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| The Dwellings of the Dead by Nilmandra | 57 Review(s) |
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| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| The opening scene in the village abandoned to death was sober and yet incredibly vivid, and Elrohir's visceral reaction to the dying old man felt very real. It was so comforting that he was able to ease the old man's passing and give him peace. But wait - soul-stealing ghouls? Run, Elrohir! Fight! And dammit, TELL GLORFINDEL. You're giving me a heart attack. This is like one of those movies where you just know the couple should NOT go up to the creepy old house to get help after their car breaks down, and you're screaming at the TV. But they do it anyway, just like Elrohir fights off the second attack by a houseless ghoul in like, half a day and does NOT tell Glorfindel what's going on and then wanders off by himself again. You just knew that was a bad call. Whew. Thank goodness Glowing Glorfindel decided to follow him this time and has no intention of letting him out of his sight. Also thank goodness it seems evil houseless elves have a healthy respect for the old balrog slayer. Now Elrohir and I will both sleep better tonight. Author Reply: LOL... poor Elrohir. He's a warrior and a healer, able to fight an enemy but also to touch the spirit. That a spirit could be evil and seek to harm him is beyond what he expected. Then perhaps he thought it was the woods he had to worry about. He is weary and overwhelmed, and it did lead him to make a less than great decision about going off by himself. And of course, it makes a better story! | |
| Ellie | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| Okay, this is creepy and eerie. Poor Elrohir! I'm glad Glorfindel is there to protect him. I like the way you have described the haunting and spiritual atack on an elf. Nicely done. I can't wait for more! Author Reply: Poor Elrohir. I'm afraid there are worse things in Middle-earth than houseless elves, and he is about to find that out. Tolkien really did give us a rich and fertile history to draw from, didn't he? | |
| Lianna | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| Er...uh... One might speculate that a spirit that found Elrohir's body to be a potentially hospitable domicile might have an equally favorable view of another, essentially identical place of residence patrolling a bit to the North. And Erestor is no Glorfindel... Author Reply: All true, unfortunately. Middle-earth is a dangerous place! | |
| eliza61 | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| Yeah, Glorifindel to the rescue!! Take that evil spirit. I love, love a good horror story (though maybe I should have read this in the morning, instead of midnight). Excellent chapter Nilmandra, I love the suspense and nice turn making the villian an evil elf. Hope you update soon. Now what is Glorifindel thinking?? Author Reply: I usually scare myself half to death when I read anything scary! But the concepts Tolkien gives us are fascinating! I'm not sure what Glorfindel is thinking. He looks grave, though. | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| Okay, maybe I should not have read this chapter at 4 am, in the dark... *warily peers over the edge of the bed, then decides to scoot toward the middle* This story is really creepy, Nilmandra! I love how you set up the atmosphere so clearly that the reader can't help but shiver with an overwhelming sense of foreboding. I was especially intrigued by how you showed Elrohir's gift of healing, and the extraordinary compassion he showed for the dying villager... especially since he was at the same time uneasy about his own safety. (I wrote a drabble with a similar theme, portraying one of the twins helping an Eorling to die peacefully after the Battle of the Field of Celebrant -- only it was from the dying man's POV, so he didn't know who this Elf was, only that he felt comforted by his presence, though they didn't even speak the same language.) And I always enjoy it when authors weave obscure bits of canon into their stories: the Dúnedain of Cardolan perishing in the Great Plague (which always reminds me of the bubonic plague or the 1918 flu pandemics), the Barrow-downs being the tombs of ancient kings, the Old Forest and its confoundingly mobile and communicative trees... I am always thankful that Tolkien left us with so much material to mine and then elaborate upon... And you do it so well! ;-) I really expected the beech tree to be unfriendly, not protective -- the Old Forest doesn't have a sterling reputation -- but it was a (fleeting) pleasure to meet a being that was not evil in that oppressive environment. The evil spirit was frighteningly real and threatening... but the entry of Glorfindel aglow was such a refreshing way to scare the spirit away! Okay, now I'm shivering for a different reason... *goes all dreamy-eyed at the thought of a gorgeous blond hunk of an Elf* *Ahem* Where were we? Oh, right, I was just about to tell you that I can't wait to find out more about what this spirit is... Very nice work, Nilmandra! And please update soon... - Barbara Author Reply: The passage that this story is based upon is just a sentence or two long, but frightening indeed. And the beech may have had less than noble intentions, but perhaps it remembered that Elves awakened them once, and saw a contrast in good and evil. Hard to know. I shouldn't admit that I don't always know they why.. i just write what I 'see'. LOL, glad Glorfindel got you shivering. He does that for me too. :D | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| Ah, the end of another unpleasant day for Elrohir. Where would we be without those unpleasant days? It can't be an easy thing for him to walk among plague victims, even though he's probably immune to the disease. The germs might not get him, but the survivor's guilt might. He strikes me as very young here, and it's a good thing he has Glorfindel around to steady him. Especially with an evil ghost coming after his body. Author Reply: My version of Elrohir is a little more senstive to the spirit too - which might have made him more susceptible to the spirit world as well. We'll see what Elrond says. | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| Oh ... wow. This was wonderful, Nilmandra. The spirit is so evil and malevolent, and the way it's targetting Elrohir is terrifying. Does it want him because he's an elf, or because of *who* he is? The descriptions of the plague village and the forest are very atmospheric, but the spirit ... *shivers*. I'm glad that Elrohir retained his wit and sense and was able to fight back against the spirit on his own, but I'm very glad that Glorfindel turned up when he did! Jay Author Reply: I was glad Glorfindel showed up when he did too. Elrohir might think he could have fought off the spirit, but the whole atmosphere has to be wearing heavily upon him. It is definitely a place where he should not be alone. | |
| Gwynhyffar | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/23/2006 |
| Wow, that was amazing, Nilmandra. Glorfindel in all his glory, and I could feel Elrohir's concern in the village as well as his fear in the forest. I really enjoyed this and will definitely read it again and again. Author Reply: Glorfindel in his glory is a very nice visual image, isn't it? But what a time.. this whole period of the age is so dark and heavy. Now Glorfindel is telling me a thing or too. | |
| Peredhil lover | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/22/2006 |
| Your writing is wonderful and I enjoyed this chapter very much. You paint a wonderfully eerie and suspenseful picture with your words and I was drawn right into the story. Elrohir is one of my favourites and I love your depiction of Glorfindel. This is an excellent beginning and I am looking forward to seeing where this will lead. peredhil lover Author Reply: I am glad you enjoyed it. I can't help but wonder if the mixed blood of these peredhil was not an interesting draw to spirits of evil. Tolkien certainly gave us some dark things to explore, that is for sure. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/22/2006 |
| Oh my! That is splendid. And eerie and horrific - and Glorfindel! Well ... That is one powerful and glorious elf. I expect Elrohir can even accept being called elfling by one who makes him feel safe after such an experience. A tireless enemy - one that can wait for the slightest chink in your defences and then steal more than your life - it can't be much worse than that. And then, that on top of finding everyone you are seeking to help dead of a disease that is gruesome and agonising. It's no wonder that Elrohir is weary and perhaps more vulnerable than he might be. I hope Elladan isn't encountering this wherever he is! Erestor is a strong and wily elf, but he doesn't pack quite the same Calaquendi, twice-born power of the Golden One. And, as a bonus, it's only part 1! There's more to look forward to! Wonderful stuff. Author Reply: I had to play on the elfling thing - its a term of affection that is used by Glorfindel to Elrohir until after the incident with Celebrian (in my stories). But in this case, Elrohir must have felt like a child again.. or perhaps wished for the innocence of childhood again, at least. And you're right - Elrohir is vulnerable. Expending his energy to the spirit made him more susceptible to a spiritual attack. Glorfindel, I think, will understand that, even if Elrohir at first does not. | |