Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Fences and Dreams by Larner	10 Review(s)
PSW	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/7/2016
Very nice! And not like anything I've read before. The part w Tom and Goldberry was so well done, w the focus on the rich food and hospitality. And as for the rest -- the singing again! Of course it's the way! I loved that Arwen was involved -- because of course she would be, for this kind of thing! And the Hobbits added the final touch. Fantastic that they were able to bring hope and renewal rather than destruction. Thanks for writing!

Freyalyn	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/25/2014
I'd forgotten how joyful this one is.

Soledad	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 4/26/2012
How on Earth have I managed to miss this? It was so beautiful it nearly made me cry. Author Reply: You probably missed it because it is just a single chapter. It was interesting to work in the phrase from Midsummer Night's Dream, and once I saw what phrase had been chosen for me I couldn't help but work in Tom to recite it. I'm so glad that it moved you so!

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 4/6/2012
Hm, dealing with the wrights sounds like a good idea. They may keep people from the Old Forest, but they are a danger to others. It seems typical for Aragorn to worry about it and then first ask Tom, to make sure he agrees with the idea. Nice to see the Hobbits coming, too. And it's true, they wouldn't be as intimidated as they once were; they have all seen too much, are more wary and less naive than when they left the Shire for the very first time. This was a new way to deal with the wrights, at least to me, but I like it. They got a chance for redemption, to go on, and even the ones who stayed were feeling so much better. I like the idea that they stayed to keep watch over the ones who refused to give the darkness up. Author Reply: I enjoyed imagining how Aragorn and Arwen might help to rid Eriador of this menace to the spiritual health of anyone traveling between Bree and the Shire. Am so glad you feel that Aragorn would indeed want to ask Tom if he wanted the changes before doing what he did. And as the Renewer, wouldn't he want to see the wights offered the chance to move on? Thank you so for the feedback!

Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/27/2011
I never gave thought to what might have happened to the wights; given his nature, it is not surprising that Elessar would have given them a chance for redemption. There will always be a few who refused, but I thought it spoke volumns that some of the freed ones would guard them so that they could do no futher harm. I love the way you worked Tom and Goldberry into this tale. We don't often see much written about them. This was a most enjoyable read. Author Reply: I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Tari! When I saw the quotation give me, I knew that Tom and the wights had to be involved, and it was wonderful to at last imagine how Aragorn and his Queen managed to cleanse the evil as much as possible from the Barrow-downs. And it's always fun to visit Tom and Goldberry.

panzer71	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/14/2011
Nice story. Thankyou for your submission. Song plays such an important role in Tolkiens Universe and seeing it free the dead from evil was a great image. Was nice to see Tom and Goldberry again.I also liked the dream that showed Aragorn the song and instructed the halflings to come to Aragorns assistance,very cool. Author Reply: Thank you so much, Panzer. I like to work in songs into my stories when I can, and certainly anything involving Tom Bombadil is going to include singing and allusions to the Song of Creation that Tolkien bequeathed to us. In the visit within Tom's house the four Hobbits knew their own dreams, and particularly Frodo; it only seemed likely that Lord Irmo would take advantage of Aragorn and Arwen's presence there to send them a dream they'd be likely to heed that helped them decide precisely how to deal with the wights. And how could he hope to avoid the company of Merry, Pippin, and Sam in this adventure? Heh! Again, thanks so. I enjoyed writing this story!

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/6/2011
I just loved this. You are one of the few writers who can capture the specialness of Aragorn that sets him apart.I also loved the courage of Arwen and the Hobbits and Tom's wisdom. Author Reply: Oh, thank you so, Linda. From one who loves Aragorn so, this is such a great compliment! But who better than Arwen and the remaining Travellers to assist in the cleansing of the Barrow-downs, after all! And Tom's is the wisdom of contentment and self-mastery, I've always suspected!

Teresa	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/5/2011
I greatly enjoyed this mix of LOTR and Midsummer Night's Dream! It was lovely to see Aragorn and Arwen's visit with Tom and Goldberry! And how like Frodo to make sure Aragorn and Arwen had back up when they faced the wraiths! Thanks for this midsummer gift! Will there be other fusions between LOTR and Shakespeare? I hope so! Sincerely, Teresa :) Author Reply: Oh, check out Adonnen's tale--she managed to get in a few more quotes from "Midsummer Night's Dream" and even a reference to "The Tempest" in hers, while Armariel has done a lovely adaptation of the original! This was the first time we've been given quotations from Shakespeare to work from for the LOTR Community Challenge tales, and I loved finding mine so apt to include Tom Bombadil and the barrow-wights in! Yes, Aragorn and Arwen would have backup if Frodo had anything to say about it, I'm certain, and I am also certain he'd want for even the wights to have the chance for redemption, if they'd accept it. Can't say as yet whether or not I'll do another such mixture, but it may well happen one day. But for now I'm furiously trying to finish my Big Bang story, which has again taken on a life of its own! That will come out the end of the month.

Mirach	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/5/2011
What a surprise indeed, just like you said! As if an idea would suddenly fly around, touching the minds and making them write about Tom Bombadil, who seemed almost forgotten in stories before. I also imagined Aragorn as a King coming together with his Queen to visit Tom again, but kept it to myself, just a pleasant thought, but not enough for a story. And now I see you have indeed written it, and added a beautiful thought about metamorphosis. It is really an interesting idea that the Barrow-wight could be freed from the bonds of anger and hatred in a similar way like the Army of the Dead. The dream about Frodo was a beautiful touch - it really would be he who would like to see this done, and help it to happen. Thank you for a wonderful story, I enjoyed reading it very much! Author Reply: I write Tom from time to time. He's appeared in "Second Mum" and in a few short stories, including one told partly from the wight's viewpoint and partly from his own called "The Ritual Interrupted" (in my "Moments in Time" collection) in which we see Frodo cutting the hand off the wight that threatened Merry, Pippin, and Sam. I've felt that Aragorn and Arwen did much to cleanse known bad places within their realms, including the Dead Marshes and the Barrow-downs, and I've indicated in longer stories that this was done, but only this year have gotten to the mechanics of how it was done in each case, in the B2MEM fics for the Dead Marshes and now for the Barrow-downs. For this challenge we were given quotations from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to inspire us, and once I saw the quote given me, I felt it had to include Tom and Goldberry and the barrow-wights. Who but Tom could have spoken that quotation within Middle Earth, and where better than his house to dream the inspiration for how to deal effectively with the wights? And I so agree--Frodo himself would wish to see even the wights given the chance to choose to return to their beginnings, or so I would think. And thank you so for your story. I, too, had imagined a young Aragorn coming here shortly after he came of age, and Tom helping him freed from the wights' influence, but haven't gotten around to that story as yet. You and me posting our stories so close together bookended the theme so well!

eiluj	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/5/2011
How unusual -- especially the idea that the barrow-wights could find peace. A particularly apt quotation from MN'sD. I thought at first the two waiting in Bree might be the Twins and they would help in the working, but instead you sent hobbits. (How can I argue with that?) And it's always wonderful to see a bit of Frodo.... Author Reply: I responded to this earlier today, but I see that my ISP swallowed it again when it cut out unexpectedly. It was the mods for the LOTR Community Challenge site who chose the quotations for us, and the moment I saw mine, I knew that of all of the characters I'm aware of in Middle Earth, only Tom Bombadil couls have uttered it; and if imagination must amend something, perhaps it was the wights in the Barrow-downs who would benefit most from that! I see I was a bit ambiguous about which gates Sam, Merry, and Pippin were camping inside--I was imagining they were camping inside the gates Lotho had erected on the Brandywine Bridge awaiting the official royal visitation there set for the next day, while Aragorn and Arwen's personal attendants had retired reluctantly to Bree. But it could work either way, I suppose. And I love it when Frodo pushes himself into a story I set after he's left for Tol Eressëa! Thanks so, eiluj!

Return to Chapter List