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The Valley is Jolly  by Canafinwe 81 Review(s)
Shlain Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 11/5/2020
Bravo! Whoop!
One of the best fanfics I 'discovered' during lockdown. Look forward to reading the rest. You really did a lot of research into medieval language and techniques. Goodness!

Jacob ChackoReviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 10/14/2017
I thoroughly enjoyed the story. You do paint an intricate picture of life in rivendell. I just had one doubt though, regarding the absolute absence of elflings in imladris. Surely there would have been at least a few. Not even all the noldor had wed yet. Elladan and Elrohir were yet to find a match and there would have been more elves their age, not to mention the more numerous and younger sindar.

RowanfairReviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 1/19/2017
Of all tales of yours in this forum this one is my ultimate favourite!

The picture you draw of the deep love between the mightiest Elf-lord and his recent child is a master-piece – deeply touching ones heart to the core.

I adore your talent in interweaving your very own access to Tolkiens world with various tales created by the Professor himself. You offer insights to situations and characters he refused to give or merely did not find the time to finish a loose thread, shaping the characters Tolkien created ever so subtle and delicate into deeper levels of personality. You manage to add such a beautiful loving touch to the most powerful beings who care indefatigable for the fate of Middle-Earth.

Any author facing his visions continued by another should be proud in perceiving it done in such appropriate ways.

lasseReviewed Chapter: 13 on 12/17/2016
I have a minor piece of constructive...not exactly criticism, more like raising an issue. I probably wouldn't tell this to another writer but you are such a wonderfully eagle-eyed stickler for considering the psychology and pov of each character you write when you write their dialogue and thoughts, that I thought I'd mention it:

it's likely that Elrond would NOT refer to himself as "I" as in "he gave me the love..." throughout his story about his time with Maglor. It would be far more likely for him to refer to himself and Elros collectively as "we." Twins, especially identical twins, often have a hard time calling themselves "I" instead of "we" even in situations where it would be more appropriate to refer to themselves as "I" (like personal feelings). In cases where they went through a shared experience where they both experienced and felt the same things, they are even more likely to think of and talk of themselves as "we." If they grew up together they also generally never cease to think of themselves as a twin and/or half of a pair, in the present tense, even if one twin has long since died, since twin identity rests on being raised as a twin rather than currently having a live twin.

PSWReviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 12/18/2015
Finished again! And again, so good... :-) Thanks so much for writing!

PSWReviewed Chapter: 27 on 12/17/2015
And, I'm back to my reread... :-)

I may have said it the first time through, but this coming bit w the white council and dol goldur is a favorite bit of mine -- very different, and with a different cast of characters in a different capacity than you normally see. I think we get to see sides of all of them that we don't see through the eyes of Aragorn, through whose eyes we normally view them...

Author Reply: Thank you so much for the lovely feedback on the reread! I agree: it's interesting to put these familiar characters from a different perspective and in an unusual situation. So glad you like the tale!

PSWReviewed Chapter: 15 on 11/29/2015
A mortal content in an immortal realm. Hmm...

You describe Gilraen's longing for a life that must have been very hard quite vividly...

Author Reply: Yes, however hard her life was (and I'm sure it was hard indeed), to be uprooted from it and from all she knew and loved (save only her son, of course) could not have been easy. Especially for one so young!

PSWReviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/29/2015
*Sighs happily* Yes, I remember now why I liked this the first time -- because it's so good! ;-)

Such an important lesson -- that just because I don't understand doesn't mean something is incorrect or invalid...

Author Reply: *blushes* You're very sweet. And yes, it really is an important lesson, isn't it? (Especially for someone destined to befriend a certain Grey Wizard...)

PSWReviewed Chapter: 6 on 11/28/2015
I thought of this story several times this week, and finally thought I would just read it again. And ... I am enjoying it once again, of course. I so love your Elrond -- I think I said this the first go-round, but you always make me remember what Elrond must really look like. If he was, you know, real ... :-)

Author Reply: Thank you! That's so wonderful to know. Such a lovely dream, too: if Elrond were real... :-)

RowanfairReviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 11/22/2015
Couldn't stop reading! I deeply admire your talent to weave well known characters and events in and out your stories. The rangers baby had to be Halbarad, of course. Choosing the assault on Dol Guldur for subject must have been a frightening task. I am quite content with the outcome, despite the fact that Sauron takes his leave quite abrupt... not that I were keen for more battle scenes. Your description of the childs suffering in heart and soul is extremely powerful and makes me feel as sad and helpless as the adults watching him. On the other hand, after having gone through so much of your work, I'd appreciate Aragorn to be defined not mainly through suffering - doesn't he deserve a bit more bliss? Even if Tolkien himself stated "...things that are uncomfortable, palpitable, and even gruesome, may make a good tale...".
Once again my deepest thanks for sharing your vivid imagination like that. It's a wonderful gift. Keep going, please!

Author Reply: Thank you so much! I am glad you liked the story, and yes! The baby Ranger is indeed Halbarad. ;-)

I debated how the business at Dol Guldur must have happened, and the brevity actually came from how very *little* time Gandalf in fact had between his departure at Mirkwood and his appearance in the Battle of the Five Armies. (And, of course, that no one from the Council was killed driving him out; the last time it happened, they lost TWO High Kings!).

As for Aragorn in bliss... yes! He does deserve MUCH more. I do give a little taste in the Appendices to "A Long and Weary Way" (but that's only *after* what I do to him in "A Long and Weary Way"...). I've got a few other post-War pieces planned, and perhaps a Spring 2980. We'll see. :-)

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