FIC: The unknown soldier, LotR, PG

[sophiethemonkey]

Title: The unknown soldier
Rating: PG
Word Count: 440
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: All characters and situtations from The Lord of the Rings belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. They are certainly not mine.

Comments

[carawj]

...

That would be me unable to make a coherent answer because this actually made me cry. This isn't something I've ever really thought about when it comes to Tolkien, weirdly enough, because I do think about this sort of thing with everything else. *shivers*

An incredible piece of writing Sophie.

[ladydewinter]

Thank you so much. I am so happy and relieved, you have no idea. I think I know what you mean - I don't usually think about this either. But then we watched all those EEs and Faramir said this thing about the dead soldier, and then it was in my head and it seems it came out alright. ♥

[ladydesintra]

Wow. This is a very interesting perspective from the story, which I don't see that often when it comes to LotR. I truly love it :)

[ladydewinter]

I think it's sad that people don't think about that perspective that often. I mean, sure, it's the way it is and I know it, and it's the way it's set up and all and the orcs and everyone dark and black is ev0l, but it's a perspective that sometimes is very dangerous. We talked about it in my LotR seminar and for all his craziness, my professor had a point in saying that hippies demanding Gandalf be president had an odd perspective on things. *shrugs*

[ex_theatrica309]

I love the unknown narrator's voice here: it's so calm and focused and much more gentle than I'd imagined.

The vague quality to the piece is also very interesting. I'm assuming, from the mentions of dark skin and oliphants, that the main character is a Haradrim or something of the sort--but I like it that no specifics are given. There's more space for speculation that way, more room for possibility.

"Fair and beautiful, angels of death"...a very revealing look into the perspective of the "enemy." Strange that I never considered what the story's heroes look like through the eyes of their foes.

It's so short, but full of so much emotion. Thank you for sharing. <3

[ladydewinter]

Thank you very much! I am glad the narrator's voice is working the way I wanted it to.

The perception of the heroes by the 'enemies' is something I really have my crazy university teacher to thank for; his seminar wasn't at all what I was expecting (it was about LotR, and he didn't seem to like the book very much), but I gained another perspective on it, one that I had actually forgotten until recently. It's strange.

<3

[many_miles_away]

*grins* I waited till you were gone to read it, because I don't like commenting on stories when the people who wrote the stories are right there. Spoils the fun, and all.

Anyway! This was even better than I thought it would be. I really love how calm the narrator is, and the fear he has about the orks (which is really understandable), and that bit about taking the kids see the Oliphaunts which is so weird considering that at the hand of the enemy they are horribly dangerous creatures. And I LOVE the whole thing about getting enough money to buy a farm, it broke my heart, although I cannot help but wonder whether Sauron would actually bother to pay his allies. I think he might rely much more on threat and false promises than on something as down-to-earth as money. But who cares, and after all, maybe he's promised them money and has no intention of giving it to them ever.

No, this was great. And yes, it's really nice to have the point of view of the men who fought alongside Sauron, for once. Faramir would be proud of you. ^_^

[ladydewinter]

Again, thank you so much for this comment. I am so insanely happy this works, because I really wasn't sure whether I could pull it off, stylewise and all. And that comment about Faramir really made me happy, as you know. ♥

[gnomeofsol]

This was lovely, Sophie. It was wonderfully refreshing (and eye-opening) to read something from the other side's perspective. Tolkien doesn't spend any time creating a human face for the men of the South and the East, but I never really got the impression that he sought to draw close ties between them and the orcs. Still, it never hurts to draw out the humanity in a character. EE!Faramir would approve of this, I'm certain :-)

[ladydewinter]

Thank you so much! That you think that Faramir would approve made me very very happy, and I am so glad you like it. I was really unsure whether I could pull it off, really. I am so happy it worked.

[gnomeofsol]

Faramir's a wonderful fellow! Of course he would approve! :-)