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| Interrupted Journeys 9: Bitter Paths by elliska | 59 Review(s) |
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| c_belle_a | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 1/31/2013 |
| Another wonderfully intense chapter! I love it how we get to see Legolas slowly growing up from an innocent but more or less sheltered prince to one that must face all the challenges of royal life. Standing with Thranduil as he sort of tortured Fuilin and seriously considered killing him must have been so hard for Legolas- and it must have been a wake up call to how difficult it can be as king. I also love how you always manage to incorporate Tolkien's world into your sentences- for example, having Thranduil say he is going to send Fuilin to Mandos instead of saying he is going to kill him. It feels like I'm really living in the world/ religion of Middle Earth when I read sentences like this! Tulus has guts to admit everything about his son to Legolas (and consequently the king). I can't imagine how hard that must have been- I hope that Legolas finds a way to help him so that Thranduil doesn't really kill him on the spot...*nervous laugh* And, of course, what did the House of Oropher do to the Ulcamartos? Thranduil's right- what a bunch of crazies in that house! Thanks for writing! Author Reply: Yes, Legolas is getting a full education in this story. No more innocence for him after this. I also love how you always manage to incorporate Tolkien's world into your sentences Thanks! I love that sort of stuff too and make a real effort at using it! Tulus is in a lot of trouble. He's made some mistakes and he is going to pay for them. We get some hints at why Manadhien hates Thranduil so in the next chapter. Thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate them so much! | |
| CandissD | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 1/30/2013 |
| Another great chapter! I hope you will update soon to see how this all turns out Author Reply: I'm glad you're enjoying. School is slowing the updates a bit, but they are on their way. One more chapter in this after the one I just posted and then the next story is the aftermath. I hope you continue to enjoy and thanks so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them! | |
| Charmel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 1/30/2013 |
| There's definitely a lot of meat in this chapter. I must admit that I am waiting for Legolas to have a breakdown. He is still young and there's so much going on forcing him to act well above his age. Poor Thranduil is stuck between a rock and a hard place. I have been mulling this over myself. What do you do with an immortal criminal? An irredeemable immortal criminal who you cannot/should not kill. hmmmm Not even the Valar will have anything more to with him. What do you do? Tulus - I have little sympathy for him. He should have told Thranduil about his son. They may have been able to work together to a common good. Now, he has thrown himself under the bus. I'm foreseeing a long trip over deep water for him. Keep it up. Cant wait for the next chapter! :) Author Reply: :-) Legolas's breakdown is on its way. But I've put the real aftermath of this story in the next one, so you'll wait just a little longer. Sorry! He is definitely doing well, mostly, for right now. Thranduil is in a horrible place. I intentionally made dealing with Fuilin et al as impossible as I could. What do you do, indeed! Tulus made mistakes. He knows it. And he'll pay for those mistakes. In this story and in a future one. No doubt about that. Thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate them so much! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 1/30/2013 |
| Oh bless you. This made my day. I thought it was striking that Thranduil and Legolas both saw the sunrise differently on a plain than in the forest, which makes sense. But then there's that reminder of Dagorlad which calls up the issue of violent death Legolas is struggling with. Actually, I always find allusions to that part of ME history interesting. One of the big advantages of writing about Tolkien's story is that you have this deep history that reverberates in the characters even when you don't spell it out. There's always subtext you can draw on. "I want some answers from you before I send you to Mandos to answer for your crimes." Man, Thranduil is scary. His manner to Legolas at the start of this scene is interesting to me because Thranduil is plainly concerned but he's not babying Legolas. His manner is what I'd call fatherly rather than motherly. And then there's that squashing the air out of the prisoner thing. Well deserved of course. In a way, Thranduil's duty is not to be merciful. His family's safety depends on his actions, as does his realm's. So all the discussion of that that comes a little later was really interesting. I had to laugh at the "what in Arda is your tutor teaching you?" moment. Most parents have been there, though perhaps not over language instruction. Did Dolwon aid you? Glilavan? Tulus?" Legolas drew a sharp breath when his father named Tulus. "Yes," Fuilin replied, easily. "All of them but Glilavan Thranduil makes me proud when he immediately suspects that Fuilin is speaking from Opposite Land and Glilavan is the only one helping. Or still helping. Poor Legolas. I'd have trouble keeping quiet too. "Adar will kill you where you stand," That's a simple and powerful statement showing Legolas's understanding of his father and a king's rights. I read it over a couple of times because it says so much in very few words. When I started writing original fic, I realized how convenient it was the Tolkien had created Orcs and characters could kill them without conflict about it. The conversation between Legolas and Anastor was touching. The fact that Anastor sought it out is a sign he's been working through that original anger. Maybe he even gives Thranduil something to think about as he talk of how impressed his father was with Legolas advocating for Demil. Great chapter, Elliska. Author Reply: :-) I enjoy thinking about how people in a society that would spend most of their lives in the same 20 mile radius would react to different sights. How amazing Legolas's travels with the Fellowship must have been for him because every land was so physically different from his forest. I like that kind of stuff and can't resist it! I also love King!Thranduil. I don't think he'd be one to mess with at all. Legolas is almost of age in this, so he's not going to submit to babying, so Thranduil knows it's a waste of time. He also wouldn't do it, at this stage. I don't think. Legolas is his first born in my little world. That requires Thranduil to treat him a little differently. Fuilin isn't going to fool Thranduil! :-) And yeah, Legolas is definitely coming to an understanding of a lot of things here. Thranduil's rights and responsibilities (and his own), not the least. Anastor is learning too. Struggling. Not used to learning. But he is doing it. This experience has major implications for him later in life. I'm glad you enjoyed it@ Thanks so much for the reviews. I appreciate them so much! | |
| Fallen_Angel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 1/30/2013 |
| I really, really love your series thus far. All of them...I've been a lurking fan ever since the beginning lol! I love the way you've dealt with the kinslaying, and the circumstances in which it was committed. I'm looking forward to reading the reactions of Legolas' family to what he has been through and been forced to do. The kinslaying is a very interesting concept and one that I've not seen done, especially for these characters, at all. In all, I love this story and I cannot wait to read more :) ***Please forgive me if anything I've typed doesn't really make sense? It's 5 past 2 in the morning here and I'm exhausted! Author Reply: I am so sorry, I usually respond to reviews much more promptly than this. School has been keeping me insanely busy this semester... Thank you so much for the review. I love hearing from new people in the reviews. It is so much fun. I find the kinslayings, from the POV of the Sindar, and Silvan, really fascinating and I have a lot of fun thinking about what impact those experiences would have on people's actions. It's obviously a big part of this story (and will be in the next one, that has a lot of the aftermath of this story). Again, thanks so much for the review! I really appreciate them. I hope you continue to enjoy! | |
| Morn | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/23/2013 |
| Wow, what an intense chapter. And the reaction to Legolas killing Demil was wonderfully put, just showed quite how repulsive it would be to elves, even Thranduil and Celonhael who have presumably killed elves before. I especially liked: "After a moment, the fabric of Thranduil's tunic twisted in Legolas's grasp. Thranduil's heart twisted in much the same manner. He looked over Legolas's shoulder at Demil. Oropher had led his family east so that no one in it would ever have contemplate such evil, much less...." Looking forward to reading all the fall out, and hopefully learning a little more about their motivations for all this soon. :) Author Reply: I'm glad it was intense! I'm glad you liked the reaction to what happened with Demil. There wasn't really a choice. Demil was going to kill them, or worse. But even so, this would be horrific for any elves, but especially, I think, for elves that had been the victims of kin slaying or who, like Thranduil and Celonhael, truly understand how Legolas feels, having been forced into the same position themselves in the past. That line you liked was a last minute edit. I added it on the very last read through before I posted. Sometimes those changes really work. Glad you liked it! :-) We do get some more hints at why Marti/Manadhien hates Thranduil so much in the last chapter. Hope you enjoy! Thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate them so much! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/22/2013 |
| I have to leave for my writing class but I had to read this first! I knew it would be here when I got home. Poor Anastor. The knowledge of what his father did has to have shattered his world, right down to his sense of himself. He did well in the fight, which I hope he remembers. I understand his desire for revenge. Lord knows, I'd have wanted to do bad things to anyone who dragged me, sold me, etc. But it's good that Legolas stopped him. Poor Legolas. Elves take kin slaying so seriously, and he knows all that history and saw the shock on his father's face. My favorite line here is the one about Thranduil's heart twisting as Legolas's hands twist his tunic. That's a really nice externalization. I also like the way Legolas orders the guards around. He's taking responsibility. Of course, the guards don't always order easily, witness their refusal to leave Dannenion to care for Legolas. I love seeing these competent, self-assured people. Legolas and Anastor will get there eventually too, but this is a hard way to learn it. Author Reply: Yeah, Anastor is really in a bad place right now. That was the first time he killed and he finds out about his dad. He's taken on a lot. He did do well though, along with Legolas. Poor both of them. As you said, kin slaying, especially amongst these Sindar, is so serious. Even if he was forced to do it, it is really horrible. :-) I also enjoy having a bunch of truly...competent is a really good word...people interacting. It makes for fun conflict at times. Thranduil's heart twisting as Legolas's hands twist his tunic. That was one of those last minute, last read through edits that I liked. It's so cool when they work. :-) Thanks so much for the reviews daw! I appreciate the so much! | |
| c_belle_a | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/22/2013 |
| Whew! Such a loaded chapter. I feel so sorry for literally everyone- even Dannenion! He should have seen his son hating him for his actions coming, but maybe not while he just lost an arm. That must be awful. And poor Tulus- how will he protect his son this time? Keep up this amazing work! Author Reply: I'm glad you feel sorry for everyone! That is perfect! Everyone is in for some major angst, so hopefully you will feel more for them as everything collapses. Everything everyone knows/has been doing can't stay hidden for much longer. Thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate them so much! | |
| Fantasia | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/22/2013 |
| Great chapter! well, it is time to be sorry about everybody. Poor Anastor, loved that he thought the Thranduil was annoying because he was too strict as a Father, but everybody on the settlement loved him. He has a different view of the world now, a very painful POV. And he is right to be disgusted with his Father actions. And poor Dannenion. And poor Legolas although, he is really wise for his age, he does understand the concept of Justice and Vengeance, probably better than his Dad this time. And laughing with Thranduil's fears that his wife will be there. And in the same note, poor Tulus, the debriefing is going to be painful, there is no way that he can protect his son this time, Legolas and Anastor will tell about the irregularities of the exercise. I really love this story. Thank you. Author Reply: Sorry for everyone is exactly right! Everyone's lives are going to be turned upside down by this. I'm glad you were amused by Anastor's POV of Thranduil. I couldn't resist that. :-) And Legolas is definitely showing he understands justice vs revenge. And has a cool enough head to control himself. Like Thranduil says when he's going to the tent--he just needs something to burn off his anger and he doesn't get anything. You are right about TUlus too. He is in deep and can't hide much longer. Everything is coming to a head. Thanks so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them so much! | |
| picara | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/22/2013 |
| What I really liked in this chapter was how distant everything was. Like Legolas seeming so stunned (I think you would be after killing someone, surely) and Thranduil figuring things out slowly. And poor Anastor. That really was about the worst time he could have found out about his dad! Great angst! Author Reply: I'm glad you liked that. I think taking something like this in would be kind of a slow, stunning process. Poor Anastor indeed. His world is completely changed. Everyone's is going to be. Thanks so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them! | |