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| The Acceptable Sacrifice by Larner | 1409 Review(s) |
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| Szepilona10 | Reviewed Chapter: 41 on 11/10/2008 |
| To bad you married off Hardorn, 'cause I think he's cute! Author Reply: He might be a bit old for both of us at this point, though! (Grinning!) Thanks for the feedback. | |
| Szepilona10 | Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 11/10/2008 |
| Yippy! Hardorn can laugh! God Bless! ~Szepilona10~ Author Reply: Oh, yes, he can. Am glad you got to see him here, too. | |
| Lúmë | Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 6/11/2008 |
| I must be the last of your fans to read this one. I must admit, the subject daunted me and I read your stories above and below, always thinking, yes, one day I will read it. And now I have. And it was moving and uplifting and yet every bit as gruelling as I thought it would be, following Frodo on his continuing journey. I formatted it to read on my Palm handheld (it being easier to snatch a page now and then on the Palm) ... did you know that this story (including Author's Notes) has 4999 Palm pages? That's a huge tome :) ('The King's Commission' by the way, has 3512 Palm pages.) In any case, as always I am astounded by the detail you manage to include in your stories. Your stories read like I'm watching them on the big screen. And I can turn my attention away from the action for a bit and look around and see all the little bits of life just happening on the edges, as it always is. Wonderful experience to read a story like that, and I thank you! Author Reply: I am honored you have read it at last, Lume. This combined two different stories that had worked at me for some time, and so it ended up much longer than I'd expected it to be. In my old version of Microsoft Works I write under it runs 766 pages in 12 point Barbedor T font. One page short of 5000 pages on your Palm, eh? That's overwhelming! I am so glad you appreciate the level of detail, and that you feel you are actually seeing it unfold before you. That is how I feel as I write, as if I'm describing what I'm seeing and hearing and experiencing, looking through the senses of the characters. And it's always wonderful for me to explore how children perceive what's happening around them as I write. Thank you again for the feedback, and I'm so glad you braved the grief and pain to find the Light along the way. I like to think that this was what Frodo himself found. | |
| Soledad | Reviewed Chapter: 100 on 12/29/2007 |
| An excellent story, Larner. I couldn't get away from it for the last two days - but since I'm on holiday and sick like a dog, I could afford to indulge. :)) As I started your stories with the Tenant, it was good to meet Bartolo again - he's such a wonderfully quirky character. Author Reply: Somehow I missed this, Soledad. I'm honored you read and enjoyed this. And am glad you find yourself enjoying poor Bartolo. He is indeed quirky, I'll admit, and has been managing to insinuate himself into my stories for some time now, from "Stricken from the Book" to "Go Out in Joy." | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 48 on 10/3/2007 |
| Oops! I had forgotten this. Thanks for reminding me Larner. Author Reply: Glad you enjoyed reading it again. Thank you for sparking the other story! | |
| Inkling | Reviewed Chapter: 38 on 5/29/2007 |
| “But the words are inscribed, it seems, on my heart.” Lovely, Larner! And a very apt analogy to the question at hand regarding the nature of faithfulness and duty. Sam abandoned the Quest to turn back for his Master…but in so doing saved both his Master and, ultimately, the Quest. I loved the scene on the garden bench, with the night singers and the stars… Author Reply: Yes, indeed a proper analogy, for Sam epitomizes those qualities. And Frodo needed a few memories--a few good ones--from the time to hang onto. And am so glad you appreciated that scene. I suspect that even in Minas Tirith there would be the night singers. Now and then a white owl flies across my front yard, and all who see it rejoice--except, of course, the rats and mice. | |
| Inkling | Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/30/2007 |
| Very interesting, Larner! Though the term was not immediately familiar to me, the concept of the sacrificial king certainly was…for example, in Mary Renault’s superb book The King Must Die (one of JRRT’s own favorites). And the English king as healer rings a bell too…I remember reading that James I fancied himself as having the healing touch. But the idea of the king feeling what his people feel and also the punishments he metes out…that was new to me! Very interesting, especially as you’ve used it in your story. That’s one of the things I love about fan fiction…I’ve learned so much in reading and writing it! Author Reply: Oh, yes, Renault managed to capture it as well. One of the images that comes to my mind's eye is Artos with Gwynhumara's father in "Sword at Sunset" with him coming out of the Celtic Lammas rite, still in the role of the Sacred King, demanding that Artos make the marriage the land needs; then both Artos's uncle and later himself making preparations for their deaths when it's plain they've come. The King's Gift is really an accented form of psychic empathy. I've known folks who knew when their loved ones were hurting or extraordinarily happy, and as I said it just felt right for Frodo and Aragorn to share such a gift. And we do learn so much reading one another's stories. Certainly I've loved seeing how Arthur Conan Doyle can be fitted into Hobbiton society! Heh! And I LOVE your Adelard! | |
| Inkling | Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/30/2007 |
| A most unusual and disturbing gift! I read some of the reviews with your explanation of the Sacred King, which I’d not heard of before. Was this a historical role in medieval times, or a mythical figure? Author Reply: The Sacred King is an archetype--the one who stands between his people and the Powers of Heaven. Apparently the King of Numenor fit this archetype, as only he might speak upon the Sacred Mountain, he was the one who offered the First Fruits at the time of Thanksgiving and who voiced the people's prayers in times of distress; and it was with the King that the Eagles sent by Manwe would converse. The Sacred King must serve the needs of his people and be willing to die to protect them. And in many lands it was believed that the well-being of the King reflected the well-being of the nation itself, to the point that a king who was ailing or fading with age would know he must soon die that the new King could take his place and the kingdom remain strong and healthy. This ideal of the Sacred King is an ancient one, and is in part believed by many people on a superstitious level to this day. The anointing of the ruler of England on accepting the crown is believed to give the monarch some authority over disease, to the point that historically many who were ill would have themselves brought where he might touch them or have his shadow fall upon them; and to this day kings and queens are expected to go through hospital wards to hearten those who are ill or wounded. Compare this to the idea that the descendants of Earendil bear the gift of healing. And if you read the Coronation liturgy you will see the vows made for the protection of the lands and peoples. Also, perhaps a little-known fact, the true head of the churches of the Anglican Communion is NOT the Archbishop of Canterbury, but currently Queen Elizabeth herself, which is a good part of why there was so much contraversy when Charles and Diana chose to divorce, for having a royal pairing go down so spectacularly and publicly doesn't presage well for the health of the nation and the Church it supports and rules. That the King would be more likely to act responsibly toward his land and people if he felt the joys and pains of his people isn't particularly a new one, but it is one I've played with in many of my own stories over the years; giving this faculty to Aragorn and Frodo just felt right. For more looks at The Sacred King, read "The Golden Bough": Sutcliff's "Sword at Sunset," or perhaps her book "Sun Horse, Moon Horse"; Joy Chant's "Red Moon and Black Mountain"; or Katherine Kurtz's "Lammas Night" (I think that was the title). Even the role of the Lord Rand in Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth stories is consistent with the role of the Sacred King. | |
| Inkling | Reviewed Chapter: 36 on 4/7/2007 |
| A most interesting and eclectic chapter… Yes, even negative emotions are better than feeling nothing…just as every child knows negative attention is better than none. So Gondorians don’t drink tea, or is it just the concept of tea bags that’s a novelty? Are they Aragorn’s invention? Once Galador gets over the shock I suspect he will enjoy having a King who wants to discuss the minutiae of seating with him…after all, it confirms the importance of his work! The singing was lovely, and I’m so glad that Frodo joined in. Author Reply: I suspect that the folk of Gondor have their own herbal drinks and tisanes, but don't as yet fully appreciate tea as much as do Hobbits and Breelanders. When doing medicinal teas, I suspect Aragorn has come to realize that making certain the proper balance of herbs is important, and so it is that he would very possibly have decided to make up packets he believes might be useful with Frodo at hand ahead of time, packets that can be steeped for one and won't leave bitter dregs in the bottom of the mug. I suspect many healers used cheesecloth to make up such packets, in fact. I've had two students who practiced self-destructive behavior such as face slapping and scratching of their own arms. For one of them it was found that he had poor ability to process tactile information dealing with pressure on his face; of all things, covering his ears helped stem the self-stimulation of the slapping. Pain was preferable for him to not feeling anything near his ears, for some reason. Researchers dealing with Holocaust survivors found a goodly number who had their adrenalin systems so stressed during their time in the camps that they reported that they found that in returning to normal life all seemed grey and dull. Whether their bodies no longer produced sufficient adrenalin to give them normal experiences of excitement or alarm, or the receptors in the brain that react to the presence of the hormone had diminished, or what, they couldn't say. Maybe the amygdala itself was heavily traumatized and left somewhat scarred. I strongly suspect that there were too many times when Frodo felt drained of the ability to feel, perhaps for similar reasons. Galador is going to find himself reacting to unexpected changes to normal behavior throughout his tenure as Master of Protocol for Elessar's court, such as when the King throws a welcome feast for emissaries from Harad and Umbar and invites NOT the nobility but merchants and artisans. He will either adapt or give up, I susupect. Heh! And Frodo does have moments when he can feel normally, at least. To join in that harmony was a gift to him, I'd think. Thanks for the feedback. | |
| Inkling | Reviewed Chapter: 35 on 4/1/2007 |
| A most creative and just sentence for Angrapain! I wonder if it will do him any good. Oh, I know the idea repulses him now, but it’s hard to resist the miracle of birth… Oddly enough, I’m a bit sorry to see the Umbarians go. There’s nothing like a good villain or two to liven up a story! Not that they all seem completely villainous…perhaps Wasnior’s seed of honor will sprout. But deception seems to be a national pastime…even among themselves and their servants. Author Reply: The Umbarians were allied with Sauron for so very long, and even when under Gondorian rule tended to resent it terribly, seeing themselves as the true heirs of Numenor, even when they chose the Dark instead of the Light to follow and serve. Agree about a good villain livening a tale, but hope you can accept a peaceful time, for Frodo and Aragorn are fighting a different war now, one they cannot fully win, this side of the Sea. | |