Comments on Goldilocks and the Three Balrogs

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Thanks so much for such a lovely review!  I'm very glad you enjoyed the story; I did have fun writing it, in fact I was (re)discovering the joys of narrative along the road to Imladris, so it's wonderful to hear it works.  And thank you for picking up the contrast between Glorfindel and the Moriquendi, and his discomfort in the new world!

*g* I'm nothing if not a canon slave (well, as long as it's explicitly set out in the Silmarillion, so, okay, plenty of space for manoeuvre), so Erestor had to survive that one.  I'm glad you enjoyed this story!  And again, thank you so much for so many kind and thoughtful reviews!  It was a really lovely surprise to wake up to them all.

I love the way you've woven the other characters into this tale. Having read your story in which Erestor and Melinna featured before, I found it hard to reconcile their levity here with that fic, until I realised you were adding depth to them via their frivolity.

Since Erestor is Elrond's chief counsellor, I'd like to read your version of how he got the job...

 

This is going very well, and I do like it.

Again, I'm glad you liked the way the story was going!  The background to Erestor's place as Elrond's chief counsellor is set up in 'Wanderlust'; I still haven't written my version of how he eventually came to settle down in Imladris, partly because that may be the last serious piece of LOTR fanfic I ever write and I have quite a lot of other stuff still to be written.  So it may be a while. 

As for Erestor and Melinna's frivolity -- well, 'Blood and Fire' deals with a fairly atypical event, and is indeed somewhat atypically unleavened tragedy compared to my other stories.  Also, of course, this story is taking place four and a half thousand years later, so while I wouldn't say they've forgotten that episode, I think it's fair to say they've learned to live with it.  I hope the characterisation harmonises overall in both these and my other stories!

Brilliant! You have revealed the wisdom I thought might be lacking in Erestor and Melinna. Playing dumb is one of the oldest tricks there is, and it's worked perfectly. I like the twist of having had Erestor and Melinna recover one of Glorfindel's most prized possessions. Brilliant ideas, beautifully rendered. 

 

Niggles: 

 

Glorfindel and the Istar had sampled most OF the alcoholic beverages

through which [poured] the Road POURED like starlight through storm clouds. 

It's great to hear that you like the twists in this chapter!  And thank you so much for picking up that missing 'of' (so easily done), although I think I would prefer to keep my syntax for the Road simile.  I'm not sure I intended to have Erestor and Melinna playing dumb, more that Glorfindel mistook their levity for frivolity -- his judgement could hardly have been impeccable under the circumstances, after all.

That was so quietly and sadly beautiful. The way you weaved the story through Glorfindel's nostalgia and Erestor and Melinna's obfuscation so that very little was clear until the very end was quite ingenious. The confusion gave more weight to Glorfindel's emotional turmoil, which I'm sure was your intent, so well done there. Also, the way everything quietly resolved in the epilogue married perfectly with nightingale music motif. What a joy to read!

It's lovely to hear you enjoyed this story, and that the mix of nostalgia and obfuscation paid off in the end.  You're absolutely right, I did want the conclusion to give weight to Glorfindel's emotional issues, once he had arrived at Imladris and was no longer able to distract himself with the journey.  And I'm very glad the resolution worked out for you!  Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review!

I really liked this story! Erestor and Melinna were really interesting. I especially liked this part:

"“I daresay you do,” Erestor replied evenly, motionless in the shadows.  For once he seemed completely unamused and his tone was cool.  “And I say – very sad.  Gondolin was destroyed by its enemies, as it was doomed to be destroyed once Morgoth realised that Turgon was willing to be a nuisance to him.  That’s sad and vaguely heroic.  If anyone other than your Lady Idril had listened to Tuor, you might only have lost the buildings.  That’s sadder and rather less heroic.  If you think Gondolin was the most beautiful city in Middle-earth, you obviously never visited Menegroth – and Menegroth was sacked by its allies.  Twice.  Now that’s not just sad, that’s downright tragic!”" 

That was a really great point, about Menegroth falling to it's allies.

Great story!