Larner
· 19 March 2013
· Chapter 8: Of Farewells and a Promise Kept
I am glad that the letter was enclosed as well as the key to the alphabet.
In truth, Braille is a very bulky thing when committed to paper, which is why today few blind people use it much. The Vest Pocket Dictionary, which in print truly fits into a vest pocket, took up seven volumes, each twelve by twelve by at least four or five inches thick back in the sixties, and now I'm told that the current publication is ten volumes long. Now, however, with refreshable braille devices such as the Braille'n'Speak, PacMate, or the BrailleNote, and braille displays for computers more people are finding braille a viable medium for written work once more. Many of my friends who are blind rejoice to carry many whole books they can read on a single device or thumb drive or SD card, as is true for those of us with ebook readers such as my Nooks or my friend's Sony ebook reader or the Kindle. Most still choose to use audio formats, but more and more are using braille devices instead, which is a boon for those of us who teach braille and desire to see our totally blind students become good spellers.
Poor girl--caught between her desires and what her people see as the "proper" place for a mere woman, and one who is blind at that.
Linda Hoyland
· 1 March 2013
· Chapter 8: Of Farewells and a Promise Kept
I was looking for something to read and came across your story which I am greatly enjoying. You capture young Faramir and his complicated family relationships very well. I've always imagined Faramir as having Fiduilas' eyes and Denethor hadly able to look at him for that reason. I eagerly await more of your story.
Larner
· 14 January 2013
· Chapter 7: Mablung's Tale
I rejoice that they now know what happened to Arvegil, although I grieve with Mablung as to what had to be done. But he was right to give the body to the river, I suspect. And I am so glad that Boromir and Haldor are willing to work together to help Faramir find his own place rather than to force him to return home to join the Guard of the Citadel under his father's direct command.
I, too, was imagining a Roman-Britain household from your descriptions, so I enjoyed this very much! (Rosemary Sutcliff's works have a pride of place on my bookshelves, you see!)
Author's reply
Thanks Larner, glad you're enjoying this story so far and I would have replied sooner had I known that there's a reply function. Silly me! ;P I love Sutcliff too and Without her the writing bug would never have bitten!
obsidianj
· 13 January 2013
· Chapter 7: Mablung's Tale
Mablung's story is chilling. And now there is a traitor who knows the ways of the Ithilien Rangers. I like it that there is a truce between Haldor and Boromir.
Author's reply
Thank you obsidianj for taking the time to read my story!
obsidianj
· 13 January 2013
· Chapter 6: A Reunion
Yes, Faramir has grown up. I like the family dynamic you describe in this chapter between the two brothers and the distant father.
obsidianj
· 13 January 2013
· Chapter 4: The Woman By The Well
Whew! They both survived for now. Nienna is an intriguing character.
Author's reply
Thank you! I'm glad that you don't find her Mary Sue-like :)
obsidianj
· 13 January 2013
· Chapter 3: Flight At The Ford
Oh, boy. Now they are really in trouble. You are the queen of cliffhangers. Luckily, there are already more chapters out. I love the way how you paint the atmosphere in the story. It has me on the edge of my seat.
obsidianj
· 13 January 2013
· Chapter 2: The Hunters
I love the description of Faramir's early days among the rangers, that nobody wanted to have the stewards son in his troop, this outsider. Faramir gaining the respect and love of his comrades is very believable. Nice touch of Faramir being the owner of the only book in Henneth-Annun.
And now the hunt is on, just not the way expected.
obsidianj
· 13 January 2013
· Chapter 1: The Wild Hunt
Intriguing start. I'm a bit confused. I was expecting Faramir to be one of the cubs. I guess I have to wait to see where this is going.
Larner
· 6 January 2013
· Chapter 6: A Reunion
Jealousy will grow as you have depicted, and I hope Boromir realizes soon how fruitless it is in this case. At least Faramir has found what he needs in Ithilien, and even a woman worthy of his affection, although in the end it will be another he takes as his wife. But he has had sown the seeds of what will in time be his life.
The older wise man from the earlier chapter sounds like Gandalf might have passed that way, or perhaps Radagast the Brown. Or maybe a far-wandering Ranger from the remnant of the Northern Dunedain.
I, too, have been revisiting old stories. Good to read this one at last, and I hope you do not experience too many breaks in your writing!
Author's reply
Thanks! I did have in mind a particular ranger from the north! ;) I am very much in awe of the fact that you've written so much and for so long. Unfortunately I had a dry spell for a few years and thankfully ideas are popping up now!
Larner
· 6 January 2013
· Chapter 5: An Old Man's Song
The old folksong based on this poem is well enough known by those of us who love such music. Peter, Paul, and Mary did their own version, and I found the music for it running through my head as I was reading.
Attraction is there, and it would be nice were it to grow into a first love for the two of them. And perhaps word of Ragnor will come to them--I only pray that he is not among the Haradrim that pursued them.
Larner
· 6 January 2013
· Chapter 4: The Woman By The Well
The braillist in me is intrigued! Lovely to think that Monsieur Louis was anticipated so long ago! But I, too, have imagined how reading might still be offered to those who are blind in that world. I am indeed intrigued. So, is Nienna finding herself attracted by the younger son of the Steward, I wonder? The harp sounds beautiful!
Author's reply
*grin* I think Faramir's intrigued too. I'd always imagined him with a great sense of wonder, curiosity and love for learning - the kind whose thirst for knowledge grows stronger rather than being satisfied by acquiring it. That's probably why he finds someone like Nienna intellectually interesting, and he sees in her the same qualities that he possesses. Her disability - and ability to rise above it- is also attractive to him. He's a fighter and so is she.
Larner
· 6 January 2013
· Chapter 3: Flight At The Ford
I hope that the Captain follows them. At least Faramir is faithful to the charge given him. And we know both managed to survive the ordeal.
Larner
· 6 January 2013
· Chapter 2: The Hunters
Excellent writing, and vivid descriptions of the land through which the Hunters and cubs would have traveled. The depiction of Denethor's treatment of his younger son is not totally unlikely, and Faramir's ability to gather the friendship of his fellows is totally believable. And now the hunt is on indeed, only it is the Haradrim who are now the coursers and the Rangers as a whole the prey!
Larner
· 6 January 2013
· Chapter 1: The Wild Hunt
The rite of passage you describe is certainly a likely one, and the term for the apprentice Rangers likely as well. And I can appreciate just why they don't want Anborn in the pack that hunts them!
Raksha The Demon
· 24 December 2006
· Chapter 5: An Old Man's Song
To be honest, the story of Faramir as a Ranger, and what he learns from his Captain, interests me far more than Nienna, or Faramir's developing feelings towards her, but that's partially my personal bias against OFCs talking. And Faramir seems very young, emotionally, to know true love at this point in his life.
What happened to poor Arvegil - will his body ever be found?
And yes, having Morwen as a companion is realistic for Nienna.
Fascinating that Denethor spent the whole night keeping vigil at Faramir's bedside, then left before speaking to him.
More soon, I hope.
daw the minstrel
· 23 December 2006
· Chapter 5: An Old Man's Song
I continue to be impressed by how well-written this is. You suggest Faramir's feelings very delicately, and the Old Man and his sister also come alive.
Bodkin
· 4 October 2006
· Chapter 4: The Woman By The Well
Faramir is very good at feeling guilty - and taking responsibility for things that are no fault of his. He's in a state that must make the beautiful blind healer seem doubly attractive, too. (Not that she is not a worthy object of his admiration. And one related to his Captain, too.)
daw the minstrel
· 3 October 2006
· Chapter 4: The Woman By The Well
I liked the description of the house--the smells, the sights. Also, l like the way we get some of Faramir's family feelings here. I'm a sucker for family dynamics.
Raksha The Demon
· 3 October 2006
· Chapter 4: The Woman By The Well
Good to see that Faramir and Mablung are alive and relatively well, though I'd like to find out more of how they were actually saved. Did the Captain, who I thought was stuck fending off several orcs, find them, or did someone else?
Love the Middle-earth invention of Braille, it does seem very reasonable that a man of an old Gondorian family would create it, the Numenorean culture that is still very strong in Gondor places a high value on lore and learning...
Nienna is certainly interesting. Faramir's too young for her though, in terms of potential romance, she seems, emotionally, much more mature.
Bodkin
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 3: Flight At The Ford
Oh my! Good stuff indeed. I hope the Captain made it. Don't think he did, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed until proven wrong. And Boromir? Hope it's him, because he'll se that Faramir and Mablung have the help they need to survive this.
Very exciting. I hope it's not long before the next part arrives!
daw the minstrel
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 3: Flight At The Ford
You had me reading quickly, trying to see how this would all come out! Neither Faramir nor Mablung is in good shape here.
daw the minstrel
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 1: The Wild Hunt
This story is alive from the first paragraph. I'm already hoping the hunt goes well.
Raksha The Demon
· 30 September 2006
· Chapter 3: Flight At The Ford
Ooh! The plot thickens, and so do the perils surrounding our heroes. Faramir's in trouble, the Captain's in trouble, Mablung's in trouble - are we having fun yet? Well, as a reader, I certainly am.
Excellent conveyance of the hunting, Faramir and the Captain's dogged courage in the dark, quiet night with death on their heels. And a little dunking in the Anduin to refresh the youngsters - NOT!
Oiolairë was also, the tree, in Numenor, from which were cut the "bough of return" that was laid upon the prow of a ship to sail from Numenor to Middle-earth for luck, by a woman usually the kin of the ship's captain (see Unfinished Tales). It's a great name for a rural village, though from your note, it doesn't survive for very much longer...
Raksha The Demon
· 30 September 2006
· Chapter 2: The Hunters
I'm delighted that you've returned to this story!
Very good chapter, setting up quite a fascinating framework. Wonderful retrospective on Faramir's first three years in the Rangers; I especially liked the way you sketched the intense, clannish bonds between the 'forayers' going back generations, and how Faramir became one of them in fact as well as assignment. The bit about his group being proud of having a warrior-poet is particularly good, a nod to the traditional Gondorian love of literacy and a token of how hard a Ranger's life is.