Fannish observation, feel free to ignore

[oloriel]

*snickers*

In Tolkien - specifically, Silmarillion - fanfic, there's a sort of movement that strives to explain the originally mythological goings-on and/or backgrounds in other ways, mostly natural science. Sometimes this results in really awesome stories and thought experiments while sometimes I dislike it because it deconstructs things just a bit too much for my taste. Kinda like in real life, really: If it gets too deconstructive, I'm off...
Anyway, among the MEFA nominees is a story that explains how the Elves got to "awake" in Middle-earth in the first place by taking the good old sci-fi plot of the prisoners exiled from some other planet for some reason (in this case, free thinking and creativity, but I always have to think of the The Restaurant at the End of the Universe where they're hairstylists, fashion journalists and other people their society found, um, expendable, IIRC. Ai Valar, I feel a cross-over plotbunny coming on.). Anyway, the point is that they weren't put there by some creator, but by space aliens. I know how that sounds, but it's actually an awesome piece of fanfiction and it isn't long, either, so why not read it if you're curious? Hey, it's a fine enough premise as long as we're moving in the realm of fiction anyway. I'd just be raising my eyebrows if you wanted me to believe such a story about, like, real humans on, like, real earth...

Anyway! Why am I telling you this?
Because one of the previous reviewers wrote something that made me facepalm and laugh at the same time, namely:
[...] And who is to say that Eru Iluvatar did not so arrange matters to allow it to happen this way? [...]
AHAHAH. Oh dear. Way to miss the point, darling!
To be honest, I actually believe that he - and no, this is no generic masculinum, this actually is one of the rare guys in the fanfiction business, and yes, it is a business in the sense that damn, we're busy - anyway, that he did get the point and did that on purpose because WHAT MUST NOT BE CANNOT BE. Which is kinda scary. I mean, I love to hate Eru and/or the Valar as much as the next Fëanorian, but that doesn't mean that I have to think they're real, or prescribe to my characters or worse, other real people to think that -- you get the point.
(Personally I do like to think that Eru and the Valar are kinda sorta real within the framework of the story. But whatever floats your boat and sinks your island, really. And in this story, they really have no place.)


(I thought I'd never get to use this icon. Finally! Finally! >:D)

- - -
In more productive news, I cut all the reeds in our constructed wetland (thank you, al_pha!), because that's what you have to do in autumn to keep it nice and orderly and growing back next spring, or something. Most of the reeds I used as mulch for the garden, but some I kept to try making skeps later on. No, I won't use skeps on my real bees, but they'll be cool to have for LARP events. Remember, guys, it's all fun and games as long as it only happens to fictional people! Or bees, as the case may be.

Comments

[nelyo-russandol.livejournal.com]

[...] And who is to say that Eru Iluvatar did not so arrange matters to allow it to happen this way? [...]
AHAHAH. Oh dear. Way to miss the point, darling!

Exactly. I actually had to go and see that illuminated comment with my one eyes (not because I didn't believe you, but to see if there was more to it).

Darth's fic is just brilliant. I read it in the Lizard Council before it was posted. My jaw dropped and I did a happy dance because to my sci-fi fannish self it felt so right to give the Silmarillion elves that origin.

And I don't know how you translate that word in English, sorry!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't accept the premise for my personal fannish universe - as elenbarathi points out below, it doesn't actually explain anything - and probably wouldn't care to read an entire Silmarillion re-interpretation in that vein (that would be just too much AU for my humble taste), but in a short story and as a thought experiment, it's awesome.

I am beginning to suspect that only we overly ecologically correct Germans would know that word in the first place. >_>

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

I think the Twilit story is hilarious and love how it flies in the face of overly respectful, purported to be oh so Tolkienesque, fanfiction. I am not sure what point the reviewer you quoted is trying to make? I've read his stories and they flew right my me. Room for a lot of different tastes I guess.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I like it, actually, because it didn't come across (to me) as "flying in the face" of anything or anyone, but simply told its tale and made its point in a matter-of-fact way. Stories that do fly in the face of anything tend to be what I consider too deconstructive. ^^

The point he is trying to make is that he's willing to accept the space alien premise, but only if the space aliens are still officially following the Will of Eru (TM). Either he didn't get that the space aliens are replacing Eru, or doesn't want to get it and wants to prevent others from getting it, too. Whichever.

I haven't read his stories beyond a few paragraphs because his interpretation of the characters disagrees entirely with mine. I know they're pretty popular, though, and of course my interpretation of the characters clashes with the more common fanons anyway... *shrugs*
I will read his essay on the Colours of Elvish, though, because as non-fiction that should be safe enough and the topic, at least, is fascinating. (I had a Semantics seminar on that topic once! Well, not the Colours of Elvish, obviously, but colour words in various human languages...)

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

I really love Darth's story. I am quite a fan of Sci fi, but not enough to get involved in any fandom, so I kind of squeed at that story. I must admit I do like something paranormal, mystical, 'other' in stories too, whether gods, angels, a massively evolved super-race or something similar, (whether in Tolkien or o-fic) but the idea behind Darth's fic was something I could really get behind. The 'origin' question for Elves or Men does not bother me that much, (and let's face it nor does Tolkien's canon. If I don't like it, I change it.)
I have to review it! I did on the SWG.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Amusingly enough, although I adore Star Wars and Firefly I am not usually a sci-fi fan. I do like the occasional sci-fi element, though!
Anyway, it's not like Darth actually answers the 'origin' question -- ok, so the Elves got to Arda as exiles from another planet, but where did their culture on that planet originate? etc. etc. ad nauseam -- but I like how he (that's another of the rare guys, right?) plays with it. That's probably what appeals to me - the playing. I don't care overmuch for fully-blown AUs, personally, but I'm always up for playing with what may or may not be canon. :D

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

I'm always up for playing with what may or may not be canon. :D

That's what transformative works are all about. Hell, as long as the Elves are there, they can hatch out of giant eggs for all I care.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Oh, the mental images! XD

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

Maybe huge chocolate ones with a ribbon round them...

[independence1776]

I had an idea who the reviewer was before I went looking. I was right… But that's him for you. Arrogant and "correcting" to the hilt. (After all, something you did that disagrees with his interpretation can only be a mistake, not deliberate.)

I'm not a fan of the premise-- too deconstructive for me. Which means that I simply don't read it; not that I try to twist it to fit my views of Arda. *headdesk*

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I didn't make it hard to guess, I think. By saying that it's one of the rare men, I pretty much gave it away to anyone involved in our corner of the fandom - couldn't be Darth, after all! ;) And yeah, that's (my impression of) him.

Exactly. Nobody has to like everything - but trying to impose your view on others who obviously have a different view, even just in a one-liner, never makes anyone look good. In that case, it's much better just to stay away. I've been doing that with a lot of stories that just aren't my cuppa.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

"people their society found, um, dependable"

...did you mean to type expendable?

I've never found any merit in the 'left by space aliens' premise, wherever it occurs. It multiplies entities needlessly while explaining nothing: life and/or intelligence still had to evolve somewhere, and if not here, then where?

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

That's what I meant, yup. *embarrassed look*

Yes, that's why I am not fond of that premise in real world explanations - it only introduces a detour, but doesn't answer the question. In the realm of fiction (where the answer isn't all that relevant anyway) I can enjoy it when it's well done, though. (Of course, what is well done is terribly subjective...)

[al-pha.livejournal.com]

Might comment on other content later, but for know:

http://dict.leo.org/ende?lp=ende&lang=de&searchLoc=0&cmpType=relaxed§Hdr=on&spellToler=&search=pflanzenkl%C3%A4ranlage

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

... wait, that wasn't on LEO the last time I looked! Oh internet, keep on evolving. Thank you!