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| Someone As You Can Trust by Lindelea | 42 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| storyfish | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/20/2006 |
| *does a very very happy dance* Yaaaaaay, Lin! This couldn't have come at a better time! I should have gone to bed as soon as I finished the assignment that was due at midnight tonight, but instead I stayed up to read this--I consider it my reward for being a very diligent and steadily working hobbit...er, girl...all day. :-) A satisfying end, this was! And although I'd have loved for you to stretch this on and on, as is true with any good tale, and have Frodo freak out about the Orcs and Troll and Witch-King right there on the page, it was much more realistic this way. And a wonderful characterization of Frodo's wisdom. Like any good older-cousin, he had to get to the meat of the matter, and it's no good overreacting, because that'd just make them clam up faster. He's kind enough to save that for later, when they won't feel guilt or be hurt by his fear for them. And the hints you gave about how Frodo will process all this later were really powerful--very small descriptions that are some of the most hard-hitting in the story.... ‘Well I’m glad we’ve cleared all that up,’ Frodo said, dusting his hands of the matter. Yes, he was shocked that a troll had fallen on Pippin, but no, he really hadn’t had time to absorb the information. Later on that night the realisation would waken him from a sound sleep, and he’d sit bolt upright, exclaiming, “Pippin!” and would have to be soothed back to sleep by a startled Aragorn. <---*sniff!* My favorite part.... *hugs Frodo* Author Reply: Good storyfish, good lass, finishing your midnight assignment. (My usual midnight assignment, these days, is to rendezvous with my pillow.) Bless you for lingering long enough to drop me a note! I know, I have a tendency to go on, and on, and on (just see A Matter of Appearances--no, don't, it's nasty and gory and if it weren't a birthday present it probably wouldn't have been written at all). But it seemed likely to me that once Frodo had got hold of the main thread he'd pull the tale to pieces pretty quickly, too quickly, even, for it all to sink in until later. Yep. Gotta clamp down on that overreacting, if you want the story to come out. Astute observation. | |
| Elemmírë | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 8/20/2006 |
| Eeek! I think I missed this chapter! Poor Merry and Pippin. They are trying so very hard not to dispell all the hardship they underwent when first separated from their cousin and Sam. It's strange how one can sometimes refrain from telling another the whole truth, thinking it for the sake and well-being of the the other ... when sometimes it is the entire truth that needs to be heard. And Gandalf's caught in the middle, of all things. It's good to see Frodo make the connection that Boromir redeemed himself by defending Merry and Pippin to his death, so they might be spared. Author Reply: Eeek! I think I missed this review! (Don't know how that happens, I do so love reviews and the give-and-take they offer.) I liked having Frodo work things out for himself rather than having to have it told to him, blow by blow. Perhaps that's why it was so difficult (for the writer) to get the cousins to tell much, if anything, of their experiences... Thanks! | |
| storyfish | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/31/2006 |
| Oh my! I can't believe I didn't review the newest chapter of this fic! I just want to let you know i'm still eagerly awaiting the next chapter, even though it seems this fic is simmering on your backburner now. I'm very impressed with it so far, because it's just this sort of story that's the hardest for me to write--a lot of talking, not much action, lots of little details to tell and how to get each character to tell them in a way that maximizes angst and drama even when all they're doing is sitting around statically and parsing out things that happened already?? But so far you've managed to make the retelling of Merry and Pippin's story, a tale we're all very familiar with, both new and dramatic--almost nail-bitingly so!--because we're seeing it through the eyes of Frodo and Sam, who haven't heard it yet. So if you're feeling frustrated with the fic (okay, maybe I'm projecting here, because the fic I'm working on is currently stagnant in a similar "sitting around and talking through your angst" point) I just want to say I'm rooting for you and I can't can't can't can't wait to find out what's going to happen next! :-) Author Reply: Don't worry! It's in the line-up. I'm just writing whatever comes to mind, at the moment, and this one hasn't, yet. But I'm sure it will, as it's been ripening for some time now. Keep thinking good thoughts! (Sorry about your fic, hope it gets well soon! Am looking forward to seeing it!) The current "Ferdi angst" story has really seized me by the brain and I want to get it over with as soon as possible. But you never know what fancy will strike the Muse next. Will ply her with pina coladas and dark chocolate and see what happens. Author Reply: Hah. Had three lovely hours for writing today, and now am getting around to posting the last of the chapters I got done. And so you get your wish, and I manage to finish a WIP. Of course, I didn't get any reading done at all, but one must write while the Muse is amiable. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/23/2006 |
| Poor Frodo. Trying to untangle this version of the story will take every bit of his experience of his cousins! And he's not really in prime condition at the moment to work out all the nuances. Author Reply: He's not in the best shape of his life, true, but it's all coming back to him (his knack for ferreting out the truth from his cousins, that is). Thanks! | |
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/20/2006 |
| What a tangled web we weave . . . I hope they just tell Frodo and quit confusing the poor hobbit. Chances are good that if they leave things too his imagination, they will rapidly be worse than the truth of the matter. Hope you are able to write more soon :) Author Reply: Thanks! Had three lovely hours to write today, and now am getting around to posting the last of the three chapters I wrote. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/20/2006 |
| Lovely! Lovely! Lovely! I was about to give up on some new fic to read with my lunch, when this popped up! Lin, your timing is impeccable! Poor Merry! The more he tries to keep things from Frodo, the worse it gets! I do hope bedtime intervenes soon, or they *will* have to break their agreement about telling of their Orc captivity! I love the way that Pippin cuts straight to the point. Frodo would have done much better telling Merry to hush... And Sam is *very* observant, isn't he? Author Reply: Sam is *very* observant, and when he's had a little wine he tends to blurt. At least, there's a precedent, when Faramir was interviewing Frodo... | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/20/2006 |
| ‘The Riders of Rohan attacked,’ Frodo repeated, seizing the strand and pulling with all his might, in the interest of untangling the tale. Pippin decided to go straight to the point. ‘Frodo only got up for the first time today,’ he said, turning his head to crane up at Gandalf. ‘Oughtn’t he to be going to bed, soon?’ Poor Frodo, trying to make sense of this garbled story! :D Author Reply: Poor Frodo. Perhaps he ought to have hunted up the minstrel and got the story from *him*. Author Reply: Poor Frodo. Perhaps he ought to have hunted up the minstrel and got the story from *him*. | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/20/2006 |
| I am glad that I know the story well Lindelea or I'd be getting more confused than Frodo. This is brilliant. and the reactions are absolutely great. Author Reply: Thanks! Had some extra writing time today and finished this. Whew! | |
| Frodo Baggins | Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 5/7/2006 |
| Oh this was wonderful! I can't wait to see what Frodo's reaction will be. The characters are very well done and very book cannon. I love to think of how poor Frodo would take the news of his cousins'....hm, how do we say, misadventures? I bet he would feel horrid for even allowing them to come along. Goodness, though, you sound like me! Ideas springing to life in the most absurd of places! A doctor's office waiting room. Yes, and the car, moving truck, sibling attacks...the works. Hannon le for a wonderful story. God Bless! YOurs Truly, Frodo Baggins Author Reply: Goodness gracious! I never saw this review, I think, until now--for there is no "reply" here, and I don't remember reading it before. So very belated thanks for stopping by and leaving a note. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/7/2006 |
| This chapter is so funny, as Merry and Pippin are trying so hard to still keep Frodo in the dark--their attempts at distraction in the face of his Baggins persistence are like the little boy with his finger in the dyke--doomed to failure. ‘Why, no!’ Pippin said, in perfect honesty, all wide-eyed innocence. But Merry sighed, for Frodo knew that look as well as he knew the fur on the top of his feet. Yep. Frodo knows, and the jig is up, even before Pippin starts to spoil it all by nearly passing out. But in spite of his pain and general wooziness, he continues to try--with his diversion about the Ents very nearly working. But Frodo's not buying it. Gandalf knows, and it is *he* who has decided to "out" the Conspiracy: ‘Drink that now,’ Gandalf said with a nod to Frodo. ‘Your cousins ought to have known they couldn’t keep all their absurd exploits and ridiculous feats from you.’ Frodo thought back to his awakening at Rivendell, and Gandalf’s use of “absurd” at the time. ‘They’ve been doing all sorts of heroic things, I’d imagine,’ he said. And then, so funny at the end, where Pippin just assumes he's going to be the one to tell--only to have Frodo pin poor Merry down! I really look forward to his rendition! Author Reply: Poor Merry. I'm afraid his rendition is not going at all well. Gandalf should have got them all roaring drunk, to begin with, and then perhaps it would have gone a bit smoother. Or something. | |