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| The Time of Probing by Larner | 109 Review(s) |
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| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/8/2013 |
| For someone who just met Sam, that Elf is very perceptive about our favorite gardener and nurturer. Love Gandalf's reactions to Pippin's words about The Look. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: Oh, Arwen is most perceptive anyway, as befits her parents' daughter and the granddaughter to Galadriel and Celeborn. And I found that Pippin in this chapter insisted on being Pippinish to the extreme, and that Gandalf simply couldn't control his amusement in the end! Heh! | |
| curiouswombat | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/8/2013 |
| What fascinating insights into the effect... It... had on those who bore It, or even came close to It. Author Reply: It's been interesting to think on how the Ring might have affected various people, and how Bilbo and Frodo unconsciously tried to control Its influence on themselves and on others. Thanks so, CW! | |
| UTfrog | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/8/2013 |
| Love the discussion between Arwen and Sam. Good insight in both of them. Thank you Author Reply: I suspect that Arwen was fascinated by all of these Hobbit visitors to her father's house, and that she and Sam would find one another interesting. I don't think that she'd let any of them know that she and Aragorn were affianced, but that she'd manage somehow to learn many things about them that Aragorn might not come to know until after the victory against Mordor. Thank you so! | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/8/2013 |
| Gandalf and Elrond gazed thoughtfully at one another. “Water is antithetical to Its nature, after all,” Elrond murmured. What an interesting idea. The Ring must have been quite uncomfortable in Tom Bombadil's house, with all those water-filled vessels of water lilies set about. Author Reply: There have been other discussions in my stories of how limited the Ring's powers were when It was stuck at the bottom of the Anduin--until a Hobbit fell into the water almost on top of It, no one had been able to locate It, in spite of most likely Sauron's slaves and mercenaries being sent to search for It even before Saruman tried the same. The Ring was forged in the fires of Mount Doom--It was undoubtedly much dampered by being surrounded by water. So it was fun to imagine that Bilbo would find himself feeling more comfortable when It was kept in a bowl of water! Heh! As for it being uncomfortable surrounded by Goldberry's water lilies, I'd not thought about it, but I think you are right. Maybe that was why It tried to coax Frodo into sneaking out of the house that evening when he put It on to make certain that It hadn't been switched by Tom. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 7/8/2013 |
| What an interesting look into the effects of the Ring on Frodo and Bilbo during the time they possessed it. I love the way you show how aware Merry and the others were of its effects on Frodo without even realizing what was causing those effects--but they know Frodo and when he was acting out of character. Nicely done! Again, I am fascinated by the ways in which the two of us are the "same only different" in our ideas on that. Like you, I have Bilbo (and later Frodo) put the Ring aside from time to time, if they feel that it's become too much of a "distraction"; like you, I have Bilbo being haunted by nightmares of Gollum as he nears his last few years in the Shire. (BTW, LOVE the notion that being put in a bowl of water dampens its influence! I wish I'd thought of that one!) But we differ in our notions of how "strong" the Ring was, and how long it remained mostly asleep, and in how it may or may not have extended its influence beyond Bag End. One thing I've never seen you address is the Ring's influence on its bearer's health--for example, "my" Bilbo was only ill once in the sixty years after he returned with the Ring--and that was on an occasion during which he had left the Ring behind on a journey. And once the Ring came into Frodo's possession, he was never ill either. This is a very interesting story! Author Reply: We each tend to get our own idea of how the lives of Frodo and Bilbo might be influenced by the presence of the Ring, of course, so I've had fun thinking that unconsciously first Bilbo and then Frodo managed to keep the Ring focused on them so as not to seek to influence other Hobbits, not that your average Hobbit was likely to help the Ring make Its way home, of course. Personally in my-verse both Bilbo and Frodo, once Frodo outgrew his early heart murmur, were mostly pretty healthy anyway, except for the influenza epidemic the first winter Frodo spent as Bilbo's ward in Bag End when both became very ill, and Frodo developed pneumonia. The Ring drowsed, but when It became aware of any possible heirs to Bilbo It sought to interfere, except when Lotho was expected and It was trying to score off Bilbo by allowing what was most likely going to be a most unsuitable heir to be born. In my-verse Frodo's parents spent most of Primula's third pregnancy in Buckland, and Bilbo asked Gandalf to offer her what protection he as a Wizard could. (This story is still being worked upon, by the way.) Whether their relatively good health was due to the Ring or natural Hobbit resiliency I've never truly decided. But I agree that even if It didn't particularly relish Its bearers' tendency to keep It safely by them and away from chances to head back to Mordor, it probably still did Its best to safeguard them as It could. Thanks so, Dreamflower! | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 7/8/2013 |
| I'm glad they have made Frodo more comfortable. it is interesting seeing these events through Sam's eyes. Author Reply: I am glad, too. Of course, he deserves and needs such comfort, particularly as he fights the shard's influence. And I have always liked writing from Sam's point of view. Thanks so, Linda! | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 7/7/2013 |
| I like the scene where all the Elves, summoned directly from their work, sing together with the hobbits, Aragorn and Gandalf for Frodo's healing. It helped a lot, it seems. And I was a little surprised about the harsh tones Elrond used when Aragorn told him that "he had sworn himself to Frodo's protection". Perhaps he does not see yet that the fates of Aragorn and Frodo are closely linked and that one cannot succeed without the other. But he will find out very soon! Author Reply: I suspect that songs of healing were often sung within the halls of the Last Homely House, and that those who had the greatest strength in such things came from many different callings to offer what comfort and healing as they could before returning to their own callings and responsibilities once more. I was amazed by the variety of singers myself as each presented himself or herself to me! Aragorn, as the Chieftain of the northern Dunedain and as the hoped-for leader of the final battles and King to reunite the two nations of the Sea Kings, was not a private person to go off on a whim or swear himself to any passerby who caught his sympathy. I'm certain that Elrond knew just how closely the fates of Frodo and Aragorn would prove; but to swear himself to Frodo's protection on just meeting him must have seemed rather precipitous. And in defense, Elrond, too, is under some stress here, what with a badly stricken Ringbearer on his hands, and with the whole household suddenly being borne down upon by guests approaching from all directions, all summoned not by him but maneuvered there by the Powers themselves. Plus, the son of his heart is obviously approaching the point of collapse and, as usual, seems least concerned for his own welfare. Then to find that the shard itself was playing shy and would not allow itself to be easily removed while the Ring is reacting to finding Itself in the midst of a veritable banquet of souls to devour wouldn't be precisely reassuring, I'm certain. So, don't be surprised if Elrond tends to perhaps overreact just a bit! Heh! Thanks so, Andrea, for the comments! | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/6/2013 |
| Great start! I like it very much that Bill the Pony was there to help Sam keep going. In fact Glorfindel's plan worked so well that they needed Gandalf to make Sam release Bill again. Author Reply: I do think that Bill did a good deal to help Sam stay sane during the flight to the ford. It gave him something to focus upon besides Frodo's worsening condition But I do suspect all of them were feeling pretty overwhelmed once they finally arrived at Elrond's door, and needed to be assured they were now as safe as anyone can be. Thanks so, Andrea! | |
| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 7/5/2013 |
| I am surprised that they are waiting to probe the shard but obviously Elrond knows best and the song worked. Hopefully Strider will rest now too. Glad to see another chapter up. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: The indication in the text was that the wound was probed twice, but I suspect that the original probing took place only after people had a chance to rest some and after Elrond had had the chance to evaluate Frodo's condition as well as he could. Therefore I've always thought of the first probing to have taken place the morning after their arrival. And I'm certain that Frodo was strengthened by the songs of healing sung for his benefit! Thanks so! Plan to post a couple of chapters a week until it's finished. | |
| Laikwalâsse | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 7/5/2013 |
| indeed, even powerful Elf-lords can blanch. It´s a frightening concept in having the evil influence of the ring in Rivendell. Again Elrond reprimanded Aragorn harshly in not being free to do with his life as he pleases. First I was shocked about the tone but considering Aragorn important role in the future Elrond is maybe right. I know I would be hard pressed in coping with such a handling. Great chapter - I liked the singing and the brought healing. Lai Author Reply: I suspect just being inside the boundaries of Rivendell helped curb the Ring's influence somewhat, but It still must have been intrigued to be surrounded by such a choice of powerful victims, or so I'd think. Realizing that the Ring was checking out his people for possible manipulation must have been disheartening to Elrond. Once I appreciated just what Aragorn's destiny entailed, I was amazed that this future great King had made a vow to Frodo to become his protector. And this must have caused some dismay to those who knew him--after all, a King isn't supposed to vow himself to individuals, but to his nation as a whole. Although I've always seen a good deal of Finrod's influence in Aragorn. Thanks so very much! | |