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A New Reckoning by Dreamflower	7 Review(s)
Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 9/27/2006
A wonderful thought that song was originally intended for a house-pridely Dwarf, and only adapted for Bilbo. And I feel for both Freddy and Frodo right now. And Pippin and Merry WOULD find out about Frodo's edict! Heh! Author Reply: Well, there had to be some explanation for the Dwarves to suddenly have such a perfect song, right at the tips of their tongues, so to speak, when they had only just met Bilbo! Yes, both of them feeling the effects of loneliness and grief. grin Was there ever any doubt? LOL!

AspenJules	Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 7/3/2006
Ahhhh, that naughty Elf, tormenting Sam that way (not to mention helping Merry and Pippin's plan for Bergil to become an 'honorary cousin'!!) And poor poor lonely Frodo. I don't know if I can ever forgive Prof. Tolkien for not giving Frodo a chance at love and happiness in the Shire he saved. Author Reply: Legolas has his mischievous side, I am sure, as do most Elves. We don't often see that in the Elves of LotR who are under an awakened Shadow, but we did in The Hobbit. And now that peace has come, they can allow that mischievous side out a bit more. Well, the truth is, the ending that JRRT gave us was, to him, the best ending he could give Frodo. It is far truer, and more real, than our happier AU scenarios--much as we love them. LotR would not have become the enduring classic and the greatest novel of the 20th century if it had had a happier ending. But that is what fanfic is for.

PIppinfan1988	Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 7/11/2005
LOL...I love Bilbo's song! Pippin and Merry having to take the mattresses off the bed in order to sleep comfortably! That's what they get. Poor Freddy! Carries Folco's flute everywhere he goes...that's so sad. I really do have a reply about killing off characters, but it's getting late, so I will compose that tomorrow. This is about all I read today...besides a really lovely tale about Pippin's scarf... Pippinfan Author Reply: Thanks! I'm glad you liked this chapter. Killing off Folco was so traumatic for me, you wouldn't believe! I made up my mind after that to never kill off a canon character that was a good guy again, unless JRRT had already killed them off. Yes, I saw your review for that as well. You are spoiling me, you know.

Pervinca	Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/22/2004
Oh, poor Sam! I'm guessing that everyone is going to be trying their hardest to make him say "proper" before the week is through! As if it wasn't hard enough for him as it was :P I really felt sorry for Fredegar in this chapter too. Perhaps he will be able to find comfort with Gimli, or Legolas (who he is obviously enchanted by). I just hope that he will find peace eventually! - Pervinca Author Reply: Yes, Sam's in for a hard time. But he is stubborn--excuse me, determined, yes, determined. He might make it. Fredegar has a time of discovery ahead of him; he will be learning how to live with his grief, instead of letting it incapacitate him. Author Reply: P.S. My husband swears to me that he's painting this room this week, so my computer will be down for a while. (Maybe he won't get to this wall until tomorrow?) 8-)

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/21/2004
I felt so sorry for poor Fredegar and I also miss Falco. You brought such life to both of them. I think Sam is in for a great deal of teasing from Merry and Pippin. Wonderful chapter! Author Reply: This is not a loss Fredegar will ever "get over". But he will move on with his life now. Sam is in for a long week. And Frodo may regret his challenge before the time is up.

GamgeeFest	Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/21/2004
So, Legolas is above teasing Sam, but not above telling Merry and Pippin, who you know won't let him rest till they get a "proper" out of him! Sam is really doomed now. I've felt like Frodo does before - surrounded by friends and family and still feeling completely alone. It's easy to ignore during the day, but there isn't much to distract you at night. I feel for him. Author Reply: Yes, well Legolas just couldn't resist. 8-) But Sam's pretty stubborn, so if he makes his mind up to it. As he thought, it's going to be a long week. That's exactly right, nothing to distract him from being alone. I see loneliness as one of Frodo's most persistant trials, something he suffered from long before the Ring, when he was an orphan at Brandy Hall. The Ring only exacerbated this.

FantasyFan	Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/21/2004
I've gotten far behind on reviewing this lovely story, and I wanted to let you know how much I look forward to finding another chapter. I especially like the characterizations you've written. Freddy, his loss and recovery, strikes me right in the heart. His grief over Folco, and the echo of Merry and Pippin's friendship with what could have been, is very poignant. I think post-quest Frodo is tough to pull off well, and you've got a good mix of strength and loss and ambiguity in your Frodo. This chapter is a good case in point - it was hobbity and fun and satisfying, and then the last couple of lines just smack you between the eyes with how much is still not right, and may never be right. At first it seemed very nice to have a pleasant reminisence of Gandalf, and Bilbo, and the fun old times at Bag End, but in the end it just reminded Frodo that those days are gone, and he's really alone in his house full of guests. sniffle Well done! Author Reply: This story is revealing itself to me as it goes, and I am so glad that people feel I am keeping the characterizations right. Fredegar's loss of Folco strikes right into midst of the four who left--a friendship broken by loss, and the one who was lost was their friend as well. And, as you said, the reminder of what could have happened: if Pippin had been a few minutes later finding Merry after Pellenor, if Gimli had not seen the hobbit foot under the troll, if the Eagles had been only a touch slower to reach Mount Doom... I'm trying very hard to keep my post-quest Frodo in line with the ideas that JRRT had. I'm very fond of the Letters, and he makes it clear that Frodo's downhill slide was gradual. During his first year home, he was still hoping for recovery, and making an effort at normality. But in those times alone at night, the sorrow and loss come out. But also, Frodo and loneliness are old friends, and have been since he was twelve years old.

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