Reviews (317)

Author's reply

Thanks, Ariel. :) I haven't had a chance to respond to your email yet, but I will. Excellent advice, and not what I was expecting! I tried to keep it in mind while writing this latest chapter. More than a few sentences bit the dust as a result, and I think the chapter is the better for it. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Author's reply

Thank you very much, Ariel. I'm glad to hear that you find the details engaging but not too engaging. Over-description can be distracting, in my opinion. I would not mind at all if you sent me an email.

Author's reply

Thanks, Larner. Sorry for the belated reply. Every time I sat down at the computer with some time to work on the story, I thought, "Story, or reply to reviews? Story, or reply to reviews?" And "story" always won out. I think Sam kept his head very well - until he stabbed Jakov, that is. Realizing what he had just done must have shocked him to his core. I'm glad you liked Gimli! He was fun to write. He wasn't easy, but he wasn't hard, either. I think maybe that's because there's so little written from his POV, both in canon and fanfiction. I'd love to see some more Gimli stories out there.

Author's reply

Thanks, Aya_Shoru! Sorry it's taken a few weeks, but the next chapter is finally done. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story!

Author's reply

Ugh, a root canal? I’ve never had one, but the very phrase strikes fear in my heart. I hope that you are feeling better. It’s been so long since you reviewed that you probably are. I apologize for the very belated response. As I told Larner, every time I sat down to work on this story in some way, I decided to work on the next chapter instead of responding to reviews. I think this was in part because the bulk of the chapter was written quickly but I was unable to finish it for a long while, and that made me anxious to get it done. I’m with you on Gimli not being the easiest character to write. He wasn’t the toughest, though – Gandalf still takes that prize. I think part of the problem is that there isn’t a whole lot written from his POV in fanfiction (at least not when compared to the other members of the Fellowship), and like Legolas, he was not deeply developed by Tolkien himself. At least, that’s my opinion. I’m glad you mentioned Gandalf and the difficult position he was in. Frodo sees that difficulty. He is waking up to the idea that he may not always be with the whole Fellowship, and that he may eventually have to make some difficult choices – choices that could mean life or death for all of them. I appreciate your honest criticism of the “dance” description, as I appreciated it from French Pony. When I first read (her?) response I had to think about it for a while, but then I came to the opinion that she was right, as you are. “Dance” really doesn’t describe an all-out fight to the death; it brings the wrong images to mind. I haven’t fixed that paragraph yet, but I’ll get around to it soon. There have only been a few reviewers that have had constructive criticism to offer, but they are all reviewers that I have learned to respect. I will openly admit that the first time I received criticism it was a bit of a shock. I’d had so many positive comments that I was unprepared for it. But every dissenting opinion has proven to be useful to me, no matter whether I agree or disagree with it. It helps me take a good, hard look at my work, and in all cases it has helped me to improve as a writer. Quite frankly, I think it’s an honor that people find my writing worth spending time on, and if they think it’s worth spending their time to help me better the story…. Wow. I know there are lots of things I’d like to do with my time – I never have enough – so wow. Ah, elf-worship. This is something I have worked very, very hard to avoid. :) Legolas is a real character, not perfection given flesh. But this is really his moment to unleash the tempest – to shine. He’s been repressed for days, he’s furious, he wants vengeance for Sam, and he is a warrior who has been around the block about a thousand times. In my opinion he can kick some serious butt. The other Men didn’t contain their rage at all, and that did them in as much as Legolas’ superior skill (and desperation) did. I agree that Sam and Legolas definitely had to jump. It seemed in keeping with their characters, caught with no way out as they were. They certainly wouldn’t have surrendered to Garan; they would have run – and died – if they had had no chance to escape. But there was a chance, even if it was remote. It had to seem better to them to at least try when they were dead anyway. It was actually Sam that suggested they jump, although the point was obliquely made. He looked down, he saw the pool, and he convinced Legolas to try. Earlier on Legolas said that he did not want to chance the river again unless he had no other choice. Foreshadowing!! (I’m rather proud of that although I didn’t expect anyone else to remember it, and now I can’t resist pointing it out.) Glad you liked Gimli’s parting thoughts. He’s quite a noble Dwarf. I don’t think that a friendship could have sprung up between him and Legolas if both parties were not willing to try to look beyond centuries of prejudice and animosity. Now for some parting thoughts of my own. I think it’s neat that you read other people’s reviews… and perhaps my responses to them as well. Personally, I like to read what other people say about stories and the author’s comments back. It helps me get to know the author a little better. Also – the next chapter is finished! I didn’t want to post it without responding to all reader comments first. Can’t start getting behind. I hope you continue to enjoy, and thanks as always for your lovely reviews. I always look forward to reading them.

Author's reply

Ahh, I thought I was going to get this chapter up in a week. The bulk of it was done very quickly, but suddenly I didn’t have much time to work on it, and when I came back to it, I found that I had lost momentum. Oh, well. It’s done now! I’m glad you liked the “voyeuristic” approach, as you call it. It was interesting to have the Fellowship in a position to be able to see what was going on, but not be able to do anything about it. Poor Gandalf is left in the unenviable role – again – of having to decide who he can afford to try and save and who he cannot. In my mind, Frodo hadn’t really thought much about possibly having to choose between his friends at any point, but he’s surely thinking about it now. The river really is a main character in the story, and it’s played many roles: kidnapper, attempted murderer, pathway, insurmountable barrier, and now, escape route. Anyway, I hope the next chapter does not disappoint, and thank you so much for your long and thoughtful review. Those are absolutely the best.

Author's reply

There was a bit of a gap between the postings of chapters 9 and 10. It sounds like more than a few people thought I was giving up, but it was the holiday season after all. Mmm - serious fiction? Thank you! And thank you also for singling out Gandalf's chapter. That one was a real pain to do, so it's nice to know that you think it came out well. I hope to post regularly enough that anyone who is reading this story doesn't lose track of it again. Thanks for taking the time to review!

Author's reply

Yeah... sorry about that. I had to end it there; that chapter was getting out of control. I'm glad you liked it. Now that I think about it, a good many of the chapters have been cliffhangers of varying degrees of severity - but then, a lot of stories are like that. If novels were published in installments we'd all be accusing the authors of cruelty. :)

Author's reply

I'm glad you're still enjoying the story, WindSinger! It's nice to hear that you liked the bit with the trees. It made me kind of nervous; I didn't know how it would be received. That was the longest chapter by far and will probably end up the longest of them all - but who knows? I certainly didn't go into this chapter knowing that it would end up so lengthy.

Author's reply

Yes, let's all hope their aim sucks. :) Glad you liked it!

Author's reply

Thank you for your kind comments, Eliza! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story. I'm especially pleased that you like the characterizations of the villains. Even though I never have any chapters from their POVs, and there are a bunch of them, I gave them all distinct personalities (where required) or at least several definitive traits before I began writing them. That seems to have helped make them more real. I'll post again as soon as I can!

Author's reply

Heh. Sounds like you liked it!

Author's reply

Just to clear the air – Aragorn did let some arrows fly. I briefly thought about saying so, but then I realized that Gimli wouldn’t have seen it happen. He went for the crevice as soon as Gandalf gave the word, and he was the second person into it (after Boromir). Several people saw fit to comment on that, but if the chapter had been from Aragorn’s POV there wouldn’t have been any question as to what he was thinking during the conflict or why he acted the way that he did. Still, what this tells me is that you (and other readers) are really paying attention, and that makes me feel good. Garan the Ghastly – how appropriate! You’re right that neither Sam nor Legolas can last all that long in the water, both being considerably weaker than they were last time. They’ve both done about all they could do, preferring to take their chances with the river than willingly fall to Garan. Several chapters ago, Legolas said that the choice would have to be “between the river and death” for him to want to go back in, and that’s just what happened here. I don’t expect that anyone else will remember that line, but I know this story backwards and forwards, and it was as much foreshadowing as it was logic on Legolas’ part. Here I go, congratulating myself, but I was always proud of that line. :) I’ve been hard at work on the next chapter which is mostly written now, but there are some significant gaps to fill. With so many reviewers going “Update! Update!” it’s not possible to take it slow. :)

Author's reply

I think I know what you mean about wanting resolution to conflict and yet not wanting the story to end. In some ways it’s probably easier to be the author of this story than a reader, although I sometimes wish that I could just sit back and read the rest of it without having to write it. I’ve found that I enjoy rereading my own work, which I take as a good sign. This story, dead? Heck, no! I’ve had it outlined from start to finish for a long time now. I just didn’t have much time to spend on it, and chapter ten kept me stymied for a while. But without the enthusiastic response I’ve gotten from wonderful readers like you, I don’t know if I could have kept going. Writing is fun, but sometimes it’s very hard work. Case in point: chapters five and ten. I’m so glad you think that the characters are drawn truly. Truth be told, I’ve never found it terribly difficult to slip into any of the characters’ skins although some go on easily than others. I think that leaves me free to focus on the development of other things, like language and plot. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the “artist” comment. What an uncommonly kind thing to say!

Author's reply

“Whew” is how I feel right now. I’m going to need a vacation after I finish this next chapter. You made some great observations in your review, the first of which was the Fellowship’s plan to keep on moving once the allotted time for searching had passed. Gandalf is in the unenviable position of having to focus on the bigger picture, which is something I tried to bring out here. Frodo is having something of a rude awakening, too. Not only has he had to face the prospect of abandoning a loyal friend, but he’s had to watch a new friend facing what could easily have been his death. I’m sure that Frodo thought about the possibility of having to lose his friends or leave them behind before departing from Rivendell, but thinking about such a situation and experiencing one are completely different things. Thank you also for pointing out Gimli. He’s criminally underused, not only because Tolkien didn’t tell us much about him but because he’s a Dwarf. At least, that’s what I think. Elves and hobbits are what’s hot in fanfiction. Anyhow, I’m glad you could hear his voice. This was by far the longest chapter yet but it was so action-heavy that it wasn’t ideal for character development. I’m not surprised to hear you say that you were fairly (but not fully) convinced by the Fellowship’s actions in this chapter. You’ve proven yourself to be attuned to plot details. If there’s a logical solution that has not been explored, you’re going to point it out. A lot of people wondered why the Fellowship didn’t act differently (why Aragorn didn’t shoot, why they didn’t signal, etc.). If the POV had been Aragorn’s I wouldn’t have had nearly as many questions as I did. Aragorn didn’t shoot early on for several reasons: not wanting to call attention to Sam, fear of hitting Legolas (during the fight), and not wanting to reveal the Fellowship’s position. The returning Men would have noticed a little thing like their fellows being stuck full of arrows that weren’t their own, and then they would have known that they had enemies nearby (who were likely known to their captives). Aragorn could have shot at the four Men that returned from the woods, but then it would have been four archers against one, and those four archers would have had a nice little group of bowless observers to take aim at while Aragorn would have had to pick them off one by one – if he could. The Men at the edge of the woods were far enough away to be quite a stretch for him. Aragorn did actually get a few shots off at the end after the beans had been spilled, but Gimli didn’t see him do it since he was already heading into the rift. I thought about having the Fellowship try and signal Sam and Legolas, but I discarded the idea. By the time they got up to the clifftop, Sam and Legolas were too engrossed in trying to survive to even think of looking across the river, and any signal that would have caught their attention would also have caught the attention of the Men. I tried to think of how Dorlic in particular would react if he knew that a group of his prisoners’ friends were nearby (even with the river still between them). I thought it highly likely that he would kill Legolas on the spot, and Saruman and Garan be damned. He wanted Legolas dead from the get-go, and Garan had not planned on any of Legolas’ friends making an appearance when he left him with Dorlic. Dorlic wouldn’t have needed much excuse to do Legolas in. (Legolas himself was expecting death at Dorlic’s hand if he failed to fight them off, but that’s something else that won’t come out until later.) As far as Legolas’ resilience goes, I hadn’t actually thought that he took that much of a physical beating. One or two of the Men got some punches in, but for the most part they were simply absorbed in pinning him down. The adrenaline would definitely have been a factor; who wouldn’t fight to escape torture, maiming, or death? Desperation is a powerful thing. That’s what fueled Sam to do something that he would never have done otherwise. What’s more, I’ve set Legolas’ limits well beyond those of the Men. He can take a licking and keep on ticking, but Legolas’ fight to throw the Men off him didn’t even approach a licking in my mind – not for him, anyway. I’m glad you pointed out how Dorlic’s anger worked against him. That’s what did him and two of his friends in – that, and impatience. As for disliking the description of the fight as a dance, I understand where you’re coming from. I’m no expert, but I’ve learned enough to know that battles are anything but choreographed. They’re hot, sweaty, and confused. I left the comparison to a dance in there because the fight was not only Man vs. Elf, it was Reckless Man vs. Elf-Who-Really-Knows-What-He’s-Doing. :) Legolas has been fighting in Mirkwood for a long time, and he’s got a heck of a lot more skill than Dorlic does, not to mention superior senses and balance. I also imagine the fighting style of an Elven soldier to be very technically polished. Regardless, your point is well made. When I stop and think about it, one of the first words I associate with “dance” is “elegant”, and swordfights are anything but elegant. I don’t want readers to come away with the impression that Legolas and Dorlic weren’t all-out trying to kill each other. I’m not a stickler for absolute realism but I do strive for plausibility. I’ll have to take another look at the passage. I can already think of a half-dozen ways to excise the word “dance” but still convey the difference in control and skill of the two combatants. Thank you for the honest criticism!

Author's reply

That last chapter flew out of my brain and onto the page. It helped that some of it was written long ago, but most of it was done immediately following chapter ten. It’s amazing how some chapters come forward with the greatest of ease while others have to be dragged out kicking and screaming. There are actually four baddies left at present, down from ten. Legolas killed one during the first fight, one got squashed by a tree, and four just met their end on the clifftop. The story has to be somewhere between 60 and 75% complete at this point, but there are still a few chapters left. I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to work in a chapter from the POV of every member of the Fellowship, though. Sam and Legolas just have too many repeats. I don’t know; I might be able to do it. It sounds like a lot of readers were bracing themselves for having to wait longer for the end of Sam’s conflict with the Men. I have to admit that I smiled at those fears, thinking, “Ha ha! Little do they know!” It was extremely gratifying to be able to post this doozy of a chapter knowing that it would probably come as a pleasant surprise to several people. When I first started this story I thought that I would be shuttling back and forth between the Fellowship and Sam and Legolas, chapter for chapter, but it quickly became clear that this wasn’t feasible. There just wasn’t enough to write about the Fellowship. Most of the chapters would have gone like this: “Another day had passed, and there was still no sign of either Sam or Legolas. Merry/Boromir/Pippin/Gimli was hungry/depressed/footsore/glum.” Hey! Someone finally mentioned feeling surprise that Sam actually stabbed someone. So far no one else has singled that out although many people have spoken of his bravery. I did make an effort to show that yes, he is quite stunned by what he has done (without smacking readers in the face with it), but I suppose that wasn’t what people were thinking about when they finished the chapter. A lot of people wondered why Aragorn didn’t shoot, and there were several reasons, but I only got into the one reason when Sam was sneaking away. (Gimli wouldn’t have been thinking much about Aragorn shooting/not shooting when there was so much else to focus on.) The biggest reason Aragorn didn’t shoot during Legolas’ fight was for fear of hitting Legolas. People change position awfully quickly during a fight, and especially Elves, by my way of thinking. I don’t think Legolas would have balked at shooting if their places had been reversed, but he is the Fellowship’s main archer. You’re right about Aragorn not wanting to reveal the Fellowship’s position, too. Not only would the Men he shot at suddenly know of the company’s existence, but the Men who returned from the forest wouldn’t miss a bunch of strange arrows sticking out of their companions. Then they’d all know that someone else was out there. Finally, Aragorn didn’t shoot when the last four Men were taking aim at Sam and Legolas because there were four of them with bows and only one of him, and those Men had a whole bunch of targets in one big group to shoot at (if they knew the Fellowship was there). When the Men did start firing at the Fellowship there was no reason for Aragorn to hold back any longer, and he didn’t, although Gimli didn’t see it. I thought about mentioning that Aragorn got a few shots off, but then I remembered that Gimli wouldn’t have seen it, being the second person into the rift. Aragorn was the last person to come down, after all. I know I’ve probably said this a dozen times, but I’m so glad you like the story so much. Hearing that means a lot to me because I think that really engrossing stories are hard to find. Incidentally, I’ve discovered that I really enjoy reading my own writing. Sometimes I wish that the rest of this story would just write itself so I could just sit back and read it. Writing can be really hard work, as I’m sure you well know! What happened to Sam and Legolas will come out in the next chapter. I don’t think it will be posted as quickly as the last one was, but it’s coming along.

Author's reply

Thanks as always for the good vibes, Periantari. I’m really glad that you’re enjoying the story so much. “Destination” stories can be hard to find, and if this story has managed to become one for even a few people, then I’m very happy.

Author's reply

I’m with you on your feelings about the POV of this chapter, Dreamflower. I agree that doing it through one of the hobbits’ eyes would not have been as effective, and for precisely the reason that you stated. What’s more, the hobbits would have tended to focus mostly on Sam, although I don’t think they could have avoided paying attention to the slaughter of four Men. Gimli, on the other hand, thinks about both Sam and Legolas – Sam because Gimli likes him and is worried about him, and Legolas because he’s with Sam. At least, that’s the way it starts. It’s a compliment to Gimli’s character that his feelings towards Legolas have become slightly more charitable. We know that he and Legolas eventually forge a friendship for the ages (one of my favorite things about LOTR, by the way). That friendship had to start somewhere, and while Gimli feels nothing like friendship yet, his thoughts do reflect a willingness to at least try to look past Legolas’ race. Aw, you recommended me on your LJ? Again? Thank you!!! I selfishly hope that lots of people read the entry. But what author doesn’t want lots of readers? :)

Author's reply

Thanks, Grey. :) I’m glad you liked Gimli. I did my best to get into his character as much as possible despite the fact that so much was happening in this chapter. An awful lot of his thoughts seemed to revolve around his conflict with Legolas. I don’t think that’s what defines Gimli, but in the Fellowship’s current situation it seemed more than natural for him to think about Legolas and how he feels about him. I’m glad that you picked up on that line near the end about Legolas “acquitting himself”. Legolas and Gimli are both incredibly prejudiced at first, but we all know that they come to see each other differently with the passage of time and events. I meant it as a tribute to Gimli’s character that he’s big enough to admit, if only to himself thus far, that he has found some things to approve of in a member of a race he’s been raised to hate.

Author's reply

It was only a matter of time before the Fellowship got wind of the Men, really, the way they kept building fires every night. This time the Fellowship was simply close enough to see. It was hard for them once they realized what was going on. They had finally found what they were looking for, but they still couldn’t get it. Yes, Sam and Legolas figured they really had nothing to lose by jumping, although they wouldn’t have done it if there were nothing to fall into. That would have been pure suicide. In a previous chapter (six, I think) Legolas did say that the choice would have to be between the river and death for him to attempt swimming it again. That’s not a line I expect anyone else to remember – I think someone would have to be a new reader and go straight through from chapter one to eleven to catch the connection – but I was thinking of this moment when I wrote it. As for Frodo and the falling stone: everyone in the Fellowship was a bit careless, really; there was no need for them all to climb up the cliff. They risked being seen by putting so many of themselves in one place, but their actions do show a noble concern for their companions. And Aragorn did shoot at the Men, but “off-camera”. Gimli didn’t see him do it, being the second person into the crevice. Aragorn didn’t get too many shots off, though; four bowmen against one wouldn’t have been much of a fight. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and I hope I can post again soon!

Author's reply

Thank you so much, Bodkin. It's nice to see that you're still reading. Sam's courage is one of his greatest hallmarks, isn't it? Really, it's second only to his loyalty. The lovely think about that courage is that he doesn't seem to recognize it in himself. He surely doesn't think of himself as a coward, but neither would he describe himself as brave. I agree with you that it would be completely against his nature to leave a friend in such immediate danger. About Garan and the dogs: there were two reasons for his going. First, he really did want to get the dogs back. He has always suspected that Sam and Legolas weren't alone. He has been thinking that once Sam 'fessed up to having more companions, he could send his current prisoners to Isengard with a portion of his party, leaving him (and the rest of his men) free to literally sniff out the others. He doesn't know what hobbits could be carrying that would be so valuable to a wizard, but he's got to have some guesses. Garan's second reason for going wasn't so much a reason as it was a fringe benefit. Garan had been focusing all of his energies on Sam, thinking that he could break him. So far his tactics haven't worked, so he decided to let Dorlic have a go at Legolas. Legolas has been Garan's trump card for some time now; perhaps if Sam won't talk to save his own skin, he'll talk to save Legolas'. Garan didn't want to give Sam the chance to actually talk this time, though. He wanted to punish him and Legolas both, so he left. Sam's got no one to appeal to with Garan gone. Garan plans to come back, find Legolas in whatever state Dorlic saw fit to leave him in, and start bargaining with Sam for an end to it. Ugh!

Author's reply

Thanks, Auntiemeesh. Yes - most people seemed to guess that Sam wouldn't end up just running off. Go Sam! And I can't wait to post the next chapter!

Author's reply

Wow, thanks, Ariel. I like long chapters, myself. I tend to like stories more that have long chapters; it takes effort and time to write them. I know exactly what you mean about having a story that you can settle down on the couch with. I hope that you get as sucked into this story as I am!

Author's reply

Yes - do teach them, Sam, and teach them well! I am sorry about the cliffhanger; I think some authors put them in just to be nasty and try to up their readership/review count, but this one fell right where it was supposed to be. I think it makes the story stronger as a whole but it can't be pleasant to wait. I know that I don't like it when I'm dying to find out what happens next in a story and there's no update... no update... no update! I'm doing my best to make sure that that doesn't happen here. The next chapter is coming along very swiftly; it's already at 9000 words and counting. It's amazing how some chapters practically write themselves when others have to be dragged out word by word!

Author's reply

Oh, wow - one of your favorites? I'm so glad that you told me! That absolutely makes my day - heck, my week! I'm keeping it up as fast as I can, and right now, it's going very well. The next update should come a lot faster than usual.