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This and That  by Lindelea 5 Review(s)
UTfrogReviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/27/2024
I am crying. This is so touching.

Author Reply: Thank you. I so appreciate your stopping by to read and leave your thoughts.

Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 4 on 9/18/2006
*wipes eyes* How poignant. I love that Boromir was there with Pippin, keeping him alive. This made me get teary-eyed.
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: Thanks. Must bow to pipkinsweetgrass' influence. She really brought Boromir to life for me.

demeter dReviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/7/2006
I see by the posting dates of the other reviews that this beautiful piece has been out for over a year. I am so glad that I finally found it. I knew who this was when the first soldier called him "Captain", even before Pippin named him. In life, his every thought was for his city, and Gondor, and his family. Even after a moment of weakness, he died defending two others whom he had added to tha list of those he loved. From Pippin describing him as a kind friend in the books, I have come to believe that Merry and Pippin became like the sons that he had never had.The detail of Pippin becoming more or less substantial to Boromir as he flickered in and out of life was wonderfully done. It is reminiscent of the descriptions of Frodo and Sam's sojourns in the shadowy world one enters when wearing The One Ring. I read once a story where a little girl made friends with the ghost of another girl who had once lived in her house but died in an accident. When she became a teenager, the modern day girl found a way to go back in time to her friend and prevent the accident. In the past, the modern girl appearred like a ghost to her friend.i like the whole notion of " just what is real?".
It is always good to read stories where Boromir and Denethor find themselves again "on the other side." Tolkien wrote them both as noble men who had been briefly overcome by the Darkness that they fought, although Boromir was able to fight back before his end. A very nice touch, that Denethor, who was a stickler for rules, would have pardoned Beregond in gratitude for saving his son. I would have liked to think so, too. Now there is another story I will have to go back and find, as right now I can not remember who wrote it.
It shows Aragorn passing through the Paths of the Dead, with the dead following behind him. Only, one of the ghosts is an old companion. Boromir rides beside him and tells him he will be with him in the fight to free his beloved city. Your piece reminded me of that one.
Whew, I hope that this was not inappropriately long. But I very much enjoyed this story.!

Author Reply: Not too long at all, but I fear I'm terribly belated in my reply. There was a time last year, I think, when I wasn't getting reviews in my email. I just now ran across this one.

Very insightful--I'm glad you caught that detail of Pippin becoming more "solid" to Boromir when he was closer to death. The story of the two girls sounds familiar, though I can't quite place it.

The story you mentioned about the Paths of the Dead sounds fascinating--did you ever find it?

Thanks.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/9/2005
I do like Boromir and the hobbits. Even post-mortem Boromir. All the touches like Pippin growing less substantial to Boromir's touch as he returned closer to the living world are excellent.

And I'm glad to see Denethor's madness leaving him in death, so that he can be reconciled with his son - and that he honours Beregond for his actions.

It's lovely picturing Boromir fighting to keep life in Pippin until Gimli finds him and Aragorn and later Merry can anchor him.

Author Reply: "even post-mortem Boromir"

Hmmm. Bet you don't hear that every day.

Glad the "touch" detail came through clear, that Boromir and Pippin were existing on separate planes and that they could only touch when Pippin was crossing from one to the other, and that when he pulled back into the world of the living, he became less substantial on the "other side".

It is satisfying to give Denethor his healing. I seem to remember someone (Gandalf?) telling Pippin that Denethor is a "great man" but I forget the context.

Thanks!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/6/2005
Oh, I LOVE this one--so love this one--Boromir supporting Pippin until Merry could get there.

Thank you so much for this story--it is a definite keeper!

Author Reply: You are very welcome!

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