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More Dangerous and Less Wise  by daw the minstrel 29 Review(s)
Red Squirrel Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/3/2013
oh yes, Maltanaur...we are all dying to hear this tale! Wow, that Beliond is quite a character...but I like him. He seems rough around the edges but I think under all of that he must truly care about Legolas. I take it that he will appear in the other stories too. I look forward to learning more about him.

Author Reply: And this is one of the last stories I wrote.

Beliond was interesting to me. When I created him (for, I think, "Tide of Times), it never dawned on me that he'd eventually have fangirls because he's someone I'd never want to spend my days with like poor Legolas has to. But some readers took to him. And I have to say, he was a ton of fun to write. In his POV, I could say things I'd never say on my own because he's just outrageous.

elliskaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/24/2008
This is great humor writing. I was rolling laughing all the way through this. Hard to pick out favorites, because I loved so many of these lines. But these two stand out the most for me:

My favorite line of all had to be: the re-embodiment of a bossy, little Noldor lady whose family had finally had enough and shuffled her off to see Namo during the kin slaying. I absolutely howled!

"I am a Wood-Elf," Eilian said, which would have been more reassuring if he had not just fallen out of a tree. Howled again. Hilarious!

Elian and Beliond--that is going to be rich!

And I am looking forward to hearing this story about Thranduil. Not telling each other's children indeed!

Author Reply: I'm glad I made you laugh! You're working too hard.

This story turned out to be about Wood-elves and what they're like, for good and for ill. Poor Beliond! He really is a far more adventuresome person than Legolas knows. But he's about to find out. :-)

The KarenatorReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/21/2008
I am so far behind. Still fighting with my DSL and something blocking the Internet. I seem to be here at the moment, but I could be mistaken.

Fun beginning to the story, almost like a comedy of errors and mishaps. Boy, talk about going to pot. The fun, I suspect, is just beginning. Beliond may return from his little jaunt with Eilian to find Legolas is relatively calm and level-headed in comparison with his older brother and Eilian may return with a new appreciation for Maltanaur. All the while, little brother is going to get the real scoop, one bored wounded warrior to another.

I'm looking forward to the next chapter, which is up, along with Chapter 3. I've had so much trouble with this darn computer, I have to move along right now, but I'll be back. Really enjoyed this first chapter.

Author Reply: Karen! We miss you! This has gone on far too long.

I'm glad you enjoyed this. When I put Eilian and Beliond together, I thought that would be make some sparks and there are some, but oddly, what happened was that they started to look a lot alike. Both are too Wood-elfy for their own good sometimes.

Get someone to fix your DSL. Enough is enough.

DotReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/19/2008
Sorry, sorry, sorry, homework done and here I am... So this is what you’ve been up to in between getting depressed about the publishing industry :-)

I loved the opening – launching us straight back into this world and leaving me wondering what on earth they were up to! And yes, I did grin along with Eilian when Beliond called Legolas a fool only about five sentences in.

After ProperAdult!Legolas, this is probably my favourite age that you write him. You capture his voice so well – he still has remnants of that sulky-and-sassy attitude left over from when he was a younger (when he’s not being a competent warrior, of course) but in a way that would make you smile instead of getting annoyed with him. LOL at him shaking water on Beliond!

But uh-oh – that doesn’t look good if the Dwarves left clothing behind like that. Poor Legolas. My heart went out to him when he made that effort to stay calm.

I can’t tell you how much I laughed at the next scene – Legolas busy wishing Beliond could be more like Maltanaur and in the meantime Eilian scrambling desperately at the tree before being flung off. And Legolas shouting “watch out!” waaay after the event! *snort*

"Sorry," [...]"I should have been more careful." Hmm. Now why does that sound like it just popped automatically from his mouth?

"I am a Wood-Elf," Eilian said, which would have been more reassuring if he had not just fallen out of a tree. ROTFL!!

But hang on, the ledge just gave way on Legolas and Maltanaur?? Who have you been taking lessons from in making life awkward for your characters? Jay? Nilmandra? Meckinock?

"Did it occur to either of you that a moment of caution might have saved you from injury?" Legolas frowned. Maybe his brains were more scrambled than he realized. Surely someone had already said that. Heh. Beliond and Maltanaur make a wonderful double-act.

"Your adar occasionally behaves rashly too." Ooh tell me, tell me! Eilian and Legolas might not believe him but I do!

I love watching Eilian around Beliond. Legolas is so convinced he has them all figured out and is so busy thinking Eilian has the best deal that he misses a lot in the interaction – but Eilian is far more aware! Not that I’m saying he’d intentionally try to rise Beliond. But it’d be a nice bonus! And he lets all the grumbling roll over him instead of getting frustrated like Legolas does.

but partly he was drawn to the excitement of pitched battle like a moth drawn to the flame. Ouch. Less of the flames, please.

"Beliond could go with you, Eilian. Oh yes! We all want to see that! I can think evil things as much as Legolas can.

I have to say, I’m not surprised Beliond went in the end. I mean, Eilian’s logic makes sense (though it always does at the time) but Beliond has that desire for a thrill too, even if it’s buried a little more deeply than Eilian’s.

And yay, Maltanaur is going to tell the story!

I’m thoroughly enjoying this. I’ll be back soon, probably tomorrow, for chapter two :-)

P.S. Very clever chapter title!

Author Reply: You know I'm interested in voice right now and this story is a good chance to do some of that "practicing" I blogged about. I'm glad you found Legolas convincing because I've always had a harder time with him than my OCs. When Nilmandra beta read, she said I was closer into Legolas's head in this than she's seen me before, so that felt good.

And the chance to do humor again was welcome too. It let me be a little less restrained than I normally am and that came out in the snark, I think.

But I may have bitten off more than I can chew in this story because now I'm rolling my eyes at trying to do justice to both the Thranduil story and the "present." Ah well. Maybe it's my homework. :-)

Thank you, Dot. You leave just the best reviews.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/17/2008
Legolas's brother is good at getting his own way, isn't he? Heh!

Author Reply: He certainly is! As long as he doesn't cross his father, that is. :-)

wantanelfReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/15/2008
Yippee! Yippee! Yippe! Another story from Daw! Your stories always brighten my days. I'm lookin forward to following along on another adventure. :)!!

Author Reply: Thanks, Wantanelf. I love an enthusiastic reader!

IdhrenielReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/15/2008
Aw, it's great to read from you again! What a cliffhanger... I am curious to know the story!
Thanks for the update!

Author Reply: Thanks, Idhreniel. I'm working on the story this very minute! It's good to be working on fanfic again.

perellethReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/15/2008
I hd to lugh at how disaster can pile up and then add some more! Beliond scolding Maltanaur with his own words was priceless, as was Eilian subtly influencing Beliond into giving in!

lthoug I m sure tht he is going to regret it more than Beliond! BUt a switch o keeppers is something ll of your readers have been expecting eagerly for years! :-)

Author Reply: As you know, I'm experimenting with voice, and these four are a lot of fun to write about when I'm thinking that way. I'm glad you laughed! This story will be mostly light-hearted. We all need that, I think.

PS. I think your A key is sticking.

ziggyReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/14/2008
Sorry Daw- missed the A in Hurray so it reads Hurry- grovel.

Author Reply: LOL. I never noticed! Maybe I read in a "hurry."

ziggyReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/14/2008
Hurry! I have missed you and Eilian and co! I love this- LOVE Beliond and Eilian together - that's just going to be soooo much fun. All the time Legolas is comparing Matanaur's treatment of Eilian and Beliond's treatment of him, it is just setting us up so nicely for the decision that surely Beliond is going to regret. I also especially loved the first bit where Legolas speculates on Beliond's origins -' the re-embodiment of a bossy, little Noldor lady whose family had finally had enough and shuffled her off to see Namo during the kin slaying.' Made me laugh. I will gleefully await for events to unfold- my main question, will Eilian kill Beliond first or will Beliond just deck EIlian, hog tie him and drag him back kicking and screaming??
As Legolas says, 'Tell' please.


Author Reply: LOL. You could probably write Beliond and Eilian's adventure better than I can! I have to get Thranduil's story in there too. I like using fanfic to experiment with complicated and tricky stuff because people are so patient when I screw up. LOL

Thanks, Ziggy. I worked on Chapter 2 today and it's coming along.

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