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Runaway  by Lindelea 2 Review(s)
Eirinn LeighReviewed Chapter: 13 on 11/22/2015
Ferdi can never come out on top can he? And never taken as the innocent party. Though the idea that the Hobbits, or at least Tooks, hold to 'guilty until proven innocent' is a bit hard to believe.

Author Reply: Considering that the nature of gossip is to mark someone "guilty until proven innocent" - and the Talk of the Tooks is something of a byword, that's sort of how I got from there to here, in a manner of speaking. However, Ferdi's fortunes certainly reversed, not long after the period that this story is set on the timeline, and though he found the change rather bewildering and dismaying at first, he eventually came to enjoy sitting in the catbird seat.

Belated thanks for sharing your thoughts.

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 13 on 10/11/2003
I suppose the healers in Buckland have almost as much experience in treating Pip as the healers at the Smials. If they have a healer's convention in the Shire, there's probably a special workshop just on Pippin. Or at least correspondence must go back and forth, "Dear Woodruff, I'm sure the Thain won't report it, but we restricted him to bed three days during his recent visit. Have invented an unbelievably bitter concoction containing mullein, mustard and hyssop. Would you like the recipe?" "Dear Ossilan, many thanks for the report. Lately we have favoured a poultice containing tumeric, camphor and pine oil. I'm quite proud to say it smells absolutely horrible."

Once Pip has his breath back, he has quite a lot to say. You can see him struggling, putting what he's hearing against the long trust he's had in Ferdi and Tolly. They've been through a lot together, and he's trusted his life to them. Unfortunately, though they start out from a position of fact, they let their imaginations run just a little too far when it comes to deriving a motive. Berilac seems to be the voice of restraint, as Everard has had too long to think on it, Hilly's in shock (and has to avoid being tarred by the same brush as his brother), Pippin is too angry, and Merry clearly doesn't know Ferdi well enough to draw the proper conclusions. Ferdi's cleverness is against him here, as if anyone was capable of devising such an ingenious plan, and being in the position to carry it out, it would be Ferdi.

I hadn't thought about Merry hearing the case with Pippin as injured party, but it makes sense. Merry, though he is Master, doesn't have as much experience at it plus he's not exactly disinterested, and I'm afraid he's already made up his mind. Pippin hasn't had enough time to let his anger really build up. I'd like to see him really let loose in the confrontation to come.

Author Reply: O my! You made me laugh loud and long when I read this review. Healers' convention indeed!

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