Reviews (24)

NotACat · 8 April 2015 · Chapter 1: Dodging Attacks

I was confused about Galelas, because wasn't he the one that Legolas got into trouble for thumping (Galelas thought that Legolas was getting special treatment when he was actually recovering from stabbing the spy)? But then I looked at the list of stories, and they weren't written in sequence, so I guess that scene hadn't been thought of yet… If I'd been reading these in order of publication, I don't know whether I'd even have spotted that, but I'm getting so caught up that I am paying even more attention than usual!

endorearwen · 28 August 2013 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

Actually, Maldor's wife wasn't unexpected to me - somehow the idea that this would be the perfect 'opposites attract' relationship made perfect sense! (I did laugh out loud though when she invited them back because they love to have visit from younglings! I can just imagine the nightmares those novices had for weeks after that!!!) Now, Legolas' advance on Miriwen after she'd pulled down her collar to show him the necklace he'd just given her - THAT was unexpected to me!! I think that's one young novice has been much too attentive to studying the habits of his oldest brother when he's not looking! ;-) The other thing that is not surprising to me is the fact that you are a 'proper' (and no doubt, published...) author! A natural talent shines right from the outset and these stories definitely reflected an innate ability to draw others in with words!! It must be nice to be an inspiration to others! :-)

endorearwen · 28 August 2013 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

Wonderfully written, story, Daw! There's something very comforting about the constancy of people's personalities, isn't there?! I am amazed at how well you keep everyone's reactions to circumstances so perfectly 'predictable'! I don't mean that in a negative way, I simply mean that you understand each of these character so well that every word and action 'fits' the situations through which you take them. I can't say how many times through this story, like Legolas, I just knew what was going to happen when Thranduil or Ithilden or Eilian found out! I think I might have said it before, but I enjoy it so much because I feel as though I am actually a part of this family - not an easy feeling to evoke in a reader! My favourite scene - Legolas losing it at Alfirin and Thranduil for interfering in his 'private life'! One just knew that something was going to break because the stress of all that he was enduring kept building and the strain was definitely showing! But, I think I loved Thranduil's reaction best - have a drink and then have a chat!! Quintessentially Thranduil! (I loved the line about only a certain number of sins he could cope with at a time - Ha!) I also very much enjoyed seeing Eilian in a position of some 'weakness'. He needn't talk about Ithilden's need to control everything! It was interesting to see Eilian off-balanced by a wound in a situation that, for him, he should have been controlling! Kudos on that one! :-) Moving on now to the next little instalment! ;-)

Dream Painter · 22 January 2007 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

Bravo! A very well-writ story--I enjoyed it immensely. Regards, Dream Painter

pipinheart · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

They were drunk and not very happy on the morning. Tonduil deciding to be a horsemaster, very good. Thranduil talking to Eilian about his concern for him, he dosen't express it much but it is there. And he knew egolas had too much wine, not much gets past him. Miriwen and Legoas just friends for now, proubly a good thing. Legolas finally sees Just being Legolas isn't enough, that having his family and friends make him who he is...Nice work...

pipinheart · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 11: The Aftermath

It seems Galelas likes Eilian as he hasn't a brother like him. I like how they fixed each others hair, a celebration for them.

pipinheart · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 10: Orcish Fighting

Galelas and Legolas teamed up and tripped thier teacher.. Then an attack with an injured teacher, and Eilian taking up a bow when he was not suppost to. Eilian ordering Legolas to help him out of his wrappings and Legolas refusing...

pipinheart · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 9: Helping Hands

A talk with Galelas might work after all, kinda manipulation as well...

pipinheart · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 8: Battles

The bank slipping, that was unexpected... Galelas wants to swift blame always to Legolas. Even so Legolas saw danger and pushed him out of the way.

pipinheart · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 7: Novices and Masters

Interesting how Thelion and Maldor differ on Tonduil. How he could be a horsemaster and other a warior, what does he really want though. The masters are teaching and each have sound advise.

pipinheart · 5 October 2005 · Chapter 6: In Which Tempers Are Lost

Legolas has a temper, and he seems to be badly hurt by Miriwen. I believe she was too hard on him. He feels everyone is envading in his life and nothing is private. As the life of a Kings son sometimes...

pipinheart · 5 October 2005 · Chapter 5: Family Matters

Thranduil seen the necklace legolas gave to Miriwen and dosen't looked pleased. He should have talked to her, but been a little busy. it seems Maldor has a little insight to the sons of Thranduil and may know what he is doing after all.

pipinheart · 5 October 2005 · Chapter 4: Wrestling with Problems

Maldor, is too rough in handeling the novices. Ithilden thinks its the right choice, but Eilian is a good read on people. Very nice on how Legolas ask his brother for advise. I also iked Annael, a good friend to Legolas...

pipinheart · 5 October 2005 · Chapter 3: A Novice's Day

I liked the fighting scene, how you showed the styles of the fighters. Galelas has it out for Legolas, he is not someone I'd turn my back on, Legolas better watch it. Legolas likes Miriwen and dosen't know what to do, to be a warrior means some sacrifices,what can he do...

pipinheart · 5 October 2005 · Chapter 2: A Warrior's Homecoming

You can see all the fear they have when Eilian is injured, and worried about the arm that was broken. Thranduil treats Legolas as a child, when he no longer is one. And Eilian using his injures against his father... A child for ithilden and Alfrin how nice...

pipinheart · 5 October 2005 · Chapter 1: Dodging Attacks

It seems Galelas has some isues with Legolas thinking he gets special treatment. And he irks Legolas, but seems Tondil stepped in. He seems a calming presents and he is likable and family too. Legolas dosen't like to be compared to his brothers, that is hard to live up to thier repuatation...

Esamen · 9 March 2004 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

Oddly enough, he felt reassured by their parents' restrictions. Floundering about on his own had been exciting but daunting Oh, beautiful! So perfect! You write adolescents so well! One of the reasons I wanted to become involved in the SoA site was because of its committment to keeping a standard of writing that teenagers and their parents would be comfortable with. This is just beautiful. I wish we could put out ads and commercials to invite people to read our favorite stories! This would definitely be one of my favorites! Thanks again, and I look forward to reading more of your wonderful work. Esamen

esamen · 9 March 2004 · Chapter 10: Orcish Fighting

Eilian let out a strangled cry of fury and grabbed the dagger that he, like almost all Wood-elves over the age of thirty, kept in his boot. He began to hack awkwardly at the bindings, unable to get an angle on the tightly wound cloth that would not also cut his chest. He was talking savagely to himself in what Legolas recognized as Dwarvish. Legolas had had Dwarvish lessons and was reasonably fluent, but Eilian was using a vocabulary that Legolas's tutors had not covered I am enjoying this story so much! I just love all the details and all the threads of characterization woven through it. There's never a dull moment. You must really have all this in your head. Do you think about these people day and night? I am working on a new non-LoTR story where I am using a similar POV -- third person, and writing from different character's points of view within a chapter. So this is very good for me to be reading right now. It's a good way for me to get into this particular kind of writing. I am enjoying the reading so much, though, that I would read it just for pleasure anyway. All your characters are so attractive . . . they are just a joy to read and picture . . . I just love the marriage relationship of Legolas's oldest brother . . . everything is so sweet and cuddly. Exactly what I need after a long day's work. Just don't get any sexier now or I'll have to stop reading you! Go ahead and leave it to our imaginations . . . Yes, Thranduil is the ultimate stud. That's the nice part about these fics . . . we can create what we want to have in our characters, and they are ours forever, and to heck with anyone else's opinion, huh? Great work. Thanks so much for all your time and effort. Esamen

esamen · 8 March 2004 · Chapter 10: Orcish Fighting

Well, I just cannot leave this story unread. It's a real page-turner. You have so much woven into the plot! This is fantastic! I will have to finish tomorrow. Looking forward to it!

French Pony · 10 February 2004 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

Huzzah, huzzah! As of just now, I have finished reading every single one of your stories, and I have enjoyed them muchly. Of course, it's taken me quite a while to do so, and I might perhaps have forgotten the details on some of the ones I read earlier, but that just means I get to read them again and refresh my memory. Huzzah, huzzah!

FaerieQueen · 5 January 2004 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

Another fantastic story! I really loved this one: Legolas dealing with difficult companions in dangerious situation. Very nice. I can only praise you again, and urge you to keep writing. FaerieQueen

sofia · 1 January 2004 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

GOOD. Off i go to read your other stories.

Antigone_Q · 8 November 2003 · Chapter 12: Entertaining Visitors

Nope, nope, somehow or other hadn't finished this one. I'm pleased - it’s like finding a Christmas present you didn't know you had! There was so much humor in this story. There was a priceless scene in chapter six. Legolas had lost his temper, and Thranduil went to talk with him. So intent was he on reining in his temper and handling his son well that he entirely forgot that Legolas had lied to him until he had left. If I remember it, the line that made me laugh was something like, "There were only so many filial sins he could cope with at once." Same chapter, I think, Miriwen points out that Legolas doesn't treat his other friends the way he treats her, and he is totally clueless. Of course he doesn't treat his friends the same way, he thinks: "he doesn't want to kiss Annael!" On the training trip: I liked that Legolas looked for little details about other people's naneths. So sweet and so painful at the same time. Eilian must have been frustrated with Legolas for saying there was nothing he could do about his fight with Galelas, when Eilian had gone to such trouble with Galelas' older brother (I've forgotten his name) to make working together more bearable. Once again, Eilian's talent with people comes in handy - it's lucky Legolas is so open to being taught what doesn't come naturally. I felt sorry for Galelas from beginning to end. He was so much like his brother that I couldn't help but think that either or both of his parents must be very demanding Elves, and that he must have grown up believing that nothing less than "perfect" and "best" was ever good enough. What Galelas said to Legolas about Eilian being so nice confirms that for me. The Novices really need a mentor, and I still don’t like much the idea of Maldor being in charge. I wish Eilian could keep right on doing that - I'm sorry that he's so determined to go back to his patrol. He's so good with younglings, and that would solve nicely the current difficulty about being away from home so much. Probably not dangerous enough for him, though. Best line in the story: "he recognized it as a very fine Dorwinian. He paused, considered consequences, and then took refuge in a second long draught…" That's so like a teenager. So was the hair! I remember the Dorwinian was the wine in the Hobbit that got the guards drunk enough to miss the Dwarves' escape. Not surprising it went to Legolas' head, as well.

Antigone_Q · 8 November 2003 · Chapter 4: Wrestling with Problems

Well! I thought I had read everything you had written, and I do remember reading parts of this. But I must have either skimmed this one or not finished because this chapter came as a big surprise to me. I'm glad I decided to re-read some of your stories while waiting for your next chapter! That was a beautiful conversation Eilian had with Legolas about kissing, and more than kissing. Legolas ought to thank his lucky stars (and rainbows!) that he has a brother he can trust and can ask about girls and so on. I can see how asking Thranduil about kissing would end up to be less than enlightening. Annael's take on being spoiled vs. being priviliged was very perceptive, especially for someone so young. Good for him for pointing out that privilege comes with a certain amount of obligation; there are a lot of adults who don't understand this so well. And here is where I knew for sure I hadn't read this whole story: I was absolutely, positively, shocked and outraged when Maldor purposely slapped one of his trainees. There is not much that makes me angrier than abuse of power, and you do NOT hit the people that have been entrusted to your protection! I don't believe there is any excuse for it, no matter what kind of training you happen to be doing, or what kind of ills you think are going to befall those people later. "Maldor didn't hurt the trainees on purpose" my foot! It's the sort of thing that I would be organizing protests and letter-writing campaigns about in real life - no kidding. I really wanted to rant and rave at Ithilden and Thranduil for letting it go on - then had to take a deep breath and remind myself that it's just a story. I guess that's a compliment to you as a writer: that you can make me so mad I have to get up and go stomp around a while, even though I KNOW none of these people are real. But I see that Eilian's comments have given his older brother and his father some food for thought. Good old Eilian. I suspect I'll be sending another review your way when I'm done reading through to the end.