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Twice Twenty by Dreamflower	11 Review(s)
cathleen	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 12/5/2010
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 Reply: Thank you so much, sweetie! I'm glad that you enjoyed it. And it's always fun to get "late" reviews!

Pearl Took	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 2/15/2006
Drat me!!! I read this and didn't respond!!! I love this. I love dear Boromir. And your Bilbo is terrific!! Well Done :) Author Reply: Thank you very much! I really enjoyed writing this one. Bilbo gives a good party, doesn't he?

Gryffinjack	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 11/15/2005
How delightful but bittersweet this Boromir-centric story was! Bormir's thoughts about the various members of the Company before they get under way are most interesting. "“They are creatures out of legend to me,” I confessed. “We have the occasional nursery tale of the mischievous pheriannath, the little folk who are fond of pranks, but are shy and seldom seen. Most folk in Gondor do not even believe that they exist.”" You have the right of it - Boromir would have been very curious about the hobbits, springing to life out of legend and story. It is not surprising that Boromir relates most to Merry and Pippin since he has been training them to fight. Boromir was a good man and valiant warrior; it is a shame that the Ring found and used his weaknesses, his fear for Gondor and his concern over the declining mental stability of his father. While I knew that Boromir had tried to save Merry and Pippin from the Uruk-Hai, I was very relieved last night to read in the book that Merry and Pippin had at the same time saved Boromir. It was in trying to save them that he really threw off the effects of the Ring and was saved at the end from a fate worse than his death itself. "They seemed concerned that I had not included my uncle and cousins as family at the first, and feared it indicated some family feud or bad blood between us. Their jests as well are often obscure to me, as though there is some secret language between them." "Pippin grinned up at me. “We’ll make a hobbit of you yet, Boromir.” I chuckled. I can think of worse fates." sigh I quite agree with Boromir on this one. "“... I am confiding into your care, and that of the others, those whom I hold most dear. I needed to know that they will be with those I can trust.”" Paladin, Eglantine, Saradoc, Esmerelda, Drogo, and Primula would all be proud of Bilbo and very thankful for the way his watching out over their sons. That sums up how concerned hobbits are about family relations as well as the unusually close bond between Merry and Pippin. "I am afraid that I misunderstood his standing in the House of Lord Elrond, and ...had taken him for no more than a comical, and possibly senile, old fool. I was soon set straight by the grave attention paid him at the Council, and ... began to realize that he was a person of sharp intelligence, and had a certain amount of authority due him not only due to his advanced years, but also to his social standing in his homeland. For though he had forsaken the Shire, it was quite clear by the relief his younger kin felt in finding him here, and in their quick submission to his authority as the senior member of their family." Long quote, but I love the way it captures an outsider's view of Bilbo and his relationship to the three cousins. Biblo is very intelligent and brave; for a hobbit, he's quite cosmopolitan. Yet, he retains his hobbitiness in his love of his family, song, and good nature. I'm glad you mentioned about how the three cousins immediately resumed their relationship with Bilbo of treating him with not only with love, but with the respect deserved by a senior member of the family. "The Elf, Legolas, was standing near the back of the room, watching the procedure with curious eyes. I get the feeling that hobbits are almost as much a mystery to him as they are to me." Very perceptive of Boromir. At this point, Legolas really didn't know hobbits well, although he later seems quite interested in them. I wonder if he were at home in Mirkwood during the time Bilbo was held prisoner there. "I am amazed at how cheeky all the hobbits are with the Wizard. I, too, have known Mithrandir from my childhood. He was ever a good friend to my brother, and was always kind to me as well, in spite of the fact that our father was never more than coldly polite to him. Yet even though I have known him at least as long as the younger hobbits, I would never dream of being so familiar with him. Yet he seems to take it in good humor, using a gruff and cranky tone with them, and scolding Pippin frequently, all with that same fond look in his eye." Another long quote, but this one is one of my favourites, for it speaks volumes about Gandalf's relationship not only with the hobbits, but with Boromir, Faramir, and Denethor as well. I particularly like the way you sum up Gandalf's relationship with Pippin, which only gets more special as they spend more time together on the Quest and Pippin is forced to mature early for his age. "“The City is fair, but grim. My father prepares her for war even now. The enemy is pressing us hard. Your strength will be welcome there, and the return of the King would put heart into our people.” “Yet would your father truly welcome me? I think my presence there might trouble him.” This troubled me somewhat as well. My father has always held that the Stewards were all the nobler for never having claimed the kingship, yet I know that he also grips his own authority with a strong hand. Still, he has always trusted my judgment. I think if he were satisfied that Aragorn was who he said he was, he would accept it. I am sure of it. Really, I am. Of course he would." I also enjoyed the interaction between Boromir and Aragorn. It's interesting that Boromir acknowledges that Aragorn is, if they succeed, his future king. It is in direct contrast to what Boromir knows to be his father's view on the matter of Aragorn's succession to the throne. Author Reply: Sorry it took me a while to respond here. I had a lot of interruptions yesterday. I'm glad you liked this one. Poor Boromir doesn't get a lot of time on stage, yet he was a vital part of the Fellowship, so in anything I can before he succumbs at Parth Galen, I like to make the most of him. And anything that features him is going to seem bittersweet to one who knows his fate, even if it is never referred to at all. Of course, my favorite part was his ruminations on the Hobbits, and as we get to see him often with Merry and Pippin, as well as Frodo and Sam somewhat, on the Quest, I wanted to show a bit of his reaction to Bilbo. I wondered how the old hobbit would first appear to one who came from the stern, no-frills atmosphere of Minas Tirith--and Bilbo's dry wit and self-deprecating way of speech must have been very misleading. "...Gandalf's relationship with Pippin, which only gets more special as they spend more time together on the Quest and Pippin is forced to mature early for his age." Thank you for spotting this! Gandalf's role with Pippin was somewhat different than that of his cousins and Sam. He was more of a parent figure than a "big-brotherly" one, and I really think that the Wizard must have been so proud of his little "fool of a Took". Well, as I tried to show, with Boromir's ambivalent thoughts on the subject: I don't know that Denethor would ever have expressed to him outright that he would never acknowledge a king from the north. Denethor was cagy, and kept his ideas to himself. And it was not known in Minas Tirith that "Isildur's Heir" even survived at all--that whole bit in the movie where Legolas says "He is Aragorn son of Arathorn" and Boromir suddenly knows that's Isildur's Heir is just bogus. I think that Boromir would have liked to believe his father would be honorable enough to acknowledge a legitimate claim to the throne when he saw one. Unfortunately, as we find out later, that faith would have been misguided.

Tigger	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 10/16/2005
Oh...How delightful. A Fellowship party hosted by Bilbo!! Loved the comments about the ale and Boromir's own story about how he tried to get Faramir drunk and they both ended up getting rather..."mellow". LOL!! This was a wonderful look at Boromir just before the Fellowship and how he started getting to know his travelling companions. Usually Boromir is regarded as being so very aloof and reserved. That's one of the things I loved about Sean Bean's portrayal of him in the movies. He made Boromir real and human. Know what I mean? Nice touch on Boromir trying to remember just why Aragorn seemed so familiar to him. I'd love to see you do a story about Boromir's realization/reaction to when he learns that Thorongil and Aragorn are one and the same. Aragorn would have been in Minas Tirith when Boromir was born after all and I've seen some excellent stories touching on this. I'd love to see your take on it. And Boromir's promise to Bilbo. How bittersweet was that? I believe in his heart Boromir did keep his promise in the end by trying to protect Merry and Pippin, but by that time..It was too late and the Ring had done it's damage. All in all, what a satisfying little story. Nicely done. Author Reply: Goodness! How did I miss seeing this review? My apologies for the late response! Sean Bean's portrayal of Boromir has very much colored my perception of him, although I had always thought of him as a noble and honorable Man, who was simply and finally overcome by the Ring's power, and fed by his inner turmoil over the fate of Gondor--and yet he was still able to throw off the temporary Ring-induced insanity, and spent his life to save Merry and Pippin. I have always felt there was true affection there for the two of them, as well as his trying to make amends to Frodo by trying to save his cousins. But Sean Bean's remarkable performance also gave Boromir a sense of humor, and allowed us to see his affection for the hobbits. Boromir did try to keep his promise to both Bilbo and to Frodo to protect those two--it was just a shame that he had that brief fall from grace, and as you said "the Ring had done its damage". And thank you for a most satisfying review. I am just sorry I did not see it sooner!

Lindelea	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 10/13/2005
O but this brought tears to my eyes, lighthearted as it was, especially the conclusion. Poor Boromir... I must tell Pipkinsweetgrass about this one, if she hasn't already read and left a review. Author Reply: Of course. Because we know the ultimate outcome, any story featuring Boromir is going to have a bittersweet quality to it, even without any allusions to the Ring at all. She did read it, and left me a blushingly lovely review on the LJ at 20_rings. Thank you!

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/25/2005
And woe betide me if I should cause their weapons practice to go even a few minutes past a regular meal. I do believe I could set a clock by the rumblings of Pippin’s stomach. The first time I watched Pippin eat, I was worried that he would make himself sick with all the quantities of food I watched him consume, only to have Merry turn to me, in all seriousness, and say “I’m worried about Pip. He seems to be off his feed. I suppose it’s all the fear for Frodo that has blunted his appetite.” I have since learned that Merry was quite right. I do not know what hobbits do with all the food they eat. lol Boromir has found out the most important thing about hobbits! After that, he shouldn’t have much more problems with them ;-) Sometimes I wonder how the hobbits get any work done. Six to seven meals a day means every two to three hours a meal, and if I count the time to prepare the meal, eat, and wash up after, I wonder how much time there is left for doing anything else! Anyway, it was interesting to see the fellowship through the eyes of Boromir, particularly his slow realization about who Bilbo is and what he once did during his adventure. Author Reply: I know. Sometimes I think JRRT made things difficult for us fic writers. I mean, you'll be just writing along happily, everything falling into place, and suddenly you realize "Darn. It's time to stop for another meal." I have fun occasionally with that. I once had a Dwarf ask "How do hobbits get anything done when they keep having to stop for meals?" and of course, in "Life of a Bard" I had Menelcar notice that Frodo starts making lunch right after the hobbits have finished their elevenses! LOL! And my hobbits mostly tell time by their stomachs, even when they have pocketwatches to hand, LOL! I think that it would be easy to underestimate Bilbo at first meeting. His hobbity sense of humor would get in the way of realizing just how brave and intelligent he really was.

SlightlyTookish	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/21/2005
This is terrific! I love stories where the Fellowship is getting to know one another, and I adore all of Boromir's observations about his companions. It's especially wonderful to see him realize Bilbo's position both among the other hobbits and in Rivendell. I really do love how the Elves made tiny cups and chairs for him! :) Author Reply: I'm quite sure that once Bilbo had retired to Rivendell, Elrond would have done everything in his power to make him comfy, including furniture and utensils and dishes sized for his use. It's not like he was a passing guest who had to make do. Author Reply: Sorry, I was interrupted before I could finish. I can imagine that to someone who was unfamiliar with hobbits, Bilbo's humorous and light turn of speech might make them think he was silly or foolish. But it's quite clear that Elrond and the others respect him at the Council--only Gloin smiles at him, and that's out of affection. It probably took Boromir a bit aback. And I think he might be excused for not realizing Bilbo's courage and intelligence when he recounted his Adventure, as Boromir had so much other information bombarding him.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/21/2005
I like the Boromir point of view - and the description of the party is great. I'm glad the non-hobbits have realised that you don't hold back where food is concerned! And Boromir's look at Bilbo is very interesting. As is his perspective on the rest of them. (Poor Boromir. The Sacrifice.) Author Reply: Poor Boromir, the Sacrifice, as you said. I'm glad you enjoyed this; Bilbo giving a party is a given. I'm sure he wanted to give his young ones' escort the once over. After all, he knew Gandalf and Aragorn, but the others were relative strangers. We see at the Council that, while Bilbo's speech is droll and hobbity, he is still taken seriously by Elrond and others who knew him. Boromir was a complete stranger, though, and might be somewhat excused for falling for that silly persona, and missing the intelligence underneath. I like stories where Boromir gets to appreciate his hobbit companions, and his POV jsut came to me.

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/20/2005
I loved Boromir in this and it was such fun to see Bilbo as host. I also liked the fact that the Elves had beer and ale to go with their wine. Makes them much more likable. A lovely party! Author Reply: I'm glad you liked Boromir's POV here. Bilbo is a good host, especially when he has planned his party, LOL! Really, I mean a race that lives for thousands of years? To suggest that they'd only like wine would be a bit silly. I don't mind making it a cultural preference, but I'm sure they liked other things to drink as well, from time to time,and so, what with no Pepsi or iced tea available...

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 9/20/2005
It is too bad the Ring had to interfere with Boromir following through on his vow. Well told. Author Reply: I know. Boromir as I see him, was noble and well-intentioned. And in Rivendell, before they set out, I think that he was probably able to think clearly, the Ring had not yet begun Its insidious work. I think that once they set out, It probably soon found his weakness: his pride, and the despair his father had instilled in him, and began to work upon it. Its progress was slow, however, and not until Galadriel exposed it in Lothlorien, did It begin to see success. And only a temporary success at that--after all, he threw Its influence off only moments after succumbing. But too late, I am afraid.

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