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The Journey Home by Fiondil	648 Review(s)
Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 43 on 7/13/2013
I liked the discussion about the remaing Elves, and the thought that not all who refuse to heed the call may do so out of stubborness, but because Eru has other plans for them. And a beautiful final line. Thanks, Fiondil! Author Reply: The allusion to certain Elves remaining in Middle-earth because Eru has other plans for them is to my Elf Academy series and if you haven't read that, I encourage you to do so. I think you would enjoy it. At any rate, I'm glad you enjoyed this story, Imhiriel. Thanks for all your lovely reviews and for pointing out the typos that I'd missed. It's always nice to have another pair of eyes looking over the story and helping to make it better and "cleaner".

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 41 on 7/13/2013
I think by this point Estel is just venting because once started, he doesn't quite know how to stop. He first assumed that attitude as a shield against all the strange things he's seen so far in Valinor, and he is afraid to "drop it". But I'm glad Maglor firmly showed him he is crossing a line - I was getting annoyed with him. That reminds me: your story about Námo getting his own son also named Estel, is that part of this continuity? I ask not only because of the name, but also because from that story one could get the impression that the only sons of Fëanor making it out of the Halls of Mandos would be the twins, and here you mentioned Maedhros also living in Valinor (which I was glad of, because I have a soft spot for him, too). “And so, what you are really saying is that these poor children take one look at my clothes and fall into despair at my lack of fashion sense.” “Exactly,” Aulë replied, smiling down at Maglor and giving him another wink. Oh, ho, I don't think so! I think if this is true, Námo's spouse "The Weaver" should take it upon herself and give the Elves a lesson on good fashion sense. Do they really think Námo would wear anything which doesn't pass Vairë's muster ;-)? Well, although I do agree that his usual black is a bit... hm, monochrome, erm, montone... That was a fantastic and very thoughtful and thought-provoking explanation for why the Oath is so much worse than the Kinslayings. Indeed, only if you are damaged or dead inside yourself, if you have killed your own conscience, will you even be able to contemplate, much less commit, other sins and crimes. Námo has a vertibable gallows humour! He made me snicker, even as I shook my head in dismay at his bluntness. The thought about letting Maglor just commit suicide and end his odyssey had certainly crossed my mind, as well. But it's certainly better this way, and Maglor will have the satisfaction of knowing he didn't give up in truth, even as he thought he did through the long years of his wanderings. I really like Varda's short cameo. In your stories, she often comes across as rather cool and stern (and sometimes even a little as a shrew), but here you show her softer side. Author Reply: I think you're right about Estel, Imhiriel. He's using his anger as a way to handle all the strangeness he's encountering. While I try to be consistent with the storylines of my novel-length stories, I don't necessarily remain consistent with the many short stories, all of which were written for prompts and so the storylines are geared toward the prompts rather than toward anything else within my Valar-verse, as a friend calls it. That may be confusing for readers at times, but it's the way it is. And I love Námo's gallows humor. It always makes me laugh. And Varda likes to put up a good front but beneath that stern exterior is a loving Valië and we just happen to catch her with her guard down here. Thanks for the review. It's much appreciated.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 7/13/2013
Totally not the reception I was expecting, and I enjoyed the twist immensely. Very low-key and without any of the "high profile" characters I was sure wondering would be there. Loved the slightly absurd tone of the confrontation between the Teleri and Maglor and his companions. Here I was, fully expecting them to be all accusatory and aggressive, and for Maglor to throw himself at their mercy - and I bet they expected this, too - but no, they all confused themselves by adhering to the up-front questions and answers and literal meanings. And Olwë and Maglor's exchange was priceless! Author Reply: I don't think anyone was expecting the reception they got. And I thought Olwë and Maglor's exchange pretty funny, myself. Thanks for reviewing, Imhiriel. It's much appreciated.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 36 on 7/13/2013
Ah, it seems I was wrong after all about my guess as to an early Sailing. I think it's a good idea, though, that you made a jump in time to the actual date of departure. Also wanted to say I really like the tentative, tender courtship between Maglor and Glóredhel you briefly touch on. I'm so glad Maglor finally finds himself in a community and a family he feels he completely belongs to and belongs to him. It's a pity there are two, not three ships Sailing, because I would have had the perfect names for them: Santa Maria, Nina and Pinta sticks tongue out. I wonder if Maglor doesn't underestimate the reception they are going to get. Your other stories show that Maglor's thoughts about how the Amaneldi reacted to those of Beleriand was true enough at first, but throughout EI and other stories you showed how they slowly learned otherwise. Not to mention the influence people like Glorfindel, Finrod, Sador, Arafinwë and other would have been exerting in all the uncountend yéni since. Those modes of tuning the harp you've mentioned several times, are the names canonical? If not, you have chosen very apt names. Lovely, poingnant description of the transfer from the Bent World to the Straight Path. It's always been of my most favourite concepts by Tolkien, and you did it justice. Typo-alert: especially once they had eliminated the cat-creatures that had threaten them - "threatened" Author Reply: Thanks for the typo alert, Imhiriel. It's been corrected. And from the Elves' perspective 500 years is rather soon. grin Of course, Maglor isn't aware of any of the history of Aman after he left, so he can only assume that his reception will be less than cordial. The modes of tuning are my own invention, since I didn't think that they would come up with "key of C minor" and the lot. I figured they would create more descriptive ways of describing certain modes. I'm glad you think I did the transfer from world to world justice. I'm just glad Tolkien supplied us with some kind of description of it. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 34 on 7/13/2013
Just: BEAUTIFUL! tears rolling down my face And I absolutely added Lyana's comments about what the Valar were doing at that moment to my personal headcanon. Author Reply: And nothing more needs to be said, does it? I'm glad you found this chapter moving, Imhiriel. I had tears as I was writing it, so I have no doubt that the Valar also wept tears of joy as well.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 32 on 7/13/2013
Maglor and his relation to his music - both singing and playing instruments - are one of my favourite topics. I wrote a drabble years ago (and I was a bit shocked to realise how many years ago it's now been g), that perhaps you might enjoy: "The Parting Gift". I feel a rising sense of anticipation with regard to Maglor dealing - somehow - with the Silmaril, and this trip to the sea. Because although they're right, realistically they should count on having to live many, many years still waiting for the trees to grow and building a ship, looking over the titles of the remaining chapters, I can't but feel that the Silmaril and Maglor's reaction to it will result in the date for their Sailing will come much sooner. Author Reply: Hi Imhiriel. Thanks for the link. A lovely vignette and very poignant. And no doubt you will see how Maglor deals with the Silmaril by the time I get around to respond to this review, as well as see how soon they end up Sailing. grin

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 30 on 7/12/2013
I wonder if there is some link between the sabretooth beasts and the Silmaril. It seemed from your description of the attack where Maglor got hurt that they targeted him specifically. And now those dreams, almost as if they are sending him to make him more susceptible in - what? Bringing them the Silmaril? hmmmmmmm.... Maglor, I do not consider myself to be among the Wise, certainly not by your standards or even Master Elrond’s In light of the discussion after this sentence, I think you meant "...much less Master Elrond's". But in that context, I have a more general language question which I keep encountering and keep getting wrong. “You are very wise, wiser than I, if not wiser than my foster son.” This means that Denethor is wiser than Maglor, but not as wise as Elrond, yes? But if the comma wasn't there before "if", it would mean that Denethor is wiser than Maglor, perhaps even wiser than Elrond, meaning the "order of wisdom" is reversed? I have found that oftentimes those sorts of sentence constructions seem so vague and depending on context, and easily misunderstood, which might make the sense of the comparison useless. Author Reply: There may be a link, but who can truly say. Maglor senses an evil intelligence in the creatures and perhaps they are drawn to the Silmaril much like Morgoth was. Thanks for the grammar alert. I've made the correction. As for your question, the comma's absence would not change the meaning of the sentence (though all grammarians would consider the sentence incorrectly written without it) since you still have an "if not" clause at the end which says that Denethor is not as wise as Elrond. If you took out the middle clause referring to Maglor it would still hold true that Denethor is not as wise as Elrond. Does that make sense? Anyway, thanks for reviewing. It's appreciated.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 7/12/2013
“So you decided to join us.” He squinted, trying to see who had spoken. A dark figure approached, kneeling beside him, blocking his view of the fire. For a moment, I actually thought Maglor had died, and it was Námo who was speaking here; and my heart did an odd little jump. I'm truly glad they're on their way back home, because between the blizzard and those sabretooth beasts, and me getting hopelessly lost in the mapping, it's time to get back to somewhere familar and settled where they can rest and draw a deep breath for a while. Typo alert from way back in ch. 23 (I've been saving it so as not clutter your in-box with such minor details): but the closer they came to reaching their goal the more hopeful he became that he would not be the only one for whom no one was waiting. Perhaps his ammë…. - I think you meant to say that he hoped someone would be waiting for him. Author Reply: It is good to be back on familiar ground, no doubt about it, and I'm sure Maglor would agree with you. grin Thanks for the typo alert, Imhiriel. I made the correction.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 7/12/2013
Eeeeeek! incoherent spluttering Now, that was a cliffhanger for the (ice-)ages ;-)... I don't have anything more sensible to add, other than that I continue to find the story very original and intriguing. And I am so curious how they are going to deal with that Pandora's box you just threw in their midst... Author Reply: I'm glad you have been enjoying this story, Imhiriel. And the Silmaril is a sort of Pandora's box for the Elves, isn't it? Thanks for reviewing. It's much appreciated.

Imhiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 7/11/2013
Neanderthals! I instinctively wanted to disagree with the Elves' speculation about the origin of their attackers, but it makes a certain amount of sense. And I guess if we want to claim a strand of the best "roots" via the union of Aragorn and Arwen, I guess we also cannot deny the possibility of unions of the "worst". But I just feel so sorry to think the poor Neanderthals had anything even remotely to do with orcs... The battle, short as it was, was very tense, and I could follow its progression and tactics well. Typo alert from back in ch. 5: you wrote "Erin Lasgalen" instead of "Eryn". Author Reply: Hi Imhiriel. Thanks for the typo alert. I've made the correction. Not sure how that got by me. sigh Anyway, I recently came across the National Geographic Genographic Project and according to that, anyone whose ancestors left Africa before a certain time has some degree of Neanderthal blood in them. I wrote this long before I'd ever heard of this, but I figured that some of the Uruk-hai group may have forced their way into the human genome at some point and that is what the Elves encounter here. Of course, they have no concept of Neanderthals, they only know that these creatures don't look like the humans they know of. I'm glad you were able to follow the progression of the battle and the tactics used. I am not very good at giving blow-by-blow descriptions of such things. I tend to hope that the reader can fill in the blanks using his or her own imagination. Thanks for leaving a comment. I greatly appreciate it.

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