Reviews (23)

Tallis Keeton · 11 June 2015 · Chapter 1: "Then I Would Like Supper First, and After That a Pipe"

> Hello, Tallis Hello :) > Your language is very clear! thank you :) I have no many exercise of writing or speaking, though I allow myself to think about me as q. an inventive translator esp. fanficion. > I know what you mean about filling in the gaps Gapfillers are my fav. fanfics. Becouse I guess that there is much more work to be done in a story in which you must only fill the gaps after another author than in a original story, completely yours. > Beregond was the character who got me started in all this, as a > matter of fact. Thats an uniqe choice for a hero to start with fanfiction writing. He is not very complex charachter rather. There is not enough for his story in LOTR, there are many gaps which is q. atractive thing for a fanfic writer. But its I think it should be more difficult to write - more difficult than f. example Merry or Frodo, or Aragorn. > The glimpses we had of him in the story caught at myimagination I have very warm feelings for this episode of LOTR :) This was one of very few topics which I realy regretted that did not get into Jackson's trilogy. I was sad becouse of the absence of 3 topics mostly. 1. The coronation scene with Frodo handling (bringing?) the crown. It is very symbolic and profound for this hero. 2. The Scouring of the Shire. As it is one of my fav. parts of all LOTR. But I can understand that for such a long film production it was impossible to include this. Though maybe if they shortened a bit many of the longer battle scenes it could buy them about 10-15 minutes for the scouring? But with the elimination of the Scouring topic the movie could've saved the more book scene of Saruman's death. I thought that it should be a scene with Saruman meeting Frodo and it was easily done in the movie. Becouse they met - actually before Shire. They met on the road north after the coronation when the hobbits and Gandalf and elven lords were returning from Gondor to northern realms and there is this exeptional dialoge between Gandalf and Saruman and Frodo. And I thought that maybe such a great director as Jackson should seen this scene as great chance to kill Saruman in more proper way :) without Shire's occupation yes, but with an arrow after Saruman's assasination of Frodo. And Frodo should release him to his doom. It will be such a great scene! The bowman there could be Legolas or one of the Rohan escort or both. In such movie scene Saruman should be shot by many arrows after his attack on the Ringbearer. 3. The scene with Arwen and Frodo - their farewell and her gift to him - both the pendant and a place on the ship. I think that becouse of much enhanced role of Arwen in the movie, the movie should bring this scene after the coronation scene. It could be merely 2 minutes longer movie and it would be great ending. Actually I always felt that the movie did not ended well the Arwen-Frodo relationship. There should be more for them. She saved him in the movie so the scene of their farewell should get into the movie. And the explanation of Frodo's leaving from Grey havens was not very well done in the movie. Or rather there was not any kind of explanation in my opinion. The scene with ending the book and Frodo's scar hurting is too weak explanation. It should be a scene with serious illness (deliric and painful) and Sam and Rosie care for him. And there was not any one for how he was allowed this voyage anyway as a mortal. Many ppl who dont know the book was asking after the movie - what is going on? Gandalf's extended hand was not a real explanation, though Gandalf was a Maia, but in the movie he was only old wizard and the movie needs some scene which explain to the viewers who did not read books - why and how Frodo was given this gift. So years later - after much of the noise brought by this film is over - I rather think about those missing (very missing for me) scenes as this film greatest failures and as my favourite topics for good fanfiction. :) I actualy from time to time like to search for such scenes in post-movie, or movie inspired fanfics but what I can find is usually not very similar to these above topics. I mean as I can see it. Recently I was in a mood to search for some fanfics which could be read as _movie_ gapfillers to Beregond's story (hint, hint) :) and I like that I could find so many pieces of this story in fanfiction. I have an exeptional feeling for Beregond's story becouse of two things: One is that he was not allowed into Jackson's masterpiece! which is sad becouse the Gondorian narration, Gondorian topic would be better, more fascinating with this serious politico-legal matter addition, a very handy topic for great, cold, marble halls :) And as Jackson done miracles in the Rohan matters I was somewhat irritated by his shortening of Gondorian matters. :( And two is becouse the king's decision (court verdict/jurisdiction) is very fine topic for me becouse I'm interested in legal topics - esp ethical and legal dilemmas in any fantasy book and that is becouse I'm a legal historian. So any topic with law and legal problems or with political system within any country (fictional as they are) is q. a delicacy to me :) > I can well imagine him becoming friends with more than just the one > hobbit. Me too :) Beregond should be friendly to any hobbit. > "Peace culture" versus "war culture" -- good food for thought! If you want and if you can spare some time of course :) - I would like to send you my legal paper about the comparison of them. The Shire in my mind is such a peace culture - without : wars, imperial ambitions, strong military forces, jails, mafia, tortures, deprivation, slavery, gender gaps, hunger, maltreating of women and children, prostitution, rapists, organised thievs, corruption of offices, drugs and murders. But of course there were some petty thieves like Lobelia and Lotho, and little tyrants but nothing serious. > Sorry, I am rambling. But I take such joy in exchanging ideas with > others whose imagination is all the richer for dabbling in Tolkien's > world, I do get carried away. And I too love to ramble about Middle Earth and about fanficion :) So nothing strange for me. I'm happy to know Larner (one of my fav authors) becouse of our rare exchanges via email and I'm happy to know Tulip Proudfoot (another author) becouse of our not so rare exchanges via email too. Though with Larner I speak mostly about her fanfics and I comment them enthusiastically :) And I gave her about 30 plotbunnies to this day :) But she used only 2 I think. :) Becouse she has not have time for more :) And with Tulip I talk also about a few other more personal things. A few times I exchanged emails with other great authors of fanfics - like Shirebound, Pearl Took, FBoBe, Virtuella or some others. Mostly becouse of my comments of their works or becouse I wanted to know how they felt about me doing translations of their works. :) > I very much appreciate it. Youre wellcome and I hope you can spare time to talk with me from time to time? :) Becouse I too am eager to talk about fanfiction, becouse fanfiction is so important to me, esp becouse I like to translate it. And becouse it is an enhance of my fav literary world. And the heroes of this world are for me as old friends with whom I love o visit :) Greetings from your fan :) Tallis Keeton And as I can not - to save my life :) - write very good fanfiction esp. not in english (though I wrote 5 or 6 short pieces in polish) that is my garden for you for exchenge for your great stories :) I always hope that it could be seen as very Shire-like :) http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/My-Garden-41-511767248?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=11 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/Orchard-In-Spring-511768612?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=7 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/my-garden-493172147?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=67 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/a-bit-of-garden-511042158?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=23 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/my-orchard-in-autumn-510858271?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=29 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/a-flower-511041235?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=24 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/My-garden-43-493176039?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=58 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/My-garden-20-493174899?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=60 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/My-garden-33-493173533?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=63 http://talliskeeton.deviantart.com/art/My-garden-34-493171726?q=gallery%3ATallisKeeton%2F22356034&qo=68

Tallis Keeton · 1 June 2015 · Chapter 1: "Then I Would Like Supper First, and After That a Pipe"

Hello :) I'm your fan :) I've read some of your ff - Jewels, To Tell a Tale, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, In the Greening of the Year, Life Watch, and recently I was moved by As the Gentle Rain, and I want to reread Life Watch, and to read Where the Merlin Cries - becouse I just like ffs about Sam's children a lot, and now I just started reading The Rebel. Well, as to The Rebel - I like that someone choses such rare topics as this one. Becouse I think that there is much to little ffs about events that took place on the travel route of the Fellowship but _after_ they were gone. I was always interested in what was going on in Rivendell after the departure of the Fellowship (I mean the interactions between Elrond and Bilbo or Arwen and Bilbo), or what was in the Shire after Frodo and company left it. In ffs I've always look for some scenes that - I think - should be in the book but which never get there - for example the dialogues and interactions between the charachters who should have known each other at some time but we did not see it in the book - for example - I would like to see a scene between Beregond and Frodo, or Eowyn and Ioreth, or Elrond and Imrahil or Gimli and Faramir. There are some ff with the meetings of ppl who should have known each other q.well at some point but whose conversantions are not in the book - like Gimli and Frodo or Pippin and Eowyn, or Merry and Ioreth and such kind of ff I like a lot. But the ff with a meeting of some persons about who we know that they should heve known each other but who we did not seen together in books - that is a rare thing. And I'm constantly looking for such stories. I would like very much to read ff about a meeting between Beregond and Frodo in Minas Tirith. I liked fanfics with Frodo meeting with Eowyn, or Pippin meeting with Eowyn or Faramir conversation with Merry. But I've never seen ff with Beregond meeting with _any other_ hobbit than Pippin. And as to the Rebel - I like how in your fanfic hobbits are such innocent folk - who did not know about _hanging_. I always liked when I found that in some ff there is such big distance between cultures of men and elves, and culture of hobbits. It is so important to my personal vision of cultures of ME. Esp. becouse I imagine Shire culture as a "peace culture" vs. other cultures as "war cultures". There was never a murderer between hobbits, and so I liked to imagine that they did knot know many types of our popular crimes like drugs, kidnapping, slavery and torture and killing, well, the least kind of agression as I could imagine for them is some fist fight in the pub after too much drinking - thats all. :) There were petty thieves I think becouse Lobelia was one, so there should be more of them. But as to the serious fighting and killing - even beating their own children - no, in my opinion hobbits never knew either why or how. But of course there could be some nasty persons like old miller Sandyman who - as I imagine would go to some fighting when drunk. Or even maybe would beat his son. When I started to read about this hanging in The Rebel - I remembered other fanfic wrote by - I dont remember who really :) - in which young Frodo is accidently injured by arrows becouse he was walking in the woods and the hunters were there wainting in a trap for a deer. And Frodo - hurting as he was - was asking in such inoffensive, innocent way why the hunters would like to kill such a great, free creature? - does it hurt them or smt? And it was sooo basic, sooo thoughtful and innocent. It shows how hobbits cannot understand violece at all. Why?, for what? That is their first asking question. For what you want to kill? You are not hungry or are you defencing or avenging something? If not - why? The hobbits asking in your story "what is hanging?" are so similar to this Frodo from that other story - Frodo who does not understand violence. Becouse he does not feel it as a need in himself, becouse as Tolkien once wrote he was against it from his education and from his kind of culture in which he lived. He was not brought up in violent way of thinking. In a way of thinking about violence as elemental, basic strategy, as basic need to survive. The Shire culture was not in a need of surviving by such means. For centuries they were farmers and gatherers. Not hunters and warriors. And they even did not know jails - only after Saruman has politely introduced them to it :) - which is another similarity between Tolkien's Shire and our real "peace cultures". Greetings from your fan :) And I m sorry for any mistakes in english - hope you can understand my language?

Speedy Hobbit · 18 June 2014 · Chapter 2: A Great Smoke Went Up

Awwwwww, that scene between Merry, Pippin and Freddy just before and during Bilbo's speech is so cute! Ohhh Pippin, aren't you a little troublemaker, going through more than once? *grin* You definitely leave no dearth of relief to the dark nature of the chapters, and you're very clever at timing the memories.

Speedy Hobbit · 18 June 2014 · Chapter 1: "Then I Would Like Supper First, and After That a Pipe"

Being stuck in the Hills with the last of the food is a horrible situation. Hunger's an equalizer for sure, yikes! Poor rebels! I'd say I hope they escape, but I already know from reading this before and Tolkien that Hills of Scary- no, they are definitely going to be in the Lockholes, poor fellows.

Speedy Hobbit · 13 June 2014 · Chapter 0: Notes to Readers

I managed to find my way back to this site after a hiatus of many years and this story stood out as one of my favorites from when I frequented SoA in high school (I used to be Trishette though I doubt you'd remember me, . Going for rereads of everything now; it'll be interesting seeing how my reactions to stories have changed from when I was 16!

Imhiriel · 5 December 2006 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

Very intense story. I think the transitions between the present time and the memories of the past are very well done, with the little details that trigger specific recollections. And I like the chapter openings, showing Freddy's changing perception of himself. It's nice to read of these events from this new PoV after the account in "A Small and Passing Thing".

Nienor Niniel · 28 August 2006 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

Nice to see something about Fatty's heroism! I especially like how this is interwoven with memories of the time before the quest. And the way the captive hobbits care for each other is impressive. As for Lobelia - I have never seen such a likeable version of her in fic, but it works out with very well what we know about her behaviour in those times. I can understand, though, that she frightened the ruffians. Saruman was just creepy, as he should be. Greetings! Nienor

Queen Galadriel · 3 November 2005 · Chapter 99999: Note

Oh, Lindelea, I love this! For all it's so sad, it's exciting, and proof that Hobbits really do have wills of iron and cores of steel. Excellent work! I'm off to read "A Loooooooong and Passing Thing!" LOL! Sorry, I couldn't resist! Namarie and God bless, Galadriel

Cuthalion · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

*grins* I guess I deserve this after letting you wait so incredibly long for the translation of There and back again... But The Rebel has definetely moved up, and I guess I will refer to it when I write about the time of the troubles in the Shire... for there will be some wounded hobbits from Nr. Fredegar's rebels, appearing in a later chapter of my Lily-tale (if you allow...) *hugs* Cúthalion

Cuthalion · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

Oh... and before I forget: The rebel has moved on my translation list!

Cuthalion · 21 February 2005 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

Marvelous! Absolutely marvelous! I have a soft spot for Freddy, and I simply adore the last chapter and your characterization of Lobelia (Remember the drabble I wrote from one of your first lines?). Imagining her scaring those ruffians is an absolute delight. Brava!

viv · 20 November 2004 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

This is the comment I left for this story in the MEFAwards voting. I'm so glad this story won; it is impressive: The dialogue was stark and uncomfortable, several times making me wince. The torment of imprisonment, contrasted so baldly with those warm and inviting and hobbity flashbacks, evoked all the feelings I think you were going for: horror, anger, emptiness, and furious hope. Gorgeous writing.

trishette · 21 July 2004 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=326 That's my VERY belatedly posted link to the story I have written about Fatty Bolger thus far. Sorry it took so long... several months!

Miriel · 2 October 2003 · Chapter 99999: Second revision in progress

This was a truly wonderful story. I have never seen Fatty's part in the Shire written like this before. Your descriptions of the Lockholes were brilliant. I almost felt as if I was there. I could see the evil ruffians, feel the angiush and hunger of the hungry and beaten hobbits. (Which, by the way, was a brilliant conception, that would break a hobbits heart to have another beaten for their mistake.) Fatty's flashbacks were wonderful. I just love flashbacks, especially well-written ones like yours. I especially enjoyed Rosie's part. How smart of her mum to dress her rather, well, ugly. I loved the flashback with Farry and the apples. One can only imagine how Merry felt, receiving all those apples!(Sometimes "Class" with hobbits really, truly bothers me. But, that's the way things are.) Ah, Lobielia. It never occured to me WHY exactly the hobbtis would be so thrilled to see her. I like the idea of her taking care of the sick hobbits. Money-hungry she might be, but seeing all that SHarkey did to the hobbits must have been a very heavy burden to her. (Just a note, if I were a ruffian, I would be very afraid of her!!) I love this story. Whatever rewrites you may have, I didn't notice the inconsistencies. Thank you for sharing this first draft with us!!

Hai · 1 October 2003 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

I would venture to say that was TOO short! It was wonderful! I like how even though it started in the cave you did little flashbacks of life before the ruffians and then some even when there were ruffians in the Shire. It was wonderful and you ended just perfectly. Thank you for such a wonderful story!

FantasyFan · 29 September 2003 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

Oh rats, now you post the updated summary and I see that this is finished. Wow, you certainly had quite a weekend. I will admit to being a wee bit disappointed that there isn't a treasure-trove of secret stories hidden out there, just waiting to be found and plundered. This has a good ending as it stands, but possibly Estella's adventures in Tookland deserve a vignette of their own?

FantasyFan · 29 September 2003 · Chapter 8: “Just Clean Water and Plain Daylight”

Ahh, the redemption of Lobelia. Finally, a hobbit with some spunk. It could be viewed as funny: her obstinate cantakerous quarrelsom stubborn nature was so irritating, when what she wanted was Bag End and all she cared about was her family's ease. Now, it is those same traits, when turned toward eaasing the suffering of the unfortunate, that makes all the hobbits (and us) cheer as she is brought out into the light, still clutching her umbrella. It was quite chilling to hear Saruman's voice. Fatty was dying, so I suppose that it's reasonable that he didn't have the strength to resist the Voice. Lobelia wasn't fooled - her strength was wonderful. She managed to do quite a bit of good, before somebody evil enough not to be intimidated silenced her behind boards and nails. Intimidation was enough to keep the hobbits caged in cells with no doors, but not Lobelia. If there's hope for Lobelia, I guess there's hope for the worst of us. It was wonderful that, as she had shown mercy to others, mercy was shown to her. It was good to see familiar faces of the Travelers. You seamlessly wove the familiar narrative from the book with your own details - very skillfully done. Now we need to get Estella back out of the Tookland, and fatten Fredegar up a little. I'll look for the next two chapters in a hour or so, eh?

FantasyFan · 29 September 2003 · Chapter 7: “I am Tired, Weary, I Haven’t a Hope Left”

You know, I almost included this in the reveiw of last chapter, but I thought it was too much of a stretch, and might offend someone. Then I re-read the notes at the beginning of the story, and I realized that it doesn't matter if if offends someone, and it fits perfectly. What the behaviour of the hobbits of the town reminded me of, was the description I have heard of how people behaved during the Nazi occupation, as the Jews and other 'undesirables' were arrested, and murdered. Have you ever read the poem "The Hangman" by Maurice Ogden? I first heard it when I was a teenager, and it is haunting. "Into our town the Hangman came, smelling of gold and blood and flame. And he paced our bricks with a diffident air. And built his frame on the courthouse square..." I don't mean that your story (or Tolkien's either) is an allegory for World War II - many tried to make that connection during his lifetime, and he rejected the charge of allegory every time. It doesn't deny, however, the applicability of the concepts in the story to the situation then or now. Hobbits are a simple people, and thus should have less trouble than we in recognizing evil when it appears before them. Perhaps, because of their innocence, they have more of an excuse for not knowing what to do once the troubles started. But there were plenty enough hobbits in the Shire to have driven out the ruffians, if they hadn't been too scared to act. Merry and Pippin really forced the issue, by challenging the ruffians publically in Bywater - the confrontation couldn't be escaped then. This is the dark part of the story. I hope the travelers return soon to rescue them.

FantasyFan · 29 September 2003 · Chapter 6: “I Wish I Could See Cool Sunlight and Green Grass Again!”

Was this a story you had written previously and kept back for some reason? Do you have stories hidden on another site? I don't think it's on your list at ff.n, and you are posting it so fast here that I'm sure it must be all done and ready to go. So fast, as a matter of fact, that I hadn't gotten around to reviewing any of it! How long is it? Fatty had always been a curious character for me. You don't know much about him, except that he is fat, and that he is one of Frodo's friends but not courageous enough to come with him. That was always in his disfavour, until you get to the end of the book and you see that he really did have courage in a pinch. He's a bit more typical of a hobbit than our heroes in his attitudes not to mention his girth. The other ordinary hobbity you meet, like the gaffer or Ted Sandyman, are not gentlehobbits, and so Fatty is different again. I never knew quite what to make of him. It is quite interesting to read the flashbacks of happier times interspersed with stories of the troubles. Fatty seems defined by his relationship with food, in both timelines (I suppose that's not too surprising). It's very interesting that he seems to lose his appetite when he finds his courage. He's got a bit of arrogance to him: not meanspirited, but he enjoys his money and what it can do for him. A little different from Bilbo, who was undoubtedly as rich, but who was said to quietly spread his wealth to the poorer members of his circle and received appreciation in return (but not always respect). Freddy's little joke with the apples is at Farmer Cotton's and Rosie's and Merry's expense, although he pays for his fun with gold coin. Rosie at least has not held a grudge, it's good to see. Fredegar actually must have been quite an amazing hobbit. Few of the rest were able to shake off their fear and bewilderment to fight the ruffians. (In that, I think hobbits are no different from us Big Folk. We have as many gatherers and sharers among our own governments these days, and most of us do no more than grumble.) For Fredegar, he had a lot to lose in terms of material posessions, status, and comfort. Yet, he rose above the status quo and probably his own inclinations to lead a band of rebels. I wonder how much he thought about what Frodo and Merry and Pippin were trying to do, when the ruffians started arriving in the Shire. Was their heroism rubbing off on him, and so that he saw the need to do his part to fight off the darkness? Was he hopefull at all for their success and return, or was that hope long gone? His bit of arrogance has been transformed into leadership. Certainly he is wonderfully supportive and protective of his band, especially the younger members. In return, they managed to save him from hanging. It must have galled the hobbits of Bywater to have to cut down the last tree; at least they could feel that they were doing something. I'll be looking forward to seeing the rest of this.

Citrine · 28 September 2003 · Chapter 4: “Shall I Ever Look Down Into that Valley Again, I Wonder?”

It's great to see stories about lesser known hobbits, and I'm loving this one. I think I'm going to start to respect old Fatty through this story, much more than I did in the book. I always thought of him as just a 'big ol' puddin', (as we say in my neck of the woods,) that is, somebody big, and soft, and of not much use. But he really was a hero, wasn't he? My brain was telling me he wasn't going to be hanged, but my heart was in my throat. Excellent work, as usual.

trishette · 28 September 2003 · Chapter 4: “Shall I Ever Look Down Into that Valley Again, I Wonder?”

Woohoo, three chapters at once? I have no idea how to reply to your reply to my review, so I will just post it here. Yes, my Fatty Bolger fic is on SoA. I believe I named it "Fatty's Year: What Aout Fatty?". Would you like me to send you a link? ~*~Tricia~*~ www.livejournal.com/~oooootricia00 www.fanfiction.net/~trishette

Miriel · 28 September 2003 · Chapter 2: A Great Smoke Went Up

i enjoyed Freddy's memory of the Birthday. It isn't very often that you see anything from his POV. Pippin would go through the gate three times! Oh dear, those nasty ruffians. It's awful, knowing that as the Hobbits leave the cave that they will be captured. I enjoyed the meomories incorporated into the story in chapters 1 and 2. Excellent. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this. Is it complete or still being written?

trishette · 27 September 2003 · Chapter 1: "Then I Would Like Supper First, and After That a Pipe"

A Fatty Bolger story... those are such a rarity... I no longer seem to be the only one actually doing a story centering around Fredegar Bolger! I can only imagine the fear they must be feeling.. especially the central character Fredegar, who is worrying about being strung up by his neck from a tree. Please continue this!