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| To Lead His People by Dreamflower | 24 Review(s) |
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| Anso the Hobbit | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/25/2005 |
| Who else to get advice from! :D I always love it when Aragorn (or the other Big Folk) have this kind of conversation with the hobbits, and he is right of vourse. Pippin is very clever, even if he doesn¨t see it so much himself. :D Author Reply: Of course he's the perfect person to give this advice. Pippin is so used to people telling him he's done something wrong or foolish that its very startling and gratifying to learn that he's done much more that was *right*. *grin* | |
| Laerien | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/25/2005 |
| Oh, I loved this! It was so cute! And I have never thought about this. I mean that Pippin became a Thain and what that could mean to him! Thank you for sharing this! It was lovely! :o) Author Reply: Yes, Pippin becoming Thain was a rather important even, and it was more than a little significant that the first new Thain after the King came back was also a Knight of Gondor. And thank you for the review; I'm so very glad that you liked it enough to tell me! | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/25/2005 |
| Oh, that was so sweet and touching! I remember Pippin’s doubts about being Thain, lose his father and take up the responsibilities of this office. After what happened with the palantír and all, it is not surprising he is more unsure than ever. I am glad he got to talk with Aragorn about this. Dear Strider, he was great and found exact the right words. To be the Thain for the King is certainly the best way to erase Pippin’s doubts. Pippin will gladly doing everything for his beloved Strider! Author Reply: Yes, this is something I've touched on several times before with Pippin. A good deal of Pippin's doubts and insecurities come from the fact that he is a "youngest". Not only a baby brother to a lot of big sisters, and a much longed for son, but youngest among his group of close cousins and friends. Add to this his mercurial temperment and propensity for acting on impulse, and he's found himself often in trouble. On top of this, his loving nature makes him reluctant to say and do things that he thinks might be hurtful. You are right. While it's true that he grew up a good deal during the Quest, he also experienced a couple of very traumatic and less than stellar moments as well, which would have really contributed to his doubts. Stider's love for Pippin, added to his wisdom as a Man of long experience--(we need never forget how old the Dunadan is) enabled him to see just what the trouble was and say the right thing. | |
| Baggins Babe | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/25/2005 |
| How lovely that Pip can go to the King with his doubts and questions, and how beautifully Aragorn reassures him that he will be a good Thain when the time comes. He is quite right that people who seek to dominate others do not make great leaders - far better that people do things out of love than fear. A lovely story, Dreamflower, and a lovely picture of our King and his smallest knight. Author Reply: Yes, this is not a question he can really go to his cousins with; he needed the King's unique perspective on it. I wanted Aragorn to be able to honestly show him just *why* he would be a good Thain. JRRT often touches on the theme of how a desire to dominate corrupts, from Morgoth through Sauron, Saruman, Denethor and even Lotho, the wish to hold power over people--not the power itself--is shown as Evil. I am so glad you liked it. Thank you very much. | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/25/2005 |
| I just plain love the way that you have Pippin following Aragorn around even when he isn't on duty. Glad that Aragorn is perceptive enough to see that Pippin has something on his mind. This is a wonderful read Dreamflower. Author Reply: Yes, I could see Pippin dogging him like a puppy, wanting very much to talk, yet in that very hobbity way, afraid to bring up a serious subject. You will note how even when he finally gets the courage to ask, he still skirts around what he really wants to know. And Aragorn has experience enough with hobbits now to recognize this state of mind. I'm so glad you liked it! | |
| pipspebble | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/25/2005 |
| This is just lovely, Pippin's open love and admiration of his King and the King's return of that admiration and love, and his faith that Pippin will be a good leader. Very sweet, gentle conversation, very easy to picture really happening. Wonderful job. Author Reply: I'm glad you think that this conversation *could* have happened. It's what I try so hard for: to come up with moments that are in character enough that they could have been possible. I always worry about that--it's important to me to honor the original spirit of the characters. The love and respect Aragorn holds for all the hobbits has no bounds; and they have loved him for a good long time; he's their Strider, after all. | |
| Grey Wonderer | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/24/2005 |
| (“As for ‘telling people what to do’, that is not the only way of leading them, and a liking for ordering folk about is *not* a good thing in a leader.” ) Excellent advice! I love the way Aragorn explains leadership and talks about taking on the duties of being King. This is such a nice insight into his feelings and his acceptance of his responsibilities. It was like hearing his thoughts because he seemed to say more to Pippin than he might have to someone else. (You must remember that I grew up as ’Estel’. I was twenty before I even knew who I was. I knew that I was a Man of the Dúnadain,) I think this is a very easy thing to forget because by the time Aragorn meets the hobbits it is so far in his past and he is already on his way to meet his responsibilities but they must have come as a rather unwelcome shock at some point in his life. I enjoyed this look at Aragorn very much indeed! Author Reply: Yes, I thought his explanations might have a uniquely personal slant. You just know that this Man, who's enjoyed the free life of a Ranger for decades, is not especially going to enjoy the formalities and constraints of kingship. Yet his recognition of how important the responsibilities and how much he can do for his people enables him to put a positive spin on the job. I think you are right about his speaking to Pippin. He knew that this was something Pippin *needed* to hear. Yes, I am sure that when he first realized just where his lineage would ultimately take him, it must have been a shock indeed! | |
| Mum's the Word | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/24/2005 |
| Dreamflower dear, I just loved this! How wise Aragorn is, and what insight he has into both the qualities of leadership and the qualities of our favorite Took. How wise you are as well, to point out all of Pippin's qualifications and to see how Eru can take what we think of as a shortcoming and turn it into a great strength. Blessings, Mum's the Word Author Reply: Thank you; I'm glad you enjoyed it. Aragorn is indeed very wise--he's had decades to reflect on leadership. And he can easily see what others might not about Pippin: that his impulsiveness can be just as much an advantage as a disadvantage. A leader must be able to be flexible and think on his feet. Pippin has the unique ability to do that. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/24/2005 |
| I don't read a lot of hobbit stuff, but the title and summary caught my eye on this and I'm glad it did. Wonderful conversation! Both Pippin and Aragorn seemed perfect. I really enjoyed this. Author Reply: Oh, well thank you for reading! I always love it when someone who doesn't usually like hobbit stories tries one and likes it. I'm glad you thought I had the characters down. That is always my main goal in any story. | |
| good_one_pip | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/24/2005 |
| THis makes me think of one of my favorites of your writings, The Life of a Bard. Are you working on a sequal yet? I miss that minstrel :) LOL Wow. this story hits me in a rather personal way, actually. I am in my own way a "fool-of-a-took." I have my fellowship of friends, and a best friend who has remarkably Merry-like qualities. I always saw her as the leader. After all, I mess up too much. I couldn't be a leader. My parents, however, thought that I could be. This is something I've struggled thinking about for the past year. And yet, I begin to see exactly what Pip sees in this story. I can lead people! In fact, I was invited to a prestigous national leadership conference in Washington DC! It surprises me and makes me happy too. Especially when I think about what Aragorn said to Pippin about having a quality that make others love you. I wonder if I'm like that sometimes. Interesting that you should write ANOTHER a story in which Pip's feelings reflect my own so perfectly. Thank you for your writings. I really appreciate your style, and the way you bring my favorite hobbits to life. Author Reply: I have sort of posted a sequel to "Life of a Bard" as a serial on my LiveJournal. It's in beta now, and then I'll post it here. I usually don't use a beta, but this was more or less a bunny chase, and needs some work on its rough edges. It features a "Chance Encounter" with Menelcar when the hobbits are in Minas Tirith after the Quest. I am always glad to hear that a story can help someone in a personal way. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. 8-D Both Merry and Pippin have remarkable qualities. Merry's leadership abilities are a bit more obvious, but Pippin has a good many strengths as well. He just lacks confidence because he's always been the youngest and usually a follower. But time will soon show him his abilities. And I thank you very much for your lovely compliments. I sometimes feel my style is a bit bland, so I am glad when someone says they like it. | |