Reviews (11)

Ainu Laire · 1 September 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

Wow. I am not sure what else to say. This story was very, very well written, and so enjoyable! Rarely do you see something so, well, close to canon! You captured Aragorn very close to what I believe is Tolkien's Aragorn. I absolutely loved his flashbacks, especially in the unknown place far off to the east. It is a bit difficult to imagine that these people knew nothing of Sauron, but Arda really is quite large. I would imagine he travelled hundreds upon hundreds of miles to get there. Wow, I did like it a lot. Completely amazing. I really liked this a lot!

Michelle · 18 July 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

A wonderful peak into Aragorn's thoughts to see what makes him tick (well, seems to be Arwen, mostly *g*). Liked the technique of it - the different scenes, kind of a caleidoscope.

RS · 16 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

Strolling through SOA and found this! (Clap my hands and squeal with delight!) Had to read it again. I enjoyed it at HASA and I double-enjoyed it here! Every action, every word was pictured in my mind like watching a movie. Heck I think I was! Beautiful, wonderful, awesome! Can't say enough of it!

Estelcontar · 15 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

I always love your Aragorn stories because they show the man like I always imagined him. The one schooled for leadership who endured for close to 90 years a life of sacrifice and serving, which in a way prepared him better to be the great, generous and wise king he ended up being. But I think you are right. Those years in hiding must have been very difficult years for him because most of the times I think he laboured and waited without much hope of succeeding just because he felt he had to. But ultimately he never gave up hope entirely and never gave in to despair.

daw the minstrel · 12 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

Hello, again. I reviewed this once but on a long drive today I got to wondering if Legolas made a comb for Pippin because Pip wanted an heirloom. In other words, do I have to groan at a bad pun?

Bodkin · 12 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

I loved Legolas's respect for the dogged Aragorn - the man who could make himself admired and respected wherever he went, yet never stick around to reap the benefits. He must have been so lonely. The only constants in his life were usually hundreds of leagues away - and a mental rather than a physical comfort. I'm surprised, actually, that he was able to settle down to being king - I'd have thought that seventy-ish years of being a wanderer would have made it intolerable. And Legolas - his feel for what the wood wanted and his sensitivity to the natural world are lovely. And Pippin's brief appearance, actually! Legolas's automatic support of Aragorn is heartening - even if Aragorn is right in saying that his ancestry is not enough to make him king. Fortunately his character is.

meckinock · 11 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

Magnificent - what did Daw say (yes, I cheated!) Detailed and yet sweeping? I loved the closeness and detail you gave us about a night in the life of the Three Hunters, and yet intertwined it with scenes from Aragorn's journeys. How poignant that every time he achieved acceptance and success, he was forced to move on. I was particularly touched by his experience in Rohan. Loved this line: As an honor to Thorongil, homeless adventurer, it was favor undreamed of; for the heir of Arnor and Gondor, it was impossible. The account of the battle at Umbar was gripping, too. What an unvarnished picture of war, and Aragorn sickened by it despite the fact that he can remember himself pushing for it. My favorite segment, I think, was the story of the cheating gambler and how Aragorn stuck around for a year to set up a nice, reputable establishment. It was nice to imagine him as the de facto tow sheriff, but sad to imagine that all of these people who grew to love and respect him would have felt confused and hurt at his unexpected departure. I think I could re-read this another dozen times just to catch everything.

Linda Hoyland · 11 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

This is a beautiful story,which I greatly enjoyed at HASA.It is good to see it here too.

daw the minstrel · 11 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

What a wonderful look at Aragorn's long struggles. Detail and sweep of the years in the same story.

Nilmandra · 10 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

A very nice look at Aragorn through this night of unrest as he looked back over his life. All of his plans indeed were 'nothing' until the plans of ones far greater than he were worked out to their perfection... when his time came. I really liked the snippets in Rohan and Umbar and the far east.

Amy · 10 June 2006 · Chapter 1: To Labour and to Wait

Magnificent! Aragorn's declaration to Eomer is in my top five favorite moments. When the sky seems the darkest, stars shine the brightest. I figured that Aragorn felt that the time for hiding was past. He'd come a long way from Amon Hen, figuratively speaking as well as literally. This is lovely: Sixty-seven years -- from grandiose, youthful daydreams through many careful plans -- were come to this place and this reality. It was not how he had planned to return to Gondor, but he would come, now openly as Isildur's heir, wielding Anduril, Narsil reforged at last, to go to war with Sauron. He would be there when his people needed him, even though he was ragged and footsore and bringing only evil news: Gandalf's fall, Boromir's death, and the fate of the One Ring. He was Aragorn, and he did not need to be acknowledged king before he would do what he must do. Elves sensing what the wood wants to become, and the whole comb/hair thing is just too funny, as well as being a v. sweet picture of Legolas.