Naledi
· 26 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
My heart was pounding all the way through that - wonderful writing as ever! I refuse to believe that you have really killed off Legolas, so I'll look forward to the next chapter, confident that you'll bring Legolas back. After all, it would be hard to write any more Green Knight stories without a Green Knight :)
Author's reply
Thanks, Naledi! No, I didn't kill Legolas ... he has much too much to do to die right now.
The next chapter is up. Enjoy!
eucalyptus
· 23 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
And to answer your reply to me, which I've only just seen: I haven't a clue what's going to happen or why or how or when. I've really only tried to figure out the nightingale (mostly who/what it is) and little beyond that. Normally I don't try to figure those sort of things out for myself, so that's really a testament to your story and your ability to tell it that I've even bothered. Am VERY excited for the next chapter -- I am hoping a few things will finally be revealed!
Good luck with the next part and thanks for sharing!
Author's reply
Thanks for reviewing, Eucalyptus! I always enjoy reading your comments.
The next chapter is at the beta's, and there's a good bit of expostulary dialog, so hold on to your hat!
Author Reply: EXPOSTULATORY. My cat is sitting on my keyboard, making typing difficult!
eucalyptus
· 23 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
Oh! One of my theories re: the nightingale is looking pretty good right now, though NOT the one I hinted at in my last review. I'm honestly not the slightest bit worried for Legolas (and the same goes for Gimli). Given Faramir's dream, I figured a death of some sort was unavoidable. Am very curious how Legolas could un-die though.
And to the great, dirty snake -- thank goodness he's gone.
Robinscat
· 23 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
Ok, I thought I was shocked at the last chapter, losing Bandy and all, but this one tops it. I felt reasonably secure in the belief that you would not kill off Legolas, now I'm not so sure.
I am going back to the beginning and read the story again, I must have missed a lot of the subtle clues that your other readers have picked up on. Maybe then this chapter will make some sense.
In my last review you replied:
Author Reply: You've definitely piqued my curiosity ... now that the heat of discovery is lessened, what on EARTH were you going to say to me? It cannot possibly be any worse than some of the reviews I got for killing Legolas in "Pottymouth."
Well, I have not read "Pottymouth" the title was not what I would normally choose to read about. And now that I know you killed Legolas, I won't be reading it. Sorry, killing my favorite elf is a no-no. I am afraid the same rule goes for your current story. If you kill Legolas off, I will finish reading the story, but it will taint my enthuesism (or how every you spell the darn thing) for your work. I am sorry if that is harsh, I know each author has the right to write what they want, but the reader has the right to say, "Sorry not what I want to read about."
Anyway, the things that I reframed from saying in my last review was not very complimentary. You know, the language and such, so I cannot say it here. My mother taught me "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything."
I wanted to tell you that "The Green Knight" is one of my favorite stories to read. I first read it after I went to my first joust. I was at a renaissance festival and they had jousting. Of course it was entirely staged, but the thrill of the horses, and knights, the banners and pagentry was tremendous. Then I came home and stumbled on your story. I was in heaven, my favorite elf as a knight. Wow. The story was long finished, so I didn't leave any reviews, but I loved it. It is saved on my hard drive. In fact, when I get through reading this story again, I am going back to happier times with the Green Knight.
Author's reply
Robinscat, I don't blame you for not reading "Pottymouth;" it was an odd little tale, and though enjoyable to write isn't exactly what I'd call Nobel material. And although I killed off Legolas in that fic, I brought him back to life (it was a part of the plot, a sort of "Messianic" twist), and I've never actually PERMANENTLY knocked him off.
I chuckled when I read that last paragraph of yours, how you came across the Green Knight universe after watching a joust. I wrote The Green Knight after seeing "A Knight's Tale"!
Emily
· 22 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
Well, I know that Legolas has to live...so I'm not as upset with this cliffhanger as I was with the previous. And having that vile beast vomit up bits of poor Bandy's armor has, I suppose, sufficiently slain all of my hopes for the little Hobbit's resurrection. I'm still very distraught. You have no idea how emotionally tied I was to Bandy.
But I have been rereading the story, trying to see how the dreams have been unfolding into reality (and aching over the darling Hobbit). I think I'm sort of getting it. It has been cleverly done so far (so clever that I'm not willing to share what I think I've guessed, for fear that I am wrong). Please, PLEASE don't delay the next update (nor the one after that, for that matter). You've got me on tenterhooks!
Author's reply
I know how emotionally tied one can be to an OC ... I cried when I wrote Chapter 25; offing Bandy was hard for me to do.
I'll be interested to see if you've guessed what my muse has concocted! Thank you for reviewing; the next chapter is at the beta's.
Author Reply: I know how emotionally tied one can be to an OC ... I cried when I wrote Chapter 25; offing Bandy was hard for me to do.
I'll be interested to see if you've guessed what my muse has concocted! Thank you for reviewing; the next chapter is at the beta's.
Fantasia
· 21 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
This is your best chapter ever! I don't know what to say...I know that he survives, we have Fastred visions in other stories, with Tamin as the Black knight and other ones, and I'm holding to that, I don't want to beleive anything different...You are GREAT! Please, update soon, I can't wait too much and Thanks.
Author's reply
Thank you, Fantasia! The next chapter's at the beta's and will hopefully be posted by the end of the week.
annajane
· 21 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
I'll begin by quoting my own review of Chapter 25: "I still trust you ... as a writer, which given what you've just gotten up to is praise indeed."
This is remarkably good - so much fine work in terms of plotting, writing, point of view. Not a word out of place. The flashbacks work very well and help us a lot with the emotional impact of the previous chapter. I've lost count of the cliffhangers in this story, but you've earned this one, as you did the others. With regard to the ending, I'm reminding myself that you've offed the Green Knight before, and it didn't take. Also I think you're sticking to canon in the largest sense. Not certain about that, though!
Now I will be checking for updates obsessively - obsessively, I tell you! - but it can't be helped.
P.S. Wish you could post an audio file of your daughter's reaction :)
Author's reply
"Canon in the largest sense" - yeah, that's pretty much my Green Knight universe, isn't it? I don't so much deviate from canon as embellish it.
Thanks for reviewing!
Calenharn
· 21 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
OK. I've calmed down a bit.
The enscorcellment by the dragon, as seen from Legolas' viewpoint, was very well done.
The details of the horror (Mukh vomiting up the remains, Legolas crawling over the bones and decomposing flesh) was very well written.
The action was well written, too. (Action scenes are difficult - something that I was never able to write.)
Now, I am waiting to see how in **** you are going to bring Legolas back from this (hopefully, better be!) near-death experience. (What was that burning about, given that this is a "cold" drake? Some sort of acid slime?)
There are still unanswered questions... What the heck is up with that nightingale? Where is that army of dwarves that were supposedly sent to help? (Now that all the hard work is done, maybe they finally arrive? I hope they have some medics with them - they will be needed!)
I am cringing in anticipation that next chapter you are going to switch the point of view again, so as to leave us writhing a bit longer in suspense. If you do that, at least give us some hope (Kaimelas survived, Thranduil suddenly perks up, the Elves and Dwarves turn the tables on Malbeach...).
Well done.
Author's reply
Thank you for calming down before reviewing! This wasn't an easy chapter to write, and several versions of it got sent to the Recycle Bin before I was satisfied.
The Green Knight universe isn't strictly canon ... but trust me when I say I won't kill anyone Tolkien didn't!
Cerencae
· 21 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
Oh wow, that was amazing.
I think that last paragraph might be my favorite paragraph in the history of fanfiction; it is extraordinary. Thank you for writing this.
Author's reply
Thank YOU for reviewing! I'm rather proud of that paragraph, myself. It came to me in the car and I jotted it down on a stray slip of paper at a stop light! (Come to think of it, that's where the penultimate sentence from "A Fleeting Glimpse of Shadow" came from ... )
eliza61
· 21 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.
Le Rouret is not evil, she would not do this to you (repeat over and over)
Wonderful story Le Rouret. I'm 2 steps from a heart attack from all the twist and turns but it is definitely worth it. Don't keep us on pins and needles too long
Author's reply
No, I'm not evil! You can blame my muse for this. All that tequila has addled her brains.
The next chapter is at the beta's and will hopefully be posted this week! As a writer, I'm past the "tough part" and it'll be fairly smooth sailing after this.
Nieriel Raina
· 20 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
No cliffhanger in the next chapter, I promise! Things are looking up. I mean, come on. The dragon's DEAD. What else could possibly go wrong ... ?
*hysterical laughter*
Like I'm buying THAT after the roller coaster you have taken us on??? One that has plunged at sickening drops with very little climbs I might add. Down, down, down...
*blows raspberries worthy of the Elders of the Raspberry Forest* (1)
I'll believe it when I see it! You have most probably KILLED KAIMELAS, DEFINITELY KILLED BANDOBRAS, we won't SPEAK of what you've done to DURFINWEN!!! and her fellows!! or TAMIN! who will never be the same after all this!! *weeps* Oh, and Legolas has all but died most probably or is BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION! *glares at author through tears*
No cliffie, huh? Things are looking up? *snorts* They better be! *starts packing mice in car* Cuz if they aren't??? *points to mice* I'll bring them to you! I hear they thrive in warmer climates. I still owe you a Christmas gift after all...
*grin*
(1) Lord of the Beans: A Veggie Tale Movie
Author's reply
No! No mice, please! I'll be good!
Or ... at least as good as possible ... hm, maybe you'd better send those mice after all.
"They are Sporks ... they are his utensils."
Nieriel Raina
· 20 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
First off, just a heads up: there are some spacing format issues with this chapter. Random double spaces in places there shouldn't be any.
In re-reading earlier chapters (I'm not completely caught up yet) I can now see the foreshadowing of the nightingale. The way it spoke should have made it obvious! But I didn't see it until this chapter. *headdesk*
he vomited up bone and bits of blue armor in black bile
This gets to me every time I read this chapter! The horror... Woman, you write it well! And it never fails, each cliff hanger is worse than the one preceding it! GAH!
And now, I don't even want to TRY to speculate what happens next, as each time I do, I'm almost always wrong and with this chapter, I just have a heavy weight on my chest (or is that the Mexican food I had for dinner?) ;) Brilliant as always. You've set us up to believe there is no hope, that all is lost and I somehow don't doubt it shall get even worse, because you are just THAT EVIL!!!
:)
I look forward to more, though it requires being wrapped in my blankie with teddy bear firmly clenched in arms. *g*
Author's reply
Wow! That was fast.
I fixed the formatting errors. Not sure what happened ... it wasn't in the text like that. Odd.
No cliffhanger in the next chapter, I promise! Things are looking up. I mean, come on. The dragon's DEAD. What else could possibly go wrong ... ?
*hides*
Calenharn
· 20 February 2009
· Chapter 26: Nightingale
YEEEEEEESSS!!! Hey, come on; it's dead, right?
Right?
trinki
· 12 February 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
NOOOOO!!!! not Bandy, *sobs* not even able to defend himself. Life's not fair. Bless you and your poor tortured muse. This was riveting, as always. Did cry and feel the need to bathe at the end of this chapter ? I did!
Author's reply
Bathe? No ... cry, yes. There are times when I cry at my own writing, even as I'm producing it. What conceit!
erin lasgalen
· 6 February 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Author's reply
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
CandissD
· 3 February 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
eucalyptus
· 1 February 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
Oh my goodness. Every time you update, Rouret, I have to go back and reread the story to see if I should have seen this or that coming, and to try to come up with new theories. So I have done this time too, and I have come up with two -- no, three -- possible theories about the meaning/importance of the nightingale. One of them involves your beautiful yet wretched Durfinwen (who, I now realize, you have not outright said loved Belias, so please excuse my earlier confusion), but I don't dare spell it out because I am sure I won't get it all entirely right. Plus, if I'm even half-right, it's not something I'd want to spoil for others.
Author's reply
You make me laugh; I can't help it! I've had this story plotted out for over a year now ... I'll be mortified to discover you've figured it all out already!
Author Reply: Also, kudos to you for seeing the specific nature of "Belias' beloved."
crumpet
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
annajane
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
Second review of the day - clearly this chapter really got to me!
I have to admit to sharing Emily's hopes w/r/t possible resurrection of our beloved Bandobras, but suspect those hopes are misplaced, because his sacrifice is so noble and his death seems quite final. Oh dear, oh dear - I have been wringing my hands all day. What will we all do without this adorable little character we've come to love, fictional though he may be? His sweetness, his indignation, his bossiness, his kindness, his fortitude, his courage. You made him completely real to your readers, Le Rouret. And completely lovable. I feel safe in speaking for all of us on that one.
As for what this nasty dragon has been up to for centuries on end, I'm so furious at the creature that I almost don't care about how his machinations will be revealed and will unravel. I just want you to KILL him! I don't even care if Legolas or Ve or Gimli gets to do it (Tamin seems to be out of the fight for the moment).
Of course, I do still want to know about Muhk's plotting and how it's all going to wind up/unwind, especially since he was in action during the same period as old Smaug. But that's not my primary anxiety at the moment.
P.S. I don't remember Bilbo ever feeling a hypnotic tug around Smaug, tho' haven't double-checked The Hobbit. Is it that Bandobras looked right into Muhk's eyes?
P.P.S. Poor, poor Durfinwen, loose rope or not she's too far gone to be a dragon-slaying candidate, isn't she? I never thought she and Legolas were going to get together, but I am SO fond of her. Hope she can make it to Valinor, though Legolas' dreams provide little hope of that.
Author's reply
In answer to your "PS," about Bilbo feeling Smaug's "tug," Tolkien mentioned that Smaug was very persuasive. And I don't know if you've read "Children of Hurin," but Glaurung was a few steps above "very persuasive!" Once Bandy was fixed in the Serpent's gaze, he was lost, poor thing.
I've "resurrected" characters before, but only in the Pottymouth universe ... sorry!
Emily
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
p.s.
Is it stretching things to hope for a Jack Sparrow-like return of the little Hobbit? Please?
Author's reply
I'm sorry! I sealed Bandy's fate years ago. I really am very, very sorry. If it's any consolation, my daughter's angry, too.
Dreamflower
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
Oh. My. God.
No.
Author's reply
I'm afraid ... yes.
Sorry.
Emily
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
The last couple of paragraphs made me go cross-eyed, a little shaky, and sick to my stomach. When you got to that part of the story, you missed your cue for 'edit>undo'. Not Bandy! That's all I can think. Not Bandy! How Legolas and Gimli are going to grieve when they finally get out of this mess (as I'm reasonably confident in their being two characters you cannot kill, canonically speaking). I don't want to believe it. This is awful (the story, not the story...you know what I mean). Not Bandy!
Alison H
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
OMG!!!! YOU KILLED BANDY??? YOU DID {weeps}
You are so awesome! While I'm in shock and keep feeling the loss as a stab to the heart, I thought thet you going to kill off someone else.I'm biting my nails again so please update soon.
Author's reply
Kill off someone else? Like who?!
Although I've had this story mapped out for quite some time, and have known exactly what was going to happen to whom, I have to admit I'm getting rather tired of all the deaths ...
eucalyptus
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm
Dear me. Two wounds in one chapter! Bandobras was one, of course; what a sad, terrible, helpless way to go. I was somewhat prepared for his death because it seemed certain that *someone* was going to be eaten by Muhk, but also -- Belias and Durfinwen? Did I read that right? I didn't see that one coming, seeing as I was (ahem) far too busy looking for signs of a certain someone else's affection for her! C'est la vie, I guess. Your muse is a sadist. Brilliant though too. I am glad we are getting to the worst of it now. Legolas' dreams are making more and more sense. Good luck with the next chapter!
Jay of Lasgalen
· 30 January 2009
· Chapter 25: Baiting a Worm