was granted a thing that Fëanáro was never allowed to keep: hope. He knew that one day he’ll have his son and people back. His loss wasn't to last forever. Although, well, after an age of salvaging hope, as the Lindaran said, the Teleri were ready to let their Sindar kinsmen at Morgoth’s tender mercies only to ensure that no Noldo would ever again board one of their vessels. Truthfully, their "innocence" scares me more than any of Morgoth's evils. Author Reply: Well, Sitara, it isn’t a crime to defend yourself or for a people to defend their homes. The greater crime against the aggressors would have been to let the bodies rot and be eaten by carrion. Olwe did as he needed. Even Feanor’s body was burned when he died. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 129 on 12/15/2011
I can't believe it's over. I have so enjoyed reading this wonderful story. I hope the Valar have opened the door to another story. There is still much to tell. Your stories are awesome. Author Reply: It is hard to believe that this story is over, isn't it, Tari. But all good (and bad) things come to an end eventually. I'm glad you enjoyed this tale and find my stories awesome. You are right that there is still much to tell about the Elves of Aman and we may visit them again someday soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing. It's been very much appreciated.

Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 127 on 12/13/2011
An exchange program is an excellent idea and will definitely help unite the clans. Author Reply: And in "Elf, Interrupted" we see Glorfindel being a part of the exchange program. Thamks for reading and reviewing, Tari. It's much appreciated.

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