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| Tangled Web by daw the minstrel | 35 Review(s) |
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| Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 | |
| All I can say is Wow. This was great. I actually was afraid you'd killed Eilian since he said that about his wife and then disappeared from the text for a length of time. The scariest was, of course, the Thranduilion being called back to adar's tent not knowing what they'd find there. I expected Todith to die because Legolas has to be captain of the home guard when Gollum escapes. But I did not expect Galelas or Nithron. Too sad. Very tense. Very well done. Author Reply: Yeah, I was toying with you a little about Eilian. :-) I tried to pick a person who would mean something to each of the three sons of Thranduil, but I didn't think I could kill anyone too close to Thranduil because he's pretty cheery at the end of "The Hobbit." So that narrowed my choices. I was sad and tense writing the chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed (?) it. | |
| maya_ar | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| Well done! An excellent account of the Battle of Five Armies. I enjoyed the depiction of the emotional impact of the advances and reversals on those fighting. cheers, Maya Author Reply: Thank you, Maya. Tolkien gave me the outline of the battle, but it was interesting (and disturbing) to work my characters into it and see how it looked from the ground. | |
| rikki | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| This chapter should have displayed the box of tissues at the beginning for angst and tears. I was drawn into the battle, feeling like I was on the front line myself facing orcs and bats, and every time someone got into a jam, I was saying, 'oh no, oh no'. In a way it reminded me of the battle of Helms Deep though here there were many more elves and dwarves. It really hurt to lose Nithron and Todith and Galeas. I pity Ithilen and Thranduil having to go back home and tell the families of all the elves that were killed that their sons and husbands and brothers were never coming home again. Immortality sucks when you have such a long time to grieve over a lost one. And there are many more that were not named among the elves as well as dwarves and men. When Legolas and Eilian were crying in the end, I had to join them. Though you say that it was depressing to write, I think that you should pat yourself on the back for doing such a fine job. You didn't lose any strings as you told the story from different POVs and you wrote it with such style that it makes the reader feel as if they are standing on the rise attacking the orcs themselves. Keeping the action going and the adrenalin flowing is very difficult in such a situation. Though I love your young Legolas stories, I think that Tangled Web is going to turn out to be one of my keepers that I will reread many times. Thanks for all you give your readers. Salarikki Author Reply: I like the idea of a box of tissues symbol! Maybe I'll suggest it to Nilmandra. LOL I'm glad the tension of the battle came through. Tolkien says that many elves died in the battle, so I imagine the homecoming must have been very sober. There would be many funerals in the next week, I would think. Your point about how immortality is not so good when sorrow has struck is a good one. Poor Elves! :-( daw | |
| naneth | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| As emotionally draining as this chapter was to read, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to write. You did an outstanding job of pulling us into the excitement and horror of battle. I have to admit that you *almost* sucked me into horror over Annael-until I remembered that he's around later! I will miss those characters that died even though they were "bit" players in a way. You do such a wonderful job of bringing all of your characters to life, that I feel as though I have lost some friends. Author Reply: I thought I might have fooled some folks with Beliond too, when Legolas tucked him behind those rocks. In truth, though, I am still a little depressed from having written this. It went on and on and it was awful. I feel so bad about Galelas in particular. Sigh. I need to do some happier stuff in the next chapter. | |
| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| Bravo! Bravo! That was one amazing chapter! I couldn't read the words fast enough and more than once I was tempted to scroll down to see who you have decided to put on the death list. Though I mourn the death of Nithron, Todith and Galelas, at least you have spared the ones that I have become very fond of. Thank you. (I hope you will be merciful and spare Sinnarn as well). Those keepers really do sacrifice all that they have to keep their charges safe, don't they? Though the battle was bloody and tense, it was also heart-warming to see all the different races fighting together so unselfishly - something we don't see in today's world. Victory comes with a high cost. Those who are now left behind will feel the guilt of surviving while seeing so many of their friends and comrades killed in this one battle. It must be hard to live with the memory of such a vicious battle and of so many deaths. Your final scene of the two brothers crying in each other's embrace really sums up the emotions that must be going through all those who have survived. That was really gut-wrenching! Thank you for sharing your considerable talent with us. Author Reply: Thank you, Manderly. When I first started writing this story, I gave serious consideration to killing Sinnarn, but when I read the end of "The Hobbit" carefully, I realized that Thranduil does not act like someone whose beloved grandchild had just been killed. So Thranduil's sons and grandsons were safe. Which was good, I guess. I can't imagine how Ithilden and Alfirin would survive if Sinnarn had died. There is heroism and valor in battle, and I wanted to show that, but I also wanted to show the grim reality too. The next chapter will have some healing in it, I think, although I suspect that true recovery will come only in time. | |
| dr_seuss_is_cool | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| Hello. Let me start off by saying that I am particularily sorry that I have not reviewed in a long while, but school had gotten in the way and before I even acknowledged it was summer I hadn't reviewed a whole story. I am really sorry for my lack of appreciation. Now on to the review, I decided to review this chapter because I couldn't contain myself. And I had some time to kill. I very much liked the fact that you focused attention on Eilian and then Legolas and then Ithilden. Very nice touch. Oh how I will miss Nithron, Galelas and Todith. I am very worried for Sinnarn. The outburst of Ithilden was one of my favorite parts in this chapter because Ithilden always seems so composed and you did a very nice job with him. The end was very somber but definately great. I could just imagine Eilian and Legolas. So wonderful. I was extremely impressed with how you did this battle. Most people focus on one person and then tell what happened to other later, but you managed to balance many people at one time. Great job! Thank you for writing. Bye bye. Author Reply: Not to worry, Dr. S. I know how busy people can get. I love hearing from you, but I'm sure there are days when you barely have time to turn around. I feel bad about the dead OCs too, particularly Galelas, but it seemed unrealistic to have everyone survive. I don't think I'm giving much away when I say that Sinnarn will survive. At the end of "The Hobbit," Thranduil is pretty cheerful, so it just didn't seem to me that his beloved grandson could have died. And you are so right about Ithilden. I can't imagine how he (or Alfirin) would go on if their son died. Ithilden's family is his soft spot. He's so controlled until it comes to them. I'm glad the battle read well. It was hard to write, I have to admit. | |
| ValkrieCrow | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| I don't know whether to cheer or cry. Your writing ability has left me speechless. It made me feel as if I was there, fighting along side Thranduil and his warriors. I am in awe of your skill! -ValkrieCrow Author Reply: Thank you, ValkrieCrow. This chapter was hard for me to write mostly because it was so ugly and depressing. I know the battle was necessary and the Elves who survived it will have a better life for at least 10 years now (Tolkien says) but still, it was grim. Better stuff in the next chapter! | |
| Nymh | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| Right, I'm distraught over Galelas, Daw. The poor, underloved guy had really grown on me (again hurling the mothering instincts into high gear.) And Todith, too! As relatively minor a character as he was, he was so engaging I hate to see him go. He's one of those steady figures that one is glad to know is present, even if only in the background. Not to mention Nithron ... oh, poor Sinnarn. If only he'd learned to be certain his enemies were dead. Sheer brilliance leaving us to wonder who Eilian and Legolas were bolting, terrified, to see in Thranduil's tent. I completely expected it to be Sinnarn (not that he's out of the woods!) and am terribly glad it wasn't. I suspect Ithilden would break. You write battle and simple physicality exceedingly well, incidentally. Thanks for another wonderful update. Author Reply: I feel completely horrible about Galelas. I can hardly write about him even now. But Tolkien said that many elves died in this battle and it just seemed unrealistic that none of my OCs would. I've written a lot about Todith too, so I also feel bad about him. I did mean to fool readers into thinking it was Sinnarn (and, for a second, maybe even Eilian, since Legolas is summoned first) but I finally decided that I couldn't kill him and remain true to the text of the "The Hobbit." At the end, Thranduil is pretty cheerful, acting not at all like someone whose beloved grandson was dead. And you are so right about Ithilden, not to mention Alfirin. I don't know if they would survive. Thank you for your kind comments. This chapter was hard to write. I look forward to having happier material for the next one, which I think will be the last one. | |
| sasseyj | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| Legolas was not the only one who let out a whoosh of air. Simply wonderful. SasseyJ Author Reply: Thank you, Sasseyj. This chapter was tough to write and really depressed me. I'm glad it's over and I can move on to happier events in the next one. | |
| LOTRFaith | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/7/2004 |
| Wiping away tears of my own.... That was an awesome chapter Daw... I clearly felt the adrenaline rush and the fury at the orcs and wargs... Wanted to grab a sword and scream:-) Aie.. It is very true, Boromir was not the first person Legolas probably saw die... Todith, Nithronand Galelas are dead amongst others, Sinnarn, Legolas and Beliond are wounded... I think the easiest way to describe war is this "War is hell." Author Reply: That's exactly my feeling about war. It may be necessary but it is never pretty. I used the outline of the battle that Tolkien gives us and just showed my characters' reactions to it. Tolkien mentions the bats feeding on the fallen for instance, which creeped me out no end. The next chapter will be a happier one. | |