FiliaS
· 3 December 2021
· Chapter 38: Oliphaunt Am I
I was smiling the whole way through. This is absolutely pitch-perfect hobbit-talk - maybe the best I've ever seen; the balance of humor and affection is just right - and the flashback is such a sweet and plausible take on their interactions when they were younger! (So many fanfics I read ignore the class and age differences between the hobbits, or sound "off" when they write about it, because the authors want to write the kind of peer friendships they're most used to writing, rather than the family or family-like affection between the hobbits. This story is rare and lovely.) And Fatty and Folco are there!
KathyG
· 15 January 2015
· Chapter 29: Never Give Up
As you can tell, I thought Sam might have a "feeling" about Boromir, one that he could not really put into words, but that would make training with him uncomofortable. But he's observant, and I think that he probably *will* ask "good old Strider" for some help along the way as well. But he's not going to put himself forward, either.
Oh, please, would you write a story in which Sam does just that? Surely, Sam doesn't go into a battle with orcs in Moria (and much later, with Shelob) without having had some training. As Bodkin said, simply watching doesn't make for adequate training.
KathyG
· 15 January 2015
· Chapter 28: That Song...
And after Galadriel goes West and infects Valinor, there may very well be another War of Wrath, LOL!
Galadriel wouldn't dare!! =)
Luthoriel
· 18 December 2013
· Chapter 28: That Song...
Oh, goodness LOL! I'm tempted to ask some of my elvish-speaking friends to translate this for me just to see how they react!
Author's reply
Did you check out my Author's Notes? They are not actually mine, but the notes that Ithilden kindly sent me along with the translation and gave me permission to post! I thought her work deserved some recognition.
cathleen
· 5 December 2010
· Chapter 26: A Convivial Evening
I'm obviously very late in reading this, but I enjoyed it immensely! I love the easy dialogue between everyone, as well as the story being written in Boromir's pov. And I, too, learned a lot! *Grin*
Author's reply
Thank you so much, sweetie! I'm glad that you enjoyed it. And it's always fun to get "late" reviews!
GamgeeFest
· 21 March 2009
· Chapter 39: Where Light in Darkness Lies
These are wonderful! An interesting exploration of Light - how it is seen, experienced and the role it plays. Sam's was great - I always loved that part. Poor Pippin! The only one to see how dark Light can be. I liked Gimli's also. :D
Author's reply
Thank you, dear! All of these seemed to me to fit the characters--and I wanted to show Pippin's as seeing both the "dark flame of Udun" as well as the true light of Anor, as he remembered the Shire.
Grey Wonderer
· 28 February 2009
· Chapter 39: Where Light in Darkness Lies
I enjoyed all of them but for some reason, Gimli was my favorite this time. Thanks for posting these. A very nice look at all of the Fellowship as individuals.
Author's reply
Thank you! The two that I knew right from the start were Gimli and Gandalf. It seemed to me that Gimli would consider his encounter with the Lady to be the epitome of Light, and that the greatest thing he could compare it to was the Arkenstone.
Antane
· 27 February 2009
· Chapter 39: Where Light in Darkness Lies
Love it! Esp. Sam's which is my favorite part is Book IV, Aragorn's and Gandalf's and Boromir's. Love it, love it, love it! Could I have the honor of putting it on my website? http://www.knittedsouls.com
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
I'm so glad you enjoy it, and would be honored if you want to put it up there! Just let me know when you've done it, so I can go and look!
Elena Tiriel
· 26 February 2009
· Chapter 39: Where Light in Darkness Lies
Oh, these are beautiful, Dreamflower!
I can't even name a favorite... each has its charm. But I adore the way you uniquely incorporated the theme of Light into each drabble, suitable to each character and experience.
Beautifully done!
- Barbara
Author's reply
Thank you very much, dear!
Virtuella
· 26 February 2009
· Chapter 39: Where Light in Darkness Lies
These are very good, very appropriate. I like the Gandalf one best.
Author's reply
Thank you! I arranged them in more or less chronological order, but I wrote the Gandalf one first. It seemed just right for the prompt.
Larner
· 26 February 2009
· Chapter 39: Where Light in Darkness Lies
Dreamflower, if any story deserved to be written by one with that name, it is this one.
You have caught the spirit of light and Light so perfectly in this series! Thank you!
Author's reply
Thank *you* for your kind words! "Light" is so important in LotR, it has so many ways to be handled--I'm glad you liked them.
Only one more prompt left: Healed.
Lindelea
· 26 February 2009
· Chapter 39: Where Light in Darkness Lies
A wonderful exploration of the many shades of "light". The characters are true to the original, and you add depth and nuance with your brushstrokes.
Author's reply
Thank you! The theme was not an easy one, and it took me a while to decide on doing the individual drabbles. I am pleased that they came out well, thank you!
Lindelea
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 38: Oliphaunt Am I
Aw, it turned out beautifully.
The wee hobbits had fun with the reading, too.
Author's reply
I'm glad they enjoyed it! And thanks for your help!
Larner
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 38: Oliphaunt Am I
I, too, loved the overlapping memories of the two groups, as this moment brings them together for all the distance between them.
Lovely, this brief moment of peace ane memory shared.
Thank you!
Author's reply
I like to find moments when I can show that the connections of love remain strong in spite of distance or danger.
Thank you!
Antane
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 999999: Ithildin's translation notes for "That Song"
Cute song! That would fit hobbits. :)
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
*giggle* That's my hobbity version of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" (which come to think of it, is pretty hobbity as well. ) I first came up with it for my story "All You Have to Do Is Ask", and have mentioned it a couple of times since.
Antane
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 38: Oliphaunt Am I
What a sweet story! I love how you drew the four hobbits together in this and how you described. Physical distance is nothing when hearts are connected. I hope they are discovered that too after Frodo went west. I love this tale.
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Physical distance is nothing when hearts are connected.
That's just what I hoped to show! I think that they remained on one another's minds no matter how far apart they were.
GamgeeFest
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 38: Oliphaunt Am I
How fun! I love young Sam stamping around the parlor, entertaining the gentry and forgetting his shyness. Such an endearing memory, well needed at such a dark time.
Author's reply
It was a good memory! And I could just see young Sam doing that, losing his diffidence in his efforts to entertain wee Pippin. And I imagined Bilbo beaming at his pupil!
It was needed, we know, by Frodo at that time; and I didn't think it much of a stretch to imagine that the thoughts of it might occur to Merry and Pippin, as they thought of Sam trying to keep Frodo's spirits up.
Larner
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 7: Running
A sad thing, that last--that one day they will need to run not for joy or companionship, but just to live.
I don't know how I managed to miss some of these, but I don't remember this one at all.
Nicely done.
Author's reply
Well, I am very glad that you are finding them now! While most of the first set, with the young hobbits, were fluffy, a few of them were more serious and had some foreshadowing in them.
This is definitely one of the more serious.
Larner
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 5: The Hard Things About Waiting
Ah--waiting through the seasons! Wonderful!
Author's reply
Of course, part of "my" Shire back-story includes the idea of annual seasonal visits to one another by our lads, and I thought this would sort of show how they felt about them.
Larner
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 4: A Sticky Situation
Ah, if she only knew! Heh!
Poor little twerp!
Author's reply
Actually, I think Merry and Frodo were more worried about it than Pippin was, LOL! But fortunately Eglantine did not find out.
(Although I think Merry may have been exaggerating her reaction to the mishap. She *is* Pippin's mum after all, and *knows* what sorts of things he gets into!)
Larner
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 2: Playing at Stones
Ah, Pippin the nimble-fingered, is he? Heh!
Love Merry and Pippin showing more care in choosing pebbles for Frodo than for themselves. Already they'll spoil him!
Author's reply
Yes, he shows his talent at a very early age!
Of course they already spoil him--it's their specialty, and they've been at it as long as they can remember.
Larner
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 1: Set # 1(featuring young pre-Quest Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin (Now complete): Cloudwatching
Pippin WOULD see them as cakes! Heh!
Author's reply
*grin* Yes, he would! *Especially* at that age!
Virtuella
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 38: Oliphaunt Am I
That took some juggling, to have the past and present as well as two different locations so neatly sandwiched together! I like the way how themes of friendship, exploration, wonder, hope and loyalty are just subtly hinted at. Are the verses from the second one onwards your own? They're rather good!
Author's reply
It did take a bit of juggling! I had known from the start that is what I wanted to do with that prompt, but it took me almost two years to work out how to make it seem plausible. Lin was a great help to me in fixing the flow of it all.
All of the poem is JRRT's, I just split it up into parts so as to fit in Frodo's and Merry's and Pippin's memories of Sam's recitation.
Grey Wonderer
· 24 January 2009
· Chapter 38: Oliphaunt Am I
I saw this on LJ last night and intended to read it there but since it has now moved to Stories of Arda as well, I thought I'd catch it here. Sadly, I don't do much reading here anymore as most things get posted to LJ first.
I love this and if Tolkien had thought to connect the two conversations in this way, I think it would have been a very nice way of united the companions in thought if not in person. I enjoyed this very much! (I knew there had to be a very good plan in the works if you were leaving canon even just the tinest bit! And *this* was a very good plan!)
Author's reply
Yes, I posted it first at the community I wrote it for! (Even though I don't think anyone else has posted anything there in ages. I just have two more to go now!)
I love to make these sorts of "cross-memory connections". It's fun to experiment with how they might work. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Queen Galadriel
· 24 February 2007
· Chapter 19: "He Sat and Sang a Melody..."
Ah, and I agree with you about the poem! Very charming! It is difficult to sing, but you've made me want to learn it by heart and finally finish setting it to music (I started several months ago but didn't stick with it). I love these reflections, and I can just hear little Pip's sweet, piping voice singing those words.
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
You are composing a musical setting for it? Wow, I can't get over your talents!
I always hear it to the tune that Donald Swann created for it, in The Road Goes Ever On. It's a rather complex composition, but the main melody is rather simple.