Review by: Trinidad
Mellon Chronicles Looks at Youthful Adventures of Elf and Ranger
Amidst a sea of Lord of the Rings fansites, ranging from the nice to the naughty, which have sprung up since the release of the first movie in the trilogy, one of the best written, most respectful to the Tolkien cannon is still the Mellon Chronicles by Cassia and Siobhan.
The Chronicles examines the early friendship between the Human Ranger Strider, who is destined to become King of Men, and everyone’s favorite Elven
Prince, Legolas Greenleaf.
Set in the decades immediately preceding the finding of the One Ring, Middle Earth at this time is still, for the most part, a world at peace. And Strider and Legolas spend these years, as the shadow grows and dark powers conspire to destroy them, falling into one adventure after another; much to the annoyance of their fathers, Lord Elrond and King Thranduil, since each time Elf and Ranger get together it seems likely to end in a near death experience for one or both.
The
series is best if read in Chronological order, however balancing the amount of angst and action are a few notable stand-alones; sweet
stories about Strider growing up in Rivendell, such as Hope and Father’s Love , and such humorous shorts as Legolas’ No Good Rotten Day, proof that even an Elven Prince can have one of those mornings--where even his hair is out of place.
And for anyone curious about life after the War of the Ring, there are also a few post-third age stories, such as Priceless Treasure , and Cell Number 8 .
So far, only two stories in the series have dealt with events in Legolas’ own early life, Tears Like Rain , and Captive of Darkness . Chronologically, these are the first in the series and serve as insight into Legolas’ later issues, especially his sometimes difficult relationship with his father, which they only begin to overcome several stories later; and his distrust of humans, when he initially encounters Strider in First Meetings .
Tears and Captive are two of the best in the series, but are not for the squeamish, as each deal with a different type of abusive situation. In Tears Like Rain , a very young Legolas is victimized by his evil uncle, who makes a return appearance in the
story Betrayal , for months before his parents find out what is happening in their own home. Many years later, in Captive of Darkness , the prince is sent on a mission by his father, only to have his escort killed and he, himself, enslaved by some really twisted men. However, Elrond is the real hero of this story, more than once saving the prince’s life and sanity.
Besides Elrond, whose healing skills are called upon in just about every story, the Chronicles features many other characters from the novels; Elrohir and Elladan, as Strider’s protective big brothers; Strider’s first meeting with Arwen in Stars of Harad ; Glorfindel; Gimli’s cousin, Balin of Moria; a young, no more appealing Denethor; along with a host of orcs, wargs, and the Witch King of Angmar.
In addition, the site features stories, listed alphabetically, by dozens of other fanfiction writers. These vary in quality and do not necessarily fit into the series, but there are a number of excellent reads, most of them rated PG-13 and under. There is also a media page with music videos based on the Chronicles and trailers of upcoming stories and, if you like souvenirs, you can shop online at the Elf and Ranger Store.
Published: July 26, 2005
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