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Interrupted Journeys: Part 2 Journeys Perforce by elliska	82 Review(s)
Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/3/2004
Oh no! I knew they would have under-estimated the number of orcs!! (Well, I didn't, but I was worried that this wasn't going to be a push-over.) The opening description of the damaged forest begging for protection was very moving - together with the desecrated land. '“So we are going to attack an unknown number of orcs, certainly more then hundred, that are armed with bows and sheltered in a fortification that we must approach from down slope across an open plain at night?” he summarized. Aradunnon nodded grimly. “How did you think that this was different from Dagorlad?” Thranduil asked wryly. “They have not yet built gates,” Aradunnon replied sardonically.' Beautifully understated, yet making all the difficulties of the fight clear to understand in remarkably few words. 'As one of only three mounted warriors in this unit and the one obviously commanding it, Thranduil stood out as a valuable target.' This always seems a bit of a downside to the fancy horse, armour, crowned helmets, vigilant guard, flying standard, etc of being the leader. Useful for your own side to see who and where you were - but also making you a more than slightly obvious target, even to an enemy as basically dumb as orcs. This whole situation sounds very worrying - tell Thranduil to get home safely. He has not yet begat himself any heirs! Perhaps he should. Author Reply: Yes, Amon Lanc cannot be a push-over. I wanted to show that they knew that it would be a tough fight (because they obviously aren't inept at warfare) and that they were still surprised (because, as we know, Tolkien says it took everyone a long time to figure out what was happening in Dol Guldur. I thought the power in the mountain might surprise them a lot and I figured I'd start showing that surprise from their very first encounter). I like the description of the forest in the beginning too. I think seeing the forest damaged (either this way by orcs or simply by the Shadow) would have been a remarkably painful process for the elves. Especially for Thranduil because he has seen so many homes destroyed and he is responsible for this one. Somewhere in the back of his mind he is already hearing a little voice...'not this one too.' What happens in Mirkwood is very sad for so many reasons. And yes--the fancy equipment and insignia and all that can be very detrimental in battle. It is a given in medieval battle tactics that one of your primary objectives is to eliminate the enemy commanders. And since commanders always fought from the front of the line to be able to see what was happening and give orders, they were always vulnerable. That is why they had guards in battle--to protect them and free them enough from the need to constantly fight so that they could concentrate a little on the overall process of the battle and give orders. It was tough to be king. :) I'll pass it on to Thranduil that you want him to stay safe. She sighes and thinks about having a conversation with Thranduil...can I, please? I sure hope they make The Hobbit and understand Thranduil's character when they do it. :)

picara	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/2/2004
I left a review on Open Scrolls but I forgot to ask something. Better to ask here anyway since they have a reply function: what Thranduil does with his horse (where it attacks the orcs)--is that realistic? Could horses be trained to do that? I thought it was cool. I just wondered if it was possible. Liked the chapter. By the way, in the other story you asked what was up with my screen name. I did choose it because I did my Masters in spanish lit and I liked Lazarillo de Tormes. I assume you've read it? Author Reply: Thanks for the double review :) Yes, it was not uncommon in the Middle Ages to teach horses to kick and bite on command. This was done after the horse was conditioned to work under battle conditions (loud noises etc) and to accept pain without bolting. It must have been really tough to be a war stallion. So you have a Masters in Spanish Lit? Cool. Yes, I've read Lazarillo. If you liked that, you should surely try El Buscon. It is hilarious--especially the part where they are in the school and then 'rescued' from it. You might alos try the novels of Castillo Solorzano--they are not first rate but they do fit your screen name (the picaro is a picara).

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/2/2004
Oh, this is getting exciting! I hope nothing is going to go wrong on this attack - it sounds as if they've underestimated numbers badly. Please don't let Thranduil or his brother be hurt! Author Reply: I'm glad you feel it is exciting. I can never resist a little focus on strategy because I find it interesting personally. My friend who is reading this and I argue over it because she says it slows the pace too much. They have underestimated Amon Lanc. I can't promise they won't be hurt. evil grin Thanks so much or the review!

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/2/2004
Aw yeah! Bring it on, Thranduil, bring it on! Now, that was battle writing. Very clear strategy and realistic use of weaponry. I like that. You are one of the few authors to remember that swords and daggers have two edges, and they're both sharp. (For the record, scimitars only have one sharp edge.) The issue of attacking over an open plain is a fascinating one. You're right; generally, a defending army won't come out if they see an army charging over a plain towards their stronghold. But there is a record of an army doing just that. In 1759, Major General James Wolfe attacked Quebec (under the command of the Marquis de Montcalm) by scaling the cliffs from the St. Lawrence River and crossing the Plains of Abraham. The French could see the British coming from miles away. Incredibly, instead of staying safely within the fortress of Quebec, Montcalm led his soldiers out to engage the British on the Plains of Abraham. Both Montcalm and Wolfe died in the battle, but the British won. If the French had stayed in Quebec, there would have been a protracted siege, and Wolfe's army was not at all prepared to do that. The French could have outlasted the British, but they chose to leave the fortress. Just think -- your Orcs are brighter than the 1759 edition of the French army! Also, props to you for knowing that the command to shoot an arrow in a pre-gunpowder age is "Release!" not "Fire!" Thranduil scowled and looked at Aradunnon. “So we are going to attack an unknown number of orcs, certainly more then hundred, that are armed with bows and sheltered in a fortification that we must approach from down slope across an open plain at night?” he summarized. Aradunnon nodded grimly. "It's 106 miles to Barad-Dur," he said, "We've got a full bag of horse feed, half a wafer of lembas, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses." "Hit it," Thranduil said. Sorry. Someone had to say it. Author Reply: Thanks French Pony, I'm really glad you liked it. This was very difficult to write. I do medieval battle re-enactment on a regular basis (historically based stuff, not Society for Creative Anachronism, though I used to do that too). I am a flanking archer normally but I also carry a broadsword and a dagger and I am usually an officer, so I do know something about proper commands and the use of bladed weapons. I love designing tactics. Last summer, one of our free mêlées (i.e. one we did for fun that wasn't scripted) was exactly this situation and I am copying the tactics and outcome of our battle. So I know this general scheme worked at least once. :) That was fascinating about Montcalm--not a good choice! I am definitely going to have to look that up. The One Hundred Years War contains other examples of commanders making equally poor choices of that nature and that is what we re-enact alot. But--I almost passed out laughing at your Blues Brothers parody. I actually have the movie on and I am watching it right now. How about that for a really bizarre coincidence?! When I read that I about died. Too funny. Thanks for the review. You made my day because I worried about this chapter. Writing battles is tough to do.

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/2/2004
Great battle scene! The brothers certainly do have contrasting styles. Aradrunnon is clever but he seems to have stumbled into a hornet's nest. I suppose it's better to know what's there, but this is obviously the sign of a serious problem. Author Reply: Thanks. I find them very difficult to write although I like the topic intellectually. I do historical battle re-enactments and I love pre-gunpowder era strategy and tactics. Yes, Aradunnon has got a hornets nest on his hands, no doubt. They did not know exactly what they were facing. They did the best reconnaissance they could but under the circumstances they just couldn't find everything. Perhaps that is the nature of Amon Lanc and the evil dwelling there. It is definitely a sign of trouble. That will be clear to Thranduil before his day is over.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/29/2004
No comparison AT ALL intended between the warbling Timberlake child and the charismatic King - only in considering the response of fainting females to the objects of desire. And having said King, I'm now subject to Elvis visions, thank you ver' much, and that is no better. Author Reply: LOL. I thought not! And you are right--that whole Elvis thing is just painful. Too funny. Good laugh to start the morning with. And so was the image of elflings drawing moustaches on the illustrations in Elrond's books (reply to the review in Reflections from the Paradise of Elves). You really had me rolling this morning. Thanks :)

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/28/2004
Oh my, I hope they don't under-estimate the dangers at Amon Lanc. I wouldn't want that charming flirt to be damaged. And Lindomiel would be most annoyed with you if you permitted Thranduil to get in too much trouble. I hope the scouts discover considerably more before the rest of the troops arrive - they seem to have been making rather a lot of assumptions without too much in the way of solid back-up. Hallion is right to say that they should get good weapons from the Dwarves - it is purely practical and much more sensible than trying to reinvent the wheel. There are times when prejudice and evil memories have to be buried in the face of a new and greater threat. The financial aspect seems a little worrying - if they are having trouble equipping the army, how are they going to fund the building of the Stronghold? Lindomiel has been listening to Amoneth for a long time. Perhaps Amoneth needs to consider some fresh tactics. Or give up. Interesting that Aradunnon can't bear to have her chatting up other elves, but cannot equate that with his appreciative eye. They need to take their bond rather further, I think. Nursing him back to health might help. Fainting at the sight of the beautiful elf lord seems a bit of an extreme reaction. I can just see all his fans screaming and waving their scarves as they have to be carried off by security. (The Justin Timberlake of Eryn Galen) Author Reply: Aradunnon has been busy doing his job scouting but even so.... But I can't hurt them too badly yet. It's only the third chapter and this story as nine or ten as it's written now, depending on how I decide to break it up. I need them alive for a little while yet :) I agree with you and Hallion--be cautious given past grievances, but think about the future. Faced with serious threats, I think a good king would at least investigate all possible options. We'll see how it works out. And yes, I think the financial situation in Mirkwood has to be interesting. Hopefully they got some booty in the war against Sauron. But other than that, where would gold come from? Not their mountains. Not from Lindon with Oropher surely--I doubt refugees from Doriath dragged gold around with them. They'd have to trade for wealth. And despite the fact that it says in UT (I think its that one but I don't have the books with me right now) that Thranduil did not have the help of dwarves to build the stronghold like they had to build Menegroth in Doriath, it still seems to me that such a construction project would require some funds. I find how all these changes took place to be fascinating to contemplate. It had to be difficult. As for Aradunnon and Amoneth, we will see them in action soon. But Justin Timberlake as Thranduil? Ooooo, yuck. :) Fainting fangirls--it is an extreme reaction, no doubt. Those screaming female fans have always been a mystery to me. I never got that excited over any of the 'hunks' of my time. Liked looking at them, never would have fainted in one's presence. :)

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/28/2004
So Thranduil and Aradunnon think they're just going to waltz into Amon Lanc and take care of those orcs, huh? Oh, to be naive and optimistic again. I hope Aradunnon told Thranduil what the place looks like now. Thranduil might just have a heart attack on seeing it. I like all the discussions about finances and supplies and how the Elves are going to pay for what they buy and who they buy it from and whether it's worth it to buy raw materials and transport or finished weapons, all that economic jazz. Mirkwood has always seemed to me to be in an economically tight spot, and, weird as it may seem, I do enjoy reading stories where the Elves do have to do some thinking about where their next meal is coming from. Thranduil seems quite open-minded about dealing with Dwarves, even to the point of twitting his mother about it (but I'll bet Lindomiel would charm those Dwarves into showering her with "free samples" and other useful swag!). I wonder what happens between now and "The Hobbit," because in that book, he doesn't seem nearly so well inclined towards Dwarves. Oh, before I forget: I'm studying for an MA in Ethnomusicology. I do Scottish Country Dancing, and that was Saturday's performance. The dancing in "Masque of the King Stag" isn't especially related to that, though country dancing does crop up in another story I wrote. It's not here, though; it's only on ff.n. Perhaps I will move it here. Good old Amoneth. High school flirting never dies, does it. Lindomiel seems very happy in her assurance that, while Thranduil may look, she has his heart. I suppose that's one advantage of the soul-bonding thing that Elves have going. When their husbands look at pretty girls, they know for sure that said husbands are faithful. Human women just don't have that assurance. I think I would have loved to see Thranduil's face when the human woman fainted upon seeing him. That must have been absolutely priceless! Author Reply: Thranduil is not going to be a very happy elf when he finally arrives at Amon Lanc. It is a strange thing for the readers to know the future, isn't it? We know good deal more about how these things are going to turn out in the long run than the characters do right now. It kind of makes parts of this sad to me. But it is interesting to me too. When I wrote this, I had to sit and wonder--how did Dol Guldur develop. Did the elves just discover one day that something built a fortification there? How would you miss that? Did the Shadow just drop over Greenwood one night and never rise? Its possible, it's Sauron, after all. Or did things slowly go from bad to worse? It's interesting to think about. I've read a lot of fictions on this topic, so this is my take. I agree with you. Part of what makes medieval lit interesting is seeing portrayed how they did basic things, so I tend to enjoy stories that deal with practical problems too. And one of the things that interests me is how Mirkwood would finance a two thousand year war against Dol Guldur. I mean, sure they can hunt some for food, but they'd have to have other supplies or they'd drop like flies out there. Swords aren't free and I read somewhere (too lazy to look up the reference right now) that the mountains in Mirkwood are mineral poor. A forest that vast would have to have things growing in it that would be valuable to someone--question is who can pay and with what? As Thranduil said, he is willing to consider the deal with the dwarves. We will see how this relationship with dwarves develops and it would be a long one, I think. He doesn't love the dwarves in the Hobbit, but they aren't exactly shining examples of courteous behavior either--crashing a party three times and then refusing to answer questions. Yes, it would be nice to know you completely have your husband's heart. I kind of laughed myself writing that line about the woman fainting--picture fangirls meeting Orlando Bloom. Sad but I was in LA for a business trip once and I saw some girl pass out over her dinner because somebody famous walked in the restaurant--I didn't even recognize the dude. Whatever. But Aradunnon will interact with Amoneth here soon. I knew you had to be doing grad work. Your classes sound just too cool. And Ethnomusicology sounds very interesting assuming you have a good program, which it sounds like you do. I'm very jealous. I miss that type of things in the dry world of technology (today I am installing a new SQL database for auto-inventorying computer hardware and software...Oh goody, can I?)

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/28/2004
This is getting scary. It sounds as if you're building to quite a battle. Lindomiel and Amoneth's discussion of Aradrunnon was interesting. It sounds as if he's looking to have his cake and eat it too! Author Reply: Thanks for the review. Yes, it will get scary--I hope :) Aradunnon probably does not get everything he should get (I work with one guy who is similarly clueless and watching him go through girlfriends serves as entertainment for all of us 'older ladies' at work. It's really funny). But Aradunnon will get his own two cents here soon too.

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/26/2004
Yay, more story! Sorry I didn't get to this earlier. I had a dance performance last night, and massive rehearsal leading up to that. But it's all over now, we danced beautifully, I looked just like a hobbit. . . but I digress. . . I liked the device of having Lindomiel stay flat in the boat and not being able to see the battle. It's so hard to write battles convincingly, and they're kind of like sex scenes -- too many of them, and they all start to sound alike. But if you do something different, like concentrate on a character who is only getting the vaguest impressions of what's going on, that makes it much more powerful. Especially when the guards are getting shot right in the boat. It's good to see that Miss Lindomiel has learned to obey the guards when they tell her to do something. There were a couple of odd moments here. Fresh fish roasting over a fire smell appetizing, but "pungent" is probably not a word I'd use to describe it. If fish smell "pungent," then they are at least a week old, and you don't want to be eating them. And the rowers must be pretty good to maneuver the boat from its moorings. I've been rowing since I was nine, and I worked on a riverboat for a summer, and it was my impression that you loose the moorings before you start rowing. Rowers can push a boat away from a dock (and if you're in a crew shell, it is a mildly tricky maneuver that you have to practice), or they can slip a mooring line by hand, but maneuvering the boat out of a line by rowing power alone just doesn't work. I did like the way the Elves reacted to the danger. Suddenly, everyone goes in an instant from being carefree and chattering to silent and alert. Just like a herd of deer or a bunch of squirrels will do. That seems very Elvish to me, to be able to do that. She's been married nine hundred years and still she cries when she leaves her parents? What a tender heart. No wonder Thranduil loves her. A little sentimental for my tastes, though. Author Reply: Congrats on your dance performance. That sounds like a lot of fun. I used to be involved in stuff like that when I taught and I miss it so much. I'm jealous. At some point you are going to have to mention what it is you are studying (for what degree--you've mentioned a bunch of your classes). I am so jealous. It sounds like a great program. I definitely agree with you about battle/sex scenes (I was actually saying exactly that to someone else yesterday in an IM and thinking about your comments about the epilogue in the last story when I was--funny). That's why I did this that way. There are a couple of them in this story and I had to play with ways to describe them to make it not repetitive. I am not fond of fish. I will eat it but do NOT cook it in my house. It simply smells 'pungent' to me. :) I didn't intend it when I wrote that scene but somebody asked me if the smell of the fish attracted the orcs--I bet it could have, you can smell that stuff cooking a mile away. The neighbors cook their catch on their grill every weekend--not pleasant. Thanks for pointing that out about 'moorings.' I canoe but nothing else. All we do is take our canoe off our car and push it in the intercoastal. I will be the first to admit I know very little about boating (its a disgrace since I live in Florida). I will change some wording there so it will make more sense. I can't see anyone crying to get away from Amglaur. :) But some people are like this. It kind of bugs me too. Everytime I go with my husband to visit my in-laws (and they are very nice) his mother cries when we leave and his father stands there and shakes my husband's hand for what seems like twenty minutes. It drives me insane. :) Thanks for the review. We are watching transformers blow along the main street near my house. So we expect electricity to go soon but still hoping for the best because this is the longest we've gone and kept electricity. At any rate, I'm glad I got to see this review before we loose power.

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