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Tangled Web  by daw the minstrel 22 Review(s)
Tapetum LucidumReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/21/2004
Sinnarn and Emmelin's little romantic interlude was a nice way to start the chapter. Some things are the same everywhere - it is not good to be late. Alfirin scolding her adult errant son was very cute. I wouldn't want to wake Thranduil up either. If I still lived with my parents I would be completely insane.

Legolas continued concern over Hobbit is very cute. Those obnoxious dwarves can't even respect his concern. What good are they? Legolas' impatience was well earned. Your invisible friend is certainly making himself more apparent. Stealing someone's breakfast is not the best way to make friends.

Celuwen's musings were very sweet. I often find myself daydreaming in boring meetings. It is more often of Legolas than Eilian but there is no accounting for taste. Of course the picture you sent me explains a lot. I am glad she has a chance to get to know her youngest brother-in-law. He and Eilian are very close. I keep wondering if the change in the trees that is not quite happiness is from the mixed blessing of Sauron's exile and the presence of the ring. In hindsight you would think the bauble would have been tempting the elves or at least they would have been aware of its presence. Bilbo is rather a clumsy little thing.

I am happy that Thranduil took the news of his exclusion from the tower destruction in stride. I thought he might be PO'd. Did Mithrandir come back with Ithilden? I think he could negotiate some dwarven freedom.


Author Reply: I have to admit that the idea of living with my parents makes me foam at the mouth. Elf parents must adjust to the idea that their children are adult. Although, actually, I'm not sure Thranduil is so good at that.

Poor Sinnarn. He has a hungry hobbit hovering around his food. He's lucky he gets anything at all.

That's a really good question about the ring. I think that in The Hobbit, Tolkien hadn't really worked out what the ring meant. Then when he wrote the trilogy, he had to work backwards, trying to fit The Hobbit into the world he created there. He does say that the ring works on people according to their character or power. So Gollum, for instance, uses it for petty things because that's Gollum. One of the reasons the ring left Gollum was that "it could make no further use of him: he was too small and mean." On the other hand, Gandalf says that he dare not take the ring because "the way of the Ring to my heart is by pity, pity for weaknes and teh desire of strenghth to do good." One of the reasons hobbits are chosen as ring bearers is that they aren't very interested in power.

Anyway, people don't seem to sense the ring in the book. The issue is for the person wearing it, and Bilbo was pretty good hearted.


tigerlily713Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/21/2004
He he he. Poor Sinnarn. Hungry and hijacked. Or soon to be. I liked the portrayal of Celuwen and Thranduil's fragile but warm relationship. Anyway, lovely chapter! I can't wait for more!

Author Reply: Thank you, Lily. I've just been writing about Sinnarn. Sigh. Poor guy.

I like how you describe Celuwen and Thranduil's relationship: "fragile but warm." I think that's right.

NilmandraReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/21/2004
For younger elves like Legolas, Dol Guldur being empty of Sauron had to be such a shock that they would ask 'what happens now?' Suddenly the enemy he has spent his lifetime fighting against is gone. Its good to think he gets a few years of life settled down a bit :)

Its nice to see Sinnarn get a personality of his own, and meet more of Emmelin and have Celuwen pop in for a time. Celuwen does need an elfling, though.

And Hobbit! Love how Bilbo has such a great role even unnamed!

Author Reply: They have about ten relatively good years, I believe. And I think elflings are often begotten during times of peace! :-)

It turns out to be really hard to write about an invisible characters that the other characters don't know about. I'm sure I'm confusing readers who haven't read "The Hobbit." That's ok. They can find out the truth when Legolas does!

JebbReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/21/2004
Such a lovely chapter I liked Sinnarn's musings on the differences between adult elves and men I am sure Legolas must havethought similarly at some time maybe he still does when he has trouble with Adar!
And Celuwyn such a strong independent character no wonder Thranduil likes her so much she is a female aftr his own heart
of course we have the mystery of the ghost and Ithilden coming home with good news the little scene between Thranduil and Legolas as he wants to know what is happening really made me smile his father only needs to look and Legolas is reminded of his manners!






Author Reply: Thank you, Jebb. Elves seem to live in "houses" and family is important, but that doesn't mean they always get along, I think. After all, one reason Legolas was first assigned to a border patrol rather than the Home Guard was that the novice masters thought he was harmed by having Thranduil and Ithilden looking over his shoulder all the time.

I liked your observation about Legolas being reminded of his manners by a quick glance from adar! It doesn't take much, apparently.

esamenReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
A sudden flicker of shadowy movement caught Celuwen’s eye, and she turned her head sharply toward where a small table stood, just as the Great Doors slammed shut behind them. The vase on the table tipped over, rolled off the table, and crashed to the floor. An attendant gave a small cry and ran to collect the pieces, while Celuwen stood frowning at the table. The rush of air from the Doors must have knocked the vase over, she thought uncertainly. It must have been lighter than it looked.

Oh, this is way too fun. A whole new vector of fun to explore . . . Bilbo burgluring in Thranduil's palace . . . I hope you continue clear through to the wonderful Battle of Five Armies and the "neckless of silver and pearls that Dain had given him at their parting" !!!!! Thanks for the marvelous ride!

Author Reply: I am planning to go through to the Battle. There's lots of interesting stuff going on there for the Elves that I have to figure out. It will be fun!

erunyauveReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
::claps happily:: Sinnarn in love - he's just so cute. And Emmelin seems to be warming to him.

'Sinnarn knew that Legolas thought the Dwarves in the purple hoods were Hobbit’s parents, although he could not tell which of the two was the mother and which the father. Sinnarn found that amusing, although he knew better than to tell Legolas so."

It's good to see Legolas as the *not* all-seeing, all-knowing elf for once! It will be a huge relief to him when he finds out who his missing child really is (which may explain his amusement with the hobbits of the Fellowship).

'She frowned. “All of the dishes had food on them,” she declared. “I can see the breadcrumbs on that one.” She looked at him suspiciously. “If you want more, you only need to ask.”'

::giggles:: Poor Sinnarn! Bilbo certainly worked quickly there.

And I think Todith is definitely the most relieved to see Ithilden home.

Author Reply: Yes, Emmelin does seem to be warming to him, although Annael seems to be cooling a little. :-) Poor Sinnarn, indeed.

I'm not sure how Legolas is going to react to finding out who the missing child is. He'll be relieved of course, as you say. He's really worried. But I think he's likely to be really angry too. He's made a fool of himself and the dwarves let him do it!

nanethReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Wow, I get home from vacation and find four updates. You've been very busy writing while I was visiting Micky, Minnie, and the gang! I enjoyed all of the chapters and love how you are weaving parts of the book into this story. Sinnarn's musing about his relationship with his parents and his desire to keep living with them and how his feelings compare to a human's feeling and actions were thought-provoking. Obviously those adolescent years for elves don't spark the same reaction as their adolescent human counterparts. Some days I think that my daughter will go bonkers before she can leave for college this fall-or else her poor mother will!

Author Reply: "Some days I think that my daughter will go bonkers before she can leave for college this fall-or else her poor mother will!"

Spoken like someone who has just been on vacation with her children! Actually, I don't think things always go smoothly for elves either. The novice masters recommended Legolas go to a border patrol rather than the Home Guard for his first posting because he was uncomfortable under the constant scrutiny of his father and Ithilden. I think it's probably hard to become an independent adult in many cultures.

Rose SaredReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Its one of those weird canon glitches that Bilbo could run around for so long wearing the one ring, with Sauron looking over his shoulder almost, and not be either visible to the dark lord or more enslaved by the ring. Still canon it is and masterfully woven into this story. I love the way you manage to have our sympathies with the elves rather than those intensly irritating Dwarves. What fun.
Still enjoying this immensly
Rose

Author Reply: It IS weird! Of course, Tolkien didn't really have the whole scheme of things in mind yet when he wrote The Hobbit. And supposedly the hobbits were less corruptible than other people because they weren't interested in power.

The dwarves are making poor Sinnarn just crazy. And that's too bad because he was nicely open-minded about them.

White WolfReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
An answer suddenly dawned on me, when you put all the strange occurrences together in one sentence (in your reply to my last review). Is Hoobbit loose in the palace?

Author Reply: Yes, indeed. Very good!

daw

sofiaReviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
its funny to read about Bilbo with the ring on, running loose around the palace. Update soon.
-sofia

Author Reply: I have to just hint at Bilbo's presence because, of course, none of the Elves know he's there. But he does make these little forays to get food and to look for escape routes. I think he's about ready to lead the Dwarves out of there.

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