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| With Hope and Without Hope by docmon | 9 Review(s) |
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| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 7/8/2008 |
| I love Pippin's courage and determination here.Poor aragorn, I feel so sorry for him.Another gripping chapter. Apologies for the blank review,I pressed send by mistake! Author Reply: Thank you, Linda! Pippin has learned a lot the last few weeks! A tough way to grow up, for sure. But Aragorn is lucky to have him, I think. Thanks for writing! | |
| Ainu Laire | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/25/2008 |
| Too lazy to sign in XD *glances at clock* It's been a couple days. Is there a new chapter yet?! ;D What a terrible cliffhanger. You know, I try and give helpful, err, content in my reviews, I really do. But here and there are a couple stories that make me go completely insane with anxiety about another update... congratulations, you have made me insane :) So, this is just a little nudge of encouragement from my end! I cannot wait to read, well, everything! Author Reply: LOL! Happy to make you insane! I know what you mean too - there have been stories that make me stay up till all hours of the night (if I have all the chapters), because it is just *not possible* to put down. If I don't have the chapters, every day that passes is agony. I'll take insanity! :-D But keep checking - for soon you might be rewarded! | |
| Maaya | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/24/2008 |
| This is such a suspenseful and heart-wrenching story all at the same time. I like your Pippin very much, and how you allow him to have that resourcefulness that he otherwise would have showed more of during his and Merry's capture in the original storyline. That lad has more in him than one would have thought. Looking forward to the next chapter, always! Author Reply: Thanks, Maaya! I do think Pippin is underestimated. He showed signs of that resourcefulness, as did Merry; I'm just giving them the opportunity to use that. ;-) I like to explore underused facets of a character and create the situations where those might come out. Happy to keep you in suspense! | |
| Thundera Tiger | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/23/2008 |
| If memory serves, this was one of those chapters you felt was something of an intermediate chapter where the main purpose was to set up later events but where the story itself didn't undergo any major advancements. (Please correct me if I'm wrong!) Anyway, reading it again, I keep being impressed by how much it doesn't feel like that. It's all in the tone, actually. You mold suspense, despair, hope, and fear as easily as if they were clay. The despondency of Gimli and Legolas, in particular, is heart-wrenching. The part where Legolas throws back the words that it doesn't matter if he's injured always hits me hard. And these emotions are as intense and defining as any action sequence. It's just on a different level playing with different elements. Anyway, all of this is supposed to add up to a compliment, so superb job and thank you for playing with my emotions all over again. :) It's one of the things you're best at. Author Reply: I'd forgotten all about that, Thundera! I'm so glad it still comes off that way. Playing with your emotions? Me? Never.... >:-D Well, glad you like the emotional roller coaster - cuz, as you know, there's more where that came from! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/21/2008 |
| I'm certainly glad that Pippin is there for Aragorn's sake--and for Merry's. Now, to get them all out of there as best as can be managed. Author Reply: Yes, indeed - to get out as best as they can manage - that is the challenge they now face... Thanks for writing! | |
| Fantasia | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/19/2008 |
| Great story, you have me in suspense every time that I read a chapter. Well, so far I'm without hope and so worry for all of them. Gods, do they have to wait for the ents to attack the tower? How are they going to help Rohan? Where is Gandalf when you must need him? I have not idea how they will get out of there...it is good that you said that this "minor inconvenient" won't prevent them to fulfill their destiny...because I'm starting to doubt it, they won't be able even to walk by the time of Theoden "cure" or when the Dunadan arrive to Rohan...BTW, I don't like Saruman, you describe him very well, just as the nasty traitor, arrogant power hungry being that he is... Thanks, it is a wonderful story and know that I review every day for your updates... Author Reply: Thank you, Fantasia, for the wonderful review! I'm quite happy to keep you in such suspense ;-). I do intend to bring the characters to the point where they CAN fulfill their destiny. I will give you that much ;-). Thanks for the compliments on Saruman. I'm glad you think I've written him that well. And I'm relieved to see all of my characterization came across as intended, for that's just how I see him too! Another chapter is coming soon! | |
| Naledi | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/19/2008 |
| This is not a good time to be Aragorn. What a horrible fate Saruman has planned for him! But I can't help thinking that It won't be as easy to break him as Saruman thinks. I liked the way you kept the lines of lore in, although this time it's Aragorn saying them to Pippin rather than Gandalf. Author Reply: No, no, it sure isn't! How much despair could he withstand and not lose himself? I think that's a question I had while writing this, at least in the back of my mind somewhere. I do like drawing parallels with canon, so I try to bring in things like the lines of lore in when I can. This is still the "same" story, only different. Yeah, that makes sense, right? | |
| Cairistiona | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/18/2008 |
| How this plot twists and turns and thickens ... now we have Saruman working his own evil ends against Sauron, which I wonder will ultimately work in favor of poor Aragorn. I'm so enjoying Pippin ... his cheerfulness despite the grim situation may yet be the salvation of them all. But as twisty as this story is, I'm probably way off base on all counts! Carry on! Author Reply: Thank you! It is rather twisty, isn't it? Glad to hear you're enjoying Pippin so. He is fun to write. Saruman and Sauron, well, to be sure, Saruman's ends are always in his favor. To see how they actually work and for whom, you'll just have to keep reading to see... ;-) | |
| demeter d | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/18/2008 |
| I especially like seeing through Pippin's point of view here. And you have captured his character so well! I think Gandalf said it in the books, and possibly Treebeard as well, that Saruman and Sauron paid far too little attention to small, seemingly weak living things. I can very much see that this would have been Pippin's role in things all along. Quietly encouraging, playing the fool if necessary, but always underneath is that strong streak of love and loyalty that let him do some pretty amazing things. I agree, though, the hard part for you now will be writing them out of this very good fix and back into what their original destiny should be. I am guessing that Treebeard and Gandalf will yet have some roles to play there. Author Reply: Thank you, demeter! I rather enjoy writing from Pippin's point of view as well. I certainly agree that one of Saruman's weaknesses was neglecting to pay attention to the small and seemingly weak. I wanted to play on that idea here. The hobbits are too resourceful to let such an opportunity go by. Now to get them out of this fix, maybe.... :-D | |