Your story is wonderful!

The thing I like best is your depiction of characters.

Though generally speaking I’m a Faramir fan (or rather, I AM Faramir, you see), I love your portrayal of Boromir. Here we get to see him in his element, as a commander of the army, and he’s so different from the Boromir of LOTR, and yet perfectly in character.

Your OC’s are well-rounded and you manage to get us to know them better little by little, without dumping on us at once all there is to know about them, like other writers do. This way it really feels like being introduced to someone in real life.

I like the Poet! Will we get to know his real name, you think? I hope not! I like a little mistery.

And would it be possible to have more twins, please? I really think Anakil should be more in touch with them. He gets back from Ithilien and doesn’t even show up to tell them he’s still alive? He doesn’t check on them right after battles? It’s sure not because he wouldn’t leave his post! Osgiliath is not that big after all, and I think as brothers they’re bound to spend as much as possible of their free time together, especially considering how Anakil was a bit of an outcast among the boys and he’s not really one of the messengers yet.

Telling the story through Anakil’s POV is a great choice: he’s just as bewildered as us, doesn’t know exactly what’s going on, doesn’t really understand how an army works, makes it really easy to identify with him.

Also, the battles are very believable (I think! I really have no idea how a real battle is fought.) and the storyline really gripping, makes you want to read more!

Thank you for giving us this story!

I have finished chapter 17. I am in awe. This is an absolutely fabulous story. The differing personalities and skills of the two captains come through clearly. We are left respecting them both. I love Faramir in general, but Boromir is a believably sympathetic character here. And Anakil give us a bewildered and yet clear view of what he sees. Beautiful work.

I just found this wonderful story for the first time tonight. I have read as far as chapter 11 and intend to come back and finish the story tomorrow.

When I began reading, I wasn't certain about how interesting this would be but you drew me and I became increasingly swept up by Anakil's actions and his views of the more well-known characters. What great pictures of Faramir, Boromir, Mablung, and so on. There are great and tragic events going on and Anakil plays his part but it's really him that we see and worry about. He's a kid coming of age in a trying place, but that's still what he is.

The writing gets stronger as the story goes on too, I think.

Wonderful job.

Another great chapter, Shakes; keep them coming. I'm in awe and admiration at how you write these battle sequences, and keep the human stories very much to the forefront.

This is a really interetsing story, I remeber seeing those refernces to Osgiliath in the books, good to see a fic about that...do update!

Bravissima, Shakes, bravissima. Absolutely riveting and harrowing reading.

You write battle scenes hauntingly well. I was always wondering about the battle in Osgiliath, but you visualized it for me better than I could have imagine it myself. Thanks for sharing.

This is the best fanfic I've read so far that deals realistically with the lives of soldiers fighting for a nation under fire. I'm impressed that you're writing not only about officers and warriors but about often-overlooked messangers, rangers, scouts, and boys, and how their actions and stories touch and interweave to form one story.

Anakil is a particularly engaging character, plucky, determined, dedicated, and certainly a very lucky little bastard. I like the fact that he's not perfect, and has to have his ears grabbed now and then. It's still heartwarming because it's evident that his superior officers really do care about him, and honestly want to guide him to be a better soldier who will survive hardships and become an asset to Gondor.

The interaction between Boromir and Faramir also made me smile. They're both in character, and the love and regard they hold for each other are palpable, which is good to see against the bleak outlook on the front. The burden of command that rests heavily on them and the way they are there for each other add depth to their characters.

Life in the garrison was described well without bogging down the story, and reading this I really get the sense I'm actually there, and am watching all this. I'm guessing a lot of research and thought went into the story, yet you don't dump all your work on the readers' heads. I've read military stories that read like textbooks, and I was pleasantly surprised to see this was not the case with "Messages." You always focus on actual people, which is the way a story should be-and which many writers, unfortunately, forget.

Your writing style also adds to the sense of involvement, showing things clearly without pulling any fancy stops. I've heard somewhere that style is knowing what to say and saying it clearly-and yours is certainly excellent.

Damn. I suppose I should offer constructive criticism, but unfortunately I can't think of anything in the story I want to see changed, unless it is for more screen time for Faramir. :D (I'm an intrepid fangirl.) Keep up the good work!

As you can see, I finally arrived, even though a little late.

I still love the way you portray Boromir and Faramir. I can't remember havign seen Boromir the warlord before - you write him very well. The Poet is an intriguing character - every time he comes by, he becomes a little more mysterious.

And the way the peaceful first part swung itno full-fledged battle in a mere moment is impressive.

Yay! You updated!

Another exciting chapter. I wonder what the connection the Poet and Denethor was.

Anborn teaching Anakil was very nice too.

Please don't make us wait as long for the next chapter

Yippee! Yippee! You've updated!

Another tense and exciting chapter, Shakes, and you'd better not leave us waiting as long for the next one! Your descriptions of action and of place are as good as ever. Good to see more of the poet - I wonder what his history with Denethor was...? And I very much liked Faramir's wandering thoughts about how he'll one day take his lady to Henneth Annun *g* I hope he does too!

A very, very happy Altariel

I love this story, it's very different. I love how you write the two brothers and of the happenings and goings of Osgiliath. Keep going.

"Peace wasn't that silent. Peace wasn't that dark. In times of peace, a mere second couldn't last an eternity." Great stuff! Exciting and tense opening.

So this is how Faramir is at Osgiliath... Loved the meeting between the brothers; even after three years they're cool and professional about it - at first. Your portrayal of their affection for each other is very touching.

But neither of them are going to have much time to rest...

The protrayal of brotherly love between Boromir and Faramir are beautiful and very convincing. You can say so much with a few words, and show their different natures so well.

I also love your descriptions of Osgiliath.

Nothing like big, strong twin brothers to rescue, right? And Anborn is great. Hope Lieutenant Darin gets eaten by a Nazgúl, soon.