illyria
· 1 April 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
Ohhhh... Do you know what I love the most about this chapter? I like how you describe the effect of Bombadil's voice and power against the wights, and I squee-ed at the mention of his heightened respect for Frodo. But what I adore the most is Frodo trying to comfort Merry, and his effort to take his friends' minds away from the nightmarish experience. That last line seemed like an attempt to recreate the happy, carefree atmosphere of the bath on the last night in Crickhollow. I love it! Thank you for this!
illyria
· 1 April 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
I've only caught up with Ch. 4 now, and my goodness, it's very riveting. I love the beautiful way you describe Goldberry's reaction, and you captured Tom's speech very well. But it's the scene at the Barrow that made me sqee, and cringe, and become hugely impressed. That Frodo's thoughts should turn to Bilbo at this moment is very apt, because I imagine the inside of the Barrow is very much like the tunnel under the mountain. And as always, the wight's thought is chillingly cruel. You managed to keep the suspense thick and involving throughout Frodo's struggle with the arm and the sword, and let the hope in the end come like sunshine through night darkness. Impressive!
Larner
· 1 April 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
Oh, VERY well done. I find this story fascinating and am so glad you are writing it.
Gentle Hobbit
· 30 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
Ah... I see that you were a little more specific than Tolkien was: only three hobbits cast off their cold rags and ran about on the grass. :) Only you can turn lingering horror into instant fluff and hobbity challenges and races on the grass.
Pearl Took
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
The wayward reader returns. This is marvelous!! You have done a marvelous job of extending Tolkien's tale, filling in his famous gaps in a style so much like his own. WONDERFUL!!!!! :) :) :)
Ariel
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
You know what I like best? You have portrayed Tom so tantalizingly! I have read so many people who just dismiss him but he is a far more powerful character than most give him credit for! Thank you for writing this! Wonderfully done.
Ariel
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
Still very delightfully tied to canon - not too much reiteration and yet it still fits very well with the story as told. Lovely, entertaining stuff!
Elwen
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
I like Tom's musings about Frodo's heart in this chapter. Bravo.
Auntiemeesh
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
You've done such a good job of weaving your threads into Tolkien's tapestry with this, Shirebound. It all fits together so beautifully. I particularly liked Frodo's concern for Merry, and Merry's struggle to overcome the nightmare/vision. Very nicely done. :)
SlightlyTookish
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
I like how Tom can "read" Frodo and see how humble he is, unwilling to take credit for things or accept praise. And poor Merry, already suffering from nightmares! I also like how you show Pippin ever-so-curiously glancing over at the barrow. Imagine if he had gone back inside! *cuddles the hobbits*
Pipwise Brandygin
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
"The Barrow itself seemed to groan under the weight of Tom’s simple words, spoken with a power more ancient than ancient."
"Humility rules his heart; he speaks not even to his friends of his brave deeds in the dark. Or of the struggle with the Ring that I sense he fought and won. He will do well, and find friends and aid, in unexpected paths beneath the sun."
Wow! I've always thought Tom Bombadil was mysterious, but you've really captured the magic and wisdom about him that gets overlooked when you have to read past all the songs, lol. This is a fascinating chapter, and I loved the emphasis on Merry's nightmare, especially the way you linked it to his dream in Tom's house. I hope there's more! I'm enjoying this so much :D
Connie B.
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
Oh, I liked this chapter, a lot. I find it very interesting how Merry reacted to his experience. He seemed to be the most deeply affected of the three. I always wondered if he was the only one to have shared a dying memory with a victim of the long-ago battle. From the way your interpretting these events, I'm starting to think that Merry had some sort of extra-sensative nature. He's the most affect by the barrow-wight, and he's also the most affected by the Ringwraiths (other than Frodo, of course). Interesting.
I also liked Pippin's fascination for the barrow. He would be the one to want to explore it. I hope he's not really that foolhardy. But, at this point, he probably is.:)
I'm really enjoying this story. It's even nicer to read now that my daughter and I just finished reading "Fog on the Barrow Downs" the other night. I'm reading The Fellowship of the Ring to her.
Thanks.
Connie B.
Dreamflower
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
This was an amazing gap-filler. Very Well Done!! Take a bow, Shirebound!
Eruanna
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
I have to say I love this story! Your portrayals of the hobbits are spot-on, and your ideas about the barrow wights are really creepy. (In a good way, of course. ;) )
What I really love about this chapter is the portrayal of Frodo's humility, and the wonderful foreshadowing with Merry.
“Merry,” Frodo said quietly, still holding onto him, “it wasn’t real.”
And yet, the way you describe this experience is so very like what Merry will go through, first in Bree when he encounters the Nazgul, and later and far more horrificly in the aftermath of the Witch-king's death...
Once again, this is a wonderful story! Thank you so much for sharing!
Blessings,
Eruanna
cpsings4him
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
Yea! They've been rescued and are having a lovely run in the grass...nekkie! Hehehe!! Shirebound wrote nekkie hobbits! :p Hee! I'm teasing you of course. This is lovely! I especially like Tom's thoughts about Frodo's humility. Great job!
:-)
Andrea
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
Just wonderful!
What I liked most in this chapter, was Frodo's care for Merry! That evil wight! Feeling to be pierced by an arrow and losing consciousness with the certainty never to wake up again must have been a terrifying, traumatizing experience for Merry. But there is Frodo to guide him back to the real world. Just wonderful!
aprilkat
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
Hello - they're back out in the sunlight again!
Good description of their plight and how it felt coming out again.
I especially appreciate how you show Frodo's courage and let us see inside Tom's head to understand how strong Frodo is. Praise from the praiseworthy, indeed.
Lily the Hobbit
· 29 March 2005
· Chapter 5: Out of Deep Water
A pity indeed. Even Frodo himself doesn't know about his worth. A wonderful chapter and I'm glad to see you're going to continue this.
Armariel
· 13 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
oooooooo really like the atmosphere here, you do suspense so well........tell us more, tell us more..............:D
xoxoxx
~~~{~@
Inkling
· 12 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
A great idea to have Frodo draw inspiration from Bilbo’s bravery. Traditional courage in the heat of battle is nothing to sneeze at, but time and again Tolkien showed this solitary courage “alone in the dark,” even while gripped by cold-blooded fear, as the more difficult and greater form of heroism. And in Frodo’s case it’s all the more impressive in that, unlike Bilbo, he has to do it with no assistance from the Ring. Very well done and thought-provoking, Shirebound!
pebbles66
· 11 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
Ooh, I love this. You are doing a great job explaining what exactly went on in the barrow and why. I love gap-fillers!
Gentle Hobbit
· 10 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
I enjoyed your Bombadil poetry! I wonder if those two speak mostly in prose or rhyme... And I do like very much the way you have Bilbo's stories and comments coming back to encourage Frodo--"the *real* stories" and memories. They were a form of training, in a way, although perhaps neither of them realized it.
Anonymous
· 10 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
Lovely and chilling as a glass of ice water on a hot day. Like hearing windchimes in winter. gave me the shivers,you did, if you catch my meaning. Bravo.
Julia
Larner
· 10 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
Ah, well done, my Precious, well done indeed! So well brought into the canon of both The Hobbit and LOTR. Very, very well done.
Yes, in the heart of hobbits lies that surprising core of strength and will.
eiluj
· 10 March 2005
· Chapter 4: Voices in the Dark
How you can find such logical explanations for all the details JRRT didn't explain ... I am in awe.