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| A Humble Gift by GamgeeFest | 18 Review(s) |
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| Daynawayna | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/17/2005 |
| What a beautiful story, GamgeeFest. Wow, I'm just blown away. I love Faramir/Pippin stories... ok I love Faramir stories! :D This was well written and just beautifully poetic. I like how they both relive their relationship with Boromir and that his gift to Pippin would always be a Positive reminder of the one they lost. Well done. Author Reply: Thank you so much! This is my fic attempt at writing Faramir and I'm glad you approve of his characterization here. Boromir is a topic they would speak of often, I'm sure. It was fun to recount "It's All Relative" and get a little look into his childhood with Faramir's memory. The horn is indeed a positive reminder of the good that was accomplished with the war. | |
| Tigger | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/17/2005 |
| Oh, this was delightful. Loved it. I adore Faramir and Pippin stories. You don't get a chance to read many of them, but this was wonderful. Thank you!! Author Reply: You're quite welcome, and thank you for reading. I've never attempted writing Faramir before and I hardly ever do quest or post-quest fics, so this was a first for me. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :) | |
| pebbles66 | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/17/2005 |
| Very nice. I liked this very much. Author Reply: Thank you for reading. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/17/2005 |
| What a marvelous story, full of humor, perception, and great friendship. How fitting that Merry received a horn that he used to warn the Shire of danger, and Pippin received one to recall to the Shire joy and celebration. And these passages are especially wonderful: The dreams were not the only effects of war that were plaguing the hobbits. Faramir had noted other signs of distress and uneasy among them: Frodo’s careful solitude and absorption in his writings; Sam’s watchful silence and general distrust of anyone who approached Frodo too swiftly; Merry’s obsession with detail and insistence that he knew where his friends were at all times; and Pippin’s reluctance to sing. Finally there’s my great-great-great-grandfather Baldo Baggins. Frodo’s his great-great-grandson, which makes him my third cousin once removed on his father’s side. … And that’s when Boromir threatened to toss us from the boat.” Author Reply: Thank you, Shirebound! I did want Pippin to receive a horn of his own, but there had to be a reason he wouldn't use it at the Battle of Bywater. Tolkien's description of Pippin's reaction to the horns, summarized in the story, gave the perfect reasoning for why Pippin would choose to use it only in times of joy and celebration. Thanks so much for the quotes. Each of the hobbits would have their own conflicts that they need to work on and resolve after the war. The summary was a last minute addition, and I'm glad you liked it. And of course, any time Boromir can be tormented with complex hobbit family trees is a good one, lol. I actually had to hunt down a cousin chart to figure all that out and I put the link up on my LJ if you want to take a gander at it. ^_^ | |
| Grey Wonderer | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/17/2005 |
| i enjoyed this for so many reasons, but the main one was the fact that this story does not try to wrap up everything into a neat package and solve all of the problems that the hobbits are having. You mention that Pippin has not sung in this story but it does not end with him singing. You also mention the nightmares and Faramir has no easy answer for it all. Likewise you mention Frodo's problems and Pippin's hesitation to speak of them, but that goes unresolved as well. I think it makes the story more moving and more realistic. I loved the gift that Faramir gave to Pippin and I enjoyed their talk very much. This may be one of my favorites that you have written. The final part where the horn becomes part of the Thainship is so very hobbity. Loved it all! Author Reply: One of your favorites? Why, thank you! I am very much honored. If this story was to wrap up all these problems, it would have to be about 50 chapters long, lol. This is just a glimpse in the post-war life of the hobbits, Pippin most particularly. But it's a good starting point for whenever I manage to get time to start working on my post-war fic that's been meandering around in my head for the last year or so. Faramir and Pippin actually were supposed to be talking about their fathers - I imagine they would have much in common in that department and that would be a good way for their friendship to take root and grow. However, as you can see, they simply refused to cooperate with me and started talking about everything *but* their fathers, lol. This is a much better conversation, and anything that can bring up hobbit family trees and Boromir being tormented by them is worth letting the characters have their way. ~_^ And I have to wonder how Pippin's descendants were able to use the horn, not having Pippin's advantage of greater height and therefore arm length. They must have mounted it on something that could be wheeled about at their convenience. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/17/2005 |
| What a way for an heirloom to enter a family. Faramir is lovely - thoughtful, intelligent, considerate - all the characteristics that shine out of him as far as I am concerned. Pippin is shrewd and loving and a lot more mature than often appears! And I just love the way they interact. And the server. Apparently concentrating on her task, while picking up every word and nuance of behaviour from the other two in the room. Pippin is very good at evading topics he doesn't want to elaborate - but he does it so well that only a diplomat of Faramir's skill would notice. And the gift is lovely. The story is a delight. Author Reply: The war matured Pippin more quickly than anything else could have. It started with the Palantir; he doesn't really do anything silly or immature during all of ROTK. And long years of avoiding punishment for pranks has made Pippin very good at evading topics, lol. Faramir is quite astute in his observations. He has a way of seeing what isn't said and understanding the deeper meanings behind the spoken words. As a captain of rangers, who has had to question countless men and prisoners over the years, he has learned to pay more attention to the more subtle nuances of speech: vocal tone, facial expressions, body language. Most of us do this unconsciously, but when done with purpose, it can reveal a lot that is generally overlooked. And it seems the servant has picked up a few of these skills as well, lol, no doubt from many years of trying to anticipate the Steward's wishes before they are spoken. I always felt that Pippin should have his own horn, but there had to be a reason he wouldn't have used it at the Battle of Bywater to keep everything in canon. The idea of his using it as a way of celebration rather than calling up arms came from the first paragraph of "The Pyre of Denethor", where Tolkien describes Pippin's joy at hearing the horns of Rohan. There could have been no other purpose for the gift. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/16/2005 |
| Gamgeefest, this is just beautiful! I love the way you show the friendship growing between Faramir and Pippin, and the deep love and affection they come to have for one another. It was fun to have part of their conversation overheard by the server, whose observations were unpolished. Faramir is such an astute observer: he notices immediately how Pippin changes the subject away from Frodo, and he quickly judges his small friend's mood, knowing when he is using jest to cover up his more serious feelings. And he is so wise, as well. His advice to Pippin (and through him, the other hobbits) about the dreams is very apt. To be able to waken, and know that you can put the dream behind you is a blessing indeed, and to remember the things that the memories accomplished can be heartening. I so loved the gift, as well. I'm very glad I was able to find someone who could help with that. Author Reply: *blushes* Why, thank you Dreamflower! I thought it would be interesting to introduce this story from the viewpoint of an outsider, to see how someone else might look upon these two and what their thoughts might be. Faramir's a quick learner, among other things. He's learned all the ways of hobbits (though they will undoubtedly still surprise him in a pinch ~_^ )and he's learned when not to push a topic. That is what Faramir intended when he gave that bit of advice, for Pippin to tell the other hobbits. Dreams are frightening, but if the hobbits can remember that those things are now in the past, it should be able to relieve some of that fear. As for the gift, well, Merry couldn't be the only one with a horn, lol. So much of Pippin and Merry's separate journeys mirrored each other, I thought this would be one way for that to continue even after they had been brought back together. I did have a back-up phrase that I could have used if it came to that, but it wasn't really fitting for the story. | |
| Armariel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/16/2005 |
| YAY!! This is beautiful. Sweet and heartwarming. Just sitting here with a big grin on my face thinking of it--thanks bunches! blessings & cheer Armariel~~~{~@ ~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@~~~{~@ Author Reply: Thank you for your comments! I'm glad this put a "big grin" on your face, and knowing that you enjoyed this has put a big grin on my face as well. ^_^ Faramir and Pippin must have spent a good deal of time together while in Gondor. That they became close friends can't be disputed. Faramir isn't one to let the actions of Pippin go unrewarded either, and this was a chance to see just a glimpse of the two of them together and their growing friendship. | |