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| A Took by Any Other Name by Lindelea | 177 Review(s) |
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| Ariel | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/11/2005 |
| While I assume you wanted to get this lovely and very in character dialog into this scene, I found Pippin's very sudden (and strangely complete) recovery after being 'dead' to be a bit unrealistic. While I know you shy from really biting angst, I would suggest, if you ever tinker with this one, to put a bit of time in after he 'returns to life' to let his body rest and recover before he begins talking so coherently. After the fever, and especially after his heart stopped and then started again, he would be EXHAUSTED and would likely only be conscious for a brief time, if that. He'd need to sleep and build up the energy the fever, trauma and cold water would have sucked out of him. Just MHO, of course. Author Reply: Good point. Will consider it for the rewrite. Might even put back some background that was cut, for it might require spinning off another chapter. Upon consideration, I remember that enervating feeling of jumping in a cold lake after a steamy sauna. Thanks! | |
| Grey Wonderer | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/11/2005 |
| Enjoyed Eglantine in this chapter and I loved how Pippin thought that his visit with Merimac had been while the hobbit was alive. Was sorry to see Pippin feel so responsible, as always, for Ferdibrand, at the end of this one though. Paladin did so much damage to Pippin with that. I do like the image of Pippin wander about the Great Smials at night thinking and visiting with others. A lovely tale! Author Reply: It is nice to write Eglantine at peace, even though she's grieving the loss of her beloved Dinny. She has confidence that she'll be reunited with him some day not far off. It's funny, but that image of Pippin wandering the tunnels of the Smials first came to me while writing this story, yet it seems as if it would be the natural thing for him to do. Wonder why I didn't think of it sooner? LOL Thanks! | |
| Beruthiel | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/10/2005 |
| Aww, that was so sad! But did Paladin cross out Pippin's name or not? That isn't quite clear. And you got names mixed up here: "Before Ferdinand arrived to feed late supper to his father . . ." Poor Pip and Paladin. Didn't someone suggest Paladin or Eglantine maybe keeping a diary or something? You should consider something like that. Perhaps Paladin left him a letter written shortly before he died, knowing he'd never have another chance to speak to Pippin? It's just so heartbreaking that they never completely made up. Author Reply: Thanks for the catch! I so often mix up similar names; it's a bane of mine. Have re-written the part where Pippin read his own name in the Book. Is it clearer now? Hmmm. I could see Paladin writing a letter to his son. Will think on that. Thanks! | |
| Connie B. | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/10/2005 |
| That brought a tear to my eye. You keep reminding me that Paladin really did love his son, but that he had become too burdened with the resposibitlities of be Thain to take time to show it. He was so focused on the job and the fact that Pippin was to follow him in it that he lost sight of the fact that Pippin needed to grow into the person who could follow him, not be forced into someone else's mold. Poor Paladin allow his cercumstances to turn him into a bitter old hobbit, and that is just so sad. Too bad he was never able to see through his anger to realize what a fantastic person his son had become. I would say that from your description you are right, Paladin's failior to keep his temper in check may have contributed to his demise. Uncontrolled anger does raise the blood pressure and cause other physical problems. He probably did have several small strokes over the years which didn't help his cause any. Stress and his deminished mental capacity probably just made matters even worse. He was in a situation that was spiraling down to disaster. Thank goodness Pippin learned at a much earlier age to curb his impulses and his temper, or he might have ended up much as his own father did. Thanks for such a great story. I'm sad to see it end. Connie B. Author Reply: This is one of those I'm sad to see end, too. I find myself at a loss, though it will be good to take the weekend off and sort of stretch out the kinks. Very good analysis of Paladin; spot on. And your observation about Pippin rings trueas well. You're most welcome, and thanks for going through the story with me and leaving your thoughts. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/10/2005 |
| Two stubborn Tooks, each as stubborn as any Baggins, loving one another across the miles in spite of themselves. Wonderful, wonderful ending. Not the relationship I've dreamed, of course, but still the love has been there. And Merimac's vision is still--sort of--remembered after all. Bless the old Hobbit. Author Reply: Agreeing with you; a part of me would like to write another whole set of stories in which Pippin and Paladin have a close, warm, and loving relationship like I've seen in some fanfic. But there's no time for that, and it would mean abandoning Ferdi, or much of the shaping of his life, anyhow, as well as Pippin's. I'd have to come up with a whole new timeline and idea of character development, from Quest to Thain... And I'm up way past my bedtime, so such a task sounds even more daunting. Or perhaps daft. So I'll just stick with what I've got for the moment, and imagine Paladin, fully healed, at the Feast, finally reunited and reconciled with his beloved son and reaching full understanding and open communication. Whew. Thanks! (And appreciate the reviews you're leaving in other stories as well.) | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/10/2005 |
| A wonderful epilogue, and a fitting ending to the tale! I love Pippin's combination of confidence and doubt--you show that so well, in his early days as Thain, and it really comes out here. I am glad that Eglantine recognized the moment that Paladin had "seen". There is a hint that part of Paladin's personality change came from what could have been a stroke after Pippin refused to return. Is that what you were trying to indicate? It's true that is not unheard of. Best of all, the ending, where Pippin finds Faramir in the book. Very well done, indeed! Author Reply: Thanks so much! You're right. Have been thinking on Paladin's change, considering how much was the result of bitterness, how much might have been organic in nature. I don't want to think any character beyond redemption, which is why I started to lean towards the idea of a stroke. After research I have found that, as you say, such a change in personality is not unheard-of. | |
| Hai Took | Reviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/10/2005 |
| I was so glad that you let Paladin's dream be fulfilled in this story! It must have been strange for Eglantine to see it as well, and a bit sad as well. Pippin talking to Ferdinand and hearing he was to be given a message. I also liked that you wrote about Merimac talking to Pippin about the name Faramir but not remembering when they had spoken about it. There very end was so sweet! That Paladin set aside his pride to some extent and put Faramir's name into the book, very sweet! Well I guess this is the end, it was such a lovely story I hate to see it end, hopefully we'll have more from you soon, though ;) Author Reply: It was interesting, that the Epilogue tied Paladin's dream and Merimac's vision together, and of course Saradoc was a part of it, though unspoken, for his having given Pippin a chance, and Ferdinand was involved as well. Sort of the last gathering of the four friends together, in a sense. Thank you so much! I'm planning to take the weekend off (have some RL writing projects to finish) and then see what beckons to be written. I'm sorry that "Thain" is taking so long, but though it's being painfully difficult we have no plans to abandon that story. In any event, after the weekend you're likely to see a new chapter of Rosemary's story, or "Thain", or perhaps the start of a new story told from Woodruff's point of view. That one is outlined and I'm just starting to draft it out. So you see, there is more. Thanks for the encouragement. | |
| Anso the Hobbit | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/8/2005 |
| Oh, such greif! The dream/conversatioin between Pippin and Merimac was highly interesting. It was interesting to see a Brandybuck getting to see the future, but it probably was just as he was dying. I am very glad he didn`t get the nes and stayed but I am sorry Merimac is dead now. You wrote him well. Please continue soon! Author Reply: Yes, Merimac was shown the future as he died, and a possible future as well (sort of like Galadriel's mirror, which I think she said showed things that might be? I forget). Thanks! | |
| Hai Took | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/7/2005 |
| Poor Saradoc, to loose his brother although things were nearly a great deal worse! I can't imagine what Diamond must have been thinking, to be a widowed mother to be would be terrible! Pippin was a great deal like himself. It was interesting that his dream was about what Merimac had seen. Does he remember nothing then about speaking to Merimac? I do hope he remembers part of it at least! Looking forward to more! Hope it is soon! ;) Author Reply: Missed replying to this. Yes, things were nearly a great deal worse! And I was sad to lose Merimac as well, but his death in this year is at least consistent with JRRT's genealogy. Otherwise the story would have needed a great deal of re-writing and possibly amnesia on the part of some character(s)! (If only to keep Pippin ignorant of Ferdi's plight, since it's already well-established elsewhere). Thanks! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/7/2005 |
| Nice awakening, and glad to see Pippin back in his right mind, although that he forgot his vision is a bit troubling. He knows Merimac is gone, and will need to accept that and the rest of the implications soon. Author Reply: In this chapter he doesn't exactly realise that Merimac is gone... the revelation came fairly early, during the confusion, and they stopped talking about it quickly. I don't think he ever twigged, but of course they'll have to tell him. After you read the Epilogue (due to post next) let me know if you think more of the bridging material ought to be added, as an intermediate chapter between this and the Epilogue. We cut out quite a bit of stuff as "background" because it rather spoilt the balance of the story. (Anticlimactic, if I spelled that right). | |