News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Fragments of a love story by Nesta | 38 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 3/24/2009 |
| Ah--too often duty compels one where the heart does not lead. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 3/24/2009 |
| Ah--I love this sea-change in Aragorn. Now there is but the Lady to convince, and I suspect that the convincing will be VERY difficult. Author Reply: Yes, it certainly will! Of course, the real love story here isn't between Eldarion and Fíriel, it's between Fíriel and Faramir. In the end they have to renounce one another, renunciation being a central LoTR theme. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/24/2009 |
| He IS having a time of it, isn't he? Personally, I don't see Aragorn as adamant as this, but then that is just me. I can see him conspiring with his son, in fact; and the very fact he, too, loved one thought unequal to him, if above rather than below, would grant him more empathy. But I can understand this Aragorn's appreciation of the blood lineage he seeks to protect, as misguided as I might perceive it to be. Author Reply: Maybe I am a bit rough on Aragorn. I must admit that Aragorn the Parago(r)n gets on my nerves occasionally in the book, the way he keeps on reciting his pedigree and assuming that he's entitled to everything because of it. The fact that he apparently IS entitled to everything rather irritates me too, although it's an impeccable bit of Romance plot (predestined hero and all that). I've always been a Stewardist myself. The way I put it to myself was that Aragorn had staked so much on his ancestry that he was bound to keep it up if he could - but he truly is facing a different world, and has to realise it in the end. As for Aragorn's own marriage, he was marrying someone of much higher lineage than himself, so that only ennobles his famous 'lineage'. Eldarion might be seen as wanting to do the opposite. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/24/2009 |
| I caught the "The Last Ship" reference at once, of course, although my favorite in that collection is "The Cat." And I love that it inspired this story and your Firiel. Am currently writing about the original of that name, myself! Ardor on the part of those of Telcontar's line has been rather singleminded, hasn't it? And now to see how it all plays out! I'd wondered if Legolas was involved in one way or another with her disappearances, and am pleased to know I was right. Author Reply: At long last, another TB fan! I like 'The Cat' as well - it seems so simple, and yet it plays so cleverly with words and rhymes. Very true about what cats are like, too, although a friend of mine has a cat who's so fat she's spherical, and who plainly never dreams of anything but cream. Legolas didn't engineer Fíriel's disappearances, but he did welcome her. I think that quite soon in the Fourth Age, Elves would start to retreat from Men until they became a bit of a legend. As for going over Sea, I don't think this really happened - it was just the dream-form taken by Fíriel's desire to escape. I don't think the Fíriel poem is meant to be 'real' either, because Elves didn't pick up people and take them to Valinor just like that. As I wanted to work it, the poem is a Gondorian folktale remotely based on Fíriel's adventure. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/24/2009 |
| Running away is never the best strategy, but it does offer respite and distance, so I understand the allure of it. And Faramir is right. Poor Eldarion--not master of his own fate--or perhaps moreso than Faramir currently foresees. I suppose we must learn the answer to that eventually. Author Reply: Yes, you can be the heir to the greatest kingdom on earth - which Eldarion is - and still be quite powerless to command people's feelings. As for Fíriel, she'll come back when she's got over the shock, but she needs a respite - good word. Elves are good at providing that, as when the Company sojourns in Lórien. | |
| Fantasia | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/24/2009 |
| This is a beautiful story. I remember that I read before one of your stories about Faramir and his family, from Elboron POV when he relates his family, Firiel and Turin, must of his childhood and I recall the bond of Faramir and his daughter and Turin strange behavior and how he ends in the House of Healing and how good he was despite his strange personality; but I didn't remember an unhappy Firiel after being married. I suppose that we can hope for better times after the rainbow sign...BTW, what a beautiful story the one of the ice maiden and the sun. Another detail that liked, is when you tlak about the blood purity, the North can keep all the purity but that didn’t help to save their Kingdom, the south mixed and prevail, you are right, dynamic is what keep Human beings adapting and surviving for ages. Good for Aragorn to see it. Thank you and keep writing, you see that I've read your stories and keep looking for more. Author Reply: That's a very generous tribute, Fantasia - thank you! I'm glad you remembered the family from my earlier stories. I've got awfully fond of them, even Túrin. I think Fíriel will be happy in the end when she has children - it will reflect back on their father. You're so right about this purity of blood business. The Steward seem to have a lot of commmon sense and I think they served Gondor exceedingly well. And so would Faramir, if Aragorn hadn't happened along. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/24/2009 |
| Ah--Eldarion! What a shock to the young man! Alas he must know such rejection. Alas she should be blind to his love. Author Reply: Inescapable fact: being a great man or woman doesn't enable you to compel people to love you. It's really hard to believe that just by loving someone you can force them to love you hack, but it's true. I know! Author Reply: Inescapable fact: being a great man or woman doesn't enable you to compel people to love you. It's really hard to believe that just by loving someone you can't force them to love you back, but it's true. I know! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/24/2009 |
| And so love is kindled in the heart of the King's son, is it? Interesting! Author Reply: Ah yes, he's not immune! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/23/2009 |
| A wonderful communion between father and daughter in this case. I am glad the new child helped to heal the loss of the other. Nothing takes the place of the lost child, but it is indeed possible and desirable to know joy in spite of the loss, as you noted earlier. Author Reply: I don't think someone who has ever known unhappiness can know the deepest happiness. I always wondered about the Eldar in this connection - the ones that went to Aman and just stayed there, not joining the great revolt and never experiencing the sorrows of Middle Earth. Seems a bit dull to me - but then, I'm human. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/23/2009 |
| Sometimes the greatest joys are rooted in the deepest sadness. Author Reply: Life seems to be like that, alas. And in the fact that happiness never lasts; that's what makes it so intense. I think that is woven very deeply into all Tolkien's Middle Earth writings. | |