Olórwendë by Caranthol

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Fanwork Notes

Story note: Appropriately enough for the theme, the basic idea for this story came to me in a half-dream while I was having a nap. The character of Olórwendë suddenly appeared to me in full bloom, and around her had formed a bare sketch of a short story. It is told in one chapter only. In style I strived for the semi-biblical tone of the Silmarillion, but a bit more readable for modern audience, but am unsure how I succeeded. If it seems too stilted, I am open for the possibility of a slight rewrite. In any case, the idea appealed to me so much I had to break my hiatus of many years from Tolkien fanfiction and give Olórwendë a literary shape and a stage to act on.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

A Man of Númenor is brought into Aman by a mysterious being. He spends a day there, and in that time learns an important truth about the nature of paradises and that there is some danger even in bliss.

Major Characters: Maiar, Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s)

Major Relationships:

Genre: General, Mystery, Romance

Challenges:

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 4, 833
Posted on 4 May 2018 Updated on 4 May 2018

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

Olórwendë

Comments

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This is gorgeous! Well-worth coming out of fanfic hiatus for. I love this exploration of Aman through the eyes of the outsider—your descriptions are gorgeous and I think you've perfectly nailed the narrative style of the Silmarillion. Bravo!

Thank you for your kind words! Yes, I aimed for a beautiful idyll told in an archaicstyle, since that appeared the best fit for both the subject and the characters. The latter also surprised me, since the implied romantic content creeped into the text all by itself and contrary to my original vision. Well, it goes to show how characters can sometimes take a sort of a mind of their own (which is both exhilarating and startling when it happens).

To speak a bit more about the style: I simply adore the late Romantic and mythological styles both in Tolkien's work and older literature. But if I ever want to get my original fiction in my mother tongue (to which I have concentrated in the last few years) published, I simply can't indulge in them too much. That is because the general audience in modern times don't really buy stuff like that, and niche audiences are too small here. But Tolkien's world, which I love, is a wonderful outlet for that urge.