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| The Acceptable Sacrifice by Larner | 13 Review(s) |
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| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 48 on 12/17/2005 |
| I just loved this chapter,it was full of good things,ARagorn's conversation with Ecthelion and then the findinding of the sapling.I was very eager to see how you wrote this,as I told the story myself and enjoyed your version very much. Poor Frodo,not only in pain but having to face a strange healer as well,not pleasant at all. An excellent chapter. Author Reply: Mine was a bit different from yours, of course; am glad you enjoyed it. I like to think how the reactions of Ecthelion and Denethor to the idea of Thorongil being the heir of Isildur would differ, and the reasons Thorongil might give for not claiming the crown at that time. And to deal with a strange healer--I hate going to new doctors, as I have to break them into the fact I am TERRIFIED of needles, so they'd best save that as a totally last resort. I would think as private an individual as Frodo would be devastated at one who insisted on doing things in manners that would make him uncomfortable. | |
| demeter d | Reviewed Chapter: 48 on 12/17/2005 |
| I had enjoyed the previous chapter where Frodo had had a vision of the White Tree's child, and Arwen's face in the branches of the new tree, as a sign of hope. Now we see the fullfillment of his vision. But due to his illness, he almost missed seeing any of it. I found the exchange with Ecthelion interesting. Tolkein indicates that Denethor suspected who Aragorn really was, and Ecthelion was also a shrewd, wise man. Of course he would have also figured things out. Interesting to wonder if Ecthelion would have accepted an heir of Elendil. Sad to see that Denethor's ambitions were probably growing for a very long time, way before the war. In the books, he is every bit the descendant of Numenor, intelligent, far-sighted, even being called wizard-like. But sadly, also subject to the weaknesses of Isildur and many of his descendants. i enjoyed your look at what Ecthelion might have been like. Author Reply: I've read Anglachel's "The Hands of a Healer" and found it fascinating, although I personally thought that Ecthelion would be more positive than his son. So I decided to start from scratch: if both father and son recognized that the brilliant and well-beloved Captain Thorongil was very likely the heir to Isildur, what evidence would have convinced them, and how would they have reacted to it? And how did Thorongil talk himself out of it without outright lying, something the true heir to Isildur would be extremely unlikely to do? We don't know for certain that Frodo saw the White Tree planted or the old one laid to rest; from the description of it being brought to the Rath Dinen, however, it was likely that (assuming Frodo is the source of the material in LOTR) the Hobbits saw that funeral and the unusual thought of laying a tree to rest would have made quite the impression. In previous stories I'd indicated that the encounter with the raving man took place during a feast which Frodo and Aragorn left. So, the challenge was to figure out what feast that would be, and the farewell feast for those from Rhovanion seemed the most likely. I also indicated that Frodo had a bad night the next night, and that Gandalf had been gone that night. It seemed to make sense that the two incidents, therefore would occur close together. Again, the challenge was to get the two experiences and the finding of the White Tree to mesh together, and this was what came out. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 48 on 12/16/2005 |
| What a reverent laying to rest of the old Tree, and such a joyous, loving, honored welcome for the new. And I especially enjoyed Thorongil's conversation with Ecthelion. I always thought that Aragorn learned much about how rulers should act from Ecthelion (and Theoden). Author Reply: I, too, think Ecthelion and Theoden and probably Thengel as well were among Aragorn's mentors, although I suspect he learned a good deal also from Adrahil. The two of them probably found themselves kindred spirits at times. And we know that the White Tree was laid to rest in the Rath Dinen--it was fun to explore how. | |