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Elf, Interrupted: Book One: Glorfindel Redux  by Fiondil 6 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 86 on 2/14/2008
And there is need for those who respect one another to do so from a sense of equality rather than subservience, and without false pride.

Interesting to watch Ingwion learn humility in this manner. "He who would be the ruler of all must be as the servant of all."

Author Reply: The way in which Námo and the Maiar interact is a lesson not only in humility but in respect for others whatever their particular station in life, be it high or low or something in between.

"He who would be the ruler of all must be as the servant of all."

A pity our own rulers have yet to embrace this concept.

MithLuinReviewed Chapter: 86 on 5/4/2007
Now I know this is a cloister - because it has a dusty library! Hehe, I've actually spent a week dusting off the books in the library of a Carmelite convent. The people there had some of the...insightfulness and wisdom that Nienna is willing to share. They were very good at listening, being much more... attuned... to people than I am accustomed to.

Author Reply: I'm glad that the Valar's wisdom and insightfulness rubbed off on some humans in our time. *grin* People who are not distracted by the outer world learn to listen more attentively, to being more mindful of the present moment (as the Jedi would say, not to mention Zen masters).

eilujReviewed Chapter: 86 on 5/3/2007
I’m curious as to what was in that library, if no one seems to use it. [And, of course, as a librarian (well -- retired), I have to be appalled at the idea of a neglected library; really, when all is said and done, I seem to have spent most of 32 years shifting collections around in one building or another, and if I rarely scrubbed floors, I certainly scrubbed enough filthy shelves....]

Aha! Emissary to Tol Eressëa. The plot thickens.

And someone will be governing Tol Eressëa. The obvious one for that job would seem to be Finrod.

That Tiutalion is quite a memorable character; I hope we will see more of him.


Author Reply: I have a feeling that library was there for the sole purpose of giving Ingwion something to do, though I'm sure once Ingwion has finished fixing it up it will be put to good use.

I'm glad you think Tiutalion is such a memorable character. I'm rather fond of him myself. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of him in future chapters (or maybe even in future stories).

KittyReviewed Chapter: 86 on 5/3/2007
Nienna’s explanation made sense. I think I understand it very well – it is partly similar to the situation at my work. In addition to my main work, I’m working in another department for some hours a week, so I have more than one superior. With the one for the latter work, I can argue and even disagree on occasion, and we talk it through to find a solution and are going along very well (and the work as well). But with my main superiors (two sharing a job) it is not going very well – particularly the one thinks she knows everything, but is incompetence personified. This one is not able to accept one of us could know more about what she’s doing every day than she herself who has no idea at all, but expects us to accept her superiority without question. Of course it is not exactly the same way around as with Ingwion and Námo, but I can see so well why working together on an equal basis is going so much better.
Anyway, Ingwion has to be rather refreshing to the Valar, not always bowing and defering to them, but very intent on his own opinion.

Ingwion is rather slow in understanding and accepting the problem, but I suppose now he begins to see. And I believe he is seeing going as emissary to Tol Eressëa as a more appropriate work than scrubbing floors. Interesting chapter.

Um ... could I please borrow Ingwion and Námo? My dishwasher just today decided to die, and washing dishes isn’t my favourite work.

Author Reply: Many people in authority could probably take Nienna's lesson to heart. Too many times I've come across people who expect others to bow and scrape before them, not realizing that they aren't so much exercising authority as condoning slavery. I would much rather have someone spit in my face and tell me where I can get off than to have them "yessir, nossir" me all day long. With the former, I at least know where I stand with them; the other sort probably have a knife hidden away ready to do me in as soon as my back is turned.

Ingwion is at least trying, even though he's going at it the wrong way, so you have to give him credit for that much. I think that once he gets over the shock he'll find that being Námo's apprentice won't be as bad as he thinks it might be.

As for borrowing Námo to do your dishes for you... sorry, get your own Vala, this one is taken. *lol*

RadbooksReviewed Chapter: 86 on 5/1/2007
What do they want Ingwion to do on Tol Eressea? That's going to be interesting to see! I was glad that Namo ended up helping him scrub the floor at the end... it was perfect after the tough day he'd had. :)

Author Reply: Námo's methods may seem a bit odd to most of us, but they do work. As to what the Valar hope to accomplish through Ingwion on Tol Eressëa, only time will tell.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 86 on 5/1/2007
Ouch. Still - it sounds as if an apprenticeship with the Valar is a fairly standard part of royal learning in the Blessed Realm. Ingwion hasn't yet attained the flexibility of the reborn - but I'm sure Namo will do his best to keep him unsteady until he has learned to be rather more open to new experiences.

Author Reply: Being Námo's apprentice will do Ingwion (and ultimately Aman) much good. Being kept off-balanced does help teach one flexibility and Námo is unnerving enough in his own light to keep anyone from being too complacent about things.

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