Reviews (116)

Author's reply

I'm glad it all worked together! It was a challenge to weave so many diverse threads into a coherent pattern. (I'm really glad you liked Sam's approach to "managing" the ambassador. He's such a gem.)

Author's reply

You have hit the nail on the head. "re-discovering their common humanity" was the basis upon which the entire story was built, even though it began as a rather comical snippet of a scene that grew out of a difference between the customs of Gondor and the Shire... Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and observations. I appreciate your encouraging words. Since I don't get emails for reviews anymore, I'm grateful that Itarille let me know some reviews had been left since the last time I looked at this story. I hope this note finds you and yours well!

Author's reply

You're quite welcome! Thank you for reading and taking time to share your thoughts. I'm quite fond of hobbits, as you can probably tell.

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...especially when they see him in a different setting and suddenly recognize him for who he is! It can be such fun to watch people put the pieces together...

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It's interesting to go beyond good/bad, friend/foe, or black/white thinking and explore the grey areas. Who were the Haradrim before Sauron exploited their weaknesses? What kind of common ground exists, though perhaps not obvious at first glance, between Harad and the Shire and Gondor and Rohan? (While I haven't gone so far in my imaginings as JoDancingTree, who made an Orc a relatable character in one of her stories, I do like to ponder character and values and the potential for change.) Thanks!

Author's reply

Both convenient and rather inconvenient at times, I should think, especially if your own customs (as a hobbit) do not include a well-established understanding of the art of polite refusal. You're welcome, and thanks for reading!

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I tried to make the bargaining as exotic (to a hobbit's experience) as possible while still plausible. I'm sure Sam saw a lot of different customs and practices in his time outside the Shire, which must have bemused him. Thanks for reading and stopping to share your thoughts!

Author's reply

Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to stop and share your thoughts! I very much appreciate your encouraging feedback.

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Thanks so much! I appreciate your taking the time to read and leave some encouraging words. Glad to have you along for the ride! Completing the story was bittersweet; it was my last tie to Pandemonium, one of the models for Mittens. But it was also a good thing to be able to mark one of the WIPs "Complete" at last. I've been working on several of the WIPs in the background, so now I feel as if I have space to start publishing chapters from another story. I'm also carving out some reading time and looking forward to reading more about Náli and Rei. My only trouble is the broader background of your tale and the knowledge of what happened to Balin and those who followed him. You have breathed such life into this minor canon character; he's become quite real to me.

Author's reply

The pair of them will carry on Pippin's determination and his self-imposed mission of bringing playfulness and joy back into the lives of Minas Tirith's children. It's a tall order, but I am confident that they'll excel in carrying out their duties. Thanks so much for stopping to leave a good word. Looking forward to seeing you later this month! (((hugs)))

Author's reply

Thank you for staying with me to the end of this tale, dear friend. It's been years in the making! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it, and I appreciate your taking the time to stop and share your thoughts. (((hugs)))

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Thank you for describing the parts you enjoyed! I love seeing the story through your impressions. You are most welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the story. (((hugs))) Good to hear from you. Author Reply: p.s. I’m glad to say you’ll get a glimpse of Turambor in the epilogue, which has now been posted.

Author's reply

Oh! Thank you for reminding me of that scene! You're right. I hadn't made that connection before, but the idea is very similar in this story and that one: setting aside existing hostilities to save an imperiled little one, everyone suddenly united in purpose and hope and worry. (And then all those people in small boats determinedly escorting the submarine to safety... What a delightful ending.) Alan Arkin has long been near the top of the list of my favorite actors. I still remember clearly his deaf-mute character talking to himself in sign language in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, even though I was only a small child when I saw it. His performance was deeply moving and convincing. There's a snippet of dialogue from The Russians Are Coming that we have quoted for decades just because it delights us. Alan Arkin is attempting to teach his men an English phrase to help them blend in with the citizens of the small US seaside community while trying to figure out how to get out of the situation without getting arrested or killed, and they are doing their best to repeat after him: "Emergency! Everybody to get off street! Emergency!" "Egermency?" "Nyet! Emergency! Emergency!" Our children learned that quote from us long before they got a chance to see the movie it came from. LOL! Thanks so much for reading and taking time to share your thoughts.

Author's reply

I'm so glad that Sherbet survived and is taking on the task of protecting you from slipper-bows - quite sneaky and treacherous as they can be! Yes, we'll catch a glimpse of them in their new home in the final chapter, which is due to be posted next. I was derailed from writing or reading this week by some dastardly dairy, but am back at the laptop again today and eyeing all things "dairy" (including chocolate suspects) with suspicion. It's so important to attend to the labels on things. That's what they're there for. Thanks for reading and stopping to leave a note.

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I was so sad to hear the tragic tale. I hope you've been able to sort things as best as possible for all parties. Our temporary pups seem somewhat in awe of the cats thus far, but we're still finding it necessary to lock them up in "time out" to give the cats a breather from the dogs' focused attention and interest and fascination with All Things Feline. The baby gates mean the pups do not have access to all parts of the house, and the cats are taking full advantage of those refuges. But still, some of them venture out to the main part of the house and are quite put out when the dogs notice their presence and become playful... or at least hopeful that playtime might ensue...

Author's reply

Thank you! I'm looking forward to reading your Harad story as soon as I've posted the last chapter (which should be the next chapter) of this one!

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I'm so glad it worked! I've been interrupted multiple times in fleshing out the draft chapter into this form, and I'm not sure I can call it "final" since it feels muddled to me in a few places, especially the Black Gate flashback. (Battles are chaotic things, so maybe it's not as much of a problem as it might be?) On the other hand, at least I think I have pulled almost all the threads of the story together! Whew. That poor wee kitten has been mewling at the back of my mind for what feels like forever. Ever since the puppy dragged Bergil into the collapsing building, at least, with Pippin in hot pursuit... I don't know if I can untwist any of the minor knots I've noticed in reading over the posted version. My editor-friend of a few years ago has moved on to a different fanfiction branch, so I can't throw myself on her mercy or offer to buy her a Starbucks drink if she'll agree to pick up my dropped stitches. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts!

Author's reply

Oh! Wonderful! I just renewed my activity on LJ after more than a decade, so I will certainly check out that community! (And your story! I looked at your list of stories on SoA but didn't realise "The Face of the Enemy" was the Harad-themed one. At second glance, I ought to have been able to make the connection. Ah well. You've made it for me, and I've added it to my list, so all's well that ends well. Just as soon as I post the last chapter of this story, "Face of the Enemy" will go to the top of my list.) Okay, I managed to find elhellonawards on LJ and I think I friended it. I find LJ a bit confusing. But we'll see if it shows up on my friends feed. I don't know what the "Notification Center" is, but I checked that to notify me of new posts. I guess we shall see! (I don't know what they meant by "Inbox", either.) And you're welcome! One of the things I've treasured about SoA over the years have been the interactions between authors and readers (I've been both, and though I took a long hiatus, I'm glad to find it still here. It would be nice if more people would return and if new authors should start to post stories, especially now that I have time to devote to fanfic again. I'm still getting used to retirement, but reading and writing seem to be excellent and satisfying ways to fill the hours that were, up until a few weeks ago, filled with steady, heavily-focused work. Author Reply: (And hah! I see my old nemesis, the unfinished parenthetical thought [I keep forgetting the "close parenthesis" to end such a thought] continues to haunt me... Hopefully it bothers me more than it bothers other people, lol.)

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It was lovely to see you! I have been avoiding angst or reading/writing light angst in recent days and emphasizing comfort food(-for-thought). Luckily, this story is in its last stages, where the comfort and healing kicks in, which makes it easier to work on than some of the other WIPs (like Bill's story, which is "Angst Personified" at the present stage of the journey and won't really reach the "comfort stage" for quite a few chapters yet. Whew. Well, at least it's outlined, for the most part - except for the gap I realized was there when I was musing aloud today. But I think I hit on a good solution. Thanks for listening). (and "Thain", which is stopped at an incredibly angsty part. Maybe I'll be able to write angst once more when we have a pup again. It was always so much easier to get through difficult scenes with a slumbering dog at my feet. Sadly, we were notified this evening that the puppy we were anticipating fell through. It would have been the same age as Panda when we brought her home, 4 months old, but much smaller than Panda, of course, who weighed 44 pounds at 4 months. *sigh* But the right one will come along, and the rescue organization now has us on their list and will let us know when another dog comes to their attention that needs a good forever home. Since they brought us Zoe, years ago, I trust they know what they are doing.) You're most welcome. I'm glad the bunny was a success! Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. *hugs* Wishing you comfort and healing.

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Glad to see you here! I had to envision Haradric culture for an earlier story where Harad was a major plot point. I made it more interesting for myself by dividing Harad into the Hundred Kingdoms with varied cultures and landscapes but some common elements (like being conquered by the Dark Lord before He was thrown down). Lots of scope for the imagination! I also enjoy complicating the rather simple dichotomy of "good-bad" by showing that enemies can be noble and honorable (with good as well as evil people), even when their culture differs markedly from that of the West. In what story/stories do you write about Haradric culture? I'm intrigued! I will add them to my "Want to read" list. p.s. I find your Dwarves fascinating! I have a story in progress featuring Faramir Took as a tween visiting the Lonely Mountain; the outline is complete, along with draft chapters of the non-Dwarf scenes. But - obviously - a Fourth Age story about the Lonely Mountain is going to heavily feature Dwarves, isn't it? ...and the main part holding me up is trying to imagine Dwarf culture and society! Tolkien showed us homeless or travelling Dwarves. Who are they when they're at home? And the hints I've seen from other authors (like Dwarf women being hidden away, in at least one story I saw a few years ago) - would parts of their culture be off-limits to a visiting Hobbit? Or not? (And unless JRRT wrote about Dwarf women with beards, it's not something I can easily wrap my brain around unless, like your story mentions, fake beards are involved.) All that to say, I've barely scratched that surface. Hence, I'm so impressed by the amount of thought that has obviously gone into your "Balin" story. p.p.s. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to leave a good word! Author Reply: p.p.p.s. Did you get my email? I was just wondering if I had the right address.

Author's reply

I certainly can! Very similar to the joy I feel, I'm pretty sure. (I can see how Cuillon rose from apprentice to the Head of the Houses of Healing over the years. He's a good listener!) I love the last few chapters of a story, when the angst is resolving (dissolving?) and I can lay the comfort on thick and pile on the joy. I do love a happy ending. Thanks so much for reading and stopping to leave an encouraging word! *hugs*

Author's reply

Thank you, my friend. The pain is not as sharp and constant as it was a week ago, but comes in short bursts now, whenever Panda would usually make her presence known. Walking in at the front door (to be greeted by a cat, nowadays, who has taken on the role of official greeter); the passing by of a delivery vehicle or a car parking out front; a cat scratching the furniture; the rattle of ice cubes (how she adored ice cubes); the striking of the clock at six o'clock, her favourite time of day next to "treat time"... Every time, I can't help looking around, expecting to see her bright eyes, full of mischief, and her wagging tail. D'y'know, I didn't know Sam was going to say that until he actually said it, and I looked at it for a moment, and it seemed a perfectly natural thing for him to say. It still made me smile just now as I read over the chapter again. I think it's an echo from a memory of a scene in the old 1960s film Zulu, where the Colour Sergeant says to someone (the wounded officer? the drunken minister?), "There's a good [fill in the person's identity (officer or minister, perhaps)]." (Come to think of it, it seemed rather incongruous there, as well.) Again, thanks for reading and stopping to leave a good word. The next (second-to-last?) chapter is about half done now, in terms of turning the draft chapter into a finished state, so I'm hoping to have it posted by the weekend. Think good thoughts, if you don't mind my asking. Author Reply: Because I should be sleeping instead of working on the laptop, I decided I might as well go the extra mile (as far as foolishness goes) and looked up that quote I was remembering. At least it won't keep me up, wondering, like an itch I can't scratch. The context was that the drunken minister had been thrown into the jail because he had been trying to urge the British soldiers not to fight. While in the jail, he resorted to saying such jolly things as, "You're all going to die!" The Colour Sergeant noticed that his guards were looking uneasy, so he stepped in. Here's the whole quote, as I found it written out by someone (meaning I am not responsible for punctuation or capitalization, lol): "Mr Witt Sir. Be quiet now will you, there's a good Gentleman; You'll upset the Lads". Author Reply: I also remember being upset that the Colour Sergeant was not mentioned among all those who were awarded the Victoria Cross from that incident. Interestingly, in looking for that quote just now, I ran across this explanation: It has been suggested that Colour Sergeant Bourne DCM took promotion instead of a VC. He ended his career as Lieutenant Colonel Frank Bourne OBE DCM. He is buried in Beckenham Cemetery and Crematorium, found on Elmers End Road on the A214, details of location can be obtained from the lodge on entering. (I thought it might have been because he was a fictionalized character, like I seem to remember reading about the sergeant in the movie Gettysburg, but apparently Bourne in the film was based on a real person.) And now I will stop nattering on and try to wind down while it's still dark outside. *hugs*

Author's reply

Ah to be able to edit review replies... I am constantly starting a parenthetical thought and then forgetting to close it. (As I did in my reply to your previous comment.) Hmm. I don't have Microsoft Edge. I do have Firefox and Safari. I will have to see if either of those browsers has that feature. Thanks for the tip! (I got locked out of SoA when my password saved on my laptop got corrupted, not long after I posted the latest chapter to this one, but I was luckily able to locate a note where I'd written down the password quite a while ago. Whew. I'm so glad to be able to answer reviews and post new chapters. This story is nearly complete.)

Author's reply

Oh, my, it has been so long since I read Fiondil's stories... They are on my "want to read again" list, which I'm beginning to work through, along with stories on my "want to read list" that I didn't have time, over the past decade, to read. Your comment has moved that particular Elf Academy Christmas tale to the top of the list! (Whichever list it might be... I know I read and thoroughly enjoyed several "Elf Academy" stories, but I don't know if that was one of them. Actually, the General's first words are loosely adapted from a Civil War account of Joshua Chamberlain. A bullet passed through his horse's neck and hit something (a framed picture of his wife and a pocket Bible, I read in one description) in his pocket, preventing the bullet from penetrating his chest near his heart. The impact knocked him unconscious, and he awakened lying facedown on his horse's neck, covered in the horse's blood, hearing his commanding general, who was supporting him in the saddle, say, "My dear general, you are gone." According to Chamberlain's account, he heard a rebel yell at that moment, sat up, said, "Yes, General, I am," and directed his wounded but still standing horse to take him back into the battle to rally the faltering Union line. You are very perceptive to catch the implications of the slower gallop! And yes, I can imagine that those who were sent off to safety during the Siege of Minas Tirith would not recognise the battle song, but the sound would have an impact on all those who were in the City during the attack, as well as the Rohirrim who were outside the City. It's so good to hear from you! Thanks for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. ((((hugs))))

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Thank you! I hope you and yours have a lovely weekend. The sun is shining here, and it looks like spring outside (blooming trees and daffodils).