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| Always a Silver Lining by Tathar | 21 Review(s) |
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| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 7/14/2004 |
| Frodo moved his head again and his thick lashes fluttered, struggling to open. But he had used up much of his strength fighting the herbs the first two times, and he could not manage to come back to full awareness. But he dimly heard Sam’s voice above him, and felt the comforting, well-known hands stroking his cheek and grasping his own hand tightly. He tried his hardest to wake up, if only to assure Sam that he was all right, and at last succeeded in giving Sam’s hand a weak squeeze. Tremendous! What a beautiful scene! Very Middle-earth-y, with the Rangers and the Bindbale and the hobbits out under the stars. This is my very favorite place in the universe and I love to come visit whenever I can. Did I read in one of your messages that you are still in high school? Woman, you can WRITE! This is a great story and I love the way you put words together. I work at a university and I wish that more college students could write this well. You have a talent. Thanks for sharing it . . . may you always be inspired to write . . . and thanks for the update. Esamen Author Reply: Wow, thank you so much - again! I'm so glad you're still enjoying it. As soon as I finish this reply I'm going to work on the next chapter... so keep a lookout for it today! Yes, I'm in 10th grade now, or will be in September. I've only been seriously writing for about three years, and I am SO thankful for fanfiction... without the company and support of all the other fanfic authors and reviewers, my writing would not have improved as much as it has. With authors like Budgielover, Shirebound and Obelia Medusa around, who wouldn't be inspired? :) Thanks again! | |
| Esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 7/12/2004 |
| Faramond watched as Frodo fell asleep again, and after a moment, he resumed stroking the hobbit’s dark ringlets, his heart now considerably lighter. He smiled to himself, wondering, as he often did, at the remarkable race of Hobbits. They seemed child-like, both in their size and their innocent simplicity, and yet they could be surprisingly observant and wise, too. Yes, our hobbits just charm everyone, don't they? After all these years, I have finally talked my family into watching the movies just now. We finished ROTK last night. A whole new group of hobbit fans joined the club! Write on . . . plenty of us hungry readers out here . . . thanks for the new chapter! Author Reply: Whoo hoo, new hobbit fans! The more the merrier. :D Glad you're still enjoying it, hopefully the next chapter will be up either tonight or tomorrow morning. :) | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/9/2004 |
| He watched as the wolf dragged her burden over to the bush where her puppies waited, but when she began to eat her meal (the puppies were still too young to eat much more than a few bites of the meat), he turned away, covering his ears to drown out the sounds of her noisy feasting. Hobbits were gentle creatures by nature and Hazel was no exception. This is such a fun detail! What a sweet little boy! You really must have spent some time dreaming him up . . . or do all these things just come to you as you write? Or do you have a real little fella around thatyou keep in mind as you write? I just love this little Hazel guy. Too bad he couldn't have gone with them on the quest. Thanks for updating . . . don't let Frodo get well too fast now . . . Author Reply: Yay, I'm glad you're still enjoying it! I'm hoping to post the next chapter or two later today. :) Oh yes, I really became fond of Hazel. I didn't really anticipate his appearance, actually, and then he's just grown with every chapter. I do have a 5-year-old sister, so she's been excellent inspiration. The real Hazel *is* locked up in my closet too, though, along with Faramond. And Gavin. ;) Heh heh... Don't worry about Frodo getting well too fast... I'm afraid I dragged it on and on. Poor hobbit. | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 7/9/2004 |
| Hello there -- I have to say that I am reading your story in a silly way -- jumping back and forth from chapter to chapter, looking at one aspect and then another. I just want to tell you AGAIN how very much I am enjoying it. I really like this chapter and the one that follows. Yes, they are a little unconnected in the big picture of the whole story, but the scenes, details and dialogue within them are just marvellous. It encourages me to be a better person. Reading and writing fanfic really fills a need in my life. With all the discouraging things going on in the world, I need a little bit of reminding of how to be tender and loving. You have a beautiful touch with showing affection among your characters. Keep it up -- the ability to write like this is a precious gift, and I think that you are going to help a lot of people, even if perhaps you don't always know who they are. | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/8/2004 |
| Well, yes, that is a genuine 14K cliffhanger. It almost tempts me to run over to ff.net to read the rest of the story as you posted it there, but I'm going to stay here and wait and relish the suspense! And I want to see the new version anyway. Oh, the wonderful agony of waiting for an update! I can't wait for Faramond to reach Frodo . . . happy writing. Author Reply: I won't prolong the agony for you too much - I'm editing the next chapter now, so it should be posted this afternoon! Lots of Faramond ahead! ;) | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 7/8/2004 |
| Another wonderful chapter. Gosh, I was worried that you were going to make someone drown in it. Looks like we're past that, though. I just LOVE Faramond! You single girls should all get his phone number! What a great date he'd be! I'm not sure exactly how much you have changed this from the ff.net version. I don't know the story that well. But this story seems very . . . deep, intense, detailed, personal, with the relationships shown instead of told, if you know what I mean. That is a big thing for me as a reader Now, when the inevitable tragedy happens, I think that the deep bonds that Frodo and Hazel share will make the emotional level even more intense for the reader. I can't wait to see what else you are going to come up with! I feel like I'm reading a whole new story! This is great! Thanks! I'll be waiting for the next update! Author Reply: Heehee, nope, we're past the one danger, and heading into another, muahahaha.... Oh yes, I'm quite in love with Faramond! I keep him locked up in my closet. ;) Did I mention that I'm going to give him his own story soon? I can't wait to get started on that... Well, some chapters I've changed a lot from the ff.net version (which I plan on updating with these revised chapters later today), and others are virtually the same. I like them better, though... Some of them really needed the extra editing! :P Ah yes, the inevitable tragedy... coming right up! And yes, Hazel's bond with Frodo will come strongly into play, and they both get to be quite heroic. :D So glad you're still enjoying it! | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 7/8/2004 |
| Hazel snorted. “I’ll believe that when I see it!” he teased, pushing the brim of Frodo’s hat down over his eyes. Frodo grinned and pushed the hat back up so that he could see. He flicked the reins and urged Galad into a canter, sending Hazel, who had not the time to get a good grip, falling back against the seat and nearly over it into the back of the cart. Well hello there dear Tathar -- what a beautiful chapter! I love that bit of action and description above. You have a real knack for making the reader see the scene. And I loved the bit about Frodo leading the pony over the bridge. I actually have a lot of experience with horses and bridges. I was a little worried at first that your bridge might collapse with the hobbits on it. Something similar happened to me once . . . some boards on a wooden bridge fell through as the horse I was riding went over it . . . the horse gave a tremendous jump and landed facing backwards, and so I had to back him quickly off the rest of the bridge in order to get over it. I don't know what I'd have done if I'd been a hobbit in a cart. Anyway, I just love all the details about Frodo. The hat, the sweat, the checkers . . . everything is so fun to read . . . but seems like you are building up to something dangerous here, m'dear, with that horrible cliffhanger ending. Are you being mean to your fan(atic reader)s? Carry on . . . Author Reply: You are really too kind! Thank you so much. I'm so thrilled that you're enjoying it! I'm hoping to post another chapter or two today. :) Oh, good, I'm glad you liked the bit with Frodo leading the pony over the bridge - actually, I *was* originally going to have it collapse, but then I changed my plan... I've been around horses a lot too, though I've never had anything as exciting as your experience happen to me, which is why ponies make their way into my stories as often as possible. I *love* going into details about Frodo... I haven't read about him wearing a hat very often, and once I had that image in my head I had no choice but to write it! ;) No, I would never be mean to my readers! Not yet, anyway.... *cackles* | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 7/7/2004 |
| Of course this challenge could not be passed, and so the fencing match continued. By the time their hour was up, all three were out of breath and exhausted, but very pleased with themselves. Each had won at least one match -Frodo had shown his skill and won two - and congratulated one another as they entered the house. Well, I'm glad you finally let him win something! ;) Actually it was all a very fun chapter, what with the piglets and such. Have you lived on a farm. That would explain a lot about this story . . . the setting does seem very genuinely rural and hobbity. Nice work! Author Reply: Heehee, of course Frodo had to win something. He's a very talented gentlehobbit, is Frodo. ;) You know, I never have lived on a farm! It's my dream, but I actually grew up in the city and though now I live in the semi-rural north of Georgia, I'm still in a subdivision and not far from "civilization". But I will certainly take that as a compliment! I would like nothing better than to live on a hobbit-farm. :) I'm so glad you're enjoying this! I'll try to get the next chapter up tonight or tomorrow. | |
| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/7/2004 |
| Dear Tathat, I was thrilled to find your new chapter to Silver Lining at ff.net! I usually only scan SoA for fanfic. So I was happy, happy, happy to find your new work! I just love your vision of hobbits . . . and I confess that I absolutely love a strong, heroic Frodo who gets hurt and needs some care and comfort! I came a little late to fanfic writing and reading, so I am still hungrily looking for good writers and good reads everywhere. I have written only one thing myself, here at SoA. I'm a Christian and I don't like to run into slash, so I pretty much stick to SoA for my author updates and explorations. I went to your story on ff.net on a referral from Obeliamedusa. Thanks for continuing to write. I just love to read your work. Please update at Stories of Arda also, and then I can keep up with you. You are a special writer-- your stories are inspiring and soothing at the same time -- and that is something that I need every day. You have a gift . . . keep on using it, because you are doing a lot of good with it! And keep that wonderful Frodo battling all his health problems !!!! ;) Love, and may you always be inspired to write, esamen Author Reply: Wow, thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it all. :) (And who doesn't love a strong, heroic Frodo who gets hurt and needs care and comfort?) Yes, SoA is really a fantastic place, and I rarely check ff.net anymore. Obeliamedusa told me about you (while we were discussing Faramond Rushlight), and I'm really thrilled that you came to check out my work. I go back and edit previous chapters frequently, which is what I'm doing with "Silver Lining" here at SoA (that's why it's not up-to-date yet). The demands of highschool make it hard for me to update as often as I'd like, but every time I get a review like yours it makes me work all the harder to speed up. So thank you so very, very much! And rest assured, Frodo will *always* be battling all his health problems as long as I've got a say in it! ;) Blessings, Tathar P. S. Obeliamedusa told me how much you like the character Faramond... so hopefully you'll be pleased to know that I've begun plotting a story centering on him! I'm planning to start it as soon as I wrap up "Silver Lining" (which will probably be in another five chapters or so), and you'll be the first to know about it. :) Thanks again! | |
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 2/18/2004 |
| This is a great story, Tathar. I just know how bad Pippin felt thinking he almost killed Frodo. Looking forward to more. Pearl Took Author Reply: Thanks, Pearl! I'm glad you're enjoying it. :) | |