Reviews (2,009)

Twoflower2 · 4 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

I am enjoying this story greatly, and can't help wondering whether all these mutterings about the Eldars' anger being too terrible for humans to behold are a foreshadowing for the E.'s anger being upon some human's head some time soon. If so, looking forward to reading about it.

Idril Celebrindal · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

Oh goody, I can't wait to read the results! See who is like me! Idril

Morn · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

Well, I think I'm caught up with the elf academy tale now. I've always thought it an interesting concept of "just where did the elves go?" and love the magic that they are in our society rather than relaxing in Valinor. The difference between societies is really interesting here because ours changes so fast now. Vorondor's interventions are going to be an interesting read. I like all the mortal's reaction to them, although I felt for Anne and Andy having that dropped on them. I think my reaction would probably have been closer to hers. This story has caught my imagination. Looking forward to reading more.

Sarah · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

Ah, the good ol' Myers-Briggs. The Psychology graduate in me had great fun reading this chapter, since MB was one of the first things they had me do back in college at career counseling. I love that sort of thing. Very much looking forward to the results for our friends. I am sure that ah, "picking the brain" of one of the Eldar would seem quite a daunting task, no matter how psychologically similar they might be to us. Still, I am sure Vorondur's colleagues are more than up to it.

someone · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

I had to go and check if "splendiferous" is really a word *grin*. Very interesting beginning. (I've not reviewed other chapters, so this is going to be some kind of collective review.) My first reaction at seeing the story title was something like "are there still undercover spies in the academy?!", but if it refers to the elves and what happens within their heads, it's going to be far more scary than an outside threat. If we presume that the reason for the Noldor (especially Finwë's house) being a bit mad in the First Age is genetical, Findalaurë and Nielluin might cause trouble later on. By the way, which one is younger? Nielluin (as Finda has to look after her in the academy)? Manwë's eagle tie was funny (and cute!). For some reason, it was also funny to see the local psycologists doing personality analyses for elves. Are we going to see the results?

6336 · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

Hm, the results will be interesting, very interesting! They will, how ever, give Ron and his colleagues a good idea of where the Elves, both groups are coming from. Makes you wonder if the Valar did it deliberately, sending the first group, so unprepared, that the Wiseman Elves would have to figure out how to handle the situation so the next and subsequent groups would be a lot easier to integrate. Sneaky these Valar, very, very sneaky! I see you are getting icy blasted again, it's soggy here too, Wellie time for Miss Kitty. We had a beautiful day for the Christening, it went off very well, plenty of big screen T.V's. around so you could see what was going on. An hour of speeches for 30 seconds of drama! (Waste of a good bottle of champagne if you ask me!) Huggs, Lynda

Kevana · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

This turned out wonderfully, Fiondil! I know how hard you worked to make it happen. It's a real testament to how well you develop your characters. I look forward to seeing where you take it in EA4, too. But first we have EA3 to enjoy. *grin* Re: Ron's comment about Elf-lord anger, any time one of your characters mentions that, I think back to that chapter in EI2 when Glorfindel and Finrod got into it and destroyed Finrod's grove in Lorien. Including tearing off tree branches, if I'm not mistaken. And even a contingent of warrior Maiar couldn't yank them apart. Toss a couple Mortals into a situation like that and YIKES. That's not even close to funny and I can only imagine the severe repercussions, both for any innocents caught up in it, and for the well-being of the Elves in question if they hurt someone in a fury and then later had to confront what they did. *cringe* So yeah, it's for more reason than just "knock it off, you two" that this needs to happen, and for all of them. This chapter really brings that home in a way. And I totally agree with Ron that this is a good place to start, haha. ;) Yay, splendiferous! A word that needs to see more use in everyday conversation. Thanks for the update, and if I could, I would send you a flamethrower to destroy all that snow, LOL! By the way, I did look up the genographic project. I think I might get a kit for my mom's birthday, she's really into that kind of thing. Thanks for the info! Take care, -Kevana

Soledad · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

Oh,the Myers-Briggs! Loved that test. Some aspects of the results were truly surprising - and I'm sure it will be the same for the Elves, too. They all had an infinitely longer time to build a self-image that the test might prove false. Or partially false. It will be an... erm... interesting experience,I guess. *g*

Sunny · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

Well, well, well, Fiondil. Did you just put me into the fic? If so, you got the hai color wrong! Think Tauriel (of the Hobbit films) for color and length! ;-) (OK, I wear it up usually, so it's not really all that evident - the length, I mean - but it certainly means that my hairtoys are an important part of my wardrobe!) I wonder if there is a difference in the test results between the Reborn Elves and the Once-born? Anyway, I'm sure that the Mortal shrinks will have a field day!

UTfrog · 3 February 2014 · Chapter 11: Personality Testing

Good chapter. I like the Myers-Briggs test and think you hit on a great way to advance your theme. I do hope you intend to give us the groupings of some of the principal characters. Thank you.

Dreamflower · 2 February 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

Ha! "Alien Overlords"! I am intrigued with the idea of Elves in anger management classes, and hope that we'll get to see some of that. And now I am worried about Andy and Anne as they leave.

Laer · 1 February 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

hmmm Andy. I didn't think of him being the hang up. I had thought he would be the one who would be helping Anne to understand and agree to the move. siiigghhh. Maybe she will help him thought all of this? Some of these classes that Val plan on having with the elves will be interesting...in lots of ways. :)

Laer · 1 February 2014 · Chapter 9: Revelations

what a story to be told; and to hear it from his mom in front of anyone. Poor Alex. Guess he should have taken her serious after all. Namo does have some style when he does things don't he. LOL I hope it all works for the "boys" and their parents. Anne seems a bit better at expressing herself than Andy, but well...it should all be alright...shouldn't it?

Laer · 1 February 2014 · Chapter 8: Dinner with Parents

Interesting way of calming his mother down. Sounds like his dad was one great guy, and pretty inventive. :) Yeah, I kind of wondered how they would react, I think I would have passed out. ;)

obsidianj · 1 February 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

The aftermath of the exiting revelations during the dinner party. Lot's of things to think about. It is nice to be aware of the enemy within who seems to be more on the psychological level than any physical being, but they have to be careful not to jump at shadows in every corner. Not sure if Manwe's warning is more of a help or hindrance in the long run.

demeter d · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 9: Revelations

Greetings! No, Kevana and Fiondil, I am not psychic. There are many believable, real characters in this story. You have given very good clues so far in all of these stories. And, I have a lot in common with Anne! At one point, in this chapter or the next, you said that "Anne was feeling every one of her almost sixty years." I am fifty eight. And, my first born child is a son. I was a year out of five years of college when I married and had mine, so he is not quite as old as I guessed Artemus to be, from adding how long he had worked to how old he was out of college. And, I am fortunate enough to still be married to his father! We have not always had perfection. We have had some serious, even violent, ups and downs over the years. But we are still hanging in there. My own mother was not only a rabid "Wild Wild West" fan, so I caught the reference instantly. She was also a High School English and Literature teacher. My bedtime stories growing up included quite a lot of Greek and Roman mythology, which were her particular favorites. (Demeter, yes, and I do have a daughter who is a wandering Persephone, whose choices I have not always agreed with. That is also where my own real given name came from.) And yes, my Mother was also a good, Christian woman! I was told that these were the stories that people crafted as they spread out across the wide world, and forgot the things they had originally known when people walked and talked more closely with God. I liked how Anne said "well of course I believe in angels, they are in the Bible"! But her belief in direct intervention in Mortal lives does seem to be a BIT limited. Except for once. And THAT was what really surprised me! There was a particular comment which caught my attention. She is visiting the grave of a man for whom she is grieving, "and she sees someone whom she believes to be a caretaker"? Need I say "and she perceived him to be the GARDENER"? That other woman from a long distant work of literature also received life-changing news from someone who was most definitely NOT the gardener.(Oh, all right, on one level THAT ONE was the CREATOR of ALL GARDENS!) The full story of her encounter with Namo would make a nice addition to "Tales From Vaire's Loom" someday? She called him her Angel. Just what about that visit led her to think that? I would never have guessed that her extra intervention would be him! One more comment about names. For our Mentor, Professor Tolkien, the proper name was everything. To name something was to create it. The Elven languages came before the stories. ("In the beginning was the WORD!) For Anne, for Artemus/Alex to reject the name she gave him would be like rejecting much else of what she gave him, even rejecting her. For her to be comfortable with that, he will have to share with her just what he feels that "Artemus" has become. And how he has tried to recreate himself. Even then, I suspect he will always be "Artemus" to her. I can very much identify with her on this one.

Larner · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

I do hope that Andy doesn't suppress his fear too deeply. And there may already be individuals inspired by the Dark Forces examining Andy and Anne for accessibility and flaws to exploit.

6336 · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

Well, that did not go too badly, at least they are willing to sit and listen after the great reveal! I think Ron is right and they may have a problem with Andy, he seems to be a bit Hobbity in his 'It's no big deal,' attitude. I would not be in the least surprised if both Andy and Anne have their own guardian Maia assigned to them already, but not Fionwe, I have a feeling he is still sweeping Saturn's rings with a feather! Anger Management classes sound like a good idea, also one-on-one sessions for everybody, the Valinorian bunch and the Wiseman Elves also. Well it is a bit damp here in So. Cal, at the moment, Miss Kitty needed her Wellies when she took her morning walk today, hope it dries up by Saturday, we are going to the launch of the John Glenn at N.A.S.C.O. Stay warm and dry, Huggs, Lynda

ellie · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

Sorry about the stupid auto correct. Should have said "Daddy issues though" and "they are Valar after all". The stupid thing still wants to call Finrod fibroid...

Kevana · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

Homo sapiens immortalis! That's too clever. I really like the path you took on all the stuff about the similarities of Mortals and Elves. It makes a lot of sense, especially the bit about half-Elven and their descendants being able to have viable offspring. I'm glad, too, that the Elves make sure not to let anybody get hyped up over having blood connections. Is that your perspective as well? I always thought that was a bit silly of Tolkien in a way, making everything so dependent on bloodlines. To paraphrase an entirely different type of wizard, our choices define us far more than our abilities. On the other hand, I'd like to dream there's some hobbit blood circulating in the gene pool, too. As you've said before, Fiondil, from the state of things you might guess there'd be some orcishness floating around as well. Hm, now the parents are going to go back home and try to readjust. It's hard to wake up the morning after a big paradigm shift and not start questioning everything. I see why Ron is worried about Andy. And Alex too. He's like a retired race horse fresh off the track, still wanting to run. Maybe take up skydiving, dude? HE SAID THE THING. *dies laughing* Oh mercy. (I have a copy of that list taped to my desk, Sunny. I find it...useful, mwahaha. Also, love your mentions of old tales, so good.) [Too much unneeded info ahead alert] The Alien Overlords thing (at least how I mean it, LOL, can't speak for Alex) is a reference to the saying "I, for one, welcome our (fill in the blank) overlords." A few years back people would say it sarcastically about any powerful entity that supposedly had the ability to rule humanity, as a way of expressing mock submission and/or disbelief that the entity would actually dominate humanity. It's an affectionate nose tweak about my favorite Fiondil characters. [end of too much unneeded info] I hope everybody thaws out nicely this weekend. We have snow on the ground for the first time in about three years. So much fun playing wilderness tracker with the bunny footprints in the snow by my house. *grin* Thanks for a great chapter, Fiondil. Enjoy your weekend! -Kevana

ellie · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

I would love to hear what Carl and Sigmund had to say about the Valar or even just the elves. The Valar would all have Daddy issues touch, right? Ron is still one of my favorite characters with his shrewd insight. The enemy within does indeed take many forms. They truly have no idea, do they? Expect the unexpected and plan for the unforseen might have been more helpful...or not, yheyare Valar after all...

Sunny · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

So for all Andy's outward acceptance of Elves, he is actually quite alarmed at coming face to face with the Fair Folk? (Well, and one of the Valar.) Maybe he has been reading folklore and mythology, where contact between humans and mythological creatures don't necessarily work out well. Yes, such contact are very good indeed, in some stories - like the ones where a man treats his Huldre wife well, and is rewarded with luck and fertile fields, or the story of the young man who met one of the Fair Folk, noticed her tail peeking out beneath her skirts, _very_ politely told her that he could see the hem of her underskirts, and was rewarded with fair fortune for his good manners. More often, in folktales, contact with the supernatural (such as Elves) brings misfortune or sickness, and are at times seen as downright evil. Not that Tolkien's Elves are evil (well, _most_ of them aren't. I'd say Eöl and Maeglin would fit that description quite well.) though I guess they can be scary. Certainly I'd guess that, say, Finrod or Glorfindel would be able to scare the sh*t out of just about anyone, if they had a mind to it. And Námo just disappearing in front of everyone's eyes would have been unsettling for everyone, never mind Anne and Andy. If (or when) the Valar send someone to keep an eye on Andy, I hope they send someone without Fionwë's questionable sense of humour. I liked that little quip about "Alien overlords" - it made me think about this little list: http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html (Granted, that's the _evil_ overlord list but it's still fun) So Alex is an adrenaline junkie. Quelle surprise. The way things tend to go in your fics, I suspect he will have ample opportunities to get his "fun".

UTfrog · 31 January 2014 · Chapter 10: Concerning Alex and other Matters

Excellent bridging chapter. Glad everyone realizes there is much work to be done on all fronts. I had wondered about Andy's easy acceptance. Meeting elves is a shock; meeting Nano is beyond description. You have many interesting chapters ahead for us. I am certainly looking forward to them. Fiondil, no matter where you live, I hope the weather is improving. I live in the southeastern US. It is supposed to warm into the 50's today and melt all the snow. I have seen coastal Alaska from a cruise ship. It is so, so beautiful. However, I cannot even think about what it must be like in the winter. I am with Thandir in wanting winter to be over.

Tira · 30 January 2014 · Chapter 5: Discussions

Namo'd. Love it. Just as I love your stories...Namo is just the awesomest val a...loving this one just as much as all your others. Been a Fiondil reader for years!

obsidianj · 28 January 2014 · Chapter 9: Revelations

And Anne didn't meet any angel, she met Namo. That was a touching story. Now I'm convinced that Anne will join the club. Lovely chapter, it left me grinning all the way through. Radioactive elves, that is a thought, but with Anne's mindset a likely explanation.