News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Fire and Shadow by daw the minstrel | 20 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Camp6311 | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| This story is tantalizing fun. It just invites you to speculate and then drops little clues along the way. I think I am going to enjoy reading this one even more the second time through, once it's complete. On the second reading I will be in the know instead of in a fog like I am now. I don't know if I quite follow Sinnarn and Admir's reasoning, the captain is already mad at us, so let's do something that will make him even madder?? Looking forward to more hints in the upcoming chapters. Author Reply: What I hope is that the fog you're in is the one I mean for you to be in and not some inadvertent fog created by clumsy storytelling (or sentences like this one). Yeah, Sinnarn and Amdir are not exactly taking the prize for smart behavior. They're nice enough young guys. They just have no sense. Eilian undoubtedly has the NIMP reaction (Not in My Patrol). | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| You are going to let us in on the secret eventually, right? ;-) I'm very glad to see Legolas is recovering and Sinnarn is taking some responsibility. He will turn out well, just like all of his uncles. I still worry for Amdir. Though I know he has likely survived this story, he is just a bit too much like Turgon...and we all know what fate befell that little imp. Author Reply: LOL. That would really be cruel, wouldn't it? Do all this hinting and then not tell people what happened. I'm dying to tell, actually. It shouldn't be too long. I don't write really long stories. I think that Sinnarn will turn out fine. It just takes some Elves longer than others. Amdir appears in a story I wrote a while ago called "A Question of Duty" that takes place in Imladris during the Council of Elrond, so we know he survives that far, and after that, all he has to do is survive the Battle Under the Trees and he's home free! He can be an irresponsible Wood-elf and tra-la in the woods all day. | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| I'm wondering now just how long Legolas has been laid up? It seems to be quite some time, considering that Sinnarn's hands have completely healed, and Thranduil has apparently been sitting with him for some time. And Ithilden has been dealing with the advisors? So what was the dangerous mission Legolas was sent on? That has to be something to do with the dragon, but how did the others become involved? I hope that he recovers some more memories - but I do like his method of interrogating Sinnarn without arousing suspicion. However, Thranduil and Ithilden are not stupid - I wonder if they realise something is wrong, and are waiting for Legolas to admit it? Jay Author Reply: I'm thinking that Legolas has been home maybe a week or so, having been hurt maybe five days before that. It would take a while to get him home. That should give Sinnarn's hands time to heal, given Elven healing powers and the relative mildness of the burns. (Of course, I'm guessing entirely on 'healing powers.' Who knows what that might be?) I thought that it would take a while even for Thranduil to notice a problem. After all, it's not the first conclusion one would jump to, and Legolas has been out of it a lot so might be expected to be confused anyway. And the rest of them all know what happened. I tried to picture it. If I'm in a room and everyone knows about an event and the centrally involved person doesn't talk, do I assume he has no memory of it? Not without some prompting, I think. But I suspect that Legolas's grace period is running out. As you say, Thranduil and Ithilden are not stupid. | |
| LKK | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| I'm guessing that the small daughter of Legolas' best friend is Annael's daughter. Am I right? If so, congratulations to him. :-) Now, on to the mystery..... so far, I still haven't seen any behavior by Legolas that warrants discipline. But I realize we haven't reached the crux of the events. Something Sinnarn and Amdir do drags Legolas into the situation, I'm pretty sure of that. But beyond that, I have few thoughts save this. The family's behavior towards Legolas doesn't seem to indicate that they are angry or upset with him. Perhaps their fear for his health is overriding their anger about his behavior. But I'm not sure. Do I sound confused? LOL Well, I am. But I still like the mystery! LKK Author Reply: I meant it to be Annael's daughter. He's such a sweetie, I needed to know that he and his mother were both happy again. Legolas's family does seem to be pretty supportive of him right now. But they are angry at Sinnarn. Does suggest something, doesn't it? I'm glad you like the mystery! | |
| sol3 | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| Hmmm, more of the puzzle comes forth. It's interesting to see how some family 'traditions' come to be handed down from generation to generation, watching Legolas try out lines his father has used successfully with his own sons :) The new Captain may prove to be a difficulty. Good that Sinnarn is there to make the clumsy mistakes and take the heat from his uncle. Sometimes it is good to hang back and see the lay of the land with someone else getting in trouble (a technique I recommend highly, having been educated by living with the Sister from Hell). Nice touch there :) But we now circle closer to the matter of that dragon. I wondered at the time what could have been happening so that two younglings and one relatively new warrior were left taking on a dragon by themselves. Not that the instructions from Legolas weren't sound -- at least to someone who has also never faced a dragon -- but only three of them? WHen the cavalry showed up it left more questions than answers, but I begin now, after two more chapters of mystery, to fear that Legolas had been involved in some bit of unauthorized daring-do. I do feel badly for him as pain and guilt are a very bad combination. Family seems supportive so far, but we've yet to here from Eliond on that matter, and that brother may be totally buried under the Captain. We'll hope for the best, and send get well cards. And best wishes for a speedy recovery to Beliond! I hope he still has all his fingers, as burns can be horrible. Thanks for sharing, and as always I'm waiting for more :) Author Reply: Not to worry about the spelling of the name, Sol3! I knew who you meant (the tall, lean, cute one). We are indeed slowly circling in on what went on with the dragon. I think it's safe to say that something went badly wrong with the planning of whatever it was! Legolas is good at guilt too. But of course, maybe when he remembers what happened, he'll be relieved. Maybe he was very well behaved. Who knows? :-) I will give Legolas your get well wishes. | |
| Jebb | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| I think I am finally getting there! Of course I could b quite wrong I usually am there was a real insight into Eilian here as well as Sinnarn. Thranduil is so wonderful I love him to bits the way you write him but even he is being bullied this time round And all the lovely little bits that make this more than a story 'He was further annoyed to see Thranduil and Belówen exchange a glance and to realize that his own wishes in the matter were probably going to count for little.' Ada alert!!! Legolas was always amazed at how indulgent Thranduil was toward his grandson compared to how demanding he had always been and still was toward his sons. I wonder if Eilian thought the same about Legolas? And Legolas could now remember the dismay he had felt at Eilian’s words. “I do not need you to keep an eye on me,” he had protested. LIke it or not I suspect he now has even more people keeping an eye on him! Thank you Author Reply: Good! The ideal thing would be if you "get there" at about the same time Legolas does. Poor Eilian. He must wake up in a cold sweat with all the younger family members on his hands. How could he ever go home if something happened to them? Keeping an eye on both of them is just self preservation! Thank you for reviewing, Jebb. | |
| naneth | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| That was a very rude awakening for poor Legolas! I think that Belowen learned a valuable lesson for a healer that works with warriors-make sure they are either awake before you begin your exam or make sure they won't wake up during the exam. Poor guy! I laughed so hard at the scene between Eilian and Sinnarn. Eilian was so calm as he explained that this was an "uncle" conversation, not a "captain" conversation, then when that's understood, he not so calmly jerked him up by his tunic front to *explain* things to his nephew. That was priceless! Good chapter with a wonderful hint about Anneal and his apparently growing family, a little enlightment about past events, and, as usual, the wonderful, warm family of Thranduil to entertain us. You seriously ever thought we would be bored with this story????? Author Reply: And another rule is don't treat warriors while they're still holding weapons. I was in physical therapy once and I never hit the therapist but I came close once or twice. Those guys twisted my arm (literally) and expected me to be grateful. Eilian made an impression on Sinnarn but not a big enough one, I'm afraid. And this was as much Annael as I could work into this story. I needed to know that both he and his mother were happy again. I did think it would be boring. I was worried because - oh, I can't remember why now. Young Ithilden is back in the next chapter. Writing this thing is keeping me on my toes, jumping from character to character and time to time. | |
| erunyauve | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| Shame on Legolas for using his nephew like that! I laughed out loud at Sinnarn's observation that Eilian would be "more likely to take away our weapons and tell us not to play with anything sharp.” Legolas might be underestimating his brother a little if he thinks that his experience will make Eilian any less overprotective of him. Of course, Eilian sees himself in Sinnarn, which would scare any captain, and the combination of Sinnarn and Turgon's little brother is a recipe for disaster. It does seem that Eilian overreacted a little to the horseplay in the flet - I don't think he would have been as angry with another warrior. Author Reply: Sinnarn is a little wild, but he's smart, just like his father, and he knows exactly what Eilian is going to be like. Poor Legolas is a little more trusting and may find out he's been overconfident. And I think you're right. Eilian's alarm system went off far more because Sinnarn was involved. Thus proving that his nephew was right! Not sensible, but nonetheless right. | |
| Antigone_Q | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| Wow! I liked this chapter a lot. For one thing, Legolas' tactics for finding out what happened to him were hilarious. As soon as he said, "What were you thinking?" I nearly fell out of my chair laughing, and then the sympathetic follow up with, "Do you want to talk about it?" was too much. I chuckled all the way from my computer to the kitchen and back. And Thranduil bowing to an insistent "Naneth says..." I like Alfirin so much! I liked the story from Sinnarn's point of view - and I always wondered what happened to Turgon's younger brother. I very much hope Amdir doesn't meet the same end - but then, Amdir has adults at least looking out for his well-being, where as Turgon never did seem to. Eilian is certainly getting his comeuppance for being so reckless when he was younger - now he has to herd Amdir and other young warriors who are just as reckless as he was. I'm sure Eilian finds it frustrating but I'm getting a kick out of it. But really Daw, how can you leave Legolas and your poor readers hanging like this? We want to know what happened! Author Reply: Your nice review made me smile all the way from MY computer to MY kitchen and back too. Alfirin is a tough lady. I have been wondering lately how she and Celuwen would get along. I think Alfirin is somewhat more earnest than Celuwen is. Celuwen has a strong sense of duty, but Eilian never horrified her and he did horrify Alfirin when they were young. Indeed, I think that as kids, Celuwen, Gelmir, and Eilian hung out together. Now there's something to write about! I think that Amdir is lucky to have reached adulthood and be in the hands of officers who are not going to let him run wild. He needed that kind of discipline long ago, and Eilian is only too happy to provide it! | |
| Tapetum Lucidum | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 1/19/2004 |
| Hey! You don't usually post during the day! Not that I am complaining... Ouch! That is a tough way to wake up, and it is not recommended to break your healer's arm. Payback is painful. I am glad to see Thranduil is still hovering. Even when they are completely well you still worry about your kids. Legolas' little game is going well so far, I think someone will eventually figure out he has no memory of what happened. LOL: "Naneth says" those dreaded words. I am glad there is someone around who can set Thranduil straight. I am glad it is Alfirin. Your portrayal of her as a strong woman is a good one. Sinnarn and Legolas seem to have a good relationship, now we can finally get some hints... Having the story from Sinnarns' POV was a nice new twist. I think it is the first time you have done that. He does seem like a mini Eilian - very scary. That will probably make his uncle even more protective of him. Legolas does tend to feel responsible for all of those around him. I am glad it encompasses Amdir as well. One day, maybe, Sinnarn will learn the details of Turgon's death and understand why Legolas feels more parental to Amdir than to others. Uh oh, Nitron is treating Sinnarn like Ithilden. That definitely won't work. They are polar opposites and he will probably only foster ill feelings rather than do anything constructive. Your little notes from the letters were well done. A snippet of feeling without too many details or glossing over the whole thing. Wrestling for an apple and almost falling out of a tree. That sounds like typical boy behavior. It wasn't even a good apple. Eilian's reaction was certainly strong. I like your concept of his fear for Sinnarn because he sees himself. Very clever. You are a torturing me by stopping there! Alfirin is apparently just as protective as the rest of the family. I would expect her to be more perceptive than the men and realize that Legolas is clueless as to what happened. Women are just generally a lot smarter. :-) Author Reply: I'm a state employee and today is a holiday, TL, so I get to write! Legolas is closer in age to Sinnarn than he is even to Eilian. That surprised me when I thought about it. I think that Sinnarn is still much more kid-like than Legolas is, though. I'm thinking that Legolas's family hasn't caught on yet because, typical of them, they are being careful around him. They don't bring up anything they think he might be upset about, so he gets to keep avoiding it. But the time is coming soon! Not the next chapter (that's young Ithilden again), but soon. | |