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| Drawing Straight With Crooked Lines by Fiondil | 25 Review(s) |
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| Katharine Moores | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/30/2006 |
| That was truly lovely. Edifying, well-crafted, and enjoyable. Your tale was in full accord with Tolkien's style; never preachy, yet utterly Judeo-Christian in approach. This was the best Boromir story I have yet read, outside Tolkien. Bravo! Author Reply: Thanks, Katherine. I hadn't expected to see another review of this story after so much time. I'm glad you found it and found it to be enjoyable. I think Boromir gets a bad rap from a lot of fanfic writers and such and felt the need to write something that showed him to be simply a human who found himself in incredible circumstances. I doubt most of us could have done half as well as he under similar circumstances. One has to remember that Boromir resisted the lure of the Ring all the way from Imladris to Parth Galen; that's an very long distance. It was only when he crossed the ancient northern border of his homeland that the Ring was finally able to take it's hold on him, but even in the end he rejected it and was saved. This story was my way of showing the reader (and Boromir) that not everything is what it seems and certainly not as clear-cut and black-and-white as we like to think. Thanks again for your review. | |
| Cerberus Dis | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/12/2006 |
| I... wow. That was extremely well written. I am very impressed at your skill with words. It's so hard to find really good fanfiction out there, especially ones concerning Boromir, and this definitely falls under 'good'. Kudos to you. *bows* You are truly a talented writer. Author Reply: Thank you. I'm very flattered and I'm glad you enjoyed the story. This particular story has been in the back of my mind for a long time, perhaps even years, but only now has it surfaced enough for me to see the details and be able to write it. | |
| grumpy | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| Great one, I very much enjoyed this tale, on Boramir's life after his death. Lots of good stuff in this one. Wonder who Boramir got to meet while waiting for Aragorn to put in a apearance. Author Reply: I'm glad you enjoyed this tale. I certainly enjoyed writing it. As to who Boromir might have met while waiting for Aragorn: that would be an interesting tale to read, now wouldn't it? Who knows? Perhaps someday we'll hear it told.... | |
| Ainu Laire | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| Wow... that was brilliant. I really loved how you portrayed Boromir's character, and I liked how you portrayed Namo as well. He's usually portrayed in a depressing manner, but here is was... right. I really liked it a lot. But yes, this was a great piece. Excellent, excellent job. Author Reply: Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you liked how Námo was portrayed. I, too, think that portraying him in a depressing manner is contrary to this Vala's true nature. No one who has stood before Eru can ever be depressing if that person has not fallen, and Náno clearly hasn't. | |
| The Failed Poet | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| Oh, that is beautiful. Boromir's characterization is wonderfully correct. You showed him as he should be, not tainted by the movie or by other works, but as Tolkien intended him to be. I feel that in my heart. Thank you for writing this. Author Reply: Thank you for your review. I am glad that you enjoyed the story. Actually, I found Sean Bean's portrayal of Boromir to be very close to how Tolkien portrayed him: a valiant, faithful Man, who fought against the lure of the Ring for quite a long time before succumbing to it, yet able to wrest himself from its madness at the last moment. Few could have done better and I think Bean showed us Boromir's humanity quite well. | |
| Agape4Gondor | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| I wish I could state my joy at reading this as well as the other reviewers - Let it suffice to say that I appreciate anything that shows Tolkien's purpose in having Boromir 'fail.' - I am sure he sat at the table, as he wrote the scene, and beat himself up over it. But it had to be done, and what better person than Boromir - who was strong enough to fall, pick himself up and save M-E, and still be saved himself. Loved it. Now - I want more - how about when Pip comes thru! Personally, I think Denethor would be the first he saw. I would love to 'see' that reunion. For I would love to have Denethor receive forgiveness from his son. For both sons. And know that, though he too 'failed' he did what he could, gave till his last breath, for his sons and for Gondor. Author Reply: Glad you enjoyed the story. Actually, I'm not sure if Denethor and Boromir would meet in that hall. There are I suspect many entrances into Mandos and Námo I think might want a private word or two with Denethor, assuming Denethor is able to hear them. But certainly, of all the members of the Fellowship, Frodo (and of course, Sam) would be the first to see Boromir, I think. As for Pip — well, who knows. I can only write what I 'see' or what has been given to me to see and another may be called upon to write that scene rather than I. Eru does draw straight with crooked lines you know *grin*. | |
| Boz4PM | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| Oh, this is truly wonderful. And thanks go to Nilmandra and Mumstheword for pointing it out to me. Yes, yes, I am a Boromir fangirl, but for all the reasons outlined in this beautifully written piece. You have hit the nail on the head superbly: that's IT, exactly! It HAD to be. Ai, I shall have to save this piece and fling it at the head of every person who writes 'Evil!Boromir' fic, or insists Boromir was an idiot and nasty for trying to take the Ring. It showed his humanity, his fraility - heck he lasted a HUGE amount of time before he broke, and yet even then it had to be. Had it been any other way it would have all gone horribly wrong. The Fellowship had to be broken: Frodo had to leave and try and leave alone. Many more than just him and Sam and there is no way they would have made it to Mordor. Merry and Pippin HAD to be taken so that Fangorn could be awoken and so Isengard would be taken down, Saruman felled and aid brought to Rohan, and so on and so on. It was a finely balanced thread on which they hung and Boromir had his role to play within it. I just love the idea that he received that solace from Mandos on the other side - it's a lovely idea, and you have expressed it very touchingly and movingly. Thank you for writing this. :) ~Boz~ Author Reply: Thanks Boz, I appreciate your words. I'm glad I can contribute to the downfall of the 'Evil!Boromir' party. I would like to think that Tolkien himself wept over this scene as he was writing it. Certainly, neither Frodo nor Aragorn, who knew the truth of what had happened, ever condemned Boromir or denied him their love and friendship, even after death. I think our society has forgotten how to extend such forgiveness to others and so many people are unable to extend such forgiveness even towards themselves. I hope this story helps to teach them how. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| Wow! Very well done. I love the fact in Tolkien's work that everything that happens is meant to be, as Gandalf says, so I love the ideas in this story. But I particularly love that Boromir waits for Aragorn. I truly believe the Fellowship would have done that. Author Reply: Thank you for your review. Yes, it would be an interesing thing if, as each member of the Fellowship found it's way to this hall, that they would greet Boromir and decide to remain with him until Aragorn came. And I would like to think that the first to find Boromir there would be Frodo (and wouldn't we all like to be a fly on the wall for that meeting!). | |
| Mum's the Word | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| Thank you, thank you for this wonderful story! There's so much to love in this account, but I want to mention this: Námo looked upon this Child of Ilúvatar and smiled more deeply than before and the light in the hall seemed to brighten. He took Boromir’s head in his hands and, gazing into his eyes, whispered, “Be at peace, son of Gondor,” then gently kissed him on the forehead. An echo of the words he'd not heard as he died -- words which helped to impart life. Perfect! I also wonder, did you coin the title phrase yourself? It sounds so familiar, and of course I know it paraphrases Romans 8:28, but I wondered. And I'd like very much to use the quote sometime, and to give credit where credit is due. In any case, kudos, wreaths, ticker-tape, and brownies are your due! Thank you again for this masterful story. Blessings, Mum Author Reply: Brownies! Yes, my favorite reward! I'm glad someone finally noticed that Námo's finals words to Boromir are the same as Aragorn's. Boromir had already fled his body and so never heard those words nor felt the king's kiss, which I liken to the "kiss of peace" found in Christian liturgies, since Aragorn is in some ways a Priest-King. As to the title: the original quote is "God draws straight with crooked lines" and I first came across it in the novels of Andrew Greeley, whose character Bishop Blackie is especially fond of saying this. As absurd (in the true sense of the word) as this phrase sounds, there is a profoundness to it that has always stayed with me. I think the truth of it can be clearly shown in Tolkien's writings, not only with regards to Boromir but with all those involved in the great struggle against evil. It is a concept we can take into our own lives and find comfort in, I think. | |
| Linaewen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/10/2006 |
| This tale was pointed out to me as one that any Boromir lover would appreciate -- and after reading it, I had to say how much I truly did love it. I am still weeping over it! I am a long-time lover of Boromir and a great believer in his worth as a companion and in his redemption as a Man who erred. In my own writing of him I try to bring this out as well, but you have done it more beautifully than I have ever read before. Thank you for writing a tale of the Boromir I love, that so fits what I believe his motives were and why he was so vital a member of the Fellowship. Drawing straight with crooked lines -- what a beautiful, glorious, encouraging thought! Margaret (aka Linaewen) Author Reply: I'm glad that I was able to give you such a tale. I think it is something that needed to be said. This scene between Boromir and Námo has been in my mind for a long time (years actually) but it was only now that I had any real inclination to put it down on paper (so to speak). Perhaps the Lord of Mandos thought it was time and inspired me to write it down!? Scary thought. | |