Withered Tree

[altariel]

My never-ending work in progress, a Tolkien AU fanfic called Withered Tree, was completed in a burst of inspiration over the weekend and the start of this week. I have been writing it since June 2003.

Those of you who have kindly commented on drafts in locked entries may like to start again from the beginning: the foreword is new and integral (as is the appendix), and there have been various changes for style throughout. It is about 16,400 words.

Please let me know if any of the links don't work.

Foreword
Prologue: Concerning Hobbits
Chapter I: Hands of a Healer
Chapter II: The Mind and Its Policies
Chapter III: Falls the Shadow
Chapter IV: The Next Debate
Chapter V: Treason and Plot
Chapter VI: Lost Souls
Epilogue: This is the Way
Appendix A: The Sources

Comments

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Dammit! You beat me to it! I will do a full re-read at some point; but work is crazy, my head is full of Powers, I'm trying to do a decent amount of reviewing for the MEFAs this year and I know I really ought to start again from scratch with LDID...

Hurrah and go you!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how much stuff is still going on in this fandom! But keep your head full with P&C if that's where it is right now!

[gair.livejournal.com]

Whoa! 2010 is the Year of Finishing! Huge congratulations, dear.

Back in the UK and will get in touch properly soon. xx

(Vergil icon because his average writing rate was three lines of hexameter a day* and because he, like you, is AWESOME.)

*trufax!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you my dear and welcome home. I'm scooting up to see katlinel and Jane Duncan country tomorrow, and hope to have some pics to send to gerald xx

[gair.livejournal.com]

We're with you both in spirit!

[alicambs.livejournal.com]

Since 2003! Right, that gives me hope that I may finish some things of mine that have been sitting in the, 'you know you're never going it complete them' folder on my pc. :-)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yup, since 2003! I had a very clear idea of where it was going, and a detailed outline. But the writing was very compressed, and needed a lot of focus to get it down on the page. I thought I still had two chapters to write, and the thought of that was too offputting. Then I realized it was, in fact, only one chapter, and practically written at that! All of a sudden it became a much more manageable task. Perhaps you should have a peek inside that folder!

[alicambs.livejournal.com]

Eep, think of the cyber moths!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Fly! Fly, my pretties!

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on completing it at last!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Something of a relief to have it done finally.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

And from me too.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-)

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

What strikes me is that is that it is ultimately impossible for Denethor to live if Aragorn is to become king of Gondor through acclamation, and I enjoyed the way that the path was inexorably taken in this fic, the utter lack of choice that Faramir and Denethor had because of who they were and who they would want to become.

I am very glad you finished it!

And Barahir would be surprised at who would read the records and what they would make of them. I am starting to speculate if, over the centuries, marginalia would be added to his record of the truth and what story they would tell. And that's a sign in itself that this story has life because it's giving birth to new stories in my mind.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Interestingly, that question of choice only came to the fore right at the end of writing. I completely agree that both Denethor and Faramir could not have chosen differently and remained true to themselves. It's a real tragedy.