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crack_van2004-04-02 06:50 pm
vissy.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2004-04-02 06:50 pm
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The Care and Feeding of Hobbits by Baylor (G)
I'm Vissy, and I'll be serving up LotR recs this month. I'm afraid my brain is rather hobbitcentric, and I've already given myself a stern reminder to pimp some of the other Middle-Earth species.
That said...HOBBITS!
Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: not applicable
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
baylorsr
Author Website: A Short Cut To Mushrooms
Why this must be read: Those of you who read the recent rec Fate and the High King's Falcon will already be aware of Baylor's special affinity for hobbits. The Care and Feeding Of Hobbits is a great fandom favourite which showcases the engaging hobbity charm of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
The story of the fellowship's journey is told in the first person from what we quickly learn is Boromir's point of view. It is an inspired choice as he is the only character with no real prior knowledge of hobbits, and seeing their ways through his eyes is a little like reading LotR for the first time; Boromir is very much Boromir, but he could also be any one of us, and this is where much of the charm of this story lies. Initially Boromir is baffled by hobbit social mores, but he is soon drawn in despite himself, particularly to Pippin, whom he comes to view in much the same light as a younger brother. This makes the epilogue, when Pippin and Faramir speak of Boromir's death, all the more poignant. The only reservation I have heard about this story (a reservation I don't share) is that the hobbits are too child-like, and that Boromir's attitude is almost condescending. To me the tone is more one of wonder and protectiveness, naturally generated by the first person narrative of a soldier and big brother.
Aragorn falls into step beside me at the back of our company. He lets the others move a little ahead before he says softly, "It is startling, isn't it, how endearing these young hobbits are?"
I let out a rough, short laugh. "Indeed," I say. "I do not think I knew myself just how endeared I had become."
I know now.
Baylor has the knack of balancing the best of book and movieverses. (Frodo, for instance, has less of his movie character's angst and more of his book character's sense of fun.) The story is told in such a cheerful, exuberant manner that they might almost be on a road trip to Disneyland except for the shadow of the ring, barely seen until the end. This is delicious comfort reading - comforting, but at the same time compelling.
The Care and Feeding Of Hobbits
That said...HOBBITS!
Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: not applicable
Author on LJ:
baylorsr Author Website: A Short Cut To Mushrooms
Why this must be read: Those of you who read the recent rec Fate and the High King's Falcon will already be aware of Baylor's special affinity for hobbits. The Care and Feeding Of Hobbits is a great fandom favourite which showcases the engaging hobbity charm of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
The story of the fellowship's journey is told in the first person from what we quickly learn is Boromir's point of view. It is an inspired choice as he is the only character with no real prior knowledge of hobbits, and seeing their ways through his eyes is a little like reading LotR for the first time; Boromir is very much Boromir, but he could also be any one of us, and this is where much of the charm of this story lies. Initially Boromir is baffled by hobbit social mores, but he is soon drawn in despite himself, particularly to Pippin, whom he comes to view in much the same light as a younger brother. This makes the epilogue, when Pippin and Faramir speak of Boromir's death, all the more poignant. The only reservation I have heard about this story (a reservation I don't share) is that the hobbits are too child-like, and that Boromir's attitude is almost condescending. To me the tone is more one of wonder and protectiveness, naturally generated by the first person narrative of a soldier and big brother.
Aragorn falls into step beside me at the back of our company. He lets the others move a little ahead before he says softly, "It is startling, isn't it, how endearing these young hobbits are?"
I let out a rough, short laugh. "Indeed," I say. "I do not think I knew myself just how endeared I had become."
I know now.
Baylor has the knack of balancing the best of book and movieverses. (Frodo, for instance, has less of his movie character's angst and more of his book character's sense of fun.) The story is told in such a cheerful, exuberant manner that they might almost be on a road trip to Disneyland except for the shadow of the ring, barely seen until the end. This is delicious comfort reading - comforting, but at the same time compelling.
The Care and Feeding Of Hobbits
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