Reviews (79)

FantasyFan · 10 September 2003 · Chapter 2: In for a Penny

Rosemary in the woody end is always Ferdi's ace in the hole, isn't she? I think many times when he wanted to give up or take a chance, like here, the thought that he could always go to Rosemary made things bearable. Is he thinking that will be a safe place for Farry to run away to? I don't think stopping the post or trying to fool Pip or Diamond will work for long. At some point Pippin will come back, and then there will be no hiding either Faramir's absence or all the untruths told. Now, sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, so if all is over and fixed by then, no harm done, yet this is a long-brewing problem and likely will not be fixed easily or quickly. Ferdi can see through a brick wall in time, as they once said of Farmer Maggot, so I am sure a plan is brewing in his sharp mind. But will he come up with something quick enought to forstall the inevitable explosion? I'm looking forward to finding out what you've planned. I'm enjoying the characterization of Faramir as a little Pippin. He's just as stubborn as his father, cocky and confident, and not above borrowing a few farmyard goods in need, although he's much more serious than Pip ever was in his youth. Of course, Pippin's father was not Thain when Pip was a lad, nor had his father fought wars or seen the horrors that Pip did. Pip's childhood was much more carefree, and the older cousins that helped mold Pippin were very different than the trouble-batch Farry fell in with. (Merry and Frodo were troublemakers in their own way, but I think Pippin was much closer to them, and much more cared for by them, than Farry ever was with hs cousins.) I like Faramir, for all his irritating manner, I think mostly because I feel sorry for him, and see a very unhappy little lost boy in there. I hope he gets the attention he so obviously is looking for.

Miriel · 10 September 2003 · Chapter 2: In for a Penny

A sequel already! I think its a sequel...I can't wait until all of your stories are posted here. I do hope nothing bad happens to Ferdi for his troubles. Now, I'm a bit confuesed on the time line. I think this is after "Down and Out" but before "At the End of His Rope." Am I correct? Anyway, its wonderful and I hope that you update soon!

FantasyFan · 8 September 2003 · Chapter 1: The Hunter and the Hunted

You can't know how happy I am to see this story start. I missed you horribly over the weekend. I must have checked a dozen times - no updates, no updates. Then I read that you would be without computer access over the weekend, so I stopped checking, but I still felt lost. Pretty silly, hmmm? Nice start. I figured out pretty soon that it was Farry who was being tracked, but could only hope that it was Ferdi doing the tracking. It caught me up a bit as he started laying a fire - at first I thought of the scene in 'The Hobbit' where the orcs set fire around fifteen birds in five fir trees - sometimes I see Ruffians everywhere. I wonder just how small a ten-year-old hobbit lad is, and if a full grown fox is big enough to take one down? I guess so - he's probably less than than 2 foot tall - I had never thought of it before, but I tend to forget how small the hobbits are, when there's no big people around to provide a reference (they're just that real to me). It makes the attacks by wolves in the Fell Winter (and those on Bilbo's group or the Fellowship's quest) all that scarier to contemplate. Ferdi's emotions as he comes to the end of the trail are so well described, without a word of dialog needed to show his thoughts. He'd come too late, all there would be is a piece of bloodied cloth to take back to Pip and Diamond. As a father now himself, his heart must have been breaking. No mention here that it would be worth his job, and possibly much more, to have lost Farry permanently. That doesn't come up until later, when things are more under control. Faramir's smart, but he's only ten. He figured he wouldn't be missed if he ran while Pippin was in Buckland. But he didn't count on Ferdi's dedication to duty. Are the rest of the escort out looking too, or did they accompany Pippin? Farry's jealous of a new baby. But there's also reference to "events of the past few years": is Faramir hoping that if he's not there, the new baby will have more of a chance for survival than the last, or has the talk of the Tooks punished him since the death of his cousin Adelgrim? (Probably both) And what else has happened in two years? Clever of Ferdi to give him a chance to save face, and come down himself, though it doesn't work. Ferdi's two steps ahead, as always. He'll help Farry to run away properly - less dangerous for the hobbit lad, he can give a better report to Pippin, and perhaps someone will recognize the chronic problem Ferdi sees. Can't wait to see what comes next. By the way, did I mention I'm glad you're back?

Hai · 8 September 2003 · Chapter 1: The Hunter and the Hunted

Good Ferdi! He is so smart with the younger hobbits. I really like how you have given him character! You write hobbits so wonderfully! I'm looking forward to more! Don't forget ff.net now, I always check there first and not always here (unless they are having a problem over there)