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

LifeWatch  by Lindelea 11 Review(s)
AspenJulesReviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/2/2006
Oh my... that was heartbreaking.

It's hard to read with tears in my eyes.

PIppinfan1988Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 4/30/2006
There is such a lovely quality about this wonderful tale. Knowing how the book ends doesn't make it any easier to read what Merry is going through. I love how he has hope for his cousins and friend, however bleak it may seem.

Pippinfan

Author Reply: That sort of hope in the bleakest of circumstances seems to shine through LOTR, doesn't it...

Rachel StonebreakerReviewed Chapter: 3 on 4/3/2006
Excellent touch having the soldier watching Pippin be one of the walking wounded (he limped out of the glade). I'm sure not many folks escaped some sort of damage.

This is grand! You write nice details without getting too wordy.

I wonder what's in store for the four hobbits now? Poor Merry, having to sit and watch. I suppose the good news is that Pip should heal remarkably fast because of the Ent Draughts, so that should be a comfort.

Thank you for emailing me with the notice for update. I don't have a whole lot of time to spend keeping track of various stories so I very much appreciate the notices.

~ Rach

Author Reply: New chapter posted. SoA does have an automatic feature that sends out update noticed, BTW, but I know what you mean. At the moment, with no time for reading, those "Story Alert" messages, for the authors I keep track of, simply pass by in my mailbox.

I imagined, while writing in this period, that the walking wounded would be watching the more seriously wounded, and most of the able-bodied would be out "cleaning up" the remnants of the Dark Lord's forces.

Nice details without too wordy--wonderful to hear! Often worry that I put too many details in and bog down the writing.

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/30/2006
Merry doesn't have time to be ill now. Which could cause a problem later. All three hobbits desperately need him now - he is what will hold them. Both his love and his need for them.

'Which one is Frodo?' What a telling comment that is about the state of Frodo and Sam!

Author Reply: Poor Merry. No time to be ill now, or later, really, considering all that must be done.

Thanks!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/28/2006
Yes, I can see this all too well. Not a deathwatch, though, but a lifewatch as you've entitled it.

And am so glad Pippin has a living hand to cling to right now.

Author Reply: I am glad, too. It seems logical that hobbits would be comforted by the touch of a hand... I remember the studies of comatose patients where they reported having been able to hear and feel a touch, even though they were at the time unable to do anything in response.

Hope things are going better over your way.

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/27/2006
Poor, poor Merry. It broke my heart when he had to ask which one was Frodo. Merry has a long effort of being strong ahead of him.

Author Reply: Good thing that hobbits have a core of steel, or is it iron? I forget.

Thanks!

demeter dReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/27/2006
Dear Lindelea, I am rather new to this whole fan-fiction thing. So even a "blast from the past' is new and welcome to me. I want you to know i have you on my favorites notification list here at SOA. This is a lovely little story. i always enjoy readin detailed accounts from a single character's point of view. Also, it is nice to see interactions between characters which Tolkien left a bit blank. After the race across Rohan to save Merry and Pip from the Orcs, I always thought that Gimli developed a particular soft spot in
his heart (and head!) for those two. i like to see a bit more interaction between them. Oh, a personal question, if you do not mind. My own little Hobbits are 26, 24, and 21 years of age. I read your comments about feeding and putting to bed little ones. If your children really are small still, I really do admire that you have had the time to do SO MUCH WONDERFUL WRITING!
How old are your "Hobbits"? Best Wishes, Demeter D

Author Reply: How nice it was to receive your encouraging note.

Must admit I avoided writing Gimli until I started to "get to know" him a little in a story called "Where the Merlin Cries". (That one is only half-edited and half-posted here at SoA but I have hopes of starting to post that one after this one is finished.)

I used to write early in the morning before the rest of the family arose, and during naptime when the little ones were little enough for naps. But this year naptime has gone by the wayside, and eldest is using the computer more for "school" study, and middlest is starting to use the computer as a tool for research and writing, so writing time has sort of evaporated. (And early morning has been relegated to RL writing demands, and there are deadlines attached to those...) So until summer arrives I may be limited to editing-and-posting rather than writing new material. Glad it's not a bother.

Goodness, am feeling chatty today! But lunch break is over, time for readaloud!

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/27/2006
"'Please, Strider,' he said. 'I don't think it will be for much longer. I can rest then.'"

Poor dear Merry! And he's so right - Frodo and Sam are together, Pippin needed a hobbit to be with him.

Well done as always :)

Author Reply: Thank you, my friend.

Still have had no time to catch up on your new stories, but summer's coming... (supposed to be 70 tomorrow... won't be too long before we're all panting and fanning ourselves and wishing the cool weather back again)

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/27/2006
'Frodo and Sam have each other; Pippin has nobody, no proper hobbit hand to be holding his whilst he's walking in the dark.'

Merry is such a brave hobbit!
His arm has gone cold again, but he ignores it and even makes a joke about it. But I can understand him. Frodo and Sam have each other, but what Pippin needs mostly is, of course, his Merry!

Author Reply: Yes, he and Merry need each other, I think. Aragorn summoned Merry from the City to be in time to say "good-bye" but I wonder if he had hopes that Merry could somehow be a factor in a miraculous recovery? Haven't made up my own mind yet, whether Aragorn had any hope at all, or not.

Thanks!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/27/2006
On the bed was a small, propped up figure, which Merry could recognize, with a stretch of his imagination, as his cousin Pippin.

Then Merry spoke, and his words brought sudden tears to the Ranger's eyes. 'Which one is Frodo?' he whispered.

'Hold on to him, Sam,' Merry whispered. 'Don't you lose him.'

'Frodo and Sam have each other; Pippin has nobody, no proper hobbit hand to be holding his whilst he's walking in the dark.'


Ohhh, how heartbreaking. Brave, brave Merry.

Author Reply: Love the way you hit the highlights. I need to do that more in my own reviews... when I have time to read again! But summer's a-comin', as we sang in a madrigal a few years back, and soon it'll be time to sit by the pool while young ones are splashing. They want to do "swim team" this year, so there may be a long stretch of days by the pool. I think that practices go on daily, Monday through Friday for most of the summer. Think of the possibilities for reading! And planning! (And dreaming in the sun...)

Thanks!

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List