Reviews (58)

Lindelea · 12 June 2026 · Chapter 35: Let’s Get Together

I was interrupted yesterday... Every time I see Boromir mentioned, I smile. I'm glad he's still in the picture. I wonder what critical role he will play in future days? Joey and Pippin make natural partners in crime mischief, even though Pip's essentially a teen in human years and so ought to have more sense than a small boy, wouldn't you think? But then, this is the same character who dropped a pebble in a well in an Orc-infested mine... (But I don't remember how this story presented Moria, so I may have to go back and read that part again... eventually. For the moment, my motto is "Onward...")

Lindelea · 10 June 2026 · Chapter 35: Let’s Get Together

The kittens are quiet for the nonce. (only one is really a kitten, having just celebrated his first birthday; the other is technically a senior cat, but she plays as vigorously as a kitten and yells the loudest of the two) Wormtongue was also the one in the book who threw down the Seeing Stone. I see he falls to arrows here, as well, though they are the arrows of Legolas and the King's escort rather than of Shire-folk. So the Scouring of the Shire is once again up in the air, in a manner of speaking. At least, I'm having trouble envisioning it, and so maybe you and DF decided to leave it out. I recently read someone's argument that the Scouring was actually Tolkien's main point of the story (and the hero's journey), even more than the Quest itself, so it's at the forefront of my mind at the moment. I look forward to seeing the version you and DF worked out. I have loved DF's Eucastrophe (and Shirebound's alternate version, as well, where Frodo doesn't sail West, if I'm not mixing up authors... I'm muddled today.)

Lindelea · 10 June 2026 · Chapter 35: Let’s Get Together

I thought I had left a review on this chapter a long time ago, but I didn't see one when I glanced through the reviews just now. So in re-reading, here are a few thoughts that popped up: As I think I said before, I love how gentle Glorfindel is with the little ones. I remember reading somewhere that Elves treasure children (because they have so few themselves? I can't remember, exactly.) For some reason, I want a hobbity proverb about wishes to rhyme, or sort of rhyme. I have no idea why. It's difficult, though! ("If wishes were biscuits, we all would have whiskers" was one I dredged up from my imagination. "If wishes were cakes, we'd be big as drakes" ... where "drake" would be understood as a dragon ... or maybe "if wishes were pies, we'd be dragon-sized" Silly of me, I know.) This will amuse you. I read "Megan" as "Mairen" singing the teapot song, and I thought, "How cute! Kaylee taught her the song!" I love that the dog responds to Elvish commands. Our dogs over the years learned a few German commands (passed down in my family) along with English. This chapter reminded me of a story here on SoA that I'd started to read but got interrupted and lost track of, about a woman taken in by Beorn (or maybe one of his descendants). I wish I could find it again. Woo-hoo, Radagast! (One of the reasons I took a break from reading was because I was writing Radagast in Bill's story, and I didn't want my mental picture of him to blur. Since I write from a mental movie of sorts, I have to avoid reading about the characters I'm writing until I get past the part where I'm writing about them.) Poor Haleth. Sigh. Cryptic Gandalf sounds so familiar even though he's no longer Grey. "It" will pass you by... sounds almost terrifying in its vagueness. I'm not dressed for a swim. made me laugh. It sounds as if the warriors surrounding him are rubbing off on Kevin. Of course I'm sure you know that I would be delighted to see Merry at any time. So I'm with Kevin here. I love seeing Merry at his most playful and mischievous, living up to his name here. It still gives me a jolt to read that Saruman is dead... And Gandalf sums up hobbits (and, frankly, why I find them so delightful) quite aptly, I think. More cheeky Merry! I love it! (I was coming to it, but I have been hindered by many other questions.) Imagine meeting Théoden King. Sigh. "smell like a sweaty horse!" High praise, indeed! (My mom hated horse-smell so much that when I came back from riding lessons, I had to change clothes in the entry of our house, a closed-in side porch not easily visible to passers-by, before opening the door to the main house. I never did understand the problem...) "Any friend of our brother's is a friend of ours" sounds Middle-earthish somehow. What do you think? It fits in with the values of earlier generations that I remember from long ago, like a man's handshake being as good as his word, which sadly does not seem to hold true these days for many of our public figures. ...the implications of finding pipe-weed in Isengard... Does that mean there will be a Scouring of the Shire? I wonder. My dad smoked a pipe. For years, smelling pipe smoke (at least, if it smelled similar to the pipe tobacco he favored) made me want to look around for him. O my. The young cats are playing vigorously and being very distracting with their incredibly realistic screams and pounding feet. I'm too distracted to write any more. If anything else crosses my mind, I'll try to include it in a future review. Of course, if all my meandering and rambling becomes annoying, be sure to let me know!

Lindelea · 21 May 2026 · Chapter 34: Never Give Up

Aha! Was Saruman's death one of the three endings they filmed, I wonder? It was certainly jarring to see his ending in the film version. No Scouring of the Shire will take place, I assume? At least, that seems likely. Just when things seem desperate, the cavalry comes riding in, along with the M-e equivalent of Macbeth's Birnam Wood. Whew. Go Gandalf!

Lindelea · 21 May 2026 · Chapter 33: Forest of No Return

Every time Kevin wished for modern weapons, my brain commented that he ought to be grateful for the lack of modern weapons in M-e. I shudder to think of Saruman's army equipped with fighter jets and bombers, or even bazookas and rocket launchers and machine guns. This chapter follows the film more closely than the book, I think? I admit, I haven't re-read the Rohan parts as recently as some of the other parts. I need to get back to my habit of an annual read-through. "I wonder where Frodo is now," said Pippin wistfully. "With Sam," answered Merry, "which means he's being taken care of." Awww. I think my heart just melted a little. And Joey wanting to play with the Huorns was so cute! (Even though he probably wouldn't like being called "cute".) His boredom is understandable. Actually, he's been doing quite well for having come from a place where he could probably find diversion at his fingertips any time he wanted it.

Lindelea · 21 May 2026 · Chapter 32: Wherever You Are

I'm with Gail. Heights make me want to grab hold of something solid. A horse would not fit that category Raindeer! Snork. Éowyn's song made me tear up, too. Such an evocative scene. I'm thinking this is the part of the film where Aragorn's hand was caught in the Warg's harness and they went over the cliff? My screen reader does not sing the songs it reads aloud to me, but my brain fills in the melody anyhow. Whew. Oh those practical jokes... (While I hate practical jokes IRL, I love how gentle Glorfindel is with Kaylee here.) I haven't read all of Fiondil's "Redux" story. I think I started reading it and got interrupted, way back when, and never got back to it again. (I was probably quite absorbed by whatever "Elf Academy" volume was being published at the time. I've bookmarked it for future reading.)

Kaylee Arafinwiel · 17 May 2026 · Chapter 99999: Death of My Co-author, Dreamflower

Dear KathyG, Thank you so much for this story, I have loved reading it as far as it went. I grieve that I haven't been keeping up with it on SoA, though I did try to read it at Ao3 whenever a new chapter went up there. I will greatly miss Dreamflower, as I know we all will. She and I were in communication on the phone and on Quora (she was the only reason I stayed on Quora, really). If there is anything that I can do for you or this story I would like to help. It seems too bad to leave the adventure of little Kaylee and her family unfinished. (I may be a bit attached.) Anyway, one of my email addresses is the same as my Stories of Arda username, just all one word, no uppercase letters. kayleearafinwiel (at) gmail (dot) com, if you'd like to stay in touch. Thank you for letting everyone know about Dreamflower. Kaylee

Lindelea · 19 April 2026 · Chapter 31: A Step in the Right Direction

I've been reading on my phone, but I can't easily review chapters there, so I'm re-reading on the laptop now... I can easily imagine Kevin being exhausted after riding all night long. I also wonder if he's saddle-sore – an uncomfortable topic. I love the cinematic descriptions! The writing makes it easy to form pictures in my mind's eye as I read. He realized he had not been without his weapons since leaving Rivendell. I'm sure it felt odd when he first started wearing weapons, but now he feels odd without them. For some reason, the idea made me chuckle. Oh, Gandalf, you old fox! Ewww. Gríma. I tend to avoid reading fanfic stories where he appears, but he's rather unavoidable in this one since you're revisiting the entire tale through the eyes of a modern family. (And now, having read this scene, I'm tempted to dust off the film once more.) It's almost a pity that Théoden didn't use his sword on Gríma. Kevin knew that expression: someone was about to be in big trouble. LOL! "The Look"! But oh, dear. I'm rather glad that Joey isn't there. If he stuck out his tongue at Wormtongue, that evil man would probably order the guards to cut it out. (And hooray for Gimli!) And Gandalf throws off his grey disguise and reveals his new-and-improved state. Théoden's healing was a powerful scene in the film, and you've captured it well here. "demon-possessed"? I suppose one might call Saruman a kind of demon, actually. Kevin hasn't met Saruman yet, as I recall. (Oh! I wonder if the children will witness the Scouring of the Shire! I would dearly love to see that part of the story through their eyes...) How interesting that a man can scrape away beard hairs with a rough stone! (My mental image of Dúnedain from reading LOTR is beardless, though I rather had the impression that it was because they didn't have facial hair. Of course, I could have been wrong. Let the child cling to hope, but he doubted that they would meet again. Oh, I hope they will meet again, no matter what the old hobbit's thoughts may be about the possibility. Ah, yes, the wine. Is that what they call the stirrup cup? I used to know the term for a farewell cup, but I'd have to look it up again since I've forgotten. LOL for Treebeard's poetry inducing sleep. Most nights, I leave an audiobook playing on a timer, and it quiets and focuses my mind and soothes me to sleep. Hmmm. Are Jennifer and Joey going to have a growth spurt soon? And of course Treebeard has endless patience. Last thought: "music of the falling stream" is a lovely turn of phrase. Two of my favorite things are ocean waves and waterfalls.

demeter d · 15 April 2026 · Chapter 99999: Death of My Co-author, Dreamflower

Thank you so much, Kathy, and, Lindalea, also, for sharing the news of Dreamflower's passing "beyond the circles". Not being on Facebook with you all, I would not have seen that. I only knew her from here, SOA. But for twenty years I have read her stories and enjoyed her comments and insights for other folks stories. She is definitely on my list of people I hope to seek out and meet when I pass on. As always, thank you to all of you who keep this site the place of love and light that it is. And to everyone. When one of us passes and you know about it, please post when you find out. We miss that virtual presence, but without that tie to the "Real World' we would never find out. Love to all! demeter d

Lindelea · 14 April 2026 · Chapter 99999: Death of My Co-author, Dreamflower

You can email me by clicking on my author name at the top of my author page. Alternatively, type it into your email program: homesweeths (at) gmail (dot) com.

shirebound · 13 April 2026 · Chapter 99999: Death of My Co-author, Dreamflower

My heart aches for you, and for all of us. Dreamflower was a special friend whom I knew and respected for over 20 years. Her passing is a great loss.

Lindelea · 13 April 2026 · Chapter 99999: Death of My Co-author, Dreamflower

((((hugs)))) Kathy. When I received the news, I sent you an email around the time I posted the announcement to SoA, but it sounds like you didn't get it? I'm so sorry. (Could you please email me?) Condolences. It must have come as a terrible shock after working so closely with her on this delightful story. I am still reading... but I'm not looking forward to reaching the final posted chapter and having to imagine what comes after. Blessings to you and yours. Lin

Larner · 12 April 2026 · Chapter 109: There Is a Lot of Work to Do

I am glad you have continued on with the posting--and reposting--this story after the blasted hacker removed so many stories by so many of us. And I grieve that your partner in this story is now gone beyond the Circles of Arda. God bless you.

Larner · 12 April 2026 · Chapter 108: Fun and Fancy Free

I'm glad that Menelcar sang that song. It was wonderful to see the Hobbits get the attention that they deserve. The story of the attempted swindle was wonderfully told. How nice to have Menelcar in the capitol.

Lindelea · 9 September 2025 · Chapter 30: Trust in Me

I have to admit, when I read "Comfort your sire and beware of fire", I gasped.

Lindelea · 9 September 2025 · Chapter 29: Go the Distance

Oh! I had forgotten that Boromir survived the Orc attack! (It has been so long since I last read this story, I should have read the previous chapter to get my bearings again.) Aragorn kicking the helmet and screaming reminds me of the movie trivia that Viggo broke (his toe?) while filming that scene. Here's hoping Aragorn didn't break any bones! I can't think of anyone I'd trust more than Glorfindel and a body of warriors hand-picked by Elrond, even travelling at such a dangerous time. I love Bilbo's solution to the map problem! (Thinking about LOTR movies being real in this story... So do the characters' appearance and voices somehow [magically, perhaps] match those of the actors?) I've always wanted to visit Fangorn Forest. It was fun to see it through Joey and Jennifer's eyes. And it seems perfectly natural that Merry feels more at home in the forest than on the open plain. I smiled when he said, "Just trust us." And when Pippin made sure the tree by the stream was not a willow tree, I nodded agreement. His caution is understandable, considering his memories of the Old Forest. (So will Treebeard say anything about entering Hobbits in the List? I wonder.) I'm looking forward to reading on.

Lindelea · 21 June 2025 · Chapter 28: One Jump Ahead

Somehow it's a relief that Boromir doesn't end up "pierced with many black-feathered arrows" and Pippin's last sight of him isn't "plucking an arrow from his side". At least if I'm remembering the original passage correctly. I'm overdue for my annual re-reading of LOTR. I should imagine that a sharp-eyed Wood-elf is the next best thing to binoculars. You've done a nice job of weaving the children into the original narrative! It'll be interesting to see what role Boromir plays going forward...

Lindelea · 24 May 2025 · Chapter 27: I See the Light

What fun to hear that Arwen was a handful as a child! Did she have any adventures, I wonder? I'd imagine that children began to learn handwork fairly early in a pre-industrial society. Gail's surprise at discovering Kaylee's expanded skill set reminds me of the time my dad visited a Montessori preschool where one of my cousins was a teacher. He came back enthusing about watching little ones use a sharp, child-sized knife to cut up fruit (and vegetables?) for snack time, as well as the various handicrafts and skills he saw them exploring and enjoying. And then I think of play kitchens scaled for preschoolers, and I think, why practice skills with plastic implements and fake toy foods when they could be learning the real thing? (I'm sad at thinking about Halbarad, and Kaylee's reaction if she hears he fell in battle. Now I'm wondering if this story might be AU... I don't remember if I read as far as the Pelennor before the hackers deleted the story, or even if it had reached that point yet?) By the way, the food sounds so delicious, it's making me hungry.... (later) Part-way through reading the chapter, I put some nicely-seasoned chicken in the oven, and now that I'm a bit more than halfway through the chapter (reading is rather slow today, but I've got time), delicious smells are wafting in the air. I imagine once I finish a chapter in another story on my reading list, dinner will be ready! Barrel! From Bilbo's stories! Precious. Free horseback-riding lessons. How wonderful! And suddenly I was reminded of a non-profit in our city that loaned free instruments (violins, violas, cellos, and maybe other orchestra instruments) and gave free lessons to children. Unfortunately, by the time my little ones were old enough, that non-profit was no longer operating. But I've always thought it a wonderful idea. Hurrah! No side-saddles in Middle-earth! At least, amongst the Elves of Rivendell. (Do Hobbits use side-saddles in your [meaning both KathyG and Dreamflower] other stories? I don't remember. And hoorah! I looked briefly at your [meaning KathyG] list of stories, and I was reminded that you have a Beregond story! I can't wait to read it again.) I lost track of what Gail's wearing in this chapter... I'd thought she was wearing a "fancy" dress, but maybe you mentioned something else and I missed it. (I have one hobbit character in a current story wearing breeches under her skirts for riding because she, too, finds side-saddles impractical.) When Kaylee assured her little sister that Merrylegs wouldn't let her fall, I remembered a very old pony I knew who would kind of "scoop" his back to catch a child that was losing its balance. He was such a sweetie. Ah yes, walking stiffly and smelling horsey after a riding lesson. Good times! (I think Elves don't use saddles or even bridles, but I may be wrong. Are the visitors riding bareback? Do they have bridles with bits and reins, or maybe hackamores?) I think I remember when we graduated to bareback riding, we still had to keep our heels down to help us keep our balance. It wasn't as easy without the reminder of stirrups! O yes, that "proper" way to make tea! I learned that as a teen from someone who prided himself as something of a tea connoisseur. But my oddest encounter with brewing tea occurred years later, driving on the NY turnpike with someone from the UK who was coming down with a tummy bug. We pulled into a service area because my companion thought a cuppa might help settle their stomach. The lady behind the counter put some lukewarm water in a teacup and added a generic Lipton-style tea bag! So my companion said something about taking tea with milk. Frowning, the lady took back the cup, dumped it out, added liquid coffee creamer to the cup, slopped another teabag in it (yes, in the cold creamer), and handed it over together with one of those little metal teapots (the kind you might see in a diner, I think?) filled with – you guessed it – lukewarm water! Glorifindel the drill sergeant always makes me smile. Muscle memory is amazing. If I don't let my mind think about what I'm doing, I can play quite complicated piano pieces I learned as a teen, guided by muscle memory. In my current Tolly story, though he doesn't remember anything about being an archer, he's able to shoot accurately using muscle memory. I was thinking that if I were in their shoes, I wouldn't want to go home to modern times; I'd want to live at Rivendell, I think. Except that most of the Elves will be sailing within a few years... what a sad notion. As to leaving the little girls in Rivendell, my first thought was, "But then they'd miss the wedding! That would be terrible!" "In the Shire, children begin to learn safety in the kitchen almost as soon as they learn to walk." That sounds eminently practical! I have troubling memories about reading pioneer accounts that mentioned small children who fell into a fire and died of their burns. Tea with Bilbo sounds like such a treat! And one good thing about my eyes not working well today is it took a long time to finish reading this lovely, long chapter, so long that my chicken is actually done baking and I can go and toss a salad and have a yummy dinner of my own! (My eyes are too tired to read over this review and look for typos. Hopefully the whole thing is readable. But I'm afraid I'll need to put Beregond on hold for another day. I need to look into getting a screen-reader for days like today! At least that gives me something to look forward to!)

Lindelea · 17 May 2025 · Chapter 26: Breakaway

You do a good job of juggling so many characters in different places at the same time while weaving in various threads of the story without dropping stitches. Very deft! (Lucy scampering underfoot makes me smile. How I miss having a dog. Cats are not quite the same. When a cat is underfoot, it's because he's likely maneuvering his tail under your sole at just the right time so you'll step on him, and he can screech, and get sympathy and soothing and, if his nefarious plans go as intended, a shower of treats.) Steve – a warrior in the past. Former military? Martial arts training? (I've forgotten.) As to the rifle, I remember reading at least one "alternate world" fantasy where gunpowder didn't work in the alternate world. I suppose it would work in Middle-earth simply because fireworks exist there, however... The thought of the Dark Lord's forces equipped with modern weapons doesn't bear thinking about. On a lighter note, during Steve's discussion of weapons with Elrond and Glorfindel, I had a sudden flashback to Indiana Jones facing the warrior with, was it two swords or one? It was like the whole Company had lost its collective mind. That sums up the scene in a nutshell! Even in the middle of an incredibly tense scene, Pippin and Merry can make me laugh. (...Pippin yell, “It’s working!” Merry responded, “I know it’s working! Run!”) I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to do what Jennifer does at the end of the chapter. Hmmm. The kids distracted at least one of the Orcs targeting Boromir. Was he the huge one that did so much damage in the film?

Lindelea · 9 May 2025 · Chapter 25: Just Around the Riverbend

The chapter does a good job of weaving quotes from the book and film into the narrative! Bits I especially loved included Sam noticing the ropes and the part about Gimli's gift from the Lady. Seeing this familiar part of the story through the children's eyes brings a new freshness to the scenes. I was wondering about the loud singing. But this makes sense: Boromir is a warrior; he will silence the singing when we have gone a few more miles. A tiny quibble: Though "rowing" would be an accurate term for the galley ships Boromir talked about, it seems the Company would have been paddling, not rowing. I actually went back to the original text as I was writing this because I wanted to make sure I wasn't simply remembering the trip down the River through the movie lens. The description in the original text reads: The boats were moved and steered with short-handled paddles that had broad leaf-shaped blades. If you look at a picture of someone using a rowboat (which uses "oars" for propulsion) and a picture of people paddling a canoe, you can see the difference. Thus, "He concentrated on his rowing" threw me right out of the text because it conjured the sudden vision of Kevin in a rowboat. I managed to power past the rest of the mentions of "row/rowed/rowing" but had to give up on forming a mental movie as I read the chapter. At least they get out of the boats at the end of the chapter, so no more rowing to mess with my (silly, it feels like, but I can't always control how it works) imagination. I hope you might find this feedback helpful. When they stop to camp, it sounds like everyone is irritable or uncomfortable, which makes me wonder how much power the Ring is exerting on everyone in its vicinity. (And as I read on, Legolas confirmed my suspicions.) But eeeep! The Breaking of the Fellowship is just around the corner...

Lindelea · 1 May 2025 · Chapter 24: Two Worlds

Of course, I never expected elves to exist for real, or to be even taller than humans. Definitely a far cry from Keebler elves or Santa's elves! At least Steve and Gail have a passing familiarity with Tolkien's works. It might have been awkward if they'd read the books and/or seen the films. I remember how well Boz4pm handled that situation. (And now I find myself idly thinking what it would have looked like for this family to have wandered into Narnia instead...?) I think the bit about the long skirts might be misstated? You lift the front of long skirts when going upstairs, but not down, if I'm remembering right. (I haven't re-enacted in a while, but that's what I seem to remember.) Alas, poor Elves. Thrown into confusion regarding human forms of address... And I so envy Steve and his ability to remember names. (I am wondering if Arwen's chair used to be her mother's?) Hmmm. Did the Elves' immortality (more or less) just go over Steve's head without him taking it in? For he doesn't seem to react at all, not even in his thoughts. Hobbits and hollow legs! LOL. But that fruitcake sounds heavenly. Bedtime and reading aloud. Sounds like a lovely respite in the middle of a rather stressful time, considering the adjustments they're having to make.

Lindelea · 28 April 2025 · Chapter 23: The Parent Trap

Ah, yes, the parents (and Megan!) arrive! And several minutes in Oregon equates to several months in Middle-earth, it seems. Good thing the parents resolved to set a good example for their children in the matter of backpacks. I'm wondering if, when (and if) the family returns to Oregon, the children will revert to the ages/growth they had when they left. Sort of like the grown-up Kings and Queens in Narnia emerged from the wardrobe as children once more at the end of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. For myself, I think I'd be tempted to want to stay in Middle-earth. A few minutes = four months. One minute per month? So by the end of the Quest, less than ten or fifteen minutes will have passed in Oregon? (My math skills are sketchy, but I think that might be right.) I'd imagine that Elrond is not only comparing the parents' stories with their childrens' but also looking for clues as to how they were pulled into his world from theirs. Maybe? Perhaps with an eye to helping them return to their own place and time eventually, if that's what they want? And now I'm wondering if Steve didn't make the jump earlier because Ryan was with him at the time? The word "hobbit" seems to have gone right over their heads... And of course Bilbo knew who they were already and deliberately came to meet them! Trust a hobbit to provide a reliable alarm clock to signal mealtimes! "Elves are nearly as good cooks as hobbits"! LOL! Hmmm. Sounds almost like jet lag is affecting the new arrivals after lunch. Of course, the stress from being confronted with such drastic changes is also contributing to their weariness. A nap seems like a very good end to the chapter.

Lindelea · 11 April 2025 · Chapter 22: I've Got a Dream

I remember my dad playing similar simple games with one of our little ones, and both were absolutely delighted. Hullo, Merrylegs! Halbarad! (This part of the chapter gives my heart a pang.) The little scenes with him bring him to life and make him more than a name on a page. And ah! I was wondering if the stone might come into the story later. Jennifer's dream and the visions she saw in Galadriel's mirror were interesting. From reading this story earlier, I knew their parents will come, just not when and how. I'm also trying to remember if time runs differently between the two places.

Lindelea · 10 April 2025 · Chapter 21: Reflection

How I used to love hot baths! I'd take a paperback with me and read until the water cooled. It was heavenly. "Mom time"; my spouse would take complete charge of the wee hobbits until I emerged, refreshed, an hour or so later. I can only imagine bathing in a thermal bath where the water never grows cool! (And is probably constantly renewed, so you're not bathing in someone else's leftover soapsuds...) Nowadays, almost all my books are on my phone, and I don't bring my phone near a bathtub, so baths have gone by the wayside and showers have taken their place. A bath without a book... not the same at all. “What did you blush for, Sam?” said Pippin. “You soon broke down. Anyone would have thought you had a guilty conscience. I hope it was nothing worse than a wicked plot to steal one of my blankets.” This was in the book? I had forgotten! What a lovely snippet of dialogue! It has been too long since I've read LOTR all the way through. I used to read it every January, stuck in bed with pneumonia or bronchitis, but thankfully, since the C-virus came on the scene and I started masking everywhere, that doesn't happen anymore. (crossing fingers) The weapons lessons and music are interesting. I was also reminded once more of Dreamflower's story about Pippin and Menelcar; I think I need to go and revisit that story. The thought of Pippin being protective towards Jennifer like a brother is sweet. I hope Merry doesn't tease him. In the film, I loved Sam's tribute to Gandalf (what a good job Sean Astin did!), and Legolas's grief was well portrayed, I thought. I'm glad you included what Legolas said.

Lindelea · 4 April 2025 · Chapter 20: Into the Woods

Snarky Legolas! Oh my! I don't remember seeing him this snappish before. But it's in italics, so it's from the book! I guess it stands to reason that a Wood Elf would see perching in a tree to sleep perfectly natural (while a Hobbit would not). Must be one of the reasons why the Wood Elves have such a bad reputation among other peoples for being snobbish. Along with their treatment of Bilbo's travelling companions on an earlier journey, to be sure. (And after reading this chapter, I had to go looking for what the New Company might be expected to find while retracing the Fellowship's journey. By the time Faramir Took was travelling with Pippin-lad Gamgee, it seems that Celeborn was already living in Rivendell (I knew that already) and the Golden Wood was abandoned or all but! I wonder if the flets would still be there 26 years after the Quest, or would they be quietly falling to ruin without the Lady's preserving magic...? My "Lothlorien" chapter is not terribly detailed in its present form, and I don't know yet if I'm going to take the easy way out (passing through quickly due to complications that pop up) or not.) Are any of the children afraid of heights? (We were watching a new British detective series tonight, and a suspect said to the detective something like "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights!" And the detective had a clever answer to the effect that nobody had yet proven to him that he shouldn't be afraid of heights!) You've done a skillful job of weaving together the book and film versions of the meeting with Galadriel. It feels seamless. I'm looking forward to reading more!