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Lesser Ring by Larner	5 Review(s)
Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/24/2005
Justice was indeed served for everyone. I liked that it wasn't just a blanket punishment for all of them. Death sometimes is the easy way out for people and it was fitting that a couple of them had to work in quarries for the rest of their lives. It was also very wise of the Farozi to have mercy on the common soldiers, he will end up with - I would think anyway - some loyal men in the long run. Most of those men were probably tricked into it in some way or were following orders, though maybe they were being paid too - you never know! :) But spreading them out would minimize the risk to himself. Oh, I also liked that Benai's story came out in the open like that. Now everyone knows about it and so on one will think they took slaves. Poor Aragorn though! :( Having to behead another person and having to deal with the consequences of doing that. (That was one scene I tried not to imagine in my head - since the guy was standing up and Aragorn swinging his sword... Rhonda is shuddering here!) Pippin and Isumbard were brave to touch and take that ring and then very supportive of Aragorn and he so appreciated both of them. I was thinking how Hardorn 'knows' his place and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. But when they were in Bree he was arguing with Aragorn to let him execute that man and here he would never even think of doing something like that. It's like you can do that kind of thing in front of your family and friends, but never in front of company! :) I don't know if you needed to know that, but it struck me as I read when Aragorn took the rag from Hardorn to wipe his sword and Hardorn hadn't said a word to him. I loved when Arwen wouldn't leave Aragorn when he was bathing and the servants were scandalized - that was funny! Great chapter as usual and I can't wait for the next one. Author Reply: Sorry it's taken an extra day, but I was ill yesterday again, so was resting most of it. Yes, Hardorn knows his place, and his limitations. He knows he is not up to facing the works of the Enemy directly, and that this is precisely what Aragorn was trained all those years to dealing with. (BTW--I amended the scene where he discusses this slightly in view of your observations.) And too many deaths would desensitize the people of Thetos. Remove those who knew their orders were wrong but who followed through on them anyway; give the ones whose knowledge of what they were doing and why is under reasonable doubt a choice between life maimed or life with a hope of regaining and demonstrating honor, without them being together where they might take part in further conspiracies; and send three primarily involved in the conspiracy into perpetual slavery with no hope of buying themselves out, two of them into excrutiating manual labor in the quarries and one into the totally demeaning realms of the laundry, with its heat and humidity in an already hot climate--he must believe he has just entered Hell, going from privileged and relatively free to such a place and difficult work where he will have no rank to pull--not one who has probably never wrung or ironed a sheet in his life. And then the would-be spider finding himself facing the spiritual brother of those who have dealt with webs before--it would be a shock. Thanks for the feedback.

Amy	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/24/2005
I love Arwen not letting Aragorn out of her sight to bathe, and the servants being scandalized. The justice is appropriately solemn. Ugh, another beheading. Interesting to think what effect these incidents have on Aragorn's healing skills. Author Reply: I doubt the executions Aragorn performed had much negative effect on his ability to heal--I think he'd do his best to throw himself even more deeply into healing to balance out the deaths he must cause. He would see executions probably in light of the surgeon's realization that putrifying tissue must be removed in order to guard the health of the body, which in this case is all of Middle Earth. And after realizing her husband had spent the last twenty-four hours dodging assassination attempts and hunting baddies, I think Arwen would want to keep him in sight for a time. She is beginning to fully realize, I think, how closely her own life is tied to his, how the Light of her Being and her heart are so closely entrusted to him. Thanks for responding.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/24/2005
Another great chapter! I loved it how the prisoners were questioned in a way they did admit their folly themselves. And I begin to like the Farozi more and more. His sentences were very fitting, I think, and the one I've enjoyed the most was the one for Sherfiramun, I have to admit. He will have a lot of time to think his actions over. Now I only wonder what will happen to his wife - will Sohrabi care for her in the future? I suppose she wasn't involved in this all, and she is the sister of his daughter-in-law, after all. Oh, by the way, I had to giggle about the servants who were so scandalized because Arwen joined her husband in the bathroom. The Haradrim have odd customs if they are scandalized because of this! grins The little scene between Aragorn, Pippin and Isumbard after the removing of the ring was so very touching, how they comforted each other. Somehow it is good to know Aragorn doesn't shy away from expressing his feelings for them even in public and in such circumstances. Author Reply: Aragorn would need to balance what he's just had to do with reminding himself of the love he is surrounded by. Hobbits are just the antidote he needs to keep himself from sinking into a depression brought about by this assault on his spirit. Hobbits are the Shire, warm homes, full tables, practical jokes, love expressed openly and without reservation. And Pippin and Isumbard need to realize that this is the reality they go back to, that this is what is treasured about them. I suspect that in a private home in Harad husbands and wives wouldn't be overly modest with one another; but in the Farozi's home slaves would be most taken aback by such overt signs of intimacy as a woman watching her husband bathe and perhaps washing his back. In the homes of the nobles of Egypt rarely did the nobles do much of anything by themselves--slaves applied their cosmetics and kohl, slaves dressed and undressed them, fitted them with their wigs, and so on. For a noble wife to do for her husband? Unheard of! In so much of history where there were slaves and the overuse of body servants, the ones so served must at times have felt more like living dolls than people in their own rights.

lindahoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/23/2005
This was great chapter.I loved the way the prisoners ended up condemning themselves and their own folly and each received a fitting punishment. I also enjoyed Aragorn's speech over the folly of trusting Sauron and his touching scene with the Hobbits. I was thinking,it shows Tolkien's greatness that we all have our own strong views over what our favourite characters would or would not do.In my current story I'm getting a lot of feedback over what readers think Aragorn will or will not do with Mahrod. Author Reply: Oh, I'm not going to second-guess you and Aragorn--am wanting it to be a pleasant surprise. I hope each punishment is fitting. As for Merdirion--there are simply some who need--desperately need--to be taken out of the game of life, for they can only poison life for others once they reach this level, and I think Merdirion had reached that level, which is why Aragorn seeks to do what must be done--remove him and the threat the ring he bears pose--as swiftly and cleanly as possible.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/23/2005
Whoa! That was intense! whewbreathes* And now we know why Pippin had to go to Harad, don't we? Author Reply: Yes, this is indeed a good part of why he came, I think. Yes, it was intense, and I'm glad Pippin was there for his friend and his king. Aragorn needed him then.

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