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| Relapse by Periantari | 45 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/28/2025 |
| I enjoyed the descriptions of the landscape as they travelled, as well as the remembrance and the announcement of Faramir and Éowyn's trothplighting. (And the hobbits' reactions! Lovely.) The private discussion between Faramir and his love at the end of the chapter was satisfying, but it also revealed that Faramir still appears to have some lingering demons to wrestle and healing to do. Still, he has Éowyn to give him hope, and he recognises that fact, which bodes well for the future. I'm glad you put "TBC" at the end of the chapter because it means I can keep looking forward to more! Author Reply: Thank yoU! description isn't my strong suit so i'm glad that that description worked for you since i did think about it a lot before I wrote it. but it also revealed that Faramir still appears to have some lingering demons to wrestle and healing to do. Still, he has Éowyn to give him hope, and he recognises that fact, which bodes well for the future. yes, i am gald for that conversation too- they needed Faramir to be forthcoming of the Black Breath and for them to be comforting each other is very needed. Lingering demons, indeed, i feel like there will be so for some of the characters to handle since the war did take such a toll. Yes, more is coming. Thanks for your support! :) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/26/2025 |
| What a lovely betrothal! seeing you again is energy for the soul I can't think of a nicer compliment to give. Author Reply: Thank yoU! i'm glad you liked it. I believe Faramir had Eowyn as the best medicine. ;) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 3/20/2025 |
| A wonderful chapter! I'm looking forward to the wedding almost as much as the happy couple. This new beginning for them both will be as healing as anything that's come before. Author Reply: Thanks so so much! The wedding will indeed be coming and one of the hardest chapters to write- though i have some already written> There are some more chapters to go before that climax. :) | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 3/19/2025 |
| How wonderful it must have been for Aragorn to anticipate Arwen's coming now that he had fulfilled Elrond's conditions! (But also how hard it must have been for him to wait!) I loved the detail about all the lights, one for every year they'd waited. And of course Faramir would have known the story of Lúthien. That makes perfect sense. And of course Arwen can see into Faramir's and Frodo's hearts and minds and offer sage advice and help. (And I wonder if Éowyn might be less affected by the darkness because she's further away? Or does she just hide her own fight against shadow fairly effectively from her brother?) Ha. As for "fast attraction", I'm now wondering when Éomer will meet Lothíriel, and just how fast that attraction might be? Or will they strike sparks at first and only gradually come to an understanding? For she is of the Sea People, if I'm remembering right, and he is of an inland group, so it may seem at first that they don't have that much in common. Alas, poor Frodo. I like the description of him as having an Elvish air of wisdom. I love Pippin's young, bright spirit, his excitement and enthusiasm, and the wisdom he's gained. And I'm glad that Aragorn is keeping tabs on Faramir and roping in others to help! This is a wonderful turn of phrase from Galadriel: Do not worry about the past if you are to rebuild the future. Author Reply: I liked writing the gap-filler time of when the hobbits were waiting for the wedding and thinking about how Aragorn and Arwen's wedding could be. And I wonder if Éowyn might be less affected by the darkness because she's further away? Or does she just hide her own fight against shadow fairly effectively from her brother? That is any interesting question- there should be fic surrounding how she dealt with the darkness too when she returned to Rohan before Faramir comes to see her. I like the description of him as having an Elvish air of wisdom. I like any fic that talks about this because for Tolkien, he did mention that Frodo was the best hobbit in the SHire. Thanks for liking my phrase by Galadriel- i really hoped i had her voice right. THis fic had put me out of my hobbity comfort zone. Thanks for your thoughtful responses! :) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 3/13/2025 |
| Returning to Amon Hen would be so emotional, and each will experience it in their own way. I'm enjoying these wonderful letters! Author Reply: Thank you so much! I spent time crafting them so glad they resonated. I do believe this gapfilling scene to be necessary because each member of the Fellowship and Faramir needed to go to Amon Hen for some closure. | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 3/13/2025 |
| Hurrah! I'm glad I checked SoA before heading off to bed, for I'm rewarded with a new chapter of this story! Turning to Merry seems like a promising strategy. The two of them bonded, not only in banishing the Witch King together but on that long ride together that neither of them was supposed to take at all. Pippin is very smart here. It's hard to believe he's still only a tween! Good for Sam! I'm sure he learned many pearls of wisdom at the Gaffer's knee before his dad was even an old gaffer. (And I'm glad Frodo puts his tuppence in, but I'm also worried about his hiding his troubles from the others.) Oh! You've explained (in exploring Éowyn's thoughts) why Faramir is suffering worse effects. The lack of closure is indeed a heavy burden. The memorial was thoughtfully told. Hopefully it will bring healing to everyone who was there, including Faramir. Author Reply: Yes, i feel like Merry and Faramir have more to share and in common than we think and post-Quest i'm sure they bonded because of Pippin and because they both suffered from the Black Breath and Faramir seemed to would get along with all hobbits. i'm worried about Frodo post-Quest too and it would be interesting to read what Faramir thought about Frodo eventually having to leave Middle-earth. The lack of closure is indeed a heavy burden. yes, i think so- and i wanted to show it takes time to heal from these momentous losses. And for grief, not always do you have closure or you cannot force it. Thank you for liking my memorial- i had to go back to the story to add this important scene. | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 3/7/2025 |
| Oh darn. He didn't finish the letter, even the version that doesn't mention the Black Breath. I'm glad Elessar appears to be a lot more stubborn than his Steward. The fever even interferes with him reading? How miserable! (I've been there. Luckily, the last time it happened, I was still able to play an audiobook and listen some of the time and doze the rest of the time. Maybe someone should be reading to Faramir to give him ease...?) I agree; riding is good for the soul, especially riding through the countryside, surrounded by nature. Not even halfway through the year... ah, but things are looking up. The coming months promise to be much brighter than the past decades. And he knew he had things to look forward to despite the sorrow that had embedded in his heart. He just had to keep hopeful. In my stories, Frodo and Merry have much the same battle to fight: the constant need to focus on joy and hope and gratitude in order to fight off the return of dark memories. Imrahil's dry wit made me chuckle aloud: You are part of the committee to feel better. He finishes his letter! Good! (But still no mention of the Black Breath. Perhaps that would be better as a topic of discussion, face to face, where they can share their experiences and bolster each other in real time without the delay that comes with writing letters and waiting for replies. Uh-oh. Frodo was more quiet than usual. Is something going on with him? (Now I'm worrying about Faramir and Frodo!) But Gandalf being "just his usual wizard-self" made me laugh! Oh no! What an awful dream! But hurrah! Hobbits to the rescue! And yay! Merry! Talking about his own fight against the Black Breath! I'm sure that must be helpful, somehow. So many debts... but so many blessings, too... Author Reply: I think it is sometimes hard to share bad news especially when you are not comfortable with it in the first place. And these conversations are better in person. I liked the ride in the countryside to clear his mind and think it was good distraction. sounds great- i will look forward to reading them as well. :) Part of the appeal of Lotr to me is that all our characters faced dark times and how they deal with it post-Quest is of great interest to me and one of the things that Tolkien himself had to deal with in his WWI times when he lost so many close frineds. Frodo of course there will be something up with him and Faramir being perceptive will pick up on it. I enjoyed writing PIppin and Merry scenes with Faramir- i think they would share more times in the 4th age together. Thanks for such a detailed review! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 3/6/2025 |
| I'm so glad the hobbits went to find him! (And that they found him!) Merry, the worrier... I write him that way myself, as a lingering effect of the Black Breath combined with his detail-oriented, planning personality. It seems as if the dreams are improving, as if light is creeping in to drive away the darkness? (As Faramir himself seems to confirm.) Aragorn sounds a bit like a mother hen here. (Not a bad thing. Faramir certainly seems to want looking after.) He was lucky indeed to have hobbits! (I fully agree. And I am almost always cheered by their company, except for times when they do absurd things, as Gandalf put it in "Many Meetings".) Hmmm. He doesn't want to talk about the Black Breath to his beloved? Seems to me as if he should really have a heart-to-heart talk with Merry about the Black Breath, and that he needs to be reminded that Éowyn has had her own experience with the Black Breath and the ups and downs of the recovery process. Author Reply: Hmmm. He doesn't want to talk about the Black Breath to his beloved? Seems to me as if he should really have a heart-to-heart talk with Merry about the Black Breath, and that he needs to be reminded that Éowyn has had her own experience with the Black Breath and the ups and downs of the recovery process. It is hard to open up at first and i do have MErry being there for him to try to make him understand he is not the only one going through these dark times with the Black Breath. I have not written ARagorn in this much fic and i think he would look after Faramir like his own son and would greatly value him as a key companion in rebuilding Gondor together. I do like how authors like Lindahoyland in how she wrote their relationship. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 3/5/2025 |
| “And I’m the most positive hobbit you’ll find and I have sworn to Gondor’s service. You have to keep me in the loop and let me know how I can entertain, help with your favorite meals and be of service,” said Pippin with a grin. *beams* Faramir is surrounded by so much love, wisdom, and unconditional friendship. He WILL heal. Author Reply: Yes, i liked that chapter too because so many conversations with key characters that can help him along. The hobbit part was my favorite to write. :) | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 3/4/2025 |
| Oh my! I missed your earlier updates. The good thing about that is I can look forward to reading a couple more already-posted chapters this week. Faramir looked tired most of the time when he saw him. This rings true. Not only is Faramir probably still recovering from his wounds and the Black Breath, as well as his father's and brother's deaths, but he is heavily weighed down with responsibility, both self-imposed and that required by his office. He just kept pushing forward. Isn't that the way people often deal with impossible circumstances? Like Pippin told Merry, "Foot by foot." But eventually, something's gotta give, as they say. Young Belegion shows a lot of wisdom in his letter. A meeting unrelated to state affairs? (Beregond?) (I certainly hope Faramir will be safe returning home!) Author Reply: Thanks so much! take your time reading and reviewing. Yes, i think Faramir would tire himself out with rebuilding Gondor and not care about how he really feels for a while, therefore the muse wanted to look into this time. A lot of us push forward and not think about the circumstances relating to self-care. Especially if one wants to forget the past faster. | |