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| The Ranger and the Man In Yellow Boots by Cairistiona | 44 Review(s) |
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| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/14/2015 |
| Another great story! Tom's songs were fun, and sounded just right! And then the shift to Aragorn's worries about his impending Chieftain-hood. His concerns seem quite realistic for a young man of his experience, agreed. I like the path you took with it -- in fact, I would love to see your version of this time during his life. I haven't run across one that seemed quite right to me so far, but this conversation seemed to walk a very good line between anxiety and how things have been and how they will likely be. I enjoyed both 'parts' of this story, thanks so much for writing! :-) Author Reply: Okay, I'm mortified that I'm thanking you for this SEVEN YEARS after you left it, but... thank you!! I've been out of the Tolkien fandom, at least in terms of actively writing, for quite some time and checking reviews didn't seem like something I needed to do, but now that I know this website's notifications are borked, I'll have to check in a little more often. I'm glad you liked my take on this period of Aragorn's life. It really is hard to fill in those blanks with the right measure of bravery, innocence--or maybe naivete is a better word--hopefulness and nervousness. It seems like stories either make him too dejected or too optimistic when I feel the most human emotions would put him somewhere in between, with some days better than others, but most days optimistic. | |
| TheDreamer | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/2/2012 |
| I have to thank you for writing this! Tom Bombadill is my favorite character from my childhood, and I can never find *any* fanfic about him ;) Also loved the part when the twins talked about Halbarad: ‘How tall is he now? When will he join us? Is he good with a bow? Can he hunt a wild stag? Will he be a good warrior? Does he know farming and husbandry and how to keep a village fed and warm through a hard winter?' Well, you know the rest... :) Author Reply: Thank you, Dreamer! So glad you enjoyed this. You're very right in that there's little fanfic out there for Tom Bombadil, probably because he's a hard character to get a good grasp on! Or at least he was for me. The twins and Halbarad are far more in my wheelhouse. I figure as much time as the Sons of Elrond spent with the Dunedain, they probably knew Halbarad well and likely had to put up with all his eager questions about Aragorn! Thanks for the review! | |
| Alaura J. | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/19/2012 |
| I didn't much understand (or, admittedly, care for) Tom before. I didn't see the point of him. But, this tale has completely changed my mind, and everything that needs to be clear is. Thank you for helping me appreciate this delightful guy. I love the authentic poetry, be it silly or beautiful or serious. Do you have any other poems published? Author Reply: Thank you, Alaura! I'm so glad this little story helped you appreciate Tom B! That does my heart good, because I write fanfic in order to find greater meaning in Tolkien's works for myself. Tom is definitely a riddle, isn't he? I can't say that I fully understand his role in Middle-earth, either, although writing this did help me sort out a few things. As for the poetry, no, I don't have any other poems. My writing tends to follow prosey paths rather than poetic, for the most part. To be honest, sometimes poetry mystifies me as much as Tom Bombadil! *g* Thanks again for the review! | |
| layne | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/10/2011 |
| I love the bantering and the teasing between them and yet the twins' protectiveness ( especially Elladan's ) of Estel shone bright and true. And oh, Estel, you needn't have worried, your people *would* accept you, and more! Btw, that bit about Estel being Halbarad's love interest had me grinning like a loon lol. Author Reply: Thank you, layne! So glad you enjoyed this, and especially the bantering... I love writing brotherly teasing between these three. :) | |
| Estelcontar | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/5/2011 |
| A perfect ending to a most delightful tale. I'm so glad you expanded it. I like your Elladan, and can so understand him. His use of "litlest" as an endearment was just the right touch and a very subtle way of showing the special relationship which, I imagine, existed between the twins and Aragorn. Besides you did a great job of showing between the lines how both of them felt in relation to the Dúnedain of Arnor, and that is something rare to see in fan fiction. To my mind your young Aragorn is spot on. He feels as insecure as a young man suddenly burdened by the load of responsability thrust upon him must have felt, but, on the other hand, we also glimpse the humility, wiseness, and strength of mind that were so conspicuously present in the Aragorn we came to to know and love. Great story! Author Reply: Thank you, Estelcontar--so glad you liked the entire tale and the "expansion" parts. :) I love to think about the relationship between the twins and Aragorn... like you say, I'm sure it had to have been a special one, and very deep. And I do like writing the twins and their relationship with the Dunedain--there's such a special bond there and I agree completely that it gets overlooked in most fanfiction. Here's to filling that gap! :) | |
| Estelcontar | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 6/5/2011 |
| Well, what can I say. Your Tom sounds very Bombadilish. You've managed, to my mind, to capture the essence of both Tom and Goldberry, and also to convey the quiet happiness and tranquility that they both irradiate. I like that your Aragorn though young and so still insecure is wise enough to recognize that Tom is beyond his ken. And the poems sound very Tolkienish too. Author Reply: Thank you, Estelcontar! Tom Bombadil very nearly is beyond my ken, so maybe that's why I was able to write Aragorn so convincingly befuddled and bemused by him. And Aragorn himself at this age is also a challenge to find the balance between confidence and insecurity. He's bound to have have loads of both, really. Glad you enjoyed this chapter! | |
| Estelcontar | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/5/2011 |
| I loved this chapter when I first read it, and I loved it even better now that I've reread it. You've managed to give us a delightful glimpse of elusive Tom. The poems sound perfect, and your young Aragorn is very engaging. And what a great ending. Author Reply: Thank you! Glad you liked the tweaking I did to it... there wasn't a lot but enough to expand it in to a true opening chapter. And elusive is a perfect word for Tom! | |
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/4/2011 |
| A lovely way to end this story, with Aragorn's meeting with Tom as sort of an odd but necessary precursor to his upcoming return to his own people. The future king having been helped and hosted by so ancient and powerful a spirit seems a fitting part of Aragorn's hero's journey. Aragorn is very realistically written here, bold, strong, but still very young and untested, and smart enough to be aware of that, and concerned as to how his people will react to him. Author Reply: Thank you, Raksha! So glad you liked the way the story wrapped up. I hadn't really thought about Aragorn's visit with Tom being a part of his "hero's journey" but in looking at it in light of your comment, I think I have to agree. It's really fascinating to think about what sorts of moments he had, what encounters and with whom, during his life that Tolkien never gives us the barest hint about. But he had to have been helped along his way by many folk, and it's fun to explore those possibilities. | |
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/4/2011 |
| Loved the evolution of Aragorn's consciousness here, and the ambiguity of the rather absurd figure of Tom Bombadil - then the hint of Bombadil's true nature toward the end. Great start! Author Reply: Thank you, Raksha! Tom is such an interesting character... his silly nature sometimes seems like a disguise but also seems like the outgrowth of a truly joyful, carefree spirit. It was interesting trying to replicate that. :) | |
| Minerva Organa | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/2/2011 |
| Well, this is the second time today you've left me with a huge silly grin on my face!!! I adored this last chapter especially...I love how realistically you've capture what Aragorn must have been feeling on the eve of his joining the Dunedain, as well as the interactions between him and the twins. And I loved the bit about Halbarad! A lovely ending to a lovely story :D. Author Reply: Thank you, Minerva! I do like leaving silly grins on people's faces. :) So glad you enjoyed the story. | |