News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Testaments of the Past by Dreamflower | 113 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 10/20/2006 |
| I feel drained . . . hollow. What a precious and horrible moment . . . Author Reply: Wow, what a compliment. I do think the revelation of what was in the box shocked most of the readers as much as it did Sam, Merry and Pippin. | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/20/2006 |
| Great chapter, Dreamflower! I was wondering this whole chapter long what "taffy pulling" might be! (My dictionary was no help at all, I can assure you!) But now I think I can imagine very well the fun of making sweets that way :) Our three hobbits just needed some time away and on their own, it seems. After that they felt much better. And little Elanor's suggestion to come and see the kitties was wise indeed. As was the "taffy pulling conspiracy" of Sam's and Merry's wives ;-) I can imagine that somewhere on Tol Eressea, Frodo was watching them, with lots of doubts about letting them find the chain, but in the end laughing with them and admiring Sam's sweet little daughter! Author Reply: LOL! I don't think it dawned on either of us that some readers might not be familiar with taffy pulling! But it is a fun way to make candy. Yes, they did need a bit of time away from the task, to be together, and to put it in perspective, and then to come home and finish being comforted by their families. What a nice thought! | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/20/2006 |
| Hmm... What a lovely and tasty way to get over some awful trauma. Now, since I am sure that virtual Taffy is both sugar AND calorie free how about asking the hobbits to share a few pieces with the rest of us!?! Author Reply: They say you are most certainly welcome to share! 8-) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/20/2006 |
| "I don’t know about Sam, but making a mess in the kitchen always puts Merry and Pippin in a good mood!" What a wonderful chapter! The wives are so quietly clever and wise. And Pip and Merry taking such delight in the Green Dragon's recovery (and not taking any of the profits). And the hobbits' amusement at Men aiming for the *center* of a target (the very idea!). And... The two cousins caught one another’s eye, and gave equally mischievous grins. Each rapidly pocketed the letter he was holding. It was clear that they would be able to entertain themselves with this particular argument for weeks on end. Sam shook his head. They did love a good wrangle. Oh gosh, I just love it all. Author Reply: I'd say Rose and Estella are pretty clever lasses, yes indeed! I'm glad you liked all the bits at the Green Dragon. It was a lot of fun doing that part. It seemed to me that for hobbits, who are such naturals at the aiming and throwing sorts of games, their version would *have* to be harder, for it to be any fun at all. And Merry and Pippin do love a nice lively argument, as long as it's nothing serious--it's one way to relieve boredom, LOL! | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 10/20/2006 |
| These are women who know their menfolk very well indeed! And now poor Pippin has candy in his hair! Poor Hobbit! Soak it long enough it MIGHT come out, of course. Author Reply: Yes, Rose and Estella do know their lads pretty well. *giggle* Poor Pippin! He's old enough now not to be blase about having his foot hair cut off. But Sam still has some of the Gaffer's black soap--and as it worked on sap, maybe it will work on taffy, LOL! | |
| Queen Galadriel | Reviewed Chapter: 146 on 9/8/2006 |
| Oh, wow. Oh, wow. *shudders* What a horrible, horrible thing to find in that box. No wonder poor Sam was sick. I'd be too, if I'd watched the Ring and the thing it hung on wounding my dearest friend for so long. And the blood and hair...oh...Part of me really wants to know what that chain looks like, and the other part wonders even if it were possible, if I could bring myself to find out. I think *I* need a drink now-but not of Brandy. And now I'm going to backtrack. It seems I missed a lot. I love all the author notes-very well thought out! How sweet that Frodo's "little lad and lasses" get to have some of his parents' things. He'd be so pleased. And the impromptu dance was great, and just what was wanted! Now I want to learn the mouth harp! I'd have to find some kind of guide on how to play, though-those things look so complicated! Yea! We get two more chapters! *cheers* And I have to agree with Elemmire; the tale of the chain would be very fastenating to read in more detail. I'd love to know what went through Frodo's mind when presented with such a decision, heartbreaking as it must be, and what the one who discovered the chain thought when he (or she...but I'm assuming there probably were no female healers around at that point) thought at that moment. God bless, Galadriel Author Reply: Yes, to see that chain, which they all thought had been long gone, still around, and covered with Frodo's blood and some of his hair--pretty sick-making, most especially for Sam, who, as you said had to watch what it did to him day by day. True, it was the weight of the Ring--but it was the chain that bound the Ring to him. I'm glad you are enjoying the Author Notes. They really are intended to be a part of the story! And I'm so glad you are enjoying the other parts! As to that story--maybe someday! | |
| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/4/2006 |
| This is your best chapter yet! How heartbreaking, but completely plausible. How it must have wrenched Frodo's already shattered heart and soul to not be able to part even with the bloody chain and to know his brothers would find it. I applaud him for the strength to leave it behind, that shows he was already healing, though it must have been difficult to do so. Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: He just couldn't do it, not when the loss of the Ring was so fresh--it was at least *something*. And later, he hid it away, and probably never looked at it, but just knowing he had it would both shame him and comfort him in a warped sort of way. And then that feeling would shame him even more. But he did find the strength to finally leave it behind, which gives everyone hope. | |
| PIppinfan1988 | Reviewed Chapter: 146 on 9/3/2006 |
| Wow...awesome! You ladies have illustrated this brilliant story so very well! I would love to read the tale where Gandalf and Aragorn discover the chain around Frodo's neck and discuss (with Frodo) what to do with it. :-) Pippinfan Author Reply: It's possible, maybe, sometime in the future. We've a couple of other things to deal with first, though. I'm glad you are enjoying the Author's Notes--we intended from the start for them to be an integral *part* of the story! | |
| PIppinfan1988 | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/3/2006 |
| *sniff* :'-( This was so sad to read! I think the image of a broken, bloody chain would bring to light any doubts I had as to *why* Frodo left. Yes, the movies helped, but this chapter of your tale drove the reason home in my own heart. I loved how Frodo called them all his "brother" in his letter, and I know Pippin and Merry welcome Sam with open arms. I hope this wasn't the last chapter! Will we get to see the threesome recover a bit and the cousins take their leave of Bag End? Have I told you and Gryffinjack how much I love this tale????? I do! :-) Pippinfan Author Reply: Yes, the sight of that chain, his "fetters" if you will, still covered with the evidence of what it did to him along with the Ring, would have stunned the others. Frodo always thought of them as his brothers at heart, and now they feel the same about one another. No--there was going to be *one* more chapter, but at this point in time, it looks as though there will be *two* more chapters. And we are very glad you love it! | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/3/2006 |
| I wish that I could bring myself to discard it--yet I find that I fail at that just as I failed in the end to discard what else needed discarding. Do what you will with it. I could not abide to look at it, yet casting it off was impossible, just as the other task was impossible. In the end, I am leaving it behind me, for it has no place where I go now. Wow! That letter is awesome! It's so sad to know that Frodo's lust for the Ring was not ended with It's destruction, sad but true. I can very well imagine that he was not able to destroy that chain and instead kept it as a constant reminder of his failure and a kind of substitute for the Ring. With all those dark memories and mementos healing was impossible in Middle Earth, and so the journey to Tol Eressea was his last chance. I am leaving it behind me, for it has no place where I go now. And now at last he is able to leave it behind, because he will start a brand new life, which holds no place for sad memories. That's a wonderful thought. Sam reacts as I had expected. I wonder if that is the very hearth in which Frodo tried to cast the Ring at the beginning of LotR. Author Reply: I am very glad you liked Frodo's letter. It was hard to write--we had to let the others realize how hard it had been for Frodo. One thing we decided on early on was that Frodo would never directly *name* either the Ring or the chain--he would instead, "talk around them". Yes, he finally realizes that he cannot take such a thing with him to the Blessed Realm, and so he leaves it behind--hidden away as much as he can. And yes--that is the very hearth! It is important symbolically that it be so. | |