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| As the Gentle Rain by Lindelea | 5 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Hai | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/11/2004 |
| How terrible! I pity the Mayor's wife! If she truly didn't know how sad to find out your husband was a ruffian! I hope Freddy and the others can rest in peace knowing that this ruffian is caught again, but how many more are still out there? Looking forward to more! Thank you! Author Reply: Very sad. In a way it is sad for Ulrich as well, seeing as how he's done his best to change his ways and walk the straight and narrow. I don't know how many ruffians are still out there... they'd be growing old, after all, and quite a few who'd stayed in the North died in the battle in "Where the Merlin Cries". Ulrich is in his sixties, I think, and he was twenty or so at the time of the War of the Ring. There is at least one ruffian still out there, but you've already met him. | |
| Bluegrass Elf | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/11/2004 |
| Wo. The Mayor is a ruffian. Is that what Freddy was talking about? Author Reply: Yep. You've got it. Thanks for commenting! | |
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/11/2004 |
| Exciting! I picked up right away what Freddy who referring to, but then I do that a lot. This is really good. I loved Pippin playing his part, clever hobbit! Nazi war criminals, a fascinating idea. Pearl Took Author Reply: Thanks! After I wrote "The Rebel", which reminded me of the Holocaust (though I am in no way trivializing that horrible span of history, I hope no one takes offense), I began to think about the war crimes commission that met after the war, and the way ex-Nazis who have forged new lives have been recognized in a chance meeting. It seemed unlikely enough, unless hobbits travelled from the Shire, since the King imposed his ban, but if hobbits did travel from the Shire, and some of them had been in the Lockholes... well, there's a lot of possibility there. Thanks for reviewing! | |
| FantasyFan | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/11/2004 |
| I couldn't decide after the last chapter whether the ruffians were a real memory of Freddy's, or if the similarity in phrasing was just an unfortunate coincidence that brought out Freddy's PTSD. I was leaning toward the latter explanation, but I see that I was wrong again! I suppose the density of ruffians per square mile would be by default higher in the lands of Men than in the Shire, but the odds of running into two of them in such a short time period, after so long has passed, still have to be pretty low. Would the two ruffians of this story know each other, by any chance? And has the Mayor actually reformed, in which case his being found out is a little sad, or has he been creating a haven for escaped war criminals, like Argentina was for the Nazis? Maybe I can answer my own question here. He's taken the time to perfect (he thought) the perfect cover story, to recite it until it's second nature. And it seems he has met the real Ulrich, at least once: I doubt the circumstances were cordial. Maybe I don't need to feel sorry for him after all. Heledir, though, seems to be genuine - he remebers Pip from after the coronation, therefore it was unlikely he was a ruffian in the Shire; though being one of Saruman's spies in Minas Tirith cannot be ruled out. Must we now suspect everyone over 4'6" tall, as Nell does? Pippin here is brilliant. To paraphrase Gandalf's words to Saruman, he missed his path in life. He should have been the king’s jester and earned his bread, and stripes too, by mimicking a decrepit Prince of the Halflings. Pip fooled me too; I thought he really was still suffering the effects of his head injury, while actually he was reusing his strategy from Truth - fool them into confessing. (isn't it funny how natural it seems to flow, to put the words 'Pippin' and 'fool' in a sentence?) Beregond and Bergil are excellent accomplices - have they been taking lessons? I have to wrap this up, becaues I'm supposed to be in a meeting, but the last thing I wanted to say was, I'm glad Freddy must be feeling at least a little better, if he is able to give Witness to Pip about the ruffian and the lockholes. I did go re-read the end of A Small and Passing Thing for comfort! Author Reply: Well, I certainly appreciate your reviewing above and beyond the call of duty! (I myself ought to be getting ready to start the school day, but I have about ten more minutes before the hoards shall descend upon me.) We probably will not have lots of ruffians coming out of the woodwork. Really, two is enough for my purposes in this story. You're right, it would be more likely to find them in the lands of Men, and not terribly likely for hobbits to run across their former tormentors. "Pippin" and "fool". Hmmm. Interesting combination. I think I could do something with that. Thanks again for reviewing. | |
| Connie | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/11/2004 |
| Very clever. I knew Pippin wasn't that bad-off. Though I must admit that my heart gave a little lurch when you revealed that it was him they were helping into the hall. How are the hobbits doing, really? I'm still worried about them. I know they're doing better, but they still have a ways to go, right? P.S. Glad you recovered from your Saturday swimming outing with the little ones. Thanks. Connie. Author Reply: Pippin missed his calling. He should have stayed in Gondor and joined a troupe of actors in a pantomime. Bet he would have raked in the dough. Athelas works wonders. The hobbits are on the road to recovery. There may be some difficulties yet for them to get through. Thanks! It was fun, but exhausting! Appreciate your taking the time to comment. | |