Comments on Out of the Darkling West

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Alatáriel and Teleporno! I have never read a fanfic of their story before. Not saying they do not exist, but simply that I have not encountered one. I love your descriptions and beautiful language.

I definitely do not subscribe to this backstory of Galadriel and Celeborn for my own fanfic story-verse. (In fact, there have been times when I have wished it had never been unearthed!) Despite that, it is lovely to read this story, especially since it is so beautifully done. But, there's a "scope for other minds and hands" and all that good stuff! I hope you intend to continue it. I'll "favorite" you here so I can get notifications!

Thanks so much for sharing.



Thank you so much for commenting!  Kind words from a forum giant make a welcome salve for the pains of having had to chop out treasured bits of my story to make it work better.  While I've been literary all my life, I haven't ever had to think in these kinds of writer's terms before.

Do you think this version of Alatáriel and Teleporno is so far outside the normal canon (despite its origin with JRRT) that I should tag these AU?  It hadn't occurred to me before, but there's a good argument to be made.  While I'm not planning to dwell on their backstory, and even their relationship isn't the focus of what I'm going to try to do, it might come up again from time to time in early First Age stories, so I want to make sure I'm tagging everything properly.

Definitely not AU I would think--more like his most recent concept on the subject. There are those who think the entire Silmarillion is AU, because the author never approved its final version, despite the fact that he considered it his life's work.

If you want to get attention from those who would be open to a new perspective you could tag it AU for that reason, I suppose. Whatever you chose, no one will complain here.

Ha! Forum giant! That's another one I haven't heard! I will grab it run. I may never hear it again.

Chopped out bits of your story? I do that only most reluctantly and never toss anything permanently--I keep it in a rag bag (like a Victorian housewife) in case I might have a use for it in a future story.



I too save bits if I like the way they're written.  But some of these bits I had to throw out because my process was not ideal.  I was writing and researching at the same time, so sometimes I'd written a thing before making very sure it was canon-compliant.  Oops!  Out it would go.

I've read a lot of fic about Galadriel and written a fair number of words myself but this is the first time I've found a fic using that last, late history and it's fascinating. I think you'll get many readers purely because it's so unusual, but they'll stay after to see where the story goes.  I don't think you need to label it AU. In a way it is an AU the professor did of his own work but that's his issue, it's all part of the body of work (I love it about him that he could also try sixteen different ways into the same story, just as we do, lol).

You have made me wonder with your comment about her liking the warmth --- was Laurelin warm as well as bright and golden? And if not, where did warmth come from in paradise? 



According to the Silmarillion, "from the blossom of that tree there came forth warmth and a great light."  Also, the flowers of Laurelin are described as "clusters of yellow flame."

 

Anar would have been warm either way, though, since Arien who steered it was a "spirit of fire."  What I wonder is, what was the ecology of Middle-Earth like before the warmth of Anar?  (No!  No more plot bunnies!)

 

I like to think that the Galadriel JRRT saw at the end of a life spent contemplating her was closest to the true one.  (I am also moved by its having been, reportedly, his very last legendarium composition.)  Clearly, other people's milage must really vary a lot when it comes to this.  :-)

I really like what you did here and how much you got out of this late version of Galadriel's story: the description of their doubts and thoughts when they approach the unknown coast and their reactions to the moonrise and sunrise and their encounter with Ulmo!

I'll be looking out for where you're taking this series next.