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| Pearl of Great Price by Lindelea | 3 Review(s) |
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| FantasyFan | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 1/7/2004 |
| It looks like I have missed reviewing several chapters of this story - I feel guilty when I eagerly read a new chapter of something you have written, but neglect to find the time to send you my impressions. I don't want you to think I'm not appreciative of your wonderful efforts - I really am. Thank you, in case I forget to say it. I think there's a battle ahead in more ways than one. It seems Ferumbras really is doing what he can under the thumb of his willful and capricious mother. He's smart enough to anticipate her vindictive strike against Paladin, and compassionate enough to preempt it - and that earns him some big brownie points in my book. Yet, now he's falling ill, and Bittersweet's really worried he's in for a bad time for concealing his illness. There's not going to be anyone to protect the one member of Paladin's family who's most vulnerable, by virtue of proximity - Pearl. I hope she's up to the battle, if it comes to it. I've been trying to figure out what is the illness that is running through the Smials right now. Fever, eye irritation, sore throat, headache. None of that is very specific - could be a million things. I had the wild idea that it could be mumps, which can cause sterility when contracted by an adult male. That would certainly change the dynamic of the succession! A wild idea, as I said - that's probably not where you're going at all. It would be nice to see how Rosemary's getting on. Hally would I'm sure like to court her a little, and sooner or later Lalia's going to find out who was the other hobbit in the handfasting. There's no reason, however, for her to find out sooner as most likely nobody at Brandy Hall would know him, and they're far enough away from Tuckborough as to have little contact. I'm also looking forward to seeing Ferdi interacting more with Pearl as he comes back to himself some. Pearl is good with all kinds of people, and for the sake of her sister and her father will I'm sure take as much of an interest in Ferdi as her schedule allows. Author Reply: A belated answer... The illness I was thinking of was strep, which can lead to scarlet fever and/or rheumatic fever. I remember when we didn't have money for a doctor and I got strep twice and it came back both times not long after the course of antibiotics was finished each time, and came back worse with each recurrence. The third time I got it, I decided to "tough it out" and let my body fight it and build up immunities (probably a stupid decision) instead of spending grocery money on doctor and antibiotics. I knew enough to watch for a purplish rash, in which case I would have gone in for more antibiotics. Thankfully the rash did not appear. However, I have never been so sick in my life... Even mononucleosis (twenty years ago) was mild compared to that bout of strep. The mercy was that evidently my body did build up some sort of defense while fighting the strep, because it hasn't come back in about two years. If only I could say the same about the pneumonia that threatens every winter... thankfully this bout of bronchitis did not progress any further and has nearly cleared up. I suppose mumps might fit the description, but since I haven't researched mumps (thought I remember hearing about the sterility issue) I can say that this was probably not the illness in the story. | |
| Grey Wonderer | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 1/4/2004 |
| Poor Paladin! Having to lie to protect his family and his home must be killing him. I am so involved in this one and can hardly wait for more. Author Reply: Thank you for the kind words! I notice that your story-in-progress is coming along nicely as well... Only about five chapters left, unless I change my mind and add more to what has already been written in the first draft. | |
| Lyta Padfoot | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 1/4/2004 |
| Didn't think I'd say this, but - Poor Ferumbras. Very clever to twist events and make it seem as though the Tooks were tossed out by the Brandybucks to protect them. The Thain is becoming a more sympathetic figure by the chapter, a flawed character but still sympathetic. Author Reply: Yes, I found that too as the writing flowed from the outline. He could have been a good Thain, I think, had his mother not been so dominating. He's been brought up to drift along, and I think that probably continues even after his mother is gone. | |