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| When the King Comes Back ( Brandy Hall ) by Dreamflower | 12 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 9/6/2016 |
| Hobbits *are* delightful! As was this story. :-) Good one, thanks for writing! | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 3/3/2016 |
| This was a good story! I enjoyed how you wove all of it together, and gave some background for what had been going on w the Tooks and Brandybucks as well. Thanks for writing! :-) Author Reply: Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying Merry's POV of their homecoming, with a few little scenes that did not make it into Pippin's story added in! | |
| Eirinn Leigh | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 7/31/2015 |
| A lovely story and quite enjoyable to read. Author Reply: Thank you SO much! This story was only my second one, and is eleven years old as well, so it always delights me to get a new review for it now! It makes me feel that even back then I was setting up a solid foundation for all the rest of my stories! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 12/15/2007 |
| Ah, now I have to leave it for a time. Dear Strider and his love for his friends, and their love for him. Bless them all! | |
| EstellaB | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 4/15/2006 |
| I love it! I seem to remember having read this sometime before-is it posted elsewhere? At any rate, I really like it :) Author Reply: I believe that the only other archive I've posted it at is "Inseperable"; I don't *think* I've posted "Brandy Hall" at West of the Moon, though the "Great Smails" one is posted there. And you also may have read the "Great Smials" one--since some of the scenes and dialogue are the same in both stories, especially at the beginning. At any rate, I'm so glad you like it! 8-) It's always lovely to get new feedback, especially for one of my very earliest stories. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! | |
| vinca_b | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 2/17/2006 |
| I think I might actually like this one better than the other one, but it's hard to say. I'll just try to pick out my favorite bits, again. Merry's protectiveness (is that even a word?) about Frodo to that Chubb who was mouthing off about the Bagginses (and, slightly off-topic, I felt so very sorry for Frodo here, realizing with Merry that there will be no more Bagginses, and the hardships Frodo had to deal with *after* the Quest were just made that much more present to me). The fact that the Travellers *need* each other, and only each other, after what they've experienced. Pippin sensing that Merry needed him. The comment from Paladin that "no Brandybuck would step foot in Tookland until the king comes back" really stopped me dead in my tracks, just imagining the repercussions such a statement might have had, when coming from the Thain to the Master of Buckland. My goodness. Although Saradoc's remark about it was hilarious! Berilac is such a sweetie, and I kind of feel bad that he's left out of the loop, as it were. And then the very end, with Aragorn and Faramir, just made me feel warm and fuzzy. :-) I've probably left out a good deal, but I loved it a lot! Thank you! Vinca Author Reply: *grin* Oh, "protectiveness" is a word, all right, and it practically *defines* Merry Brandybuck! That scene with the Chubb and Merry telling him off was so very clear in my mind from the start of the story, and it was one of my *own* favorite bits. The part with his realization about the Bagginses dying out was based on a discussion I had in another Tolkien forum. A close look at the Baggins family tree shows no convenient "gaps" or "loopholes" where "extra" Bagginses would fit, unlike that of Tooks or Brandybucks--I think it was very deliberate on JRRT's part, in paving the way for Frodo to leave Bag End to Sam. The Travellers *do* need one another very much--no one else in the Shire can understand what they've been through. And, at least in *my* Shire, all three cousins can sense things about one another, but most especially Merry and Pippin, and vice-versa. Yes, Paladin's remark was very high-handed and hasty, and borne out of anger and grief and pride. But as Saradoc said, Paladin was honest, and his sense of honor meant he had to eat his words. Fortunately, he had, without even knowing it, left himself a "loophole", LOL! I like Berilac a lot, myself, and he plays a more prominent role in a couple of my later fics. And I'm glad you got "warm and fuzzy" from the ending. 8-D So very glad that you liked these two fics so much. They are my very earliest stories, and the foundation for almost everything else I've written. Thank you so much for your kind reviews! | |
| Gryffinjack | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 12/26/2005 |
| *applauds* This was a real treat to read again. You are truly a master at exploring the relationships between the four hobbits as well as their relationships with the rest of the Tooks and Brandybucks and the rest of the Shire. How sad that the Party Tree was no longer. You know, in a way, that Party Tree is like the White Tree of Minas Tirith. One tree standing alone, symbolising the hopes and happiness of its peoples. The difference is that in Minas Tirith, those hopes have suffered far longer than they did in the Shire, thanks in no small measure to Aragorn and the other Rangers. And now that the king has come back to both places, there is a new tree which bloomed quickly in Minas Tirith and there soon will be a similar tree in the Shire, thanks to Sam and Galadriel. The official letter from the Thain, Master, and acting-Mayor was wonderful. It really sets up "A New Reckoning" very nicely. "It is to be hoped that trade may take place between the Shire, and the rest of the restored Kingdoms, to the mutual benefit of all parties. In particular, we are anxious to re-establish the trade in pipeweed, which was disrupted by the troubles in the south." Did the Hobbits used to trade with the South, particularly pipeweed? If so, then why was everyone so surprised to see two barrels of Longbottom Leaf in Isengard? My impression is that the Shirefolk pretty much had cut themselves off from the rest of Middle Earth, with the rare visit to Bree and Bilbo being the only exceptions. "We suggest that any Men who would come to the Shire must have the approval of the Thain, the Master and the Mayor, before being given permission to enter. Elves and Dwarves, are of course, another matter altogether, and may continue their passage through our land as always." Now here is something I have not seen explored before, Elves and Dwarves passing through the lands of the Shire. Canon though it may be, you get the feeling that the only Dwarves to visit the Shire were those the dozen that accompanied Bilbo on his adventure. If Dwarves and Elves visited the Shire, then why would the Hobbits always be in such awe of the Elves and act as though they had never seen one before? Unless the Elves remained hidden from the Hobbits, which is a distinct possibility given their predilection to remain hidden from others. But then how would the Hobbits know that the Elves were amongst their lands? And would not the Elves or at least the Dwarves bring with them some news of the goings on outside of the Shire? There you go, making me think again while reading your stories! But that is nothing at all unusual and is one of the things that makes your stories such a delight to read. I enjoyed reading this story as much the second time as the first, if not more so. Here's one: “You have traveled a long and weary way. Go find yourself some food and some rest, you are dismissed for today.” Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story with us! And thanks again for replying to most of my reviews! I do so enjoy your feedback on my comments about your stories. Happy writing! Author Reply: Oh, I very much like your comparison of the Mallorn in the Shire to the White Tree in Gondor! It's not a parallel I would have consciously drawn, yet given JRRT's predilection for parallels, I would venture to bet it was one *he* consciously drew! Brilliant deduction, Gryffinjack! Not sure that there was a great deal of trade *to* the South for pipeweed, but any at all (even that in the North)would still have been disrupted by the War. And Dwarves did travel the East-West Road with great regularity, for purposes of trade--including I am sure, that of pipeweed. I would think most of them would have kept to the trade route except for those who visited Bilbo, so that except for Hobbiton where Bilbo lived, and the villages along the Road, Dwarves would still have been relatively rare. As to Elves, their way seemed to lead through the Woody End, apparently, and they did keep themselves hidden. Most hobbits would not have known of their passage, but the new King most assuredly did, and I think the Master and the Thain would have known as well. (Not so sure the Mayor would have before, but he does now, LOL!) I think there probably were always *rumors* of Elves in the Shire (remember the conversation in "Shadow of the Past" Sandyman's response when Sam speaks of the Elves sailing?) Nothing new--but nothing anyone had seen, either. Oh, I love responding to your reviews! And I've had great fun today--it's almost been like a real conversation! | |
| Hai Took | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 6/3/2004 |
| That was all very delightful! I liked how Merry defended Frodo to that Chubb lad in Brandy Hall! Merry doesn't seem like one who would allow his family to be spoken to like that, especially after everything Frodo did! Merry's cousins sure did find him to be intriguing! I like your Berliac, that name crops up quite a lot in post and pre-Quest stories but I like the way you have written him. Especially is awe for Merry! Esmerelda taking the time to talk to Frodo at the Cotton's home was beautiful! That Frodo had not thought of himself as being missed is so sweet! I'm glad that Esmerelda and Saradoc are helping him to see that he was missed! The bit about the nightmares and that they seemed to be better if Gandalf or Legolas watched them sleep was very fitting! Legolas offering to watch them sleep for the rest of their lives was very good! The apology from Paladin to Saradoc was great! I'm glad that they were able to make up and be friends again! It is good for Merry and Pippin as well! If your families aren't getting along then it certainly becomes difficult to remain friends! You ended it wonderfully, with Aragorn gettin the letter from the Shire! I wanted to know what everyone else had to say to the King though! Now I feel more adequately prepared for Reckoning! Thank you for sharing such wonderful stories! Author Reply: I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much. Do you know you are the only one who picked up on the bit about Legolas offering to watch them sleep? It was a little thing that came to me, that the Elf or Gandalf might be able to banish their nightmares. Of course, Gandalf would realize right away that the hobbits could not depend on that forever, but I could see Legolas, upset at their distress, willing to do whatever it would take to help; after all, what would sixty or seventy years mean to an Elf? And not quite realize the other inconveniences it would cause for the hobbits. So now you know what was in all the official correspondence, it does make it easier to keep up with Reckoning. | |
| PIppinfan1988 | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 3/26/2004 |
| This was a most delightful story! I'm sorry you ended it where you did because now *I'm* curious as to what Paladin, Saradoc wrote! I can pretty much guess that Frodo was catching up on news and such, but...oh, well. Another tale perhaps? I see you already have another story posted--you *are* a busy beaver! Take care. Pippinfan Author Reply: Yes, well, it had to end; I confess, I did write a couple of the hobbit letters; maybe I'll finish them up and put them in an epilogue if enough people are interested. | |
| Bluegrass Elf | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 3/24/2004 |
| Great story! I really enjoyed it. | |