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No Man's Child  by anoriath 3 Review(s)
BlueberryReviewed Chapter: 72 on 3/12/2020
It’s such a wonderful story! A story I could read over and over again.
I was so sad when Edainion died, but now, after reading the end, I see why you did it. Otherwise it would have been quite a different story, wouldn’t it?
And the end is just perfect! She really deserves to be stewardess of the North.
(Although I think I would have also liked it, if Nienelen became queen of Gondor, but then, of course, it also would have been a different story.)
By the way, I’m so glad that Nienelen and Arwen became friends. And Elenir is just cute.
Thank you, thank you for finishing your story. Now I finally know how your story ends :)
Is there perhaps any chance that you’ll write a sequel? I’d love to read about a visit of Aragorn and Arwen to the North or Nienelen and Elenir to the South…


Author Reply: Yay!

I'm glad you made it all the way through Blueberry! And that it feels fitting to you.

(And also that I was able to take you to the end of the tale. )


There were lots of things I wanted to explore in this fic, but some of the main ones were what it really means when Tolkien says that the Dúnedain of the North faded away and nobody remembered them after Elrond passed West. That's just a passing reference, but, for me, it leaves this huge plot hole of how in the world Aragorn could justify what he must have asked of them in order to protect the Shire.... and then he survives and goes off to live this wonderful life in Gondor. (what????) Made no sense to me. So, I fixed it. :)

And if that was what I was going to do, then, well, the loss and fear had to be real and affect the main protagonists.

By the way, I’m so glad that Nienelen and Arwen became friends.

Thanks! One of the themes I was going with was that the way you survive suffering is by reaching out to others and that we are here to pick each other up when we fall down. So, it seemed a nice opportunity to reinforce that theme. Plus, they had so much in common and I gotta think that Aragorn has a type - which means that have even more in common. So, there was no way they weren't going to get over themselves and start helping each other out.

And Elenir is just cute.

:D I'm glad you like her. I had all kinds of fun writing her. She's got a fun, take no prisoners little personality.

Is there perhaps any chance that you’ll write a sequel? I’d love to read about a visit of Aragorn and Arwen to the North or Nienelen and Elenir to the South…

I can't promise anything. I'm kinda in that state where I'm in mourning. It's really hard to say goodbye to "people" who have been in your head for so long. My muse packed up and went on vacation to the Canary Islands. She sends postcards occasionally, but without a whole lot written on them. :) So, we shall see.


Thank you so much for reading and commenting, Blueberry. I'm really glad you stuck around and were here to read it after all this time.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 72 on 3/4/2020
A proper ending, and the one I foresaw! They don't wish to part, but both now recognize the necessity. At least they accept they still love one another, and he appreciates she knows the needs of their people.

A wonderful story. Thank you for it!

Author Reply: A proper ending, and the one I foresaw!

Yes, indeed you did! :) I enjoyed watching you picking up the hints I was laying down.

I'm glad you feel like it's a fitting ending. It's definitely not of the fairytale variety, though, in truth, we started this story with the "happily ever after" and, I hope, took it to its logical end.

Thank you so much for reading, Larner! I've really enjoyed getting your comments every once in a while and wondering what you would make of the next set of arcs in the story.

sueReviewed Chapter: 72 on 3/1/2020
You are a master story teller. What a journey this has been. Although I knew that 'journeys end with lovers meeting' it is the parting that weighs my heart. My dear husband died a year ago (and yesterday). I'm sure my tears are twined as much in his loss as in Nielein's story. I have so enjoyed this, and looked forward each Friday for a new chapter. Truth be told, I often started checking on Wednesdays. 8>D
Can I hope for a new epic to begin soon?
Best Wishes and Thank you for many hours of enjoyment.

Author Reply: Oh, I'm very sorry to hear about your husband, Sue. All the little reminders that come with anniversaries are hard.

I'm really glad that you found this story absorbing. Thanks for reading and commenting along the way. It's been a journey for me, too. :)

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