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Truth  by Lindelea 1 Review(s)
FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 17 on 10/3/2003
I do feel sorry for Ned. Even though it's his own fault, and even though it was a deliberately premeditated act, it doesn't seem like his remorse is purely because he got caught. Is it? I wonder how old he is? He seems very young here, and I wonder if the punishment will take into account that fact. He's certainly convicted by his own words, and Pipin's little bit of trickery serves to disguise the real magic, that of Ferdi's truth-sifting abilities. I knew there would have to be a confession, because there simply wasn't any other hard evidence possible, but it didn't come off like an old episode of Perry Mason, so you're all right by me. I think it was quite clever to use the hobbits' supersititon of Elves and their magic against them. Pippin would have to be pretty confident of his assessment of the Sandyman family, but then, what did he have to lose? If he didn't try something like this to get Ned to confess, Frodo would still be punished, and he's no worse off for the attempt.

I guess we'll wait for the next chapter for the whole story to come out, and to make a better judgement of whether Ned's actions are undiluted malice or just misguided loyalty. Intent matters a lot. (Goldi may end up in more trouble than ever for starting the whole thing with her kiss of Farry. It's not fair, but then much hasn't been.) I wonder what the instructions to the healer were - to delay Sam until the hearing was ready to start, so he couldn't speak first? To hustle him out of there should things not go well? I'm curious.

Author Reply: Ned is only a tween, and heedless of the consequences of his actions. He sees this as "getting back" at the Gamgees. Only with maturity will come the wisdom and the terrible knowledge of what he's done to another, and thankfully this situation was cut off before it got too ugly for him to bear when he's older, looking back. BTW, the healer's instructions will come out in a future chapter.

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