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| Moments in Time by Larner | 14 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/27/2006 |
| These are amazing. Poor Sam. If only he'd known. Yet his ignorance was necessary, that the Quest might go forward. The one with Gorbag was utterly chilling. Yes, so would light and beauty appear to a creature of such evil. Whatever Morgoth did to create Orcs utterly twisted their nature into something completely opposite and foreign. It would make anything beautiful appear ugly, and draw out every sort of nasty resentment. *brrr....* And I loved Landroval's protectiveness towards the tiny thing he'd carried--that was so sweet. I'm glad Gwaihir was able to make him understand that Frodo was not a fledgling, and that he needed more than to be carried off to an eyrie! And finally, Aragorn's valiant efforts to call back Frodo's spirit, and to minister to his battered and broken body. Very well done! Author Reply: No, Sam didn't know, and thought he was looking on the beauty of his Master for the last time; to find it restored but imperfectly must have been a lasting grief to him. Can't say why Gorbag and not Shadrat wormed himself into this one, save that he was the one who coveted the mithril shirt for his own. Would one who was so attracted to a mail corslet he couldn't even wear not have reacted strongly to the perceived beauty of the one who'd worn it, resenting it, detesting it as ugly? Landroval, once he grasped Frodo's body, insisted on having his own point of view expressed. That's one of the parts that sort of just appeared, mostly unplanned at all. But how would such a creature react to the smallness and fragility he found himself carrying from danger. But only when he was certain Aragorn was Gwaihir's equal and was identified with the wisdom of his own race would he surrender Frodo to him--that came as a surprise even to me. And at last we have the other brother in Love who also sees beauty once he is certain it is indeed Frodo he holds, and who will do all he can to see that beauty recalled. Thank you very much for the compliment, Dreamflower. | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/27/2006 |
| Heart speaks to heart, goodness to goodness and evil cannot perceive beauty in its enemy. I love the view of the Eagles. The desire to nurture and cherish Frodo, so different to but so like one of it's own eaglets in essence is great. I would love to hear more about the Eagles. Maybe the background to them arriving at the final battle at the gates. I was trying to count how many people were 'beholding' the light but lost count when I got all sniffly at Legolas' reaction. And I loved the bit of Gandalf 'magic!' I guess he was so upset at the state of Frodo and Sam that he just had to do something to feel useful. A very common reaction I think! Author Reply: Somehow Landroval's own feelings of protectiveness raised wrote itself into the story, along with his realization that Aragorn was the equal to his own lord. The challenge was to look at something one sees as beautiful and another sees as ugly; but I found it needed few more points of view than just that.... And you're right about Gandalf's magic. I'd considered the possibility of having the Eagles carrying the cloak back to Galadriel, but remembered she and Celeborn and their folk were otherwise involved beating off a final attack on their own land, then joining with Thranduil in the final cleansing assault on Dol Guldur before Thranduil asks them to join with him in renewing the old name of the Forest of Green Leaves, Eryn Lasgalen, once more. So, that being true, how was it Sam's cloak was cleaned and healed of the hurts it had taken? Surely Men couldn't have been considered equal to the task of reweaving it? But, Gandalf had long known Galadriel, who appears to have done some studying under Vaire before she left Aman, and he served under the Weaver herself at times, it's said; so perhaps just this once he let a bit more of his nature as held in his staff shine forth? Made sense to me! | |
| Lúmë | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/27/2006 |
| Ooh, I finally got it. I enjoyed the story of course, I liked the different viewpoints. Then I recalled the "Eye of the beholder" challenge. I'm so slow some days :-) Specifically, I liked the Eagles' viewpoint as it is startlingly new. In fact, I would love to read more stories about the Eagles, if you were to be so inclined :-) Author Reply: The challenge called for two viewpoints, and I somehow managed four--or five? But more than beauty and ugliness would have been seen in this one, I think. As for more stories about the Eagles--well, you're not the only one asking for that, and I might one day do just that. Thank you! | |
| Grey Wonderer | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/26/2006 |
| ( Legolas gave an uncertain nod. "I’ll go." Yet he lingered a moment longer, finally murmuring in Quenya, "I can barely see the beauty of Frodo in what remains. Call it back, brother." So saying, he left.) The line is so sad and yet so filled with hope. ("This small one needs cherishing," Landroval said stiffly. "It needs strong meats, comforting, careful feeding.") I love the Eagles and was so pleased to see them in this story. I have loved them since I first read The Hobbit. I enjoyed every word of this. Again I have to say how very much I love your short stories in this series. Splendid! Author Reply: Oh, thank you, Grey Wonderer! I'd wanted to do something from an Eagle's perspective, and found this fit the bill wonderfully. The challenge was to show how the same object/individual could look ugly or beautiful to this person and that, and I found I had to take it sort of full circle from the beauty Sam saw in Frodo to the ugliness perceived by Gorbag to the promise of beauty seen by an Eagle to the hope for it returned seen by Aragorn and Legolas. And I so love your first story in your own collection. Thanks again for the review, GW. | |