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Truth  by Lindelea 3 Review(s)
TariReviewed Chapter: 24 on 2/15/2013
This is an absoluterly wonderful story. Your describtions were so realistic that I could picture the scenes as I read. I can't wait to find out what happens next in "On Solid Ground".

Author Reply: Much-belated thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on so many aspects of this! I don't know if I originally answered these reviews, and the answers were lost, or if they somehow slipped by me.

In any event, I appreciate your encouragement.

If this reply happens to reach you, I hope this finds you and yours well and safe.

Nienor NinielReviewed Chapter: 24 on 10/1/2006
Oh, that was exciting again! And poor Pippin's dilemma: to have to follow the laws while knowing that there is an injustice in doing so.

I'm looking forward to seeing more about Faramir and Goldi!

As to what I wrote about understanding why you didn't cure Ferdi: I just guessed that a) he can't always be lucky, can he? and b) he shows that one can have a disability and yet live a life that is worthwhile. Killing four... err, five ruffians without seeing is really impressive, and he is doing all his work and even develops his other senses and is especially capable in his profession. So he really is an example for how people can cope with a disability. And he's still the same Ferdi that he was before!

All the best! Nienor

Author Reply: Good guessing!

In addition, I was worrying at the time about being perceived as "writing to a formula" - someone I respected had warned me against doing that, earlier, when I had written a series of Merry and Pippin stories, with one cousin rescuing the other (Such as "To Get to the Top" and "Hopes Pinned"). I had decided that one of the "main" OCs would have to die, in "Merlin", or the story wouldn't be taken seriously. The tossup came between Regi and Ferdi, and in the draft, Ferdi did not survive his injuries. But I got terribly depressed, working the draft into the final version, and talking to a fellow author, Dana, I talked myself out of his death. I needed a blind hobbit for "Solid Ground", and so Ferdi took that role, and "Truth" and "Comedy of Merrys" followed from that.

I'm very glad he did not die in "Merlin", after Frodo and Fastred saved him from the burning shed, but sometimes it really does seem as if one hobbit's gone through way too much in his life... (and the whole reason I started writing about Ferdi's troubles was because I felt I'd given Pippin too many, in earlier stories!)

However, my editor-friend loves to read about Ferdi getting into and out of scrapes, and so I'm afraid I'm too easy to talk into yet another story.

Anyhow, that's the background. Some of the readers I corresponded with were aware that Ferdi died in the draft, but I don't know if it is in any of the "Merlin" author's notes, it's been so long since I had time to look at that story, writing as I am much earlier on the timeline.

MirielReviewed Chapter: 24 on 10/20/2003
Wondreful ending, full of things to come!

The rest of Farry and Goldi's story ought to be most interesting, indeed. Although their coupling is fine with their parents, how will the other hobbits react? Especially the Tooks? *Shudder* and the other hobbits who will think that Goldi is marrying above her station.

Frodo and (Was it Daisy? Don't ahve time to go back and look) should have an easy time of it. They deserve ti, after all that they have been through.

Congrats for a story well-done!

Author Reply: Thank you for the warm review! Yes, it's Daisy, and their wedding will be in the sequel, which is outlined but not written. It is supposed to be a comedy, a relief from all the angst I've been writing lately.

I must admit, I haven't given any thought to Farry-Goldi in the sequel, yet, have been busy setting all the other threads in place (Merry Brandybuck, Merry Gamgee, Merry (Meri) Took...). One reviewer mentioned it might be fun to have Goldi and Hodge spend some time together, to draw out the readers' suspense. Hmmm.

They say that every wedding is a comedy in the making. Yep, I'm pretty sure that's right. At least, this one is... Of course, Frodo and Daisy are so happy, I don't think they notice all the mishaps and mayhem around them.

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