pipfan
· 28 May 2004
· Chapter 14: Here Be Dragons
I totally agree with Grey Wanderer. Regi is a mean old hobbit, and I hope Pippin is able to tell someone quickly, before they send him back to deal with him. I loved the bit with the puppets, how Pippin caught on to what Regi was doing with his dad, and like Grey Wanderer said, it was very much like what children of abuse do. Wonderful story, and I can't wait to read the next chapter.
Author's reply
Pippin wasn't paralleling *exactly* what's going on with Regi and his father when he was playing with the puppets -- after all, he was playing, so he got to have fun, too, even while he was controlling the game -- but he is even more tuned in than he realizes to deeper feelings and motivations.
Sorry you had to wait a bit longer than usual for Chap. 15. Real life plus writing difficulties delayed it.
Grey Wonderer
· 27 May 2004
· Chapter 14: Here Be Dragons
Pippin's exchange with the puppets reminds me of how they use dolls with children that have been mistreated in order to get them to talk about what they've experienced. It was very well done. I only hope that very soon he is able to let someone know about Regi. I was glad that Pippin didn't have to go back to the Great Smail just yet. He would still be a very easy target. Another great chapter!
Author's reply
It occurred to me some time while I was writing the puppet scene that it was similar to the way they use dolls with children who are victims of abuse. That wasn't the intent I started out with -- I just like getting more of Pippin's "voice" in, even though he's not talking -- but I decided it worked. Glad you liked it. Thanks again for all your reviews.
Elenar
· 25 May 2004
· Chapter 13: Rolling Along
A great story. Happy to see Pippin improving.It is nice to see Pippin and Sam becoming friends.
Author's reply
I'm glad you're liking it, and that you're enjoying the Pippin and Sam chapters. They were a lot of fun to write, particularly "Rolling Along."
Pearl Took
· 25 May 2004
· Chapter 13: Rolling Along
This really is just so cute! I just love it. *sigh* I do love Sam, he's such a sweety.
Author's reply
It is so hard not to like Sam...he managed to write himself almost two whole chapters! You know, it just occurred to me, he's kind: strong enough to kill even a really big gross-out insect (or arachnid, whatever spiders are), good with kids, and we know he can cook--Sam is kind of the modern woman's perfect husband, if only he weren't a hobbit.;)
Anso the Hobbit
· 25 May 2004
· Chapter 13: Rolling Along
This is a marvellous story! I really love it.
Anso
Author's reply
Thank you! I appreciate your saying so.
shana40347
· 25 May 2004
· Chapter 13: Rolling Along
Really good! Him and sam in the garden, and pip getting free carrotts... Pippin didn't like being called a brandybuck, did he. I like the face expression he made.
He rolled down the hill, he is progressing it seems. Graet story, update soon.....
Author's reply
I'm glad you liked it, even though Pippin is being a bit of a naughty little hobbit by acting snooty and making people feel sorry for him so they give him carrots. Sorry the Chap. 14 update did not come sooner.
Grey Wonderer
· 25 May 2004
· Chapter 13: Rolling Along
Great chapter. I loved Pippin's reaction to being called a Brandybuck and Sam is just wonderful! I enjoyed how Pippin found a way to get extra food too. The best part was when he managed to roll down the hill. Can't wait for more.
Author's reply
I think interactions -- particularly pre-Quest -- between Tooks (who, as Sam points out, are the Shire's "first family") -- and Sam, who is so aware of his status as a member of the servant class, are interesting. It's a good thing Frodo stopped Merry from mentioning that Pip really will be The Took someday, though, or Sam would have freaked out! As for the rolling, well, it's a much more fun method of locomotion for our little lad than anything more straightforward.
Valerie
· 24 May 2004
· Chapter 12: Sam I Am
What an excellent story you have here! I am really enjoying reading this. Sam I am...I love it! Please update as soon as possible!
Author's reply
Welcome, and glad you're enjoying it! An update will be coming as soon as "javascript finishes cleaning the chapter."
Elwen
· 24 May 2004
· Chapter 12: Sam I Am
Sounds like Pip is finaly surrounded by lots of people who will love and coax him along at last. I'm glad Sam realised what was happening. And having lots of brothers and sisters he would know all about dealing with "younger" folk.
Author's reply
Sam is obviously good with kids...he ends up having at least a dozen of them, so he'd better be! I've read some authors' interpretations that he took care of younger siblings, but the only one younger than him is Marigold, and she's only three years younger--not that much. So I decided that he'd been interacting with nieces and nephews instead.
shana40347
· 24 May 2004
· Chapter 12: Sam I Am
Really, good!
Pips able to move his hand some, thats good,. He sees to be getting better.
Love the part with sam and pippin and where he rescues pippin.
Really, good update it soon...
Author's reply
Yes, I like Sam, too. He gets to be a hero to Pippin a bit earlier in life than he's a hero to everyone else.
Grey Wonderer
· 23 May 2004
· Chapter 12: Sam I Am
LOL that should say Dr. Seuss, not Cr. Seuss, sorry. Typed too fast.
Author's reply
You know, sometimes typos lead to great words for a story...still trying to figure out a way to use "firewords", my typo for "fireworks" a few years ago. Probably not Cr. Seuss, though. ;)
Grey Wonderer
· 23 May 2004
· Chapter 12: Sam I Am
I love Sam in this one. No one seems to have explained Pippin's situation to poor Sam and he's had to do the best he could while still in the dark. Also, Pippin seems to be moving a bit more which is good. I am also fond of the Cr. Seuss reference. "I do so love green eggs and ham, thank you, thank you, Sam I Am!" Another great chapter.
Author's reply
Well, the Bagginses were just as much in the dark until Merry explained things to Frodo, and then Frodo filled Bilbo in before calling Merry into the study for more details. And Sam spent all day working in the garden, so they didn't really have time for a chat with him.
I have been surprised not to find more fanfics using the "Sam I Am" title and wanted to see if I could get him to say it and have it work for a story.
I am also enjoying sneaking in covert references to other literary influences to this story, as good fiction is good fiction. So far, I've managed to pay homage to Sesame Street, Charles Schulz's Peanuts, Dr. Seuss, "The Kitchen Boy" by Robert Alexander and "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd. (All right, that last one is *really* subliminal, in that Pearl, Pimpernel and Pervinca's birthdays are in May, June and August, respectively, after names of characters in that story.)
Pearl Took
· 22 May 2004
· Chapter 11: Bedtime Tales
This is getting soooo good! Wonderful mystery. Kinda like "Columbo" because we know who the baddy is and are waiting to see how they catch him. Cool!
Pearl Took
Author's reply
Ooh, now you're comparing this to Columbo -- my husband thinks that's so much better than anything I write! ;)
shana40347
· 22 May 2004
· Chapter 11: Bedtime Tales
Really, good!
I like how they are now at bag End, and how you show pips parents talking and so worried...
Can't wait till you update,it good...
Author's reply
I'm glad you liked the conversation between Eglantine and Paladin. That was kind of an experiment, to see if it worked to tell the story that way, in dialogue and flashback.
I am so glad they had Merry take Pippin to Bag End. Now he has a chance to gain his strength before Regi gets to him again. I will also be looking forward to Bilbo and Frodo entering the story. This is getting better all the time.
Author's reply
I wanted to get all of the hobbits into the story somehow, and this worked out well. Glad you're still enjoying it.
Miss Aranel
· 21 May 2004
· Chapter 10: Monsters Under the Bed
Aww - sad but very sweet story. Merry is a wonderfully caring cousin, and little Pippin is a sweetie - it's good that you explore his thoughts. It will be very good when he's a chattery, bouncy little hobbit again! *g*
Author's reply
Glad you're enjoying the story. It will be kind of hard to let the carrying and cuddling of the little sweetie go, though. ;)
shana40347
· 21 May 2004
· Chapter 10: Monsters Under the Bed
Really, great chapter. Regi, was mean to oleave pip under the bed and not tell anyone.
Pippin trying to talk, I hope he does, and he moved his hand that was great...
Update soon,it was great...
Author's reply
Yes, as both Pip and Merry say in this chapter, Regi is a bad, bad hobbit. (At least in my story -- he's much nicer over in Lindelea's universe.)
Grey Wonderer
· 21 May 2004
· Chapter 10: Monsters Under the Bed
My heart was in my throat throughout this entire chapter! So much suspense! Very well written. Pippin has finally started to move and talk! Regi was doing somthing evil but it seems that he has helped Pippin on the road to recovery. Now, how is Pippin going to explain who put him under the bed in the first place before Regi has another chance at him? Can't wait for more.
Author's reply
Thank you! This chapter was actually the hardest one to write so far. I read someone say once that not much truly out of the ordinary happened to the hobbits before the Quest, so it's a challenge to try to write as canonically as possible yet still get tension in by using ordinary things and events. And this chapter -- where the action is the absence of action -- added an additional writing challenge.
Jasmin
· 20 May 2004
· Chapter 9: Pippin's Perspective
This was a great chapter. I liked Pippins POV, but I'm still wondering what caused his condition. Keep up the good work!
Author's reply
I hope you're not too disappointed, but I don't plan on getting into medical specifics. I am making this affliction up out of whole cloth, because I like PippinAngst (no! shock! really?) and always wanted the recovery period in other sickPippin fics I've read to drag out longer. Hence the mention in the summary of "a long convalescence."
Pearl Took
· 20 May 2004
· Chapter 9: Pippin's Perspective
Topaz,
Sorry it has been so many chapters since I responded but my computer has been in the shop. This is still captivating :) I've missed it and am glad to get back to it!
Pearl Took
Author's reply
Ooh, computerless. How horrid. (Insert plug for access through public libraries here.) Glad you're enjoying this story -- and that you have your computer back so you can go write some more on your own tales!
shana40347
· 20 May 2004
· Chapter 9: Pippin's Perspective
Really, good! I like hearing what pippin feel about everything. Really liked where pippin sticks his tounge out at pervinci.
Great job, can't wait till you update...
Author's reply
It's amazing, isn't it, how much personality shines through? Even in his state, Pippin's rather mischievous. And it's a good thing his parents didn't realize what he was doing, or he would have got in trouble, too.
shana40347
· 19 May 2004
· Chapter 7: Sticks and Stones
Really great!
Seems pippin was aware as merry brought him in, he was even crying..
Love the bath tub scene, he is aware sometimes. Merry is taking good care of him....
Author's reply
Thank you. The bath tub scene is part of my answer to why Pippin is so fond of baths in the book Fellowship of the Ring.
shana40347
· 19 May 2004
· Chapter 8: "Thain Peregrin"
Really, love it!
Pippin is some what aware, but still won't speak. I wonder what will bring him out of it...
Really love the scene with his father really great...
Author's reply
Well, his mother has already had bonding with Pip in this story, and I thought there should be a story out there that gives his father some tender moments with him. I've read several where Pip and Paladin have a bad relationship instead.
I felt sorry for Merry in this one, but I was very glad to see that Pippin's father still has time for him. Too bad his sister doesn't understand things a little better. Maybe jealous of the time her mother has had to spend taking care of Pippin while he's been so ill?
Author's reply
You're very sweet to feel sorry for Merry, but don't worry about him too much -- he gets to spend much more time with Pippin in this story than the lad's father does! You're right about what's motivating Pervinca, too--there were some brief hints about her feelings in chapters 2 and 4.
Jasmin
· 18 May 2004
· Chapter 7: Sticks and Stones
Thank you for the tulips :-)
I'm really enjoying this story. Wondering what is wrong with Pippin.
Author's reply
You're welcome. I'm glad you're still enjoying it.