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In Darkness Bound  by Fiondil 7 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 80 on 6/20/2011
I'm relieved that they know where Ingwe is. Now, to find out if Ingoldo truly has the families held hostage. He's even more detestable than I'd realized, using such threats! Aargh! And Ingwe may well win his freedom through being the King he is. Ah, Ingoldo--your own punishment approaches more rapidly than you realize!

Author Reply: Yes, Ingoldo is a real piece of work, Larner, and we will see what happens to him eventually. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 80 on 6/12/2011
Couldn't the Valar have softened the blow to the children? They really don't know the children well. This way of disappointing them can cause all kinds of trouble. They can be so glad that Ingwion and co. are very decent and strong characters. Other elves with greater character flaws (see Feanaro) would go over to the dark side fast ;-). I agree that the elves have to grow up and take more responsibility for themselves, but first meddling with all their decisions and never letting them make mistakes on their own and now, in this dire situation, denying them all help is not making the Valar any friends. The Valar also have a lot to learn...

Author Reply: That's very true, obsidianj. The Valar have much to learn as well. Some of their reasoning for what they are doing and why they are doing it may seem specious to us, but these are beings of great power in mind and spirit and we cannot truly judge their motives overmuch. We will see how Ingwion and the others handle things from now on without the Valar's explicit help. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

Reviewed Chapter: 80 on 6/6/2011
Isn't Findis the eldest daughter of Finwe and Indis? She called Indis aunt in this chapter.

Author Reply: Oops! You're so right. Thanks for seeing that. I've made the correction.

6336Reviewed Chapter: 80 on 6/6/2011
A lot going on in this chapter, the train is deffinately going way to fast and approaching Balrog's Bend!

So the Valar aren't exactly sitting on their thumbs, they do have the situation, if not under control, at least under observation.

Yeh, I can see Osse telling Ulmo off and Unien,(can't seem to spell this morning, watched Les Mis on PBS last night/ this morning!)shedding tears, in fact I can see a lot of the Maia shedding tears of frustration at the restrictions the Valar have put on them. Again I understand their reasoning, little though I like it, tough love is hard on everybody.

Ingwion has come to some descisions about his future plans, lets hope they work out to his satisfaction, at least partly!

I see The Rat, Ingoldo, is running true to form, it is just like him to hold his peoples families hostage to their actions, no love lost between some of them and The Rat!

Huggs,
Lynda

Author Reply: Hi Lynda. Yes, there is quite a lot going on here and things are getting hairy. And tough love is just that, tough on everyone, tough on the person giving it and tough on the person receiving it, but sometimes it's all that one can do. We will see how Ingwion handles himself during his hunt for Ingwë. And yes, Ingoldo is pretty ratty. Whether he's actually holding people hostage or just saying he is, he's still a mean so-and-so.

Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.

EllynnReviewed Chapter: 80 on 6/6/2011
It's me again. ;)
I suppose that every reader will see it differently. I still think that Valar made a big mistake. If I was Ingwion, I'd feel betrayed.

I try to imagine a different scenario: Valar confess they know about Ingwe, but they say something like: "We really couldn't save him because we are not allowed to interfere; the very same way, we were not allowed to intervene at Alqualonde, although our hearts were bleeding. But you go and save your father."
Ingwion is not Feanor; he is not that stubborn or mindless or hot-tempered. Yes, he would be disappointed, but I believe he would understand in the end. After all, he was raised to think like a leader/king. He knows that a good leader must not put his own needs above the needs of his people.

(Of course, it is stupid to expect the Valar will solve all the problems of the elves. Ingwion is a grown man and he has to take responsibilities and initiative. But just a *little* help would be welcome. Just a hint.)

As I said, we all see it in a different way, probably. If I was in this situation, I'd feel less betrayed in this second version, and the first is what would cause me to think about rebellion. But that's just me. :)

Author Reply: Oh I quite understand, Ellyn, and in some repect, I actually agree with you. Unfortunately, as any writer will tell you, the characters will often hijack your story and will go their own way. As a (at least semi-intelligent) thinking human being, I'm rater appalled by the Valar's coldness towards Ingwion, but as the author, I'm duty-bound to give a faithful recording of events, not necessarily as I would like them to be, but as they are presented to me by the Muse.

At any rate, we will see how Ingwion handles things from hereon out and we will see how successful he is (or not) in growing up and taking responsibility for his own actions wkithout depending on the Valar to solve all his problems for him.

Anyway, thanks for your comments. They are much appreciated

EllynnReviewed Chapter: 80 on 6/6/2011
Maybe I got the wrong impression, but judging from Valar's words about Ingwe, they've been aware of his imprisonment for quite some time. And yet, just a little while ago - that is, in previous chapter - they asked Ingwion "Ingwë never reached Vanyamar?"
How could they act like that? How could they pretend they didn't know about Ingwe? Ok, I can understand that they don't want to interfere; I can understand that they don't want to set him free by themselves. But they could at least tell Ingwion that they were aware of the situation, and they could tell him where Ingwe was.
No wonder many elves are angry about the Valar.

Author Reply: Ah, but that's the point, Ellynn. If they had admitted to knowing about Ingwë's whereabouts but did not seek to rescue him, Ingwion may well have lost all faith in the Valar and may have staged his own little rebellion. This way, Ingwion assumes that the Valar are as ignorant of Ingwë's whereabouts as he is, and simply refuse to lend him aid in finding his father. That's something Ingwion has to do on his own and we will see how he goes about doing so in subsequent chapters. The Valar are on a knife's edge with the Elves and have to tread very carefully and that sometimes means dissembling, as much as they wish they didn't, as we see in this chapter. And, of course, what help they are willing to give is, for the most part, hidden from the Elves.

I hope this at least helps you to understand what is going on. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

galathilReviewed Chapter: 80 on 6/6/2011
I am that hooked on this story I just want to keep reading it. I do feel for the Valar and Ingwion,I hope Ingwoin does not lose faith in the Valar or himself. Keep writing,Love Galathil

Author Reply: That's music to my ears, Galathil. Thanks for letting me know how much you are enjoying this story. I really appreciate it. As for Ingwion... we'll see how he deals with the situation and what comes of it.

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