emma-girl
· 24 October 2019
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
Hello, Daw!
I wanted to leave a review for a long time, but I never took the time to do it. Now, since for the third time I've finished reading your entire work, I just wanted to let you know how much I love your universe, your characters and your creativity.
Also, you should know that your stories hold a special place in my heart. The first time I've read them was ten years ago, I was 15, and, thanks to you, I fell in love with English (I'm French). In a few months I'm moving to the USA for a year or two, and I realize that it would never have happened if I had never found your stories.
I love everything about them and yet, to be honest, I wasn't a big fan of Legolas (I was more team Elrond and the twins). But the universe that you created is just... something incredible. All your characters (OC or not) are so believable, endearing and fascinating! I have so many favorites... Eilian, Ithilden, Thranduil, Sinnarn (I don't know if I will ever forgive you for killing him, though), Maltanaur, Alfirin, Beliond, Tinar (he's incredibly funny!).
ALL of them are perfect. You made me dream, cry, laugh. Because of you I've spent many nights reading until dawn. The experience is always amazing and I don't that I will ever grow tired of your universe.
Now, I can only hope that one day you will start writing again (it'd be the most wonderful present in the world!). Think about Eilian, Ithilden, Thranduil and Legolas! They are all waiting for you to start again writing about their adventures.
Thank you for everything,
Emma.
Author's reply
Emma,
I can't tell you how much your review touched me. It was incredibly kind of you to tell me how much these characters mean to you, and that you still enjoy reading about them after all this time. The characters mean a lot to me too. They eventually came to feel like real people.
And writing about them changed my life. It was how I learned to write fiction in a community of people who were all interested in LOTR and happy to hear from one another. The main reason I'm not about them now is that I decided to write fantasy novels under my own name. In the first one I wrote, I actually patterned an older and younger brother on Ithilden and Eilian.
So fanfic was very good to me. I hope you enjoy your time in the US.
DAW
Dorothy A. Winsor
Moonshine4488
· 26 March 2017
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
Always a pleasure reading one of your stories. I really enjoyed Legolas interacting with a human child. This is fun and exciting to read like all of your fanfics :)
Author's reply
Legolas needs to prepare to join a Fellowship that includes other races. :-)
It struck me that a human girl would look exotic to him, and at his age, girls are already hard to figure out.
Glad you liked it.
Caz-Baz
· 23 February 2017
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
OMG! I have been rereading all my favourite childhood literature recently, from Roald Dahl to Tolkein to J K Rowling, and I had this sudden urge to come back to this site and start rereading some of your fan fic. Definitely not disappointed!
I was so happy to find a new story uploaded as well! I hope you are as glad as I am that you didn't kill Eilian off in one of your earliest stories. I always related so much to the misunderstood middle child through my teens.
Thank you so much for sharing all these wonderfully creative tales they were a pleasure to read the first time around and I am working away on rereading them all now. I think Annael maybe one of my favourite OC's now!
Caz-Baz
Author's reply
Hi, Caz-Baz! Long time, no see.
I was insane to think of killing Eilian. He turned out to be a wonderful character to write about because he has good points but also flaws, so he always felt alive to me.
Annael is one of my favorite OCs too. He's the friend we all wish we'd had.
Glad you're still enjoying these stories.
daw
Bodkin
· 7 January 2017
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
Ahh.
Hard as it is to credit, I've only just had time to read the whole of this. Christmas and grandbabysitting really do eat into your time!
You can't blame Thranduil for having so little faith in men. He never seems to meet any that are really trustworthy ... well, not until Aragorn comes along. And even he has his downside when it comes to elf/men relations - carrying off Elrond's daughter as he did.
Legolas is growing up, but not as fast as he'd like. But I'm glad Thranduil took a hand in sending Ithilden and Alfirin off together. I'm not sure that Ithilden would ever get round to it without paternal encouragement.
I'm missing LotR. I think I'm going to have to go back to reading my favourite authors.
Author's reply
Bodkin! How wonderful to hear from you. It sounds as if your life is full, which is good.
Thranduil didn't have the patience to wait for Ithilden to take the initiative. He just briskly set things in motion himself. :-)
I miss LOTR too. I miss the way it absorbed me and also the lively online life it created.
Take care.
daw
Dot
· 26 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
I'm working elsewhere today and am being very bad and sneaking on here. I feel like it's years since I've done that!
You know, you almost have to give Camil credit. He's seriously determined. Or totally oblivious to body language.
I'm glad Thranduil is able to tell Ithilden that his self doubt is unnecessary. Charm or no charm, Ithilden can be so hard on himself. Not that I'm biased.
Thranduil must have thought everyone had just completely lost the run of themselves. It sounds like quite a brawl going on!I laughed at him realising he was actually rather relishing the chance to wade in and do something.
Fair play to Eilian and Legolas for realising what was going on. How do you even think of these things, daw?? I'm glad that Camil didn't realise what he'd been doing. He didn't seem like someone who'd deliberately cause harm, especially not to his family. Plus you'd imagine if he'd known what was happening he wouldn't have loitered...
Thranduil wondered what the charm had whispered to Eilian and felt a flash of pain that whatever it was had preyed on a weakness he knew his son was struggling against. Oh man. That's heartwrenching.
Thranduil deciding not to push the topic of Hoth was wise, I think. Pick your battles and all that.
I think my favourite moment was Eilian making such an effort for Gelmir's parents. It says so much about him. And of course, it was so good of them to come and reassure him. That'll tell you how engrossed we get in your stories - I knew Gelmir was ok and still I was worried!
So what was the story with Jardin? Was the not eating to do with what was whispered to her or just stressing about her father? I possibly missed something as I keep reading this in bits.
"More than you hope, but less than I'd like." Love that. Sounds to me like parenting in a nutshell.
"Ithilden will escort you home, Alfirin," Thranduil said briskly. "No reason for you to hang about while your adar waits for your naneth." Ooh, nicely played! :-D
And it all finishes on a lovely and normal note - Legolas trying to persuade his father he's better off not actually being punished.
I better go... But I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would love to encourage you to write more :-)
Author's reply
I wonder how well humans can read Elven body language. Or vice versa, for that matter. I suppose Camil has had a fair amount of exposure to Elves, so you'd think he could manage. But Thranduil just doesn't care most of the time. He's busy.
One of my favorite moments in this chapter is Ithilden vaulting over the table to wade into the brawl, snapping his fingers at warriors along the way. The guy radiates authority, which I find quite attractive. Is that wrong?
I figured the charm was whispering to Jardin whatever it is that people with anorexia say to themselves. I've wondered about things like eating disorders and cutting. Have they always existed? It's hard to say, I think.
Glad you enjoyed the story, Dot, even if you are sneaking a read. :-)
daw
Dot
· 26 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Wow, there are a lot of crotchety woodelves. I love Annael trying to keep the peace. Although I imagine Legolas thinks he's being restrained by not yelling at Eilian.
I was kind of glad Hoth challenged his father, though. It was time for all that underlying tension to spill over.
"The Troop Commander told you what happened?" Yikes. Though to be fair, there was no way it could be kept secret for long. Poor Eilian. Obviously there's more to his temper than he realises but still, I feel for him.
"Hoth's gone." Well. Of course he is. What else could go wrong?!
And Legolas trying to look after Eilian! I'm torn between thinking it's sweet and feeling so bad for Legolas that he feels he has to.
"His back is burned." Oh, for... *sigh* Go get Gwaleniel.
"Legolas," Eilian said, "go get Gwaleniel." Hey, I just said that.
Why does he need the charm all the time???
"We have to talk to Adar," Eilian said. Oh thank God. Except I have to run to work now... Back later!
Author's reply
It's very annoying when they expect you to go to work all the time.
Hoth did the right thing in speaking up to his father. His impulses were good ones. Well, some of them anyway. The one to jump the fire wasn't.
Eilian's best moment was when he acts to help find Hoth even though he's still wearing the charm. He wavers because he's not at his best, but in the end, his love for Legolas makes him do what the brat asks. And then the charm annoys him enough that he pulls it off. Good going, Eilian. :-)
Thanks, Dot.
daw
meckinock
· 24 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
When you're writing Thranduil now, do you ever think of George Washington from Hamilton? Especially the parts where he's telling people to take a walk and meet him inside.
This was such a satisfying ending. It's great to see everyone at each other's throats but even better when they all make up. And I'm glad even thought the Men were responsible, it wasn't a deliberately malicious act. Funny that of everyone who was affected, Ithilden seemed to show fewer signs because making him more uptight and controlled than normal just seemed...normal, somehow.
Author's reply
It never occurred to me to compare Thranduil to Washington! Tough leaders are tough leaders, I guess.
Funny that of everyone who was affected, Ithilden seemed to show fewer signs because making him more uptight and controlled than normal just seemed...normal, somehow
That's true. Ithilden is always his own worst enemy, but then maybe we all are.
meckinock
· 24 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Thranduil would have to know about the injury to the merchant's son, but given the scene Eilian had just made on the Green, some other time would be better. Much better.
Oh, yeah. Much.
I can't wait to see what Thranduil is going to say about all this.
Author's reply
I love Thranduil but he's pretty high-handed and exacting. I wouldn't want him as a father. And his boys have learned how to get around him, each in his own unique way.
meckinock
· 24 November 2016
· Chapter 4: Playing with Fire
Hee, vintage Eilian - clucking at Legolas not go too near the cliff's edge, and then diving straight off it himself. I can't wait to see where this ends up, with Legolas in rationally logical bad-decision mode and Eilian indulging his inner demons at the same time, and the Mannish girl in the mix doesn't bode well either.
Author's reply
Eilian indulging his inner demons
I announced the theme of this story pretty blatantly in the first chapter when Thranduil is hearing a case about two elves behaving badly. He says that if you give in to your worst impulses, you don't need someone from outside to destroy you. Then everyone went on to act it out!
obsidianj
· 23 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
Thranduil as parent was great. Too many things to deal with in depth at once, so he let some things go like Hoth. It was probably for the better that he didn't know what Hoth was up to or Legolas would not hear the end of it.
Author's reply
Too many things to deal with in depth at once, so he let some things go
That's very well put. Exactly so. Three sons and his people drawing daggers on one another mean he has to set some priorities.
When I first stated writing fanfic, there was a fashion for showing Thranduil as an abusive parent. That struck me as unlike the elves Tolkien shows us, and I had fun writing him differently.
asms2
· 22 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
So Camil didn’t know about the charms – at least he claimed not to. I wonder what the Easterlings were trying to do – just cause chaos? I’m actually not sure what an Easterling is since I never read the books so I just goggled them and they appear to be part of the enemy.
It was sweet to see Thranduil give credit to Eilian and Legolas for figuring out the charms! And then it made me smile to see how Legolas tried to turn that into a bid to be done with his punishment. “Really, it was a good idea to let me out of my room” Legoals said hopefully”. Haha. Can’t fault him for trying! And Thranduil as a parent is such a treat to read.
I’m sad to see this story end, as it was a lot of fun! Do you anticipate writing any more fanfiction? Thank you for posting your writing– it has been so much fun to discover and read!!
Author's reply
I love Thranduil as a parent. I suspect his relationship with Legolas is affected by the fact that he raised Legolas mostly on his own. I think he's may be a little more nurturing with Legolas.
I'll eventually write more fanfic. I like doing it when I have the time. You're very kind to take the time to tell me you enjoyed it.
daw
sofia
· 21 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
I really do love watching parent Thranduil at work....
Legolas watched them go, too, frowning slightly. "Adar, how much can you feel through our bond?"
Thranduil cocked his head. "More than you hope, but less than I'd like."
^^ I loved those that. Of course Legolas would be mortified to think his dad could pick up on his feelings about girls and I love how mischievous Thranduil is in letting Legolas think he's more all-knowing then Legolas previously thought.
And Gelmir is feeling hopeful? Interesting....
can't wait till next chapter!
Author's reply
It would be horrible to believe that your parent could sense what you felt about girls! That is what's known as Too Much Information. OTOH, I can see why Thranduil is hoping it creates a little caution. It apparently never made a difference with Eilian.
I'm sorry to say it, Sofia, but this story is complete. But I'll tell what happened with Gelmir. You remember that Ithilden said some of the Southern Patrol warriors went after him without their captain's orders? Well they found him and rescued him. And now Ithilden has to decide whether to crack some heads or not. It's always good when the solution to one problem creates another. :-)
curiouswombat
· 21 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
What a lovely story - I have really enjoyed it.
And I am so happy to have found this last chapter here when I logged in tonight - I am away from home, in the middle of a storm, at the hospital where my Mum should have arrived by air ambulance earlier today - except that the storm was too bad, and so I am here (having left earlier) and she, who is due a heart op, isn't. This took my mind off things for a while and has calmed me down to sleep - thank you again.
Author's reply
Oh dear. I hope your mother gets there tomorrow. You live in a beautiful place, but I guess there are disadvantages. I assume she's tucked in and cared for. You take care of you too.
Glad you liked the story.
Tari
· 21 November 2016
· Chapter 1: An Appeal to the Court
I looked up Deep As A Tomb by Dorothy A. Winsor. I hope that's you because I just bought the Ebook.
.
Author's reply
That's me. My fanfic writer name is my initials.
Thank you for buying the book. I'm with a small press and they can't afford to do a lot of promotion, so I'm afraid no one will hear about it.
Noor
· 21 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
Thank you Daw. I have just finished rereading all your stories and I must congratulate you once again on your world of OCs intertwined with Tolkien's. You have done a wonderful job. You have given Legolas such a rich tapestry of life pre LOTR. The OCs are divine. Your writing is very expressive and moving - I cried once again after rereading "Creature of Fire" and " Spring of Joy" . I love the way you flit between adolescent Legolas as in "The Enemy Within" to adult Legolas in the latter stories. The phrases and expressions remain with one long after reading the stories. I still remember you writing about Thranduil in "Tangled Web" towards the end when he is watching his 3 adult sons laughing together and he is thinking about all their attributes prior to the battle scene - very eloquent
However your stories do make me yearn for yet more eg Gelmir missing, so how was he found? Also what adventures did Legolas and Sinnarn have? What happened to Legolas and your OCs after "A Creature Of Fire" but before "Tangled Web" I wish you every success with your original fiction but I hope you continue to add to this wonderful collection of yours. I have read so many stories by other authors - and so many of them do a great job - Nimandra and Bodkin spring to mind -( love their work too) as do a few others but I must put you top of the league. As someone else said in one of the other reviews, I tend to think of your OCs and world as being the real Legolas world pre LOTR. The detail of your work - descriptions, feelings etc are second to none so thank you.... and I hope you return to this world frequently.
Radbooks
· 20 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
Great story, DAW! I loved reading about some of my favorite elves and I really admire how you are able to squeeze stories into your world. Not always an easy thing to do, I imagine. Anyway, thanks for sharing your gift with us.
Author's reply
Thanks for the kind words, Radbooks.
PSW
· 20 November 2016
· Chapter 6: The King Takes Action
'More than you hope, but less than I'd like.' Ha! Yes, that will keep him guessing for a while .... nothing like knowing that your parent *might* know, but then again might not ... :-P
So Thranduil finally got to take out his annoyance on someone. Likely it was good that it wasn't on his own family, that probably happens often enough. Good that he just decided to kick Camil out and be done with it, good that he decided he didn't care about what was going on with Hoth (though I suspect in the morning he may feel differently :-P), good that he decided to give Ithilden and Alfirin a push. Good that he is not tearing into Legolas about being where he wasn't supposed to be -- chances are that would only make things worse at this point. In fact, I think Thranduil handled this all very well -- perhaps the scope of it (*everyone* being involved, not just a few) made him decide he really just wanted it to go away rather than follow up on every little thing. I know that happens to me sometimes ...
This was fun, I've very much enjoyed it! Thanks for writing! :-)
P.S. What did happen with Gelmir?? Was he captured and escaped, was he just lost, was he injured and had to make his way back? Did he just need a vacation? Where is he? Inquiring minds would like to know .... *grins*
Author's reply
I amused myself by having Thranduil just bat the charm away. LOL. He's not ever likely to be accommodating to someone like Camil, but his annoyed mood really nixed any gratitude for a "gift." I always like it when he or Ithilden decide Men's problems were their own affair, because Wood-elves didn't care. Also I liked making Ithilden jump over the table and wade into the fray when he sees the dagger, snapping his fingers at warriors for help as he goes. I'm sure Alfirin was impressed. :-)
I don't know what happened to Gelmir. He's escaped and is hurt. Or his fellow warriors who took off without orders rescued him. Yeah. I like that. It makes problems for someone even as it saves him. That's good.
Thanks for sticking with the story, PSW. Always good to hear from you.
Lady A
· 20 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Thank you again for this great story ! I love the passage in which Legolas tries to make Eilian back away. I think he is more conscient of his role and of the persons that are watching them. Just a question : did you delete your story "the spy" ? because I can't access it anymore on the site and I though it was such a sweet story in which Thrandeuil talks about an almost adult Legolas as his "last baby"
Thanks
Author's reply
Hi, Lady A!
In what I guess is a role reversal of sorts, Legolas is trying to keep Eilian out of as much trouble as he can. Good luck on that one, Legolas.
I did delete The Spy. I revised it and am submitting it to various short story magazines to see if I can entice anyone else into reading it. We'll see how that goes. Maybe it will reappear sometime if I give up.
daw
Naneth
· 20 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Hooray, an update! Interesting developments. The thought of a mouth on the jewelry makes me feel slightly nauseous. I hope that Adar can remain calm until things are explained.
Author's reply
Thranduil is one of those scary people who can talk calmly while he's ready to slit someone's throat. So we'll see! Just one more chapter, sadly enough. I think I'll finish it today.
Good to see you, Naneth.
obsidianj
· 19 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Oh, oh... These charms are speaking? That doesn't sound good. Luckily, Eilian loves his baby brother very much, or the situation could have gotten really bad. I hope it is not too late to do something about them.
Author's reply
Luckily, the Elvenking is not wearing a charm and isn't like to. The next (and sadly last) chapter is from Thranduil's POV.
sofia
· 18 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Poor Eilian- I hope he doesn't do anything rash about Gelmir. And if he does, hopefully Maltanaur will be there to keep him from killing himself!
And I KNEW there was something fishy about those earrings and the merchant. Seems very magic-y, getting people to act differently. What purpose does that serve? Probably not anything good!
I wonder does the necklaces- or rather the easterling merchant who is paying Camil- have anything to do with Gelmir being missing? Part of me is thinking not but part of me is still suspicious. Can't wait for the next chapter!
Author's reply
Maltanaur will make sure he's there. When I created the bodyguard characters, I didn't realize how much I'd come to enjoy writing them.
Tolkien always seemed to me to be interested in how people are defeated not just by external forces but by internal emotions and impulses. That's what the Nazgul are about really. So I'm playing with that a little here.
Thanks for the review, sofia. Always good to hear from you.
curiouswombat
· 18 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Oh -ho! They really do need to talk to Adar. The Eastern merchant sounds as if he may be more than he seems.
Author's reply
They're on their way. The next chapter will be from Thranduil's POV, which is always fun to write.
asms2
· 16 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
They figured it out! The trinkets can speak? Is it an out loud voice or something that messes with their minds? I wonder what the angle is here for Camil/the Easterling Merchant. Giving out so many at the same party increases the odds that someone will notice that something is off and connect the dots. Also just giving them away instead of selling them would seem to raise suspicion when the elves stop to think about what is happening.
I can't wait to see Thranduil's reaction to this!!
Poor Eilian finding out about Glimir in that way while he was under the influnce of the earing. Maybe Thranduil will be a little more forgiving to Eilian's reaction once he realizes what is happening.
Can't wait to read more!
Author's reply
The voice is inside their heads. It speaks to whatever weaknesses the listener has. One person who's weakness is showing is the merchant who's so eager for money that he's trying too obviously. It turns out that when you play on someone's weakness, you can't always predict what they'll do.
I was very happy to show that Eilian's love for Legolas outweighed what the voice was whispering to him.
One more chapter, I think. Thank you for sticking with it.
PSW
· 16 November 2016
· Chapter 5: Out of Sorts
Well, this is a big old stinking mess...
Thranduil is going to roast them alive -- hopefully *after* they have a chance to tell him about the charms (charms w mouths on them = creepy :-P). I'm a little surprised they were both able to calm down enough to work through what was happening, but I suppose Eilian had taken his off by this point...and yes, this is Legolas, who does seem to get the best of what Eilian has to offer even when no one else does. Ah, baby brothers...
Hoth and Jardin continue to be a bit of a mystery...but I'm thinking the charms have been working on them too. This occurred to me literally as I'm typing this...but Jardin started to eat only after she gave her charm to Eilian -- is it telling her she's fat and unattractive, or some such? And I'm sure it's working on Hoth (and possibly even Camil?) in some way. Hmm... Given that this is all coming from an Easterling merchant, it can only mean trouble...
I would bet the Elf who got drunk and ran along the roofs in Esgaroth was wearing one at the time, too...
Can't wait for Thranduil to find out! ;-) I'm enjoying, thanks for writing...
Author's reply
I figured Legolas's charm was in his pocket, not near his ear, so he was more or less normal crazy teenaged boy. But Eilian came through for Legolas before he took the charm off, which speaks to his powerful love for Legolas.
Thranduil is about ready to roast someone already. He just has to find a target. :-)
Thank you for sticking with the story
obsidianj
· 13 November 2016
· Chapter 4: Playing with Fire
Playing with Fire is an apt title. What is going on? These trinkets are definitely not just jewelry. Something else is going on. And why won't Jardin eat? This is the second time you mentioned her looking starved...
Author's reply
The trinkets are a problem, definitely. Let's see how our heroes manage to figure things out.
daw