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| The Rescue by Lindelea | 93 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Erulissé | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 6/13/2025 |
| This story is amazing. Truly. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, even though I knew that Estella and Ferdi would both be fine, having read other stories about their futures already. I loved Merry’s reaction at the end, Pippin does have a talent for the dramatics! I could almost hear Regi’s “None of your nonsense now laddie!” in my mind! But his methods really do showcase his brilliance. I loved the transition from Estella Bolger, the somewhat spoiled and somewhat entitled girl, to Twig the backwoods cousin, to the harmony of Twig and Estella that was achieved when Ferdi was injured. She, like Bilbo, found the measure of her true core self’s strength when in great need in a forest, with evil creatures chasing her. Her courage was tempered into fine steel. That is something to keep in memory when facing one’s own trials me thinks. Ferdi was such a gentleman, what a wonderful example. Thank you for this jewel among writing. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 6/1/2025 |
| I am so proud of Pippin here, who by recognizing both Ferdi and Twig as he did brought both them and himself the honor they all deserved. Eglerio! A laita te, a laita te! Author Reply: Pippin deserves your accolades here; he is walking a very fine tightrope without a net at this point while resolving to make good (and for people who, frankly, don't always seem to deserve such consideration! Arrgh. The Tooks can be so exasperating sometimes). Thanks so much for reading and for pausing to share your thoughts for each chapter. I really appreciate the encouragement. While the stories are still yammering at me to polish and post them, it's hard to dredge up the energy lately with the pollen count so high... (((hugs))) | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 6/1/2025 |
| An excellent plan, well devised and properly executed, that saved not only Hobbits from the region of the Hill, but even most of the Men sent to sack the Smials. Superbly crafted! Author Reply: Building on Frodo's emphasis in 'The Scouring of the Shire', I've continued to try to show hobbits as reluctant to take life. Thus, Paladin would not simply concentrate on protecting his archers but would try to protect all the other hobbits as well. He probably wasn't as concerned about the Men, considering that there were likely half-Orcs sprinkled among them or waiting on fast ponies behind the main force, but they benefited anyhow. Thank you so much! I appreciate your kudos. (I am using the word as from its Greek origin and not as from a certain individual who tarnished the word more recently in his usage. I was going to substitute a different word, even, but why should I let a perfectly good word go to ruin just because a low-energy being abused it?) | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 6/1/2025 |
| Proper plans at last. Love the poem intended to warn the Hobbits from Bywater and Hobbiton. Author Reply: I loved that Eglantine had a definite role in resisting the ruffians: making over children's songs with secret messages. I used to sing songs to my littles all the time with altered words to include them and their doings in the story. I can imagine Eglantine doing the same thing with her children and grandchildren... Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 6/1/2025 |
| Internal injuries are not to be trifled with. But Estella's now safe, at least. Now to keep Ferdi alive to reach the great smials! Author Reply: Whew. It was such a relief to deposit Estella in a safer place! Ferdi really ought to have sent Estella in his place. She knew all the details as well as he did! On the other hand, he probably knew that Paladin would take the warning more seriously coming from him. Plus, if the Great Smials was the target of the coming attack, his promise to his sister to seek safety for Estella would have been broken. Or at least, he would have seen things that way. Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 6/1/2025 |
| Terrible visions these words engender. Author Reply: This was a difficult chapter to write. When I don't want to write something that seems like a critical plot point, that's usually a clue that I need to put a content warning at the top of a chapter and offer a toned-down summary at the top of the next chapter so people can skip disturbing details... Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/1/2025 |
| Recognized the source materials, of course. Heh! She did this most skillfully. Love that Ferdi knew how to get his hands in front, and that her rhymes managed to split their forces. Author Reply: It was fun to look up the words JRRT used and find that "Attercop" is a spider reference, but "Tomnoddy" means a fool or stupid person! Thus, it fit perfectly into Estella's plan. (And I loved attributing her skill in aiming stones to Frodo's teaching...) Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 6/1/2025 |
| Bless her for her planning! Author Reply: Definitely! (I bet her capacity for planning fit well with Merry's capacity for planning after they got together!) I'm not sure if she was already a planner (maybe she had to be, in order to successfully tag along after Frodo and Freddy and their cousins without being discovered and sent home), or if she learned it from Hally and Rosie in the woods... Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 6/1/2025 |
| Now the safety is thin, I see. Author Reply: While Ferdi could (and had, multiple times already) make this journey somewhat less riskily by himself, it was never a sure thing. And you're right, this stretch where the constant cover of the Woody End is behind them and they're crossing open country including a bog is the most dangerous part of the journey. Thanks so much for reading and stopping to share your thoughts! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 6/1/2025 |
| As I'm sure was true of you as well, I kept thinking of Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox and the briar patch throughout the chapter. Poor bunny! How it must have thought it had just escaped the Men's grubby game bag only to face the threat of a Hobbit's stewpot! Poor li'l rabbit! And Ferny's still a threat. Tsk, tsk. Author Reply: I remember being fascinated when I learned that many people groups told traditional tales involving a Trickster. I learned about Brer Rabbit in my own childhood, but became acquainted with Anansi the Spider when my eldest was little, and then enjoyed stories about Coyote with my younger ones. I later incorporated the Trickster theme into my hobbit bedtime tales of "the clever coney who outwitted the fox". Poor bunny, indeed! ...and as a result of Estella's experiences here, she never ate rabbit again. (I'm glad he got away.) Thanks! Author Reply: p.s. We know from the original that at some point, Ferny removed from Bree to the Shire. Since we don't know exactly when, I felt safe in taking the liberty to have him cross their paths in the Woody End during late Spring. | |