Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

All That Glisters  by Lindelea 6 Review(s)
Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 62 on 1/4/2005
Lovely reunion all around. I liked the way that Diamond equates breath with life so strongly. From watching Pippin at his worst I should imagine. Glad Jack didn't stay to face the music or the reward and now if Denny makes it, we have a clean sweep. I like the fact that Pippin is sure of Strider's gifts as a healer as far as Denny's wounds go and yet knows nothing can be done about his own situation. I am enjoying the under-currents on this one very much.

Author Reply: Yes, I decided way back that "While there's breath there's life." would be a hobbity proverb, well known throughout the Shire, the sort of thing you grow up hearing your grandma mutter. Comes in handy so often, too!

I like hearing about the parts you like.

Thanks!

Connie B.Reviewed Chapter: 62 on 1/4/2005
Good chapter. Everyone is back together, but now we have the question of whether or not Denny is going to live. We also don't know if Pip-lad is going to recover from his fright enough to even be around men, even the king. There's also the question of Jack's wearabouts(sp) and his reward from the Thain.

Thanks.

Connie B.

Author Reply: Hmmm. Wonder how they'll win Pip-lad's confidence... This story is set *before* Sam and Rose "adopt" Bergil, so Pip-lad doesn't even have an overlarge big brother to talk him round.

Jack's whereabouts will be made clear in time.

Thanks!

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 62 on 1/4/2005
'Should I re-write the ruffian's fate to satisfy readers?' No - you don't have to do that! We watched Ulrich suffer the anticipation of a shameful death by the process of justice. Let the garbage disposal rid us of this ruffian!

'(Elessar? What are you doing there? O yes, I recognised you, even though you're in disguise as a humble, grungy Ranger again.)' Elessar in hiding - in the cellars of Brandy Hall, pretending to be a carrot, just to get away from kingship for a bit. It'd be a good hiding place - none of his councillors could pursue him into the Shire.

Actually, I was thinking earlier that it would do the Shirefolk good to have a few acceptable, well-chosen Men (and women) who are permitted into the Shire - most of the Shirefolk just accept - a la Ferdi, that Men = ruffians. They could do with seeing good, decent, honourable Men around.

Author Reply: Good, that was sort of a rhetorical question and I really didn't plan to rewrite that part of the draft--Denny's giving me trouble enough, mischievous soul that he is.

Hmmm. Pretending to be a carrot. If he *really* wanted to avoid detection, he'd pretend to be a large piece of liver. But it's awfully cold there, where they hang the meat, so perhaps not. Better that he pretend to be a barrel of brandy, now *there's* a promising storage area.

I think it would be lovely to have some good, decent, honourable Men around. It's difficult to get around the Professor's edict, though. I sort of stretched things with the Gamgees adopting Sam, and striking the Shire with so many terrible disasters, one after the other so that it would have been a crime for Men to stay *out* of the Shire. But I don't want people to start talking about me as an AU writer...!

Thanks. It's been fun exchanging comments with you today. I'm all fired up and ready to get on with revising the draft.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 62 on 1/4/2005
Hey, if Denny survives - as one who almost lay down his life in order to save Pip-lad and Farry, he should be next in line for honorary hobbithood. Even if the thought of being force-fed six meals a day does give him a stomach-ache. He can be an adopted son to Hilly and Posey.

(Perhaps Jack should too - if he's a Took, then going into the Shire would be permissible.)

Author Reply: Hmmm. Wonder just how far we can go to circumvent the King's Edict. Have to watch out, or people will be lining up to put in applications for adoption by Shire-folk. (Elessar? What are you doing there? O yes, I recognised you, even though you're in disguise as a humble, grungy Ranger again.)

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 62 on 1/4/2005
'I figure going over a waterfall and being pounded and drownded to death is more unpleasant than a simple death by hanging, don't you?'

More painful probably. Possibly more prolonged. But I would imagine that the anticipation of trial, sentence and waiting for execution is probably pretty dreadful. And nowhere near as quick.

Author Reply: Signed on to check email at lunchtime and ran across your comments. Hmmm. Should I re-write the ruffian's fate to satisfy readers? (Already have a reputation for being a cruel writer.)

Poor guy. I can't imagine surviving going over Niagara Falls (though these falls are not *quite* that scope!) only to be fished out of the River, tried, sentenced, and executed. Yikes. Talk about cruelty!

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 62 on 1/4/2005
‘Hold on, Denny. Hold on.’

(We do believe in fairies, we do believe in fairies. Tinkerbell will be all right.)

So typically hobbity, to try to save the perpetrator as well as the victim. Mind you, the slimeball will exonerate Jack. If he has any sense.

I hope Jack has survive the dip in the river - I suspect he has, although I rather hope the nasty kidnapping wretch hasn't. Although he deserves worse than a simple death from falling.

More! Soon! It's too tense to have to wait.

Author Reply: Will hope to have more soon. Awaiting medical advice. It would have been much simpler if Denny had died, as in the outline and handwritten draft. Changing horses midsream leads to lots of work! (But I'm glad Denny is going to be around longer, pulling pranks and getting into hot water and fostering good Shire-folk/Men relations.)

As to the ruffian--I figure going over a waterfall and being pounded and drownded to death is more unpleasant than a simple death by hanging, don't you? (Shiver)

Thanks for the quick response. Reviews are so heartening.

Return to Chapter List