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

Another Moment of your Time  by Larner 5 Review(s)
KittyReviewed Chapter: 97 on 8/5/2022
Always nice to see Pando and Cyclamen again :-)

Turin's story certainly was depressing. Never really got properly through the Silmarillion, to be honest. Too much gloom and doom.

Frodo's conclusion surprised me, too. I remember Artanis, but am not sure if I forgot Altariel and Nerwen, or if I never knew these names. Anyway, it's nice that Sam stumbled over this particular book.

Author Reply: Gads, so many stories you reviewed that I'd missed!

I wish that Frodo had married, as I'm certain he would have been a most devoted Dad. I like to see him with children about him, I find.

Names in the Undying Lands are confusing, as the individual starts out with at least two, one from Dad and one from Mom. Then other nicknames get added as time goes on that often become the "official" names for the individual. I'd be rather insulted to be dubbed "Mannish Woman" by my mother, I think. I don't reread the Sil much, and sometimes I have to go back to the Encyclopedia to remind myself of what parts of it means.

Thanks so.

periannoreReviewed Chapter: 97 on 5/7/2022
From the title I worried this would be a lackluster fic but since Frodo was in it and living in the shire I had hope. It turns out I had the pleasure of spending some peaceful, quality time with Frodo, Sam and the children.
The little history lesson went down pleasantly and given the conclusion the title couldn't have been more apt. I welcomed the bits which gave my imagination new fodder for my continuing daydreams about Frodo and the Fellowship. For example: "I had to ask Master Erestor, as keeps Lord Elrond’s library for him, to help make it out." I'm imagining scenarios involving Elrond giving Erestor time off to satisfy Sam's boundless interest in books of tales in Elvish, and maybe to help Merry with the maps.
“You did this picture?” He nodded,... “Bilbo seemed to think it was close enough to how he remembered Smaug being, there in the treasury in the Lonely Mountain. I hope I did Glaurang justice.” I like the idea that Frodo has an aptitude for drawing and can imagine so many ways to incorporate it in my musings about him.
Last before this review becomes longer than your story I loved what you didn't say. As young as they are the children didn't beg for bites of tangerine. This showed their love for Frodo and their willingness to forego treats in respect for his need.
Thank you for packing so much in this little fic.


Author Reply: Pando and Cyclamen Proudfoot first came into my stories while I was writing "The King's Commission," many, many years ago. They return at odd moments, I find. I like to imagine that Frodo was very good with children, and that he'd hoped to form a family of his own in place of the happy family he lost when his parents died when he was only eleven. However, I suspect that once he became keeper of the Ring It interfered with those dreams.

I've always thought of him as being both artistic and a fantastic dancer before he went on his quest as well. After all, Frodo was in his way the epitome of the artistic nature of the Fallohides, the resourceful nature of the Stoors, and the steadfastness of the Harfoot part of his heritage. It was the Fallohides that the other clans looked to in order to deal with situations the Hobbits of the Anduin valley found themselves facing, as the Fallohides were most intelligent and intuitive and able to think outside of the box, and thus best able to find solutions.

I suspect that after this story draws to a close that Frodo will offer slices of the tangerines to the children, and they trust to his known generosity so that they don't have to beg.

Thanks for your in depth expression of appreciation for the story.

UTfrogReviewed Chapter: 97 on 4/27/2022
Absolutely delightful story. Thank you so much.

Author Reply: And thank you so much! Please excuse the tardiness of my reply, as I don't have as much time to read and respond to comments as I used to. I hope to get caught up soon!

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 97 on 4/18/2022
Oh, but the ending left me laughing in delight!

It seems so natural for Sam to seek out more of the old tales while at Rivendell. I can just see them (Bilbo and Frodo) chasing him off after Frodo's recovery to make sure he gets some rest and recreation - "And don't come back until the supper bell chimes!" - as if pretending that they want some private time, but also because they know he'd neglect himself (and had done so) to make sure that Frodo had everything he needed. If anything will help Frodo now, it's Sam's tea and Strider's gift of lemons.

Alas, poor Frodo! I'm glad his cold didn't go into lung fever. During a bad stretch, every cold I had seemed to follow the same cycle (which meant it moved into my chest before moving out). But now I'm wondering if Frodo was never sick after Bilbo left because of the effects of the Ring? What a shock his first cold-in-the-head after It went into the Fire must have given him!

So looking forward to seeing you later today. (And I'm so glad you're writing and posting!) I have a birthday present story for you, but it's not quite finished, so please bear with my bad manners at not presenting you with the story before noon on your birthday, which is what I believe Miss Dora specified as Proper Birthday Etiquette.

(And I can only imagine Miss Dora and all her accumulated advice for dealing with a cold! Hah! I'm sure it would more than fill one of Bilbo's wastebaskets.)

Author Reply: It appears I, too, have had the same bad manners. I just posted my present to you this evening, and I hope you like it.

I also love the detail given by the Master that Sam doted on the tales of Elves, and like you suspect that Bilbo and Frodo insisted he indulge himself while they were in Rivendell.

The travails of his quest would undoubtedly have impaired Frodo's immune system, as the climes he passed through were largely not healthful for his lungs or digestive system. I, too, suffered from frequent bouts of respiratory problems when I was younger, and it wasn't until my husband spontaneously stopped smoking that the penny dropped, and I realized his chain smoking and the smoking of so many in my life had damaged my lungs. After I banned smoking by anyone anywhere in my house I was much healthier, until someone would decide, the house is so big she'll never realize I'm smoking here! Oh, but I still suffered from their smoking. And pot smoking triggers my asthma even faster than cigarette smoke!

I suspect that as Bilbo especially liked to smoke outside and Frodo was apparently physically active outside during much of his youth that he took little hurt from smoking until he was rescued from Mordor. Reports of how the silicas and other chemicals of volcanic activity can affect lung and gastro-intestinal functions are pretty graphically negative.

So glad this gave you a laugh. That is delightful to hear!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 97 on 4/17/2022
What a satisfying realization for both Frodo and Sam. And I love the idea of lemons and tangerines flowing into the Shire, especially when Frodo needs them most. I hope you have a joyous and peaceful Easter.

Author Reply: Please forgive the tardiness of this reply. Chaos has been troubling me for much of the past year, and that's the only excuse I have for letting responses go so long unanswered.

Someone wrote a story indicating that Frodo had lost much of his sense of taste as a result of his quest, but that the introduction to oranges and other citrus fruits in Gondor helped increase his appetite because of the intensity of their scents and taste. I found I had to run with that idea!

Thanks so, Shirebound!

Return to Chapter List