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| Good Enough by The Karenator | 175 Review(s) |
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| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| I was just thinking about you this morning! Don’t be scared - I was torn between missing your story and knowing that when you did post it’d all be over. Of course, I was thrilled to see the update and doubly delighted that it was Thranduil’s turn! He was in a rather reflective mood. It was very interesting to see his thoughts on the spiders and the nutty villagers. I like how the thing that appals him the most is the fact that they would “meddle in the affairs of creation”. And no matter how much Aldamir wants to blame himself, it’s Thranduil who is ultimately responsible for sending his troops out and sending warriors into danger so to think that such a danger was caused by his own people and could have been prevented if they’d said something must shock and grieve him. You’ve really captured Thranduil’s complex thoughts as a parent exceptionally well too. How hard it must be to want your sons to grow up to be good, happy, competent people and yet still want to protect them from the world that they will come to know as adults. Or to rejoice in their carefree spirit and yet fear that they’re not prepared enough for the dangers that face them. At least he’s wise enough to recognise his feelings and to try to have faith that he’s done all he can and everything else is in the hands of fate. I don’t imagine surrendering any power comes very easily to him so I really have to admire him for his courage as a father. I really liked the little glimpse of Aldamir that we got when Thranduil thinks of how he used to have some interest in maidens when he was growing up and how no-one was more surprised than Aldamir himself at the emotion he felt for Elenna. And I loved the memory of Tarondor’s anger at Lalaith and Thranduil’s attraction for each other! It’s so strange to imagine Thranduil in his younger days, with his best friend, looking out for his best friend’s younger sister and then falling head over heels in love with her! No wonder he understands how tough the path to love can be!! LOL at Thranduil and Lalaith betting on when Aldamir would take it upon himself to visit Elenna’s village. I’m glad, though, that Lalaith was able to put her husband’s mind at rest about Elenna’s intentions and feelings towards Aldamir. “I remain grateful for whatever hand played a part in bringing her into my life and heart; she is the center of my being; indeed, my queen is the heartbeat of this realm.” Aaaw, that’s so lovely! In my opinion, it’s Lalaith who’s darn lucky… “I smiled and patted a gnarled root in camaraderie. “We are two of a kind, old friend,” I said. An answering hum thrilled at my back.” I love that! Love it. I also really love the pride Thranduil has in Daeron and Seregon and how much he hopes that his old friend will one day be reunited with them and share in that pride. “On most days I feel the urge to congratulate myself on choosing her to be my mate, but in truth, I think it was she who chose me. Perhaps I even like that notion better.” I’m still grinning at that! “I hoped that she did not require me to tell her which color I had suggested since I did not recall the original choices”. *snort* Males, eh? They’re all the same. I think Lalaith knows her husband all too well and just enjoyed teasing him. Poor Legolas – imagine being stuck with his adar instead of being allowed off with his friends!! Too funny. It was a lovely moment between them, though. I think for now it’s better not to dwell on whether Legolas will indeed always want to stay with his father… “A mischief lit upon me as quickly as a touch of a butterfly.” I love mischievous!Thranduil!! What a treat you gave us. I was the teensiest bit disappointed that I didn’t get to see Seregon is action but I guess this made up for it ;-) I loved Aldamir’s shock when he saw his opponent and it’s still making me smile to think how much Thranduil was enjoying himself. The banter between them was an absolute joy to read. These two need to let their playful side show more often. I suppose they don’t often get the chance to just be father and son any more either, not like Legolas and Thranduil can be. As they’ve seen, too much of their personal lives are tied up in affairs of the realm. “His laughter. To me, this was the most joyous sound of all.” Oh, what a perfect, perfect ending. I’ve enjoyed this every step of the way, Karen. I meant it when I said that I tended to stay clear of first-person POV but you’ve shown me just how wrong I was in dismissing it and how effective and engaging it can be when done properly. I’ve even been playing around with it myself recently, although I’ve yet to find the key to making it a success as you have ;-) I can’t tell you how glad I am that I stumbled across your stories and your wonderful characters. I’ll miss this one, but I’ll look forward to whatever is to come. Best of luck with your next venture :-) Author Reply: Hey Dot, What a great review! I have mixed feelings about this story being over. I think I even procrastinated a little in getting up the last chapter because it's kind of sad to say goodbye, but there was also a sigh of relief when I finally posted it. I guess I'm sharing Thranduil's feelings about seeing both sides of 'our baby' and being torn. The king was rather reflective. His age, experience, and position probably lends for him to do a lot of reflecting about what goes on. So much depends on what he thinks. And so much of what he has to rule on and direct involves personal feelings that I would hope that he would think seriously about what goes on in his realm. But sometimes, such inner thoughts can get awfully boring for a reader. I hope he didn't beat you to death with his mental wanderings. Being a parent is often a bevy of conflicting emotions. On one hand, you want your children to grow up to be good caring individuals who make good decisions and on the other hand, you hate to see the child lose their innocence. You're absolutely right that it's hard for Thranduil to surrender control, but there are some things that are simply outside his ability to direct. He's trying to acknowledge his limitations, but it ain't easy! I have this whole backstory in my mind about Thranduil and Lalaith early life. She was a firecracker of an elleth and set her sights on Thranduil when she was very young. He was a little slower in coming around to seeing things her way. Actually, I see a parallel between the queen and Elenna. Unbeknownst to him, Aldamir has fallen in love with a girl very much like his own mother...not in a yukky way, but in a way that sets Elenna up for being the kind of elleth that could be an effective and loved queen in her own right if it ever came to that. The males of Oropher's line are very duty oriented and they tend to draw women who are strong enough to challenge them, support them and not be eaten alive by such forceful male personalities. Elenna is a version of possibly the way Lalaith was at her age...similar personality traits and gifts. I've considered writing the story of Thranduil and Lalaith's earlier life and their courtship, but I'm not sure that it wouldn't bore everyone to tears. I could be the only one interested in how Oropher came to the Greenwood and when Thranduil noticed that Lalaith wasn't a little girl anymore. Thranduil loves Seregon and Daeron like his own. He feels responsible for their father's death and has really tried to be a father figure for them without encroaching into Noreth's territory as their true parent. Of course, Seregon was grown when his father died--protecting him--so he's needed less fatherly guidance than Daeron, but I think Seregon knows that his uncle is always there for him if he needs him. Thranduil is proud of both Tarondor's sons and eagerly awaits the time when his old friend will see how wonderful his sons have turned out. Legolas was ready to fly off and hang out with his buds, but since that wasn't going to happen right off the bat, and might not happen at all if he didn't settle down and hang with dad for a few minutes, he figured he could handle it. Besides, I think Legolas is a happy kid for the most part--rolls with the punches--and does treasure the time he gets to spend with Ada. The king's a busy guy. Even though Legolas was fine for a short time with Ada, I don't think he would have been very happy if he had had to sit there all day. Seregon was a little disappointed that he didn't get to spar, but he was thrilled to see the king in action too. And the author would have had a hard time deciding who would have won a bout between Seregon and Aldamir. It was much easier to let Thranduil win. Besides, I love Warrior! Thranduil. I still get goosebumps when I think of the king dressed and armed as a woodland warrior in 'Serious Trouble' and riding out into the woods in search of his son and nephew. And I wrote it! How pathetic is that? I can't resist any chance to put a weapon in the king's hand. You're absolutely right that Thranduil and Aldamir both needed a little 'playtime'. Thank you so much for the kind comments about the POV. I've always liked first-person in printed works, but I have to admit that I don't usually seek them out either. I didn't even realize how drawn I was to them until I started naming off all my favorite novels on some meme or another. I love rambling around in characters' heads, but first-person can be tricky. People either love this POV or hate it. I'm so pleased that you were willing to give my story a try and I'm even more pleased that you enjoyed it. That means a lot to me. Go on...give it a try yourself. :>) It really is fun to see everyone's deepest, darkest secrets! I've not decided yet what I'll do next. I'm playing around with some ideas. I'd like to try third-person, but that terrifies me! I awed by how well those of you who write it do and I'm afraid that I'd fall flat on my face. Thank you so much for your support and reviews throughout this story. Your reviews are wonderful and such fun for me to read. Thanks again. Karen | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| Well - only one complaint. Complete? How can you do that to me? More is required. Much much more. Daeron needs to get his diary out again and offer some more revelations on life in the merry Greenwood. Or perhaps Nana Queen needs to get some words in on the joys of family life chez la maison d'Oropher. It was good to have this chapter from Aran Adar's point of view. And such a lovely combination of the two roles. (Three - or five - if you count husband, uncle and brother-in-law.) Lalaith swept him out so nicely 'yes dear, of course you want to go and And the awkward adolescent son - torn between wanting to be anywhere but beside adar and yet proud to be there and still (just) able to admit to loving him. Thranduil knows enough to be filled with that slight feeling of loss, knowing that this could be the last time Legolas is willing to be his child (as opposed to his son), and want to hold the feeling and treasure it. I love Thranduil's outrage at the activities of the spider-breeders, his acknowledgement that with power comes responsibility and grief, his lovingness (yes it's not a proper word), his pride in his wife and sons, his love and care for Tarondor's sons (on the day his sons finally sail into sight of the harbor of Aman, he will be waiting. I hope to be present for this meeting; I would not wish to miss the look on Tarondor’s face when he sets his eyes upon his strong, handsome sons). Beautiful. I hope he's there too. His playfulness - sneaking up on his boy like that! And putting him in the position of having to try to beat his adar! Lalaith would be popping with pride whoever won. I like his clear sight, too - and the knowledge, backed up by his wife, that Aldamir will be on Elenna's doorstep as soon as the dust has had time to settle. In fact, I love it all. Except the last two words. The End. Never my favourites. I shall have to have a poster campaign and picket for the next adventure to come along soon. A lovely chapter. Author Reply: LOL! You certainly know how to make a girl feel good. Daeron is always a little antsy to tell his side of every story so I'm sure he'll want to get his two cents worth in soon. I've not decided what I'll write next, but I have some outlines done. One of them has Daeron's first kiss with Flouncy. That would be fun. I like the idea of exploring the queen a little more too. She's just had a supporting role so far. Erelas feels a little slighted too. Yep, the queen booted the king out the door so she could get done what she needed to do so she could go to the games. I could just imagine that Thranduil had not scheduled much for that morning and was probably under her feet. She couldn't get anything done until she shooed him out of the palace. Adolescence is such a funny time. One day the kid thinks he's all grown up and the next day, he wants to be a kid. Pretty wishy-washy time. Legolas did have plans to scoot off and be with his friends and was most surprised when he ended up keeping Adar company. The poor kid not only had to honor his father, but his king wanted his presence too. And he's well trained to obey...unless he doesn't think anyone is watching. But you're right; Thranduil knew that his time with his last child was passing quickly. As a parent, he wants Legolas to grow up to be a good, responsible adult, but he also cherishes the time he has left to enjoy Legolas's youth. Thranduil's been around for quite a while and probably felt like he had seen it all. The villagers breeding spiders even shocked him. I'm sure that in his book, this kind of thing was irresponsible. Well...mine too. Thranduil has looked after Tarondor's sons and wife well. They're family. I hope Thranduil gets to see the look on Tarondor's face too when he sees his sons again. Daeron was just a baby when his father died, so that would be a nice meeting to see. Challenging Aldamir was sort of an impulse for Thranduil and I doubt he's given to too many of those. But what a fun one. Aldamir enjoyed the surprise too. Thank you so much, Bodkin, for staying with me throughout this story. Your reviews have been wonderful and such a pleasure for me to read. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support. Karen | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| I am at work being a bad girl and reading this because I could not resist the email notice when I saw it. I'll write a real review when I get home but for now I just wanted to say I read it and loved it. Author Reply: Thanks, Elliska. I've had you on my mind. I'm trying to get in touch with the guy I know about the dress to find out what he knows about it, but I've not been able to track him down. Just wanted to let you know that I've not forgotten about you. And thanks for being a brave girl and reading at work. I'll see you at your other review! Karen | |
| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| What a heart-warming ending to a wonderful story! Thranduil is no less than wonderful and his sons are so fortunate to have him watching over them, regardless of their age and maturity. Can we clone him? I have really, really enjoyed this story and am so sad to see it coming to an end. I sincerely hope that you will be gifting us with another wonderful story soon. Again, thank you so much for the many enjoyable hours of reading (and giggling)! Author Reply: Thank you, Manderly. I'd like to clone Thranduil too. He's a good ada. Being king and doing a good job in all the other roles he has must be tough. Sending his sons off into battle must be the hardest job he has. I would think that a father who is as capable a warrior as he is, must really go nuts staying at home while his sons are in harm's way. I very pleased that you've enjoyed the story. I'm thinking about what I'll do next. I've not decided yet, but there will something more to come. You reviews have been wonderful and I've enjoyed them every much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to read and review. Thank you! Karen | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| ow! I've been quite fortunate, the alert arrived just as I was checking the mail, so it seems that today i'm going to be reviewing in time! Pity it is the last chapter! Seriously Karen, this has been a nice discovery to me, and I've enjoyed not only every chapter but the inter chapters time, so intriguing was the story that I remember pondering about Aldamir and elenna's situation on a boring plane trip. I've just looked it up, and it's been only two months since you post the first chapter! It's a shame we're coming to an end, but on the other hand, you must be proud of this story and very happy to see it complete, and rest informed that you're held to your promise to keep writing... And now, to the chapter! great idea to have Thranduil doing the closing up. And Thranduil with a sword! Wow, double points for that! I liked it very much, his musings and his understanding of all sides about the spider's issue, and his proud review of his family and his realm. He has reasons to be proud indeed!. I loved the glimpses of his trouble courting Lalaith, that was much fun to read! Just looking forward for more of Daeron and Legolas's adventures. The shifting pov was a success, only I just missed Daeron's inimitable approach. I was looking forward to seeing both Aldamir and Seregon sparring in the games, too, but missing Seregon for the king wasn't that bad at all! ;-) Very well done, and now, go and start plotting and outlining for more, you girl! time flies! thank you, Karen! :-) perelleth Author Reply: Gosh, I'm glad you got the notice too! Your reviews have been an absolute delight. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the time you've taken to read and to review. Two months? I didn't realize that much time had passed. You really have been a kind trooper to stay with me for that long! Thanks! Since the king is the final word in the realm, I thought he'd make a nice final word for this story. He was involved in everything that went on, but his participation was such that he had a different overview than anyone else. He was a nice summary reporter. Ya know, as I got toward the end of this story, I was starting to miss Daeron and Legolas myself. Their roles dropped off as I tied up the thread with Aldamir and Elenna. I'm sure Daeron has more to say. I'm not sure what I'll write next. At the moment, I can't settle on which outline I've already got done. I might even go in an entirely different direction. Flight of ideas. I had a hard time deciding who would win the bout between Thranduil and Aldamir, but I think it would have been even harder to decide who would win between Aldamir and Seregon. They both wanted to win. Aldamir could graciously concede defeat to his father. I took the easy way out. :>) Thank again, Perelleth. Your reviews have meant a lot to me. Karen | |
| Leaward | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| I love Thranduil's ruminations about his sons and watching them grow up and having to let them. Always tough for a parent to do (says she whose sons now tower over her, even the 14 year old). And the match at the end, what a wonderful idea! It was nice to see the two play off each other. “You would have me best my king?” he asked. “No, I would have you bested by your adar,” I said, I love that, such a hard line to draw between father and King. It would have been interesting to see Aldamir beat Thranduil, LOL. But that's for another story probably. (If it could EVER happen with Thranduil!) A wonderful end to the story in having Thranduil sum everything up. Excellent again, Karen. Inspiring as always. *sighs happily* Author Reply: When the day comes that you suddenly realize that you have to look up to scold your 'little ones', it's quite a shocker, isn't it? I can hardly believe how quickly they've grown up. I sympathize with the king. I'm glad you liked the sword bout. I like Thranduil all...warrior-y. I had a hard time deciding who would win this bout, but Thranduil reminded me that no matter how good his son was with his weapons, he was better. I just bowed and said, "Yes, my lord." And Aldamir didn't mind losing to his adar. Now if it had been Seregon.... :>) Thank you so much for all your support and kind reviews. I've truly enjoyed discussing writing, plots and all my boo-boos with you. I look forward to more chats in the future. Thanks again, Leaward. Karen | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| I loved seeing Thranduil's perspective on this! He's the Wood-elf king after all, so his thoughts on the spiders were particularly on point. And he's a loving father. I thought it was typical for Legolas to flinch at the idea of sitting with his father rather than his friends, and his claim that he would never leave is touching. But I really loved warrior!Thranduil. We get to see that much too seldom! Great story, Karen. Author Reply: Thanks, Daw. I thought the king should get the last word. We've been in almost everyone else's head, so I was interested in what Thranduil's perspective was. He was appalled that the villagers would do such a thing. And...he mentioned something about your involvement...something about your influence on the villagers. I assured him that such talk was only rumor. Thranduil is a good dad. In this case, he was also a relieved dad. Everyone was safe and things were looking up for Aldamir. Time to go claim that kiss from the queen. Thank you so much for your support. You're not just a good comma mechanic, you're a good friend. Thanks again. Karen | |
| Leaward | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/28/2005 |
| Sorry it has taken me so long to get to this, Karen, and it's going to be a choppy disjointed one at that. Another delightful chapter, and it's nice to see from Aldamir's perspective. Dragons and Wizard *Chuckling* and worse yet that Mithrandir taught it to the boys! It goes right along with the Foxtrot comics this week about the little smart kid playing Houses and Humans -- about the evil mother and horrible sister. Always wondered what type of games elf 'teenagers' played. Aldamir's speech to Legolas ... sounds like what he needs to be listening to himself about Elenna Very 'commanding' speech to the three novices ... I like what he's told Belas And the Bleeding turtle, LMAO. Where DO you come up with these ideas? The imagery evoked in I loved to drop leaves into the stream and then scurry to the other side of the bridge to watch my leafy ships sail off toward imaginary wild and unknown lands. What pleassant memories. My kids used to do this too in the stream behind our house And I'm glad to see Elenna and Aldamir finally got together and said what they thought about each other and have come to an accord. Will we get to see more of them in another story? Author Reply: Please! Don't apologize. As you can see my tardy response, I've been going in 40 directions too. I'm happy to hear from you anytime. I had to think about what sort of games teenage elves would play too. I'm sure they had competitions of some kind. But racing, shooting and dagger throwing wouldn't always be appropriate, so I figured that strategy games would interest young males. As you know well, boys are going to be competitive. Once I decided on that, I had to come up with something that fit into Middle-earth. I'll remember the 'Houses and Human' game next time. Maybe my guys can play 'Palace and Stern Adar and Stuffy Brothers'. :>) I'm pleased that you caught that Aldamir was giving advice to his younger brother and cousin that he should be taking himself. Funny how everything looks different when the shoe is on your foot. I read an essay a while back on foods of the Middle Ages and apparently they were big into the production of meals. Very elaborate dishes. I pared it down a little to an eccentric cook who got all into his 'art' every now and then and how the royal family indulged his bouts of creativity. I'm sure they were amused by it. The male members of the family could care less how it looked; they only cared how it tasted. But the queen keeps her eye on the cook, so the guys can be sure that cook won't go too overboard. Aldamir needed a little time to reflect on his life and duty. I'm glad you liked the leaves floating along the stream. He had a chance to compare how he saw the forest as a child and how he sees it now. Aldamir and Elenna have taken the first steps to reconnecting. They still need a little time to step back and figure out what went wrong. I have a story planned that will bring them back together. We'll have to see how things work out. But I think I'll not do that one next. I'm still trying to decide what I'll work on next. I'm thinking.... Thanks so much for reviewing. I know you've got your hands full. Take care, Karen Author Reply: I don't know why everything is in italics. I didn't use any HTML codes at all. Oh well... :>) | |
| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/25/2005 |
| I was very encouraged by how Aldamir and Elenna handled their run-in. I think I see maturity in their hesitation, but hope in their ability to laugh together. I would not be surprised if they find their relationship can survive this challenge! Thranduil is very wise: I chuckled. “Then you think we were too hasty?” “I think you fell in love,” he said. Ain't that the truth. If you're fully rational, you're not really in love. But who knew Ada was so funny? “Go and get cleaned up,” Adar said. “I will see you in the family room for a glass of wine before the meal.” “If we are eating a horse for evening meal, then I might need more than one glass,” I joked. “The only encouragement I have to offer is that cook’s pies taste better than they look,” Adar said, swapping a hand through the air. “I understand that the after-meal sweet is shaped like an apple tree,” he said as he went out the door. “With birds in it,” I heard him call from Culalda’s office. I've decided I like funny!Thranduil. We should definitely see more of him. I loved the running gag about the creative cook. It added a nice light touch to a pretty weighty chapter. The scene with Aldamir and the Hole in the Wall Gang was great. Poor Aldamir; it must have taken a lot out of him to dress down a bunch of novices like that. Especially when two of them were Legolas and Daeron. Notice I'm not worried about the effect on Legolas and Daeron - getting raked over the coals builds character! And Belas the Belligerent didn't seem to have any leadership pointers to share with Aldamir, surprisingly! Author Reply: Aldamir and Elenna have been through the wringer. They do love one another, but they started out a little fast. I think it was you who told me about having your characters do something they would never do and that's what Aldamir did. Elenna too, but she's better at being less inhibited than Aldamir. Traditionally, Aldamir's been a little shy around elleths and hasn't really felt much more than a passing crush on a girl; Elenna rang his bell. Rational and love...go together like oil and water. At least in the beginning. Being practical doesn't seem very romantic, but when the first bloom of attraction begins to fade into everyday routine, the practicalities start to show up. Yep, Thranduil was right that the love birds were a little too hasty...that's phase one: irrational behavior. Thranduil hasn't had much of a chance to have a sense of humor. I think I like Funny! Thranduil too. To deal with that bunch of male offspring of his and his brother-in-law's, I think it would be a necessary weapon of self defense. Legolas and Daeron survived the dressing down. I'm sure they'd say that their character is taking an overhaul. Aldamir felt bad for having to knock heads, but he couldn't deal with Belas effectively without dealing with his kinfolk who were involved. All three munchkins got their toast burnt. No, Belas didn't have any pointers that day for the commander. He'd screwed up and he knew it. Aldamir was ticked off, but I think he realized that Belas's problems went beyond this one episode and the little jerk wad had to be confronted and dealt with. Having to be mature and in charge isn't nearly as much fun as just punching the little twerp. Perhaps, he envied Legolas and Daeron a little that they were freer due to their youth to just let Belas have a knuckle sandwich. But Aldamir gave Belas the spanking that he deserved. That must have been satisfying to some extent. Thanks, meckinock, for all your help and support. Karen | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/23/2005 |
| Oh, And I was re-reading this and I remembered that I forgot to mention in my first review that I loved the idea of Dragons and Wizards. That is such a cool idea. Coming up with games for elflings is really hard for me to do. I loved this and the comments surrounding it--Gandalf would teach them to play it. :) Author Reply: I had to think a little to come up with some kind of game. Then...being the obsessive sort that I am...I even started trying to work out how the game would be played. I decided that it's a strategy game. Everyone has their own pieces that they own and they bring them to the game. So you can have 2 to as many players as you can fit on the board. They form alliances and then fight battles. There would be wizards and dragons, of course, in the pieces, but also Elves, Men, trolls, Dwarves, balrogs and maybe some other pieces to represent inhabitants of Middle-earth. I've not worked out the exact rules to use, but that was my overview. How sad is that? | |