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The Acceptable Sacrifice by Larner	10 Review(s)
Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/26/2006
It was interesting to see how quickly things are being restored physically around the Shire, though of course the trees and such will take a long time to grow. But houses and things are almost finished. All the missing people is so horrible! I hope they are just in Bree or somewhere like that. :( Rosie is a very practical hobbit lady and I like her. I want to shake Esmeralda and Eglantine and tell them to 'wake up!' How can they not understand?! They have heard so much from so many different people, they must be getting some idea of what their sons went through! Oh well, it will come eventually. :) I'm just sorry for the pain that Pippin especialy has to go through. Author Reply: Yes, things are improving throughout the Shire, as the Master has told us all were willing to aid in the restoration, from young to old. It is the missing folk who will prove the hardest to accept, I think. Some are probably murdered, and some probably flown, and some simply still in hiding, not quite believing the rumors that it is all over. But that understanding will come, at least. I myself want to shake Eglantine, but feel with Esmeralda who DOES want to understand but who needs to hear it again more slowly so she can understand fully what has happened to her son, her former fosterling cousin, and her nephew, not to mention Sam. Mina has lived with Frodo, and look how long it has taken for her to learn and to accept, after all. But Pippin and the rest, including the parents, will come through this, after all. Thanks so much.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/26/2006
Why have I the distinct feeling Sam now does know every tree in the Shire personally? grin But I have to admit, the hobbits have been very busy and restored astonishingly much of the Shire in very short time. Somehow it is quite ironic that Rosie, who's only a farmer's daughter, is more understanding and knowledgeable than the wives of Thain and Master and able to explain some things to them. And it is not only because she is Sam's sweetheart, for the other two are the mothers of Pippin and Merry, after all, and could have access zu the same information. I think Rosie wants to understand, how horrible it may be, and that is something in which particularly Eglantine is lacking. It's interesting to see their slow realization again, this time from another point of view. Author Reply: I think that Sam, having replanted a good number of them and prepared to replant more, just DOES now know all the trees--those that survived and the new ones going into the ground. It's been a good deal of work, but the Master did indicate he had the help of every available Hobbit at his disposal, from the fresh ones of the littlest lads and lasses to the horny ones of the oldest gaffers and gammers. Esmeralda wants to understand, but Merry can't be brought to say much; Pippin's eager to tell, but his folks won't believe him. Which indeed leaves Rosie as the one who is able to tell each more; and possibly she, Mina, and Aster are the three ladies of the Shire who know the most as to what the four Travelers actually managed to do out there. The reluctant education of Eglantine Took does continue. Yes, ironic indeed.

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/26/2006
"Mr. Merry and Mr. Pippin learned to fight with their swords, and learned to fight well, they did. Master Frodo and my Sam--well Mr. Merry says as they fought the Enemy with their wills, and managed to bring him down." Now, that is interesting! It must be frightening for the two hobbit ladies to think of their sons fighting against men and orcs. However, from their own experiences with the ruffians they are able to imagine such a fight. But how does one "fight" only with his will against the Dark Lord - to finally bring him down? I can very well imagine that Esme and Eglantine don't understand what Rosie tries to explain to them. They have seen from the looks of Frodo and Sam that they suffered a lot and are still suffering. But they are only beginning to comprehend what really happened on the journey. BTW, I have to agree with Dreamflower that I really would like to read more about Gimli's visit to the Shire! Author Reply: The idea of fighting with ones will is a difficult one to encompass, probably. And I'm certainly glad that the two of them learned to do just that. You're right that this would be a most difficult concept to understand, and especially for Englantine. But hopefully they will in the end understand before Frodo leaves the Shire. Gimli's point of view comes in the next chapter, which I hope to post tomorrow.

Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/26/2006
This is so ironic: Rosie, the youngest and the one most likely to be looked down upon, if these matrons were the sort to sink so low, understands the most among them. And when she tries to explain, she completely bewilders the others. I wish she could have explained it-or somebody could have-I don't believe I'll ever forget that talk with Paladen, Eglantine, Esmeralda, and Saradoc in "For Eyes..." AT the time I read it I was dumbfounded. God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: As Rosie is most open to understanding and in the end has the most access to all four of them at moments when they are probably most willing to confide, Rosie is best able to understand. But if the four haven't been able to explain fully to Esme and Lanti, it's unlikely Rosie or Mina will be able to do so, not that either fully understands what happened. They, too, also only have partial information at this time. And so glad you remember that conversation in "For Eyes to See as Can." It must have been so difficult for Frodo to tell what he did, and for the parents to hear the stories of their sons read from the Red Book--but at last they had the full details.

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/25/2006
Well, that was quite an infodump! It was nice to hear what Sam and the rest of the Hobbits have been up to, though I would have preferred to see it "in person." Also nice to hear that Gimli has paid a visit and that Galadriel herself isn't above helping out. Author Reply: Whether through her native foresight or the Mirror, Galadriel has sent her gift for the restoration of Bag End; and they'll undoubtedly find each carpet fits a particular room--how much do you want to bet? ;-) I'd thought of following Sam during a planting trip, but realized that at 75 chapters this story is already going VERY long; if I'm to close off this story EVER, I need to be a bit more Scotch with my descriptions, I think. And thanks for the comments.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/25/2006
Not understanding yet maybe, just maybe, beginning to accept that these four may have had large places in bigger events than evil in the Shire. And I loved the description of the different facets of the King Larner. Author Reply: Yes, at last beginning to understand their sons and foster son and Sam have done special things "out there" that have special meaning to what happened and will continue to happen "in here" as well. And to realize that this King is a multifaceted personality in his own right and that he especially honors Frodo and Sam is something these two need to understand. This distant King, after all, isn't likely to remain distant if Merry and Pippin continue to remain friends with him, and if there are possibly visits back and forth to look forward to in the future.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/25/2006
Haven't read this chapter yet Larner but just had to respond to your last response. Given that it is Pippin's understanding then what you have put in is great. Actually, the image of Bilbo repeatedly trying to shove such a large packet as this must be, (it is a complicated will after all,) into his pocket is quite funny. Oh I do wish you were coming over to England soon as I would like to meet you in RL. Or that I could afford to visit the States any time soon. It sounds like we have much in common. I have also just invested in the complete CD set of Rob Inglis reading LOTR having worn out my cassette version trogging up and down the motorway. I was also contemplating swapping my car stereo for a CD player but have found an adaptor that lets me play my CD or MP3 player through the stereo. I could always send you one. I also play many listening books both in the car and at home for the same reason as you. It helps me stay alert in the car and helps me get to sleep at night. I don't sleep all that well and a tape helps me drop off again. Rather like Sam singing to Frodo I guess! They are an absolute life-line for my Mum as she finds reading very tiring now. She belongs to a Listening book club and for a modest fee is listening to one book while the next is in the post. I wish I could join it but it is only for the disabled. Anyway I had better sign off and go read the chapter. Author Reply: My late husband was totally blind due to an accident when he was nineteen, and so I lived twenty-seven plus years hearing Talking Books and Cassette Books whenever he went to bed. Makes for some interesting tales. He was so glad when cassette books began to be made available commercially so he could begin building up a library of his own as he had before he was blinded (as with many blinded when older, he never became so proficient at braille he could read a book in it). Many of his first ones, indeed, we bought in England to read as we tootled down the lane. Our portable CD player got stolen soon after I moved to my current home, and I have few questions as to what became of it. Long, dreary story. But I DON'T sleep well with any speech going on around me, so don't usually listen when I go to bed. I have listened to LOTR on the boom box in the bedroom, though, while working on other tasks. I don't know the requirements for your mother to be enrolled in the library for the blind system in England, but here she'd be identified as reading impaired and could be enrolled in our system. Contact the RNIB to get more information as to requirements there.

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/25/2006
It's good to see the Shire returning to normal.I always enjoy hearing what the Hobitts feel about Aragorn. Author Reply: Yes, at last the Shire is returning toward normal, and the blessing of the Shire with the Lady's gift has begun. And as for Aragorn, the love the four bear him will one day be shared with so many more.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/25/2006
A very detailed chapter: I like the look "behind the scenes" at the nuts and bolts of restoring the Shire. I can well believe Sam keeping track of each and every tree he planted, and Merry's and Pippin's reports on getting rid of the rest of the Ruffians, and Frodo's report on the state of the investigation. I see you came on the same solution as I with having a trial period for the Ban, before it became permanent--really, that's only logical, when you think about it. They had to know whether it was feasible or not before it became a permanent edict! And I'd like to know more of Gimli's visit--that must have been a very nice and unexpected reunion with his young friends! And I wonder what he let drop about their deeds while he was there. I don't much imagine the Son of Gloin would have stood for any disrespect or incredulity to "his" hobbits! I also like the idea that Galadriel sent rugs and carpets--how lovely! The part at the end, with Mina and Rosie talking to Eglantine and Esmeralda must have been something of an eye-opener for the two of them--though clearly from the course of events, it still did not quite sink in for Eglantine. Author Reply: I don't want to drag the story on forever, so tried to summarize reconstruction and investigation to date here; it's so important a part of the Shire beginning to recover from the Time of Troubles, after all. Yes, the temporary Ban makes sense at the first. I don't know how much Gloin saw the Travelers while he was there--I suspect it wasn't a great deal, after all; but I, too, doubt he'd allow any disrespect offered to them. And I thought that Galadriel would be the most likely to offer the new carpets--perhaps one of her last gifts to those she came to cherish in the Mortal Lands, knowing that they would come to Sam all too soon, one way or another. And Frodo's nominal aunts need to begin understanding what happened to the four of them. It's information Esmeralda wants to know, and that Eglantine fears but needs to know. Thanks for your comments.

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 75 on 1/25/2006
the Shire is once again our own. The hobbits really worked tirelessly to restore their Shire. What an incredible achievement. Author Reply: I agree--a wonderful achievement indeed. The Hobbits are driven to make their land as it was before the coming of the Big Men.

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