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Thain  by Lindelea 5 Review(s)
BeruthielReviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/6/2004
Is Paladin really going to apprentice Pip for seven *years*? Sounds a bit extreme for just dodging chores. However, if he's only planning to leave Pippin with the shepherd until his birthday, then it would probably be good for him.

And if Pip does end up apprenticed for the full seven years, then he'll hardly ever see Paladin, and by the time the Thainship rears its ugly head, their relationship will probably have improved (since they wouldn't be in each other's faces every day). If that happens, it would take something quite extreme to get them at each other's throats before the Quest.

Going slightly off topic here: Will the Thain's stables (nearly) burning down have any effect on Paladin's attitude toward Pip?

Now that I think about it, Pip and Ferdi couldn't attempt their little prank in the stables if Pip is off shepherding, could they? Well, maybe they could, it Pip were allowed to visit the Smials.

I'd better shut up before I get carried away with imagining possible plot points. Keep up the excellent writing!

Author Reply: Whew, after much research finally know a little bit about sheep. Enough to post the next chapter, anyhow.

As far as the next seven years...? Well, we'll see. There are always twists and turns to the plot, as you know. I try diligently not to be too predictable.

The Thain's stables (nearly) burning down... yes, that and a few other things might just have some impact on their relationship. I fear that readers who grind their teeth at "irresponsible Pip" are going to have to get one of those rubber mouth guards, perhaps. Still, he's just a tween, after all. He's got a great deal of potential, for disaster as well as greatness.

And of course, that stable fire doesn't happen until just before Paladin becomes Thain. Pippin is what, 25? when that happens. So we've got a bit of story to wade through beforehand.

Lyta PadfootReviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/6/2004
Hmm... looks like Paladin has a good idea. Was his plan to leave Pippin there until his birthday to straighten him out or was he planning to actually apprentice him for seven years? I'm interested to see what interferes with his plan, though I guess its the Thain.

Author Reply: I think he's desperate enough to give up his son for seven years, if it'll turn Pippin around. However, there are other factors in the story. Thanks!

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/6/2004
"His life was over before it had begun." Doesn't that sound just like a teen? As dramatic a declaration as it comes.

Paladin's plan, at least as we have it so far from Pippin's perspective, certainly sounds drastic to say the least. Apprenticed for seven years, and then I imagine he'd be expected to work at the trade he learned. Maybe for the rest of his life. On second thought, Pippin's thoughts may not be that melodramatic. I imagine Pippin's going to take some time trying to think a way out of this. I hope he doesn't take the tack of being so bad at his work as to be dismissed. Paladin would not stand for that! Pip's thoughtless and lazy, but he's good-hearted. So I imagine he'll try his best through tears. Can he do it well enough? Paladin has the idea of tough love - Pippin has to shape up or else I'm afraid things are only going to get worse for him. I hope he realizes that.

It's an interesting structure you've got going here. So far, aside from the opening scenes in the field, I'm not finding a lot to tie the two storylines together. Neither man expects to be Thain. Bucca is facing crisis sooner rather than later. But I fully expect you've got everything tightly planned as usual, and that I'll be happy as a hobbit when we get there, as usual.

Author Reply: Teens are so dramatic. So are eight-year-olds who are studying to win the Emmy for best actress in a dramatic series (or so we say around here, not that we watch television, mind, but it's a cliche from the days when we still did).

Paladin knows this old shepherd. I think he wants what's best for his son. Sort of like hobbit reform school.

The plotlines will converge, and hopefully the readers will recognise the point of convergence when it becomes obvious. If not I can always split it into two separate stories... we'll see if I can pull this off.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/6/2004
The Short Sharp Shock for Pippin. It won't do him any harm to have to work until his birthday. He was far too practised at slithering out of his responsiblities.

Only the joys of the Great Smials will be approaching at some time, won't they? And every bit of good done to him will be undone.

Probably as well he went on the quest - he could have grown up thoroughly obnoxious.

Author Reply: Very perceptive.

A friend commented once on Thain Peregrin's "servant's heart" in the later stories I've written, and how he was a shepherd to the Shire-folk (though I call them the People, and hope it's not too un-canon of me... language is fascinating--in so many cultures "people" refers to that culture and all others are outsiders or foreigners or aliens or whatever) after he took up his responsibilities. How did he learn such? That's one of the things this story is trying to accomplish...

Not every bit of good will be undone, at least, not permanently.

He was blithe and breezy at the start of the Quest, indeed, but he had to grow up fast. I think he must have had a good foundation to build upon.

Thanks for commenting! The feedback is very helpful.

Connie B.Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/6/2004
Uh. I was saying, "Seven years!?", right along with Pippin's thoughts. I know you're not gonna do that to him. At least I don't think you are.

I know that this was an acceptable practice, but it still seems harsh. I understand it, just like I understand pre-arranged marrages; but I don't have to like either of them.

I can't help but think there should be another way for Paladin to deal with his son besides sending him to some backwater sheep farm. Tough love is just that, but I wish there was something else that could have been done.

Pippin is a sweet, but willful, tween: if Paladin isn't careful, he's going to totally break that sweet spirit. Then he'll just be left with the willfulness, not to mention bitterness. If he wants to turn his son against him, he's going the right way about it. Not to even mention the gap he's opening between himself and his wife.

I hope you don't mind if I really don't like Paladin. I know he's got his own issues, but I really wonder if he truly loves anything or anyone.

Oh, and yes, I know that children need decipline. I'm dealing with some of same problems with my stuborn, but sweet-spirited, daughter.

I am loving this story for a lot of reasons. One of them is, it makes me think, and it makes me examine my own life and parenting skills. That's pretty cool when a piece of LOTR Fanfiction can do that.

Thanks, and I'll shut up now.:)

Connie B.

Author Reply: Thanks for taking the time to put your thoughts down; the feedback is very helpful in trying to shape the rough draft into a more polished form.

It's okay that you don't like Paladin. I made him very unlikeable in my early stories, and yet I think he must have been warm and loving at first, for Pippin to have turned out so well in the end. (As, perhaps, Denethor might have been, to have turned out such a loyal, honorable son as Boromir, and an upright and perceptive son as Faramir, even though he made the mistake of having a favorite son. Hard to avoid, picking favorites. Takes conscious effort sometimes, not to do so. Certainly, Boromir fell, but even the Wise were afraid of the Ring, and with good reason.)

So this story is trying to show at least the beginning of Paladin's transformation. "Pearl of Great Price" showed the first crack, of course.

I actually feel sorry for the guy. It reminds me of reading Greek tragedy in school. The hero starts out likeable, but has a tragic flaw which leads to the inevitable conclusion. Poor Paladin. Things might have been so different.

Really, he's doing the best thing for Pippin at the moment. He doesn't have the time to "ride herd" on his son, being so distracted with running the farm. The old shepherd, on the other hand, has all the time in the world... and Paladin knows him well. He's not just foisting his son off on strangers, but putting Pippin where he can get the discipline and attention he needs, and that Paladin, knowing he's losing the battle with his temper, cannot give at this time.

I think, if Paladin had not been trapped into the Thainship, that he and Pippin would have come to understanding, and that Pippin would have become his father's strong right hand on the farm, perhaps taking over the farm's sheep or something like that.

Wow, your lovely long review has generated a long response! Thanks for listening.

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