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With Friends Like These  by Jay of Lasgalen 4 Review(s)
RhapsodyReviewed Chapter: 19 on 10/7/2004
Oh! I loved this version of how Glorfindel fought the balrog! He is one of my favorite Fist age elves, besides Fingolfin.

Arwen adores him and I cannot blame her. The past chapters I loved the way how you portrayed Celebrian. Elrond was deeply grieved when she sailed to the West and yes, by the way you put her on 'paper' I can imagine. Hair coloured if it was moonlight..

I was just wondering how Thandruil reacts to that kind of happiness in front of him. He surely must miss his wife..

Author Reply: I must say I like Glorfindel more and more. I see him as a favourite 'uncle' to the three, they're the nearest thing to having his own children.

It must be hard for Thranduil at times. Celebrían and Arwen remind him of his dead wife and daughter a lot.

mistry89Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 4/3/2004
I've read up to .... here in one go, so please excuse the garbled comments - I'm loving this story, you depict the young ones so well, the adults have taken a definite back-seat here, yet they are not ignored. It feels so life-like - as sort of "real" Famous Five (with lashings of Dowinnion instead of Ginger Beer!)
Thank you.

"Always, first, he would gaze on Eärendil. The evening star. Flame of the West. His father. Always there, looking down on him, his sons and daughter."
Nice to see Elrond in a "younger" moment.

"Ellahir. What mischief was he up to at this time of night? And where was Elrodan?"
The decision by Legolas to mix E & Es names is charming!

"As Legolas made his way back to his own room, he wondered if the twins had taken the bait. If they had, he would have to make plans."
You cunning little blighter!

"“It’s my spider!” he said joyfully."
Heh heh! This is such a delightful story, seeing the *naughty* side of Legolas and the look at life for the elves pre-LOTR.

Lanatus is such a "Marvin", great to see a non-cheery elf, especially as seneschal, it "fits".

"Then, exchanging yet another look, both said “Are you Brethil?” and began to laugh again."
Poor Legolas! They are little devils, and quick-witted with it!

Hmm, I'm suspicious of this ...
"Legolas was enthusiastic, but Elrohir was less so. He could recall absolutely nothing about a bathing pool, or swimming, or Brethil falling in anywhere. It was rather a blow. He had thought his memory had very nearly returned in full, but here was a whole afternoon that was still missing."
Ha! Sneaky little imp - playing it right back to them!

A little growing-up-guilt:
"Sometimes, just sometimes, he wished he could be just ‘Elrohir’, not ‘Elladan and Elrohir’ or ‘one of the twins’. But he could never say that to Elladan, it would hurt him too much."

14" It seems Legolas really does have a problem lying, that and his compassion for living things no doubt has implications for the elf we come to meet in LOTR.

15: "“Good.” Thranduil nodded in satisfaction, then added: “Tell, me how is Hirilornë enjoying his role as tutor?”"
Such a wise king! And thank you for going the unremittingly-bad-king, Thranduil has always been a favourite of mine, and sometimes (ok, nearly all the time!) I like to see him portrayed as hum...oops.. elven :)
Oh, I see Lanatus got promoted sideways ... pity - I did enjoy his somewhat negative view of anything that interupted routine - a small burden for the king, balanced against those far bigger burdens.

"“He won’t,” Elrohir reassured her. “Not if you remember what we tell you.” He sat up, and patted the grass next to him. “Now come here, and listen carefully.”
Goodness knows what awfulness they will inspire from her ... fancy gestures? elaborate speeches?

16: "“They love each other.” Legolas sounded faintly disgusted."
Perceptive, too! Nice to know that Thranduil is not aware of "everything" that goes on!

“Is that why Lanatus doesn’t like me? Because I remind him?” He could be very perceptive at times.
Thranduil sighed. “Legolas, I sometimes think Lanatus does not like anyone anymore. But yes, you do remind him of Lebethron. Do you understand now, why he is like that?”
“Yes. No wonder he’s so sad. Oh, poor Lanatus!”
“So no more complaints about Lanatus. You know why, now.”
Oh, there's *always* an explanation, isn't there? So now a character I thought of as light relief, and as a levelling elf (as the others were all having such a good time, I thought you wanted to reduce the "feel good" to a more ....reasonable level), has depth. Thanks for that reminder (but I liked his pernickety old self anyway, so I'm not dismayed!).

"“We chose such beautiful names for our children. Now they sound like an alphabet!”)"
*snicker* A nice line!

Elrohir-the-would-be-lover is a treat! Despite Arwen and Elladan's best (worst) efforts.

17: I *knew* it! Serves those two right! Nice one Thranduil - and Arwen.

Oh, this is gorgeous! A real reminder that in the Hobbit, the elves (well, the wood elves) were merry and gay:
"Behind him, Erestor turned to Glorfindel. “You really should stop lurking beneath this tapestry. You startled the child! I swear you do it deliberately!”"

18:"But of course most of the time he wears nothing at all.”
Hmm, clever elf. Not a bad flirt.

"“Twins! How delightful!” she cooed. “Celebrían, they look so adorable dressed the same like that!"
You are a wicked woman - and so was she!

"..please listen, as I sing to you the lay of Glorfindel, of the House of the Golden Flower, and his great and valiant deeds!”
Well, after lurking about under "his" tapestry, how embarassed is he likely to be?

19: Not much! (referring to comment above)

“You cannot pass.”
That must have smacked Legolas in the face in Moria. Great foreshadowing!
"..enveloping him in a deadly embrace, and together they plunged from the mountainside to their deaths."
and this must have been awful for him - no wonder he couldn't bring himself to translate the lament for Gandalf in Lothlorien (oops, I may have slipped into movie-verse here ... )

Oh, I was right!!!!!
"Legolas tried to imagine the noble, heroic Balrog slayer behaving in such an irresponsible manner. Then he remembered the way Glorfindel had seemed to lurk beneath the tapestry, and given him such a start. “You could be right,” he admitted."

Thank you again - sorry to post so much at once ... but then I read it all at once :)

Author Reply: Don't apologise! This must be the best review I've ever had - it's so detailed! Thank you. It reminds me that this story is overdue for an update - I'll try to remedy that in the next few days. I think 'cunning little blighter' sums up the younger, light-hearted Legolas and the twins well. And 'Marvin' fits Lanatus equally well - another Hitchikers fan! He's been very quiet recently, but strangely enough I was writing a Lanatus scene this evening, in the next chapter of 'Memory of Darkness', which should be up this week.


Jay

LKKReviewed Chapter: 19 on 2/25/2004
Oh, how embarassing! Calling the Lady Celebrian a balrog. Poor Legolas. *snicker*

Quite understandable, really, though. I suspect Glorfindel is a very good storyteller. I'm sure Celebrian didn't mind. She's such an understanding and loving lady. You can tell that by Arwen's comment of how Celebrian always comes to the children in the night when they're distressed.

Nice foreshadowing of the older Legolas' cry of dismay over the Moria balrog's arrival when the dream balrog arrived.

I'm looking forward to what four young, adverturous elves get up to during their upcoming picnic. :-)

LKK

Author Reply: I'm glad you like Celebrian. Few stories feature her, and those that do tend to show her as a fading wimp after her rescue, or a vengeful harpy because Elrond is madly in love with Glorfindel, or Erestor (or both of them!) Nilmandra's Celebrian is a refreshing exception.

As you may imagine, the picnic will not be without incident ... (just say 'poor Legolas').


Jay

sofiaReviewed Chapter: 19 on 2/24/2004
good, good, good. I feel bad for Legolas calling Celebrían a Balrog. how embarissing!

Author Reply: He did feel embarrassed, but it wasn't so bad when he found out that the twins had been equally terrified by the story!

Jay

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