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Winter Solstice  by fileg 4 Review(s)
demeter dReviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/8/2007
"Sometimes a man was strongest stripped down to his fea and his face." Wow.! i like the combination of our watching Elrond from the outside, yet knowing his thoughts at the same time. When i first read Elrond in "The Hobbit", and later his bitter reaction to Arwen's choice, i thought he was afraid of death, and hence chose the way he did. But the more I read of him, the more I see that he saw himself as one of the guardians of Arda and those who love the Light. The home of peace he established gave refuge to those of many races who fought the dark together. this little piece seems to show that you know him very well.

fileg responding:Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/9/2003
Thanks to you both for writing!

This was for the “standard bearer” challenge, and I was a little sneaky, hiding the actual banner till the very end. But bearing a burden in silence seemed in keeping to me for Elrond, who I am just learning to see. As I kid I found him imperious and cold, but as an adult I am drawn more and more to the silent strength and the sorrow.

The integrity, indeed!! I will have to try to get him into a “conversation” with Aragorn, it would be interesting to me to see those two paragons of honor face off in my head. Hmmm….

Thanks for noticing “perilous, deceptive joy.” I tend to write prose like I am putting a poem together – sometimes an entire story happens for a line I am dying to feature. That was the one in this piece – it was true for me, in the obvious sense of thinking problems would just go away, but it also seemed so sad to me… Elrond’s joys have all been so perilous and wounding.

“… you never choose the easy and simple way to explain something away” -- I think it may just be the way my own mind works… I am always looking for the symbol and tripping over the mail on the porch. But your words touched me very deeply, especially since I never seem to have any “plot” to my stories… it’s like the way some people don’t consider photography “art”…

It is exhilarating to know that my snapshots are speaking!

LevadeReviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/8/2003
Wow. This is one of your best pieces, I think. Very honest and clear, and yet so able to reach out and touch the reader with truths that hit home.

I so love your stories. None of them are trite, you never choose the easy and simple way to explain something away. I like that very much.

The lines Nilmandra quoted are the same ones that stood out for me. Beautiful themes, Tay, as always, woven perfectly together.

Always looking forward to more,
Levade

NilmandraReviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/5/2003
I think these lines are particularly in keeping with the Themes of Tolkien:

"They must battle not only the Shadow, but the desire to run home and abide in safety and joy – perilous, deceptive joy – and let someone else be visible, be vulnerable, carry the flag."

"Once you have accepted a standard, there is no way you can surrender it and keep yourself."

Tolkien's themes of personal responsibility, honor and integrity; the greater good and sacrifice are summed up quite nicely in these words. Thank you!


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