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A Conspiracy of Hobbits by Dreamflower	5 Review(s)
Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 2/9/2006
LOL! I love this here! Frodo gave a sigh as he took the skillet off the heat, and prepared to grate stale bread into a bowl. “Well, maybe I do, but it shouldn’t make any difference at all. And it is my party. I should have whom I like.” Frodo frowned. That last sentence had sounded pouty and childish. If he wasn’t careful, he’d lose this argument. (Oh, no shame! LOL!) Sam shook his head as he lifted the chickens onto the fire. If he weren’t careful, he’d give in. He hated when Mr. Frodo used that sad, forlorn tone of voice. (Ah, who can resist the charm? Must come from the Took side...:)) Author Reply: This part with Frodo and Sam in the kitchen was one of my very favorite things to write in this story. I could just see them, working away companionably, and arguing amiably in the way of friends--yet each of them stubbornly holding to his own POV. And it seemed to me that both of them might be on the verge of giving in to the other, LOL!

Gryffinjack	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 11/8/2005
I forgot to comment on Pippin's not leaving a note for his family and everyone joking about the way the Thain was apt to fly off the handle. Merry was right about it being good that Pippin did not leave a note. Paladin is a very good hobbit, but one who loves his son very much and would be none too pleased to see him going off with Frodo and Merry on a very dangerous quest from which he may never return. Pippin should know exactly how his father would react, since he is precisely the same way. "“Ah. There you are! Fatty, Folco, we need you. Frodo, don’t you stir from this room, I’m shutting the door, and don’t you dare look out the window either.” So Frodo sat alone listening to the voices in the hall. “Careful, Sam!” “Mr. Merry, hold your side up a little higher.” “Oi, watch the wall!” “Pippin, get the door, quick!” The sounds faded off in the direction of the dining room. After a moment, Fatty stuck his head in the study. “Frodo, could you come to the dining room please?”" Subtle. Very subtle. "“Thank you very much, it’s a work of art.” Frodo hesitated. “I hate to mention this, lads, since you’ve gone to such effort--but, isn’t that rather an awful lot of cake?” Merry, Fatty, Folco and Sam stared at the cake as though they had never thought of that before; but Pippin, who was notorious for his sweet tooth, grinned wolfishly. “It is, isn’t it?”" I can just picture that grin on Pippin's face as he says that! Just what the Took needs, lots of sugar so he's bouncing off the walls. I really loved the entire scene between Frodo and Sam. Favourite lines from that scene: "Frodo tossed the garlic into the skillet, watching carefully; nothing worse than scorched garlic. After a moment, he splashed in a dollop of Old Winyards. After a second’s thought he splashed some of the wine into a cup for himself." Ah, shades of "Frodo’s Cooking Lesson"! Stuffed mushrooms! To quote Bilbo: "“... you must always have a bit of the wine, when you make this dish, just to be sure that it is quite all right!”" "And it is my party. I should have whom I like.” Frodo frowned. That last sentence had sounded pouty and childish. If he wasn’t careful, he’d lose this argument. Sam shook his head as he lifted the chickens onto the fire. If he weren’t careful, he’d give in. He hated when Mr. Frodo used that sad, forlorn tone of voice." Great juxtaposition! The two of them, thinking pretty much the same thing, but from opposite sides of the argument. The entire conversation between Sam and Frodo was quite enjoyable and showed what a close relationship it was, even though the really close bonds between them had yet to be formed. Author Reply: I had a lot of fun writing the part about the cake. And again, you are seeing the first appearance of something that is part of my Pippin--his sweet tooth and his hyper-activity. And the story "Frodo's Cooking Lesson" was another one that found its origins in this story, as I wanted to show the first time Frodo made these. It is so neat, that you have read the other stories already. You are really the first reviewer who has that perspective of all the long history of the friendship of these four. I'm so glad you liked Frodo's and Sam's argument. They are good friends and know one another well (though, as you said, not the bond they will later have) but Sam does not want to cross that invisible line called "proper", while Frodo is a stubborn Baggins. I thought this would be exactly the kind of argument they would have under the circumstances.

Pervinca	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 4/4/2004
Poor Sam. He knows his place, but Frodo doesn't want him to stay there :P I always thought their relationship was a bit of an interesting one, and I'm happy to see you made a reference to it. Well, the next day will be the big one - at least you can focus on Merry and Fatty's trip to Buckland, and them fixing up Crickhollow to make it more Bag End-ish. :) Author Reply: Ah yes, the trip to Buckland...But first we have a Birthday Party to get through! I hope you enjoy it,too!

GamgeeFest	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 4/4/2004
"If he wasn’t careful, he’d lose this argument." "If he weren’t careful, he’d give in." hehe I love those two lines! It shows their relationship perfectly. That was a good compromise Frodo came up with. That cake sounded good! Author Reply: Thank you. I wanted the argument to be an amicable one, but to show how stubborn both could be--Frodo because although he is well aware of what's "proper", doesn't see why he can't have his own friends his own way in his own home and "proper" be hanged; and Sam, because "proper" is the mainstay of his life, drilled in him from infancy by his Gaffer. But of course, Frodo would have to be the one to come up with a compromise; it wouldn't be Sam's "place" to offer one. 8-)

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 4/3/2004
I am so looking forward to the gifts and the cake and more chapters of this. Glad Frodo talked Sam into having cake with everyone at least. Author Reply: Everyone seems to like the cake. 8-) Too bad we can't share in it for real.

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