Ragnelle11/27/11 04:07 pm26: Twenty-sixSigned

I know this is an old story, but I found it reasently, and I liked it very much. Or, I think I redescovered it now; I think I have read it before, but didn't commented then.

Your Dunedain are very noble, and your young Aragorn are, as you have him comment, "born old", and it fits your story very well. I think I was actually more supprised at how close to modern sentiment you have the Dunedain act towards the bandits, than at how the people of Bree did.

What I think I liked the most in your story, is the relationship between Aragorn and Halbarad, and the change in Aragorn from Estel to Aragorn. I kept waiting for it to happen, and then I missed it so that I had to go back and see when it was you made it. It was so seemless and natural that I did not notce the first time. Very sublte.


Amarok01/07/08 07:55 pm1: OneSigned
This story cost me a complete nights sleep, and hafl of the next day, I just could not stop reading... but it was worth the time and the tiredness afterwards!! I was most touched by the conflict around Will, and I loved very much how detailed you describe daily life and toil of the Dunedain, in the villages and on patrol. Well, and of course the for me over-arching topic of learning how to cope with responsibility in leadership. Well done!

Author's Response:

I'm sorry you lost so much sleep, but I'm glad that you enjoyed my story enough that you couldn't put it down! :)  It was very hard for me to write the sections with Will as he really grew on me as a character, but in the end I had to follow through with the storyline as I'd planned.

Thanks so much for leaving me a review!


Mairi12/05/07 09:43 pm2: TwoAnonymous
I noticed that your writing tends to be a bit toneless when describing a person's feelings. Dialogue, though, is well done.

Michelle03/21/07 09:07 pm26: Twenty-sixSigned

Okay, I had fully expected you'd end with a wedding. I realize it might have been kitschy, but oh well:) Then I opted for a last meeting with Ivorwen - you teased it, you evil woman. But in the end you decided for something even better. The last scene where Aragorn takes up his father's sword was beautiful. The whole story led up to this point and now he has finally truly arrived. Such earth-shattering moments in life always make me teary-eyed, but that's a good thing.

You really made me hungry for more with this story. There are so many characters you introduced I have come to like - I would love to see what happens to them, how Aragorn changes with time, how Halbarad grows into the responsibility of being his second in command. All the travel and meeting the people of the other village. Stories, stories, stories. But I realize that you had to stop somewhere, and this "homecoming" moment was perfect for it. 

Thank you for drawing such a detailed picture of a time that Tolkien left pretty much in the dark! 


Michelle03/19/07 08:59 pm23: Twenty-threeSigned
I know it's probably blasphemous for a ranger-girl like me to say, but I think Ivorwen is my favourite character in this story! You don't overuse her, so she's warming up to Aragorn quite slowly, but also naturally. She's headstrong, but also caring. She's one of those people who think have seen and experienced too much to still care - and yet they do, grudgingly. I like that!

Michelle03/18/07 09:17 pm21: Twenty-oneSigned

Hehe, what a way to end a chapter! That poor man probably got quite the shock:)

I liked this and the chapter before - Aragorn got a lot more than he bargained for and he's not ready to deal with that yet. But then again, when are you truly ready to deal with death like that? I'm conflicted about Will. He made all the wrong choices without being a bad person at heart. So it's hard to judge him fairly, Aragorn admitted that much. But maybe the problem is more that the judges from Bree didn't find it hard at all...

As for Bree - a very wild wild west feel!  


Michelle03/13/07 09:07 pm15: FifteenSigned
That last conversation perfectly summed up what I was thinking during that chapter: That Aragorn acts way more mature than his peers. Of course, to some extent he has more experience than them, but to some part his own assessment is true as well: He was born old. Or, when he learned of his heritage, he just accepted what had to be done and never looked back.

Michelle03/13/07 08:38 pm14: FourteenSigned

This is getting better and better! As I've hope we're seeing more interaction between Aragorn and Ivorwen. The seem to slowly find some basis from which they can work: He tries to please her and she doesn't pretend she doesn't care. It's a start!

And on a sidenote: Wow, these Dunedain party hard:) I truly thought Aragorn would sit this out. Men this age are notoriously allergic to dancing. But maybe you had another idea of fun before there was cinema and tv and counter-striking:) 


Michelle03/02/07 12:34 am9: NineSigned

I fear our newly appointed chieftain will work himself into a burn-out syndrom. If something like that existed in Middle Earth, that is. It seems he's one of those people who want to please - and forget their own needs along the way. But at least all the action might help him push the homesickness to the back of his mind.

I'm still enjoying Ivorwen immensely. I'm looking forward to many more scenes in which she scowls at him and he's doesn't know whether to fight or flee. It's amusing!


Michelle03/01/07 12:42 am4: FourSigned

Wohoo! Here I am, using my vacation to do some well-deserved reading:) I have to say, I find it achingly said to imagine that Aragorn learned of his heritage, had about half a year to accept that fact and then had to go and live with people he had never met before. Having to leave loved ones (and your home) behind like that is just brutal. Just shows his character that he's able to make the best of it and be open to all the things he's experiencing.

I'm wondering what's up with his grandmother - but I'm sure you'll tell us eventually. And I sure hope Aragorn will be able to charm her! 


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