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In the High King's Secret Service by Fiondil	392 Review(s)
Kevana	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/8/2013
Elven sociology? I love it. And Ingwë's wise in his selection of person for this task. So the High King read Valandur's thesis. I can imagine the scholarly pride, mingled with momentary abject terror. The topic is priceless too. It's amazing how Ingoldo and Ingwë are so incredibly different despite being brothers. It's lovely to see the Tree-based timekeeping. I quite like that invention. Sundials without the sun. A disturbingly geeky part of me wonders what the color temperatures would have been. Ten gazillion Kelvin and seven gazillion Kelvin? LOL. It does make me wonder how Valandur came to think he "failed" at such an assignment. We will see! I stumbled on the most incredible word today and just had to share it. It's Welsh and it's the closest word I've ever seen to describe the Elves' "sea-longing." With your language experience you likely already know it but, wow. hiraeth, (n) Hiraeth is a Welsh word with no direct English translation. The closest that it has come to being described in the English language is perhaps “grief", but in reality, it is so much more: it is homesicknes tinged with grief over the lost or departed. It is a mix of longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness, and earnest desire for somewhere or something, especially something of the past. It is the sense of being so much a part of a place and the place, you, that you feel forever incomplete when separated from it. On hiraeth Thank you for a fantastic chapter! Take care and beware the frumious bandersnatches this week. -Kevana Author Reply: Elven sociolinguistics, actually, which was my concentration in college (the sociolinguistics, not the elven part LOL!). Glad you like the thesis topic. I borrowed it from an article in real-world linguistics. As for the timekeeping, I was hard pressed to come up with ways to show time in a land where it's perpetual day with only a cooling of the light but not a complete absence of it. I had to constantly make sure I didn't use words like "night" and other time words that would not have been applicable, only "hour", "day" and "week" because Tolkien gives us these. I love the Welsh. I have studied the language a little bit but had never come across this particular word. Thanks for sharing it with me and everyone else. One has to wonder if the Professor was aware of the word and its meaning since he based Sindarin on Medieval Welsh. Thanks for an enthusiastic review. And I will certainly look out for frumious bandersnatches. grin

Sunny	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/8/2013
So the young ivory tower intellectual is pulled out of his classes and is assigned duty as a political analyst - and I guess he is pushed in at the deep end since the Vanyarin players here are Ingoldo and Tinwetariel (and we all know how they ended up). It will also be interesting to see your take on Fëanáro - and it wouldn't surprise me if the future malcontent-in-chief manages to get into the thick of things, despite his youth. Author Reply: Hi Sunny. Yeah, he hasn't been too long in the ivory tower. And while Fëanáro does appear in this story, it's in a minor role, but he does make a lasting impression. grin Thanks for commenting. It's greatly appreciated.

obsidianj	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/8/2013
From the start Valandur is selected for a mission with a secret background. Interesting. He never really could choose a different path. Ingwe is High-king, after all. So even if he doesn't really like the mission, I think, Valandur would say yes. Author Reply: Very true, obsidianj, and we'll see how he fares when in Tirion. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

Cairistiona	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/6/2013
Interesting and intriguing teaser trailer! g Okay, it's not really a trailer, but it's a good tease, most definitely. It's taken me a few more readings of The Silmarillion to feel like I could truly enjoy your 1st Age stories (or anyone's, really!) without being hopelessly confuddled, so I hope this is a pretty good place to start... if there's another of your stories I should read first, please let me know. :) Author Reply: Hi Cairistiona. I decided to use this Prologue as a teaser rather than attaching the first chapter to it, thinking that it would intrigue people enough to want to "tune in". grin As for reading any of my other stories, that would not be necessary, as we will be seeing everyone at an earlier time. Valandur does appear in "In Darkness Bound" and in my "Elf, Interrupted" series, though he plays minor (but important) roles in them, and apparently left enough of an impression on readers that several have claimed that he is one of their favorite of all my OCs. At any rate, I hope you do enjoy this story. It was fun to write and it is not nearly as dark and grim as Maglor's story was (until the end). Not that bad things don't happen, but this is Aman in the Age of Innocence, so it's a more lighthearted story. The Darkening is not even a blip on the horizon in anyone's imagination, including the Valar. This is really a feel-good story just right for summer reading. grin Thanks for reading and reviewing. It's appreciated.

obsidianj	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/6/2013
Intriguing beginning and the cliffhangers start. I want to know more and I want it sooner than later ;-). So, Valandur is sent home and Ingoldo is involved. Having read too much about Ingoldo in your other stories, I can't help but think, what did he do now? Author Reply: Hi obsidian. Yes, the cliffhangers start early here. LOL! As for Ingoldo and how much he's involved, that remains to be seen. This story will be strictly from Valandur's POV so we will only see Ingoldo when and if Valandur interacts with him. At any rate, I'm glad you found this Prologue intriguing and are looking forward to reading the rest of the story. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. It's much appreciated.

Kevana	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/5/2013
I have been dying to get to know Valandur better, and I've been eagerly awaiting this story ever since you mentioned it! I can't believe it's finally here! grin Oh, what's not to love about this - the time period, first of all, you just don't see much if anything written in this setting. Elven clannish politics pre-Darkening! Intrigue! Lore! History in the making! Characters in their early years! The Noldor getting restless! Each of your stories gives me a rather synesthetic sensation as they start out. This one so far is a bit like poking your head into a cave, and seeing starburst shimmers of geodes and perhaps other treasures deeper in the recesses...but who knows what else is lurking back there? (You and Ellie know, mwahaha, and apparently Valandur has recently learned...oh dear...and we shall soon find out.) This is gonna be good. And Ingoldo! I've been wanting to know more about him and how he ended up as he did in your other stories. It'll be interesting to see him here in any case, whatever role he has to play. Great opening, too, enjoy the way you've framed it. Hope you have a spectacular weekend and I look forward to seeing the adventures of Voronwion. Valandur Voronwion. insert Bond music here All the best! -Kevana (PS: Bah humbug, you're a loremaster in my book, you and so many of the other awesome authors on this site. :P ) Author Reply: Hi Kevana. Your review is almost as long as the Prologue itself. LOL! Anyway, I thank you for your vote of confidence about my being a loremaster. As for this story, I don't know of any other that takes place this early in the history of the Elves of Aman (actually few ever bother to write about Aman at all, preferring to stick to Middle-earth). And while Ingoldo plays a minor role here, I think you will see the beginnings of the trouble he caused later on. This Prologue is sort of like those teasers on TV, only giving you a hint of what's to come. Most of this story will actually be a flashback and then we'll eventually make our way to the "present" moment depicted in this Prologue and then the story will continue on from there. So, sit back and enjoy. You have a splendiferous weekend yourself and thanks for the lovely review. It's greatly appreciated.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/5/2013
So, now we learn how he became a gatherer of intelligence, do we? Velly intelesting! Author Reply: Yep. That's what we do, though the road to that is long a tortuous (can it be anything less? grin) Anyway, I hope you like this little adventure with Valandur. Thanks for leaving a comment, Larner. I appreciate it.

Sunny	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/5/2013
So Valandur is heading home in disgrace after screwing up his assignment on a trade delegation that Ingoldo headed. It makes me wonder if perhaps Ingoldo was up to his shenanigans already - and that Valandur perhaps stumbled too close to something. An interesting beginning! :) Author Reply: Hi Sunny. Of course, the bulk of thi story will show why he's returning home in disgrace (seemingly). Whether Ingoldo has anything to do with it, remains to be seen. Glad you found the beginning interest. Thanks for reviewing. It's much appreciated.

6336	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/5/2013
That's all? More, must have more! (Just in case you were wondering, I like this!) Huggs, Lynda Author Reply: Well, this is only the Prologue, Lynda, more as a teaser. I assure you there's quite a bit more to the story. I'm glad you like how the story starts, though. THanks for letting me know (and more than once LOL!). Hugs.

Ellie	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 7/5/2013
Yay! It will be fun enjoying this tale once again, now as a finished product. That sounded dry. Sorry about that. I'll pop the popcorn and get ready to settle in for the exciting adventures of this intrepid...loremaster. Val is one my favorite OCs created by your hand. He ranks right up there with Ron in EA. Thank you for the exciting tale! I know your secret to always having a new story to post, and I admire the dedication it requires. Author Reply: Hi Ellie. I know Valandur is one of your favorite OCs and he seems to be a favorite with others as well. Thanks for helping me as a beta. I couldn't have pulled it off without you (especially since the main idea for the story was yours. grin).

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