LotR -- Book 5 - Chapter 04 - The Siege of Gondor

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

I think you'd be right about loving Faramir more for his rumour than his deeds if you're referring to Pippin. If you're referring to us, the readers, then I think you have to take into account that we've already met him in Book IV and have a pretty favourable impression of him from there--both because of his actions to Frodo but also because those actions are deliberately contrasted there favourably against Boromir.

I would argue that in book IV we see Faramir as an individual. Here, we see Faramir as a leader, a commander, a political figure. We might have liked him as an individual (especially compared to Boromir, as you said), but in this chapter we see him as a trustworthy and loved commander, and inspiring figure, a person who balances opposing Denethor but simultaneously trying to gain his notice. Though we have seen a battle in Book IV, we haven't seen much of Faramir's role in it, and now we get to see more of that.