PSW · 16 September 2016 · Chapter 1
This was just perfect! *sigh* If only.... Thanks for writing!
Eucatastrophe by Dreamflower
Reviews (16)
harrowcat · 13 January 2016 · Chapter 1
It took me a long time to appreciate AU stories and even now I only really like those that stick close to canon, like yours. I love it when authors find those ''what if?' Moments and exploit them so well. Thank you for many an enjoyable hour spent in your universe.
shirebound · 18 March 2012 · Chapter 1
I just wanted you to know that I still read these lovely stories, I still enjoy them immensely, and I'm so happy you wrote them.
Author's reply
Oh thank you, dear! It pleases me immensely to think that these stories make you happy! ((hugs))
Ainu Laire · 14 November 2009 · Chapter 1
While I know why Tolkien made the decisions he did... the age of Men coming, yada yada... this is still so much more delightful. The ending of the story is so sad at times, with all the elves leaving, and Frodo not being able to stay, that I sometimes wish that this were canon. Lovely little piece about such wonderful what ifs :)
Author's reply
Well, it's delightful to us, at any rate, and it is a lot of fun being able to "indulge" the characters. I have a good deal of fun playing in this particular "what if" universe. This one was meant to be a one shot, but I now have several other "Eucatastrophe-verse" ficlets, and one multi-chapter...
nancylea57 · 9 December 2008 · Chapter 1
there was this fluff alert out and now i need to continue following the road ever on. besides i think gamgee fest is starting to feel stalked.
Author's reply
Yes, I am enjoying Shirebound's vault of fluff past!
addie71 · 9 December 2008 · Chapter 1
Now that's how it should have ended!
Author's reply
I am not sure about "should have". One of JRRT's themes was sacrifice, and of course the ending he gave us reflected it perfectly. On the other hand, I think that the characters involved might have liked *this* one a lot more!
Szepilona10 · 8 April 2008 · Chapter 1
I loved it! You should write more of this story! ~Szepilona10~
Author's reply
Actually, I have. I wrote quite a few more stories set in the Eucatastrophe AU, but they are not in chronological order. If you look in Alternative Universes in "Dreamflower's Chronology" you will find more of them. http://www.storiesofarda.com/texteditor/chapterpreview.asp?sid=4879&CID=19674
Queen Galadriel · 5 April 2006 · Chapter 1
You know, I can't believe this, but I do like Tolkien's ending--it is enduring because of its bittersweetness. But I do love these AUs, and hope to do one of my own someday. I love seeing Frodo as Uncle Frodo, and even though he still becomes ill, it sounds as if he's slowly but surely getting better. What I'd like to know, though, is did he just naturally heal, or did he have to be set on the path of healing? Sorry, I love angst. :) The prologue was very interesting, and now I can't wait to read the others! God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
Oh, I love JRRT's ending--it is that self-same bittersweet ending that lifts LotR up out of the category of extraordinarily well-written adventure-fantasy and places it squarely into the category of enduring classic and great literature. That said, however, it is nice for those of us who already know that, to be able to experiment with an ending much less bitter, and an easier pill to swallow. We know we have the real thing to fall back on so to speak, so our constructs do not have to be great or enduring, merely satisfying. In the Eucatastrophe-verse, Frodo is enabled to heal because of three things. After you've read the others you might guess what those three things are--if not, I shall tell you then, so as not to spoil things. But to answer the question more succinctly, he is set upon the path.
Inkling · 5 March 2005 · Chapter 1
Am slowly making my way through my bookmarked list, where this story has lived for a LONG time! The title caught my eye as I’ve always loved the idea of eucatastrophe, and the way Tolkien described it in his essay and letters…rending the fabric of story to allow a glimpse of the Truth. What a lovely idea to apply the concept to the Three Rings! Interesting, though, that even in this glimpse of eucatastrophe Frodo still gets sick, and remains without a family of his own. Ah well, I suppose that might have been rending the fabric a bit too much… I know there’s a part II, so will have to hunt that down next.
Author's reply
Yes, Part 2 is actually a pre-quel, in the sense that it takes place earlier in the timeline, but reading this one first is important to understanding *why* the Three still work. In the second one, another slight alteration, also involving Saruman, shows why the Shire did not have to be scoured quite so hard. I'm glad you noticed that I tried to keep it as close to the original as I could while yet having *major* changes in the ultimate outcome. JRRT's idea of the reason Frodo left was that each subsequent anniversary illness was worse than the last, instead of better. As far as family goes, I think that he would have been perfectly happy as "Uncle Frodo" to the Gamgee brood. He was, after all, a committed bachelor before he ever left on the Quest, and while that *might* have been Ring influence to a certain extent, I think it also spoke to a certain state of mind, as well. I thank you for the review! It's always nice to see a review for something that has languished for a little while!
Auntiemeesh · 11 November 2004 · Chapter 1
I had to hunt this out and read it before going on the second chapter of Eucatastrophe II. I love the happy ending you've created for Frodo and for all of Middle-earth. :)
Author's reply
This first little story just came to me one night when I had just about had it with some fics that just made Frodo so *pitiful*! I mean I like a bit of angst as much as the next person, but there is such a thing as going overboard. So I kind of went in the opposite direction! LOL!
Bodkin · 11 November 2004 · Chapter 1
Just spotted the II next to the title of EucatastropheII, so came looking for the first! How lovely. And somehow the patter of tiny feet in Lothlorien amuses me more than a little.
Author's reply
Me too! 8-D Somehow the thought of the cool, aloof and spotless Galadriel having a little elfling to deal with is very amusing. I mean I know she went through it all with Celebrian but that was a *long* time ago!
Alassiel · 14 August 2004 · Chapter 1
I am not usually fond of AU stories, but this was lovely. Yes, why would the Three be shorn of their power, if Sauron never touched them? I also liked the title, as the essay on fairy stories has delighted me since I read it nearly forty years ago. Thank you for your tale.
Author's reply
The standard answer is that the technology to make them was learned from Sauron. I'm not convinced that this would be enough to taint them myself; JRRT said that the motive was tainted, in that the Elves wanted to hold back the proper changes in the world. I can go with that, it's his world. But I also know that in the Council of Elrond it is said that "some think the three would be freed". Now there is no indication of who those "some" are. So I postulated Cirdan, as he is known for his foresight, and would be somewhat listened to by the others of the Wise. So what could have convinced the wearers of the Three that the only answer was the fading? Well, Saruman was on the White Council, and they trusted him at the time... It's been about thirty-five years for me since I first read "On Fairy Stories" and I was delighted with the word. It just seemed so perfect to me as a term for an especially happy ending, a "good catastrophe". I am glad that you enjoyed the story. I tried to keep almost all the subsequent events the same--Sam and Rose and their children, Sam being Mayor, etc. with the emphasis on Frodo, and on the Elves, as the main difference in what happened. Thank you for the lovely review. It's always nice to get a new one for a story that's been out for a little while.
ElvenFairMaiden · 3 June 2004 · Chapter 1
I especially like the part where Frodo says: "It's a small price to pay for all this beauty," or something near that...It brings back memories of the movies, this one. I enjoyed the read, and keep up the good work. So far I am working on two 'LOTR' fanfictions, with two totally different plots. Oh well, yours is well-written, and like I said, keep it up! ElvenFairMaiden
Author's reply
Thank you for the nice review. I do believe that the bittersweet ending we get from JRRT is better,as in greater literature, but I thought I would play a bit with something happier. After all, how *did* they know the Three would fail? I'm glad you liked the story.
GamgeeFest · 15 May 2004 · Chapter 1
It's wonderful to imagine how else the story could have ended. Too bad Tolkien was a realist instead of an optimist, huh? This is such a lovely ending, one that I've wished many times could have been written instead. Thanks for a glimpse of what could have been.
Author's reply
I had just had my fill of angst for a little while. I read a couple of very *good* fics, but they just had Frodo so frail and sad and pitiful that he couldn't even enjoy the Blessed Realm, or even survive to get there. And we had been having a lot of discussion on the Council of Elrond on a.f.t/r.a.b.t. One thing I had always wondered was why Elrond, Gandalf and Galadriel were so *darn certain* the Three would fail if the One was destroyed, especially since Elrond said that some held the opinion the opposite would happen. How long had they held this belief? Where did it originate? What if it were one of Saruman's patented self-fulfilling curses instead of the way things were supposed to be... I know the ending JRRT gave us is bittersweet, and probably it would not have been such an enduring classic with a happier ending, but it is fun to think what could have been.
Hiro-tyre · 4 May 2004 · Chapter 0
That's very nice. I get that it's just a short little "what-if?" scenario, but I'd have liked it if there was some resemblance of a plot or story. I'm not raising a stink, it's just that I think there should be some sort of story to go with the AU bit. Perhaps I'll write that.
Author's reply
Please feel free. I just woke up in the middle of the night with the whole thing complete in my head. I do not really have anything more to go with it--everything else has stayed the same as the book--only happier. 8-) I can suppose how some other things might have changed as a result though, so there would definitely be some room for some stories with a plot in this AU.
Jay of Lasgalen · 3 May 2004 · Chapter 1
I like this - AU, and a completely different interpretation of what happened. If only it had been this way ... My only complaint is that you missed out my favourite characters - who were also about to have a new aunt or uncle (but elves knew the sex of an unborn child). Jay
Author's reply
Ah, but had they told Mithrandir? And who might your favorites be? I woke up with this one ready made in my head, I guess because we've been discussing the Council of Elrond on the Tolkien newsgroups. I think that an ending like this would have taken a lot away from what made LOTR great literature. But it's fun to do something nice for the characters, anyway.