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| Beyond Imladris by PSW | 39 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 2/18/2025 |
| People like Captain Baradhald. Yes, the effective people get things done in spite of such people and often find them quite a barrier. And then people like Captain Baradhald typically take the credit for any success (and none of the blame for the consequences of their errors). At last, we get a glimpse into the reason for Estel's dislike of the Man. I'd had an inkling. Gilraen was infinitely wise in choosing to raise the boy in Imladris, I think. Especially since it's all too clear that Baradhald has ambitions to use Estel as a tool for his own purposes. Author Reply: Ah yes, isn’t that the way ….? Baradhald is ambitious, but also a hothead and none too careful. It’s going to get him into trouble one of these days… Thx so much for reading and leaving comments! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 2/15/2025 |
| What mattered was that his own heart, so reluctant at the start to open itself as father to a child of Men, could not now easily bear that child's loss. An evocative sketch of the development of the relationship between Elrond and Estel, in a nutshell. "limp as a rag doll": how worrisome! And the situation, especially the knowledge they are accumulating based on interviews and tracks and other evidence, is (as you say) intolerable. At last! They reach Dari, and the girl with Estel's hair tie knows exactly what to do. (And I hate having hair in my face, too, Estel. I rejoice with you on getting your hair tie back. It's so often the little things that make life livable.) Hmmm. It seems that Estel's previous interactions with Baradhald were not pleasant. It will be interesting to learn more. Author Reply: It is the little things, for sure! I can imagine collecting each new bit of information, all piling up to see worse and worse. At least they were able to learn from the inn that Estel was up and about and didn’t seem to have been harmed by drugs not meant for him. As a healer, I can only imagine the worry that would have been for Elrond. No, Baradhald is altogether unpleasant. Not many redeeming qualities, to be sure… | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 2/14/2025 |
| What a happy awakening for Estel. I'm sure he was exhausted, and his body is probably all too short on fuel and all too full of stress hormones still, even after the long sleep. How alarming the scene in Rivendell sounds. I can clearly imagine the sequence of emotions: amusement, annoyance, the emergence of worry (shoved down), and finally, acknowledgement that something is very, very wrong. But at least they seem to be on the right track before the chapter ends! Author Reply: Yes! Very happy and very exhausted both. It’s been a rough couple of weeks, and I’m sure it will take a while for him to get himself figured out again. When I started the story it was all going to be from Estel’s POV - but I got to the second half and realized it would be so much more well-rounded with a couple of other views and some backstory. And I was glad I decided to do it - I think it works much better this way. Thx for all your comments! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/13/2025 |
| Definitely a day for shocks. And perhaps still more shocks are in store for our helpful Ranger. Good strategy, Dorhaur, keep pretending to be asleep. You'll hear a lot more that way. Yup. More shocks. Unfortunately, I have known my own share of Baradhalds in my time. [Insert expletive of your choice here.] I like how you show the different attitudes the Elves have towards Dorhaur and Baradhald. And the awe that Dorhaur must have felt in looking at the sleeping child – the hope of the Dúnedain... and the world. Author Reply: People are crabbing at each other - always wise to play possum and stay out of it. And in this case yes, it had the extra benefit of giving Baradhald time to blow the whole thing wide open. Yes, there are many versions of him running around out here unfortunately. I was as surprised as Dorhaur when Baradhald went that direction - I didn’t have a solid idea of his personality before he appeared, and I wasn’t truly expecting *this* … but here we are. Dorhaur’s entire world has indeed just been upended… | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 2/13/2025 |
| "What are you doing down there?" My mind immediately generated half-a-dozen snarky answers. It's a good thing young Estel has more sense than I do. He really sleep-walked a long way, didn't he? Ah, Dorhaur has a rope in his pack. Doesn't do him much good there, unfortunately. Still, he has a rope, which is more than the Fellowship could say when they came to Moria. (I am snarky tonight. It must be getting close to bedtime.) I'm glad Dorhaur didn't leave him alone in the ravine in the night when who-knows-what might be out there! Yikes! My respect and admiration for Dorhaur just keeps growing – exponentially, at this moment. I can see him sliding down into the trap to the rescue! And the moving battle! And, whew. The cavalry comes over the hill just in the nick of time. It'll be interesting to see the upcoming conversation between Dorhaur and Estel's foster-family. Author Reply: Ha! I think Dorhaur had the snark covered - though Estel might have added more if he wasn’t half asleep… I didn’t even think about the Fellowship’s rope troubles when I wrote that! That’s funny. No, it doesn’t do him any good back in the camp - but I guess one can’t have everything. ;-) Dorhaur did well not to leave the kid on his own in the middle of the night, and it turned out to be the right decision… | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/11/2025 |
| Gangly legs and getting tired remind me of the Irish Wolfhound puppy we cared for all last summer and fall. We had him from about five months of age until he turned a year old. Though he was huge and had long legs (that grew longer), he tired easily, and the vet warned us not to walk him more than two miles or so to avoid damaging his rapidly growing joints, a far cry from our Giant Schnauzers who needed five miles a day to keep their exuberance in check. For all his size, he was something of a "delicate flower", or so we liked to joke. Rangers' travel rations: Barely worth having! (Sounds like an advertising jingle.) Aww. Dorhaur has won a piece of my heart with his response: I hope I may have earned the same manner of praise from them as your brothers have from you. And it seems Estel is learning valuable lessons about the area and even getting a glimpse of his future life as Strider (though he doesn't know that at this point). Was this some sort of mind-calling that prompted him to walk towards Archet in his sleep? But instead of rescuing him, his Rivendell family seems to have drawn him into danger... Author Reply: Aw, I bet he was a cutie though! My friend has a standard schnauzer and a mini schnauzer, but no giant! I do have another friend with a Great Dane. I like dogs, but I’ve never had one. I used to have cats, but right now I just have plants … :-D I ❤️ Dorhaur…. Just sleepwalking! That’s enough to get him into trouble right now, though - poor kid isn’t catching many breaks these last days! Thx so much for reading and all your comments - I’m enjoying them! | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 2/11/2025 |
| PSW! I know what you mean! The Breach of 2025 has had the unintended effect of providing me with stories that previously went undiscovered! (((hugs))) MM | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 2/10/2025 |
| PSW! I have really enjoyed this story. I am always interested in stories about young Aragorn. I thought your take though different from mine to be well-conceived and thought out. He has learned a lot about the world outside Rivendell I would be really interested in what you think about my interpretation of young Estel in "The Heir Apparent" if you want to read it of course and had the time. Thanks for the story! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it. :-) I will check our Heir Apparent at some point soon - though I’m reading so many right now that none of them seem to be going quickly… :-P Thx for the recommendation! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 2/8/2025 |
| O clever Estel, putting two and two together: Erestor's mention and this Man's repetition of the term. Even though he's telling mostly truth, he's not very credible, poor lad. But others can confirm his story, so there's that. (But hmmm. Are Dúnedain youth in the habit of running away? That sounds... odd somehow. Still, I'm sure it takes all kinds to make a world. That said, I'm actually a little surprised that the Ranger gives his real name on such short acquaintance. Perhaps he's hoping the lad has heard of him and might be more inclined to tell him the *real* story?) Excellent dialogue. Very believable. And I love the motto, "Rangers take care of their own." I thought maybe Estel had jumped from frying pan into the fire, but the last part is making me rethink that impression... Author Reply: Thank you! I love writing dialogue…. I suspect Dunedain children are like other children - some would likely yearn for adventure that their hard existence doesn’t provide, and some might steal away to hunt for it. Probably working for a Hobbit isn’t what they would have in mind, but I guess you take what you can get. If Estel really was a runaway Dunedain boy, that is… Thx so much for all your lovely comments! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 2/6/2025 |
| I am sad, of course, but coping. Except for cooking. I need a resident hobbit, I think, to help me through this time. The food you describe sounds wonderful. Cooking feels like too much work right now. Eventually, I'll get my energy back, as I know from past experience. I've gotten pretty good at avoiding stress, worked hard at it, even, though that sounds paradoxical – but this week's stress was unavoidable. Thank you for your compassion and care. Poor Estel, cast adrift on life's ocean without oars or sail or even rudder, it sounds like. He's doing remarkably well, considering. Staddle must seem like an exotic foreign country to him. (And to think someday he'll travel far to the East and South and experience other peoples and cultures...) I love how Cres showed "remarkable restraint for a hobbit". I hadn't thought about his lack of socialisation in terms of peers, but I love that the other children welcome him (rather than challenging him to wrestle, as Bergil did to Pippin!). And Nob! Will he grow up to take on employment at The Prancing Pony someday? And if so, does grown-up Nob ever connect Strider to young Estel? Uh-oh. Dare I hope that Scowler is a Man of integrity and noble character? Author Reply: Wouldn’t a resident Hobbit be lovely? Especially during such times when it’s hard to want to do things like cook …. Hope things are slowly improving.♥️ At this point I think Estel is indeed feeling *very* adrift - passing from on person to the next, not knowing how he will get home. I did love the marble game when I wrote it - was fun to give him a chance to play with other children his age! A chance for Dorhaur son of Dedhalin (aka Scowler) to show his quality, as it were? We shall see… Thx so much for your wonderful reviews! | |