I liked this story a lot. It's an insightful look at two very different personalities and cultures, and a complex moral question. Sam's voice is very accurate and endearing; I particularly liked the Gaffer's comment about idle hands breeding thoughts, as well as Gandalf's proclivity for showing up at just the right moment.

How the heck did I miss this one for this long? Sam and Faramir are two of my favorites, and when I saw the summary, my exact words/actions were, "Horray! *click on title*". I love that it is strongly hinted that it was all one of Gandalf's conspiracies: he's very good at those, isn't he?

Oh, this is an absolutely wonderful fic. I can't name the best things about it because I'd just end up quoting everything back at you, but it was a lovely read.

This is a wonderful story! From the start, Sam's abandonment of the Quest in favor of returning to (a seemingly dead) Frodo provoked incredulity in me. I think that you've actually helped me understand and accept this.
Yet again, you keep everyone very in-character. And Faramir's realization that Gandalf had orchestrated the conversation was a great twist, and introduced very cleverly.

Dear Thundera Tiger: Heroism takes many forms, as you have indicated here. Sam was very much in-character, and you portrayed Faramir and Gandalf well, too. The dialogue was well written. Thanks for writinga nd posting this. Sincerely, Darkover

Trust the Wizard's wisdom, and his realization that some conversations are needed. And am glad that Sam is reassured as to the rightness of his actions at last!

I'm so happy I found this little gem. Wonderful story and great characterisation, a real pleasure to read.

Yeah! These two are awesome (especially Faramir!)...

Yay! Go Faramir! Yes, Samwise, you are indeed MORE then worthy of praise.

Hope he gets that gardening done. For that garden sounds pretty bad.

-Aimme-

Very well. I like how you did that, I thought of a simalir idea but since you have captured it so nicely I hardly find it needing to be taken again, that would be redundant.

What a wonderful story! We've had the same discussion over Sam and Faramir's merits. (They're my two favorite characters.) I always enjoy your work, but I was thrilled to find this one. Thanks.

good. very good. made me think. gave me a whole new perspective of Gandalf and Faramir. must go. sorry this is short. sorry about the un-sentence kinda thing. incomplete, i mean. no capitilization or anything. but this was up to my standards. well done.

You wrote a Faramir fic! Yes!

Urm, um, hello.

Hm... what to say... I've never written a review for a one-shot before. At least I don't think so. Oh wait, there might have been one... No, that wasn't a one-shot...but it should've been...It was much too long and stupid... Urm! Sorry! We're not here to talk about what I have or have not read, we're here to talk about your one-shot. Which I have read, come to think of it. And it's pretty good. I never really thought about whether it was right or wrong of Sam to go back for Frodo, but now... I can see how that would make a hobbit feel guilty later. Or at least make him feel guilty about people singing about him. That's a cool perspective. And, of course, putting Faramir in is always awesome. He's such a cool guy, really. Worthy of naming your kid after him (oh yeah, I think someone did do that). But anyways, on with the review. Hmm, how do you do it? I mean, you just keep all the characters...in character, with amazing, um, in-characterness. I always end up putting junk in their mouths that I would say, and then look back later and am like "he would never say THAT!" But you always keep them in character, but without sounding repetitive.

All right, I think that's all I can think of at the moment... Oh, but one last thought - you should write a full-scale Faramir-centric fic. Cause he's super awesome, and you're super awesome... Sounds like a good combination to me! I spose it's more complicated than that... Just a thought. Or perhaps a plea. Whatever. Anyways, please update your other fics soon!

-GreyWolfEyes

I love this story, for several reasons.

One is that it picks up on the thing that I always felt a bit missing in the 'Return of the King'...well, not really missing, but it's something that one knows has to be there, and they make for good and poweful scenes and stories. All those meetings between the various characters, some had met before, some haven't - there have to be a lot of emotions, and talks .. just like this one. :) Thank you for this story.

As I already stated in my review for another of your stories, you have an excellent feel for characters, and your writing is such that I could hear and see and feel everything, every moment of the story.

And I specifically liked the tweak of Gandalf's possible involvement. It's just the kind of thing that he would do, and the way he would do it.

You come the closest I have seen any author get to making the characters sound how Tolkien wrote them. I'm not sure if that sentence makes sense but you can probably guess what I mean.