Reviews (941)

6336 · 10 June 2011 · Chapter 81: Abdication and Acquiescence

Way to go Ingalure! Took him a little while, but I think Ingalure has finally found his spine, now to see what Ratty does next! I don't think Ingalure could have said or done anything else to p**s his uncle off! One thing, Ingoldo has tied his hands a little as to what he can do to the Royal Family, if any of them show up with any kind of injuries people will know and they will have to be visible. I hope Tam is O.K., but he is one smart ellon, he will survive! Now to find Ingwe and how did Ratty get his signature? Huggs, Lynda (p.s. Apologies to Ratty of 'The Wind in the Willows'!)

Fantasia · 10 June 2011 · Chapter 81: Abdication and Acquiescence

Bravo for Ingalaurë! Very brave! I wonder if his uncle will act in front of all the court. That will be his chance to speak. The loyal could have size the palace, and the people will stand with him. I don't think that his uncle has a chance. Ok, waiting till Monday, I'm really hooked with this story; I have almost forgotten the other elves....

Mr.Namo · 10 June 2011 · Chapter 81: Abdication and Acquiescence

Gosh Ingoldo makes me mad! Typo alert. "Lord Tamurilon was seen by many attempting to leave the city with Her Majesty and Prince Ingoldo and Princess Indil. Shouldn't that be Prince Ingalaurë not Ingoldo? Really enjoying the story so far :) Mr.Namo

Tari · 8 June 2011 · Chapter 78: Leaving Vanyamar

The escape of the first group was the most creative I've ever read. Too, bad the next group didn't have such an ingenuous plan. Who will rescue them she wonders?

Anonymous · 6 June 2011 · Chapter 80: Debate and Decisions

Isn't Findis the eldest daughter of Finwe and Indis? She called Indis aunt in this chapter.

Tari · 6 June 2011 · Chapter 71: Prophecy and Doom

Arafinwe is anything but a coward. Standing up to his brother and refusing to participate in this folly took great strenght as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad he turned back. Nolofinwe is another story. I'm sorry that he couldn't bring himself to turn back, but I do not think the Vala will be too harsh with him knowing what was in his heart. Poor Manwe. Realizing his arrogance would have been a real shock, but there is always redemption for those who repent. Great chapter.

6336 · 6 June 2011 · Chapter 80: Debate and Decisions

A lot going on in this chapter, the train is deffinately going way to fast and approaching Balrog's Bend! So the Valar aren't exactly sitting on their thumbs, they do have the situation, if not under control, at least under observation. Yeh, I can see Osse telling Ulmo off and Unien,(can't seem to spell this morning, watched Les Mis on PBS last night/ this morning!)shedding tears, in fact I can see a lot of the Maia shedding tears of frustration at the restrictions the Valar have put on them. Again I understand their reasoning, little though I like it, tough love is hard on everybody. Ingwion has come to some descisions about his future plans, lets hope they work out to his satisfaction, at least partly! I see The Rat, Ingoldo, is running true to form, it is just like him to hold his peoples families hostage to their actions, no love lost between some of them and The Rat! Huggs, Lynda

Ellynn · 6 June 2011 · Chapter 80: Debate and Decisions

It's me again. ;) I suppose that every reader will see it differently. I still think that Valar made a big mistake. If I was Ingwion, I'd feel betrayed. I try to imagine a different scenario: Valar confess they know about Ingwe, but they say something like: "We really couldn't save him because we are not allowed to interfere; the very same way, we were not allowed to intervene at Alqualonde, although our hearts were bleeding. But you go and save your father." Ingwion is not Feanor; he is not that stubborn or mindless or hot-tempered. Yes, he would be disappointed, but I believe he would understand in the end. After all, he was raised to think like a leader/king. He knows that a good leader must not put his own needs above the needs of his people. (Of course, it is stupid to expect the Valar will solve all the problems of the elves. Ingwion is a grown man and he has to take responsibilities and initiative. But just a *little* help would be welcome. Just a hint.) As I said, we all see it in a different way, probably. If I was in this situation, I'd feel less betrayed in this second version, and the first is what would cause me to think about rebellion. But that's just me. :)

Serindë · 6 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

You were not kidding, the things are going worse and worse. This is worse than the kinslaying. One can understand that the Valar after the Noldor fiasco do not want to be mixed in another royal family feud. When they tried to sort the Noldor all they managed was an exodus of the majority of the Noldorin population and additionally as a bonus they got the first kinslaing. The first obligation of a physician is not to cause harm, so they decide the next time to do exactly nothing.. They have also other priorities – how to bring back the light and what to do about Melkor. So the first things first. Moreover if they allowed the kinslaying to happen, can they be seen meddling in Vanyars affairs? To say no is one thing, to say it in the fashion they managed is completely different matter. So we know now what happened in the large hall. My assumption based on EI was, that Ingwion arrived with a half-baked plan and during its implementation his brother was killed. So he later lives in seclusion with all the guilt and he is angry at the Valar. His brother is still in Mandos and all the slain Teler are being reborn, only his brother not. And the Valar do not want/cannot call Ingil to the life since Ingwion has been living in the past and expects to step into the same river twice. I was wrong. The event was even worse. If there is one thing worse than death, it is betrayal. Dante reserved his deepest hell for Judas and other traitors. Does not Feanaro attack Teler because he feels betrayed? He counts on Olwë’s support for the sake of friendship between Olwë and Finwe. Although he would like to have the Teleri ships, he is willing to accept simple know-how. He is absolutely sure that he will get the help he needs. But Olwë flatly rejects him, he does not like him, and I suppose, he does not want to give him nor ships neither the precious wood. So instead giving wood to Feanaro, Olwë uses later wood for pyres. So Ingwion if betrayed by his uncle, no surprise here. He is betrayed by Finrod, who abandons him and now by the Valar. He has been in the state of shock from the loss of the light, now his father is missing, his mother and twin brother taken hostage, additionally his brother was knocked senseless. He is absolutely clueless, what to do, he has not been prepared by his cosseted life for that particular challenge. So in the hour the greatest need he seeks the help of the Valar and he not only gets nothing, but he is told that the Valar are not interested in a fate of a "wayward elf". It must to be the worse day of his life. He is a haryon. He visits Manwe’s residence with his father quite regularly, he was repeatedly told that the Valar love him, that they love the Children very much, that they are very precious, he was given presents...only now to be told that his father a mere “wayward elf”, somebody absolutely unimportant, dispensable. Manwe is not willing to spare one single Maia to help him and shortly after the meeting his brother is killed. I can imagine that Ingwion put the blame on the Valar, not on his uncle. All the words about love were pretence. Ingoldo was able to try to usurp power, because at the critical moment Ingwe was not home (Was Ingoldo influenced by Feanaro? He would like the change, it is sure). He went obediently to Tirion at request of the Valar, the same the Valar, who would not be late willing to sent one single Maia to help his loyal vassal. The first duty of a liege lord is the duty to protect his vassals. Ingwe have fulfil his part of the bargain by serving well, now when the time has come and the Valar are asked to fulfil their part of the bargain, they refuse to honour their obligation. This is the worst breach of contract imaginable. One can understand that the Valar are not the best mood. Feanaro was allowed to reach Tirion and to take the crown, they did not stop him, tried to prevent confrontation and to give him some time to come to his senses. The next moment he is marching with practically all Noldor away without even saying good bye or thank you for everything. The Valar are clueless what is happening and why. They are mot able to see the whole situation from the elf’s point of view. What other options Feanaro has, being Feanaro? He was willing to go to exile in the time when his father was and stayed unquestionably Noldoran. But the situation is different now, his father is gone, Feanaro is the king, but if he stays at Foremost, it will be his not so beloved half brother who will rule and his own kingship will be under threat. He wants vengeance and the Valar seemingly do nothing. He knows that Melkor is one of the Valar, but can he imagine how powerful he is? I doubt it. The others follow. They have returned after years of exile, their houses are rotten, better to pull them down and replace them. If they must start once more from the scratch after another fifty years, better to start at another place immediately. Many of the young would like to see the land of their forefathers, Valinor is so tiny. They do not necessarily rebel against the Valar, but they also do not ask leave. Do not ask and your plea will not be rejected. Additionally how many elfs know how hard the Valar laboured for their benefit? And the horror of kinslaying must be a terrible shock. But still to turn their anger at a poor Ingwion in this way. "A wayward elf". Tell the word Sweden and my first association is the looting of Prague by Swedes of 1648. How many yeni does Ingwion hear "a wayward elf" every time a word Vala is mentioned? I have feeling that without kinslayning and the following doom another group of elfs would be marching under Ingwion out of Valinor very soon. How they managed to get him set a foot at Ilmarin once more? Dragged by his father, I suppose. And why the hell Námo supposed that he can win the bet? His friend Glorify is missing, Valars answers are nebulous, and so he smells a rat. And he is right, Glorify is beaten senseless. Does Námo count on his instilled good manners or what? Ingwion is definitely a very gentle soul and very gratuitous. "An apprenticeship? I should be your apprentice? Are you insane? You cannot be trusted to take a care of a hamster properly" would be probably Glorfi's response.

Ellynn · 6 June 2011 · Chapter 80: Debate and Decisions

Maybe I got the wrong impression, but judging from Valar's words about Ingwe, they've been aware of his imprisonment for quite some time. And yet, just a little while ago - that is, in previous chapter - they asked Ingwion "Ingwë never reached Vanyamar?" How could they act like that? How could they pretend they didn't know about Ingwe? Ok, I can understand that they don't want to interfere; I can understand that they don't want to set him free by themselves. But they could at least tell Ingwion that they were aware of the situation, and they could tell him where Ingwe was. No wonder many elves are angry about the Valar.

galathil · 6 June 2011 · Chapter 80: Debate and Decisions

I am that hooked on this story I just want to keep reading it. I do feel for the Valar and Ingwion,I hope Ingwoin does not lose faith in the Valar or himself. Keep writing,Love Galathil

obsidianj · 5 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

You were not kidding when you said it would get worse before it would get better. That was a cruel blow for Ingwion. I don't think that was quite fair of the Valar. So far the Valar were always there for them and now they just send him away, although, in his mind, he didn't do anything wrong. All because of Feanor. Now Ingwion has to grow up. He can't rely on other to make the decisions and tell him what to do.

Larner · 4 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

And how cruel this abandonment seems! Poor Ingwion! And all of them are now in shock.

Aiwen · 4 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

Ouch. I can understand the Valar's point of view here, but Ingwion's later anger at them makes entirely too much sense. Wild swings of foreign policy like this leaves everyone feeling betrayed.

ellie · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

The Valar try so hard yet they have so much to learn about the Children, don't they? And they do have a lot going on what with the kinslaying and all (who among them ever would have guessed that such a thing could possibly take place?). I pity those who made it out, but I especially pity Valandur. He is trying to so hard to serve his king and has a better grasp of the direness of the situation then anyone and (I'm sure in his mind anyway) he failed. Valandur still needs his own story, ya know.

Fantasia · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

Wow, I know all the reasons behind the Valars' decision, but it is so cruel. They have all this elves completely unprepared to act in those circunstances, so naive, and they are expecting them to act alone. I don't think that it is the right approach, they are paying for the Noldors mistakes. I don't think that the Valar will be very popular for a while. No, I do't think that is right waht are they doing, all extremes are bad.

6336 · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

Well that was a slap in the face to Ingwion and no mistake! Actually I can see the Valars point of view in all this, they meddled(sp?) in the Elves buisiness when they banished Feanaro, not that it did any good, just made a stubborn Ellon even moreso and look at the result, a mass exedus of the Noldor and the deaths of many of the Teleri and now they are being asked to meddle once again. They are afraid of what will happen, if they do help will this mean that more of the Elves will pack up and follow Feanaro or do something else just as extreme? No thankyou, this is your mess, you clean it up! As a side note, as it looks as if Ingwion is about to go off the deep end, just how much mental instability is common among the Elves? You have Feanaro, who everyone knows is a loaf short of a picnic, you will eventually have Elves fading after the loss of a loved one and I think giving up like that is a form of mental illness, you have Vorondils Nana who is so angry with his uncle that she coerces his brother into marrying her and you also have Ingwion's own breakdown after the death of his brother. Another of Melkor's little gifts? Just some Sunday morning musings!:<) Huggs, Lynda

Shemyaza · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

I do realise that there is a method in your madness and I do agree that the Elves need to stand on their own two feet, but the timing of this tough love the Valar are meting out sucks. I am not sure how another Vanyarin Elf beating Ingalaure over the noggin and the physical act of imprisoning other Elves is any better than the sack of Alqualonde and the actions taken by Feanor. I would have thought that the Valar would have at least assisted as far as Ingwe's kidnap is concerned. The problem is that the Valar have no idea of shades of grey. The perceive that they made a mistake with Feanor and the Noldor, so all of a sudden they stop doing anything at all. Let's hope that whatever lesson they are trying to teach the Eldar gets through to them better than any other lesson they have imparted so far and that they don't try to throw the baby out with the bathwater!

Ellynn · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

Ah, the Valar. I don't expect them to interfere and influence much, but they could give just a little bit of help. Just a little. And I have a question, concerning this sentence: "Welcome, Children," the Maia said, his tone neutral. "What do you here?" This last part - "what do you here" - sounds interesting to me. Is that the form of archaic/formal speaking? *curious*

Shemyaza · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

Hahaha! And the Valar go from the sublime to the ridiculous. They've gone from making bad decisions to not making a decision at all! Eru must be rocking backwards and forwards, tearing his hair out in despair. Someone should have thought of the old saying "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing". What a shame poor Ingwion hadn't had that saying in his armoury to hurl at the Valar while they were busy not making decisions about anything. I am constantly amazed at their obtuseness. What did they think that sitting there on their thrones would help? Didn't they realise that it was that laissez faire thinking that led to Feanor's revolt in the first place? No wonder Melkor was able to run circles around them all. Poor Ingwion, now the burden is all on his shoulders and if Ingalaure dies or Ingwe is not found he will have those burdens to carry as well. I actually want to go and shake them all until their teeth rattle, but I guess I will have to stand in line behind Eru for that!

Sunny · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 79: Ilmarin

Definitely not a happy time for Ingwion. His otorno has gone off to exile, his father is missing, his uncle has taken over the government, his mother and his twin were caught trying to escape the city, and now the Valar have refused to help! I am not surprised at his anger - that last thing must have felt like a betrayal to him, piled on top of all those other happenings. And I think Manwë at the very least could have been more diplomatic here. It won't surprise me if Ingwion harbors resentments and bad feelings because of it. I also think that this situation is going to drive Ingwion a bit crazy (and not in a good way), at least in the short term. Desperate people will do desperate things!

obsidianj · 3 June 2011 · Chapter 78: Leaving Vanyamar

Oh, no! I knew something had to happen. It was all going too well ;-). It is kind of depressing reading a story where you know it will get worse before it gets better. The premonitions together with what I know of the general storyline give me shivers. I think it is better not to know what the future will bring. This story gives me an inkling what people with foresight are going through. Not a comfortable place to be.

Tari · 1 June 2011 · Chapter 69: A Deathness of Swans

Reading of the Kinslaying was always hard for me. That the guilty parties should be doomed to spend ertinity with Meklor seems justified to me.

Tari · 31 May 2011 · Chapter 68: The Faring Forth

It's bad enough that Fëanáro insists on going to battle with Melkor without dragging others with him. He is so blinded by hate that he cannot see the truth. Not only will he not win, but he will cause the death of those with him. Even Eonwe could not make him see reason. This is so very tragic.

Larner · 30 May 2011 · Chapter 78: Leaving Vanyamar

Darn! But I suppose it was likely one of the parties might get caught!