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Stories, Familiar and Rare  by Larner 9 Review(s)
ReaderKitReviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/30/2015
Beautiful tale, and I can very much see it playing out like this. Thanks!

Author Reply: I am so glad you responded in this manner, ReaderKit. Thank you so for letting me know!

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/24/2015
Oh, poor Merry, having to recount all those horrible things that happened to his beloved Frodo. But I am sure he was glad to take the opportunity to share Frodo's courage and heroism, and to set the record straight on what had happened!

Author Reply: Oh, but I'm certain you are right. By speaking in the third person as of the Master was someone else Frodo confused the children, but at that age perhaps knowing that Frodo had been through all that might have disturbed them more than thinking someone they didn't even know had been so poisoned and tortured.

I was a bit surprised when the story I wrote to your prompt refused to let me alone until I wrote this, too! Thanks again for sparking my imagination!

TariReviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/23/2015
Wow! This was an awesome read. I'm so glad Tolkien left room for writer's imaginations to kick in.

Author Reply: As am I, Tari. We have found meanings and nuances where he left his tale's gaps, and it's wonderful to have such a rich framework to work within.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/23/2015
A beautiful tribute to Frodo (and, with the last line, Sam).

Author Reply: They both deserve such tribute and all of the honor their deeds ought to have brought them. And I was glad to show Sam waiting for his own turn at the monster! Thanks so!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/23/2015
I just want to hug Merry, for having to remember and explain all of this in such detail. Frodo should indeed be remembered... not for being perfect, but for being merciful, courageous, and humble.

Author Reply: Frodo was indeed one who learned through experience, and too many of the experiences he had were not only downright grim but frightening and even demeaning. If he was merciful, I suspect it is due to the fact he felt he himself had been granted unwarranted mercy and that it then fell to him to offer what mercy he could in turn.

Thank you so, Shirebound.

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/22/2015
“I know you! You’re Cousin Frodo’s hero!”

Great little story! It must have been very hard for Frodo to tell that story again. So hard that he forgot that his audience consisted of children! But as someone else pointed out, it might have been therapeutic for him.

For Evro however, it was a turning point in his life!

P.S.: I don't know the whole LOTR musical, but that particular song I like very much.

"... Stories we tell will cast their spell now and for always"

Author Reply: I agree, but he must remember in order to let go, after all. And I suspect that both Evro and Frodo found at least some healing.

I'm now looking for a copy of the script and libretto for the musical now. As a former dramatist I'm already envisioning drastic changes in both costume and staging. The depiction of Hobbits I find demeaning! Heh! As for the Elves of Lothlorien swinging on trapezes in the air--how silly! There isn't dancing in this version--there's acrobatics and gymnastics!

TariReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/20/2015
What a wonderful and touching tale. It was therapeutic for Frodo to tell his story, while helping someone else to let go of his pain too. I'm glad you followed the book's version of Cirith Ungol rather than the movie version. I hated what P. J. did to Sam there.

Author Reply: Yes, therapeutic indeed for the both of them. Personally, I suspect this might be the first time Frodo actually consciously remembered precisely what went on in the tower, or much of what he perceived after the spider bit him.

I get frustrated with PJ many times, such as the spider with an abdominal stinger; but moreso with the musical, I find, with what little I get from the video I've been able to find so far. But the song "Ever and Always" is wonderful!

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/19/2015
Awww. This left me in tears. Beautiful.

And so we see hope and healing for the children, even as Frodo is forced to leave the Shire he loved so much, he gave everything for it.

(there's an LOTR musical?)

Author Reply: I'm so glad you found time to read it all, as it's one of my longer single-chapter stories, after all. And Frodo has managed to help at least Evro begin to heal. I first introduced an older Evro, determined to be contrary, in "The King's Commission," and thought to explore his character a bit more at a younger age when the pain of his brother's loss would be more piercing.

But how might Frodo have begun telling of that experience, and to children, and why might he have chosen to tell of it at that particular time? Wouldn't it have helped him spiritually to begin speaking out on that particular experience, and mightn't it have helped at least one or more of his listeners to heal as well?


I've known of LOTR, the Musical for some years, and Harrowcat expressed mixed feelings about it. Then in the B2MeM prompts on Facebook where one can embed YouTube videos, Dreamflower posted a link to the particular song "Ever and Always," a duet sung between Frodo and Sam regarding the "I wonder if we will ever be put into songs and tales?" dialogue in the books and the PJ films. That, of course, led to other links, some of just the music with possibly the lyrics overlaid and others with the action, and some done as music videos with clips from the PJ movies.

I just purchased the deluxe CD set from the musical, which is supposed to be touring in the U.S. this year (it was originally a London production), and will bring it down with me. I suspect I shall be listening to it in the car as I go to work this week, as my CD-ROM player in the laptop is no longer working, and ditto for the alarm clock with CD player. Razzlefritz!

Author Reply: Sorry--the song is "Now and for Always," not as I wrote it above.

UTfrogReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/18/2015
The terrible story is well told by Frodo, but the last line is simply wonderful! Thank you.

Author Reply: Oh, thank you! I felt he would distance himself in the telling of it, particularly if he were to tell it to children; but I felt in the end that the children would be delighted to know it was indeed true, and would recognize Frodo's hero easily and would be thrilled to let him know they knew he WAS indeed a hero. Thanks so very much, UTfrog!

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