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| Moments in Time by Larner | 15 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Periantari | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/9/2007 |
| Wow that's very interesting perception on why Pippin left the Shire at the end as well. It seems to me, all the Fellowship had to leave Middle-earth in some way, either in their homeland or abroad and this little dialogue between Faramir and Pippin is so realistic and so insightful. Thanks so much for this! I really like it! procrastinating studying to read a little bit of your shorter works... i must say i really really really loved "Requesting Mercy" too and will leave you a longer review when time allows. Author Reply: In "Reconciliation" I'd written the Rangers telling Saradoc, Esmeralda, Paladin, Eglantine, and Merimac about the expected effects of lembas on mortals as Tolkien described in one of his letters. In one of the responses to that chapter someone asked whether or not Merry and Pippin might also be expected to know the Sea Longing, and how it might have expressed itself, and this story resulted. That you find it realistic and insightful is interesting, as I have received feedback elsewhere that some readers found it contrary to their expectations regarding Pippin. All I could do was shrug. As this is sixty-some years after the quest, I'd expect that Pippin would have a good deal of self-knowledge he didn't know back when he first left the Shire. Thanks so much for the feedback. | |
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/30/2005 |
| How very different a look at Pippin and Merry's leaving. How touching and comforting/sad. Well Done!! Author Reply: Am so glad you found it moving, and capable of evoking so many different moods, Pearl. | |
| Radbooks | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/30/2005 |
| What a wonderful Christmas present! Thank you so much, Larner. What a bittersweet moment between Pippin and Faramir. I was so angry at the gossip that Faramir referred to when he asked his father if he was running away to die. To think that Frodo had left so that people would be left guessing about his death and prolong their grief, etc. People have such short memories, though I know everyone just likes to have something to talk about. Celeborn and Galadriel were well aware of what they were doing when they gave the Fellowship lembas for their journey and knew that whatever the cost, it was worth it for the survival of Middle-earth. Though, I think it would have been kinder to have informed the Fellowship members of that potential cost to themselves. But then I suppose just agreeing to go on the quest had proved that they were willing to risk their lives for Middle-earth and this seemed a lesser thing to the elves. I was glad that Faramir was finally able to accept his father's decision even if he probably didn't fully understand it. I doubt that anyone except Merry could fully understand why he had to go and be with those that loved and missed Frodo and felt the pull of the sea like he did. They needed to part on good terms. Thanks again for a wonderful present! :) Author Reply: You are so welcome, Radbooks. And I, too, am glad that Faramir began to understand and to accept. But it must have been difficult for those who were left behind to understand why all four of the Travellers had to leave the Shire at the end. None of them was happy to remain; and once Sam left, Merry and Pippin followed so soon afterwards. | |
| SlightlyTookish | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2005 |
| I usually don't like reading stories about Merry and Pippin when they're old and leaving the Shire. But when I saw you wrote this one I just had to read it, and I'm so glad I did. I love your explanation of how the lembas caused the restlessness in them. It just makes so much sense! Thank you so much for this. I really enjoyed it. Author Reply: Sorry it's taking me so long to do responses to reviews, but I had an interesting last week of the month with my work schedule--in two weeks I worked eleven days almost straight, and one of them was a twenty-four hour shift, which was INTERESTING. Gaack! I was inspired by one of the Tolkien quotes on this site from HoME to put into The Acceptable Sacrifice that much of Frodo's own restlessness was due to having eaten the lembas, and Aragorn admits he, too, feels the Sea Longing, as do Sam and Gimli to a lesser extent; and so I had two people ask, but wouldn't it have had a similar response on Merry and Pippin? That got the imagination working, and this is what came out. Am glad you found it worth while braving Merry and Pippin growing older to read. Am very glad you enjoyed it. | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/27/2005 |
| It’s fascinating what I’m learning about Tolkien’s work through fanfiction. Before Nilmandra put this up here, I’d not even known about this effect of lembas. Now you’ve secured I remember it! In this case, it seems logical Merry and Pippin have the sea-longing, too, after they had some of it on the Quest. No wonder they’re restless. It’s a bit sad they can’t sail, though. And it would offer a reason why they leave the Shire and spend their last years in the south. Although for Legolas I had always thought it was the cry of the gulls. But maybe it was the combination of both. As they don’t know for sure if Pippin’s pony is a descendant of Aragorn’s Roheryn, you mean they’re not drawing family trees for their horses, too? How un-hobbitish! :) Author Reply: The eating of the lembas wasn't said to cause the Sea Longing in Elves; but it might indeed have reinforced it once it was awakened for Legolas by the cries of the gulls. I'd read the description of the raising of the grain from which lembas was made before, but hadn't any idea that it was considered perilous to mortals for its danger in awakening the Sea Longing as it could; and so once I saw that quote I wrote it into "The Acceptable Sacrifice" as one of the reasons Arwen would consider begging the right for Frodo to take her place. But once the question was asked whether Merry and Pippin could have known its effects this was the story which came out. So often once an idea is sparked, particularly from Tolkien's own auxilliary writing, I find it starts inspiring what I write immediately. | |
| Queen Galadriel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/27/2005 |
| Oh, poor Pip! I never imagined *he* would feel the sea-longing. I thought that he and Merry left the Shire simply because they felt more at home in the lands they'd come to love and with the kings to whom they'd given their allegiance. A very interesting take on this, Larner. God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: It was the quote a week ago that lembas could waken the Sea Longing in mortals that led to this, along with the question as to how Merry and Pippin might have responded. It just sort of flowed out from that. But they do say farewell to Eomer, and then spend their last days with Aragorn, comforted, I think, by his presence. It must have been hard on him, losing the last two of the Hobbits with whom he'd traveled so far! Thanks for the response! | |
| Garnet Took | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/26/2005 |
| This was wonderful. I didn't read the quotes, but this make perfect sense. I actually had a tear in my eye when Farry didn't seem to understand his father's reasoning. I was so afraid that they'd part on bad terms--glad I was wrong. I must confess that I was thrilled that you chose Pippin and Farry as the main characters in this. Thanks. GT. Author Reply: The two quotes from HoME were thought-provoking, and led me to write the information on the possible effects of lembas on mortals into my current story "The Acceptable Sacrifice"; then Harrowcat and Dreamflower both asked how they might have affected Merry and Pippin. Letting that percolate in my imagination produced this. So very glad you appreciated it. As for why Faramir and Peregrin Took rather than Merry and his son--well, it was Farry and Pippin that appeared in my mind's eye when I began writing. Thanks so much for the comments and questions. | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/26/2005 |
| This was very moving.I'd never have thought of the lembas that way before.Were you inspired by the quote on the page ?I'm glad Pppin was able to get his son to understand. Author Reply: Yes, I was indeed inspired by the quote they had last week. And, I, too, am glad Faramir appears to have understood at the last. After all, in "Light on the Way" he follows his father to Minas Anor to become the newest of Aragorn's companions from the Shire, and is by Aragorn's side when he goes to his own rest. | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/26/2005 |
| "First time I left the Shire I was following Frodo, but in the end I couldn’t go all the way with him, although I certainly intended to. Now I can’t go after him the way he went, either, but I’ll go to those who understand because they feel it, too." Wonderful, indeed! A perfect explanation for the feeling of restlessness Merry and Pippin (and the other remaining members of the fellowship) experienced after the quest. One last question - I love to ask questions, you know ;-) Why did you chose Pippin? Did you have a particular reason for it? Author Reply: While Sam remained, Merry and Pippin stayed as Master and Thain. He left the Shire to follow Frodo; and the others, their wives also being dead now, followed after, left to the South, to bid Eomer goodbye and to remain by Aragorn and Arwen until their own ends came, their tombs finally being set by the final resting place for Aragorn's own remains, Tolkien tells us in the appendices. Why? And might the effects of the lembas, which have been described in the quotes from HoME posted here last week, have had a part in that? As for why Pippin and not Merry, can't really say save that as the questions I noted above started percolating through my mind, it was Pippin I saw with his pony, descended from Strider's Roheryn somehow. So, it was Pippin and Faramir whose conversation we hear. | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/26/2005 |
| What a wonderful Christmas present. Thank you so much dear Larner. Keep it simmering, even if it has to be on the back burner, because it is just begging to be expanded. I can't imagine Pippin and Merry getting all the way to Rohan and Gondor without at least a few adventures on the way. And I can just see the white tree and all that singing too. Happy holidays. Jet sends a wag and a howl back. Author Reply: It will be on the back burner for a time, I fear; but it and Camaloa are still struggling for expansion. Glad you appreciate it. A joyful Christmas season and new year to you. Prayers still going up for your parents. | |