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The Sound of Laughter  by MP brennan 14 Review(s)
SuzelleReviewed Chapter: 2 on 8/29/2013
p.s. I also really do love that you give Estel a first love who isn't Arwen and who is Dunedain...it feels *right* to me as long as the opportunity's feasible, and it's so perfect that it's the two of them, whose lives have both been shaped by the same tragedy (even if in a much more damaging way for Laleth). So that made me happy as wel!

Author Reply: And I'm glad (and relieved) that you liked this aspect. Writing Aragorn/OFC felt a bit like killing a sacred cow, but it seemed to make sense, given the characters' personalities and the situation they found themselves in.

-Brennan

SuzelleReviewed Chapter: 2 on 8/29/2013
Okay, first things first: I don't know if I ever left a proper review of "While Hope Lasts" back in the day (if I did it was on FF.net and under a different username), but let me say that even now it stands still as one of my top five favorite LOTR fics...adored it then and adored it now, even as it broke my heart. So the fact that this builds off of all of that and follows Laleth on her road to recovery...let's just say I was a bit of an incoherent mess throughout and at the end.

-LOVED everything about Arandur and that subtle hint at the end that he and Gilraen might have finally patched things up. Her coming in at the end, just...gaah.
-Everything with Laleth here breaks my heart. Aah.
-I LAUGHED AN EXTREMELY LOUD AND UNCOMFORTABLE LAUGH AT THE AWKWARD 'THE TALK' SCENE OH MY GOODNESS PERFECT.
-That end scene was perfect. I love how he comes to her, and I love that there is hope still left for her. Everything about this is beautiful and heartbreaking and I love it.

Author Reply: Thank you so much for reading! I'm glad you liked this and thrilled that you enjoyed "While Hope Lasts" so much! This was a difficult piece to write for a lot of reasons, so it's good to hear that Laleth's struggles moved you. As for Arandur, he keeps surprising me. I invented him basically as a plot device in WHL, but now every time I write him, new layers and issues emerge.

"The Talk" may be the worst of a rather long list of Unpleasant Things I've subjected poor Aragorn to. ;)

-Brennan

walkerskyeReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/27/2013
This story made me smile, very believable. Thank you for a tale of healing, body and spirit. I work as a drug addiction counselor, so I deal in spiritual healing, Id have loved to hear more about what Elrond did for Laleth, but I understand that from Estel's viewpoint, there was little that could be shared. Maybe in a future story, then.


Author Reply: Thank you so much for the wonderful review! Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I'm glad that this resonated with you. I wanted to give more details about Laleth's physical and emotional recovery process, but in the end, I decided to stick with Estel's limited POV since the story is as much about him growing and becoming more aware as anything else. Thanks for reading!

-Brennan

curiouswombatReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/17/2013
PS - I forgot to say how much the idea of 'that talk' amused me!

Author Reply: Hee hee, me too! There should be laws against having that much fun while writing a story.

-Brennan

curiouswombatReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/17/2013
That is a lovely ending to the tale. I am sad that she seems to have never seen her brother again - but then I don't suppose there would ever have been any way in which she could.

Author Reply: Thanks for the awesome review! (Sorry I'm crazy-late in replying . . . ;) I'm glad you enjoyed the ending of this story, though I still haven't wrapped up all the loose ends. I'm still working on a story featuring Laleth's brother, but he is proving fiendishly difficult to write, and Aragorn isn't cooperating either. Still, I hope to have that one written by maybe the end of the summer.

Thanks for all your support!

-Brennan

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/17/2013
But it was only right that he should have known fellowship with women of his own people, too. How difficult it must have been for her to return, but I do hope that he did help her to find peace of spirit once more in his quiet acceptance of her as she was, and through the gift of the iris when they were both small. And he must rejoice now to see pleasure again expressed in her eyes.

Well done indeed.

Author Reply: Thank you again for another wonderful review! I do think that Laleth found peace and that she was tempered by her struggles rather than diminished by them. I'm glad you enjoyed this story!

-Brennan

elizaReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/17/2013
Well ofc or not, that was a lovely story. tender, sad and funny (why is it that no matter the age, the "sex" talk never gets easier. LOL).

Well done Mellon-nin

Author Reply: Thank you, my friend. I'm so glad this story moved you. I did have a lot of fun with "the Talk." ;D

-Brennan

Linda HoylandReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/17/2013
This was a lovely poignant story.I think Aragorn's feelings were very natural.I hope Laleth finds peace.

Author Reply: Thank you for another great review! I'm glad you enjoyed the conclusion to this story.

-Brennan

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/16/2013
What a beautiful, inspiring conclusion. A moment of joy and trust, however brief, is always a blessing. This ending reminds me of a line from one of my favorite poems...

Whether the notes of life are short or long,
From end to end what matters is the song.


Author Reply: That's lovely. Thank you so much for reviewing and for sharing!

-Brennan

CelethReviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/15/2013
How beautiful! I always love childhood stories of the LOTR heroes, and the way you portray Estel is so heartwarming, especially when told from the child's perspective. I can imagine that taking him away from the Dunedain was not an easy decision for Gilraen's family, especially as they were against her marrying Arathorn in the first place. I am sure someone in the family would have insisted that they could manage to raise Isildur's Heir and still keep him a secret from the Enemy without getting him tainted by Elvish upbringing.

Thanks so much for sharing the story.

Author Reply: Thank you for the wonderful review! I'm glad you enjoyed this story and that Estel's perspective worked for you here.

-Brennan

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