News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Sacrifice Under Shadow by daw the minstrel | 36 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Justafan | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| What a great ending! Thanks for writing this story; I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I'm all anxious to know what that letter said... Author Reply: Yes, the letter. :-) Well, as Legolas says, it's personal. Glad you liked the story, Justafan. I was pleased with the way the ending worked out. What will I do now? Oh yeah! Another story! | |
| tigerlily713 | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| Was it good news from Celuwen? Will I have to wait and find out? Is Poor Eilian finally going to get a break? I am going to be severly crushed if it isn't? Too many questions! Wonderful chapter! Wonderful story! Lily Author Reply: Well, Eilian seems reasonably happy. He may not have everything he wants yet, but he seems to have more hope of getting it eventually. Thank you for your nice words, Lily. | |
| Lamiel | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| I'm swapping over to SoA for this review since FF.net is being such a pain. Another great story come to an end, and while I'm sorry to see it go I know that there'll be another one soon to take its place. Goodness, what will we ever do if you decide to give up fanfic, daw? The developing bond between Eilian and Legolas is so lovely - I rather expected Legolas to go home with Eilian, but I guess the patrol can't afford to lose him. "Clever Elfling" indeed. The scene with Eilian and Ithilden in the garden was another nice touch, a balance to the role reversal of Eilian and Legolas. And I especially liked Eilian's shock at seeing a dead Elf. It's enough of a shock for a mortal to see a dead body, what it must be for an Elf before the coming of the Shadow... that reminds me of Orlando's comment on the FOTR DVD about Elves not understanding death. I always thought that wouldn't be true for Legolas, or any Elf from Mirkwood, though it might work for an Elf of Rivendell or Lothlorien. But in Eilian's case, before the return of Shadow to Dol Guldur, it's very true. Sigh. I wish the Mirkwood Elves could have kept their innocence. But ultimately, it's for the good of Middle-earth that they did not. Lamiel Author Reply: Legolas just got to the patrol and so is not yet due for a leave, and that's one of the realities of his life as a warrior. He wasn't wounded severely enough to be sent home. He has to stay where he is. So for once, he's the one in danger while the rest of his family are all at home. I have thought that about Orlando's comment too. No way a Mirkwood warrior would have been unfamiliar with death at the time of the Ring War. The Battle of Five Armies was only around 80 years earlier and Tolkien says lots of elves died there, not to mention men and dwarves (and orcs and wargs). And that leaves aside any question of what else they've been dealing with as the enemy occupies their forest. I have to work this week but then I'll start thinking about the next story. I'm bored when I'm not writing one. | |
| Kay | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| I am sad to see this end, but I know it won't be long before you'll be entertaining us with another delightful tale. I think I've mentioned before that I don't usually enjoy flashbacks, but yours in these last two stories are definitely the exception to the rule! It was the best of both worlds - a current story with my favorite elf, and glimpses into the past of my two favorite OC's! Thanks so much as always, Daw, for sharing your talent with us. You sure have the gift! Now, about that letter.... Author Reply: Thank you so much for your kind words about the flashbacks! They were the only device I could think of that would allow me to keep Legolas at the center of my stories (where I think he belongs) but also show his brothers when they were younger. The letter, as Legolas said, is PERSONAL! I'm sure you wouldn't want to pry into Eilian's love life! What's that? You do? Hm. I'll have to think about it. Eilian hasn't told me yet what Celuwen wrote but he does seem happy. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| Well, it looks like mine was one of the reviews of your last chapter that ff.n ate, so I'll leave your note for this one here. I remember that I enjoyed your last chapter, as always. I think I noted that the males in Annael's family have a rather disturbing habit of dying young, and that Annael should watch his little Elven tuchis during the Battle Under The Trees. How good for Legolas and Eilian that everyone finally met up at the end. Legolas took a big risk in leaving the cave, but it paid off in the end. I suppose it's not so big a risk in the winter when there's snow and you can leave a trail, but wandering around when people are looking for you is a Bad Thing To Do. If their signal is a birdsong, is it enough different from a real bird that they know it's Elf-birdsong and not bird-birdsong? It's the sort of signal that would be real easy to identify in winter when there are no birds around, but maybe more difficult in summer when they're competing with the real thing. Ithilden drinking. Ithilden. Drinking. Yeah, he'd be the morose kind of drunk. Ithilden's entire life seems to have turned into an Edward Hopper painting once the Shadow came back. He is very lucky to have Eilian around. I hope he takes the time to tell Eilian that. Eilian strikes me as someone who needs more reassurance of being loved than he gets. His family just assumes that, because they know they love him, he knows that, too, but he isn't nearly as self-confident as they think, probably because he's got Ithilden to live up to all the time. Author Reply: It occurred to me as I was writing that chapter that Annael's family had suffered a lot of tragedy. The thing was that in "Tide of Times", I had said that the knife his father gave him had belonged to his grandfather who was one of the first of Thranduil's warriors to die when the shadow returned. So it was either use that or kill somebody else, and the fact that Eilian knew Siondel made it better to kill his father. (Geez, I sound a little off in that explanation.) I thought that Legolas would try to get back to camp. He had a fixed destination and wasn't just wandering really. But your question about the bird signal made me think. It would have to be different enough that the Elves recognized it, but not so different that anyone else noticed. I supposed that's possible, especially with wood-elves who are so at home in the forest. Loved your observations about both Ithilden and Eilian. Poor Ithilden. He's a guy who feels responsible when things go wrong and boy are they going wrong. And Eilian does need to be reassured I think. Indeed, I think one reason he is so fond of Legolas is that because Legolas was little, he was completely uncritical and open in his love and Eilian needed that. Sorry about the lost review. | |
| mistry89 | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| Well, that was quite a journey, and a realisation for them all too. Legolas has proved himself in battle, under pressure, and when alone. It opens with Maltanaur thought "Clever elfling" of his ruse with the orcs, and ends with Thranduil wondering where the elfling has gone (me too, I think I'll have a re-read of the little Legolas stories A little more of Elian's (and Mirkwood's) past revealed, and a (possible) hint towards Elian's future. A really satisfying chapter, and I'm sorry to see the story end. Thank you. Cheers, Helen (and I'm worried, as I've staved off reading A Question Of Duty until now and then ..... I'll be all caught up & hoping you have written more!) Author Reply: Legolas has become a full adult. It's taken me a long while to get him there but I am very pleased with the way he's turned out (I sound like Thranduil, don't I?). I think I'll write about elflings again next, maybe just in a single chapter story. I miss them. | |
| Ana | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| Hi! I almost crying, laughing the next moment... this chapter was incredile. You trully are the greatest. Eilian did what seemed the only thing he could do. He took his strong, dependable, self-possessed older brother in his arms and held him while he wept. ... so sad and yet so beautiful... Despair born of love and fanned by the Shadow nearly made him sink to his knees, and he knew with certainty that he would not be able to bear it if Eilian died in his care. “Stop scolding him,” he snapped. “The Orcs had been hunting him in particular. Did you know that?” Gelmir brought a water skin that he had warmed near the fire, and Legolas snatched it from his grasp and held it out to Maltanaur. “Fix the herb,” he commanded. Beliond spat a word that made Legolas blink. If nothing else, having had Beliond for his keeper had expanded his vocabulary considerably. “You had better be grateful that I need this crutch to hold me up,” Beliond went on, “because if I did not, I swear I would beat you with it. This was funny... Beliond is so ql. Still, Legolas was in a dangerous place with no one from his family to protect him. I cannot really explain why I love this lines, but they are my favourite. Tnx for writing your storys... Ana Author Reply: Ana- I'm a little embarrassed to tell you but I enjoyed reading these lines over again in your review. I got kind of caught up in the emotions of my characters while I was writing this story, and you've picked out some things I liked. You can thank my beta for the bits here about Maltanaur and Beliond. She encouraged me to write more about the keepers in this chapter and those two quotes are part of what I wrote in response. Thank you for your continued kind words, Ana. | |
| Jebb | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| I think that was one of the loveliest stories you have written so sad yet full of love and family strength. Eilian is a wonderful character and obviously much loved by his family and minders! There was so much to enjoy in this last chapter Maltanaur and Beliond and Lorellin and of course Thranduil thank you for a wonderful few weeks it was quite a ride Judy Author Reply: Jebb/Judy-- Thank you. I really enjoyed writing this one. It felt emotional to me too, despite the high level of action in the early chapters. Eilian is funny because he drives those who love him crazy at the same time that they really do love him. You can kind of see why poor Celuwen had to stay away. And I especially liked the chance to show a little more of Lorellin. She was such a loss to all of them. | |
| caz - baz | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| finally, you got it all up. i don't think i can read another one of your stories until the whole thing's posted next time. well untill the end of your next story. caz - baz Author Reply: I'll take it as a compliment that you wanted the whole story, Caz-baz! And I will love hearing from you whenever you decide you are willing and able to read. | |
| mer | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/1/2004 |
| The End? Not for me, I continue to think of your story. I enjoyed reading your take on Legolas protecting Eilian-it was so moving. So, when's the next story coming? Will it be forward on the timeline or back? I can't wait! Author Reply: Mer-- I love the idea that my story continues to live in your head. I have always enjoyed writing about the bond between Legolas and Eilian, but I knew I had to let Legolas grow up. So for me, this story was a way to keep that bond but change it into one between equal adults. I'm glad you enjoyed reading about it, because I certainly enjoyed writing it. I think I'll do a couple of short fics that may take us back in time, but then I want to do the Battle of the Five Armies sometime. We'll see. Work is pressing right now, I'm sorry to say. | |