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| A Creature of Fire by daw the minstrel | 34 Review(s) |
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| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| I was reading this chapter again and I thought of two things that I wanted to mention in my first review but forgot to 'cause I was bawling my eyes out. First, I love the little touches like Eilian commenting that Legolas could never eat while he was grieving. I remember Thranduil trying to get Legolas to eat his porridge (sp?) after his nana died. Those types of things make the present story come to life so much and make the brother's connection so real. I also love Legolas drawing comfort from the tree and stars that had been there for so long and had seen so much. Your elves always seem very elfy to me. It is so hard to write the differences between elves and our normal viewpoint as human readers without over doing it and you always find that balance perfectly, I think. And finally, this line: He would now do in grief what he had planned to do in joy. He would take care of Tuilinn in death as he had not been able to do in life... God that was sad. Again, great job. I don't see how you are doing this. This is two Saturdays in a row that I sat down in the evening to edit my own chapter before posting it and I read your story first and find myself so moved by it that I cannot even concentrate on anything else. This is powerful stuff, Daw. Author Reply: Thank you for telling me this, Elliska, especially the stuff about my elves being elfy. I've had some criticism about my elves on another site, with someone taking exception to the realistic way I portray them. I can see that person's point, but it seems to me that when you have only elves around, they're going to seem ordinary to themselves. Everyone else can do what they can do. I'm looking forward to your chapter though. I have to go sleep pretty soon because I had a tiring week at work, but I'll be hoping to see it when I get up. :-) | |
| LOTR lover | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| Oh, just rip my heart out and tear it to pieces, why don't you! They are all true king's sons, aren't they, the sons of Thranduil? Author Reply: LOL. I'm sorry! If you think reading it was bad, you should have spent a week writing it! I don't know how people write angst all the time. I need to get Legolas out of there because I can't take too much more. Beliond is my hero. He thinks Legolas should go home and my guess is that that's where he's going. | |
| Wendy | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| Sigh. Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. The writing is beautiful and you manage to really give the reader such a sense of the characters. I feel like I know this family! I don't leave reviews often (BAD reader!), but I had to for this one. I avidly await the next chapter. Author Reply: Thank you, Wendy. I think there's only one more chapter to this story but we'll see. Sometimes me beta tells me I'm mistaken about stuff like that. :-) There's no such thing as a bad reader. All readers are automatically good. :-) | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| Very sad, daw. Made me all sniffly. I am glad Eilian arrived on the scene for Legolas; I think he really needed one of his family. Author Reply: I know. I can't take much more of this! Thank goodness Eilian arrived. And I need to get Legolas home even if he doesn't think he needs to be there. | |
| Yanic | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| Oh my! Poor Legolas is having a really rough time! I feal so bad for him. I love how Beliond and Eilian are there for him- it's so cute the way that Eilian comforts him, even if it is sad at the same time. I kind of want to know what Beliond and Eilian are thinking, but I'm loving Legolas's perspective too much right now... I do have one question...(and it's rather insensitive)...isn't Tuilinn starting to smell? I don't have much experience with bodies but I do know that they don't keep very long in warm areas... although maybe that's what this line was about: "Ignoring them, Legolas turned stiffly to walk toward where Fyndil had opened Legolas’s blanket and was scattering flowers and herbs over Tuilinn’s body." For a moment I thought they were seasoning her. LOL. I love this story so much, even if Legolas is suffering so much! Poor guy, he really needs his Adar to make things all better Author Reply: Beliond and Eilian had their heads together around the fire, and we'll hear about that conversation eventually. Doing this all from Legolas's POV has been interesting. I've learned some stuff, I think. My beta and I had a discussion about the smell issue. The flowers and herbs were supposed to counter that and wrapping her tightly would do it too because you'd be trying to keep the air away. Tolkien also says that the bodies of elves return to dust much more quickly than those of men. Feanor did it so quickly that they couldn't find the body (at least I think that's what it was). So what we finally decided my excuse would be is that elves are different than men. Because frankly, I couldn't deal with the smell or the issue of maggots. And I didn't think Legolas would be able to either! I think Adar is definitely needed. And so does Beliond. | |
| dr_seuss_is_cool | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| Hello. I am so sorry that I haven't reviewed in so long, but I have been reading. I got the house all to myself so I made it my number one priority to review this story. I love the whole story. I love everything about it. I love how you show Legolas' love life. The question of whether he ever fell in love or got married was been on my mind since reading the books. I now think that this story best answers that question. Thank you so much. I love Eilian's nature when he learns that Legolas loved/loves Tuilinn. I am so worried for Legolas. I know that he will recover but not without so much pain. I'm so proud that he has been very strong so far. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't excited about seeing how Thranduil will react, or Ithilden. Thank you again for this story. It is amazing. Have a great day! -Dr Seuss Author Reply: I love the whole story. I love everything about it. Holy cow. Do you know how good that makes me feel? :-) I really enjoyed the chance to produce Eilian in this chapter and have him struggle to realize just how big a thing had happened to the "brat." As if the dragon wasn't enough trouble! And I think it's time for Legolas to go home. I'm with Beliond on that one. Legolas is in no shape to be in a patrol. It's nice to hear from you again, Dr. S. :-) | |
| Alison H | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| Poor, poor Legolas! This chapter was so hard to read and I commend you for writing it so beautifully.Legolas' continued shock at Tuillins death was very sad and his disorintation was perfectly described.He is suffering so much and Beliond is his rock at the moement.I'm so glad he's there. I was so happy to see Eilian and I was very moved when Legolas simply rested in his brothers' arms.Sometimes one can only let your real emotions surface in the presence of a sibling or a parent and Eilian loves Legolas so much that he would have done anything to makes things better.What a shame that Eilian did not get to know Tuillin---he would have loved her simply for making Legolas happy. The grief of Tuillins' mother was just heartbreaking and I hope Legolas will be in his fathers' arms soon because I think he needs his Ada more than he realises. Wonderful chapter, Daw.I just cannot get enough of your stories! Update soon. Ali. Author Reply: This was hard to write too. Legolas's head is not a good place to be right now! I was really relieved when I got to write about Eilian showing up. He can't make everything better, but he can at least assess the situation and then pull rank on Legolas when the time comes to do it. Beliond could probably tie his charge up and get him home that way, but Eilian can do better: He can tell Thranduil what happened. I think we need to be on our way to healing. I can't take much more of this! | |
| Brazgirl | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| I think the way you wrote Legolas' reaction to grief was great. The aftermath of his blow was very believable. I love when Beliond order people around and here when he called Legolas 'son'. That was touching for me. And even more when he defied his keeper and his brother saying he was in command. I wonder what ada would say about that... I trully believe this chapter was even better than the last one. You dealt with grief with care and truth. And I see how hard is to write in one pov... but you managed it too well. Simply every reaction from our elf was believable. Wonderful chapter. Author Reply: I liked Beliond calling Legolas "son" too and you're the first person to specifically mention it, Brazgirl, so thank you! Legolas may think he's in command but everyone else is taking care of things and humoring him a bit, I think. And Beliond is not going to keep humoring him forever. That's not the Beliond way! He and Eilian made some plans that he will carry out. You are really being flattering about this chapter. Thank you so much. I kept writing stuff and deleting it and writing again because it took me a long time to decide how Legolas would react. | |
| Frodo3791 | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| Poor Legolas. I think you completely nailed his reaction to the grief... it is very Legolas. Although like everyone he must succumb to his own grief and be completely focused on the departed loved one, I think he would try to distance himself from it by doing his duties... and so Legolas did. But now, seeing the mother of his love crying over her dead child and perhaps feeling like some of it was his fault... I don't know how he could hold his own in this situation. It is heart wrenching. Eilian's reaction to this maiden he's never heard of and the fact that Legolas was going to bond with her was really good, as well. It will be interesting to see the rest of the family's reactions, if you get to them. Perhaps Legolas will not be returning to his patrol after Tuilinn's funeral after all... I apologize for the rambling sentences. I don't know, my thoughts are scattered and my emotions high with Legolas' pain. Good work. I hope to read the next chapter ASAP. -Frodo Author Reply: Legolas was kidding himself by trying to take refuge in duty, but he's lost the battle, I think. That poor mother. She must have known that something had happened and been waiting for this knock at the door. I do intend to get to the family. Eilian is on his way home with Galelas, and he's not going to keep his mouth shut about something like this. Thranduil is going to know what happened within ten minutes after Eilian arrives at the palace. | |
| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2005 |
| If anything, this chapter is even more heartbreaking than the last. I am so glad that Eilian showed up. Legolas really does need his family right now, though he probably doesn't realize that himself yet. I am amazed that Legolas held up for as long as he did. I suppose his sense of duty more than anything gave him the stamina to carry on, but being confronted by Tuilinn's naneth's grief was probably the last straw. I am glad that Beliond is at his side during all this. Legolas is going to need this surrogate father of his for support until he can get back to Thranduil. A really, really wonderful chapter even though it pulled at the heartstring. Author Reply: I'm glad this was moving. I asked my beta if it was boring because it does kind of run on and nothing much happens. But I'm not going to get another chance to write about Legolas's reaction to a dead lover so I figured I might as well make the most of it. I was glad to see Eilian show up too! He's made an assessment of the situation and is on his way back to the palace. In the meantime, Beliond is fussing over Legolas and going frantic because he's not eating. :-( Poor Nana! | |