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Stirring Rings  by Larner 3 Review(s)
TariReviewed Chapter: 31 on 11/28/2012
Each chapter is more gripping than the previous. How are you able to maintain the momentum? This is an excellect story. I fear I am almost to the end.

SunnyReviewed Chapter: 31 on 9/26/2012
I see that the corruption of Saruman proceeds apace.
Clearly Gandalf has an excellent grasp of operational security - he did not tell Saruman that he was thinking about scouting out Dol Guldur, perhaps since he would most sternly have forbidden it. Also, what he does not know, he can't carelessly let slip to unfriendly ears.
Secretly using one of Thranduil's patrols was also a good move - the inhabitants of Dol Guldur focus their attention and retaliation on what they were able to detect, and not on the one who so quietly and invisibly sneaked past their watchful eyes. And then distracted everybody in the tower with that very spectacular bit of arson.
I caught the reference to Shelley. ;-)



Author Reply: I just love the name Ozimandus, really, and had to include it since I didn't dare rip off Frank L. Baum any further than I had. Heh! Two literary allusions for the price of one!

I pondered whether or not Gandalf would go over his plans with his chief, but decided I didn't think he would--just get in there as best he can and get it done. I was just surprised in checking out the Tale of Years to see it took him three years to make it from that meeting of the Council to Dol Guldur for the first time. And I did suspect he'd make use of one of Thranduil's patrols, as it would indeed offer good cover for his secret moves.

But it must have been frustrating to succeed in getting in and not find out precisely who the Necromancer was beyond a shadow of a doubt, at the same time realizing his diversion was sufficiently unnerving to send the whole crew packing for a time!

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 31 on 9/26/2012
Bwahahahaha! Oh, Gandalf, what an imagination!

I have a feeling that this is not turning out a particularly good day for Khamul and the Mouth, LOL!

Loved the interruption of the sacrifice and the poor man's timely escape. I look forward to the finding of Thrain...

Author Reply: In studying the Tale of Years, you will note that Gandalf entered Dol Guldur twice, and it was the second time that he found Thrain the Second in the dungeons there. Trying to keep them all straight is making my mind muddled, which is part of the reason this chapter took so long to finish.

But I have always wanted to invoke the name of Ozimandus, so not wanting to rip off F.L. Baum too much I got to use that name here!

Thanks for the review--I so appreciate it, as you know!

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