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| Good Neighbors by daw the minstrel | 27 Review(s) |
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| Lera | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/2/2004 |
| Ithilden is someone I would want on my side definitely. I like seeing into Thranduil's thoughts on how proud he is of his capeable threatening looking son. I'm excited to see Mithrandir and Elladan and Elrohir introduced here. Especially the twins. It will be so interesting to see them at this point in their lives. Most stories show them only as prankster loving clowns raising cane everywhere they go. Being twins they probably weren't a piece of cake to raise, but I don't get prankster loving clowns raising cane from Tolkien at all. Turgon made me sad. His parents aren't necisarily bad elves, but they should never have been allowed to have children. Ever. As always, very interesting chapter, can't wait for the camping trip. I love seeing anything to do with the training these guys go through. Had I been an elf, I would have wanted to be a boy, because it sounds so fun. Although, I can't forget what its ultimate purpose is...to become warriors. Scary. I found it very funny that Eilien, the wild excitement craving one, is actually a hombody! Oh, Legolas, you have no idea where your travels will take you. It's sad he enjoys the trees now and can't imagine really wanting to leave them. I'm also imagining Thranduil and the rest of his family's reaction to the news of him joining the Fellowship. I would REALLY like to see the reaction, considering no matter how big he gets and no matter how competant a warrior he becomes, he'll always be the youngest, the one always to be protected if they can help it. Ciao. Author Reply: Let me put it this way: I definitely *don't* want Ithilden as an enemy. He'd be scary. He's determined and capable and, I think, fairly ruthless in a controlled kind of way. I was excited to be able to introduce the twins too. I'm still feeling my way along in writing them. I want them to come across as the 2500 year old elf lords they are -- brave, well-educated, intelligent, devoted, and, at the moment, suffering. But it's hard to convey the almost magical feel of them that one gets in Tolkien, where even Legolas seems half in awe of them. I fell bad for Turgon too. He and the others will have some interesting times on the camping trip. :-) I like writing about the details of their training too. It makes it seem more real to me. They weren't born the outstanding warriors that they are as adults. They had to learn. I'll have to see what I can do about showing Legolas's family while he's on the quest. Someday. Ciao! | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/2/2004 |
| Let me bore you with some more thoughts. (Ha, you cannot resist!) Eilian was held together in his crisis, I think, by two things - one was the discipline of being part of a patrol (although he almost lost it) and the other was Legolas. His little brother needed the empathetic love that only Eilian could provide and because of that he couldn't let himself fly apart. Ithilden used duty - and guilt. I feel very sorry for Ithilden in the pre-Alfirin days, because he does seem emotionally starved and very lonely. I think the twins must have come to terms with what they did after the initial burst of their damaging quest for vengeance, because heartless killing machine twins would not have been able to be brothers to Estel - and the process of healing must have taken place over a long period of years or they would not have been emotionally able to present him with the security and love he needed. Author Reply: Actually, I can't resist! :-) I like your analysis of Eilian and Ithilden. They were both really supported by the love of their family and the routine of their duty, as you say. They could stay home (more or less) and still fight against Orcs. But the twins are in a slightly different situation. Orcs don't come into Imladris, thank Eru. I'm still trying to decide how obsessed with killing the twins are, actually. That line in home is kind of ambiguous. They were obsessed enough that they "never ceased" warring with Orcs. But that could be done in a more or less reasoned way. I think they're still working out their feelings on this. Their mother's departure is very recent and they spent a year watching her suffer. | |
| Duchess | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/2/2004 |
| Oh the poor twins! I didn't expect you to bring them and Gandalf into this. What a wonderful surprise to see them, even though the twins are grieving. What will Eilian's reaction be when he finds out about their grief? Thranduil can't protect his sons like he would wish, I'm sure. He may be able to keep Legolas from finding out right now, but I can't imagine Eilian won't. I'm feeling sorrier and sorrier for Turgon. His parents are a menace! *frowning with disapproval* Author Reply: I thought that the twins might be a surprise. :-) I've shown Gandalf visiting Thranduil before but it never even occurred to me to show the twins until I read that note in HoMe. Then I started trying to figure out how to get them to Thranduil. If Thranduil thinks for only a minute, he'll know that there's no way he's going to be able to keep Eilian away for any length of time. But he may be able to whisk Legolas out of the way. We'll see how it goes. Poor Turgon. I think his parents love him. They're just too absorbed in their own affairs to pay attention to him and the result is disaster. | |
| thechevin | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/2/2004 |
| This was such a sad chapter for almost everyone involved the raw pain of the twins bringing back painful memories for Thranduil who immediately goes into protective Adar mode, I do not think Eilian would like how he has been manipulated if he finds out of course even if he enjoys his time with Legolas as for this brief glimpse into Turgon's home life well it made me feel as sorry for him as Anneal and Legolas no wonder he acts as he does his parents have a lot to answer for It was nice to end with the scene with Eilian and Legolas so that was where the feathers came from I do not think Ada would approve but he may think betting preferable to the dredging up of painful memories for his second son I smiled at Eilian and Thranduil when the king summoned his son, a guilty conscince perhaps? A real treat to read thank you Judy Author Reply: Now that you mention it, you're right. There is sadness all the way around here. Thranduil at least tries to protect his children, while I think that Turgon's family is much more neglectful. I felt bad for him. Legolas has lost his mother, but he has strong support from his family. The twins could have that too and could be providing it for Arwen and their father. Poor things. | |
| Brazgirl | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/2/2004 |
| It is very hard to grow tired of this! Your story is so well written so close to reality... Take for example that conversation bewteen Eilian and Legolas. It was so real like something I could talk to my brother! And how about the little brother coming into the room? Hahahah that took me some laughing reading it. Thranduil was very wise. Wise indeed. First I thought he was being harsh with Eilian but then he really made a wise decision. Poor king he suffered to imagine how Elrond is suffering because it was like he did some years ago. Fab chapter!!! Author Reply: You are making me feel very good, Brazgirl. If these people seem real to you, then I'm happy! In this chapter, I was interested in the different families -- Thranduil's, Turgon's, the twins with one another. You can see them supporting one another or not and you can also see how much they need one another. At least, I hope you can. Thranduil is a very concerned father, I think. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/2/2004 |
| Daw, we'll never get tired of these stories! This will have to be short but--I was so suprised to see Mithrandir and the twins. I am very much looking forward to seeing how they will complicate things. And Thranduil and Ithilden's reaction to how to deal with the men was great. Poor Men. They don't stand a chance. But Legolas and his friends and this camping trip...I smell trouble. I'm very glad you have a new story going. I need the distraction right now. May it be very long. :) Author Reply: I thought the visitors might surprise readers a little. *I* was surprised to see the twins mentioned in HoMe at this point in time and then I immediately started thinking about how to get them to Thranduil and what would happen if they did turn up at the king's stronghold. Actually, I find the Tale of Years very generative for plot ideas. I liked the image of Ithilden marching off to Esgaroth to clear matters up. A bad guy with any sense would surrender immediately just to save himself the trouble. Ah yes. The camping trip. Coming soon to a chapter near you. :-) | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/2/2004 |
| The twins are here!! (*cough*. Sorry about that - I got carried away.) And kudos to Thranduil for getting them right! I couldn't remeber the date of this story, but guessed that the strain Thranduil could see was because of Celebrķan - and of course it will bring back many memories for all of them. I somehow think he won't have much success in keeping Eilian away from E2 (E3 - can you imagine it?!) Turgon's home life was rather sad - a spoilt little brother, ineffectual mother, snappy father. It explains a lot about him. I hope the camping trip goes well, and that the mysterious sniper doesn't cause trouble! Jay Author Reply: I thought of you when I was writing this, Jay. :-) I was very excited when I found the reference to the twins in HoMe in the time period I was looking at for this story. All I had to do then was get them to Thranduil, and I decided Mithrandir would take care of that. He promised Elrond to keep an eye out for them and he was on his way to Thranduil anyway. I think that once Legolas is out of the palace, Eilian is going to be looking for some company! In planning this story, I decided it would be interesting to see inside Turgon's cottage. What made him the way he was? But writing about it made me sad too. His parents are just so busy with their own thoughts and interests that they don't even see him sometimes. His father will paint arrows with him and approve of Turgon's individualistic aesthetic, and that's good. But then he gets an idea for a poem and that's the end of the arrow making. The camping trip. Check. It's on my list. The sniper. Check. Also on my list. Together? Hm. We'll see! | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/1/2004 |
| I don't think you have to worry about people not wanting to read what you write - I think the chances of that are non-existant. You catch the whole Mirkwood / family / outside dangers so wonderfully - and there isn't a hint of cardboard anywhere. Poor Sons of Elrond. Ithilden and Eilian barely coped with their mother's death in the middle of all the love and support of their family and friends - and Elladan and Elrohir have deliberately cut themselves off from that. I think that's why they didn't ever really recover - they always seem to have been a little cut off from others after that. Partly because they were twins, probably, so that they used each other for support - but that also meant that they didn't have anyone to draw them out from the spiral of grief into which they sank and wallowed. They also failed to provide support for Elrond - he could not help them through their sufferinng, so consequently he found it difficult to move on - he lost all his children here, too, because Arwen seemed to spend most of her time with Galadriel (understandably, but that was no help to poor Elrond). Thranduil should look at the twins and feel thankful that he and his sons have survived and are learning to move on from the trauma with each other's support. The different level of healing is probably what makes it possible for both Ithilden and Eilian to marry and have their own families, while Elladan and Elrohir remain frozen in their vengeful mindset, dependent on each other. (Not counting Legolas here, because as a small child, his responses and needs had to be dealt with differently. At least he could cry and demand attention.) (On pranks - the twins probably did get in more trouble as elflings - purely because there were two of them - and twice the children is four times the trouble, but they wouldn't have been the Coco the Clowns of Middle Earth as adults.) I love Mithrandir's concern for them - I hope he brought them along for a dose of Thranduil-parenting to talk to others who have endured the same kind of loss. Although it would be hard on Eilian, I think he might be the one who would be of most help to them now. (And damn pre-written stories for getting in the way of things it would be good to do now!) Turgon, Turgon, Turgon. The poor elfling - how could he possibly develop into a reasonable and responsible Wood Elf warrior with butterflies like his parents. They are not ill-natured - they are just insensitive and incompetent. Although I'll bet that his adar would be appalled to be thought of as insensitive - he's just such an artist, he needs his space. Poor Turgon scratches by with the help offered by those around him, but nobody really takes responsibility for him. His adar might have helped him with the artistic part of arrow-making - but even Mr Please-I-must-have-total-quiet is a Wood Elf - he must have learned how to make arrows for the hunt in the days before he aspired to be the Daeron-of-the-Woods. He could have done more to help had he wanted to. (And Amdir changed little over the years!) And Legolas finds arrow-making even more important than badgering to go to the feast and meet Mithrandir and the SoE. He is such a responsible elfling! Mind you, had he not discovered that Eilian had also been excluded from the feast and that he hadn't met them either, he might not have been so willing. I like thinking of reckless adventurous Eilian as too much of a homeboy to want to leave the forest. He's just full of contradictions. Why do I suspect that this innocent-elfling camp in the woods could have unexpected repercussions - involving Men? I cannot imagine. Author Reply: Thank you, Bodkin. Your analysis of the twins is acute, I think. Their tie to one another does seem to make it possible for them to isolate themselves from others, so there is no one to help them. I'm feeling my way along in portraying them. I don't want them to be demented Orc killers, but I do want them to be adult warriors who never cease hunting the creatures. Perhaps it's possible for them to achieve a certain amount of balance within that. Still, as I was writing this I was thinking about how hard that year before she sailed must have been. They saw her suffering daily for a long time. I also thought that same thing about Legolas when I was writing "Paths of Memory." His grief was so total because he had no perspective on loss -- his mother was gone; his world had ended. But he could cry and say what he felt, which made it easier for everyone to respond to him that they did to, say, Ithilden. Eilian seems to me to be the son of Thranduil who is most akin to the twins in his reaction. I think they need to spend some time together! I felt so bad for Turgon as I was writing this. His parents aren't bad people but they sure are bad parents. I kept trying to imagine what they would be like and drew on the inadequate parents I've seen over the years, including me at my worst moments. But it made me sad. It seemed to me that Eilian was someone who loves excitement but I wasn't sure that meant he was curious about other places. He's a wood elf through and through, his mother's child. You think the elflings are going to be doing more than toasting marshmallows in the woods? Why Bodkin! I think you might be right! | |
| Melissa | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/1/2004 |
| I could never grow tired of your stories. Ithilden and Eilian and your Thranduil are as real to me as Legolas, and I have a hard time reading other stories without them. Author Reply: Thank you so much, Melissa. They've become real to me too. I notice how comfortable I am with them when I introduce new characters like the twins (new for me to write about that is). I have to figure out how to portray them more or less from scratch, whereas Legolas's family comes easily now. | |
| Rose Sared | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 11/1/2004 |
| I just love all the detail you put into these tales - I swear I should be able to make and fletch an arrow just from your descriptions . LOL. How nice to have the twins and Mithrander in house - even thought the circumstances are so sad. Much enjoyed! Rose Author Reply: It's funny what we writers choose to describe in detail when you think about it. I don't do a lot of description usually. Rooms, clothes, landscape -- once is a while something strikes me as important enough to describe but I usually just don't care. But I do like to know what Legolas is actually doing with his time. This must have been important stuff to him. And besides, it was fun to look up! I got all excited when I found that reference to the twins in the time frame I was interested in. And Mithrandir has always seemed to me to be the one among the Wise whom Thranduil would be most likely to trust. But what a terrible time for Elladan and Elrohir. | |