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The Book of Mazarbul  by Soledad 7 Review(s)
LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 2 on 4/17/2024
Oh my goodness! (please imagine the flabbergasted sound I am making...)

I am so glad you added the first half of the chapter back in! I missed so much! Rei's stolen pony, the Rangers talking about going after the thief, Náli's approach to the Barrow, all of which added so much context... (the casual reference to going to the Barrows to look for the Chieftain, oh my, the thought took my breath away. Such loyalty, courage, and heartbreak...)

I'm so glad I re-read this chapter before going on to the next.

Author Reply: I'm glad the re-adding worked. I still don't understand how the dratted part vanished in the first place.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 2 on 4/15/2024
Hmmm. I'm wondering where/how Hallavor learned about Dwarf culture and custom? Directly from Rei, or from some other source/adventure/thing. He also strikes me as amazingly open-minded, considering the role of a Ranger. Although he is pointing out alternative lifestyle choices that do not involve crime in the same way as thievery, so there is that... (Okay, so maybe not so open-minded as I first thought. I misread He must not remain a thief at first as He need not remain a thief. Completely different connotation, of course.)

"sons and grandsons"... that's right, I am suddenly reminded that Dwarves live longer than even the relatively long-lived Dúnedain. I don't remember many details, though, like when the various races come of age or their relative lifespans. I've been concentrating on Hobbits, mostly, since returning to fanfic a few weeks ago.

Yikes! Rei's reaction reminds me of that old folk song. Tell him to plough me an acre of land - parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme - between the saltwater and the sea sand; then he'll be a true love of mine.

Uh oh. The Barrow Downs. I'm almost afraid to read on. Good thing it's still broad daylight here. Poor pony! (And now some whimsical part of me wonders if the pony will run to Tom Bombadil for refuge. He left his mount behind but "let go" rather than tying it to something or hobbling it.) Oh, and I love the descriptions of Náli's Dwarf senses and the nature of Dwarves and the hints at various technologies of this world.

Embalmed bodies rather than carved likenesses? Creepy. (Death masks. Okay, that makes sense.) But "bony fingers" makes me think of skeletons... so the picture blurs a bit for me there and readjusts with a slightly different focus.

Ooo, a sword from the Barrow Downs might come in handy if a Nazgul happens to show up...

Protective gem? I don't remember reading about that before this point. Interesting. He may not be so doomed as I thought. I wonder if the gem protected him from the Wight? That scene was stuff of nightmares, indeed. The lad may need an athelas treatment before all is said and done.

(Seems to me he may still have the sword though he lost everything else? I look forward to reading on, hopefully tomorrow.)

Author Reply: Haha, the truth is, I originally meant "he does not NEED to remain a thief". As I am not a native speaker, I tend to mess up my prepositions; especially as I unconsciously tend to use English ones the was German ones work, since German is my second language. So sorry!

Yes, Náli still does have the sword. I really had to think about it before answering; this particular chapter has been posted 16 years ago!

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 2 on 4/15/2024
Um.

The first part of the chapter seems to be cut off. I don't know if only a few words are missing or if it's rather more than that.

I'll post my thoughts in a separate review so that you can delete this note if you wish.

(p.s. Did you get my email? I was just wondering if I had the right address.)

Author Reply: You are right: the first half of the story did get cut off somehow. I don't know when it happened - you the first one who's noticed it.

I did not get your email; I'll have to check whether it has ended up in the Junk mail folder or not. My address is annaliess at hotmail dot com. This is the fannish one in any case, to which reviews and such should go. But I've realized that SoA is not mailing me any reviews lately, so I have to come here and check regularly.

Sweetpea DeepdelverReviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/13/2016
I really like the closer look you give us at the Barrow-downs. It figures that Dwarves would fare better there than the Hobbits did!

The little details you give us are great! "..the ringing of gold and silver was a sound no Dwarf could fully ignore. The spell was broken, if only for a moment..." and "Apparently, some monsters could not be killed, after all – presumable because they were already dead." were the best! Eee!

Hurrying onwards to the next chapter!

Author Reply: I'm always trying to mix a bit of humour into all that darkness. It would be too depressing otherwise. ;)

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/25/2009
Poor Nali--he has managed to put himself in a pickle all right! Heh! And just when Rei might have accepted him!

Author Reply: A lovesick Dwarf is not a rational Dwarf, I guess. But they'll get around, eventually.

Kitt OtterReviewed Chapter: 2 on 7/26/2008
I am happy to see an update. Very exciting stuff in this chapter!
I love the adventure in the Downs; I always wanted to see more of them. Oh, you gave this such suspense... if this were a movie, I'd have shut my eyes - it was frightening as Nali crept into the Downs, then into the tomb. Silly Dwarves and their love-longing!
I actually hope Rei will change her mind about Nali. Really, they are alike and both do like the outdoors. I liked Hallovor's fatherly concern.
I worry for Nali now, not only because of the wights but also of what Rei may do to him and without a courting gift.
Kitt

Author Reply: Oh, he's going to face some hard times, but again, he should have thought first. In any case, I like him too much to cause him serious harm. ;)

Raksha The DemonReviewed Chapter: 2 on 7/21/2008
I begin to feel very sorry for Nali; and not because he's being chased by a headless Barrow-wight. He's going to face Rei's wrath without the slight mitigation that a sackful of treasure might have earned him.

At least Nali is no coward; it takes guts to go dowry-hunting in a haunted barrow. Hopefully Rei will realize that he has some worth, until then, the course of true love probably not run smooth.

Update soon; I am enjoying this adventure!

Author Reply: We can never know what a lovesick Dwarf is capable of, can we? But true love conquers all... or so they say. We'll see...

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