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Reviews: A Dwarven Yuletide
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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A Dwarven Yuletide
by:Soledad
[1] A Dwarven Yuletide by:Soledad
Reviewer:Lyn Date:04/02/06

Skillfully wrought!

Just some comments:
1) It's a mystery to me why you had Legolas'
hair (golden like his father's) turn dark
brown (or darker) for the winter. I can't imagine hair changing color this way. There are so many dark haired elves, it was very
pleasing to me to have golden haired Legolas.

2) Enjoyed the idea of dwarf women wearing
fake beards when traveling, which I agree
they rarely did as they were precious to the
dwarves and the dwarves kept their precious
things hidden and safe. This is the same reasoning
that makes me reject "elf women warriors"
found in most fanfics today. Tolkien never
had any elf women warriors unless I have missed reading some of his work. Females were
needed to make a home to come home to...they
were treasured and kept safe if at all possible. War is not glorious. It is hell,
and (most) males would not want to hear or
see females mutilated, tortured, or killed in
their presence. I have no doubt that SOME
females were capable archers and could wield
a sword, but I always envisioned them as
providing the last defence of the home.

3) I need to re-read the Silmarillion, but
it seemed to me that only Iluvatar could
create life, and Aule didn't make his
sculptors come to life. At any rate, the
end result, I am certain, was that Iluvatar
had the dwarves wait until the elves had
awoken first, so the elves were indeed the
FIRSTborn.

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[2] A Dwarven Yuletide by:Soledad
Reviewer:Lyn Date:04/02/06

Skillfully wrought!

Just some comments:
1) It's a mystery to me why you had Legolas'
hair (golden like his father's) turn dark
brown (or darker) for the winter. I can't imagine hair changing color this way. There are so many dark haired elves, it was very
pleasing to me to have golden haired Legolas.

2) Enjoyed the idea of dwarf women wearing
fake beards when traveling, which I agree
they rarely did as they were precious to the
dwarves and the dwarves kept their precious
things hidden and safe. This is the same reasoning
that makes me reject "elf women warriors"
found in most fanfics today. Tolkien never
had any elf women warriors unless I have missed reading some of his work. Females were
needed to make a home to come home to...they
were treasured and kept safe if at all possible. War is not glorious. It is hell,
and (most) males would not want to hear or
see females mutilated, tortured, or killed in
their presence. I have no doubt that SOME
females were capable archers and could wield
a sword, but I always envisioned them as
providing the last defence of the home.

3) I need to re-read the Silmarillion, but
it seemed to me that only Iluvatar could
create life, and Aule didn't make his
sculptors come to life. At any rate, the
end result, I am certain, was that Iluvatar
had the dwarves wait until the elves had
awoken first, so the elves were indeed the
FIRSTborn.

Report this review, 3206, for abuse of site guidelines.


[3] A Dwarven Yuletide by:Soledad
Reviewer:Makamu Date:08/16/06

You know, I was not much of a Dwarf person until I read this story of yours. You give them a cultural richness and a kind of earthen beauty (which is especially magnified by the fact that one of your Wood-elves lends the reader his eyes). You also manage to elevate Gimli to a status most people deny him, because they are dazzled by the glories of Eryn Lasgalen, Aman itself or NĂºmenore (I declare myself guilty as charged on all three and especially the last, right? *smirk*)

You have also a good hand for OCs which you manage to integrate seamlessly into the world and the lives of the canon characters.

There is one more thing I am not sure I have told you before: You have a perfect style for reading out loud. Your sentence and words have a cadence and resonance that flows as smoothly as a mountain stream.

Wonderful work, again

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[4] A Dwarven Yuletide by:Soledad
Reviewer:just_ann_now Date:07/24/10

This was just glorious - I love your descriptive details, as always - the clothes! the food! - and your characterization - Gimli's mom, Gimli's little sister, are spot on. I especially liked that this: "But the family also had been blessed by Mahal with the greatest gift Dwarven parents could dream of: a female child. "
Your interpretation of the Life and Customs of the Children of Mahal is wondrous, especially the play, almost liturgical in nature, and the wedding ceremony itself. (Sorry, should have written all this in my MEFA review!)

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[5] A Dwarven Yuletide by:Soledad
Reviewer:Larner Date:10/04/10

How wonderful, to think that Gimli did have a secret love, and that he would wish Legolas to take part in his wedding ceremony! Delightful! Thanks so much for an entertaining read!

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[6] A Dwarven Yuletide by:Soledad
Reviewer:Azalais Date:11/18/10

I've just left a lengthy review of this over at this year's MEFAs, but I just wanted to pop in here too and say how glad I am I came across it and how very much I enjoyed it.

Lovely interplay between my favourite Elf and Dwarf; gorgeous evocation of Dwarven culture in all its rich, strange complexity, from the music and the dancing to the beautiful and entirely apt wedding ceremony. The descriptions of the town and of Thorin Stonehelm's Great Hall are full of marvellous detail; everyone is entirely in character and the dialogue brings the whole story wonderfully to life, with compassion, humour and interest. A lovely Yuletide present for any year - thank you!

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