Pebbles From Arda by Virtuella
6336 · 21 July 2009 · Chapter 4: Some Like It Hot – But Maybe Not Quite That Hot
Oh, that was mean!Naughty Lothiriel! Besides you don't give somebody water, you give them a piece of bread! Lynda
Author's reply
Oh, I didn't know that! Shall we assume that Lothiriel did?
Parmalokwen · 21 July 2009 · Chapter 4: Some Like It Hot – But Maybe Not Quite That Hot
Hahahahahaha! I like your Lothiriel.
Author's reply
Thanks. It's nice to imagine her with a little streak of mischief.
Earosse · 24 March 2009 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
This is hilarious. I love it.
Author's reply
Glad you do. :) It was great fun to write.
Grey Wonderer · 27 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
I adore it! I may just have to commit it to memory and sing it around the house. It has so many great lines but two of my favorites are: 'Just how long can that Frodo take to dump the flaming Ring?' and 'So she and Merry kill him off, cause that’s what friends are for.' Very amusing all around. Thanks for sharing it.
Author's reply
The Frodo line was my favourite, too. I had "blooming ring", but my husband was quite right to replace it with "flaming". Thanks for reviewing.
Lindelea · 25 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
Your dh's version certainly has a certain panache... cause that’s what friends are for. and he's dead, for pity's sake! *snork* Very funny and clever! I could hear the music in my head as I was reading.
Author's reply
Thanks, glad we gave you a laugh. ;-)
Linda Hoyland · 23 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
Delightfully amusing.O,tidings of comfort and joy!
Author's reply
Thanks, Linda. Once we started, it virtually wrote itself.
6336 · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
Oh this gave me a laugh, very funny! Lynda
Author's reply
Thanks, glad you had fun. We had fun writing it, too.
Eluthaun · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 1: The Gift of Ilúvatar
Bravo! How deeply I relished this piece. I felt as if it was neither a word too long, nor too short! That is the greatest gift of a writer in my humble opinion. What a small triumph it is to use just exactly the right count of words, and to make the perfect number of guestures with them. I envy your empathy of Lady Arwen: and I am enriched to have read your piece, and will understand her better. Thank you very much.
Author's reply
Thanks. I wasn't aware that the length was a major strength of the piece, but I had certainly said all I had to say on the matter. ;-) I'm glad you feel that this text has given you a new insight.
Raksha The Demon · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
A lovely look at Gandalf - and you're right, he's not an easy character to approach from a writerly standpoint; but this was a great vignette. And Gandalf is my alltime favorite Tolkien character; I only can write him if I have a clear shot at a particular moment, or moments, in his life, rather than a longer period of time. And even then, he's daunting to write. Good job here!
Author's reply
Yes, I remember you had a lovely Gandalf one-shot that I liked very much. Glad you approve of this. I felt some parts of it were weaker than others; the paragraphs about the boots and the staff didn't seem to have much interest, but I couldn't think of anything more poignant for them, and they were items that could hardly be omitted.
Raksha The Demon · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
The nazgûl hovers mightily among the blood and gore. But Dernhelm takes his helmet off and lo! ‘twas drag she wore! So she and Merry kill him off, cause that’s what friends are for. Bwa-ha-haaaaah! Oh, the whole song is delightful, but this part just had me laughing out loud and noisily. Of course, in LOTR, that's what friends are for, to battle a mega-spider for one, or stab the boss Ringwraith in the ankle -hobbits do make great friends! Very well done!
Author's reply
Thanks, I confess it wasn't exactly hard to write...
Larner · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
Ah--but I have giggled so over this one! Hilarious, and so very apropos! Sorry the husband's addition didn't work--it would have been quite the addition, I'm certain!
Author's reply
Ah, Finlay can live with it. Glad I gave you a laugh.
Esquire_of_Rohan · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
I liked this one! Very good!
Author's reply
Thanks! I wonder if this will remain the only marital co-production in my household.
shirebound · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 3: Tidings Of Doom And Gloom
Delightful! What a wonderful and grin-inducing song! Joyous Yule, Virtuella. :)
Author's reply
Thanks, we had fun writing it!
shirebound · 22 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
What an amazing, thoughtful, beautifully-written piece. Bravo.
Author's reply
Thanks!
Rhyselle · 5 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
Wow... that is awesome! :) A wonderful character study of Gandalf the Grey. Well done! (I'd gush more but I have a bad cold today and am not able to focus terribly well right now.)
Author's reply
Thanks for the review, it's fine without excessive gushing... ;-)
Celeritas · 5 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
An excellent introspective piece with a well-organized, but original, approach! I particularly liked the poetry of this line: I need no map of Middle-earth, the map is inscribed in the soles of my feet. And the mention of the pitying of the orcs, and the idea that when he was Olorin he may have tried to help them, was a good extra touch!
Author's reply
Thank you! The notion of having the map in one's feet is not a million miles away from a certain Sam Vimes in the Disworld series, though I hope Gandalf had somewhat sturdier boots!
Calenlass Greenleaf · 5 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
I hope you keep this title--Pebbles From Arda. I like the sound of it. This--I don't know what to call it--"look" at Gandalf is quite fascinating. I've read it twice and I want to read it again. ~Cal
Author's reply
Thanks, Cal, I seem to be a walking title calamity at the moment. ;-)
Dreamflower · 5 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
An interesting inventory of his assets--yes, this is the final throw for him, all or nothing, success or failure. He would want to be certain he was properly equipped.
Author's reply
Yes, I found it easier approaching him via this detour. I think he's a difficult character to get a handle on, maybe that's why there's not a lot of stories about him?
Linda Hoyland · 5 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
I just loved this and your profound insights into Gandalf's character. I can imagine he would be the one if any did,to grieve for the orcs.
Author's reply
When I first started to read LOTR as a teenager, Gandalf was my favourite character and that hasn't changed much. I don't know what that says about my fangirl qualities. ;-) Thanks for reviewing.
Linda Hoyland · 5 December 2008 · Chapter 1: The Gift of Ilúvatar
Beautiful and very moving.
Author's reply
Thanks, glad you liked it. ;-)
Larner · 4 December 2008 · Chapter 2: Taking Stock
Oh, but I love this internal look at Gandalf! Greatest of counselors, greatest of friends, the inspiration for greatness among Elves, Dwarves, Men, and Hobbits all! Lovely!
Author's reply
I've been wanting to write about Gandaft for a while, but didn't know how to tackle him, and then suddenly I got this idea of doing it via his possessions. Thanks for reviewing.
Dreamflower · 4 December 2008 · Chapter 1: The Gift of Ilúvatar
What an evocative and lovely examination of Arwen's choice!
Author's reply
Thank you. I've always wondered how Elves coped with immortality. Somehow it's a less attractive prospect than one would think.
morgana · 6 September 2008 · Chapter 1: The Gift of Ilúvatar
So very insightful. It really left me thinking about the nature of elves. I used to think they were wimps to retreat to the Undying Lands, but now I see that they were only trying to find a way to cope with immortality. Loved it.
Author's reply
Thank you very much!
willowswelt · 3 August 2008 · Chapter 1: The Gift of Ilúvatar
Beautiful. I really enjoyed the perspective and that at the end Arwen understood and embraced her fate. What a mercy to know an end. This sentence pretty much sums up what I always imagined about the disadvantages od immortality. willowswelt
Author's reply
Thank you! When I thought about the real implications of immortality, somehow the Hindu/Buddhist idea of mercyful oblivion came to mind. While reincarnation is not quite the same as immortality, these concepts seemed related.
RS · 2 August 2008 · Chapter 1: The Gift of Ilúvatar
This is beautiful!