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In the Stillness  by Avon 5 Review(s)
DaynaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/30/2004
Ok... you made me cry again! :p :)

That was so moving. I love the way you show the grief of the living. At first I thought it was Arwen, but then it said 'he', so then I thought maybe Legolas, or Aragorn's son. I'm leaning towards the son. Am I right?

Regardless of who it was, that was awesome.

I'm bored at work today, so you will probably receive many reviews from me today! LOL

Author Reply: I meant it for Legolas - but people can interpret it any way they like. I hadn't thought of it being Aragorn's son before (probably because I'm such a Legolas- Aragorn friendship junkie), but lots of people have said that it should be Arwen. Quite a few completely miss that 'he' (dropped as a deliberate clue) and believe it is Arwen.

Marigold GamgeeReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/20/2004
Wow..... that was good. Very touching. I like how it showed us Aragorn and Legolas's friendship without ever really having to describe it. I think it's all the better for having no dialogue. I've often wondered if I could pull the same thing off- a story with no speech, which would remove a form of characterization, really. But there are quite a few successful tales that do have no dialogue. Most poems, even epic poems, do not, and many fairy tales don't, either, yet they are still very poignant and they work well. Yours fits into that category nicely.

Author Reply: Oops - late as ever! I am sorry but work keeps me pretty darned busy and I do 'lose' reviews sometimes. Anyway, thank you very much for the feedback.

I've often wondered if I could pull the same thing off- a story with no speech, which would remove a form of characterization, really.

I'd say have a go. I like trying to limit my writing in some way and then having to build up other areas to compensate. It's a great writing exercise but it also can sometimes produce something that works.

Brenda G.Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/20/2003
I love this piece. I have read it before many times (may have even reviewed it before on another site), but this continues to be memorable and special and as poignant as anything can be.

I knew immediately who the characaters were, and the terrible grief and loss displayed by Legolas made me bleed inside. To be an elf we all think would be so glorious - forever young, forever alive, never to grow old or sick, but we forget that sickness and weariness are not only measured in the physical realm, but also in the emotions and the sprit. Think how it would feel to grieve forever, to be haunted by the hundreds you had loved and lost, the long days and longer nights that stretch out inexorably ahead. I would imagine that elvish memories are as long as elivsh lives; forever is a long time to mourn.

Again, Avon, this is very special. It touches the soul. More than that, I cannot say.

BG

Author Reply: Gee, thanks *blush* I often wonder whether Elvish memories are perfect or does a merciful Valar let them fade over time? To remember everything that has happened over thousands of years... even without the inevitable unhappy memories it still sounds frightening to me. I would hate to be Legolas and to have to watch all his friends grow old, fade and die. I always get the impression that the Legolas we meet in the FOTR isn't very - in Elvish terms - old and has been quite protected in some ways. He's so light of spirit.

Thanks again,

Avon

MuinthelReviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2003
That is so beautiful....and just the way I would think Legolas says goodbye to his beloved friend!!Thank you....it really touched my heart!

Author Reply: Thanks, Muinthel. It was particularly lovely to log on today and find lots of reviews because I really needed cheering up (nasty, nasty mess in my other fandom). This is an odd story in that it came out of nowhere. I was trapped and miserable in a choir teachers' inservice so I set myself the challenge of writing a story with no dialogue. I thought it was too over the top and never intended to show it to anyone... then I decided maybe it wasn't that bad so sneaked it into the files at the HA list and two people commented kindly on it so I posted it somewhere more public - and now I'm rather fond of it. ;-)

Avon

MirielReviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2003
Very touching. Is this about any particular character? I thought for a moment perhaps it was of hobbits, but this dead person is bearded. Arwen and Aragorn was my next thought, howenver Arwen is a SHE, therefore...

Excellently written.

Author Reply: Thanks, Miriel. It's intended to be Aragorn and Legolas. I know a few people who think it should be Arwen but I'm a Aragorn and Legolas friendship junkie so that was what interested me. I know it is a bit mean not saying in the piece but there are a few clues hidden through it. When I first posted it at FF and HA I asked people to tell me if they could work out who it was and the majority of people could - but, of course, that's only the ones who responded.

Cheers,

Avon

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