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The Minstrel's Quest by Gentle Hobbit	9 Review(s)
Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 8/8/2005
Merry is almost as nervous during the performance as if he were singing the song himself. I loved how Merry presented his case to Aragorn and the respect that Aragorn showed Merry. I also loved your discription of both songs and the fact that Menelor's song was extremely moving as well. It doesn't make an easy choice for Aragorn. Loved Pippin talk of Farohan surely returning in time for his meal too.

GamgeeFest	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/22/2005
You go Merry! I know Aragorn has a lot going on at the moment, but he shouldn't have been so dismissive of the hobbits' feelings on this. I'm glad he listened and is willing to give Farohan a chance. I loved your descriptions of both lays. It's good to know that Merry would have been satisified with Menelor's lay if it had come to that, but Farohan's time was well spent it seems. His teacher should have more faith in him in the future. Author Reply: Poor Aragorn. Beset on all sides by the needs of all these different people (and his own desires for a finished lay!) But through it all, he has shown willingness to listen when reasonable words are spoken. He needed Merry to put his foot down, I think.

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/22/2005
Wow! Farohan's lay has impressed Merry deeply, and me, too. What happened to Merry is exactly what always happens to me when I listen to the brilliant soundtrack of Howard Shore. There, too, amongst the music of Gondor and Rohan and Mordor is always the voice of the Shire! Aragorn should see this too. I really hope so! Merry will be a good Master of Buckland, when the time comes :) Author Reply: Merry will be a brilliant Master. Absolutely! And... what a lovely comment, that you likened Merry's experience with the lay to your own with Shore's soundtracks. Those soundtracks are brilliant, aren't they. Thank you, Andrea.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/22/2005
Sorry for reviewing twice but I had another thought. Aragorn was right when he said that the lay needed to speak to the people of Gondor. Merry was right when he says that Gondor will only understand through the words of the lay. The Shirefolk also need to understand what Sam and Frodo did, (and Merry and Pippin of course). Perhaps both lays are needed! Author Reply: No worries! This is an interesting comment. Yes, just as Shirefolk need their voice to be heard in Gondor, so does Frodo need his voice to be heard back in his homeland. Alas, as we already know, his voice, one of the four Travellers, is the only one that isn't heard. A good bit of heroics in a lay would have woken the folk back home quite nicely!

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/22/2005
Oh so lovely - to have both lays be powerful and moving is a masterstoke. The offer of the different harp built the tension for me. I play the clarinet and to swap to another instrument without practice would definitely affect my performance. And the way that Aragorn is approached by the hobbits was great. 'we used to speak easily to you, things have changed.' How sad but true. I am dying to hear Aragorn's reaction to the lays. Author Reply: It is interesting that you mentioned the tension of having to switch to a new instrument without practice. I play the harp, myself, and I know that, for example, the strings on mine are very slightly wider apart--not by much, but enough to make a difference--than most harps. To switch to another always necessitates an adjustment period where my fingers mustn't splay quite so much to create chords, etc. I know that my performance would certainly be affected by such a switch! I'm afraid that there isn't a detailed reaction from Aragorn. His reaction is more implied than described. There are, however, reactions from several others, each in their own way. I hope that that will make up (a little) for the lack of Aragorn's...

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/22/2005
I'm glad Menelor's lay is impressive - and that Farohan's is better. (Menelor still didn't think that Farohan had anything to sing, did he!) Merry is right - both to point out that he and Pippin are the representatives of the Shire, and to say that Farohan is the only one who has tried to understand what Frodo did from Frodo's perspective. Don't know if that's quite what Gondor wants to hear, but it is what Gondor should hear. I like the way all nearby men have been shepherded out of hearing. And that Menelor is generous enough to let Farohan play the extra-special harp. It'll be interesting to hear what Aragorn and Menelor have to say. Author Reply: Menelor was certainly not expecting what came! And the message of Merry is what Gondor definitely needed to hear. I am glad that you pointed out that message. The need for a "minority" culture to have a voice is an important theme in the story, and the majority need to learn and respect that voice.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/21/2005
What a beautiful description of Farolan's lay! Gorgeous! I don't think there is any contest at this point. Author Reply: Perhaps you are right. Perhaps there is none. And... I am glad that you liked the description of the lay. That was a focal point of the story, so I wanted it to work for everyone. Thank you for telling me that it did for you.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/21/2005
Good for Merry! To stand up for the hobbits that way was what was needed, and I am so glad to see that he did! I am surprised Aragorn was reluctant to listen to him, but I am very glad he did not back down and said his piece! Your description of the music was beautiful; I could almost hear it! Author Reply: I think Aragorn was caught between three voices here: his own need for a guaranteed, finished lay, the advice of a master harper (who should know what he is talking about), and the needs of two dear friends. But, as you say, Good for Merry! And thank you for your kind words about the music description. I wanted that to work very much, and it seems to have done so.

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 7/21/2005
Ohhhh, what a beautiful description of each singer's different song! I feel as if I was in that tent myself. "Aragorn, we have no voice! If this lay is truly to honour Frodo, it simply must allow him, and the land he is from, to have a voice. Frodo is not an elf. He is not a warrior. The only way that the Men of Gondor and Rohan can truly understand is to listen to the harper who is willing to be that voice. Only Farohan has taken that time to truly honour Frodo, and to respect the only emissaries of the Shire that can speak for him." Wonderful. And this explains something about why Aragorn made the Thain and the Master two of his councillors of the North. Author Reply: "And this explains something about why Aragorn made the Thain and the Master two of his councillors of the North." Yes! The very beginnings of those appointments can be seen here in this story. Fancy that. I'm glad that the descriptions felt "real." I knew that I could never actually write a lay, so this is how I wanted to express Farohan's (and Menelor's) artistry.

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