News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Elf Academy Part Deux by Fiondil | 1245 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Diana | Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 3/14/2014 |
| Hi Fiondil, Lots of good stuff in this chapter. All of it was very well written. Looking over the reviews I learn last year you had some medical problems, which I hope are better now. Looking back at your last response to my last comment and looking at what I wrote, I get the feeling I offended you. If I did I'm sorry. I'm only talking about my *own* experience. I still think you're a great writer! I'm enjoying this story a lot! Have you ever been published any where? Blessed Be Diana Author Reply: Hi Diana. I'm better now, thanks. And no, I've never been book-published, if hat is what you are asking. That's too much work and what I do in writing these stories is for fun. I wasn't so much offended as just slightly annoyed. People tend to generalize from personal experience, but personal experience is necessarily narrow and limited and it's dangerous to make sweeping statements because they are inevitably false at least on one level. It's something I try hard not to do in my life if I can possibly help it (and sometimes, being human, I cannot). With my own background in linguistics and sociolinguistics I am perhaps somewhat more aware of language and language usage and am as careful as I can be to be conscious of how my characters will speak that is not false to them. Anyway, I'm glad you are still enjoying the story. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it. | |
| Diana | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/13/2014 |
| Hi Fiodil. The lord of Mandos with a baseball cap with skull and crossbones on it! Hilarious! I know I'm way behind in the story, but I hope one of these days when Namo shows up you have him wearing a Blue Oyster Cult t-shirt with "Don't Fear The Reaper" on it. Nate and Esther are a real hoot! Love and Blessed Be,Diana. Author Reply: This is one of my favoritest chapters of all time. LOL! Coming up with a disguise for "Nate" was loads of fun, especially the baseball cap. I doubt, though, that the Lord of Mandos would ever deign to show up in a T-shirt of any stripe. He's too cool for that. LOL! And Esther is a real hoot as well. Thanks for reviewing, Diana. It's very much appreciated. | |
| Diana | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/12/2014 |
| Okay, sorry to jump back in so soon,but I have a few criticism to make: Mate is not a word Americans use to mean friend very much,we would say bud, or bro or man instead. Also we don't say "you lot" or "that lot" much at all unless we watch too much Masterpiece Theater In rural Alaska the Native people are more intertraded into local community. The Elves would run into a lot more of them, and I bet they would learn all kinds of stories of what's in Winterdark Tarn. Okay, I've said my piece, I'll shut-up now Love, Diana Author Reply: You are assuming that everyone everywhere in America uses the same idiomatic expressions and ways of greeting one another as you do, and a little thought will show that this is and cannot be true. America is too large a country and its people too diverse and from different backgrounds to be that homogenous. Derek uses the term "mate" because of his naval background where it is short for "shipmate" and while you may not say "you lot" that does not preclude the possibility that others do whether they watch Masterpiece Theatre or not. Also, Wiseman is not rural Alaska, though admittedly it is a small city in comparison to Fairbanks or Anchorage and most of this story is from Alex's POV and his personal encounters with people so he probably has little contact with native Alaskans, though he does have some, as when he is at Max Lightfoot's farm. Whether the Elves have asked the natives anything about Winterdark Tarn is not something that even I know about yet as the Elves keep some things to themselves and won't even tell me. *grin* Hopefully, though, we may someday learn what the natives believe about it. | |
| Diana | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/12/2014 |
| Hi Fiondil, Oh I have so much to say about this chapter! As a witch I have more than a passing familiarity with warding and protection spells. I would love to be in Coven with Della and Misty. Yow Elven witches! Herb shop indeed! The idea of a living universe was only abandoned in western Europe after Descartes and the famous Dutch philosophical revolution of that time. While that mindset of a mechanical lifeless universe had it's benefits and helped humanity progress scientifically, most cultures around the world (esp the "primitive" ones) kept their core spirituality. It's thrilling to see science returning to examine those concepts. Personally I feel it can really help us change the dominant paradigm to a more loving one if we don't use it for religious wars. Remember folks, She loves EVERYONE! Not just the pretty ones. The Big Bang was the first orgasm! Starhawk tells a beautiful version of the Wiccan creation myth in her book "The Spiral Dance" if you're interested. I love all the creation myths in the Joesef Campbell sense. My favorite is the story of the Big Bang and subsequent evolution of current life. It's basic meaning that we are ALL related, and we all come from the same material as the Stars. I bet the Elves would like that. Imagine how we would be if our core mythology was based on that. Again, wonderful chapter! Well, that's enough outta me! Love,and Blessed Be! Diana Author Reply: Hi Diana. This is one of my favorite chapters of this story because of the discussion between Daeron and Alex about how Dante saw the universe as opposed to how modern humans, at least in the west, see it, though, as you point out, we are beginning to see a paradigm shift in certain scientific circles. I was first introduced to the New Cosmology by Brian Swimme, especially through his "Universe Story" and "The Secret Heart of the Cosmos" and Joseph Campbell was a great mythologist and I've used him as well. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it. | |
| Legolin | Reviewed Chapter: 86 on 1/7/2014 |
| Hi Fiondil, I was sad to see the end of Part Deux. I have grown to love all these characters and the way you portray them. It was especially funny seeing the way the Valinorian Elves are adapting to modern day times. I cannot wait to dig into Christmas at Edhellond. ~Legolin Author Reply: Hi Legolin. It's always sad when you get to the end of a good story, even for the author who has invested so much of his or her time and energy into it and the characters. I'm glad you enjoyed the story and the characters, especially the Valinórean Elves learning to adapt to modern Middle-Earth. Enjoy Christmas at Edhellond and then Elf Academy 3. Thanks for leaving a review. It's greatly appreciated. | |
| Legolin | Reviewed Chapter: 30 on 1/1/2014 |
| This plot just keeps getting better and better! ~Legolin Author Reply: Hi Legolin. I'm glad you're enjoying this and you haven't even gotten to the best part yet. LOL! Happy reading! | |
| Laikwalâsse | Reviewed Chapter: 33 on 8/24/2013 |
| sorry for not reviewing for such a long time but RL is rough of late. I cannot even bring my own chapters straight. Nonetheless this chapter was again a welcome distraction even if this bad storm is coming and Glorfindel is right: it doesn´t matter if a storm or an army is hindering you to go out. And on top of all a baby arriving - how lovely. Any a new pair of twins for Glorfindel to drive him insane - more lovely. THank you. Lai Author Reply: That's okay, Lai. I quite understand. Glad this chapter was a nice distraction from RL. Yes, twins are on the way. So maybe this will inspire a small population explosion among the Elves in Wiseman when Elrohir and Serindë get married and perhaps other couples decide to have elflings. We'll have to see. Thanks for reviewing. It's appreciated. | |
| Twoflower2 | Reviewed Chapter: 86 on 6/27/2013 |
| Thank you for writing this exceptional story. I remember thinking, just before starting on it, how good you are at gentle tales without an obvious antagonist. Little did I know :) Loved this Tolkien-meets-Le Carre thriller! As a fan of magical fantasy and mystery genres, I am in awe of your creative imagination. Was especially entranced by the chapters starting from the enchanted pumpkins and on: the splendour of Finrod's arrival, Vingilot caught by military radars, the coming-of-age of the three amigos, the elven court - the story is poetic, dramatic and hilarious in turns. My favourite bit is poetic: the depiction of the unearthly beauty of Vingilot. Just curious: will Findalaure be Finglor in Sindarin? His tribulations at the college cafeteria had me in stitches. So you are depicting the second return of the Eldar to the Middle-Earth, this time with the Valars' blessing. Some of these personalities are certainly too restless for the eternity in Aman. I look forward to reading about their hither-shores adventures in the next installments. Author Reply: Hi Twoflower2. I'm glad you enjoyed this story. It was a lot of fun to write. The whole scene with Vingilot is also one of my favorites in the story. And you are correct that Findalaurë would most likely be rendered as Finglor in Sindarin. I hope you like the next installment, "Christmas at Edhellond" (already posted)and I am in the midst of writing Elf Academy 3 even now, so you have something to look forward to. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I appreciate it very much. | |
| Laikwalâsse | Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 6/17/2013 |
| cute mortals? The Valar have their own sense of humor after all. Even if the stomach flu seemes quite natural the bad weather is at least aiding the elves and holding eager agents at bay. Alex is made of hard stuff, he will get through this also. Liked the ´magic transport´of Derek. Sorry for not reviewing earlier but maybe you have heard of the flood in Germany. The waters are now gone but what it left is not so funny. At least my PC is again dry...Lai Author Reply: Hi Lai. Yes, I heard all about the flooding. I'm glad to hear you're finally drying out. ALex is a survivor, if nothing else, but even he has his limits. He was very lucky Glorfindel and Elrohir were close enough to hear him pounding on the door of the Academy. Glad you liked the 'magic transport' of Derek. Fionwë obviously had fun with that. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it you doing so. | |
| Laikwalâsse | Reviewed Chapter: 31 on 5/19/2013 |
| what a surprise,the campus is coming down with the flu so short after the trouble with the agents. I do not know how someone can spread the visrus intentionally but this is surely no coincidence. THey want to divide the elves attention. Maybe they do not know that elves can´t get sick? Anyway hope this will go away soon. Having the stomach flu is no fun. Lai Author Reply: Not everything that happens in this story is directly related to the agents, Lai. Life goes on around you whatever else is happening and at this point in time, the college has been struck down with the Norovirus and it will last as long as it will last, like all such things. We will see how it affects the college and particularly Elf Academy along with the blizzard and all. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it. | |