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Do I need to say how much I like this? :^)  As in very, very much like it?

Annatar and Celebrimbor's individual voices and dialog are great. Love the remarks about the lanterns in Nargothrond.  The interaction of these two craftsmen rings true to the common ground that scientists and engineers, who may be strangers to one another, can so quickly find.

...designing everything from better forges to better mousetraps.

Yes, the practical things first and then...lower the boom.

Well done, Aiwen!

A good glimpse at the beginning of the professional relationship between Annatar and Celebrimbor!   Too bad at how it will turn out in the end. 

I liked these parts a lot: "It was much more useful than hiding away in Valinor...Celebrimbor never had seen why they should all have to live in poverty because they had the misfortune to live in the wrong place..."

...Annatar smiled. "Oh yes, it is important to show solidarity. On the other hand, I can quite appreciate your desire to automate that function as much as possible!"

"...No matter how many I made, they always wanted more. I got so sick of making them in the end that I broke Feanorian secrecy and taught other people how to make them." My father did not speak to me for nearly two months after that.  (LOL!)

 

I like your character of Celebrimbor, so very Feanorian yet tempered, just like the Celebrimbor in the Silm who "repudiates his father," recognizing that the people of Nargothrond have a right to his family's secret knowledge for aiding them as refugees. This is a really nice detail and shows so much of what I think makes Celebrimbor a fascinating (and tragic) character.

The last paragraph is a simply fantastic ending!

I'm glad you like the ending.  Like so many of the silmarillion characters, Celebrimbor is quite complicated when you start to look at the implications of everything he did.  I feel rather sorry for him - would you want to grow up in the house of Feanor?  I certainly wouldn't.  I think he could've done a lot worse with what he was given.  Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad it was enjoyed. 

Here on the recomendation of Pandemonium - I like this. I like that Sauron gains Celembimbor's trust by offering to help him make things better. I like that Celebrimbor isn't depicted as being rebellious against the Valar for rebellion's sake, but because darn it, everyone deserves the advantages of certain technology - and I like that your Annatar doesn't come across as entirely evil, but with a bit of moral ambiguity. I enjoyed this!

I am glad that you enjoyed this.  Celebrimbor is one of my favorite characters.  I find his insatiable curiosity very understandable but it did make him terribly vulnerable to Annatar.  However, it he hadn't been there I think Annatar would've gone after somebody else with a strategy targeted to their weaknesses.  Look at Ar-Pharazon.  I am working on some more things about Celebrimbor that should be up in a while. 

I very much like this! Aquaducts, water-mills... an instant rapport between your protagonists... Excellent :D

So Celebrimbor broke the Feanorian I.P. guidelines, hunh? *Grins gleefully*

 I'm glad to see you are writing more. I very much look forward to seeing it!

I'm glad you liked it.  Annatar is thinking of the waste involved.  I also think he may also be remembering Aule, who I picture as being a little like Celebrimbor in personality.  I'm hoping to one day write another fic where Celebrimbor and Aule meet and have a discussion about what happened.  But then there are far too many things I would like to write.  Thank you for the review.