This is a mystical story, beautifully told. It seems congruent with Tolkien's Paths of the Dead. I love the imagery of this piece and the tone that you set throughout. I happened upon this quite by accident. I'll have to busy myself now, and dig around a bit with your other stories. Thanks for sharing your gift with others!

Closure. They needed it.

Masterful!

i loved it,very well written, beautiful story. i loved it overall

This was an extremely beautiful story! I recently wrote something that touches the issue you deal with here, and somebody recommended I read your fanfiction. But I have to admit yours is a hundred times better than mine!

I liked your story for many reasons: your characterization of Faramir, your vivid descriptios and the impeccable style of your writing, but what I loved the most was the very idea of putting Faramir face to face with his ancestors. You handled this in very original yet believable way, and yout portrayal of Mardil was excelent!

So thank you for such a wonderful story, this goes right to my Favourites! :)

I want to weep, this story has just touched me so much. This line just caught my heart:

This was indeed a test - but not of him, not of his own worthiness. His forefathers stood before him, awaiting the verdict of the living, awaiting judgement - and the last not least.

And I was so glad that in the end Faramir was able to meet his father's eyes, and to bring peace to Denethor II.

Evocative and beautifully written.

Oh, what a lovely story. I can't believe I haven't reviewed it here before. A perfect synthesis of ghost story/historical retrospective/personal confrontation between Faramir, as the Steward who gave the land back to the King, and the Stewards who had held the land for the missing King. And of course, a final, long overdue peace between a father and son that is utterly beautiful.

Beautifully written.

Wow - that's about all I can say through the tears - you have painted a beautifuly poignant condensed history of Gondor.

My favorite lines - So it was that Faramir looked upon his grandfather as Ecthelion chose his captain above his son, saving Pelargir whilst knowing what the price would be. And when the Eagle of the Star departed and Ecthelion closed his eyes praying to the Valar to deliver Gondor, Denethor opened the door and climbed the stairs, and Faramir watched through his father's eyes as he gazed into the clear and cloudy depths of the palantír.

I cannot even presume to critique it for it was wonderfully written. Thank you!

That was so cool! It's quite unlike anything I've ever read in the LotR fandom before. I've got some serious goosebumps going on here. This story was awesome!

That was amazing! I loved how all of Gondor's past ghosts and phantoms were just sort of channeled through Faramir, and how he seemed to understand their meaning. Wonderful.

Another fine story. You portrayed the ghosts and the "visions" very well. And Faramir's hesitancy to look upon his own father. Some parts were still a little unclear to me (like Denethor's part of the vision and who was speaking when he said "I have a son"--though I think that was Faramir.), but I did enjoy this story immensely. Loved the language, too. Good job.

Fantastic! ^___^, I'm speechless! ^___^ This is truly brilliant!

Now you have completed this, and having read it again all the way through, I am struck by how carefully you have set up the themes and images right from the opening and how you have given the whole piece a sense of symmetry by reminding us of the beginning at the end.

For instance you set up the juxtaposition of sons and tombs, youthfulness and age, oaths that bring salvation, but must also be paid for. The whole atmosphere of mist and walls and how it is possible to lose your bearings and have your whole perspective shift. I particularly liked the way you introduced the idea of waiting in a line with the lords and captains “All still and set” – not uncertain like the spooky stewards. I loved it when you described them as those “who had, in their waiting, kept alive the hope that there would be years ahead”- the word “waiting” implying both patience and service.

I liked the symmetry of the horn sounding for the close of the day as it did at the beginning, and Faramir disappearing to his place in the high city, as the spirits of his ancestors disappeared into the high dome of the house of the dead. And I particularly liked the thought of Eowyn taking his hand after he has released the dead, as he did for her at the beginning of the story.

I thought the pacing was well done – for instance the spookiness beginning, suddenly, after Faramir has relaxed and the pivotal shift in Chapter 3 also took me completely by surprise.

I found the story pretty moving, too, in the way the stewards, Denethor and Faramir all merge together in some ways. Faramir realising that he is no longer reliant on his father for his self esteem. That he has the power to judge others, give them the praise and recognition denied to him in his father’s lifetime, and in so doing he can give it to himself too. In looking him in the eye and acknowledging Denethor for what he was he can show him compassion, and be compassionate to himself as well. I liked the feeling of the emptiness of the house of the dead, where the old stewards should have been, but where Faramir was not expecting to have a place, suddenly becoming full of possibilities with the start of the new line of the Princes of Ithilien.

Thanks for a good read.



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Intriguing and thought-provoking. That the person who has laid his inherited burden into the rightful hands, is set to judge those who passed it on to him, is an appealing idea. Though I wonder if Denethor doesn't get away too easily (can Faramir really absolve him at any other level than the personal?), his removal of the main obstacle for the return of the King did turn out for the best, so I guess in a way his spirit can be granted rest.