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| Evensong by Rose Sared | 143 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 10/11/2005 |
| as the wind blew piebald shadows across the plains of Rohan What a stunning piece of imagery that is! And multi-levelled, too. I love the picture of Aragorn very tactfully manoeuvring Gimli into riding with him - only to discover that he could just have asked and the poor bruised dwarf, struggling with the ring, would have happily agreed to avoid the demon horse. These friends are now of such long-standing that they fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. (Although not for much longer, I'm sorry to know.) And Gimli is just the kind of person who can deal with the ring. Delusions of glory and omnipotence just do nothing for him. Solid as the rock that forms the bones of Arda - but with a wood-elf-inspired appreciation for things that grow and live around it. Would Narvi have been quite as sensitive to the death of a mouse? I don't know. Certainly not by the end. Gimli will not let the ring escape his control - not if he can help it. But it exhausts him. Aragorn is wise to say that his knee will get better in its own time - but I still liked to see Gimli use a thread of power to heal. The Ents - they have become more as their charges have become less. But what is the future for them? Legolas can sail when the loss of interaction with the forest becomes unbearable, but the Ents don't, I think, have such an opportunity. (Although the Blessed Realm could do with Ents in its forests, I would think.) And what has actually become of all the forest / river spirits? They just winked out of existence - or they were pushed somewhere else? I just loved this. And my fingers are crossed that the words Chapter 1 are already written somewhere on your computer, so that my insatiable desire to know what happens next can soon be fed. I am reluctant for the end of the next decade - but there must be stories before that, that will leave Aragorn in as good health as a man of two centuries can expect. And beyond the sea, when the pain of loss has subsided somewhat. Or even in the past! Whatever they are, I look forward to reading them. Author Reply: Bod, you have always written such lovely reviews - it is worth writing chapter one somewhere just in anticipation of getting some more of your encouragement. I will let the muses get frustrated and see what happens. Thank you for your steadfast support. Rose | |
| Imrahoil | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 10/4/2005 |
| Pooooooooke. Your update is overdue ... Author Reply: Sorry daughters 21st took much more time and energy than I supposed. Thoughts of what happens next with our heros are perculating, will get second half of ch on paper tomorrow I think. Rose | |
| Imrahoil | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 9/23/2005 |
| Now I feel like a machine, a review machine, it lowers the standard, I'm afraid. Poor Legolas, it is really not a good thing to be an immortal with mortal friends. Tztztz, I would have thought a hero dwarf would have (English?) needed more of an emergency to give in to temptation than just a bit of pain - cough cough - and the broken arm of a wizard who prefers horses over dwarves. Does he has to learn the hard way - e.g. by getting hit over the head with a dead tree trunk by an angry ent, I want to know what has happened to the ents, that's a hint - that using the ring comes with a price to others?! Great chapters, Rose, thanks a lot, next chapter. "reminding him of alternates" Alternates? Author Reply: Should probably have been alternatives, sorry, slippy slidy English again, the phrases are often used interchangeably in speech, probably shouldn't be in writing. If you are a machine it is a worthy one, thank you so much for your self imposed task, your reviews are never, never boring and do much to shore up my fragile writing ego, plus challenging my plotting - the ents will be addressed I promise. I think Gimli has a curiosity to match a cat's and could not resist healing the wizard, plus Valda herself is used to healing and probably made a strong suggestion. Those two (the ring and the dwarf) have a little sorting out to do! Thanks for the attention. Rose | |
| Imrahoil | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 9/23/2005 |
| Ha, nice to see Aragorn being 1.: for once the comic relief and 2.: on the wrong end of a healing and the usual obnoxious medicines, does him good, I'm sure. O.k. two ValaR, you're right. "Third time pays for all, Gimli." Huhu, why am I not surprised to see this sentence pop up? You're somewhat addicted to it - or do I perhaps mix you up with Larner?, hmmm, wurscht. But what does it MEAN? Is it always meant figuratively? If not what does "third time" refer to? Next review. Author Reply: Sorry to be the writer of cliche's - but I don't think I have used it before - It is a common enough platitude. It is used figuratively but it refers to the British? superstition that the fates are three-fold (the good, the bad and the indifferent?)implying that most things, good or bad, come in threes, therefore when you get to the third time you have come to the end of that cycle, and paid homage to the fates. (hopefully they will leave you alone after that!) There may be a more scholarly explanation than my off the cuff one - if so I will pass it on. Loves your reviews, they are always so interesting. Rose | |
| Imrahoil | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/23/2005 |
| That's my Stony - why isn't he petrified by the way and do we get to know what happened to the Ents? -, not exactly a bright one and a hazard to everyone's health but he does mean well. Nice to see that even Shiny Beanpole gets it, yes, yes, I know, he means well too. Inventive swearing, "By the nine fingers of Frodo!", very fitting to the situation, being merciful and not even knowing how Gimli has fared. Mean cliffhanger, but who cares, teedee. You probably mean Daw's review about Celebrimbor's death?! I knew that, but I kind of thought he had been skinnend alive and his skin displayed, well, I read it years ago and in a German translation. When you started with those two I had a rather grim picture in my mind of Narvi collecting bits and pieces of her master and resurrecting him with it, small wonder that Celebrimbor's wounds still ooze, brrrrrr. Author Reply: Ewww, skinned alive, very yuk. I think that the reason Stony was not petrified is first - the sun had just moved out of the frame of the cave mouth, and second, he was not directly in the stream of making/unmaking magic that his mother was interfering with. A littel vignette with the ents will be along later. Thank you for your loyalty my friend, I really missed your comments. Rose | |
| ziggy | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 9/22/2005 |
| Sneaks guiltily in- having not reviewed since Ch16- grovelling apologies becasue i have read avidly each chapter as it came out, greedily, like some dreadful vampire! And then not reviewed. But this is just getting better and better- I just can't second guess what is going to happen and my poor fevered imagination is off on some wild goose chase only to find you have done something completely diferent and utterly convincing and 'right'. Poor little stoney- I am so sad for him. I loved it when Legolas got cross with himself, but little stoney melts even the hardest of hearts- its so sad the way you have written about his mother. Ah, and so beautifully written- the music, I could almost hear it. And you have done it again, that smoothing away of Gimli's hair- just puts that image striaght in my head-the tenderness of that gesture says everything, you just dont need gushing hyperbole. And isnt Gimli just wonderful- first thing he blurts out to any Vala that happens to just be hanging around is to compain about Legolas carrying him around! There was also, of course, that desparate tenderness between Celbrimbor and Narvi- so beautifully written it made me cry. That sense of the beautiful vision Celebrimbor had (even if I dont really think ME without wargs and dragons etc will be much fun and am desparetly hoping you are going to UNDO!!!! all the - OK- so it was GOOD magic, but a bit dull perhaps...what are they going to do without orcs and wargs anyway?..OK- rant over. I LIKE baddies.)Now i can go and on but HAVE to read the next chapter. ANd cant wait any longer. Thank you!! I like Sarthor's increasing bossinees of Aragorn. He needs someone like that around who just loves him enough to insist! Author Reply: Rose pats review on the head, fondly. The only required bit is that you read and enjoy, ziggy. I love to hear from you but (as I remind myself when I feel sad) a review is a gift, and yours a great gift as you say such nice things. I sorry about M-e being bereft of its more florid magic, but I think I am trying to explain why the M-e I live in is bereft of magical beings (or at least the ones I might trip over and then eat me) Never fear I have rather more of this tale to tell, of how M-e settles into its new pattern and how our heroes cope. Just trying to work it all out in my own head before I inflict it on you. Thanks for the kind words Rose | |
| TithenFeredir | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 9/20/2005 |
| Oh good, my question about why Legolas took Gimli away is answered. And not what I expected. It's good to be surprised! It would have been extremely disappointing if you had created the possibility of a vigil scene and then not done it. But what you wrote was perfect, I think. "The elf had purloined a soft wool robe from an ornately carved clothes press. Wrapped his friend in its comfort and laid him on the bed. Sat with him, sang to him, exhorted him, cried." That catalogue of actions, "sat with him, sang to him, exhorted him, cried", is so simple and yet from those few words you create a picture of an agonized stretch of hours in which Legolas does everything he can think of to bring his friend back, and with it there is his fear and grief, perhaps his rising desperation and despair. So much in such a restrained sentence. And then this: "Gimli inched his right arm away from his body...and curled his hand around Legolas’ bicep. Legolas looked down at the contact...blinked at the sudden tears that caused the room to swim unsteadily before him. “Lad?” Legolas blinked at Gimli’s rusty voice. “ I will not leave you, now or ever. Rest.” Legolas felt his chest tighten on an involuntary sob, controlled it with the last remnants of his will, turned eyes of fire onto his friend, only to find Gimli’s eyes shut again. The dwarf had drifted back into sleep, still holding onto his arm." The depth of feeling between these two as well as Legolas'pang of relief are shown clearly, but still the expressions are very masculine. Gimli grasps his arm, not his hand, Legolas stifles the sob as quickly as it rises, and though very few words are exchanged,the meaning gets across. I think you did the vigil in a really creative way that was quite dramatic, and you did it with a lovely, light touch. I also loved the eternal, impersonal song of the stars, Legolas' slightly bitter musings on elven endurance and the little reference to the stench of men. The way you built up the feeling of Legolas' fatigue was masterful. It's interesting that he can't sense the presence of Gimli's ring. This review is running to long. I just really enjoyed this whole chapter! ~TF Author Reply: Thank you for 'getting' my writing with such pleasure TF. It is hard to tell you how much it makes this process worthwhile, I often don't feel very mainstream with my take on M-e so having your appreciation makes me feel all gooey. And like getting on with the next chapter by crikey! Rose | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 9/20/2005 |
| I was interested in Legolas saying his connection to Arda was muted. Is that a result of magic leaving I wonder? Or is it something else? But even with it muted, he's still sitting in an open window. Lovely imagery as always, Rose, and I especially liked the image of Legolas as a mother cat with one kitten, "sleep sodden," not all in the waking world yet. Author Reply: I think the rearrangements that have happened in Arda have profoundly disturbed our fav. elf. and lets face it, change is not his forte (or even, arguably, sll that good for him) Like the rest of us he'll get over it - heh Rose | |
| Imrahoil | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 9/20/2005 |
| 3 chapters? I should take a long weekend - Athens, goody, eh? - more often - nudge, nudge, I can't write reviews when I'm not online -. You are panting really hard for a holiday, aren't you? Well, whatever drives you on I won't complain. Haven't read a word so far - my boss is breathing rather forthfully into my neck at the moment, phhh, nothing here that can't be done later as well -, but I have glimpsed thousands of ValaRs and MaiaRs etc., Rose, stooop it. So, thanks for delivering, be patient, reviews are coming, if slowly, and CONGRATULATIONS, I'm so glad. Author Reply: Fooled you - this time there are more than one Vala - heh. But, not more than one Maia, so wrong again - a bare 'a' just looks wrong - damn the English language. Since you helped deliver this patient I will be patient and await your judgement (read daw's review btw - I didnt know that!) Nice to hear from you I was getting worried. Athens huh? Jealous? moi? - never. Rose | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 9/20/2005 |
| Great first sentence. Great conclusion. And everything in between - guess what? - terrific. Poor Legolas. Boy, do you get across how this immortal being is - stretched thin, tormented, haunted by the spectre of unendurable loss and the knowledge of its eternal endurance. Even the night gets a break and rests in the warmth of the day - but the elves go on. “ I will not leave you, now or ever. Rest.” I'm not surprised that Legolas found this worth pondering. Here we have a dwarf on his last legs - and who has been for some while - promising an endurance of which no mortal is capable. Yet from one whose faithfulness is legendary. Probably a good thing Legolas can't yet see into his meaning. You can certainly see Radagast's long experience against Earnulf's still rather puppy-like bounce as they find the two missing members of their party. And that was a rather impressive way for Gimli to demonstrate the power of his ring. So Legolas hasn't sensed its presence? Too tired? Too worried? Or too diminished by the incomplete working? To which, I suppose, Radagast, as one of Iluvatar's pre-Ardan spirits, could well be exempt. Excellent. More please. Author Reply: Bod you are so generous with your reviews - thank you, thank you. I am glad this story is still flying for you, it keeps wanting to twist into its own path, sometimes I let it and other times I get all cross and strict and make it do what I want. Twisty bit may be coming up - hah! Leggy insists he does not sense the ring so why creator person, come on? Person who plays archer in film stands with legs apart arms folded looking sorta grim and yum. Sigh, you are young enough to be my son, laddy, don't be giving me those looks. Getting late, must sleep. More soon. Rose | |