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| No Better Name by Cairistiona | 187 Review(s) |
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| EllyBaggins | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/25/2011 |
| I very much enjoyed this story. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love how you write Halbarad and Aragorn. Tolkien doesn't give us much to go on when it comes to Halbarad, and for me it really is authors like you, who write with such a strong sense of realism and wit, that bring his character to life. I look forward to anything you may write in the future :) Author Reply: Aw, thank you very much, EllyBaggins! I'm so glad that you and others enjoy my version of Halbarad. There are some really good Halbarads out there and I'm humbled you count mine among them. Hopefully the next story will flow out as smoothly as this one did and it won't be too long before you'll have it to read. Thanks again for reading and for your kind words! | |
| Mirach | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/25/2011 |
| A lovely last chapter to this part of the story! And Bowen actually agreed to learn to fight! Somehow I wasn't sure he would... But he is indeed very quick in learning. I spent the first hours just by learning the posture and steps. I remember this moment: "then he struck it with his own sword to let him feel the way the sword vibrated", it was a bit of a surprise to feel the blow after practicing the movements without an opponent. I could write essays about learning to fight with a sword here, but I stopped in the right time, so I won't :D (and I'm saving that for my original story...) It was a very impressive moment at the end, to see Aragorn so regal. I hope Bowen will still be alive when he returns as a king of Gondor and Arnor. I would really like to see his reaction! Author Reply: Thank you, Mirach! Bowen is a bit of a quick study, but I figure Aragorn is probably the best teacher there is. :) And yes, I've heard that to feel your blade hit another is really a revelation, so I wanted Bowen to have that experience. You probably could write an essay on swordfighting! And yes, Bowen will eventually have his reunion with King Elessar, in book 3, whenever it finally gets finished! Wish me luck, and thanks again for this and all your reviews! | |
| Fantasia | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/25/2011 |
| Beautiful end. Perfect. I wish I can leave you an adequate review, but I'm at work and very busy. I took five minutes to read this. And good that I did, it is just perfect. I will wait very impatiently for the third book. I miss all of them already. Thhans Cairistiona. Hope to read you soon. Author Reply: Thank you, Fantasia, and this is a perfectly adequate review. :) I'm very glad you enjoyed the story, even to the extent that you miss the characters now that it's over. But they'll all show up again with a few more besides. I'm hard at work on book 3 now. Thanks again for all your kind reviews! | |
| curiouswombat | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/25/2011 |
| What an excellent end to an excellent story. I look forward to book three whenever you get to it. Author Reply: Thank you, curiouswombat! So glad you enjoyed this story! And "whenever you get to it" really will be the operative word. I'm crossing my fingers that comes sooner rather than later! | |
| acairfearann | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/25/2011 |
| A wonderful story, I have thoroughly enjoyed the balance struck between secrets and friendship. Your ability to describe expressions and actions is very strong. And that ending, beautiful! Looking forward to the next piece. Author Reply: Thank you so much, acairfearann! I'm glad you enjoyed the story! I'm hard at work at the next one, though just at the beginning stages at this point. Fingers crossed it flows out as smoothly as this one did. | |
| Suzelle | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/25/2011 |
| And though he would never admit it aloud to any man, half the time the deer bounded away unharmed; Flora was actually a far better shot than he could ever hope to be, and it was usually she that did the hunting. Bwahahaha, did you put that in just to make me happy??? Because it worked XD. Go Flora! I will leave it for him to tell you that tale, for it is long and harrowing, for he came fully to manhood at that time, and such rarely happens without hardship and sorrow. Suffice now to say that he swore never again to be without a spare. I'm assuming/hoping we will get the full story behind this in your eventual Halbarad-coming-of-age story, correct?? *is excited* As for the rest of this chapter...what a perfect end to it all. Bowen's reaction to Strider's precautions/training are quite perfectly suited to his character. Hopefully he will pass on what he's learned to little Owen Estel as well as tales of Strider and his companions. I especially loved the exchanges between Bowen and Strider at the end...it's clear that Bowen has been forever changed by what he's learned of and from these Rangers. I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a delight and a pleasure this story has been to follow. It bears your trademark mix of lightheartedness and weight, comedy and heart-moving drama. Hopefully it won't just be Bowen who comes away from all of this with a fuller life--I like to think that the Rangers are deeply happy to know they have one more friend among the Bree-landers. I'm sad to see this tale end, but it couldn't have ended in a better way. I look forward to that not-too-distant future! :) Author Reply: Ha! No, I didn't write that line to make you happy, although as soon as I wrote it, I immediately thought, "Oh, Suzelle will be happy!" LOL It just seemed to me that given the way I think about the Dunedain women being capable of handling a bow, so might a Bree farm woman living on the edge of the Wild as they do. And it went with Bowen's character somehow to not be the best shot ever. He really is more of a peacemaker than a fighter, though when pressed, look out! And yes, you will see the genesis of Halbarad's little obsession with making sure he always has a sword in the young Halbarad tale, whenever I finally get that done. The third Rushlight story has priority for now, though. (And yay, I spent an hour or so hammering away at timelines this morning and I *think* I have it sorted out now... gah, I HATE figuring out timelines and what happened "away from the action" and when.) I'm so glad you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! I'm really sad to see it come to an end, but getting started on the next installment is helping in that regard. It will be fun to take everything that happened to Bowen in this story and apply it throughout the rest of his life. :) Thanks again for all your reviews! | |
| Nath | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/23/2011 |
| *heh* Seemed as if the mother hen was in danger of having his hand pecked at right at the start of the chapter. It was a lovely sight, those cultivated fields of Eriador, and one Halbarad carried like a secret treasure in his heart during all his journeying into danger and darkness. He lived to keep Aragorn safe and regretted not a minute by his king's side, but in these quiet moments he felt keenly the longing for a simple life by his hearth and fields. He had no doubt that someday such peaceful scenes as far as the eye could see and beyond would be the reward for all their hard labors, if not for them then for their children or even their children's children. A world at peace, where men and women tended their farms and raised their families without fear, where little ones like Owen Estel enjoyed a childhood full of small adventures and harmless mischief and bright hopes for the future... how Halbarad coveted such things. *sigh* (*hugs Ranger*) I must admit to agreeing somewhat with Galadh about babies; they're fine in theory, but that's where I like them best *g* although I can do an almost convincing admiration session if necessary (and Strider holding the baby is a great image). And Bowen may be stubborn about the farmwork, but he's met his match in the man who is stubborn enough to have wooed and won the Elf princess. All in all, another enjoyable chapter. Is it really nearly done? *pouts at the thought* Author Reply: Thank you, and alas, yes, it is almost over. One more chapter is all. You may be pouting, but I admit I'm panicking a bit, wondering how on earth I'll bring the trilogy to a close in one more book! But I'll get it pounded into submission, one way or another. I really like hearing when readers can connect with a certain character, like you with Galadh and babies. I'm a little that way myself--I like them, and I like to cuddle them, but I've never been one to turn all gooey and go chasing after every baby I can find to hold. So I think a little of that went into Galadh. I'll let Aragorn be the one that turns into man-goo at the sight of a baby... mostly because *that* is what makes me turn all gooey. *g* *wipes up all the goo slopping over in this reply with a towel* | |
| Nath | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 10/23/2011 |
| And so it turns out that Bowen's concerns were not entirely spurious, and a big yay for hidden kings doing mystical things *g* Bowen wants his peace back... now if that doesn't sound like a cue for more disturbance;-) even if it's only the rest of the Rangers turning up. Author Reply: Don't you love it when Mysterious Kings Are Mysterious? *g* And yes, eek, more Rangers! (Which for me, wouldn't be a problem!) Thanks for the review! | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 10/22/2011 |
| Poor Denlad to have such a dreadful childhood. Author Reply: He really did have a time of it, didn't he. Thank goodness Aragorn found him when he did, though wouldn't it have been nice had Aragorn been able to swoop him away entirely before it all happened. But then he wouldn't be Denlad, I suppose. A bit like a fiery forge heats steel into a good sword, his hard life played a big role in shaping him into the man he is and will become. | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 10/22/2011 |
| I just loved the part where We learn about what Halbarad's wife called him! I'm glad Flora is OH Author Reply: Thanks, Linda! Glad that part gave you a giggle. *g* | |