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In the Hands of the Enemy  by meckinock 12 Review(s)
NilmandraReviewed Chapter: 5 on 11/1/2003
Just when I think this story cannot get any better, it does! I love your look into the life of the Dunedain - the hardness of it, the suffering and all that they did to keep the lands safe. Halbarad is fantastic - I love his retelling of the orc hunt and how Strider normally behaves around his men and his brothers.

I also like how you have made the women strong -they fought off the orcs, they hold these families together and they bury their sons and husbands - and sometimes apparently their mothers and daughters too - when fortune does not go their way.

Gandalf is very good interrogating the girl, but Halabarad truly rose to the occasion for the hobbit lad. He recognized the 'enemey' as not inherently evil, but as someone who chose to do the wrong thing for reasons we can all empathize with. You give believable motivations to the characters here.

And I cannot wait for Halbarad to meet Teburic.

Author Reply: Thanks, once again you are beyond gracious! Unfortunately Professor Tolkien didn't give the women a lot to do, and inserting female characters is so danged tricky that I just plain won't tackle it - glad you found some merit in my very meager attempt to recognize the contributions of half the population!

fliewatuetReviewed Chapter: 5 on 11/1/2003
Aah, here comes the backstory! No wonder Aragorn was not in his best mood. And Halbarad obviously had to listen to a few choice words of his lady *grin*.

I loved this chapter. I especially love your characterization of Gandalf. The mental image you created of a bleary-eyed wizzard clad in his nightshirt, woken in the middle of the night by some ill-tempered Ranger was priceless! And then his attempt at eaves-dropping at Halbarad's door, earning him not much insight but a crick in his neck.

All in all, a nice mixture of humour and the grim reality of the day to day life of the Rangers. And, by the way, I like your Halbarad as well. Though he is angry at the Hobbit and the whole situation, weary, worried and probably had consumed no small amount of ale, he still has enough discipline to adapt his interrogation technique to the situation at hand and not use the same methods on the poor Hobbit he would employ were he to question some Orcs.

Author Reply: Yes, I can almost hear Halbarad's wife now...
Aah, yes, the dreaded backstory. Kind of like taking medicine.
Glad you like the mixture of humor and drama/angst-I was not sure if readers would find it effective or off-putting - the reassurance is appreciated!
Halbarad probably hasn't had any ale in a long time so it's kind of impressive that he can even stay awake while he's talking himself to death...

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