News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Stirring Rings by Larner | 12 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Queen Galadriel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/5/2006 |
| Maybe it's just me, but the north of Middle-earth during this time seems a very sad place. None connected the arrival of Saruman in the Mortal Lands with the destruction of the royal house of Cardolan save, perhaps, Iarwain. As the Eldest no longer freely mixed with the rest of the Wise, however, he was not likely to betray Curumo’s secrets. It was best, Curumo reasoned after the fact, that there be but one royal line in the north as it was best there be one in the south; and already had Endorgil foreseen his own demise before Saruman’s arrival. Therefore there was nothing to have been done to turn aside the fate of the young Man and his lineage, if it was already written in the stars.... I don't believe it! Saruman! Oh, he's so...so wrong. So pitiable, and maybe I *would* pity him if he didn't have such questionable ends and use such means to obtain them. As it is, if I were to come face to face with him I couldn't look at him. :( Even if Radagast was reluctant, he seems to be doing very well, and it would be lovely to get to see at least a bit of his visit with Tom Bombadil! :) They'd get along excellently. What a contrast between Gandalf and Saruman! I just love Gandalf's ready humour and how he delighted in the tempest. No wonder it was he who played such a great part in helping to overcome Saruman in the end; he led not with power but with love, being a friend to so many who fought the darkness. But where are the blue wizards going? :) God bless, Galadriel P.S. This is completely off subject, and I think I may have asked before, but how do you come up with so many wonderful Gondorian names? When I finish "A Gift..." I'm going to beginnwork on a story set in Gondor, and I am absolutely desperate to come up with or fine enough names. I've been all through a whole bunch of Elvish names, but most of them sound just a little too...well, Elvish, though there are some really good ones. I'm about ready to just never mind the meanings and make up names as I do for my original fantasies, but then who knows what meaningless things I'll come up with! Oh! See there, I can't discard the meanings, even when I try. Author Reply: I suspect strongly Saruman carried with himself the seeds of his own destruction from his acceptance of the commission as one of the Istari, and so that's the way I fear I tend to write him. He is pitiable indeed, or he would be if he were not so powerful and with such a scope for his foolishness and integral selfishness to play out. What the interactions between the various wizards and Bombadil are like may be better shown in time. And I do think Gandalf's sense of humor stood all in good steading as he met his own commission. He can appreciate Osse and not feel sorry for him or superior to him, and this empathy is with him throughout his stint as a wizard in Middle Earth. The blue wizards, we are told, disappeared into the east, and that's where I've sent them. Perhaps we'll meet them as Saruman indulges in his own investigations of those lands. As for how I do my Gondorian names--I mostly play with known name elements and add other syllables that work well with them, as I did with the longer Haradri names in "Lesser Ring." Gil, mir, mar, thor, dor, rion, lion, and so on are common name elements, and so I add to them or mix them; rion and lion both indicate "son of", while ien and eth are common female endings. Interesting question, of course. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/5/2006 |
| So Saruman betrayed Cardolan deliberately, and not out of ignorance! That makes it even worse--that in his arrogance, he felt he could meddle thusly in lives. Of course, he never gets over that--it's what fuels his lust for Power. It's also interesting to see his reactions to the house of Rhuadar. At least this time he kept his mouth shut, mostly. But it's clear that he has no respect for honor when he sees it, accounting it as weakness, I suppose. I do hope we get to see Radagast's visit with Tom Bombadil. That, I think, would be fun--in many ways their natures are similar. I think they would get on very well indeed. And the Blue Wizards arrive, and depart, leaving us none the wiser for their intentions. I know that you say you'll be concentrating on the other three, but I do hope that you will put your considerable imagination to work for those two, at least a little. You did a brilliant job describing Harad, in "Lesser Rings" and there was less to go by in canon than this! And now we see Gandalf's journey--I love his good-humored visit with Osse and Uinen, and how he truly enjoyed the storm! And Cirdan's response to his arrival was perfect! Author Reply: I don't think the betrayal was deliberate, but Saruman has realized the implications of his conversation with the black man in Bree and the subsequent murder of the prince of Cardolan. I think he's just indulging in rationalization right now. But having meddles once, he finds himself doing so again and again; and it adds to the resentment he feels toward Gandalf when he comes. Gandalf is recognized by Galadriel and promoted by her as logical head to the White Council; he's been the recipient of the gift of Narya from Cirdan; he's welcome throughout the homes of the Free Peoples and in the halls of the Elves, whether below the earth in Mirkwood, on it in Rivendell, or above it in Lorien. I wonder if Saruman was ever welcomed in Lorien, by the way. Hmmm--obviously that will need to be touched on in this story! Interesting situation to consider. Radagast and Bombadil would get along famously, I think, as he would with the Ents as well. At least Saruman is keeping his mouth shut, and his wisdom is still leading him at least in part. It says in the Sil and UT that Saruman made frequent trips eastward--perhaps we'll learn more of Alatar and Pallando through those. And am honored you so obviously appreciated my version of Harad. As for Gandalf's arrival--we already have his arrival at least partly described by Tolkien himself, so I just added to it a bit.... Thanks so much for it! | |