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| Seeds of Old Trees by Marnie | 14 Review(s) |
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| RAKSHA THE DEMON | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 9/30/2004 |
| This has been a delightful read; full of unexpected pleasures. I never thought I'd come to like Celeborn and Galadriel; but you brought them to life even better than Tolkien did...Which is no mean feat. Author Reply: Many thanks for the kind comments both here and on the list, Raksha! I am really pleased if I've managed to make you even slightly fond of Celeborn and Galadriel. Galadriel does well enough, but Celeborn needs every supporter he can get ;) It's very special to get a review from someone who liked the story without really being a fan of those characters. Thanks again! | |
| Bejai | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 9/30/2004 |
| Oh, bravo Marnie! A wonderful finish to what has been a very facinating story. So many good things! I could go through line by line, raving about the brilliance in a turn of phrase and the images you evoke. The reunion was everything I hoped it would be. A little bit irrational on both sides, loving and fearful, angry and ecstatic. You wrote it will all the heartpounding, breathtaking emotion that I knew you would. The details! Such genius. He deserved the hit, he really did, but I'm so glad she found it within herself to forgive, and I'm glad he was willing to stand in the storm until she worked it out. This really summed it up for me: "He understood that she needed him to be a harbour, to brace himself and take the storm, until the waves could fall back and the sea lie calm within his encircling arms. But sometimes, he thought, shakily, she did not know her own strength, she did not know how close she came to breaking him." Yeah. That's it right there. After you mentioned in in an email earlier this year, I finally found a copy of 'Smith' a month or so ago and read it. And you're right ... the Elf King and Queen did seem rather familiar. This is such a wonderful, unexpected tie in! Took my breath away when I realized what you'd done. Now I must go read 'Smith' again with this background in mind. Love the idea that the token was made by Celebrimbor. And in a star, to annoy Celeborn. Ha! Celeborn's words about men were so poignant. The reminder that they are their distant grandchildren, who remember the elves distantly, who long not to be the only speaking ones in the universe! Who send messages out into the void, and hear only silence! Good of Celeborn to think of them, and know our hearts. Breathtaking, Marnie. Sad to see it end. You're downright Tolkienesque in that, leaving gaps that leave the readers wondering about what we didn't see and with questions about the future. If you're not careful, people are going to start writing fanfiction about your stories ;) A wonderful journey, as ever. Author Reply: Thanks for the review, Bejai! I am very glad that you think the end didn't let it down, as I've been rather fond of this story and was worried that I would do something to ruin it, or at least not do it justice in this chapter. Their reunion in Deific Flame was something that I often held it up to in the hopes that it would be as good as that. (Though the shirt-twisting incident is just incapable of being equalled.) There's a slight problem with chronology in tying it in with Smith - which was published, obviously, some time ago. But perhaps Celebrimbor's device had a few teething problems, like sending its user not only back to Ennor but slightly back in time too, the first time it was used? I've got space travel, why shouldn't I have time travel too ;) I do think it's odd, the way we are so despirate to believe in life on other planets, that we are not alone. It does almost seem to point to the fact that we know we shouldn't be, and we can't understand how it came to be like this. Tolkien's set up, of us having the elves at first with us, in our distant prehistory, and then having them going away, fits so well with that feeling, that it almost has to be true... if only we didn't know that he'd made it up. As for people telling the rest of the story - the 'elves in space' saga etc Mind you, I do have an idea for a happy ending for Elmo. Fingers crossed, that might be a sequel. How's DF coming on? And is the foot completely better by now? I hope so! Marnie :-) | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 9/30/2004 |
| Oh, a wonderful end, Marnie (you romantic, you!) There are some just glorious moments in this chapter! She shook herself, as though breaking from a spell, and her eyes flashed as she drew herself up to her full height, lifted her fist and slapped his upraised face with all her strength. Trust Galadriel to smack him! She is lucky he didn't smack her back, but I guess he is a gentleman even when she forgets to be a lady. Their pain is very palpable - yet despite harsh words, it comes through clearly that neither is taking a chance on losing the other, no matter what little games they have been playing. I like this too: Sometimes it was as though she held the spirit of all three clans within her, and one never knew which would come to the fore. and this he began to think that he was not so unnatural a Teler after all. Did he not love this sea, dangerous as it was, in all its moods? That sums them both up very well. I had to laugh at what Celeborn noticed too - thinking this after battling with his wife: It was, Celeborn knew at once, carefully tended and designed to look wild, and he felt a small quirk of private laughter at the strangeness of the Noldor, who strove so hard for an effect they could have achieved by doing nothing. It rather reminds me of their relationship actually - not that it could be achieved by doing nothing, but if they spent less time at each other's throats, they might have been happier. Oh well - they are what they are. Wonderful ending. I couldn't figure out why they would still be talking, and with Finrod, when they had finally made up *grin* - but I love the idea of the Straight Road and the Fay-star and searching for their lost kin. A wonderful story, Marnie. I'm sorry to see it end. Author Reply: LOL! Thanks Nilmandra! I would have said I didn't have an ounce of romance in my soul, but perhaps it's Celeborn's influence and he has a carefully hidden romantic streak? You're quite right - there was no way they weren't going to make up, but there was a serious amount of hurt to get out first. I was glad you liked the idea of Galadriel as a sort of fusion of all three clans, Tolkien showed her Vanyar side, and her Noldor side, I think, but apart from sailing in a swan boat she doesn't get much of a chance to show her Teleri side. With all those sides it's not surprising that their relationship has a tendancy towards turmoil! But they might well have profited from just relaxing a little more. As for talking, I suspect there'll be several hours more talking - with Finarfin and Earwen et al - before they have to face the question of whether he's still going to be sleeping in the guest bedroom or not ;) I'm really glad you liked it. Thanks! | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 9/30/2004 |
| You FINISHED it! It's too soon. Want more: want lots more! What a fantastic story - I just loved all of it. And the reconciliation! It's a good thing that Galadriel bent when she did - and that she was aware of Celeborn's feelings. I most certainly wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of that swing - and I suspect poor Celeborn will feel it for a while. I'm so relieved that in the end they couldn't resist acknowledging their deep love of each other and that they were each prepared to make concessions to the other. I shall doubtless have to comment again after the next couple of readings, but I just had to let you know what a deeply satisfying conclusion this was to a beautifully crafted story. Author Reply: I'm delighted that you think it works as a conclusion though - that's great! I wasn't confident about it - I never am confident about my ability to write all that relationship stuff :) | |