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Elf Academy 3: The Enemy Within  by Fiondil 21 Review(s)
KittyReviewed Chapter: 81 on 11/14/2014
Sensible of Legolas to ask Elladan for proper clothes for the occasion, and I was glad how enthusiastic Elladan reacted to his plans. Legolas needs the support, I think.

Dave is really great, helping in any way he can. Though the way the interview ended shows exactly why an elf could be useful to him in this job. What a crazy chase that was! Just the image of Legolas jumping from car to car – and who would have thought he could that way reach a speeding car?

Author Reply: I obviously stole the barrels out of Mirkwood scene from the movie for this particular chapter. That's my favorite scene in the movie and I really wanted to incorporate it somehow in this story so the carjacking was the perfect vehicle (if you'll excuse the pun) for showing off Legolas' skills.

Thanks, Kitty. I appreciate the review very much.

obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/11/2014
LOL! "Can we keep him." Love this. That chase was awesome. Especially after the awkward job interview. I don't think Dave will let him go after this stunt. But Legolas/Liam still has a lot to learn before he can be a cop. I liked the way you portrayed Legolas as realizing that he hadn't bothered to get to know the mortals of this time. He was still living in the past. 6 month will get him on the right track, but I think to really pass for a mortal he will need more. It is not the conscious things you do to fit in, but the little things. The things you do when you don't think about it that need to feel natural. Can't wait to see what the rest of the elves reaction will be when the story about the car chase and the job interview gets out.

Author Reply: Hi obsidian j. I'm glad you found the chase awesome and the interview was indeed awkward and on many levels. You're right that it's the little things that trip people up, and this is true with foreigners as well. It will take more than six months for Legolas to master all the cultural nuances of being Mortal, but he will have good teachers, including the Mortals themselves.

Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

FV_WhisperReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/8/2014
Okay, now here we have the Legolas as the world knows him in this chapter. And the people of Wiseman will know him too. The second part of this chapter was action packed and a rush to read.

It was funny seeing Legolas getting dressed up all formal (even more when you consider he'll be racing through the streets go Wiseman still mostly formal dressed in the later part of the story) and I like to see how here again we see he's still in good books with one of the Twins.

The interview was not really what Legolas hoped for, but there's still an opening for him. He has to do quite some catching up on modern mortal live in the upcoming months, but he has the drive to manage that.

It will be a good thing to have him at the police station. Dave Michaelson is in good books with the Elves in general, but he can really use someone who explains to him how they think. And it's always good to have a cop on hand when you need them.

There is something weird about the car just being stolen in front of a police station, with Legolas just being around there to come and safe the day and impressing and endearing himself to the whole police station.
I wonder which Maiar has been naughty today?

“Aw, Chief, can we keep him?”
Well, I think Leggy made quite an impression there...

- And now I really want a cop show, with an elven prince trying to pass for mortal and resolving situations in his own unique way every week...

With Orlando Bloom in the starring role, no doubt! =) -

Count me in for that one, please!

Author Reply: I wouldn't mind watching that particular cop show either. And definitely it would star Orlando Bloom.

The interview was pretty awkward all around and it must've been very hard for Legolas to even go there practically begging to be let on the police force. But he certainly made a great impression with his rescue run. And yeah, there is something weird about the car being stolen where it was, but stranger things have happened and the Maiar or even the Valar might not have been involved at all. Humans, after all, prove themselves fatally stupid at times. *grin*

Anyway, we'll see what Dave decides now about one Liam Prince aka Prince Legolas in the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing, FV_Whisper. It's greatly appreciated.

rikkiReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/7/2014
"Aw Chief, can we keep him!" Keep him indeed! I have to add a ditto with the other readers that you have done a great job writing an exciting action sequence with Liam. It had a lot of heart stopping moments for me as I am imagining all sorts of dire things happening when Liam jumps on moving cars to follow the carjackers.

I also felt that you nailed Liam's lack of mortalness. His speech patterns and actions when he bowed to Dave were like when you meet someone who is from a different country with different customs that are just strange enough to throw you off. If he has six months to learn to act like a mortal, Liam will be busy. But not only Dan and Roy can help, I would think the younger elves like Finda, Nell, Gareth and Gwyn could provide a lot of input.

BTW, I only noticed it when I was rereading the chapter, but at the beginning when Dan and Liam are talking about borrowing a suit, you have Liam answering Elrohir's question, not Elladan. And yes, becoming mortal will require a suit. No matter how casual the life style one leads, a good suit is necessary for weddings and funerals.

Super chapter. Have a great week, can't wait to hear what Dave will say about the rescue and possibly what Glorfindel will think about Liam's choice of career.

Author Reply: Hi rikki. I'm glad you found the action sequence exciting and that you thought I did a great job writing it. It wasn't easy and you never know how others will read it because you can see it so clearly in your own mind and trying to describe it on paper isn't always easy.

And thanks for pointing out Liam's lack of mortalness. I felt it was important to stress that with the way he spoke and addressed others. He has much to learn about passing himself off as a mortal.

We'll see in the next chapter what Dave's reaction is to all of this as well as what Glorfindel's reaction is.

Thanks for pointing out the error. I can't believe I missed it when I re-read the chapter before posting it. It's been corrected.

Thanks for reviewing. I really appreciate it.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/7/2014
Legolas as a stray animal--I love it! Having someone with an Elf's physical skills on the force will certainly increase the force's abilities, of course.

And he still finds children delightful. Perhaps he's remembering Eldarion and his sisters, and Faramir and Eowyn's children, and perhaps Eomer's as well. A good beginning.

Author Reply: The police force and the town can only benefit from having Legolas on board, that's for sure. And Elves generally find children delightful even when they don't have any of their own. Thanks for reviewing, Larner. It's appreciated.

RhyselleReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/6/2014
Holy Moley! That was just AWESOME! I could picture everything in my head including Legolas'--er, Liam's--conversation with Dan about the appropriate attire for the job interview. :-)

I really enjoyed all of the different levels of tension in this chapter. The personal discomfort of having to ask someone else for help, the "what am I doing?" feeling at the police station, the let down combined with hope when Dave Michaelson made his suggestion of Legolas using the next six months to really become Liam and then attend the police academy... and then the elf/car chase, and the rescue of the baby. Phew!

That was just... WOW! Very movie-like, and way better than the last car chase I saw on a TV crime show. :-)

And I couldn't help but just melt at the mental image of Legolas cuddling the baby, and the expression that must have been on his face as he handed the infant back to its mum, telling her a nappy change was needed.

And Conrad's question was the perfect ending!

I frequently re-read various chapters when I get the chance, but this one is going to be one I re-read a LOT... especially on days when I desperately need to be uplifted from a downer day.

Thanks so very, very much, dear Fiondil, for sharing this tale (and all of your others) with us. It's most definitely a light in the darkness--at least as far as I'm concerned.

Author Reply: Hi Rhyselle. I'm so glad that you enjoyed this chapter. I'm sure you can tell I had loads of fun writing it, and it pretty much played like it was on the big screen as I wrote it, which made it easy to describe the action. I'm glad you were able to "see" all of that. And you're not the only person who apparently will re-read or has already re-read this chapter for the pure enjoyment of it and I am very pleased to know this as it tells me that I'm doing something right. Thanks for your support and for leaving a comment. I appreciate both very much.

SunnyReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/6/2014
You know, Fiondil, this chapter is rapidly becoming one of my favorites in this particular story - I've read it several times this afternoon, and I loved it as much the last time as the first. It's right up there along with the "Vorondur Emulates Mount St Helens" and "The Lightning of Love Strikes Gareth and Nielluin" chapters.
Like several of the others I loved Conrad's little comment - like an 8-year old coming home with some muddy creature in tow, one with deeply questionable antecedents. And given Legolas' demonstration here - no thinking, just springing into very effective action - I'm sure David Michaelson not going to let him get away if he can help it. ;-)

Author Reply: I'm glad you really enjoyed this chapter, Sunny. The comparison of Conrad to an 8-year-old is very apt and we'll see how Michaelson responds to his comment in the next chapter as well as what decisions he makes concerning one Prince Legolas, aka Liam Prince. And the "Vorondur Emulates Mount St. Helens" chapter is one of my personal favs too. *grin*

SarahReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/6/2014
Someone get him some theme music (though I sincerely hope that nobody decides to seek compensation for all the free-running dents in their cars)! I hope everything works out Liam :-) However, I do have to say that the car-jacking was awfully...convenient time-wise, but maybe that's just a consequence of my recent re-read of the Silmarillion (wherein the Powers seem to swing between being meddling if well-meaning mother hens ["come stay with us please because we are lon....I MEAN BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN IF YOU STAY WHERE ERU PUT YOU"] to hands-off ["oh one of Morgoth's best baddies is causing some trouble because we couldnt be bothered to hunt him down properly? SORRY NOT OUR DIVISION WE JUST DESTROYED THE CRAP OUT OF THE WORLD AS YOU KNOW IT"] But hey, I guess not even angels are perfect :D)

Author Reply: Hi Sarah. Yes, well, as Glorfindel is always at pains to point out, there's no such thing as coincidence, but whether the Valar had anything to do with this or an even higher power intervened or it just happened because humans can be very stupid about things sometimes, we'll probably never know. And you're right, not even angels are perfect. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

KathyGReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/6/2014
And now I really want a cop show, with an elven prince trying to pass for mortal and resolving situations in his own unique way every week...

With Orlando Bloom in the starring role, no doubt! =)

Seriously, Legolas will be an asset to any police force. Of course, that's going to mean learning to use a gun--Legolas only knows how to shoot with a bow and arrow. And he will have to learn the particulars of gun safety, as well. But once he's acquired that skill--well, criminals, watch out!

LaerReviewed Chapter: 81 on 10/6/2014
Ok, I know I am emotional because of the chemo and drugs; but I did cry when I read that last part. But well the last sentence made me laugh out loud. (Can we keep him) It still makes me giggle when I reread this..and I have three times already today alone. :)

Author Reply: Hi Laer. I'm glad the last sentence made you laugh and I can see where the last part might bring tears to one's eyes. And you've re-read this 3 times already. Wow! Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it very much. Good luck with the chemo.

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