Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

Not Without Hope  by Gwynnyd 6 Review(s)
grumpyReviewed Chapter: 4 on 9/10/2006
Great story, enjoyed reading each and every chapter. Aragorn did have to go into hiding, so they would stop looking for him, loved how Gilrean come up with the idea for her to go too. Also loved how this ties into "Toy story",and the gifts of the twins.

AngelReviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 5/10/2005
Well I got my name down which is something considering the frittering of my fingers. The idea is certainly novel and it makes sense though your portrayal of Elrond was jittery.

I don't know, it's just that for the King of elves, wise if not wisest of the wise ;) he seemed uncertain of many things, too many.

Still that is one gripe from someone who adores Elrond and is probably more envious of the scamp that declothed him than of anything else lol

But the pace and very nature of this is breathtaking at times. The imagery vivid and the struggle real that one who long lost the zest to appreciate Gilraen spurred her on and crossed fingers in hope with her. The language powerful for you placed everything in Tolkien's world, though I would have to say am floored with the detail to attention, something so endearing in its strict adherence to canon. Merci beaucoup :)

I was also struck with guilt for the little appreciation afforded my own mother. Hopefully your images don't haunt me but if they do I shall remember Elrond's youthful face as no other fanfic writer captured him to be :)

Author Reply: I would think that Elrond would have fallen into thinking of the 'Cheiftain's heirs' in a certain way after 15 generations. A thousand years is a long time even for a half-elven wise person. Things must have been really desperate and 'worse than they have ever been' to think that hiding Aragorn would help.

Thank you so much! I hope my images do not haunt you in a bad way, and I'm glad you liked my Elrond, even if he wasn't always as wise as you think he is.

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/4/2004
Gwynnyd--

It's daw again. I am reviewing again because I found myself thinking about your stories this afternoon and evening, and that was a sign to me that I hadn't been sufficiently clear on how good they are. They got into my head and the characters came alive there. This is just exceptional fanfic.

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/4/2004
This was wonderful (I seem to say that a lot w hen I read you stories). The characters are well done and are given such a physical presence. I felt for Gilraen. I so wanted her to triumph.

Author Reply: Thank you! Considering that my first drafts are almost always dialogue based, I can throw a shovelful of credit onto my excellent beta readers for demanding that I keep adding the details - and scenes! - that I knew went with the story but that hadn't yet made it onto the paper.

I'm pleased that you like my Gilraen. Working out what her life must have been like was very interesting.

rikkiReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/3/2004
Excellent story. And after reading your Author notes, your argument for Gilraen being in Rivendell makes for a good plot.

I like your descriptions of where Gilraen and Aragorn were staying when Halbaleg and Elrond come to persuade Gilraen to give up Aragorn to Elrond. You have painted some vivid word pictures about the small shuttered room with it's curtained bed, a small area for the son with a trundle bed for the nursemaid, willow bark (aspirin) for breaking fevers, presenting the welcome cup, caring for the growing of the food for the manor and the other things that a lady of the manor would have been responsible for if her husband was away.

You seem to have put a lot of effort in getting the vocalizations and characterizations correct. Gilean thinking that Elrond looked as young as his sons until she looked at his eyes. Halbaleg, the soldier, limping because he had been injured many times in battle, but he becomes the concerned uncle when he argues with Gilraen about her remarrying and having another family. And under normal times she would have wedded another lord.

All in all, I hope that you have more stories to share.

Author Reply: Thank you so much! I am glad you appreciated the care I put into the details. It always seemed so unlikely to me that both Gilraen and Aragorn ended up living in Rivendell, that I had to come up with a reasonable 'real world' explanation for it. Most of the fun in fan fiction for me is in thinking up plausible, believable reasons for a lot of the frustrating glimpses of the back story that the Professor gave us. So, yes, there will be more stories, eventually.

websteransReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/3/2004
Really neat idea, very believable Gilraen

Author Reply: Thank you! I try to remember that Gilraen, if things had been different, would have been a queen and try and have her act accordingly. It also amuses me to think of Estel being called "Gilraen's Bastard" for 18 years. I'm glad you liked it!

Return to Chapter List