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Once Upon a Strongbow  by Legolass 14 Review(s)
RickReviewed Chapter: 7 on 7/21/2011
Nice story! not to mention story within a story... I like the way you laid this out. Thanks for writing.

Author Reply:
Thank you, Rick, for reading and reviewing. I enjoyed writing the story (two stories actuallly) within a story. :-)

Legolass

TariReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/28/2007
In response to your comment regarding Aragorn's grandchildren. I tried to emal back, but that can't be done when one answers to this posting. So, here is what I sent;


Indeed they are. I love them to pieces. Wish I had two of my own, but it's too late now. We have green peas also. We eat them as a side dish, although not necessarily with mashed potatoes. I love them.

I probably won't be reading anything after Friday. I'll be getting ready to go on vacation Monday. The lady I'm visiting is going with me next year to tour the South Island of North Zealand. We'll be mainly visiting the sites used for the movies.

I just started reading In Shadow's Realm and will comment on it later. I know I'll love it.

Tari



Author Reply:
How wonderful that you will be going to NZ next year! I've been there several times myself and love the place, but have not visited the specific movie sites. HOwever, on my last visit, I was on the "Misty Mountains" (Southern Alps of NZ) - and got caught in a terrible snow storm just like the Fellowship was! :-)

Well, I hope you enjoy your vacation, Tari - and I look forward to hearing from you again.

Legolass

TariReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/27/2007
Wonderful. Beautifully written as usual. However, I must confess I was a little slow in figuring out that the Elves were Thranduil and Legolas. Shame on me.

I love nicknames of Aragorn's grandchildren. Wherever did you come up with Greenpea?

Tari

Author Reply:

No, no, Tari - readers are not MEANT to figure out the identity of the Elves that easily. 99% of the readers did not have any inkling till the very end, and the other 1% could not be sure. This means that (i) the writing strategy worked and (ii) you definitely have nothing to be ashamed about. :-)

Glad you like the children's names. Greenpea? Isn't that a common term used for the peas we eat with mashed potatoes? Maybe not in the States, but I grew up calling them that. (And even when I was in the States, I used to think of them as green peas, I guess, lol.) Where I live, the term is also used for the beans used to fill bean bags. So - when I needed a more masculine version of Sweetpea - Greenpea came to mind very quickly. The children are positively delicious, aren't they? :-)

Thank you for the lovely review, Tari.

Legolass

EllieReviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/18/2006
I enjoyed this finely woven tale or should I say these finely woven tales very much! Very well done. Loved the interwoven ever-changing parental view points and I did not guess who the elf father was until very near the end. Most excellent!

Author Reply:

Thank you, Ellie! you just made my day. :-)

pipinheartReviewed Chapter: 7 on 9/13/2005
It was right near the end before I relized that littl Elf was Lgolas, good job of keeping that a mystery...perhaps that story made him think of a human as being a friend...

Lovely story...

Author Reply:

Thank you, Pipinheart. I appreciate all your reviews. :-)

RedSquirrelReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/31/2005
My, how you have been busy while I've been away. This is such a sweet story, your peas and especially a certain little elfling are so adorable, I feel I have to cuddle someone right now (oh no - I'm at the office...). Your combination of three different timelayers is just brilliant. So, despite the tragic outcome Legolas wants to seek the friendship of a man... I bet this was a bit unexpected for his Ada.
I wanted to say this before, while you worked on the "White Tree", but it fits here as well: Aragorn's reaction to the news of Gollum's escape, his accusation has irked me every time I read it. "... his guards slain or taken..." How I used to worry about them, hoping against hope they would be released after Sauron's fall. It seemed so unfair to blame Thranduil's people on top of it. So I am very glad to know that finally they made it up...
And I have stopped mentally smacking Aragorn's head while reading Elrond's council.
And you have started a new story, I'm so looking forward to read... but my inbox is a fright (sigh).

Author Reply:
Welcome back, Red Squirrel! *Hug*

Glad you like this story - thank you. :-) I so wanted to do it even while I was working on the "...Lord of the White Tree" - so I'm glad I got it done. There was one other chapter I wanted to write for it, but I think I'll insert it somewhere in the new story (which is coming along more slowly than I'd like).

I know how you feel about smacking Aragorn - it irked me too, which was why I had to 'make it right' somehow - and I got my chance through my story, lol! It's so heartwarming to think that it makes you feel they made up too... thank you again.

Hope to see you as I travel down the road of my new story - always glad to have your company.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/6/2005
Ahh. What a lovely story. (Although Turin always manages to arouse my wrath - what a total idiot the man was!) Love the elflings - and the little peas. Ada Thranduil and Grandfather Aragorn make wonderful tellers of bedtime stories and incidental teachers of morals.

Most enjoyable.

Author Reply:

When I first read the tale of Turin and Beleg, I felt I could skewer the man myself as well, for having killed such a great friend. But - as (my little) Legolas has put it - if Beleg could love him, there must be something in him that is worthy of a measure of redemption at least. It's harder for us than for Beleg to forgive him eh? :-)

Ada Thranduil and Grandfather Aragorn, and the little ones - especially my darling elfling, lol - have become very real and dear to me. I am glad you enjoyed them and thank you for letting me know that.

nessaReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/5/2005
I loved this sweet little story. I made the mistake of printing it off and finishing it at work. I cried over the death of Beleg. The breakroom is not a good place for a tearful outburst. Hopefully I was discreet. I guessed that it was Legolas only a few paragraphs early, so I guess I wasn't that clever. Can't wait for your next, hope it is almost ready. You don't have anything better to do than write for us, do you? Hope not.

Author Reply:

Oh, poor Nessa - hope your waterworks did not bring to many stares your way! Some of my readers reported the same mistake they made in reading the last two chapters of my longer story (despite the warnings I gave, lol).

I am actually glad you didn't figure out the identity of Legolas till late - that was the whole point. :-)

Thanks very much for letting me know you loved the story - I'm glad, and if I could, I would do nothing but write for the people who appreciate LOTR stories. My new one is, unfortunately, not all that ready yet - some details are still bugging me, but I hope I can have at least the first chapter up within the next two weeks. Till then - namarie.



LamielReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/5/2005
I've often thought about the parallels between Legolas' friendship with Aragorn and Beleg Strongbow's love for Turin. This is a wonderful tribute to both. And what a lovely idea, that Beleg's story might have served as inspiration for Legolas in his own friendship and the sacrifice he makes for Aragorn.

The story is also nicely balanced between Aragorn's telling to his grandchildren, and Thranduil's to his son. You set up a fairly complicated sequence, between the three different time periods, but you pull it off with a grace that looks effortless. Nicely done.

Author Reply:
Thank you so much for your compliments, Lamiel. I've really enjoyed juggling between those time periods - something I've wanted to do even while writing my previous story - and I feel a sense of satisfaction in having done it. But most of all, I'm really glad I managed to create this modest tribute to all the great elf-human friendships in Tolkien's works. Thank you for your appreciation of the effort!



AMReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/4/2005
That was wonderful and very well done. Thank you.

Author Reply:
You're very welcome, AM, and thank you for having read it and reviewed. :-)

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