News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Beyond Imladris by PSW | 41 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| 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! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/6/2025 |
| Poor starved, exhausted lad! He has been through such an ordeal, and it's not over yet. For comic relief, Estel's struggle with the braces was amusing. I can just hear him muttering, "What kind of belt-thing is this supposed to be?" Okay, so now more people know his real name and that he's not the son of the sick man. I hope they can be discreet. Hobbits can be such gossips! (but these hobbits – and Mannish people – sound pretty thoughtful and practical) Estel's capacity for compassion at age 12 is astounding. And life has been so hard on these people. But through losing so much, they can understand the pain of loss in another and reach out a helping heart. Hmm. Staddle isn't Archet. And if Barliman Butterbur couldn't find someone to take a letter to the Shire, how are they ever going to find someone to take a lost boy a much longer distance? I love the walking song. It sounds very hobbity. Author Reply: I loved writing the walking song - i was grinning the whole time. I’m glad it seemed Hobbity, as that was the aim! I do believe Estel is naturally compassionate, but I also suspect being raised in the manner he was - and by whom he was - likely enhanced this tendency. I also think in this case it may have been a bit of self-preservation… it kept him connected to Elrond, who had so recently explained the reasons for compassion toward Ferrier, and it also was probably better overall for him to keep firmly in the fore of his mind that Ferrier needed help. But yes, he is a good kid. It really threw me when I realized he probably wouldn’t know how to use braces/suspenders… 😆 Thx so much for all your comments. Hope you are doing okay… | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 2/4/2025 |
| PSW! Dorhaur is indeed a good man. And just what is Baradhald's problem other than being a foolish Ass! Looking forward to more! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: Thanks for all your lovely reviews! Yes, Dorhaur is the type of man you would want on your side, and Baradhald is indeed a piece of work. It works out in the end, this whole unfortunate adventure, because they’ve found out several things they might not have known otherwise… | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 2/4/2025 |
| PSW! WOW! I DO NOT LIKE Baradhald! Making Gilraen cry. Foisting his own discontent on the situation. The small can of whoop-ass that Elrond laid on him was both therapeutic and entertaining! (((hugs))) MM | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 2/4/2025 |
| PSW! ""It is different for Thranduil's people, I believe," the Elf continued. "The Elves of Mirkwood live in far greater harmony with the rhythms of Middle Earth. Thranduil's line hails from Doriath, and among his people also are those who chose to stay within Mirkwood—though it was not called so then—from the beginning, rather than journey toward the light of Valinor and the Two Trees. They live in great communion with the trees, and defend against the Enemy daily with their very sweat and blood. More children are born there." He sighed, regretful. "More Elves die there." Elrond shook himself gently. "In any event, the rest of us live within Middle Earth, and yet in many ways, outside of it still. Imladris, Lothlórien, the Havens. We … we wait, we hold ourselves apart even as we spend ourselves against the Enemy. We live here, we love our home, and yet … we have chosen not to fully commit ourselves to this place. Always, we look to Valinor." I love this discussion. I think it is in line with how I see the elven enclaves. In my story "Reunion in Mirkwood" there children and elves going about their lives. They are not waiting; their lives are not on hold as it were which is the sense I have with both Imladris and Lothlorien. Estel...always mischief with this one! (((hugs))) MM | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 2/4/2025 |
| PSW! Immediately the scene where Viggo Mortensen battles the Nazgul on Weather top! and then as Elrohir speaks in the chapter I hear "put it out you fools. That's nice ash in my tomatoes!" LOL I love excited Estel. And Elrond the understanding father, ""Ai, Estel, I have indeed missed you." Elrond dropped one arm about his shoulders and hugged him close. "Yes, of course. I would not have you stay over the night at this place without such an opportunity. It is one of the reasons I chose for us to stop." :-) Baradhald is such a pill, no wonder Estel will be glad to see the back of him! Ah the exuberance of youth! "Estel scrambled up at breakneck pace, barely hearing his father's words of caution from behind as he flew over loose stones and collapsing stairs. He reached the summit well ahead of the others, and burst onto the flattened, paved surface that was the peak of Weathertop." I remember scrambled up rock formations near our local lake while camping with much the same excitement!! ""Estel?" Elrond's raised one brow, and he turned his own gaze toward the ruins. Estel shrugged, embarrassed, and moved away. "A lot of people died here, didn't they?" Intuitive child. I have a similar idea in one of my short stories, "Shards of Memory." ~*~*~*~ "But not all races join themselves with Angmar! Elves may fight each other, but they stood together against Morgoth and Sauron. Everyone knows that Men are weak." "Everyone knows this?" Dorhaur's voice was low and tight, and Estel knew that he had deeply offended his friend. Elrond held out one hand to the Man, his eyes never leaving Estel. Dorhaur pinned the Elf with an angry, accusing gaze, but stilled. "And who is everyone, my son?" Estel hesitated, then looked away from his father's piercing gaze. "Not everyone," Really interesting turn of conversation here. Reminds me of when Aragorn and Arwen in FOTR are speaking where the shards of Narsil are kept in Imladris. Nice! Love the discussion between Elrond, Estel and Dorhaur. Love how Dorhaur paints the kind of Man that Estel WILL become! Must dash! or I will be late for work! will finish chapter later today! (((hugs))) MM | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 2/3/2025 |
| The beginning of the chapter reminded me of a child's version of Ivanhoe we read aloud when our children were little. I later read the original version, and oddly enough, I actually preferred the child's version! (I didn't always; some children's versions of classics I remember thinking of as watered-down pap.) Fathers do tend to be unimpressed by children's drama, I find... But what's this? Isolation or quarantine? Are they worried that whatever ails "Nate's" un-father might be catching? (But maybe a blessing in disguise if it keeps "Nate" from meeting lots of people and possibly compromising his concealment from the Dark Lord. That said, Luanna sounds like she wasn't born yesterday. Arti, too.) Estel's introduction to a hobbit hole made me grin with delight for him, and then I had to laugh (sympathetically, of course) at his reaction. (A cellar?) Not a nasty hole with dirt walls and "the ends of worms", but "a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort". And a boy his age should fit comfortably in hobbit settings. (I remember how my kids at his age and younger *loved* spaces designed and built to their scale.) Oh my. His education neglected Halflings? But they will become such an important part of his story! Not to mention the saving of Middle-earth! Perhaps his abduction is all part of the Song after all... "Ada". Would Arti recognise the word as an Elvish term? Arti seems trustworthy. Whew. Author Reply: I loved writing the part about the Hobbit hole! And was definitely thinking about it not being a nasty dirty wet hole… ;-) He doesn’t know much about Hobbits yet, it’s true, but fortunately he’s learning about them! And yes, Arti and the others are trustworthy thankfully - but Estel still isn’t sure how far to trust them. Poor kid has a lot to consider from the fragments he’s likely picked up over the years. I suspect Luanna just wants the kids out from underfoot - hers, the healer’s, ‘Nate’s’ … Too much happening all of a sudden! I haven’t read Ivanhoe… Thx for reading! | |
| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 2/2/2025 |
| PSW! I love Estel. Such a boy, full of curiosity and impatience, excitement and boredom all rolled into one! Love his excited discussion of his adventurous day with Hobbit children and Children of Men! I love how you show his boredom and the immediate excitement of seeing Amon Sul and all the boredom forgotten! Lovely! (((hugs))) MM Author Reply: Yes - now that he’s safe he’s excited to talk about his adventures of course. Maybe he will try to teach some of the Elves to play marbles … :-P Thx for reading and your comments! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 2/1/2025 |
| *satisfied sigh* Your writing is cinematic; my mind smoothly formed a series of clear pictures as I read along. While my first impulse was to sigh and say, "Poor kid", Estel really is making the best of this situation. And he's getting something of an education along the way! Looking forward to reading more. Author Reply: That’s a wonderful thing to hear - thank you! So glad it’s reading well for you. I think ‘poor kid’ is appropriate even though he really is making the best of the situation. And you’re right about the education - these are mostly things he really should have learned about in his growing up, though he probably would have been fostered at Rivendell for a time even so. Still, it’s not an ideal way to learn them… | |