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The Journey Home  by Fiondil 29 Review(s)
Lizzy50Reviewed Chapter: 43 on 12/17/2023
this is a wonderfully moving epic and I have enjoyed it immensely. It seemed so realistic that I lost a fair amount of sleep by staying up way too late reading because i couldn't put it down! I only wish we could see the reunion of Maglor with his mother and brothers. I have a soft spot for this family and absolutely love a redemption story. Thank you for writing - this is brilliant!

Red Squirrel Reviewed Chapter: 43 on 10/5/2014
This was AMAZING! Makalaurë is probably my favorite character and I think you really did him justice! Once I started I couldn't stop! By the end I felt as though I had taken that 500 year journey with him and watched as he grew and evolved from an exiled Noldor prince waiting for Death to take him to a loving husband and father returning home to the land of his birth, free from that terrible Oath. What more could I ask for? Thank you for sharing this wonderful story!

Author Reply: Hello Red Squirrel. I'm so glad you enjoyed this story. Maglor has always been a favorite of mine as well and it was nice to give him a happy ending. Thanks for reading and letting me know how much enjoyed the story. I appreciate it very much.

EruherdirielReviewed Chapter: 43 on 7/1/2014
Great story. I was kinda wondering if Maglor was going to show up in the Elf Academy series. I guess not. I did recognize several names, though...
~Eruherdiriel

Author Reply: Hi Eruherdiriel. I know a lot of people wondered if Maglor would show up in the Alaska, but I prefer him in Valinor reunited with his family once again. Color me a romantic in that respect. *grin* I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it.

MikoNoNyteReviewed Chapter: 43 on 6/20/2014
I have to admit up front, I never liked Feanor or his sons. I found Feanor just too self centered and self righteous for my taste and his sons as insane as he was. It made having any sort of positive feelings for Maglor and his kin difficult.

Yet in spite of that, I always wondered at Maglor; he never truly seemed to "run with the pack" even though he went along with Maedhros's bad behaviour and supported him. He HAD to know it was wrong yet did it anyway. What's with that? LOL And of course, there's his whole "fate", being left "forever" to walk along the shores mad, in pain and desolate. Tolkien almost screamed for fanfiction with that!

I have read a small handful of fic dealing with Maglor's fate, what he did, where he went, and while they were good for the most part they never had the courage to face the ultimate test: What happened to Maglor and where did he go?

I like how you handled that. A little teasing at the beginning, then seeing what happened to some of those elves who remained before those chosen to "save Maglor" rose out of the lethargy. And that, Fiondil, that was another thing that caught me up with this almost immediately. The realization that those who remained were "fading"; the very concept of which has always bothered me, mostly as I do not have a precept that allows for the "superiority of Man" and his subsequent 'dominion': a very bad word by the way. I was really intrigued with the Harthadrim and while most of the 30 odd were faceless and nameless, there were thankfully a handful whom I really liked and applauded when they rose above the level mean of the rest of the group.

Watching these intrepid elves deal with ice age conditions, and you did a very good job by-the-way in describing both those conditions and the lands so effected. Not quite on the scale as Jane Auel but a lot less tedious! I admit to frissons reading about the Great Cats; I assume like the ones in Elf Redux that they were possibly the smilodon (saber tooth) or the European Jaguar (neither of which are really European so go figure)? Either would be prime candidates however, for scaring the bejeebers outta me I tell ya!

Maglor's finally coming to terms with his Oath and rectifying it was very, very moving. One of those tear-jerker moments that I find so rare. And to follow that up, 500 years later, with the crossing and coming to Valinor: very satisfying!

I also like how you did not leave out the impressions of the other elves, especially the children. Like most of us, they found the whole life-changing trip too much to deal with. "I want to go home!" indeed!

And doggone it! I had to look up a couple of words in your text. You've done it again, adding to my vocabulary! haha I think I need a bigger dictionary.

All together a very good story and one I've put on my "re-read" list. Thank you Fiondil for such a "happy ending" for one who wandered lost and now is found.

And just for you:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27907358

Real world Elfs.


Author Reply: Hi MikoNoNyte. I'm glad you enjoyed this story. I tried to keep it as realistic as I could in terms of geography, climate and even what Maglor and the others had to endure. I felt it important that he deal with the Oath before he was able to continue to Valinor. And I always felt Maglor deserved a happy ending. After all, all his siblings are in Mandos, while he's left holding the bag, metaphorically speaking.

Thanks for the link. A very interesting article. And thanks for taking the time to read and review. I hope when you re-read this story you will find it equally satisfying the second go-around.

ParmalokwenReviewed Chapter: 43 on 2/10/2014
I really enjoyed this. I am a total sucker for "Maglor goes home" stories, even if my personal canon says that he took the "fast way West" after getting killed by the Númenorean tsunami. There were a lot of things that I liked about this story, but I think my favorite is the very nonurgent, Elven sense of time. To start planning a ship when the timbers are seedlings is such an Elvish thing to do.

Author Reply: Hello Parmalokwen. I'm a sucker for happy endings myself and am something of a romantic. I'm glad you enjoyed this story, especially the way I portray the nonurgent, Elven sense of time, which I think was a very important aspect of the story. What's 500 years waiting for trees to grow large enough to build ships out of when you're immortal anyway? Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I really appreciate it.

AW123Reviewed Chapter: 43 on 11/23/2013
A lovely story filled with just the right amount of everything, I think you did a wonderful job!

Author Reply: I'm glad you enjoyed this story and I appreciate you letting me know. Thank you.

ImhirielReviewed Chapter: 43 on 7/13/2013
I liked the discussion about the remaing Elves, and the thought that not all who refuse to heed the call may do so out of stubborness, but because Eru has other plans for them.

And a beautiful final line.

Thanks, Fiondil!

Author Reply: The allusion to certain Elves remaining in Middle-earth because Eru has other plans for them is to my Elf Academy series and if you haven't read that, I encourage you to do so. I think you would enjoy it.

At any rate, I'm glad you enjoyed this story, Imhiriel. Thanks for all your lovely reviews and for pointing out the typos that I'd missed. It's always nice to have another pair of eyes looking over the story and helping to make it better and "cleaner".

someoneReviewed Chapter: 43 on 7/6/2013
I'm glad that the newcomers have settled in Valinor (or are about to). They will still have hard time, especially the children, but they will be happier among other elves than alone in Mithlond. What suprised (and impressed) me was that elves can forgive, even with their perfect memories. It must have been strange moment for Maglor when Earendil and Elwing thanked him instead of wanting him dead.

Some elves who will remain in Middle-earth? Now who might those be... perhaps a certain golden-haired elf among them? Interesting idea that the elves did not refuse to go to Valinor but were inspired to stay.

Thank you for writing this story, Fiondil. And now that new story with a very interesting name...

Author Reply: Hi someone. It'll take a while, but I think they will all adapt quite nicely to their new environment and the children are young enough that they will adapt sooner than their elders.

And I thought it was a neat idea to sort of tie in the Elf Academy series to this one, even if indirectly.

I'm glad you enjoyed this story and I appreciate your taking the time to review. Thank you.

obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 43 on 7/6/2013
And so they are finally home and the story is over. I'm sad to see it close, but it is a good place to stop. On the other hand there are still more stories to tell about these people. Loved the conversation among the Valar at the end and the hints to the Elf Academy series. The Valar are not done with ME, even if they think there is nothing 'exciting' to do. It will get exciting again. I loved the comment about the 'bored' Maia.

Author Reply: Hi obsidian. Yes, the story is over, but as you point out there are more stories to tell about the Harthadrim and Maglor so perhaps if the Muse is willing we will see something in the future, though it won't be soon. At any rate, I'm glad you liked the conversation among the Valar and all, especially the comment about the 'bored' Maiar. I'm glad you enjoyed this story and I thank you for all your reviews. They were very much appreciated.

FreyalynReviewed Chapter: 43 on 7/5/2013
And this is a splendid story - thank you for sharing it. And that little chink of light at the end, that some Firstborn still remain with us....

Author Reply: Hi Freyalyn. I'm glad you enjoyed this story and I thank you for taking the time to review along the way. Your comments have been very much appreciated. And that "little chink of light at the end" is a nod toward my Elf Academy series.

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