Comments | lotr_community: The Enigma of the Mysterious Shop

blslarner in lotr_community

The Enigma of the Mysterious Shop - by Larner

Oct 18, 2011 22:18

Author: Larner
Title: The Enigma of the Mysterious ShopTheme: Thinking Outside the Box ( Read more... )

2011, month: 2011 october, challenge: outside the box, october

Comments 17

harrowcatliz October 19 2011, 07:38:06 UTC

Well that was a lovely surprise. Thank you dear. Well done too. I could smell and taste Old London and I loved the modern cab behaviour translated into a different era! Now, who is playing tricksies on our beloved hobbits? I wonders I does!

blslarner October 19 2011, 07:57:54 UTC

It was hard to think of how to write "outside the box" considering the wide range of things and times and characters I've written. But I'd not done anything with Holmes and Watson, or done much in the way of quarreling Frodo and Sam, and so this story presented itself, although I admit I was first inclined to write Captain Carrot and Sergeant Angarra of Ankh Morpork rather than borrowing from Doyle as I did. Although the traveling shop from Diskworld did manage to intrude itself into the story....

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much! And in another month and a half I will have my new puppy with me. I'll be naming him Larner's Brandybuck Lawyer, to be known as Brendi for short.

harrowcatliz October 19 2011, 17:08:31 UTC

Decidedly easier to call "brendi" than 'Larner's Brandybuck Lawyer' that is for sure! :)

blslarner October 20 2011, 15:09:48 UTC

Registered names are supposed to be grand sounding, so Brendi should work out well enough for his actual use name. Love to Shadow and your folks.

engarian October 19 2011, 09:31:01 UTC

Oh this one was fun, bringing in all of those other elements, and having Frodo and Sam argue in such a manner. It was an unusual tactic to take and you made it work. Well done!

- Erulisse (one L)

blslarner October 20 2011, 15:13:19 UTC

Glad you like it, Erulisse. I thought, what if in actuality the two of them were given to bickering, and found themselves in Pratchett's Traveling Store and suddenly found themselves in London facing Sherlock Holmes and his Irregulars? It turned out fun to write once I finally realized that Ankh Morpork wasn't the right place to set this!

curiouswombat October 19 2011, 16:16:14 UTC

Oh dear - that travelling shop has a lot to answer for!

Not only outside the box, but outside the shop, too!

blslarner October 20 2011, 15:17:06 UTC

At least they didn't try purchasing any of the shop's goods--you never know where THAT might lead, after all. In "Soul Music" it almost led to the hero's death as the guitar he found sought to lead him to Buddy Holly's death! Frodo certainly didn't need another artifact intent on bringing him to some special fate in addition to the one he wore on a chain about his neck. And thanks for the giggle, CW.

alfirineth October 19 2011, 16:18:18 UTC

That was an interesting spin on things; I really liked have Holmes and Watson there to witness it. I am curious as to how Holmes would explain that circumstance....

Well done.

blslarner October 20 2011, 15:18:13 UTC

I suspect it would tax the skills even of Sherlock Holmes to unravel this one. Thanks!

armarielrozita October 19 2011, 17:50:32 UTC

Now that was an eye opener and no mistakin'! Too cute! Was wondering if you were going to weigh in, and you didn't disappoint. Yes, quite a bit outside the box. I'd like to see Sherlock solve this one!

Brava, Larner!

~~~~~{~@

blslarner October 20 2011, 15:21:15 UTC

Thanks so, Armariel. Decided I needed a bit of humor this time, and I do love it when Diskworld elements intrude into other stories, after all! It would be fascinating to see the great Sherlock Holmes trying to piece together that traveling bit of Ankh Morpork with two figures from Middle Earth!