Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

No Better Name  by Cairistiona 187 Review(s)
LisaGReviewed Chapter: 13 on 1/15/2018
I can read all your stories over and over and still enjoy them immensely! I really do hope one day (SOON!) you publish the 3rd Rushlight story. :)

Author Reply: Thanks... I'm very grateful you enjoy my stories enough for rereads. I'm not currently writing LOTR fic, in no small part because I hit a big writer's block with the 3rd story. So "SOON!" probably isn't going to happen, but one day? I never say never. Thanks again for reading and re-reading!

ElentarriReviewed Chapter: 13 on 8/15/2016
"Book Three of the Rushlight Trilogy to follow in the hopefully not too distant future."

Beautiful story. Any chance of seeing Book Three, or anything else you have written recently? Assuming that real life isn't butting in and all that.
;)

Author Reply: Hi, Elentarri! Thanks for the kind words. :)

I wish I could say that something LOTR was coming soon, but that muse seems to have gone silent for a lot of reasons, not least of which is a massive writer's block brought on by a lot of real-life stress and changes that occurred since publishing my last LOTR story. I've been writing, but in the Captain America fandom. I still hope to return to Bowen's story, because it does still eat at my brain and I don't like leaving it unfinished (the WIP is roughly 17 chapters but needs probably 17 more to tell the tale I have in mind).

I'm sorry I'm unable to promise anything more firm than "hopefully someday maybe", but thank you for asking!

cairi

Eirinn LeighReviewed Chapter: 10 on 4/21/2016
'as strange as news from Bree' is a Shire saying, arising from the fact that Bree acts as the gateway between the Shire and the rest of the wide world and so is the final stop of any unusual news that might trickle into the Shire. A Breelander is unlikely to use the saying as, in their eyes, the news comes not from Bree, but from elsewhere.

I am enjoying your stories and would very much like to read more of Ferdi, and how he came to be an adventurer.

Author Reply: I don't really have plans to write about Ferdinand Took as a central character, though he may yet show up in any future stories I might write someday, when the muse returns. Thanks for reading!

SnehaReviewed Chapter: 13 on 1/1/2014
It was so good. My internet went off for a few days when I was right in the middle of this story. I couldn't bear it. Thankfully it is working now. I will miss Bowen. I love Lord of the Rings but it is filled with the sorrow of so many partings. I felt it here too. I hope you are working on your third? I would love to see Bowen's reaction to Arwen!

sidhReviewed Chapter: 13 on 7/30/2013
My heart, my heart...I cannot remember leaving a tale and feeling so good. Bowen is such a wonderful character, truly the salt of Middle Earth and that's no lie.
I really love the relationship between Halbarad, Denlad, Aragorn, the sense of family you manage to instill that carries so well through the whole story.

Please tell me more about the third installment and that there are many, many chapters with your "most welcome" hurt/comfort, illness, and pulling the rangers back together after they prevail.

I adore this and am printing it out. It is a keeper.

sidh

Author Reply: Thank you, sidh! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story so much. Bowen Rushlight has become one of my favorite OC's, and "salt of Middle-earth" was my mind as I created him, so I'm very gratified you picked up on that aspect of his character. I've grown just as fond of him as I have of my Ranger OC's, to be honest. :)

The third story will focus a lot more on Bowen and his family, as it takes place some 24 years later. That's a big jump, I realize, but it puts us in Bree during the Ring War, which of course includes the battle in Bree and the scourging of the Shire. So there won't be as much Aragorn and Company, but there are still key moments, including, I don't know, Bowen meeting some King that shows up... ;)

I hope you enjoy it as much as you did this one. Thanks for your kind words--they're greatly appreciated!

Whispy Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 7/26/2012
Oh, this is too great...I love Bowen and family, and can't wait to see part the third!

Whispy

Author Reply: Thank you, Whispy! I'm so glad you liked the story and Bowen & family. :) I'm working on the follow-up. It's been a bit of a rough year for writing for me but I'm hopefully back on track now. Still, it's a very loooong story so it will be a while yet before I post it, but I hope it'll be worth the wait.

Lily BagginsReviewed Chapter: 13 on 11/5/2011
Well, I simply can't wait for part three---I'm dying for it!

Somehow, I really did enjoy the fact that Bowen still has no idea who this mysterious Strider is---but of course he can tell something about Aragorn is "different." And that's all he really needs to know for now.

Will he indeed be putting his newly-gotten swordsmanship skills to the test? Most likely, I suppose, in some years' time. I sure hope his little family all turn out safe and sound in the end.

The very last scene---with Aragorn rearing up on his horse and all the rangers' swords raised---may go down as best EVER closing story scene. That was powerful and simply wonderful. I felt a quiver in my own belly as I read it.

I thoroughly LOVED this story---it's always enjoyable to see our favorite LOTR characters through others' points of view, but it does take skill to pull it off, and this was just perfect.

Author Reply: Thank you so, Lily! I'm very glad you enjoyed this--I was wondering, to be honest, because it's not the usual h/c tale that I write, where we get to see into Aragorn's mind. But it was a lot of fun to see how he might be viewed by outsiders and I'm glad you felt I did a good job at that.

And isn't that funny how it's not really a problem that Strider is still a mysterious? I guess because it's only right that he wouldn't reveal himself. As secretive as they had to be with him, it wouldn't have been in character for either Aragorn himself or any of the men to have revealed Strider's identity, and it would have made Bowen into something other than a somewhat above-average man of Bree for him to have figured it out any more than he did. But the day will come! *g* I just need to get it all written. :)

Thanks again for reading and for all the reviews--I appreciate each and everyone one. :)

Lily BagginsReviewed Chapter: 12 on 11/5/2011
Now, I could handle a bunch of rangers roaming around my house... but I guess Bowen's a little different. He's probably ready to get somewhat back to normal, I should suppose!

Aragorn's little smile at the knowledge he saved Owen Estel was the best part of this chapter... thank goodness he's had some good luck lately in that department and perhaps feels a little better about life in general.

Of course, he's above all practical and careful, so I'm not surprised he's planning on teaching Bowen how to defend himself.

Really enjoyed the way the rangers are always on top of things and thinking about the dangers, even while the "simple folk" go about heedless of such things. Tolkien showed us this, but only in very small bits... I really enjoy hearing more about it.



Author Reply: Thank you! I'm soooo glad you liked Aragorn's sleepy little smile! Is there anything better than a happy Aragorn falling asleep after performing deeds well done? No wait, don't answer that... I can hear you already: "No, but Aragorn falling to sleep after tossing feverishly all night after contracting a deadly plague while performing great deeds is!" *g* This one didn't have quite the level of h/c in it that I know you love, but I'm glad you enjoyed it anyway.

I like to think that when they were allowed, the Rangers did a bit of "arming" the folks of Bree... if not training them at weapons then at least dropping a word of wisdom here and there about watching the shadows and being cautious. But I have a feeling those opportunities were few and far between.

Lily BagginsReviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/5/2011
Oh, I've been remiss in not reviewing earlier!

But anyway... gosh, I loved how Bowen wept in this chapter after seeing his baby son for the first time. That was lovely! And especially after Halbarad---big strong strapping masculine ranger Halbarad---warned him that would happen.

I knew there HAD to be a reason Strider went home with Bowen, and it seems it was indeed good fortune! Poor Denlad---he must have been a nervous wreck!

"Sporting ladies" had me giggling... that's a good term for it that seems very Middle-earthish!

Now poor Aragorn must recover some more... but I'm sure he thinks it was worth it.

LOVELY chapter!

Author Reply: Thank you, Lily! So glad you liked this. :) I must be honest: picture Halbarad holding his own newborns makes me melt into a completely useless puddle of goo! Any Ranger holding a baby tends to press all my warm fuzzy buttons.

I found "sporting ladies" in a list of synonyms for prostitutes... I thought it sounded like something Bowen would use. *g*

And yes, Aragorn once again has worn himself out playing the healer, but at least this time with a better outcome!

LayneReviewed Chapter: 13 on 11/3/2011
That a very fine thing they did, teaching Bowen on the arts of defence, the swordplay and all. And oh, I do hope that he'd get to know who Strider really was - his King.

Thank you for a great read!

Author Reply: Thank you, Layne! So glad you enjoyed the ending! We'll see about that reunion between them in the third story. :)

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List