Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

The Choice of Healing by Larner	5 Review(s)
Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 4/13/2006
The spirit of Ungoliant was what made the wound keep filling as it did? She was trying to consume him from the inside out? Ugh!! Oh, that is horrible--makes me squirm to think of! But a very interesting explanation. And I think I may see an opening for a short story here. What did Frodo feel during this ordeal? Or have you already done it? I love this little scene: “I won’t ever be far from you, you know, Frodo. I’ll always be there near your right shoulder, by your mum and dad and Rory and Gilda.” “And who will be at my left shoulder, then?” “Who else? Your Aunt Dora, puffing like a dragon but with the heart of a mallow, as always.” Frodo laughed in spite of himself as he looked into the eyes of his beloved Uncle Bilbo. Bilbo’s eyes shone with a special light this night, as they stood together and watched the stars for a time before they went into the small summer house one last time together. Very sweet and poignant, but gentle as well. I'm so glad Bilbo never lost his sense of humour. :) God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: If you find yourself moved to write a short story regarding Frodo and the spider bite, do feel free to indulge yourself. I'd be glad to see what it sparks. There is a species of spiders in South America that lays its eggs just below the surface of the skin of the host. A blister appears over the egg, and as the spiderling grows before it's ready to face a hostile world it feeds on the flesh and blood of its host; then one day the skin splits and the spider emerges. This has inspired a few horror stories and movies, as you can well imagine; and I borrowed this in part from "The Religion" and sort of did my own take on it for this story. I doubt Bilbo Baggins would ever lose his sense of humor, or lose his desire to reassure Frodo that all will be well. And I think that even as he prepared to leave Frodo he'd find a way to make his younger cousin laugh. Frodo tended to be far too solemn and needed reason to remember how to laught, I think.

Inkling	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 9/2/2005
Back from travels in Hobbit Country—aka the British Isles—and looking forward to finally finishing this story! I got sidetracked almost as soon as I started this chapter, however, as it prompted me to go back and reread parts of "Filled with Light as with Water"…very interesting how you’ve woven threads of that story into this one…replaying the same scene, but this time from Bilbo’s perspective. The idea of the King’s gift, and its parallel in the Elves’ and hobbits’ connection to the land, was lovely. How sad that men today have no such link… But the business with Ungoliant was rather startling! Wherever did that idea come from? Author Reply: Ooh, I want to so go back to York and Banbury once more! I miss them so! Lucky, lucky you--did you go to the conference? Wish I could have done so. I try to keep my stories consistent with one another, so decided to look at the same scene from a different point of view, and am glad you appear to have appreciated it. As for Ungoliant--wellllllll, I'd always wondered what became of her, at the same time I couldn't figure out why that spider bite might keep reopening--and then it hit me! Once a Maia IIRC, Ungoliant wouldn't easily fade away; so where might she have gone? And she couldn't have returned openly to Aman, so if she found herself in one who managed to get onto the threshold of the Undying Lands as a stowaway of sorts, what might she have done? A perverse sort of guess and image of what MIGHT have happened, of course. I hope you appreciated the might-have-been. Anyway, hope you enjoy the last chapter, too. Good to have you back and hope you enjoyed your time in Jolly Old. /Larner sighs and looks at her depleted bank balance and pouts.

Armariel	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 4/13/2005
Beautifulllll!!! You just have this amazing knack for knowing exactly how to tell a story we already know;) Which parts to leave out, which to fill in, how to make characters both consistent with the book and yet give them your own special shine, and how to generate suspense even when we already know what's going to happen...and as someone else remarked, it's a good thing I do know because it would be awfully hard for me to read it all otherwise. Thanks for sharing your talents with the rest of us.... blessings Armariel~~~{~@ Author Reply: And thank you, Armariel, for the response. Makes it worth while.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 4/13/2005
Two chapters today :-) The first was quite sad (truly shouldn't read this at work - luckily I was alone in the room at this early time and no one saw my tears!), but I am glad Merrys and Pippins parents begin to understand at last, especially the latters. Dear Frodo, he has done it, no matter the costs for himself! It was good how they welcomed Merry and Pippin back - it would have been a horror if Paladin had reacted so bad as before. The second gave me something to think. Of course I knew Shelob was a child of Ungoliant, but it had never before occured to me to make such a link between them both and Frodo. Very interesting idea, and quite plausible, I think. Loved it how Bilbo held stubborn to life as long as Frodo needed him. Dear old Hobbit! Oh - and I am glad you spared me the Grey Havens. That is always much too sad. Author Reply: I've already done the Grey Havens twice, in For Eyes to See as Can and in The King's Commission, so felt another repetition would have been gratuitous at this point, unless I did it from Merry's or Pippin's point of view. Hadn't meant to do two chapters, but accidentally posted the second and had to slip the first back into the works. Yes, Bilbo would have hung on for Frodo's sake, and I'm glad he did. Thanks for the response, and hope you like the last two chapters.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 4/12/2005
This is fascinating! Although I knew Shelob was Ungoliant's spawn, I had never thought of the idea that Ungoliant might have possessed her, and passed some of that darkness on to Frodo! Yet it does make perfect sense. One thing I do love about your stories is the intelligent way you make me think of things that had not occurred to me before. Author Reply: Oh, I'm so glad you liked this! Thanks for the review.

Return to Chapter List