lorddwar posted a comment on Tuesday 13th February 2007 10:19am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Wonderful fic. Enjoyed it completely.

Abraxan replied:

Thanks very much!

Abraxan

the-marauders-girl posted a comment on Friday 19th January 2007 9:39am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Wow...that's brilliant ! Great writing all around. I love all the different twists and turns you gave us throughout the entire story. Awesome job, and please continue! Thanks so much for writing, and giving all your readers the entertainment and joy (as well as sorrow, suspence, anger, etc...) while reading. Congrats

Abraxan replied:

Thank you very much!   You can continue reading Harry's story in my world by reading "The Time of Destiny" which is the sequel to "Refiner's Fire."   There are also several ficlets on this site that fit into the epilog of "Destiny" so you have a lot of good reading ahead of you! Enjoy!

Abraxan

mekareami posted a comment on Saturday 23rd December 2006 3:57pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Loved the Chiropractic adjustment :) It feels like magic sometimes after an adjustment. Thank you for writing and I look forward to reading the sequel.

Abraxan replied:

LOL!   You're the first person to comment on that, IIRC!   Yes, I love my chriopractor - he keeps my carpal tunnel under control so I've managed to avoid the surgery for maybe 12 years now, bless him!   Glad you enjoyed the story!   Thanks for writing!

Abraxan

jeffstrauser@yahoo.com posted a comment on Saturday 30th September 2006 9:04am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

OUTSTANDING STORY!!!! I loved it and I can't wait to read The Time of Destiny. You're an awesome writer!

Abraxan replied:

Thank you VERY MUCH!   I'm so glad you enjoyed it!   Thanks a lot for writing!

Abraxan

crimson74 posted a comment on Wednesday 20th September 2006 10:12am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Great story! Poor Harry, could not make a trip without getting hurt or just simply having a good time. Love it that he can do much more complex spells and that he has a phoenix of his own. Harry and Ginny, do belong together, and it great that Dudley sees how pretty she is and that she is with Harry.
Keep on writing, can wait to start reading the sequel.

Abraxan replied:

Thanks very much!   I'm glad you enjoyed my story!

Abraxan

Xanatos_ posted a comment on Saturday 15th July 2006 8:02pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

that was definately one of the top 5 fics i have ever read. I cant wait to read anything else you write (including your original peice if / when it comes out to australia). You are an excellent writer, keep it up!

Abraxan replied:

Thanks so much!   Be sure to read "The Time of Destiny" and the ficlets I've written that fit into "Destiny's" epilogue:   "A Fox's Tale," "On Second Thoughts" and "A very Harry Christmas," and. . .coming soon. . ."Beginnings" which fits in after "A Fox's Tale" and tells the story of the latter part of the summer and early fall after the trio leave Hogwarts.   It should be online in a couple of weeks (waiting for the betas to finish their work on it.)

And when (not *if*! - thinking positively here!) my original novels (the first one's finished and being beta'd now, the second one is about 2/3 planned and I will start writing it soon - it's either a trilogy or a series, I'm not certain yet) are available, they'll also be available online - if Amazon doesn't carry them, I will do it myself!   So you'll be able to get them in Australia!  

Thanks for writing!

Abraxan

Grukal posted a comment on Saturday 1st July 2006 11:53pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

One word: WOW. A truly amazing piece of art! Keep up the good work

Abraxan replied:

Thanks a lot!

Abraxan

Alternator posted a comment on Thursday 8th June 2006 7:41pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Very, very freakishly good for a first story. There were a few bumps early on, but those smoothed out in the space of a few chapters. A few more detailed comments that I didn't notice in the other reviews:

1) Kudos for actually replying to reviews, it's as much fun for a reviewer to get a reply as it is for you to get a review.

2) This is perhaps the only "accurate Dumbledore" fic I've read, where he's neither a scheming old man convinced he knows best nor some evil plotter determined to manipulate Harry endlessly. It was a treat to read.

3) More kudos for being willing to kill off characters. People die in the Harry Potter world but most fic authors only kill off convenient characters, but you picked off a few (Casey, Seamus, Katie) that the reader grew attached to and who didn't really "need" to die to advance the plot, but nor were they meaningless bit characters.

4) Best Snape portrayal I've encountered in a fic, ever. Greasy, nasty, but willing and able to stomp down on his own and protect Harry when absolutely required. He's actually a believable good guy here, without being sympathetic--as complex as in the books.

5) HUGE FIC! HOORAY! Lots of stuff to read, eats a solid day for me to read something this long; a perfect answer to "what to read today" when 'today' is dawn to dusk.

Abraxan replied:

"Freakishly good"???   LOL!   Thanks a lot!   :-D

1. It's fun for me to reply to reviews, too, but thanks for thanking me for being faithful about it!

2. "ACCURATE DUMBLEDORE"!!!!!   YAY!   That's what I was going for!   That's one of the reasons I stopped reading fanfics - I couldn't deal with "manipulative" or "evil" Dumbledore (one among many things that bothered me about the little bit of fanfic I read before starting to write).

3.   Yup, war is hell and I wanted the readers to understand that.   And it had to be somebody IMPORTANT to them, but not somebody I'd need for future storylines.   I HATED to kill off Seamus - I really like him a lot and MISSED him when I was writing the seventh year book ("The Time of Destiny" - you still have some reading to do!   LOL!)   I'd planned to kill Casey ever since I created her, but as you could see, she was gone but not forgotten.   She even plays a small role in "Destiny."   And I had so many fans who were upset about her death that I've resurrected her, changed her hair and eye color and last name, and am using her in the original novel I've nearly finished the first draft of now.   ("Star Sons" - once I finish the first draft, I'll start on the next book in the series - it's a trilogy at least - while my betas work on it, then it's off to agents and publishers, trying to break into real-life PAID publication!   Keep your fingers crossed!   And I'll post ordering info on all the sites hosting my stories WHEN (not "if" - thinking positively here!) it's published!   ;-)

4.   Thanks!   Snape is a very interesting, but very difficult character to write.   His personality is so bizarre, and he is so secretive, it's hard for me to get inside his head and have him "express himself" on the page.   It's also hard to put clues in chapters that don't let the reader guess what's happening too soon, and with Snape, this was a particularly difficult problem to work out (how to have things come out the way I wanted without giving anything away too soon).   Anyway, I'm glad you liked how I did that!   Thanks a lot!

5.   You think this one was huge?   Wait until you read "Destiny"!   Refiner's is 930 pages - Destiny is over 1400 (I'm quite serious)!   And I've written ficlets that fill gaps in the timeline in the epilogue of Destiny, too (and will continue to write them whenever I need a break from the novels).   So you have plenty of reading ahead!   :-D

Thanks for a fun review!

Abraxan

Highschool Nerd posted a comment on Saturday 1st April 2006 3:32pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

I read it like months ago, but I never got a chance to review. I just want to say that I really* enjoyed this story. It has a great plot with wonderfully portrayed characters*.

Abraxan replied:

Thanks!   I especially appreciate your comment about my characters.   I worked hard to make them believable and real.   I'm glad you enjoyed the stories!   Thanks for writing!

Abraxan

Vidar posted a comment on Wednesday 29th March 2006 9:08pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Very good story, liked it a lot:) You are a very good writer.... All tough I don't realy like this much kissing and that kind of stuff it goes well in your story.... Can't wait to get started on the sequel:) Your story goes into my top 5 list of Harry Potter fanfics, and i've read a lot.... Hope you continue to write storys like this:p

Abraxan replied:

Thanks a lot!   I'm glad you enjoyed it.   Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione all enjoyed the kissing scenes, so what can I say?   I like to keep my characters happy!   LOL!   Thanks for writing!

Abraxan

David Thacker posted a comment on Monday 27th March 2006 2:57am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

I just read this and must say WOW!!!!! I am sorry that the Asher's had to die I liked them alot,

Abraxan replied:

Thanks a lot!   I liked the Ashers too.   Read "The Time of Destiny" which is Refiner's sequel, and you'll see that they are gone but not forgotten.   And Casey is a character in the original novel I'm working on now, too.   She was so popular, I decided she deserved to be in a story where she could live instead of being killed off!   Thanks for writing!

Abraxan

Mariposa posted a comment on Thursday 2nd March 2006 2:46am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

I just finished the story, I've been reading it all week! Its was great! It was a bit odd in spots, can't say exactly where, and choppy in the beginning but your writing definitely improved as the story went along. I also like your authors's notes and the information you passed on there. I'm looking forward to reading the next part. Great job!

Mari

Abraxan replied:

If it was a bit choppy in the beginning, that was because I was re-learning how to write fiction after fifteen years of not writing any fiction at all. Glad you enjoyed it!

Abraxan

Rettet181 posted a comment on Sunday 26th February 2006 12:30pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

I just finished Refiner's Fire after reading it just about every spare moment I had (which unfortunately isn't much) over the last couple days. I very much enjoyed it. I loved Casey and thought she was a great addition to the story, and was very sorry to see her go. I understand why, as much as I hate it thought. In my opinion, Harry and Ginny are made for each other, but Harry wasn't ready for her as he was. Casey went a long way to helping Harry mature. The refiner's fire was a great idea; I've always thought Harry deserved to have great power, and now he does.

You had a great balance of fluff, action, and intrigue. I especially enjoyed the various battles. They were beautifully described and read perfectly. The fluff and romance scenes were just as well done. They weren't too sappy, and I enjoyed them immensly.

Anyway, great job, and I look forward to reading the sequal. I'll start it right now!

Regards, Jason.

Abraxan replied:

Wow, what a lovely review! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story! The "balance" is different in "Time of Destiny" since I do more character building there (I think that development is necessary for Harry and his friends to be able to face what they have to at the end). I hope you'll enjoy it as well as you did Refiner's!

And thanks for understanding about Casey! She's been VERY popular with readers, and I've had some who still haven't forgiven me for killing her off!! ;->

Thanks for a really nice review!

Abraxan

ShadeHawk posted a comment on Saturday 18th February 2006 5:54am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Truly wonderfull story.

Abraxan replied:

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Abraxan

snuffles007 posted a comment on Wednesday 8th February 2006 5:33am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Fantastic story! I'm going to start reading the sequel right now! Keep up the great writing!

Abraxan replied:

Thanks a lot! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Abraxan

Sen1 posted a comment on Tuesday 3rd January 2006 10:36am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Wow, that was a fabulously indepth story, I loved the sheer amount of detail that was used to create all of the scenes. I wish I had something more specific to comment on but the things that jumped out at me were all positive, though come to think about it I was a little surprised by Dumbledore, not that he was out of character more so that you kept him so tightly in the role, don't ask me why but I have somehow gotten used to Harry hating Albus instead of them getting along, guess I read a bit too much fan-fiction. Anyway I just wanted to say great story and now I'm going to go read The Time of Destiny.

Imp posted a comment on Monday 2nd January 2006 7:01pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

First of all, I'm a git for not reviewing until I reached the end of the story. Now that that's out of the way, I can continue.
Second, I love the wandless magic. A friend and I have been arguing about whether Harry will be able to defeat Voldy with "unfocused" magic or not, but you seem to give him a great deal of control with it because of the refiners fire. I like it.
Third, I miss Casey. She was such a well-developed character. Oh well. You did what you had to.
Fourth, I like the way you've pulled Ginny and Harry together. Their relationship is very much like mine and my girlfriends. I find Harry saying some of the same things I say. The irony in your story is sometimes too much though. Just before I found your story, I bought my girlfriend a gold ruby necklace. When I read that Harry got Ginny something so similar, I nearly woke everyone in the house up with my laughter.
Fifth and final, I like mischevious!Harry. He reminds me so much of myself because I've actually done some of the things he does in your story. Ginny's learned a lot from the twins too. Together, she and Harry are likely to get into trouble eventually.
Love the story, and can't wait to see what happens in 'Destiny'

zephyr_goddess posted a comment on Wednesday 21st December 2005 12:07am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Oh! I loved it! The whole thing was nice! You should publish it at more places like quizilla or fanfiction! I'm sure you'll get loads of reviews!

Robin Westerly posted a comment on Thursday 15th December 2005 10:37am for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

sheesh! Who needs JKR. Loved it! Some one who finally explains properly how Harry becomes Uber Harry! One question, does anything develop on the metaphor possiblitity.
You also had a believable Harry, for which I cannot thank you enough!
You have a gift for battle scenes and action scenes unlike many fiction writers and you used it well. Sorry am being patronising.
Basically your story is so good it made me dance round there room squeaking!

Thank you thank you thank you

Wooster posted a comment on Friday 9th December 2005 8:22pm for Chapter 40 - The Way Home

Best moment ever: Ron treating the compartment. I can just imagine the look of pride on his face. Perfect. Oh, and I imagine "Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of butterbeer," will be number one on the Billboard hit songs list next week? Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant story. But now I'm depressed. No more for me to read until you update ToD. *cries* Oh well. Hey, on the completely off-the-topic scale...ever seen Cinderella Man? Watched it tonight (saw it in theaters and HAD to buy the DVD) and it still gets me. Way down deep like truly great movies do. I highly reccommend it. Toodlepip, Wooster