Let there be light Tolkien_Weekly challenge: In A Different Light

[dwimordene_2011]

Title: In A Different Light
Author: Dwimordene
Summary: On loving the enemy among friends and family.
Characters/Pairing: Brand, Esteven, OFC
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Mature concepts
Book/Source: LOTR, Best-loved Sons 'verse
Disclaimer: I'm neither JRRT nor making money off this. Isabeau, I hope you'll like these - Merry Christmas, slightly belated. Thanks

Comments

[huinare]

While I'm not acquainted with the background of these characters, I continue to find your take on the religion of the Haradrim fascinating. Thanks for posting!

[dwimordene_2011]

Thanks, Huinarë! I've sort of moved into the sandbox Isabeau and Altariel made - the set-up is great for Gondor-Harad (and potentially others) cross-cultural stories. It's good head-space for thinking about Haradric religion for just that reason, since there are plenty of character who would have a stake in how that aspect of life affects them.

Of course, because the Best-loved Sons series has expanded so much over the years, it's also sort of tough for new readers to find their way in at times, so I'm glad this drabble set still made sense.

[engarian]

These dovetail just beautifully into the full Dol Amroth arc and I really love it. Brand is such a great character and catching him this early in his time with his new family is just precious.

- Erulisse (one L)

[dwimordene_2011]

Hi Erulisse - So glad you enjoyed these! I love this period of Brand's settling in, because it's a time when he would notice a lot of things that, say, Imrahil wouldn't, because Imrahil knows Andrahar and Haradrim all too well. So Brand's in a position to ask questions and be bothered by different things that other people in Andrahar's life wouldn't bat an eye over or think to find significant. And since Andrahar is such an important figure in Brand's life, it lets me use Esteven, for example, and give Andrahar a break from having to be the go-to character for explanations and crisis (like I don't write him enough of those elsewhere, heh heh!).

[engarian]

I was really happy that you used Estevan. Although I adore Andrahar, it was nice to see a different character and a different side to Haradrim customs and worship. Yeah - this one worked very well in the "verse" that has been building for so long.

- Erulisse (one L)

[dwimordene_2011]

Esteven is underutilized in my mind. I'd love to get an Andrahar-Esteven story out one day - it's not as though the outlines of their relationship doesn't exist, but I don't have the time to tell that story properly, I think, or else I don't have a story short enough to do justice to what Isabeau's given out over time. Also, I don't know whether she has a mind to tell that story and I shouldn't be greedy!

But he can be put to good use here - not everybody has the sort of complicated, agonized relationship to a dual-faith tradition that Andrahar has. And while that complexity makes Andrahar fun to write, it's also fun to write someone who's happy in his own tradition and doesn't need to agonize over it the way Andrahar does.

[alphien]

Though I'm not well-versed in the histories, of these original characters, I like that prior knowledge is not completely necessary. I think you did an excellent job of keeping things clear even as you pulled a lot of material from your other writing.

The set-up of these scenes is really wonderful. It's very rare to find a drabble series where each individual drabble continues straight off from the one previous to it. I've tried it on occasion, but usually found it too difficult. So props to you for pulling it off, and for pulling it off so effectively.

And as always, your examination of the Haradrim and their culture is beautiful.

Thanks for sharing, Dwim!

[dwimordene_2011]

Hi Alphien - Thanks for your comments!

I think you did an excellent job of keeping things clear even as you pulled a lot of material from your other writing.

Good! Glad that worked. I think it's easier to write a series fic that makes sense to readers unfamiliar with the rest of the series if it's topically oriented. Then the topic facilitates characterization, instead of the reverse. If the idea gains clarity or new meaning only because of pre-existing characterization, then it's much harder to make that story accessible.

It's very rare to find a drabble series where each individual drabble continues straight off from the one previous to it

Yeah, you've got competing writing goals working against each other, I think. Drabbles have to be compact enough to stand alone, which tends towards episodic story-telling whose individual episodes are easier to connect thematically than in any other way. And if for some reason your drabbles do come right off each other, that often means you really have a short story that you're breaking up

[alphien]

Excellent points!

[curiouswombat]

I have just spent much of my 'days of grace' (Boxing Day to New Year's Eve) reading in the Best Loved Sons 'verse so this was a wonderful gift to find - thank you!

[dwimordene_2011]

Hi Wombat - Cool! Glad you enjoyed the series and this little foray into Esteven's place in it.