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| Elf Academy 3: The Enemy Within by Fiondil | 18 Review(s) |
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| 6336 | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| I had to take a break from this chapter, part way through as it was getting a little too intense for me. I can understand how the Twins feel, partly from finding out that their father was relegated to Apprentice status and partly from the way they are being treated by some of the Valinorean Elves. It's a bit like having planned something out and having somebody come along and say "Yes, very nice but I think we will do this and this instead." and taking over. Very frustrating. Elrond taught the Twins to the best of his abilities but any healer who does not continue their education looses their edge over time. Interesting chapter, I think some lines are being drawn in the sand here. Huggs, Lynda Author Reply: It is a very intense chapter, Lynda, there's no doubt about that. Emotions are high and everyone is stressed out to the max and no one is really thinking clearly. It's a right mess and it's only going to get messier before it gets better. Lines are indeed being drawn in the sand. Thanks for reviewing. It's much appreciated. Hugs back. | |
| Kevana | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| This chapter shows just how good a grasp you have on your characters, even managing such a huge cast. Pulling the scene back to the hospital with the twins was great. Glorfindel has been a surrogate father to them all those years. It must have been as terrifying and disheartening for them as it would have been if Elrond was the one lying there on the operating table. That said, I am going to be sincerely disappointed in a few folks if the twins really are getting short shrift from the Valinor Elves because they are Peredhel. Really?! Earnur gets a mighty brofist for how he handled that, though. Awful thing to think, but all this goes to show just how heavily they rely on Glorfindel and how badly some of them need to step up to the plate, as well as getting Glorfindel to slow down and delegate! This was a horrible way of forcing the issue but maybe it could also be good in the long run. Finrod mentioning Serindë's brothers to her was so sad and sweet. Poor lady with the health problem, but thank goodness Elladan was there. That was a fascinating scene! I always love it whenever you write Elves messing about with their abilities. *snort* So the twins don't like being treated like "clueless Mortals" but see no problem with calling Mortals clueless, huh? Bit of irony there. :P A lot of the Elves seem to do that. Maybe if the Three Amigos continue their good behavior, they can graduate to being the Three Musketeers. Nell can be d'Artagnon. *grin* I'm literally off to the races tomorrow, a steeplechase of all things! Never a dull moment, working in media. At least I'll get to spend the day outside in the sun. Hope you guys up north have a warm weekend too. Thanks for the update, take care and be well! -Kevana Author Reply: Hi Kevana. I'm glad you think I have a good grasp of my characters. Sometimes, the way they act (or don't act), I'm not always sure. *grin* Glorfindel is probably more a "dad" for the Twins than Elrond at this point, if only because he's there and has been for far longer than Elrond was and the thought of losing him has to be terrifying for them both. And it is ironic that Elladan refers to "clueless Mortals" when he perceives that Eärnur and other Valinórean Elves are treating him and Elrohir as "clueless Peredhel", but that's how it goes. "First take the log out of your own eye..." LOL! on the Three Amigos being promoted to the Three Musketeers with Nell as d'Artagnon. I might just have someone like Derek do that. Hope you had a good time at the steeplechase. Our weekend is mostly going to be blah and rainy, but it beats being blah and snowy. Thanks for the review. I very much appreciate it. | |
| Monalex | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| Hello Fiondil! I am with the Twins on this one; it sure does feel as if everyone is underestimating them just because they were born in Middle Earth or because they didn't leave. I'm sure they would be more than willing to learn, if they could find an elf they trusted and who would not make them feel wanting or inferior, so tough choice there. I feel for the twins, they must be feeling horrible to let their emotions out like that. To have the possibility of losing Glorfindel, who I’m sure is like a father to them and their only connection to their childhood, it must be horrible. Though Glorfindel do needs to get better, so that he can deal with his elflings and make them understand that there are skills they don’t know, but are easily taught. Maybe you could bring Elrond and Celebrian for the wedding and have their father teach these new skills to them?? Pretty pleaseeee?? Because I'm sure that they associate elven healing techniques with their father and who better to teach them, than someone who loves them?? I do get that Elrond needed to learn certain skills that he did not have an opportunity to learn before, but to make him a Journeyman must have been humiliating. In the end, I suspect he capitulated because he was living there and needed to adapt to their expectations. But now it's not the same thing, the Valinorean Elves have to adapt to the expectations of the mortals and the Wiseman Elves not the other way around. It is good that Finrod is learning how this elves feel, so that he can better gauge and asses what exactly they are doing that makes the Wiseman Elves feel like they are being underestimated. It would be interesting if he questioned the other Wiseman Elves too, so he could get a broader picture of the problem. I really don't see how Finrod has the idea that does from Valinor - most of whom are very prejudice and arrogant - can be of any help in expending operations further into Wiseman. They don't get the mortals, they don't understand the mortals, nor are they willing to learn or admit that the mortals have useful skills that they do not. But I guess that with the passage of time that may change, but it will be a very bumpy road. Also I think Finrod will get a better idea of the problem he doesn’t see, by questioning the worst elleth in the bunch from Valinor: Helena. That will illuminate and clarify several points he doesn’t see and will help him decide on his course of action. Excellent chapter as always! I now need to get away from the flames! :) Monalex Author Reply: Hi Monalex. The Twins may or may not have a point, but certainly the stress and exhaustion they feel are not helping them to see things as clearly as they could and everything is beginning to spiral out of control now that the center of their lives is lying in ICU and is still in danger of dying. As for Elrond... unfortunately he's not around to give his own take on the situation of his becoming an apprentice, so the Twins don't have the full story, only what Eärnur and Finrod tell them and that's from their perspective, which is somewhat condescending, or so it probably sounds to the Twins. And you're right that most of those from Valinor don't really understand or get the Mortals of this time. They probably didn't get them in their own time, either. It's still early on for them and they are still trying to adapt, so the road to understanding will be a bumpy one indeed. We will eventually see Finrod confront Helena and find out how he ends up dealing with that situation if at all. Thanks for your review. It's very much appreciated. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| First off, I'd like to say I especially appreciated the description of Elladan using the patient's energy field to diagnose her problem. My husband is a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner as well as an RN, and what you described seemed remarkably like what he describes when doing energy work (though more precise, perhaps, than in RL). I've always felt that the descriptions of Elven healing (or Kingly healing) seem to indicate some similar ability. I hope that the perceptions of inferiority the twins are having are simply a combination of the stress and exhaustion of the situation, as well as worry over Glorfindel (who by this point in time they have been with longer than they were with their own father) and the stirring up caused by Helena's rash words. I do hope that when they *think* things through they will understand they are overreacting. Though I do understand the resentment over having their own achievements underestimated. A very good chapter, that shows there is still a very long row to hoe before things are anything like OK again. Author Reply: Hi Dreamflower. I've heard of CHTPs but have never met one. It just seemed logical that without modern medical equipment and all, the Elves would develop touch healing and scanning as I've described here and elsewhere. I'm sure that some of the perceptions of inferiority on the part of the twins is due to stress and exhaustion, but those perceptions had to come from somewhere and perhaps one or two of the Valinórean Elves said or did something inadvertently that made the Twins think they were being slighted for being Peredhel or for having not Sailed. And now, on top of what's happened to Glorfindel, they are indeed overreacting. We'll see how it goes. And you're right that they all have a very long row to hoe before things get anywhere near OK. Thanks for your comments. They're very much appreciated. | |
| rikki | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| Fanning flames indeed. More like pouring gasoline on a smoking log and watching it blow up. Finrod so needs Glorfindel awake and aware enough to pull the twins back into line. Glorfindel is the one who needs to shake them up and make them listen to what is being said as the twins don't recognize Finrod having control over them. I always find online conversations a minefield of communication traps since one can't hear the nuances of speech or how the person is actually coming across. But here it is like no one is listening to what anyone is saying. Or maybe this is just the touch stone for all the perceived grievances that have been amassing throughout the story. The elves from Valinor sound rather snobbish in their explanations, especially Finrod when he talks about expanding operations in Wiseman while the elves under Glorfindel continue to operate the Elf Academy. This sounds more like the confrontations in Elf Interrupted between the Valinorian elves and the returnees and reborns. Yes, they know a lot of things about elven training, but they are so unknowing about mortals that it will get them in the end. Author Reply: Hi rikki. Finrod's not the only one who needs Glorfindel; they all do. But you're right that the Twins especially won't necessarily recognize Finrod's authority over them. They probably won't even recognize Daeron or Amroth's authority over them either. And whether the Valinórean Elves are indeed snobbish or simply telling it like it is, perception is often more "real" than the actual reality of the situation and if you don't want to listen, then you won't. We've all been such situations ourselves and know how vicious the cycle of disbelief can be. It does sound a bit like the confrontations in "Elf, Interrupted" but for different reasons. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I appreciate you doing so very much. | |
| Sunny | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| Clearly, the Twins are not at their best here. Which is understandable. Their beloved "uncle" (who since Elrond sailed undoubtedly has become like a father to them) lies mortally wounded in the ICU. And they could not save him - but a team of the newcomers could! And then they heard the story of how Elrond became Irmo's apprentice. Elrond was, of course, considered to be the greatest healer in Middle-Earth (and the Twins learned their healcraft from him) but to the Amanians he did not have the certifications to be considered more than an apprentice. And here we see Elladan do a bit of "Elven-magic" to point Dr Chandler at the real diagnosis of one of her patients. So to the Mortals (to whom he is used to compare himself) he is a magically skilled healer and diagnostician, but to the Valinorean Elves, he is a rank beginner. Or at least, that's what he assumes. I suspect that the Valinoran healers do respect the Twins' abilities, but in the Twins' current mood, even the most innocent remark is likely to be seen as disparaging, but may be partly because of the strain they are under. But it also doesn't help that a number of the newcomers clearly see them as being lesser. And they have the benefit of having a famous father. I'm sure that what Serindë had to tell Finrod about how the Valinorean Elves don't even talk to her was quite informative. It is obvious that Finrod has his work cut out for him when it comes to integrating the newcomers with the Wiseman Elves and the Mortals. Author Reply: Hi Sunny. No, they're not at their best here. They are super stressed out and then hearing about their dad becoming an apprentice when he was considered a master healer by one and all in Middle-earth was pouring oil on the flames. And you're right that in their current mood, even the most innocent remark is being taken the wrong way. And nothing anyone does or says at this point makes it better. Finrod does indeed have his work cut out for him and it's been made even harder with Glorfindel out of commission. We'll see how successful he is in this. Thanks for leaving a comment. It's much appreciated. | |
| UTfrog | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| Fanning the flames indeed! Nearly every person took offense at all words spoken, even the few that were not intended to be disparaging. Unless this group can overcome the prejudices, the Valar may have made a significant mistake in sending so highly unprepared elves to Alaska. it may be time for the Valinor elves to get a better sense of mortal abilities as well. I do not think everyone's words were intended to sound demeaning or hostile, but that interpretation was there to be found. Bad communication all the way round. Great chapter with well thought out sentences. Thank you. Author Reply: There is certainly a lack of real communication, UTfrog, and even if not intended, disparagement is being assumed, at least on the part of the Twins. They are definitely taking everything the others are telling them the wrong way, though perhaps there is some truth in it. It's all muddy waters here and there no one's completely right or completely wrong in how they are seeing the situation. We'll see, though, how things go from here in the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing. It's appreciated. | |
| someone | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 4/4/2014 |
| "--I would not allow it, nor any of the relatives of those who were still here." There went the hope to have Elrohir's parents at the wedding. Well, Glorfindel will have to play the father then. I wouldn't be surprised if he had become more like a father to the twins over the years than Elrond. It is hard to say if the twins are just imagining that the Valinorean elves look down their nose at them or if it really happens. It may be just Elrohir and Elladan expecting such attitudes and interpreting everything wrong because of it (especially when still a little tired). Can you say which one it is or will it have something to do with the plot later? Author Reply: Hi someone. Well, Finrod might not have allowed relatives to come with him, but that does not preclude the Valar from sending people over at a later date. We'll have to see. And yes, I think Glorfindel looks upon the Twins as a father would and they see him as a father-substitute, otherwise, I doubt they would bother to obey him as they do and look to him to lead them. It is hard to say if the Twins are right in their appraisal of how the others treat them or if they are really only imagining it. Unfortunately, as with all things, perception sometimes rules reality and we do not see the truth of how things are. This will become an issue very soon, so you will have to make up your own mind about it as you continue reading the story. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it very much. | |