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| A New Reckoning by Dreamflower | 517 Review(s) |
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| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 64 on 4/22/2022 |
| Yes the delegation is complete: 6 hobbits, then the 2 hobbit healers, and the 4 prisoners--making 12 hobbits heading out of the Shire at the same time! Twelve hobbits heading out of the Shire and going to Gondor? Yikes! What would Aunt Dora say, if she were still alive? =) | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 60 on 8/14/2021 |
| I wonder if Opal ever did get married and start a family? It would be so nice if she did! Of course, hers would have to be a husband who was willing to live with a healer's unpredictable schedule. I hope that Opal did get a wooden leg! It would be rather difficult for her to perform a healer's duties if she had to hobble about on crutches all the time. Too bad modern prosthetic legs didn't exist back then! | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 40 on 5/26/2019 |
| Oh, my! I love how the 4 hobbits were announced! I can't help but wonder what Hyacinth and Rosamunda thought of Sam's announcement, given their snobbish attitudes. =) Too bad you didn't include their reactions! [g] There's just one thing I'm wondering about Pippin announcememt: "Sir Peregrin Took, Knight of Gondor; Kinsman of Frodo the Belovéd; Peregrin of the Nine Walkers; Guard of the Citadel; Warrior of the Siege of Minas Tirith; Warrior of the Morannon; Trollsbane; Heir to Paladin, the Thain of the Shire.” Shouldn't "Guard of the Citadel" immediately follow "Knight of Gondor" in Pippin's list of titles? After all, as a knight, that was Pippin's job in Minas Tirith. | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 5/25/2019 |
| I hope you have no objections to receiving a review after all this time! =) I've read the other reviews to this chapter, and they certainly provide us all with much food for thought (as the chapter itself does! =)). Among other things, a very valid point was made about Frodo not being the only one to suffer after the Quest, especially during anniversaries. And Gryffinjack made a good point about Sam also having borne the Ring. He not only carried it until he had rescued Frodo (and wore it part of that time), he actually carried it throughout that time right on the edge of the very area where it would be at its strongest! He had to have suffered his own effects from that, if not right away. Kate's Aunty has written a wonderful post-Quest story about that very issue: "Concerning Sam." I know you've read that story, Dreamflower, as have I, but there may be other readers of this story who haven't. | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 6/11/2018 |
| Poor Sam! He feels so bad about leaving Frodo alone on that day. Pippin really does not need to scold him; he's already been doing a thorough job of scolding himself. Hey, what if Merry and Pippin actually had been able to accompany Frodo and Sam all the way to Mount Doom?! I think that someone should write an AU story in which they do exactly that! One fanfiction writer has already written a story in which Legolas accompanies Frodo and Sam. Why not an AU story in which Merry and Pippin do so? =) | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 72 on 11/18/2016 |
| This was such a fun story. I so appreciate all the time you put into it -- very enjoyable! :-) | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 72 on 1/17/2016 |
| This is one that I have on my e.reader and have spent many a (happy?) hour with It in doctors waiting rooms etc. When I was first reading it e.readers were a scarce commodity and Kindles etc had not been invented! On a couple of occasions you also helped me to introduce someone to the concept of fanfiction. Way before and a lot more wholesome than 'Fifty Shades...' I especially like the development of lesser known characters in this. Do I start doing a Pippin over certain unfinished epics? *opens eyes wide and flutters lashes* | |
| Imhiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 72 on 7/15/2013 |
| I've recently found my way back to Tolkien fanfiction again, and have embarked on a re-read of my favourite stories, before I'm going to try to catch up on what I've been missing. I noticed I hadn't left a review for this story of yours, and it's time and past time I remedy this to let you know how much I like this story and thank you for sharing it, seeing as this is I think at least my third time reading it. One can see that this is still an early work of yours, because it's still a bit rough at the edges, particularly concerning the flow of the narrative, and the jumping of PoVs. But the most important things are right there: an engaging plot, vivid descriptions that bring the Shire fully to life, and most especially wonderful, wonderful characterisations and interpersonal relationships. And it seems that a part of the reason for the points of criticism I mention above is that you're just so brimming over with invention and character moments of your big cast that they couldn't be contained in an more "streamlined" narrative, which somehow manages to contribute even more to its charme. When you have a bit of time on your hands, you might want to correct some persistent spelling errors of yours: - Mundberg -> Mundburg (although IIRC, that happened only once in this story) - Odovocar -> Odovacar - Esmerelda -> Esmeralda (not always, but quite a few times) - Pellenor -> Pelennor - You also have some places where you call Freddy's mother "Rosemary" instead of "Rosamunda" Thanks again, Dreamflower! I'm off to the next story; I likely won't comment all that often, but I might pop up from time to time to leave a review. Author Reply: Thanks for the heads up on the spelling errors--I'll have to see if I can locate them. The "Esmerelda" was so persistent in early stories because somehow without realizing it I had accidentally programmed the incorrect spelling into the autocorrect on my word processing program at the time! I don't know if I will EVER get all of those out. But I'll keep an eye open for the others! Also, I doubt if I will ever stick to just one POV in a long story. I am quite fond of multiple POVs. I know the conventional wisdom nowadays is to have one single narrative voice (preferably first person, or a very tight single narrator) but while I can do that, and usually do in shorter pieces, I much prefer to explore all my characters! I also like to experiment with POV, such as showing two or more POVs of the same events. If it's a flaw, it's one I'll have to live with. I'm so pleased that you re-read my story. That's always a lovely thing for a writer to hear--and especially about an older one like this that *is* a little rough around the edges! (((hugs)))) | |
| Pegueng | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/15/2013 |
| Awright... 9 years overdue.. but after these first 15 chapters of this particular story i must say. Fantastic. It seems you have a real knack of telling stories in a lighthearted but penetrative way that makes one to just continue reading all the way through. As i learned from "It takes a Took" i really love the personification of the "sidecharacters" from the original books and how they come alive... Must stop now.. have more reading to do... // Slaintë/ Pe | |
| Tallis Keeton | Reviewed Chapter: 42 on 10/4/2011 |
| Hello :) I have 2 questions about this text. Why Gandalf did not go with the envoys to the Shire? Well, I suspect that he was at this time in Rivendell or Gondor so whatever was for him more important than visiting his friends again? Rivendell was emptying, Gondor was safe and has got a king - so where was Gandalf all this time? Has he stayed with Tom? But I suspect that not all this time? I enjoy all this part with "Jewelery". :) I don't know the victorian literature very well - have just seen some movies, but in Hyacinth I'd like to see some connection to Miss Bennett - a mother hysterical about her doughters prospecs :) I know that in XIX c. that was very importand becouse a lot of women could not get any job or have any proprieties so they have to get into such frenzy about well marriage simply to not starve or living on the street. But of course Miss Bennett is imo a kind of satire about such society. Hyacinth seems so similar in her ambition and her way of educating her children. I know she is horrible I know she deserved her punishment for making the lasses so spoiled and being cruel for them as well for her husband and for Pippin but don't you think that banishing her before her daughter get well is too cruel? I did not expect such a thing from Than and Frodo. Esp. not from Frodo. I like all kinds of fanfictions but mostly the ones with crosscultures topics cultures or societies making friends with one another, knowing each other better. I like the Shire fanfics and I like the Post-War or 4th Age fanfics. And I like the Gondor or Rohan post-war. Anyway that story is all of those things so I love it :) Author Reply: Hullo Tallis! I've not written about what Gandalf was doing at this time much, but in my head he has some loose ends to tie up. I envision him making a visit to the east to see Radagast, Beorn, the Eagles, the Dwarves in Erebor and the Elves in Mirkwood and some other friends before he prepares to leave M-e. I did write one drabble about him seeing Radagast and realizing that the Brown Wizard was not going to return to the West just yet. I find it interesting that you connect Hyacinth to Mrs. Bennet, a figure from Jane Austen's Regency literature because I rather envision the Shire as being sort of Regency in many ways (You may have noticed this from the description of some of the ballgowns-- the high-waisted dresses and so forth). But originally Hyacinth was meant to be a humorous character. I think I was as surprised as anyone else when I discovered that she was actually cruel and not funny at all! Sometimes our characters can surprise us! She did not seem to care about her daughter's well-being, and was actually kind of making things worse with her self-centered hysteria. I have a feeling that Eglantine could not have borne to have her around much longer, which is why Paladin banished her-- Frodo did not have anything to do with that decision which was strictly Took family business. She would not have been good for Opal's recovery-- I can see Hyacinth sitting around and complaining to her injured daughter that she had brought it on herself by running away and so forth and making poor Opal feel worse instead of better. I'm very fond of the cross-culture sorts of stories myself-- of course, I like hobbits best, but I enjoy showing them as they interact with the Big Folk of Gondor and Rohan. I love the Shire of course, and I enjoy the Post-war and 4th Age; but I also like the Third Age as well, especially during the times when Bilbo was there and when Frodo and the others were growing up. Since you like the 4th Age Shire, have you read any of Celeritas' stories here? She tends to write mostly about a later time, long after the Travellers have all been gone. If you haven't, you might enjoy those! | |