Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

The Rescue  by Lindelea 1 Review(s)
LeithianReviewed Chapter: 17 on 3/11/2025
So I finally read the Rescue, after putting it off for a time, and fell utterly in love. I am glad to know that you have decided to work on this one next, but... somehow, I don't want it to end.

I always thought of the Troubles as unpleasant at worst, I am naïve, I know, but your stories have given me much food for thought, with parallels to real life situations, as well. The Rescue is rapidly becoming my favourite story, Estella is a really interesting protagonist, and I'm impressed by the way she has adapted to the drastic change in her circumstances. Ferdi is of course my favourite, loved seeing how he came to be known as the 'Fox".

You've given me one more reason to hate Lotho... BTW, do you know how Lotho came into contact with the Ruffians and Sharkey? If there is any canon explanation, I have forgotten it.



Author Reply: I'm glad that the Tookish (and non-Tookish) Resistance hooked your imagination! I must admit to drawing heavily upon stories from WWII of the Resistance fighters in Norway, France, Holland and other places. (Have you ever read the book Snow Treasure? It was a favorite readaloud when the wee hobbits were still wee hobbits.)

This story actually spun off from The Proposition, which focuses on Hally and Rosie and continues all the way to the Scouring of the Shire, but because this covers a much shorter slice of time than that story, it's much nearer completion (in terms of the number of chapters remaining). I hope to resume posting that story once this one has been posted to the end.

Tolkien's hints about what happened in the Shire reminded me of other Occupations I'd read about. For example, Fredegar Bolger was starved to the point where he had to be carried out of the Lockholes. After his own release from the Lockholes, Mayor Will Whitfoot was too ill to resume his duties as Mayor, such that Frodo served as Deputy Mayor for months until old Mayor Flourdumpling was well enough to return to the office. Lobelia was hauled off to the Lockholes even though she was female and elderly. The ruffians began beating the hobbits they dragged off to the Lockholes at some point. The Tooks were the ones who began shooting. And the ruffians turned even nastier after that! So, as you can see, there's quite a bit of food for thought there!

I don't know how Lotho hooked up with Saruman, but long before Saruman came to the Shire, there's evidence of his influence there in the supplies of tobacco and foodstuffs that Merry and Pippin find in Isengard after the attack of the Ents. It's something to wonder about.

Thanks for reading and stopping to leave some good words!

Return to Chapter List