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| An Unexpected Adventure by KathyG | 41 Review(s) |
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| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 5/24/2025 |
| What fun to hear that Arwen was a handful as a child! Did she have any adventures, I wonder? I'd imagine that children began to learn handwork fairly early in a pre-industrial society. Gail's surprise at discovering Kaylee's expanded skill set reminds me of the time my dad visited a Montessori preschool where one of my cousins was a teacher. He came back enthusing about watching little ones use a sharp, child-sized knife to cut up fruit (and vegetables?) for snack time, as well as the various handicrafts and skills he saw them exploring and enjoying. And then I think of play kitchens scaled for preschoolers, and I think, why practice skills with plastic implements and fake toy foods when they could be learning the real thing? (I'm sad at thinking about Halbarad, and Kaylee's reaction if she hears he fell in battle. Now I'm wondering if this story might be AU... I don't remember if I read as far as the Pelennor before the hackers deleted the story, or even if it had reached that point yet?) By the way, the food sounds so delicious, it's making me hungry.... (later) Part-way through reading the chapter, I put some nicely-seasoned chicken in the oven, and now that I'm a bit more than halfway through the chapter (reading is rather slow today, but I've got time), delicious smells are wafting in the air. I imagine once I finish a chapter in another story on my reading list, dinner will be ready! Barrel! From Bilbo's stories! Precious. Free horseback-riding lessons. How wonderful! And suddenly I was reminded of a non-profit in our city that loaned free instruments (violins, violas, cellos, and maybe other orchestra instruments) and gave free lessons to children. Unfortunately, by the time my little ones were old enough, that non-profit was no longer operating. But I've always thought it a wonderful idea. Hurrah! No side-saddles in Middle-earth! At least, amongst the Elves of Rivendell. (Do Hobbits use side-saddles in your [meaning both KathyG and Dreamflower] other stories? I don't remember. And hoorah! I looked briefly at your [meaning KathyG] list of stories, and I was reminded that you have a Beregond story! I can't wait to read it again.) I lost track of what Gail's wearing in this chapter... I'd thought she was wearing a "fancy" dress, but maybe you mentioned something else and I missed it. (I have one hobbit character in a current story wearing breeches under her skirts for riding because she, too, finds side-saddles impractical.) When Kaylee assured her little sister that Merrylegs wouldn't let her fall, I remembered a very old pony I knew who would kind of "scoop" his back to catch a child that was losing its balance. He was such a sweetie. Ah yes, walking stiffly and smelling horsey after a riding lesson. Good times! (I think Elves don't use saddles or even bridles, but I may be wrong. Are the visitors riding bareback? Do they have bridles with bits and reins, or maybe hackamores?) I think I remember when we graduated to bareback riding, we still had to keep our heels down to help us keep our balance. It wasn't as easy without the reminder of stirrups! O yes, that "proper" way to make tea! I learned that as a teen from someone who prided himself as something of a tea connoisseur. But my oddest encounter with brewing tea occurred years later, driving on the NY turnpike with someone from the UK who was coming down with a tummy bug. We pulled into a service area because my companion thought a cuppa might help settle their stomach. The lady behind the counter put some lukewarm water in a teacup and added a generic Lipton-style tea bag! So my companion said something about taking tea with milk. Frowning, the lady took back the cup, dumped it out, added liquid coffee creamer to the cup, slopped another teabag in it (yes, in the cold creamer), and handed it over together with one of those little metal teapots (the kind you might see in a diner, I think?) filled with – you guessed it – lukewarm water! Glorifindel the drill sergeant always makes me smile. Muscle memory is amazing. If I don't let my mind think about what I'm doing, I can play quite complicated piano pieces I learned as a teen, guided by muscle memory. In my current Tolly story, though he doesn't remember anything about being an archer, he's able to shoot accurately using muscle memory. I was thinking that if I were in their shoes, I wouldn't want to go home to modern times; I'd want to live at Rivendell, I think. Except that most of the Elves will be sailing within a few years... what a sad notion. As to leaving the little girls in Rivendell, my first thought was, "But then they'd miss the wedding! That would be terrible!" "In the Shire, children begin to learn safety in the kitchen almost as soon as they learn to walk." That sounds eminently practical! I have troubling memories about reading pioneer accounts that mentioned small children who fell into a fire and died of their burns. Tea with Bilbo sounds like such a treat! And one good thing about my eyes not working well today is it took a long time to finish reading this lovely, long chapter, so long that my chicken is actually done baking and I can go and toss a salad and have a yummy dinner of my own! (My eyes are too tired to read over this review and look for typos. Hopefully the whole thing is readable. But I'm afraid I'll need to put Beregond on hold for another day. I need to look into getting a screen-reader for days like today! At least that gives me something to look forward to!) | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 5/17/2025 |
| You do a good job of juggling so many characters in different places at the same time while weaving in various threads of the story without dropping stitches. Very deft! (Lucy scampering underfoot makes me smile. How I miss having a dog. Cats are not quite the same. When a cat is underfoot, it's because he's likely maneuvering his tail under your sole at just the right time so you'll step on him, and he can screech, and get sympathy and soothing and, if his nefarious plans go as intended, a shower of treats.) Steve – a warrior in the past. Former military? Martial arts training? (I've forgotten.) As to the rifle, I remember reading at least one "alternate world" fantasy where gunpowder didn't work in the alternate world. I suppose it would work in Middle-earth simply because fireworks exist there, however... The thought of the Dark Lord's forces equipped with modern weapons doesn't bear thinking about. On a lighter note, during Steve's discussion of weapons with Elrond and Glorfindel, I had a sudden flashback to Indiana Jones facing the warrior with, was it two swords or one? It was like the whole Company had lost its collective mind. That sums up the scene in a nutshell! Even in the middle of an incredibly tense scene, Pippin and Merry can make me laugh. (...Pippin yell, “It’s working!” Merry responded, “I know it’s working! Run!”) I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to do what Jennifer does at the end of the chapter. Hmmm. The kids distracted at least one of the Orcs targeting Boromir. Was he the huge one that did so much damage in the film? | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 25 on 5/9/2025 |
| The chapter does a good job of weaving quotes from the book and film into the narrative! Bits I especially loved included Sam noticing the ropes and the part about Gimli's gift from the Lady. Seeing this familiar part of the story through the children's eyes brings a new freshness to the scenes. I was wondering about the loud singing. But this makes sense: Boromir is a warrior; he will silence the singing when we have gone a few more miles. A tiny quibble: Though "rowing" would be an accurate term for the galley ships Boromir talked about, it seems the Company would have been paddling, not rowing. I actually went back to the original text as I was writing this because I wanted to make sure I wasn't simply remembering the trip down the River through the movie lens. The description in the original text reads: The boats were moved and steered with short-handled paddles that had broad leaf-shaped blades. If you look at a picture of someone using a rowboat (which uses "oars" for propulsion) and a picture of people paddling a canoe, you can see the difference. Thus, "He concentrated on his rowing" threw me right out of the text because it conjured the sudden vision of Kevin in a rowboat. I managed to power past the rest of the mentions of "row/rowed/rowing" but had to give up on forming a mental movie as I read the chapter. At least they get out of the boats at the end of the chapter, so no more rowing to mess with my (silly, it feels like, but I can't always control how it works) imagination. I hope you might find this feedback helpful. When they stop to camp, it sounds like everyone is irritable or uncomfortable, which makes me wonder how much power the Ring is exerting on everyone in its vicinity. (And as I read on, Legolas confirmed my suspicions.) But eeeep! The Breaking of the Fellowship is just around the corner... Author Reply: It sure is! Thanks for the feedback regarding the rowing, er, paddling (whichever it is!). Glad you enjoyed the chapter! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 5/1/2025 |
| Of course, I never expected elves to exist for real, or to be even taller than humans. Definitely a far cry from Keebler elves or Santa's elves! At least Steve and Gail have a passing familiarity with Tolkien's works. It might have been awkward if they'd read the books and/or seen the films. I remember how well Boz4pm handled that situation. (And now I find myself idly thinking what it would have looked like for this family to have wandered into Narnia instead...?) I think the bit about the long skirts might be misstated? You lift the front of long skirts when going upstairs, but not down, if I'm remembering right. (I haven't re-enacted in a while, but that's what I seem to remember.) Alas, poor Elves. Thrown into confusion regarding human forms of address... And I so envy Steve and his ability to remember names. (I am wondering if Arwen's chair used to be her mother's?) Hmmm. Did the Elves' immortality (more or less) just go over Steve's head without him taking it in? For he doesn't seem to react at all, not even in his thoughts. Hobbits and hollow legs! LOL. But that fruitcake sounds heavenly. Bedtime and reading aloud. Sounds like a lovely respite in the middle of a rather stressful time, considering the adjustments they're having to make. Author Reply: No kidding! Of course, it's Santa's elves that the McClouds are thinking about. I never made any real attempt to read Boz4pm's stories, but I learned about her. Just as well, really, that none of the McClouds have read Tolkien's works or watched more than snippets of the movies while channel-surfing. Go over Steve's head? Must have! Hobbits and hollow legs, indeed! =) Glad you're enjoying the story! KG | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 4/28/2025 |
| Ah, yes, the parents (and Megan!) arrive! And several minutes in Oregon equates to several months in Middle-earth, it seems. Good thing the parents resolved to set a good example for their children in the matter of backpacks. I'm wondering if, when (and if) the family returns to Oregon, the children will revert to the ages/growth they had when they left. Sort of like the grown-up Kings and Queens in Narnia emerged from the wardrobe as children once more at the end of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. For myself, I think I'd be tempted to want to stay in Middle-earth. A few minutes = four months. One minute per month? So by the end of the Quest, less than ten or fifteen minutes will have passed in Oregon? (My math skills are sketchy, but I think that might be right.) I'd imagine that Elrond is not only comparing the parents' stories with their childrens' but also looking for clues as to how they were pulled into his world from theirs. Maybe? Perhaps with an eye to helping them return to their own place and time eventually, if that's what they want? And now I'm wondering if Steve didn't make the jump earlier because Ryan was with him at the time? The word "hobbit" seems to have gone right over their heads... And of course Bilbo knew who they were already and deliberately came to meet them! Trust a hobbit to provide a reliable alarm clock to signal mealtimes! "Elves are nearly as good cooks as hobbits"! LOL! Hmmm. Sounds almost like jet lag is affecting the new arrivals after lunch. Of course, the stress from being confronted with such drastic changes is also contributing to their weariness. A nap seems like a very good end to the chapter. Author Reply: Continue reading, and eventually, you'll find out their ages if and when they return to Oregon. The time in Middle-earth is definitely different from the time in Oregon, isn't it? Hmm! Could be! The portal in the cave didn't open while Steve and Ryan were in it. Yes, Bilbo sure did, didn't he? =) LOL! That's high praise from a hobbit, isn't it? =) Yep, jet lag is affecting Steve and Gail, just as it did their older four children. | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 22 on 4/11/2025 |
| I remember my dad playing similar simple games with one of our little ones, and both were absolutely delighted. Hullo, Merrylegs! Halbarad! (This part of the chapter gives my heart a pang.) The little scenes with him bring him to life and make him more than a name on a page. And ah! I was wondering if the stone might come into the story later. Jennifer's dream and the visions she saw in Galadriel's mirror were interesting. From reading this story earlier, I knew their parents will come, just not when and how. I'm also trying to remember if time runs differently between the two places. Author Reply: I'll bet they were! That kind of game is just the kind that a five-year-old would love to play. Yep, Merrylegs is in the story! As you read, you'll see how the stone comes into use. As for the parents, yes, they do. As you read, you'll see how time passes in both places--modern-day America and Middle-earth. Author Reply: In fact, you'll find out in the very next chapter! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 4/10/2025 |
| How I used to love hot baths! I'd take a paperback with me and read until the water cooled. It was heavenly. "Mom time"; my spouse would take complete charge of the wee hobbits until I emerged, refreshed, an hour or so later. I can only imagine bathing in a thermal bath where the water never grows cool! (And is probably constantly renewed, so you're not bathing in someone else's leftover soapsuds...) Nowadays, almost all my books are on my phone, and I don't bring my phone near a bathtub, so baths have gone by the wayside and showers have taken their place. A bath without a book... not the same at all. “What did you blush for, Sam?” said Pippin. “You soon broke down. Anyone would have thought you had a guilty conscience. I hope it was nothing worse than a wicked plot to steal one of my blankets.” This was in the book? I had forgotten! What a lovely snippet of dialogue! It has been too long since I've read LOTR all the way through. I used to read it every January, stuck in bed with pneumonia or bronchitis, but thankfully, since the C-virus came on the scene and I started masking everywhere, that doesn't happen anymore. (crossing fingers) The weapons lessons and music are interesting. I was also reminded once more of Dreamflower's story about Pippin and Menelcar; I think I need to go and revisit that story. The thought of Pippin being protective towards Jennifer like a brother is sweet. I hope Merry doesn't tease him. In the film, I loved Sam's tribute to Gandalf (what a good job Sean Astin did!), and Legolas's grief was well portrayed, I thought. I'm glad you included what Legolas said. Author Reply: Hey, I still take hot baths! I only use the shower for washing my hair. However, I don't take a book with me to my bathtub, myself. Yep, that was in the book! =) Glad to hear you're no longer getting sick with lung infection! But hey, that doesn't mean you can't read LOTR anymore, right? I loved Sam's tribute to Gandalf, too! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 4/4/2025 |
| Snarky Legolas! Oh my! I don't remember seeing him this snappish before. But it's in italics, so it's from the book! I guess it stands to reason that a Wood Elf would see perching in a tree to sleep perfectly natural (while a Hobbit would not). Must be one of the reasons why the Wood Elves have such a bad reputation among other peoples for being snobbish. Along with their treatment of Bilbo's travelling companions on an earlier journey, to be sure. (And after reading this chapter, I had to go looking for what the New Company might be expected to find while retracing the Fellowship's journey. By the time Faramir Took was travelling with Pippin-lad Gamgee, it seems that Celeborn was already living in Rivendell (I knew that already) and the Golden Wood was abandoned or all but! I wonder if the flets would still be there 26 years after the Quest, or would they be quietly falling to ruin without the Lady's preserving magic...? My "Lothlorien" chapter is not terribly detailed in its present form, and I don't know yet if I'm going to take the easy way out (passing through quickly due to complications that pop up) or not.) Are any of the children afraid of heights? (We were watching a new British detective series tonight, and a suspect said to the detective something like "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights!" And the detective had a clever answer to the effect that nobody had yet proven to him that he shouldn't be afraid of heights!) You've done a skillful job of weaving together the book and film versions of the meeting with Galadriel. It feels seamless. I'm looking forward to reading more! Author Reply: Thanks! You know, I never thought of that! I'm not sure if Dreamflower has, either. I haven't decided if any of the children are afraid of heights. Who knows what kind of shape Lothlorien was in by the time Sam and Rosie's children were being born? No telling! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 4/1/2025 |
| "Well, I daresay you might be too little in your mother's kitchen, but you wouldn't be too little in mine! Oh gosh, every child's dream: a living space built to their scale. Kaylee's mother is going to be quite surprised at her little daughter's acquired skills with Bilbo as her cooking teacher! Cream of mushroom soup? (As an interpreter at a historic site, I learned to cook in an 1840s kitchen. Bilbo's kitchen sounds very familiar!) Leave it to Boromir to be exasperated at a cave troll. “Here’s a pretty hobbit-skin to wrap an elven-princeling in!” has always been one of my favourite speeches of Aragorn's. (And now I'm wondering just how AU this story might be. Will Gandalf still fall in Moria? Drat. I got my answer already.) That scene after they escape from the mines, with hollow-eyed Frodo walking aimlessly, grieving Sam, and a devastated Merry cradling a guilt-ridden and heart-broken Pippin, has haunted me from the first time I saw the film. It was incredibly well-staged and acted, so much so that it still feels real to me all these years later. Author Reply: I'll say that Gail will be! =) And I agree about Bilbo's living space! Some kind of mushroom soup, at any rate! Dreamflower knows better than I do what kind. It was such a sad scene, indeed--in the book and the movie! Not so AU that Gandalf was spared, as you discovered. | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/31/2025 |
| Oh! Bilbo telling Kaylee the story of The Hobbit! What could be more perfect? (Oh, but further along in the chapter, it doesn't sound so great in Kaylee's case...) This part of the story is difficult to revisit, especially so soon after I'd been working on this part of Bill's account. "Joseph McCloud!" Kevin said sharply. "Behave yourself!" That sounds so familiar! And if he had to ratchet it up a notch, I imagine he'll include his brother's middle name. Right? (What are parents thinking when they don't give a child a middle name? LOL) But good of Joey to defend poor Bill. And how lovely of Frodo to understand how important the children's request was to them. Uh-oh. And now I'm getting worried about Joey's ability to jump those wide cracks! I love the protectiveness the kids display towards each other when the "snakes" emerge. Hmmm. And now I'm wondering if an "emergency" will come up where they need to use their flashlights? Kevin has a lot of good food for thought by the end of the chapter! (Here's hoping I can carve out some reading time tomorrow for the next chapter!) Author Reply: Hmm. Dreamflower and I didn't think about having Kevin include Joseph's middle name! I'll have to see if that's something I can fix. There will be need for at least one flashlight, anyway, as the story progresses. Speaking of Bill's account, I'm looking forward to reading Part 2 when you start posting it! Yes. Kevin does, doesn't he? Have lots of good for thought, I mean. | |