Reviewer:Oshun Date:03/07/09
I loved this ficlet. Love of concept of "liquid numbers" and the last line was so satisfying.
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[32] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:Dwim Date:03/07/09
Yes! Finally, Amrothos has met his match! I like Akilah very much and hope the ambassador gets his wish and sees the two of them to a happy marriage, filled with books and the occasional grandchild who knows the Pythagoreean theorem by the age of four. ;-) These two together would be a formidable match.
There's a poem in here somewhere: Love among the algorithms, a cross-cultural romance...
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[33] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:Dwim Date:03/10/09
Okay, chapter 30 - two points.
1) I love that Heth names Mablung as one of her heroes! I've missed your Mablung lately, so it was good to see him even if just in one line.
2) Andrahar and presumption. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate the irony, and this may be my undoing when the next rebounder nuzgul strikes, but as I see it, his chain of reasoning is basically this:
"Sorry, I can't claim my father, even though he was a great man. I'm just the illegitimate son, so it would be inappropriate and possibly insulting for me to do so. Hm. I know, how about I claim Kedara, who wouldn't know me from Adam, but whose status in our culture is far higher than that of any average khan, and who would've been just as honor-bound as my fa-I mean, Lord Isfhandijar, to spit on my existence and be insulted that I would think it proper to liken myself to him in any way had we coincided!"
Are my calculations wrong, or does claiming one of Harad's national literary-historical heroes as your role model over your father, just because you are a bastard son, rank rather high on the chutzpah scale? Higher than simply claiming your father?
:-D
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[34] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:brinian Date:03/10/09
Tree Song:
I love this! I'm behind on reading these as they're posted but I really appreciate them all. Tree song really grabbed me....so where to start?
It gave me a glimpse into a side of Elrohir we haven't seen before that I thought must be there and really wanted to see - the part that is more elf than man. Even though it took a bit of effort to communicate with the trees, he did it without hesitating and then even went to get Elladan to do a bit more to help the trees. Yay twins!
Then there is a lovely link between Elrohir and Celeborn that the trees can sense (and I think Hethin senses as well) that Elrohir generally glosses over but that is very meaningful to him. That connection between Elrohir and his grandfather is very important to him because of the care Celeborn has taken with Elrohir, but in the manner of intergenerational relationships and family who don't see each other much, it doesn't get as much exercise as I think each of them would like so there is a sense of longing that comes out in this brief encounter as well.
Beautifully done. More please!!!
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[35] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:Azalais Date:03/12/09
As I said over on the H-A list - simply gorgeous. I love Amrothos' intensity, his sheer ability (music, maths, speaking Haradric fluently as a matter of course...) coupled, so realistically, with his shyness and his social awkwardness - matched by Akila's intelligence, which cripples her socially and matrimonially in its turn.
"You have not allowed for the attraction between the two bodies…" as it were. Hee.
Arwen will think the match wonderful, so will Faramir. Gondorian high society will, very gratifyingly, have fits. Aragorn and Imrahil will probably find it diplomatically highly useful, if handled right.
Beautifully done, and lovely to read. Thank you!
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[36] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:Denise Date:04/27/09
Ch. 25: First of all, *snort* over the title – the enkindling of the heart of a firebug, indeed.
I really enjoyed Amrothos’ voice in this vignette: his list of revelations was delightful and insightful both; his sense of more going on between his father and uncle than appeared on the surface, but not being mature enough to recognize it; and of course his utter absorption and entrancement by fire. It’s a wonderful lead-in to his later adventures and experiments with fireworks. I’d love to see him encounter Gandalf one day. *g* It would make an interesting comparison - an Imrahil/Amrothos/Gandalf meeting vs. the oft-written Denethor/Faramir/Gandalf one.
On a more serious note, I’d love to see inside Amrothos' head regarding his mother, too. Being young and male is part of his ability to not dwell overmuch on her death, I'm thinking, but ‘Rothos also strikes me as an Asperger-like guy, where one’s own emotions can be difficult to access until you are quite a bit older. But you may not see him that way at all, of course!
As with most of your stories that have much lightness to them, you’ve delicately woven in darker and heavier themes, too. Imrahil’s expression at seeing the boar charging him was chilling and excellently written. It captured Imrahil’s despair and loss so succinctly. Loved the aftermath between him and Andra.
Wonderful interactions between the cygnets at the end – and it was very funny to see Amrothos dreaming, already planning how to circumvent those rules...
Ch. 26: Terrific action writing! It was very easy for me to follow the course of battle, and great to get more detail about this scene after having so many references in the Unabeauverse. Andra’s shock at actually being badly wounded is so well shown, as is his slow descent to unconsciousness. Most marvelous of all is his unwavering, utter devotion to Imrahil, pointing forward so well to that conversation over his sickbed in “Ultimatums”. (I have failed you, my lord. They are still coming!) Naturally, to be complete, you’ll want someday to write the scene where Andra wakes up... right?
Leading right into... Ch. 27: I like how you used the Rohirric second mate to shake Imrahil out of his preoccupation/shock, and introduce us to his battle-madness. Yes, I can see Imrahil doing exactly that over Andrahar’s fallen body; it’s what I imagine in “In All But Blood”, too.
Like his land-bound brothers, he was always up for a fight, the fiercer the better, and his contentment was palpable now. Heh, and what a character to bring all this up with Imrahil... perfect! And such an excellent way to weave the Beornings into the comparison – it makes the entire vignette feel so fully-realized and deeper than you might catch at first.
Love bits like this: Siweard, oblivious to this inner dialogue, continued on enthusiastically. (As an aside, I kept wanting to call him Seward, the name of a coastal town up here, and assume it’s meant to suggest “sea-ward” or the like. Nice.)
And very well done, Imrahil’s coming realization of what this battle truly cost his men as well as him personally, outrageous song-worthy victory or no. I can see the fullness of it being buried by his many post-battle duties, by finding out that Andra will not die after all, etc., until Nimrien helps him figure out exactly how shallow was the basis of his actions here. In fact, it feels like that scene in Ultimatums is even more tense at the end than I remember reading it - where Imrahil sits alone in the library and it all finally sinks in. *shudders* I can’t help but be sympathetic and exasperated both...
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[37] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:obsidianj Date:05/20/09
This is great. I loved Amrothos revelations, especially where he observed his father's face with a look he had never seen before. That makes quite an impression. I remember a similar situation with my dad (not as dangerous), but I never forgot the change that came over him.
And lastly his dreams came true, he was allowed to build a fire. I think his brothers are right to fear Amrothos firebuilder.
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[38] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:illereyn Date:06/01/09
Wow! I love all of your new drabbles - the one about Brandmir in particular. It shows so much of each of the characters, and how they react. The filler of the Fangorn scene comes a very close second - I liked the thought that Celeborn was still remembered in Fangorn. The tree's voice was extremely slow and Fangorn-y, even compared to the measured tones of the Peredhil.
Say hi and thank you to your muse for me! Does she accept any bribes on WIP's? ;)
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[39] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:Larner Date:09/26/09
Regarding "Tree Song"
How wonderful! That they would remind the tree of Celeborn, and that for that memory Elrohir and Elladan and their companions would be given such a welcome. Am so glad they "paid" for their supper with Elladan's song!
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[40] Isabeau's Drabbles by:Isabeau
Reviewer:Larner Date:09/28/09
"Liquid Numbers"
A delightful encounter, and what a novel but worthy pursuit!
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