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| In the Hands of the Enemy by meckinock | 153 Review(s) |
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| Elemmire | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/30/2003 |
| I loved this bit - Rocks. Rocks poking into his ribcage. He buried his head further beneath the blanket. Dampness seeping into his trousers. Outside, he finally conceded with dismay. ;), Elemmire Author Reply: This is why I can never ever post as I go (immnse admiration for those of you who can!) I have had this chapter pretty much ready to go for two months but was never totally happy with it; I added this sequence five minutes before I hit the "publish" button... Glad you enjoyed it! | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2003 |
| A number of things struck me in this chapter. The first was about the horse - I never thought of the care and risks one took in having a horse along. I had given thought to this on the Quest, as to why the nine set out on foot - but your explanation really brought home to me why those who needed to move with stealth did not bring beasts of burden. I had only considered the benefits prior to this. The second big thing that hit me (not as hard as whatever hit Strider though) was how he could be ambushed and I think his skills are shown to character in that he takes down both of those men. They really did not know who they were up against. But apparently the boy brings him down with a well thrown rock. From Tolkien's world, that is the strength of a hobbit or of small hands accomplishing by unexpected means a task that the strong may be bested at. It's also a bit like David and Goliath - except in that case David was the good guy. So, our dear, tired, cold, wet ranger is getting some rest. I don't think it is quite what he had hoped for! Author Reply: The horse-angst theme is a gratuitous indulgence of mine which evolved from a couple of different directions - First (from my personal experience) - any piece of property you are entrusted with is something you have to worry about breaking or losing - you have to weigh the benefits of having it with the headaches inherent in its safekeeping. Second, from my own interpretation of Aragorn's character, he worries much more about the safety and well-being of the people/creatures entrusted to his care than to his own well-being - and how the heck do you hide a 2,000 pound horse, anyway? As far as the ambush goes, it made me a bit uncomfortable also to allow him to be ambushed by a couple of common highwaymen, but I hope his exhaustion and distraction mitigate my compromise of his character! LOL about him finally getting some rest! | |
| The Karenator | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2003 |
| Such well done characters. Even though we only knew of the three outlaws for a few minutes, you were able to bring their personalities to life. Of course, I'd be grumbling, too, if I had to sit out in the cold rain for hours. You drew us a great picture. The boy is interesting. I look forward to finding out more about him.? He may have served his purpose, but he was probably the least likely to have brought down a ranger. That gives him a certain finesse. Aragorn's concerns about his horse were interesting. I suppose, having never been through the wilderness on a horse, I had not given any thought to care for an animal on such a trip. Very interesting. Since this horse is such a trooper, I hope he's not hurt by the fall. All this putting them down after a broken leg is bit too much for me. I understand why...I just don't have to like it. Get that horse up and give him a rubdown! Well...Aragorn,too. Looking forward to more. Karen Author Reply: I'm glad you found my ruffians interesting! I almost felt bad about killing them - they were just trying to get through the day like the rest of us! The boy does indeed have a lot of finesse, and he is far from through exerting it. Aragorn would not dare let anything happen to this horse -it's Halbarad's, after all (also see my comments to Nilmandra) Thanks for continuing to review - I am a really awful reviewer myself and I am in awe of those of you who are so good at it! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2003 |
| Oh no. So close and yet so far. I knew that boy would be trouble. I had never thought of the problems of caring for horses while in dangerous situations. This was very interesting. Author Reply: I'm so flattered at receving reviews so soon after posting this chapter! - I really hope that the story will continue to merit your interest. The boy is a LOT of trouble. See my comments to Nilmandra et al about the horse issue. Anything you have with you is something you have to worry about... | |
| bumper | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2003 |
| hi there just wanted to tell you how much i like your story, have not read chapter 3 yet, just got it, but loved the first two chapters. It, is very good, as it is raining here and seems to have been for ages, i feel for Strider having to go back out in it. looking forward to this chapter and more Author Reply: Bumper, Thanks so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you like the story so far - my intention is for readers to find it fun - anything beyond that is gravy, as we say! There is something about bad weather that appeals to me - I am currently living in the Midwest where we have had nice weather all fall and it's a real impediment to my creative process! | |
| fliewatuet | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2003 |
| Ouch, that must hae been a rather painful encounter with the rope, the rockface and the stone thrown from above. And poor Aragorn seems to have neither rested nor warm and dry. I do so not envy him in this situation. But at the beginning of the chapter I already feared that you villains would be so bored that they'd mess up the whole bussines. Though I can't say that I am really glad that they succeeded, but it sure added to the tension of that chapter. Author Reply: Do you think I'm laying it on too thick? That may be so - I thought it would take a lot to get Aragorn to the point where he would be vulnerable to the psychological manipulation to come... The villains are pretty typical, I think. Most bad guys are not that different from the rest of us, just waiting for Friday. Thanks for reviewing - I appreciate your insight! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/28/2003 |
| Poor Aragorn! What misery - cold weather, wet clothes, pouring rain, exhaustion, bad memories, a wounded knee. And I assume there are nasty surprises to follow. It's hard to recall sometimes what persistence it must have taken for him to keep following his duty. The internal conflicts were one thing, of course, but ff writers often neglect these physical miseries. Again, great job with dialogue and details to make this all come alive. Author Reply: Thanks for reviewing so kindly again - and you really hit on a theme with Aragorn that resonates with me, too - the guy just won't quit. Your comment about ff writers neglecting physical miseries makes me chuckle - I think most of the time we skip right over the "damp clothes" phase and go straight for compound fractures! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/28/2003 |
| I tried to review this yesterday and my computer quit. We will assume that was a coincidence! I am so glad I found this story. I loved the interaction between Aragorn and Halbarad. Their irritation came through so clearly, as did the nasty weather conditions. You had me from the minute I read this in the first paragraph: "his intransigent adversary, otherwise known as Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Chieftain of the Dúnedain, among other names, some of which did not translate well to the common tongue, particularly the ones Halbarad was thinking of at the moment." But then things got tense in Bree. The details were wonderful here too, including things like the boy's chapped hands. I assume these folks are spying for Saruman, which is nicely canonical. Now I intend to go read chapter 2, assuming all goes well with my electronics. Author Reply: My computer doesn't quit, it's just way smarter than I am! I'm glad you found the story and enjoyed Chapter 1. Unfortunately, Aragorn and Halbarad won't get to patch things up for a while yet, although Halbarad is going to try! Yes, Saruman has been up to no good - such a scenario has fascinated me ever since I read "The Istari" in the Unfinished Tales. | |
| fliewatuet | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/27/2003 |
| I just found this story and I love it for many reasons. First, I am a squeeling Aragorn and Halbarad fangirl, and I love your characterization of them. Then, I am always fond of well-written gapfillers about the life of the Rangers, Saruman's treachery and the like. And I like the way you tell the story. The villains seem quite intriguing to me, not just some brainless brutes that harass people out of spite, but they have a motive for what they do (even if it is just money, on Teburic's part). But his as yet unnamed 'boss' seems to be a quite cunning adversary. And finally, I like the atmosphere you create. Your description of Aragorn's wet and sodden clothing and gear (almost) made me shiver with sympathy (sitting on a comfortable sofa with the sun shining in through the windows;-)) Needless to say that I'd like to read more and soon:-) Author Reply: I love Aragorn and Halbarad, too, and I hope that my characterization of them continues to ring true for you! Thank you for the lovely review! You make a good point about motives - I have found that there is ultimately a reason for everything, even chaos. I'm glad you (and others) found Aragorn's situation poignant - I wanted to portray his determination and his loyalty to Gandalf even in the face of utter exhaustion, both mental and physical. I plan to post Chapter 3 tomorrow (Tuesday). The story is done but there are some parts I am still tinkering with... | |
| The Karenator | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/26/2003 |
| Another good chapter. I felt terrible for poor almost warm Aragorn. Even the horse wasn't too happy about the whole affair. I loved it when the shadowy boss told the thief that the Master would hold him accountable if anything went wrong. Well, duh! Teburic just might be over his head with this one. This is so well written and such a pleasure to read. I'm always thrilled to find such good stories. If I were an editor for a publishing house, I'd be scouring these pages. So much talent. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Karen Author Reply: Thanks for another wonderfully gracious review - I will try hard to make sure the story remains entertaining! You are right that Teburic will realize his mistake too late... | |