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| The Way Home by Lindelea | 320 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 9/17/2025 |
| Oh my, what's coming? Or is Shadowfax reacting to something only he can sense? Eeee, these horse-y cliffhangers! Author Reply: There's a hint in this chapter, and things will become clearer in the next chapter, due to post on Friday. Is Shadowfax reacting to something only he can sense? That is a very perceptive question! Thanks so much for reading and pausing long enough to share your thoughts. Author Reply: (Sorry about the new cliffhanger. But some resolution should come Monday, I hope.) | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 9/16/2025 |
| Oh, my! What in the name of Heaven is happening?! Does Shadowfax know something that Bill doesn't, by any chance? Do tell! Author Reply: More to come on Friday, if all goes well. Think good thoughts, if you don't mind. | |
| Lady Forlong | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 9/14/2025 |
| "Make haste more slowly" - A hobbity thing to say LOL And when we talk about Gandalf and hobbits, we're not sure who taught what to who. Making hay while the sun shines would certainly be an "agreeable notion" to a horse or a pony. "If the great horse cannot count the days in a month, then what hope does a pony have to do so?" I hope Bill's not getting back into the habit of thinking of himself as "less than" because he's "only a pony." I thought he got over that many chapters ago. I guess old habits die hard. Never a dull moment, indeed. And yes it's easy for hobbits, dwarves, and Wizards to fly if they have Eagles to help -- I'm supposing that's the story Shadowfax is about to tell. Although I always wondered if Radagast could do it by shapeshifting into a bird. I don't know what else Gandalf's comment about "a master of shapes and changes of hue" could mean. Author Reply: When I first thought about it, "Make haste more slowly" sounded more Entish than anything else. But I can also easily see Frodo saying it to young Merry, and Merry saying it to young Pippin when the young one is tripping all over himself in his eagerness to do whatever. I'm looking forward to the time when Bill will have as much hay as he wants, and "plenty more where that came from". Bill's thoughts about counting don't reflect feeling inferior but rather acknowledging the reality that Shadowfax, the Chief of the Mearas, can understand Men's speech better than most other equines, and he can count higher than Bill. And even Shadowfax has his limitations; as I've written him, he acknowledges that even he cannot count to 28. An early draft of the story had Radagast appearing and leaving in the form of a giant bird, but when I re-read the few mentions I could find of the wizard, it struck me that he had a horse! And so, in the revision, he's riding his horse this side of the Mountains. At least at the moment he is. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to share your insightful thoughts! You've made my day. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 9/13/2025 |
| The great horse tosses his head, whickering his amusement. It must be quite diverting to travel with them. And he will! It's fun to imagine Shadowfax's POV when Gandalf and Pippin will ride upon him to Gondor. Author Reply: I hadn't even thought of that! What a marvellous thought to contemplate! I wonder what Shadowfax would make of the following snippet of conversation? ‘But I should like to know—’ Pippin began. ‘Mercy!’ cried Gandalf. ‘If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?’ ‘The names of all the stars, and of all living things, and the whole history of Middle-earth and Over-heaven and of the Sundering Seas,’ laughed Pippin. ‘Of course! What less? But I am not in a hurry tonight.’ Thanks for reading and stopping long enough to leave such delightful food for thought! | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 9/12/2025 |
| LOL! Someone needs to tell Shadowfax about Pegasus! =) All kidding aside, I'm glad that Gandalf doesn't need Shadowfax yet. Bill is clearly in no decent shape to travel alone, and at least Shadowfax can keep his mind occupied en route, as he's doing now. Author Reply: Funnily enough, I was thinking of Pegasus at the time! (Middle-earth doesn't have any winged horses, or does it? Not that I've heard of, anyhow.) According to Tolkien's timeline, Gandalf won't need Shadowfax for quite some time yet... which means, thankfully, that Bill will have a guide and bodyguard while he's regaining his strength, just what he needs right now, along with good company and companionship. | |
| Lady Forlong | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/9/2025 |
| This is a delightful chapter from start to finish, but so sorry to see Radagast go. Nothing in canon about what he was doing after he met Gandalf near the Shire, so you've got a nice gap-filler there, but still with some mystery. What else was he doing after he left Bill? Maybe another story in there somewhere... I wonder if Radagast's comment is a prophecy about that time during one of the battles (Pelennor, if I remember correctly?) when Shadowfax was the only horse that didn't run away from the Nazgul? And BTW, thanks for the tip about jodancingtree. No, I hadn't read any of her(?) stuff yet, but I've got her bookmarked now and hope to do so soon. Author Reply: I was also sorry to see Radagast go... It would have been so nice to enjoy his company all the way to Bree. I should imagine that the incursion of dark things on the Northlands might keep him quite busy, being a tender of beasts as he is. The question about Radagast's comment is quite insightful. It is, in fact, a prophecy of sorts, as you guessed. I hope you enjoy Jo's stories. If I'm remembering right, a lot of my ideas about Shire customs and practices found their seeds in her descriptions in Sam's Rose, especially her depiction of the Lithedays' Fair. Her additions to my story Runaway also gave me a lot of food for thought and helped me improve my writing style. For example, Jo (like Dreamflower) excelled at including details (such as descriptions of food, smells, textures, sounds) that bring a scene to life when reading one of her chapters. | |
| Erulissé | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/8/2025 |
| "Suddenly, overcome by wistfulness, I rest my face against his abdomen. I do not wish to be parted, I whisper. You would like to come with me? my Friend says gently, rubbing me under my jaw. Indeed, I would find your company welcome! He smiles at the thought, then sobers, leaving off his caresses and lifting my chin in his hand to look me in the eye as he adds in a lower tone, But then, I fear, you would never come to be reunited with your beloved Sam again! For our journeys lie along different paths... Though the thought of never seeing my Sam again is unthinkable, I am truly distressed at parting from this Friend I have learned to love so deeply, even in the brief time we have spent together. Will I never see you again? I ask, half-closing my eyes in my sorrow and pressing my head against him once more. The brown wizard chuckles softly. Never is too long a time even for one like myself to contemplate, he says gently. My advice to you, Child, is to go to your Sam, that he may join you in your "for-ever-more". I am not sure what this means, though it sounds like a long time to me. But the brown one is still talking... It is always possible that our paths will cross again someday, should you and your Sam wander into the same path I am following for a time... I nod against his stomach, and then I lift my head away to look him in the eye. So shall I hope, I say." Oh poor, sweet, lovely, Bill. He is so precious, a balm to the soul. I have been remiss in leaving comments, but I shall have to make it up. I don't have very much to say about this chapter, except that it absolutely warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I love the way you've written Radagast. Thank you for the lovely gift! Author Reply: You're quite welcome, and thanks so much for the encouraging words! You've brightened my day. (((hugs))) | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/8/2025 |
| I know that eventually, Shadowfax will have to leave Bill to rejoin Gandalf in Rohan, but I hope that Bill will be back in or near the Breelands first, as I said. I hope that can fit into canon! (Can you tell that I don't want poor Bill to be alone again for any longer than he absolutely has to be?) Author Reply: I've worked out the timeline very carefully to fit within canon. Bless you for your concern for Sam's faithful pony! It is good to keep in mind what Tolkien wrote about him, which is why I was able to write this story in the first place. :) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/8/2025 |
| And then they lower their heads again and push their noses against him, seeking comfort and caresses. Which he seems happy to provide. Of course I must also have my share of stroking, and so I push forward to join the happy throng. What a lovely moment for all of them. Author Reply: These three chapters have provided a welcome respite! I'm glad you're enjoying it along with the rest of us (Bill, the two horses, the brown wizard, and me). Thanks! | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/8/2025 |
| At least, Bill has sufficiently recovered to resume his travels. And though Radagast may have to leave them, I'm glad that Shadowfax is still with Bill. (And with that said, please don't be in too big of a hurry to separate them! Bill needs Shadowfax--preferably until he's at or near the Breelands!) Author Reply: He does need Shadowfax, as Radagast has foreseen. I think if the brown wizard didn't have other matters to take care of, he would have travelled with them for a few days, at least. Together, though, a plucky pony and a great horse can accomplish quite a bit – as they already have so far! Thanks for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts! I have one more chapter in another story to finish editing, and then I'm going to take a day off to do some reading. At least, that's the plan! | |