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Dol Guldur  by Arnakhor 1 Review(s)
Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 10/11/2018
I can barely keep up with your posting. Wow, now I know a lot more about birds. I like the way you portray Mardil. Really curious about how all the pieces will fall into place. I always thought that the idea of Mithrandir or even the White Council driving out Gorthaur single-handedly was ludicrous.

Author Reply: I did a lot of research on the birds. The names of the captains even come from their Latin name. Sturnidae are starlings…captain became Sturnus. Swifts, Apodidae…captain becomes Apodidie. And so forth. The elaborate maneuver they did for Radagast is part of the plan to deal with Sauron and his allies at Dol Guldur.

When Earnur disappeared, Mardil, as Steward, activated his role to mind the store should the king return. That was 10 years ago. Now he’s got to hold Gondor together, dealing with internal politics, external threats. A full time role he probably didn’t envision, like Truman becoming President after Roosevelt died.

But Mardil rises to the occasion, trying to balance the risks, rewards, using craft and strength. In the genealogies, he’s little more than a name. Here, I tried to use the external events of the time, past and present, a and dash of the usual politics of sudden leadership to envision the type of man who would be needed to succeed. And I created this Mardil to fill those boots. Really enjoyed have the chance to do it.

The next chapter will be lighter in some ways. Some interesting encounters on the way to Mirkwood. But after that, things get more compelling. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.

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