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Seeds of Old Trees  by Marnie 49 Review(s)
SphinxReviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/27/2019
Loitering in this part of the world after (probably) an Age. Pun intended. This is still so wonderful and you have woven such magic around these two, who still are so much a part of my head (despite a very long hiatus). I hope you are still writing!

alyaReviewed Chapter: 2 on 4/15/2006
"like Thingol himself, that beloved and long missed place had been reborn, here? A small stirring of life, of hope, took root in that thought, like a blade of grass in a concrete car park. "

Excellent story but "like a blade of grass in a concrete car park" ??? Umm, serious cognitive dissonance here. Unless Valinor has cars and no one told me...

Have to say though, it's the only real gap I've found in any of the stories I've read so far.


Author Reply: Thanks for the review, Alya! I'm glad you're enjoying the story, but I have to say read on, and you'll find out why I used that metaphor. Valinor has no cars, but Celeborn did not leave for Valinor until very recently - *he* therefore has knowledge of cars, acid rain, airflight, spaceflight, and all the other modern things we don't usually associate with the elves. Tolkien says that it is not known when he sailed, therefore it didn't have to be in the fourth age, he could have hung around for Ages :)

Hope that clears things up!

KalimaReviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/1/2005

I can see this story was written with love, and may we all get to go to Valinor to such joy and reunitings. Thank you for writing it. I found it all believable, and the characters true.

A beautiful, beautiful story. I loved it. I'll print it out to read when I'm feeling nostalgic and romantic.

KalimaReviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/31/2005
Hey, here I am not getting enough sleep, and it's all your fault! Yes, it is. Absolutely. I know where the responsibility lies, yes I do, and I know how to examine such complex issues because I've been reading Seeds of Old Trees.

Now I'm going to have to keep reading becuase I can't stand Celeborn (whom I love also, as you may have guessed) being left in despair, his head in his hands.

K

Author Reply: Hopefully you've found out by now that all's well that ends well; not only for Celeborn but also for me, because I didn't want to let go of the idea that he might well still be around. I like the idea of him wandering invisibly through the world of Men.

If he turns up here, I'll ask him to come and see you :)

KalimaReviewed Chapter: 6 on 1/31/2005
See, here I am reading on though I have serious and even desperate work to do. I love seeing the characters I'm reading of in The Silmarillion fleshed out. How do you characterize these people? So many to dream up, and you do it so well.

I have been kinda wondering if I should assume that Celeborn and Elu were lovers once, as you wrote in Summer Lightning. Should I sorta keep that in mind, or do you intend for this to be an entirely different story? It can work either way so far, I see.

K

Author Reply: Sorry (not much ;) ) to take you away from your work! As far as characterizing most of the Silm characters it's a case of joining the dots from what we know about them. Finarfin, for example, was the only one of Finwe's sons sensible and dutiful enough to turn back and face the music after the Kinslaying - so he must be fairly levelheaded and reasonable; but with a dash of every father's protectiveness towards his little girl.

As far as Celeborn and Elu go, the emotional dynamic is not much different either way - Celeborn adores Elu, Elu values Celeborn greatly and likes him a lot.

But on the whole this is more in the series of my gen fic, fitting in with Oak and Willow, rather than Summer Lightning. Hopefully there is going to be a SL tie in - at some point - as an alternative to this, in which C+E get back together on a slightly more equal and permanent basis. But I keep putting off writing the break-up fics as they're just going to be so depressing!


KalimaReviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/31/2005
Ah, how satisfying. I am deeply saddened that Melian has told Celeborn his grandfather was tortured into orcdom, but I'm hoping some kind of justice for those taken and so cruelly treated will eventually come. (Maybe not in your story ...)

I liked the scene where he meets his friend Calandil again, but i wanted at least a hug between them once it was clear how close they had been! (It's okay, I can handle it ...) I love your ability for witty speech.

Thanks for the story. Every chapter makes me weep, makes me smile, you have the complexity I would hope would be there. You're right. If everything is just happily ever after, what's the fun in that?

K

Author Reply: Thanks! No, I felt so guilty for doing that to Elmo that I had to write 'All Hallows Day' afterwards to sort this problem out. This story just keeps generating spin-offs :)

I agree that Celeborn should have hugged Calandil. I can only assume that it happened off camera because they were both too blokeish and embarrassed to do it while I was watching.

This *is* a happily ever after story, but there are just a few trials to be struggled through before it gets there, because it would be very boring otherwise ;) I'm delighted that you're liking it nevertheless.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/7/2004
Just out of interest - are all Galadriel's older brothers going to be sitting round the table with them come dinner-time? Because there is absolutely no chance whatsoever of this very delicate situation remaining calm. At least one of them will have to needle her into full fury. Older brothers (even ancient elven reborn ones) are never going to let an opportunity like this drop.

The sisters-in-law are less likely to say anything - but the look on their faces might be even more infuriating.

If they last the evening, they probably stand a pretty good chance of survival. A bit of solitude and bond renewal will do wonders. (And give the family a chance to get over their sniggers.)

Author Reply: Hm, it would be fun if they were! Aegnor's still in Mandos, of course, but I thought of the rest of them as having their own houses close by, and so not being there. Just Finrod and Orodreth. And Orodreth's too quiet and too nice to do more than smile.

You're making me feel sorry for Galadriel. Poor girl! The amount of teasing she's going to be coming in for. But no doubt she'll sail through it serene as a swan, leaving everyone thinking how gracious she is... Though that might be more difficult, now I come to think of it, with her own brothers :)

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
Not even if I said please?

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
Not THAT kind of visit from Finrod!!!!! A talking over old times kind of visit.

Though that could happen . . . and then his sister arrived and gave him that LOOK, with her foot tapping and her arms folded until he got the general idea.

I would just love to see the dancing around when Galadriel arrived back at the house with Celeborn in tow. Finarfin looking him over, inspecting him for bloodshed . . Earwen noting the bruise . . Galadriel putting up her chin and daring anyone to mention that she said she never wanted to see him again . . Celeborn treading on eggshells in an attempt to keep all these emotions relatively stable.



Author Reply: LOL! They are such a fun family! And now poor Finarfin has to try to get to like him after all.
But at least Celeborn will get his revenge when they go back to Doreden and Galadriel has to put up with all the smug looks, and the 'he's only got to snap his fingers and she comes running' comments from *his* friends.

Oh don't! You'll have me wanting to write a sequel, and that would never do :)

FyreReviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/1/2004
Oh, that was lovely! I seldom read fanfic in the Lord of the Rings world, simply due to time constraints, but Redpanda recommended this and I have such a soft spot for Celeborn that I could not resist.

The way you wrote the Elves and the image of Valinor that you presented it absolutely beautiful and Celeborn's initial reaction is perfect. more than perfect. I had never even considered this angle, but it is perfect, as is Galadriel's behaviour. I do believe I will be looking for more of your work when I have time :)

Author Reply: Many thanks for the review, Fyre! I'm flattered that you'd make a special effort to read my stuff and glad that it didn't disappoint. You must be a person of good taste to like Celeborn - we are a small but select elite ;)

Valinor was never one of my favourite places in Tolkien, but I think that like Celeborn, I've got reconciled to it now. It makes a difference, to me, thinking of it as a new beginning rather than the end.

Anyway, thanks again, and I hope you like the rest of my stuff if you get round to reading it :)

Marnie :-)

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