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crack_van2004-03-12 12:09 pm
kraken-wakes.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2004-03-12 12:09 pm
Entry tags:
Rain by Lobelia Sackville-Baggins (NC-17)
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Pairing: Sam/Frodo (first time), Merry/Pippin (established), Frodo/OMC, Frodo/Merry (mentioned)
Author Website: House of Hobbits
Why this must be read...
Because sometimes, you need a good angsty read and this is one of the best. Set pre-quest, Frodo is madly, hopelessly and completely in love with Sam who is torn between Frodo and the future that Rosie can offer him. Enter storms, cousins, surprising conversations, jealousy and more tears than at the end of ROTK.
This is very well written and sustains an almost desperate edge to the story without rushing to the action as Sam begins to realise that there are some things which come along only once in a lifetime and Frodo understands that there are things that you can’t learn how not to need.
The characterisation vacillates between movie and book canon; Frodo is clearly the Frodo of the movie while the characterisation of Merry owes far more to the books but in both cases, the story is stronger for it. The stable relationship between Merry and Pippin provides a nice counterpoint and Sam’s conversations with the Gaffer are one of the unique things about this story. In so many Sam/Frodo stories, the Gaffer is characterised as being unwilling to understand or accept the relationship between Sam and Frodo; in this story, he provides some very good advice to an almost terminally confused Sam.
Sam’s jealousy of Merry is also a nice touch – and explained in one of two companion stories. One of my favourite things about this story is that it mentions, but does not dwell on the different status of Sam and Frodo – not another ‘Lady Chatterley’s Hobbit’!
This is a story which really doesn't disappoint and the characters really have to work hard and really think about their choices and decisions.
Excerpt:
"Here, lad, take a drink. Come on, now, give over. I've never seen you go to Bag End but you had a smile on your face, and here you are trying to get out of it. And if you think I didn't hear you slamming in last night like you were ready to punch holes in the walls, best you think again. What happened?"
"Oh, Da," Sam said wretchedly, leaning his head on the tea mug in his hands. "I can't tell you and I don't know as I'd even know where to start, but it was bad. Scary bad, and I think I've lost worse than my job."
The Gaffer looked down and picked his fork back up, twirling it aimlessly in his scrambled eggs. "Told him about Rosie, did you?"
Sam blinked, unable to do more than stare. He'd always known how perceptive the Gaffer was, but this rode the ragged edge of downright uncanny.
"Didn't take it well, did he? I was afraid he wouldn't."
"Da, how did you –"
"I have eyes in my head, boy, even if you don't. Sam, you'll have to choose. Rosie's a dear lass, but Mr. Frodo's something you don't come across more than once in a lifetime, and neither of them's going to brook sharing."
"Oh, Da. Tell me I haven't messed things up as bad as I think I have," Sam said miserably.
"There's only one person can tell you that, son, and he's not in Michel Delving."
Rain
Pairing: Sam/Frodo (first time), Merry/Pippin (established), Frodo/OMC, Frodo/Merry (mentioned)
Author Website: House of Hobbits
Why this must be read...
Because sometimes, you need a good angsty read and this is one of the best. Set pre-quest, Frodo is madly, hopelessly and completely in love with Sam who is torn between Frodo and the future that Rosie can offer him. Enter storms, cousins, surprising conversations, jealousy and more tears than at the end of ROTK.
This is very well written and sustains an almost desperate edge to the story without rushing to the action as Sam begins to realise that there are some things which come along only once in a lifetime and Frodo understands that there are things that you can’t learn how not to need.
The characterisation vacillates between movie and book canon; Frodo is clearly the Frodo of the movie while the characterisation of Merry owes far more to the books but in both cases, the story is stronger for it. The stable relationship between Merry and Pippin provides a nice counterpoint and Sam’s conversations with the Gaffer are one of the unique things about this story. In so many Sam/Frodo stories, the Gaffer is characterised as being unwilling to understand or accept the relationship between Sam and Frodo; in this story, he provides some very good advice to an almost terminally confused Sam.
Sam’s jealousy of Merry is also a nice touch – and explained in one of two companion stories. One of my favourite things about this story is that it mentions, but does not dwell on the different status of Sam and Frodo – not another ‘Lady Chatterley’s Hobbit’!
This is a story which really doesn't disappoint and the characters really have to work hard and really think about their choices and decisions.
Excerpt:
"Here, lad, take a drink. Come on, now, give over. I've never seen you go to Bag End but you had a smile on your face, and here you are trying to get out of it. And if you think I didn't hear you slamming in last night like you were ready to punch holes in the walls, best you think again. What happened?"
"Oh, Da," Sam said wretchedly, leaning his head on the tea mug in his hands. "I can't tell you and I don't know as I'd even know where to start, but it was bad. Scary bad, and I think I've lost worse than my job."
The Gaffer looked down and picked his fork back up, twirling it aimlessly in his scrambled eggs. "Told him about Rosie, did you?"
Sam blinked, unable to do more than stare. He'd always known how perceptive the Gaffer was, but this rode the ragged edge of downright uncanny.
"Didn't take it well, did he? I was afraid he wouldn't."
"Da, how did you –"
"I have eyes in my head, boy, even if you don't. Sam, you'll have to choose. Rosie's a dear lass, but Mr. Frodo's something you don't come across more than once in a lifetime, and neither of them's going to brook sharing."
"Oh, Da. Tell me I haven't messed things up as bad as I think I have," Sam said miserably.
"There's only one person can tell you that, son, and he's not in Michel Delving."
Rain