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As the Gentle Rain  by Lindelea 3 Review(s)
Lyta PadfootReviewed Chapter: 49 on 6/12/2004
Good thing Nell is all right, Ferdi might have been tempted to murder otherwise.

ConnieReviewed Chapter: 49 on 6/12/2004
That Nell, what a woman. She can actually find it in her heart to speak for the Brant half of that madman's mind. Amazing. I commend her. I couldn't do it.

They've taken Ulrich, without even a goodbye to his newfound friends. That's just plain cold, that is. I keep hoping against hope that they can get him out of this. But it looks like they may be flat out of time. Oh man, what a cliff hanger.

Connie.

Author Reply: Hobbits are amazing creatures, able to find pity in their hearts for the most surprising and degraded fellow creatures...

Perhaps Ulrich didn't want to distress the hobbits by saying goodbye. He might have thought to spare them pain when they'd settled to dinner and quiet conversation. I'm sure Bergil would have let him say goodbye if he'd insisted.

It is possible you will see the resolution to the cliffhanger in the next chapter to be posted (notice I did not say the *next* chapter, which has already been posted, even as you were writing the review of *this* chapter, I think...). It all depends on whether the chapter in rough draft remains intact or splits itself in the editing because it goes too long. I try not to post anything over 2,000 words as it makes future editing easier, if needed.

Thanks for commenting!

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 49 on 6/12/2004
I am delighted that the hobbits are safe and Pilgrim/Brant is in custody - but you can't hang poor Ulrich. He saved Ferdi and Frodovar - he deserves to be rescued. But not by killing poor Freddy, who also deserves a break.

And poor Pilgrim/Brant is clearly nutty as a fruitcake - execution of the insane hardly fits modern ideas of suitable treatment.

More soon please. Feed the Muse chocolate. It usually helps.

Author Reply: Chocolate does help immensely. So do reviews, interestingly enough. Wonder if there's a way to engrave reviews on chocolate. Hmmm.

Ulrich does deserve a break, as does Freddy. But what's that quote from LOTR? "There are those who die who deserve life" or something to that effect. Still, the story's not over yet (very very close, though, and about to get closer as the next chapter gets posted in a minute or so--Internet allowing).

Poor Pilgrim/Brant. I fear that this story hardly fits modern ideas of law, justice and suitable treatment of the insane. It is not set in modern times, after all.

The story is now completely finished in rough draft, and getting typed in as I have time. (Had a couple of hours this afternoon. So much for housework.) At the moment there are three chapters remaining, including the one about to go up. Don't know yet, as it gets typed in, if either of the last two chapters will split into more but I don't foresee it happening unless the Muse decides to add more material in the final edit.

Thanks so much for reviewing. I wasn't going to post two chapters in one day, but seeing your review pop up made me feel mellow and pliable. Hmmm. Wonder if there's any chocolate in the house to make things even better...?

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