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The Journal of Alatáriel, Missionary  by Clodia 6 Review(s)
curiouswombatReviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/28/2010
This is wonderful - so like so many books to be found in our own reality... But so wonderfully explained and clarified for us by E&A. :~)

Author Reply: I'm so glad you think so! The journal entries are modelled on Mrs Jeffreys' journal -- the link in the prologue should be working now, if you want to compare and contrast :D -- and the critical notes are totally based on the sort of stuff I have to read all the time in RL. It's fun to be writing this stuff for a change, instead of just reading and analysing it. Thank you so much for indulging me by reading!

perellethReviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/25/2010
LOLOL I am not sure what I find more delightful: The author's naive tone or the deliciously snarky notes of the editors!

The author delights me in her sufficiency: I'm reading the original ( thank you thank you) and LMAO, and the tone here is perfectly pitched. But the notes! 3 and 4 had me howling, and wondering if Erestor and Melinna were ever allowed to set foot on Lorien after this...:-)

BUt, since they were merciful enough to let pass this I wished therefore to carry this selfsame cup abroad to far-flung lands that had not benefited from such teachings, that I might among such poor and ignorant people, in humble and self-effacing mood, share the rich vintage of my own unsurpassable wisdom. without comment, I think maybe that saved them. In humble and self effacing mode! LOLOL! Priceless, I tell you. I'm loving this, Clodia, congratulations!

Author Reply: I have to admit, I think Galadriel probably refused to speak to Erestor and Melinna for several decades after this -- if not centuries. But I'm sure they wandered back into Lorien every now and then anyway, if only to share their gossip with Celeborn. :'D

It's great that the tone matches the original! I'm not being as precise with the mimicry here as in the Beleriand Treasury pastiches, mostly because there's just so much more of the Journal that absolute precision would take *forever* and also would probably be a bit excessive; I was aiming to capture the flavour, though, so I'm glad you think that works. And that you're enjoying the original -- I do think it's full of rather fascinating stuff, all Signs of the Time aside.

(So very glad also that you picked out that sentence; I hesitated for a moment between 'unsurpassed' and 'unsurpassable', and went with the latter just to be absolutely sure. Merciful? Perhaps. But to be truthful, I couldn't think of any comment that wouldn't just have been rubbing it in. Poor Galadriel, so grossly misrepresented! :'D)

VirtuellaReviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/25/2010
I think you deserve a medal just for thinking of this project, never mind excuting it so well. It is most delightfully whimsical and charmingly ridiculous.

Author Reply: Credit where it's due, the idea did spring from a conversation with Randy and Aislynn, quite a long time ago now. 'Whimsical and ridiculous' -- precisely what I was aiming for, really! (Considering that 'Blood and Fire' was the last major Silm project I wrote, I thought I was due frivolity this time round. :'D) And it is rather peculiar, so I'm so glad you like it!

ErulisseReviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/24/2010
Anachronism upon anachronism - and so, piled onto a shaky pile of "veracity". I have no doubt that Lord Celeborn remembers his courtship differently, indeed I suspect that historian also view history differently. Thank goodness for the editors and their dedication to ferreting out the truths and untruths from this formal missive of tale-telling :-)

You're doing a wonderful job here, Clodia.



Author Reply: It means a lot to me that you think that. This is fun to write, although the extensive mimicry of Mrs Jeffreys' journal makes it more time-consuming than it would otherwise be; I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

RedheredhReviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/24/2010
LOL! Well done! You've even gotten me pondering what a fourth-age deconstructionist might make of these contemporaries' critical notes. :D



Author Reply: Ahahah, now that would be pretty hilarious. What a wonderful suggestion! :'D

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 2 on 1/24/2010
This is quite funny in many ways, looking at the possibilities and the comparisons between versions. Heh! And I'm certain Celeborn had a quite different view of the courtship between himself and his beloved wife! Heh!

Author Reply: I'm so glad you think so! It amuses me to write it, but I know I don't have much of a sense of humour. ;)

As ever, thanks so much for reading and commenting!

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