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| The Acceptable Sacrifice by Larner | 23 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Ami | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/17/2005 |
| Stunning beginning. This is so very spiritual and symbolic, very much in tune with Frodo's quest and his redemption as well. I can't wait to read more. Author Reply: Accepting he is alive and has spiritual healing to face as well as physical is the first step. And that spiritual redemption is in large part quite practical is also going to be a bit of a shock, I suspect. | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/17/2005 |
| I am not sure whether it is harder to live up to the expectations of other people or your own of yourself. I do know that the guilt that comes with letting yourself down can be nigh on impossible to forgive, as we see so well told through your words. Oh and the last bit - straight out of the Psalms! One of my favourites too. I am happy with the thought that Frodo survived because the Creator prefers a living sacrifice to a burnt offering and that Gollum made his own choice fore-shadowed but not forced by Frodo's words to him but that Frodo continues to be a living sacrifice is not a comfortable thought. But it is so true in our lives too. And I believe the two are connected - the guilt we carry makes any suffering we must bear so much worse. I am not sure if the above is making any sense, even to me but thank you for making me think Larner. Author Reply: We were apparently brought up so similarly in our theological outlooks, Harrowcat. (See--there is a LOT of similarity between Anglican and RC upbringings!) Yes, to be a living sacrifice is sometimes the more difficult role to play, I think, because we have to live not only with the expectations of others and those we have for ourselves, which are indeed worse for those of us who tend to be introspective. And certainly I borrowed from the Eucharistic tradition and the psalms here, much as Tolkien himself did in his thinking. Frodo needs to accept responsibility for himself alone, and to allow others to do what they must as well. He has a good deal of healing of his thought processes to go through in order to be ready for what is to come, which is why, I suspect, Eru sent him the aid he needed to be rescued, giving him time for this before he came through the Gates. Thanks so much for appreciating the thought behind what I write. | |
| Inkling | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/17/2005 |
| Iluvatar does not rejoice in burnt offerings, but in living sacrifices. A great line and a promising beginning, Larner! Though I was shocked--shocked, I say, at the length! ;) It will be interesting to see your take on this part of the story... Author Reply: I do occasionally write quite short chapters, don't I? As a Christian from the liturgical traditions, this quote from the Bible is part of the way we were raised and certainly how Tolkien would have been trained from childhood to think of our Christian duty as well. And I suspect it was part of why he decided to allow Frodo and Sam to be rescued by Gandalf and the Eagles. But it's not always an easy way to live, accepting that God wishes us to live as examples to others and to know healing and correction to our egocentric thinking before we go on. Thanks for the encouragement at the beginning. | |
| Ellie | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/16/2005 |
| Interesting. I'm looking forward to more. The thought at the end was quite powerful indeed. Author Reply: The thought at the ending is simply a slight translation from the Psalms, and an important part of the philosophy of most Christian churches. It would certainly have been as much part of the religious upbringing for Tolkien as a Roman Catholic as it has been for me as High Church Anglican; and was, I think, part of the reason he elected to see Frodo and Sam rescued from the ruin of Orodruin, that Frodo might have the chance to come to terms with his role in the eyes of the Creator instead of bearing unnecessary guilt and unreasonable standards for himself and carrying on the conceit he must remain the one sacrifice forever. I hope I don't let this story wander too far from the point, however. Am a ways ahead and find it wants to go its own way a bit. Thanks for the review. | |
| Tigger | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/16/2005 |
| Interesting beginning Larner. Very interesting. Looking forward to seeing where this is going to go. Author Reply: I fear it may ramble a bit, Tigger, but hopefully not too far off the intended trajectory. And I hope that as we wander with it it remains true to its intent. Thanks for the response. | |
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/16/2005 |
| This is beautiful, mysterious and deep. A gem. Author Reply: It's but the beginning, Pearl Took, and hope you continue to follow, even when now and then it rambles a bit. Tolkien was raised to understand we are intended to be living sacrifices, and definitely placed Frodo into that category. Thanks for the response. | |
| TithenFeredir | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/16/2005 |
| What an interesting beginning. Everything is fine and yet not. It seems to me that there is a sort of dry, ironic tone that surfaces here and there in your writing on this. It puts the most interesting spin on things. "He smiled--he knew he smiled. The sacrifice had been consummated and had been accepted; and Gandalf had smiled back, a smile of relief which gave him his first conscious hint he wasn’t dead after all." Like that. Looking forward to more. ~TF Author Reply: He must have been a bit taken aback, finding he was still alive after all. And there is irony in the realization that he wasn't dead after all, but had more to go through before he finds his "reward"--and the realization the ability to live to see all others settled and on their way to healing before he goes on is PART of the reward isn't getting through to him as yet. Thanks for the response. | |
| Lotrgirl1415 | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/16/2005 |
| OMG!! update soon!!!! me luvs it!!*hugs* --Katie Author Reply: Glad you appreciate it, Katie. Hopefully this will be updated every day or two. The chapters in this one tend to be a bit shorter, so hopefully it won't get some going so long it gets harder to update on my regular schedule. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/16/2005 |
| Oh, this is such a marvelous beginning, and so like the scenario I have often envisioned for Frodo. He fully intended to take the Ring into the fire personally, but the Ring was too strong for him, and would not let him. This is something he never fully came to terms with, and you show the beginnings of his doubt and guilt for having survived. Author Reply: Yes, I think that there was a great deal of survival guilt that Frodo endured, plus the guilt for "having allowed" the Ring to take him, plus the guilt for feeling guilt.... Glad you like the beginning. | |
| Armariel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/16/2005 |
| oohhh this looks lovely already! Already anxious to see what comes next. Yes, burnt offerings are pretty useless, what? *really hoping Aragorn is gonna be in this one a lot* Author Reply: He's there a fair amount, and hope you appreciate just how much. Thanks for the response. | |