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No Better Name by Cairistiona	187 Review(s)
Darkover	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/21/2011
Dear Cairistiona: This was a lovely ending to an excellent story! Strider is back in good health, Bowen and Flora got some help in catching up on the farm work, the baby has been born, named, and is doing well, Bowen has made friends with the Rangers and vice-versa, and presumably, by the time the latter leave, Bowen will have been instructed at least a bit in how to defend himself and his family. All loose ends were neatly and appropriately tied up. As always, I liked how you portrayed Halbarad in this last chapter. I'm not sure any fan author writes him as well as you do. He seems very human and believable, concerned foremost about Strider, missing his own wife and children, and yet thinking about the other men and thinking ahead, just as a good leader should. And as Aragorn's second-in-command, and the man who leads the Dunedain when their Chieftain is not around, Halbarad is indeed a leader. This story has been a delight to read from the start, and so was the tale that preceded it. Thank you very much for writing and posting both, and for doing such a good job both times. Sincerely, Darkover Author Reply: Thanks so much, Darkover! You're very kind to consider my Halbarad among the best out there--I do try to make him a real person, with as many layers as a real person has. I always feel like he deserves that much, having died such a hero's death without anyone really knowing much about him. I'm glad you feel I have him pegged. :) But don't give up on the story yet! I almost hate it after you give such a good summation of how I've tied up the loose ends, but there's one last chapter to come. :) There's still a few loose ends, at least to my mind, and of course, I have to do a little bit of pointing toward Book #3 in the trilogy. So one more, then you can just copy/paste this for that chapter too. LOL Thanks again!

Estelcontar	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/21/2011
Here was I thinking I would not like anything in this chapter as much as well as Halbarad at his mothering best pestering Aragorn, when in bursts Bowen and steals the scene. It was totally delicious. I see Galadh loves dogs too as much as he likes talking. Poor scorned Ruddy! Thank the Valar, Halbarad was there. So here was I again thinking that was going to be the best part of the chapter when you give us Aragorn training to be a father, and that melted me down. I loved the way you used Aragorn and Owen Estel's bonding to frame Halbarad's dream/foresight, a most effective foreshadowing of what I imagine is going to be told in the next story. The last paragraph is just about perfect. Author Reply: Thanks, Estelcontar! Bowen did more or less steal that scene, didn't he. LOL And yes, Aragorn-in-training, holding that baby so much and being Chief Babysitter! I just love that image. g And I imagine it will have formed a lasting connection between Aragorn and Owen Estel, even though Owen Estel was far too young to remember. Glad you liked so many parts of this chapter. :)

Suzelle	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/21/2011
More love to give! Let me count the ways: 1. I've mentioned it before, but I do so love the subtle fleshing-out you've given to all your OC's. Galadh never fails to crack me up...perhaps Owen Estel will prove to be the baby that warms his heart g. 2. "But those are all... I'm no good at cooking, and I don't have the first clue about the laundry." Bwahaha Bowen I know how you were originally going to end that sentence and you're lucky that you didn't, otherwise I think there are certain females who would have given you a very strict talking-to! g And good for Strider/Halbarad for pointing out that it is quite important, indeed, for everyone to know how to cook XD. 3. Oooh, I do like the idea that they are going to try and get Bowen/some of the other Breelanders to start defending themselves...it would be an ease off of everyone's mind, wouldn't it? 4. The scene where Halbarad was missing his home/family may or may not have brought a lump to my throat. But in a good way. Author Reply: Thanks, Suzelle! Hee... I'm glad Galadh makes you smile! He's such a taciturn guy, but I really do suspect he has a heart of mush under that silent and stern exterior. g And I wondered if I'd be absolutely destroying Bowen in your eyes by making him a typical male for the time... that is, one that delineates "women's work" from "men's work"! But don't be too hard on him--division of labor in those days was rather specific out of necessity. Would that the Rangers could have taught defense to those heedless folk! But I fear they would have just thought them off their rockers to even suggest the need. Bowen's going to be one of the fortunate ones, really. Aw, yay for the possibility I gave you a lump in your throat. g I like inflicting lumpy throats... bwa ha ha!

Suzelle	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 10/21/2011
I will have you know that I have been so dying to catch up on this fic all week that I am breaking my time-honored rule to never read fanfiction on university computers...but you know, it's the first spare half hour I've had all week, it's Friday, and gosh darn anyone who judges me for reading fic in the library!! ahem Anyway... As always, I loved this. A lot of info is finally revealed to us, but it's done with such a deft and touching hand. Thank goodness Strider was there indeed, and no wonder Denlad was so distressed during the birth itself!! And it was a relative of Bowen's who so harmed Denlad and his mother, after all...I just want to give more hugs to Denlad, but hopefully this revelation will help him to gain some closure and move on. And more Rangers, hah! Author Reply: Oh wow, you read this on university computers! Eek! Well, hopefully no one will judge you. g Call it "literary critique and examination via fiction" instead of "fanfiction" and even the snootiest academic won't have much to say. G Glad you enjoyed the chapter... wouldn't it have been be awful if you sneaked online at the university and read it only to think at the end, "Well, that sure wasn't worth it. :P" LOL I do think you should go ahead and give Denlad some hugs, just to make sure he REALLY feels okay about life again. :)

Elflingimp	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/21/2011
Loved this chapter.....it's so heart warming to see grown men cooing over a baby(well most of them)and helping Bowen out with his fields and such, wish life was like that today. Hugs The Imp Author Reply: Thanks, Elflingimp! Isn't it so warm and fuzzy, picturing hardy and dangerous-looking Rangers cuddling a little baby and no doubt making silly faces at it? :) And it would be nice to live that thoroughly peaceful and rural life. Those that have managed it in this day and age are truly blessed, I think.

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/21/2011
A world at peace, where men and women tended their farms and raised their families without fear, where little ones like Owen Estel enjoyed a childhood full of small adventures and harmless mischief and bright hopes for the future... how Halbarad coveted such things. And how they all deserve it. What a wonderful chapter. Author Reply: Thanks, shirebound! They really did deserve those things, didn't they. I think it's just too tragic that Halbarad didn't get to enjoy them after the fighting was done, but maybe they gave him a lovely patch of fertile ground to till in the lands beyond the Dark Sea. :)

Fantasia	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/21/2011
Lovely, lovely chapter. Halbarad’s description of his home and family, especially his wife was beautifully written. I can see, feel and hear the fields, the breeze that sounds. It breaks my heart, to know that he won't know that peace. But he has a home well worthy of his fight. And the Rangers gang is being a framer gang. Just perfect. Author Reply: Thanks, Fantasia! Yes, Farmer Halbarad! I really see him as being a peace-loving man at heart and happiest when he's at home with his family and his farm, rare that those times are. You're right in that it makes it all the more heartbreaking that he doesn't gain it for himself in the end... but all the more noble of him, I think, to add that to the reasons why he fights. And yes, they're all getting a rare chance to play at being farmers! I think it's fun to think about them setting aside swords for plowshares. :)

Mirach	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 10/21/2011
A few off-topic things first: - I don't know why I checked SoA right now, because I didn't get the notification for your new chapter yet, so it was a surprise to see it. I'm sure I'll get the notification 10 minutes before leaving again, they tend to to that =) - I knew what's a "ha-ha""! :D We learned about it in the history of landscape architecture =) And on topic now: Aww, Ruddy! I want to pet him... He's getting my new favourite character =) Bowen is surely starting to miss the old peaceful days without Rangers and babies, poor man. Are they really going to teach him to fight? It's hard to imagine, but I'm curious what you will do of it. And what fate did you prepare for Owen Estel in the third part of the "Rushlight trilogy" (Did I guess right?) And how did Halbarad plow with his hand? Or is it already healed? Author Reply: Thanks, Mirach! Glad you liked the chapter! And knew what a ha-ha was! That's not a common term in the US so I wanted to be sure to put a definition at the bottom so people wouldn't think they were fixing Bowen's laugh (I don't know... maybe he has a really irritating laugh that DOES need fixing! g) And yay, Ruddy's gaining fans! To answer your questions: As to whether they'll teach Bowen to fight... you'll have to wait for the last chapter to see. :) The fate of Owen Estel... will be revealed in detail in Book #3. (You didn't really expect an answer to that, I know!) And as for Halbarad's hand and plowing... I guess it's healed enough that he managed all right. And too, maybe it's a different enough motion that it didn't aggravate it too much.

phyloxena	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 10/20/2011
Such a touching story! I couldn't help thinking that if Strides was too sick to help the baby, rangers would've been blamed on the unhappy birth. But of course the whole point of a hero is that he is always on time and adequate to the task. Author Reply: Thanks, phyloxena! Glad you're enjoying the story so far. :) I don't know if Flora or Bowen would have blamed the Rangers, necessarily... Flora is a midwife, after all, and knows that sometimes births go wrong. So she's not in the same sort of mindset as the family that Strider helped, not understanding and ill and eager to find a scapegoat, etc. Fortunately this time around, things went the right way for all concerned, and Strider had a heroic moment after all.

Layne	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 10/20/2011
Owen Estel is a perfect name :) I wondered a bit why Strider seemed weak when Bowen went in to see his son, I thought he was getting a better. No wonder, he had been calling the little one from the dead ... Was Bowen's uncle the one from Denlad's backstory? I thought he wasn't but I'm a bit unsure from his reaction there. Yay, more Rangers! Heheh, poor Bowen. Uhm, I hope he knows how to make pot roast ;P Author Reply: Thanks, Layne! And pot roast!! LOL!! I wonder if Bowen could manage pot roast...? Maybe Denlad could teach him. g (and anyone reading this who's wondering about the joke, friend me on LJ at "cairistiona7", where you can hear me wax poetic about pot roast... g) And yes, Rowen Rushlight was the one that caused all the problems with Denlad and his mother. I left it more or less unspoken, though, because a) we can't see into Denlad's mind because the point of view of the chapter is Bowen's and the way I write, we only get to see into one head at a time; and b) I didn't feel it entirely necessary to spell it out since there's a lot of clues pointing toward the fact that it was Bowen's uncle, when you compare what we hear Denlad say to Halbarad and what Bowen reveals here. As for Denlad's reaction, he realizes again that he can't hold it against Bowen and that he has to let it go--and when you've long held anger toward someone and find out it really doesn't matter anymore, it can leave you a little flat, emotionally, before the sense of freedom sets in... which we see when Denlad mutters to himself that it doesn't matter, but then shortly after that gives Bowen the sunny smile and the complement. Denlad's going through a real storm of emotions here, but since we're looking at the Rangers, except for Halbarad, through Bowen's eyes, I wanted to only show what Bowen saw here, which serves to reinforce his opinion that Rangers are highly secretive and a bit of a pain in the neck to try to talk to! Hope that clears things up!

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