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| The Way Home by Lindelea | 292 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Erulissé | Reviewed Chapter: 74 on 6/13/2026 |
| Aiiiiii!!! The subtle mentions of the other equine in the stable are driving me mad! I am so relieved that Bill has 'turned the corner'! I can't wait for the next chapter, as always! Many thanks! Slán! | |
| Lady Forlong | Reviewed Chapter: 74 on 6/13/2026 |
| Bill may have it all wrong about Shire hobbits being wanderers -- nothing could be further from the truth! (Excepting "his" hobbits, of course, but I'm sure they'd rather be safe in their nice comfy hobbit-holes if they had the choice.) But at least he's feeling better. And I have to wonder if it has anything to do with Sam finding Frodo. | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 74 on 6/12/2026 |
| Thank goodness Bill's on the mend now! He's been somehow keeping track of Frodo and Sam during his sickness, I've noticed, but I don't suppose he'll be doing that now that he's on the mend. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 74 on 6/12/2026 |
| Violent may choose horse-grooming as her future profession. I merely toss my head and whicker a cheerful pony-song That's so lovely. Hooray for healing and delicious food and cheerfulness! | |
| Erulissé | Reviewed Chapter: 73 on 6/12/2026 |
| Wow. What a chapter. That is an absolute MASTERPIECE!!!!!! I have no other words! Author Reply: Oh my! (Or perhaps I mean LOL?) I have never heard that word applied to my stories before, but I thank you for your enthusiasm and encouragement. Of course, Tolkien's writing fits my own definition of a "masterpiece", and I try to write as closely to the spirit of the original work as I can (though I am only human and haven't come anywhere close to a professor's store of knowledge in my eclectic learning journey). So I am smiling at the thought that I seem to have succeeded in my aim in this chapter. (Moreover, since so much of the phrasing in this chapter was drawn from the original source and blended into Bill's current narrative, I suppose I can give Tolkien the lion's share of the praise, which is only fitting!) | |
| Lady Forlong | Reviewed Chapter: 73 on 6/9/2026 |
| Poor Bill! He's in two places at once, and neither of them are good. Author Reply: In a nutshell, as they say. But things ought to be looking up within the next few chapters, so there's a light at the end of the tunnel. (I seem to be beset by cliches today, and my keyboard is doing weird things, so I'll have to leave it at that.) Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts! | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 73 on 6/8/2026 |
| I fold my legs and settle to the floor to wait beside my Sam. Or perhaps I remain standing over him, guarding him, so long as he remains unmoving and helpless, from any peril that might come our way. Dear, dear Bill. I wonder if he'll remember any of this spirit journey. Author Reply: Now that is an interesting point to ponder. I wouldn't be surprised if, in future years, Bill remembers some of his perceptions of Sam's ordeal, if only in dreams. Within the spell woven by the Ring (Sam is carrying and, for a large part of the time, wearing the Ring at this point), Sam and Mordor are equally real and present to him as the Bree-landers and The Prancing Pony's stables. On a related note, I'm sure the Travellers relived parts of the Quest in dreams and nightmares. It stands to reason... I wonder if, in later years, Sam sometimes dreams of Bill being with him in the dark places under the Ephel Dúath, and dismisses any such thoughts as nonsensical? "For of course," I can imagine him telling his Rosie, whether or not he told her any of the more dreadful details of that part of the Quest, "Bill was never really there.... Why, he would have been safe in Bree by that time!" Speaking of "nonsensical" things, I added a small bit to the chapter after you posted this review since the thought of singing Elves perched in trees made sense within the context of that part of the chapter, in case you might have the inclination to go back and look. To my mind, that addition strengthens Gandalf's argument, which originally felt a bit weak to me. Thanks so much for your faithful (and thought-provoking!) reviews. | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 72 on 6/5/2026 |
| Poor Bill! All of this is really rough on him. Is it only what he senses going on with Frodo and Sam that has put him in this shape, or did something happen to him during that rescue mission that I failed to comprehend? Author Reply: As you suspected, Bill's weakness is a mixture of strain from using himself up (physically speaking) in providing a counter-pull to keep the fallen tree from rolling and crushing the trapped forester and his rescuers, and oppression leaking through to his mind and spirit through the power of the Ring which is amplifying and conveying the intensity of his hobbits' emotions. In short, he doesn't have the strength to bear up under the horror assaulting Sam (and Frodo, of course) at this time, and the connection to Mordor has hushed his Voices for the time being. Poor pony. Nevertheless, he earned the name Greatheart for a reason. And he's not alone; help is on the way. Author Reply: p.s. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! Your observations are helping me make the narrative work as intended. | |
| Lady Forlong | Reviewed Chapter: 72 on 6/3/2026 |
| I get the feeling Violet is really there, even though he thinks he's dreaming it. And of course we know that what's going on with Frodo and Sam isn't a dream either. And I love the way the thought of "that marvellous valley where Merrylegs still grazes" seems to sustain him through all this. I still think it's sad that he didn't end up back in Rivendell. He would have been reunited with Sam even sooner. Author Reply: Trust your gut. It sounds spot on. If I had written LOTR, Bill probably would have gone back to Rivendell. I'm not sure why the Professor sent him back to Bree, except maybe for that phenomenon of animals (dogs, cats, horses) finding their way "home" – in my experience, horses do naturally speed up when they realize they are heading in the direction of their stables, meaning the idea of a "stable pull" is real – and the other curious behavior where equines have been known to run back into their burning stables in search of safety. But Bill's life with Ferny was so miserable! And the Professor described the pony's positive changes during his time in Rivendell... I should think Bill would naturally be drawn back to "that marvellous Valley". (That is why I had to write the sequence as his ending up in Bree almost on accident.) While I mistakenly thought the Travellers spent a month in Rivendell on their rather-leisurely-sounding return journey, when I looked it up just now, it was actually only about a fortnight. I realize their pace wasn't actually as leisurely as it seems to me, considering the distances and travel modes involved, but still. It took them so long to get back home... Thanks! | |
| Erulissé | Reviewed Chapter: 72 on 6/2/2026 |
| Oh Bill!!!!! No!!!! Don't go! 💔 Author Reply: I know exactly how you feel! (((hugs))) | |