Hello! I've read all 3 of your stories and I love them all! You have so much talent I'm surprised more people haven't commented by now!

I very much enjoyed "First Night Alone", and have every point of reading other things you write, your style is very interesting, I cannot say anything for or against grammer, punctuation or spelling since I suck at all three, but I can say you have magnificent descriptions. I dislike the inabilty to really know how the charicters names are pronounced, but I have a tendacy to do the same thing so I can't REALLY complain, tho i think i will anywayz. You might consider shorting your bio, it had a tendancy to drag on without saying to much, but thats just my opinion. When I finish reading what you have on here I'll be able to asses your writing better and give you more helpful hints and praising, as it is i havn't read enough to be fair. I do like the story i read tho. I can't complain much for it. You might want to explain more on what the "Tellae’eth" was, you also might want to go into greater detail about the two different religions and their belifs, other then that I've nothing I can say. So I shall depart for a time. Oh and can't forget.. *does first comment dance with wrong steps* Hope to C'ya 'round the woods, and definently the library.

Aaron Tokay replies: "Thankyou very much for the comment, Amanda, and I want to apologise right at the outset that it has taken this long for me to reply to you. It's a tricky area, going into any detail about my elves, because they are a fiercely xenophobic and dangerous race. They have holed themselves up in their dark forest, Thonsalac, since their conception at the hands of the gods, and welcome any intruders into Thonsalac's borders by them indiscriminately. Hence, people in the outside world (of whose perception the majority of the story is told through) know next to nothing about elves, other than those who are banished from the forest, or, like Tana, manage to escape for their lives. Even with this, Tana is a true rarity, because there are literally no "Witches" left at the time this short story is set, meaning that every other elf that the other lands have come across are usually maddened whackoes and trouble-makers who actually believe in the false god, Ashaléa.(Witches basically being a tiny sect in the elven nation who did not forsake the true gods along with the rest of the race, and worship and honour the earth goddess who bears the burden of the realm upon herself, all done in secrecy from the rest of their elven race.) This means that certain features like "Tellae'eth" and the particulars of their twisted fanatacism are never really touched on (no other elves are going to educate the main characters, and Tana herself is not all that chatty when it comes to the details of her "kin".)

As for going into the religions mentioned in this tale, I have offered very little details regarding the actual religions thus far, lol. Close to two novels written in this world and I really have no plans to delve into that area. Very early in my story (the first chapter, in fact) I make it clear that gods are real in this world, and it is generally well-known by the mortal populace that they exist as well, though, much like with Greek gods, they do not visit the world with great fanfare so much so as they appear in secret, be that in different forms, or under false identities. Everybody just knows that the gods exist without needing much in the sense of sermons of religious mandates and ceremonies. There are priests in most of the kingdoms that obviously honour their chosen deities because of their own devotion, as well as some minor practises covered at such events as weddings and funerals, but generally, it's an almost ... familiar co-existence where people fear their gods, but do not have to stroke their egos with sacrifice and worshipping, if that makes any sense.

The elves' religion is different, however, because their god is actually false, created by the elves themselves long ago in their history after they blamed the gods for various events that I won't go into now... Because of this, they rewrote history and the ideals of their existence, placing great demands and strict dictates upon themselves, all under the pretense that their god has decreed it. This is obviously a great example of self-delusion and living under false pretences, and this is where the worshippers of Ashaléa, the Zealots, clash most with the Witches who only wish to believe in what is real and honour the true gods with quiet respect and appreciation. The elves represent just how low religion can plummet with the wrong person believing in it for the wrong reasons, and while it is only lightly covered in my first trilogy, I plan to write a second trilogy in the future where the elves play a much heavier role in the fate of the world.

Sorry for rambling on and on, lol, and I also want to apologise for not really answering any of your questions, but hopefully I explained decently enough why I can't answer them at this stage.P.S. - Don't worry too much about name enunciation, lol. I know your pain, as does every other fantasy reader in the world Even when authors include a glossary I sometimes finding myself pronouncing a name differently just because my subconcious has stubbornly decided that is how it is going to sound in my mind, lol. Rest assured that I have a glossary that will come with the the books (if they are ever published lol), with details on how all the names are pronounced

Thanks again for the lovely comment, Amanda. Take care "

Howdy...
No I haven't read ya stories yet but I'm just here to say 'HURRAH YOU GOT COMMENTS!' I'm so glad someone other then us loonies in the Yahoo bin is reading your stuff.
Wohoo! Go possitive critisism! GO YOU!
Long live the mighty AZZ!
Other then that we miss you a great heap.

Dear Aaron: Enjoyed your take on the Nordic Apocalypse! Like you, I REALLY REALLY dig Norse Mythology! Question: Do you believe that Loki was actually as evil as Snorri made him out to be or just "mis-understood?" Any thoughts you might have on this would be appreciated. My biases are in the latter camp as I think Snorri as a X-ian tried to equate Satan with Loki. But, what they hey its all mythos anyways! Not exactly Gospel!{LOL } Unless, oof course you happen to be a Fundie Neo-Pagan with out a sense of humour! Skaal! Robert

Aaron Tokay replies: "lol, thanks for the comment, Robert, and sorry it has taken me three years to reply (pretty lame, I know... I really know!). I have read a great deal about how much of Norse beliefs were diluted and perhaps corrupted by the slow inevitable assimilation of Christianity throughout the Scandinavian lands, but I definitely think that Loki does not deserve to be grouped in the same category as Satan. He is clearly as close to the "villain" of the Norse mythos, but he is not outright evil in the literal sense of the word. He has certainly performed bad deeds (being responsible for Balder's death, heading the Giants in Ragnarok to make war against his own father and brothers, fathering all manners of nasties and monsters that cause great harm through the Nine Worlds) but unlike Satan, he also performed a number of great deeds as an ALLY to the gods, so he is a tricky villain to pigeon-hole in any set stereotype. The greatest area where Christianity and the older myths tend to clash is in the belief that there is a black and white definition of good and evil... X-stians think of God and the Devil standing at the head of two teams and no one is really allowed to waver back and forth in their allegiances, whereas old religions like the Roman/Greek, Nordic and Celtic myths, many of the important figures are really just over-exaggerrated personalities we have seen in our neighbours and friends, over-dramatisations of the best and worse traits that humanity has to offer, which I always find a more realistic concept. I have always believed that the term "God of Mischief" is definately the most appropriate for Loki - all things considered he is just a prankster at heart, with a mind ruled by chaos and a soul not tied down by loyalty and honour. The fact that much of his "pranks" lead to deaths or betrayal can be summed up by the fact that he is a god (those guys played for keeps, after all and did everything ten times greater than us mere mortals! lol)"