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All That Glisters  by Lindelea 7 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 31 on 12/14/2004
Hooray for Pimpernel!

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 31 on 11/25/2004
Oh, you go, Nell!

Hai TookReviewed Chapter: 31 on 10/28/2004
What a brilliant idea for Hilly to go find Mardi! I couldn't recall that they were brothers but I certainly am glad they are! Sometimes siblings make the best friends! Good for Nell! I am glad they disturbed her enough that she is willing to try this! Of course I am looking forward to finding out if it works the way it ought!

Author Reply: It was certainly convenient to have imagined three brothers, two serving on the Thain's escort and the third a healer. So yes, Mardibold is also Tolibold's older brother. (As the head of the "-bold" family, he performed Tolly's wedding in "StarFire".) I'm not sure exactly when Mardibold entered these stories, but it might have been around the time of "Striking Sparks", when Reginard married Mardi's oldest daughter Rosa. Whew! Sometimes it's a challenge to keep track of all these hobbits!

The next chapter is posted, so you can see how well the draught is working.

Thanks for taking the time to comment!

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 31 on 10/27/2004
Thank goodness for Hilly. And Mardi. And Nell is (probably) my favourite female hobbit.

It's a good thing that Hilly is too pig-headed to take 'we know best' for an answer. (Much like the rest of the escort, actually. I'd feel sorry for Pippin, being surrounded by such a determined obstinate lot - except that he is exactly the same.)

SAVE THAT HOBBIT.

(And, by the way, when it works, Woodruff ought to go and ask for the recipe. Just imagine the joy of being to knock out your hobbits WHILE THEY HEAL!! It must be an idea of heaven to a Great Smials healer.)

Author Reply: LOL, they're all Tooks, aren't they? I loved writing the scene in "At the End of His Rope" where Merry called the Tooks every name he could think of, and every one meant "stubborn". I do believe "pig-headed" was in the list.

Whoa, Woodruff... if she finds out it's Elvish she might just make a pilgrimage to Rivendell.

Thanks!

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 31 on 10/27/2004
Way to go Nell. Finally someone will listen to Hilly! Now, if only Nell gets the dose right and doesn't put her patient to sleepfor a year or so. I can't wait to hear what's happening with Merry's surgery at the Lake. I love that there is more posted so quickly on this one. Great story!

Author Reply: You know, it's a good thing there's only a few swallows left in the flask... I had thought of that problem, actually! Rip van Winkel in hobbit-fashion!

As far as the timeline goes, Merry is still on his way to the Lake. From what I worked out on the map, it'll take them about a week to get there (not that you have to wait a week, if I keep managing to post a chapter a day...)

Thanks!

FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 31 on 10/27/2004
Thank goodness someone in the Smial has some sense! These hobbits drive me crazy sometimes! Their innocence and stubbornness and old-fashioned ways are endearing and part of their charm, until they are so exasperating and bull-headed that they make me want to scream!

OK, now I see I've written three sentences with three exclamation points. I guess I have to laugh at myself for letting the story get to me so, especially since I know that Ferdi lives well for years to come, BUT. I guess it's a good measure of how well you write these captivating and irritating creatures, Lindelea. And bit by bit, one slow dragging experience at a time, they are all learning and becoming braver about the new world around them. Carry on!
FF

Author Reply: Glad to hear from you! (There, I kept you company in exclamation.)

The sad fact is that Hilly would not be so enlightened had he not actually experienced the powers of the draught himself. And Mardi is willing to listen to his brother's recounting of experience, but he's still pretty dubious. If Pippin were there, of course, he might have bulled past Woodruff and administered the draught himself!

Thanks for taking the time to comment!

Author Reply: p.s. I understand Tolkien himself found "typical" hobbits (like Samwise) to be exasperating as well, so you're in good company.

Connie B.Reviewed Chapter: 31 on 10/27/2004
Got to love that Nell; such a take-charge person. Mardi is no slouch either. He's got a ton of great qualities, too.

I don't feel like I'm doing this review justice at all. My dear friend's medical crisis, that I spoke of in my last review, came to a head this morning and she's now in emergicy sergery. What a week this is turning out to be.

Thanks for your kind words in recent review replies, and thanks for great distracting stories.

Connie B.

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