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

Holding Back the Flood  by shirebound 24 Review(s)
pebbles66Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 7/14/2009
Oh, I love Gimli's inner voice helping him to remain calm and think what to do. Gimli doesn't get to be the hero very often, not near often enough in my opinion!

Author Reply: It's been so interesting to make him a major character, and see these events through his eyes and experience!

Gentle HobbitReviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/11/2009
*shiver* The idea of that splinter actually moving and burrowing itself into Frodo's leg gives me the shudders. My goodness... you are really giving this fic what-for in the creepiness department!

Again I cheer for Gimli! Hurrah! A wise and steady dwarf indeed.

Author Reply: Creeeeeepy stuff! *glares at any splinter that dares touch Frodo* Thank you so much for reading. :)

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/19/2009
(“No, no, and yes,” Frodo said. ) A bit of hobbit humor during a dark situation. Good for Frodo.

And the team of Merry and Pippin trading ideas on the move. That was great too.

Oh, and this from Pippin on the way out to safety.

(“Honestly, Frodo, he’s been back in Rivendell for at least an hour. You do own a brush, don’t you, Strider? I could lend you one of Merry’s.” ) and the way Merry knew that Pippin was trying to lift Frodo's spirits and didn't mean any real insult to Aragorn.

I am enjoying this all very much!

Now, we got to get Sam and Legolas and Gimli out of the cave and get Frodo the help that he needs. When I say, *we*, I mean you of course. : )

Author Reply: Thank you. Praise from the praiseworthy (in hobbity humor) is a treasure indeed! It just seemed so natural that Pippin would generously offer a brush, but hedge his bets when it came to whose he was offering.

I'm working on those rescues! *type type type*

grumpyReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/8/2009
Very smart thinking on Merry's part. I was wondering how the stone could hurt Frodo, but now I see it is creeping inward. Which is creepy.

Author Reply: That creeping is very creepy indeed. Merry is a very perceptive hobbit. Thank you for reading!

GalimerilReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/6/2009
Most excellent. I love the way you wrote Gimli, most make him seem blustery, but the way you mixed the ingredients together, he came across as competent. Not only that, but I adore this line

"Straining to his utmost, he shifted the heavy weight aside. He paused a moment to catch his breath, fighting the urge to just push the Elf away and find out how badly Sam was hurt. Instead, he carefully pulled Legolas to a clear area of ground near the fire."

You really understand just how strong Gimli is, not to mention that even though he may not want to help Legolas, he still does it, great way to work in begrudging compassion! Excellent chapter, I look forward to more!

Cheerio!
Elizabeth

Author Reply: Thank you, Elizabeth! Your perceptions mirror several things that I'm putting into the next chapter. I never wrote pre-Quest Gimli before, and it's fascinating to imagine how he would react to this experience. He was pretty much out of his element wandering around Rivendell, but I suspect that underground, he would naturally show himself as an extremely capable and confident person.

GamgeeFestReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/6/2009
Oh, thank goodness help arrived so quickly! But there is still so much to do to save those who are trapped. I love Pippin. :) He's the perfect one to distract Frodo at this time and to give the news to Bilbo gently. I had to laugh at Gimli's urge to just toss Legolas aside. Those two are going to have to work together, whether they want to or not. Should be interesting.

Author Reply: Thanks! Yes, there's nothing like being forced to work together, is there?

I just realized that I hardly ever plan dialogue for Pippin in advance -- luckily for me, he just suddenly comes up with the best banter, and I diligently write it down!


lbiloverReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/6/2009
Eep! Still so much tension, although thankfully Frodo is now in Aragorn's care. How hard it must have been for him to leave Sam behind not knowing how he was. You can really see the forging of the Fellowship here, with so much caring and concern and competence. *anxiously awaits next chapter*

Author Reply: "The forging of the Fellowship" is definitely something I wanted to bring out. And yes, poor Frodo and Sam being separated... I've wanted to write that scenario for a long time.

Thank you! :)

Ainu LaireReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/5/2009
Heh, talk about a situation that the elf and dwarf *really* don't want to find themselves in. Stuck with each other, not-that-well-off, in a closed-in cave. Heheh. Can't say I envy them.

Ohh, Morgul-magic-rocks, eh? Where can I buy one? Bet I could make quite a bundle off of it on eBay >:)

Oh, and once these folks are done healing one another, I'm going to steal their healing services. I caught my sister's cold ><

Looking forward to the next chapter.

Author Reply: Sorry about your cold. As soon as Aragorn is finished lavishing comfort and healing on Frodo, I'll send him right over.

Glad you're enjoying this! We're having a better time reading about poor Legolas and Gimli's dilemma than they're having experiencing it, that's for sure. :)

Baggins BabeReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/5/2009
Hello Shirebound,

My internet connection decided on non-co-operation this week so I couldn't leave a review. Dratted technology! RL has been so chaotic the last few months that I'm still looking for a switch to slow things down!

I love you inventiveness - that shard of rock sounds very sinister - I hope Aragorn can deal with it. I also love Gimli fighting the urge to shove the elf to one side *chuckle* Pippin is very smart and Merry thinking ahead - great characterisation.

I shall be reading the next chapter from behind the sofa - eeeek!



Author Reply: Oh gosh, I'm sorry to hear about your internet connection problems! I've had to replace one hard drive and two operating systems since the beginning of the year, and wish these electronic darlings of ours would just work all the time, no trouble. I hope your year gets smoother and more peaceful as the months go by.

Thank you so much for reading. Our hobbits are ever so clever, and it's fun trying to imagine how Gimli would react to such an experience.

Like you, I need to know that everything will be all right, and the sooner the better. I wouldn't have it any other way! :)

Lily BagginsReviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/4/2009
Oh my gosh, I never guessed that the splinter of rock had a mind of its own, so to speak, like the Morgul blade. Eeeek! That's very clever and really quite frightening, too.

The scene with Aragorn and Frodo was deliciously done---I so enjoyed it! I've been craving that lately. And of course, we all know that Frodo is going to be more worried about everyone else than himself---he's so darling here, as you always write him!

I'm dying to find out what happens next, now---looks like everyone's really in a heap o' trouble. I trust you won't get them out of it *too* soon. ;D





Author Reply: Thanks, Lily. I crave scenes like that, too, and when I finished "Keep Him Secret, Keep Him Safe" I found that my need to write Aragorn - Frodo h/c was as insatiable as ever.

I'm dying to find out what happens next, too! I'm really letting this story unfold 'exactly as it means to'.

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List