Fandom: THE HOBBIT
Pairing: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Dwalin/Ori
Length: 116,178 words
Author on LJ: highjynx
Author Website: Bgtea on AO3
Why this must be read:Epic crack and very funny! It takes the characters from the film and AUs them in fabulous ways.

( more details )

Note this includes some canon-level violence.

The Inevitable Love Story between Two Oblivious Idiots
and a follow-on, Older But Not Necessarily Wiser

Title: Come to Morning by sunryder
Pairing: John Hamish Watson/Sherlock Naenwauva, Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Length: 95,891 words
Author on LJ: sunryder
Author Website: on AO3
Why this must be read:
Because, well, the actor who plays Bilbo and John Watson is the same, but in this story they are NOT the same character. And sure, in The Hobbit the actor that plays Sherlock also voices Smaug the Dragon... but in this story, Sherlock is an elf. INTERSPECIES LOVE!

The writing in this story is extremely evocative of Middle-Earth, with nicely researched lore bits and gorgeous, Tolkien-esque turns of phrase, while the characterization (particularly of the dwarves) is excellent. Bilbo Baggins learns that he isn't the first Hobbit of the Shire to go on an adventure and as he reads the story of one John Watson, he finds parallels in his own story. But he also wonders why the elves are so hesitant to speak of the story of John Watson and Sherlock Naenwauva. The story is a gradual unfolding of the mystery while following the plot of The Hobbit. GOOD STUFF, highly recommended! (PS: Read all of sunryder's stories, they're all exceptional).

Come to Morning by sunryder

Vidder: BardsBeersLongbeards
Musical Artist: Aegthil of of Gondor
Poem by: Cennwyn
Costumes by: Hymne of Cosmetic LotRO
Vidder on LJ: unknown
Vidder's Website: on YouTube, A Minstrel's Diary, Bards, Beers, and Longbeards
Why you must see this vid:
This is an incredibly unique video, because it is a virtual fan film. The footage was entirely shot using locations in the game The Lord of the Rings Online, which is a successful Free-To-Play MMORPG. However, rather than featuring gameplay, this vid coaxes out the essence of the fandom by combining a fan-written poem to fan-written music (using the in-game music system) and using the avatars of the fans to "act" out a story. This vid is an incredible combination of poetry, song, and fan enthusiasm that comes together to make it something more than just a video game vid. You actually don't need to know anything about the video game it was filmed with to enjoy it.

The song tells the tale of Eorl the Young, Lord of the Éothéod and the first King of Rohan, founder of the House of Eorl (from which King Théoden (who was the 17th King of Rohan, by the way), King Éomer, and Lady Éowyn are all descended), and how he came to the aid of Cirion, Steward of Gondor, at the Fields of Celebrant just in time to save the Gondorian army from their enemies. For their valor, Cirion granted them the lands of Calenardhon, which Eorl called Rohan, and the Rohirrim swore to come to the aid of Gondor again in times of great need (remember the scene in the movies with the lighting of the beacons? yeah, that goes back to this).

The Ride of Eorl

Title: A Case of Unexpected Consequences
Author: ElderberryWine
Pairing: Frodo Baggins/Samwise Gamgee
Length: 11,387 words
Author on LJ: elderberrywine
Author Website: on AO3
Why this must be read:
This story is completely delightful! It's not really a crossover, per se, but a fusion of LotR and ACD. Frodo Baggins is our stand-in for Sherlock Holmes, smoking pipeweed and solving the mysteries that come his way in the Shire from his home base of 221B Bag End. Samwise Gamgee, a healer by trade, is his faithful companion in his adventures, and student detective. I am in awe of how well this author preserves the feel of both canons and combines them into this perfect fusion. All the Hobbits are completely Hobbitish, with lush descriptions and characterizations that fill my mind with images of Hobbiton, while at the same time ACD's characterization of Holmes sneaks through into Baggins's actions and Gamgee has absorbed Watson's voice.

This is a lovely little story which starts of a larger series of stories that are all fabulous. Go read and enjoy!

A Case of Unexpected Consequences by ElderberryWine

Hiya, I'm cloudtrader and I'll be recommending Middle-Earth stories to y'all this month! Are you excited about The Hobbit premiering next month?!? I am! This fandom is one that most people have at least tested the waters with at one time or another, so I hope that I can whet your appetites for more. :)

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Éomer/Lothíriel
Length: 1,763 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: on Stories of Arda
Why this must be read:
Lothíriel, the Princess of Dol Amroth and daughter of Prince Imrahil, has always been one of my secret favorite side-characters-mentioned-only-in-the-appendices. First, you have the royal title out of the original Númenórean colonisation of Gondor. Second, you have the semi-apocryphal rumors of an elvish strand in their genealogy. And finally, the story of Nimrodel and Amroth is so beautiful and tragic and lovely, so the connection there makes me happy.

And then there is Éomer. Seriously, Éomer is awesome! And so is this writer, because she writes the relationship between these two so very, very well. Seriously, do check out all of Lady Bluejay's stories. I'm recommending one of her shorter ones here (mostly because of Gimli, yay, Gimli!), but her longer ones are amazing, too.

Author's Summary: Gimli thinks the Lady Galadriel the most beautiful woman in Middle-earth, but does Éomer agree? This is the part Tolkien did not tell us about. A humorous little oneshot.

On a Knife Edge by Lady Bluejay
(alternate link)

Title: Shadows of Angmar by Mike Taurguss
Pairing: various and sundry, but heavily inclined to Gabrielle/OC
Length: 315,223 words
Author on LJ: no idea
Author Website: Mike Taurguss on FF.net
Why this must be read:
Have you ever gotten stuck in a fandom rut? Think you've read it all and can predict the endings? And then suddenly a story comes along and it blows you away because it is like nothing you've ever read before and you keep thinking that it shouldn't work so well and that it really isn't the kind of fanfic you like to read and then three hundred thousand words later you emerge from reading it in a daze... yeah. That's this story.

Gabrielle and Xena are mysteriously transported to Middle-Earth (about 20 years after the War of the Ring). There are also some other travelers that literally crash land there, too, and it seems Gabby and Xena have a history with these characters (the prequel to Shadows of Angmar, Xena and the Flight of the Phoenix details those adventures in only 40,821 words). It's really hard to describe this story... for the first several chapters I was all "WTF!??! Space ships? I don't! Guns? What!?!" but eventually I got past that and started enjoying the incredible characterization, dialogue, and detailed world building (both original and Tolkien). You should know that it takes a skilled writer to keep me off-balance and intrigued. If you are a fan of military and/or space operas, like Xena: Warrior Princess AND The Lord of the Rings, don't mind a whole gaggle of well-developed original characters, and enjoy good writing, this story is for you!

Warning: The story is not, technically, complete, but it has been in progress for 6 years and the last update was yesterday. Since it'll probably be awhile before this fandom is driven here again, I couldn't resist recommending it, but I don't want you to get through 300k words without knowing that it's not over yet. On the other hand, Chapter 17 ends at a good stopping place, and hopefully the author will update in a few months...

Shadows of Angmar by Mike Taurguss

This is my last recommendation this month. It's been quite a riding, driving two vans -- I hope that I've done okay with both The Lord of the Rings and Sherlock this month and that you've enjoyed at least some of the stories I've recommended.

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Legolas/Gimli
Length: 11,961 words
Author on LJ: cimness, but the journal is no longer in use and cimorene can now be found on DreamWidth at cimorene
Author Website: cimorene's sordid fancy, on AO3
Why this must be read:
Cimorene has been recommended here before, for good reason. This is a nostalgic fic for me, and one that I've loved to read for a decade. The story is set in Lothlórien, while the Fellowship recovers from Moria and the loss of Gandalf.

Lovely interlude where Legolas broods on his affections for Gimli and finally decides to act.

Promise by cimorene

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairings: OC/OC, King Éomer of Rohan/Lothíriel the Princess of Dol Amroth, Éowyn of Rohan/Steward Faramir of Gondor
Length: 51,086 words
Author on LJ: virtuella
Author Website: on AO3
Why this must be read:
Déoric, the main character of this story, is an original creation of the author, as are many of the supporting characters, but don't let that dissuade you from reading one of the finest pieces of LOTR fanfic I've ever had the pleasure to read.

Déoric left Rohan for the Battle of the Pelennor Fields a soldier and rider of Rohan, but came back to Rohan without a leg and without his confidence. This is a story of healing, of Déoric's coming-of-age, and of the rebuilding of Middle-Earth after the fall of the Dark Lord. The author creates amazingly well-rounded original characters and we get to see the splendid world of Middle-Earth through their eyes. I really enjoyed the parts of the story where the canon characters like Éomer, Éowyn, and Merry are around, but I also loved the bits where they were not mentioned at all. This story serves to remind me that at the end of The Lord of the Rings, even with all the sorrow and tragedy, the Age of Men has truly just begun and there is so much hope to be had.

I really can't recommend this story highly enough. I also recommend the sequel (about 80k more words of awesome to read).

The Measure of a Man by Virtuella

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Third Marshal Éomer of the Riddermark/Captain Faramir of Gondor
Length: 28,287 words
Author on LJ: melblue
Author Website: on AO3, Master Post - Fic List, FF.net
Why this must be read:
Faramir is one of those characters in the books (and movies, for that matter) that I find absolutely fascinating. I love reading stories that reinterpret his character. In this story, Éomer has come to Minas Tirith to negotiate treaties between Gondor and Rohan and his eye falls on Faramir. Denethor, seeing a chance to turn the negotiations in his favor, orders his son to seduce Éomer (basically, to become a whore for Gondor). Faramir's sense of duty obliges him to do so, even though he is more than reluctant, but fortunately Éomer is a good guy and senses a Steward-sized rat.

This is in no way canon-compliant. I shall always and forever love Éowyn/Faramir bestest, but this story is a lovely alternative.

The Gleaming Road by melblue

Fandom: The Lord of the Rings
Pairing: Legolas/Gimli
Length: 6,755 words
Author on LJ: erobey (account purged, don't know if they are still on LJ or if they have moved on)
Author Website: on AO3, Tawarwaith
Why this must be read:
I literally chewed my fingers up trying to decide which story by erobey to recommend -- they're all so good. In the end, my love of Gimli (and especial Gimli with Legolas) reared it's head and I am recommending this story (which is pretty short for my tastes, as my penchant in LotR is to read epic stories, which fortunately erobey also writes).

This story is. Surprising. Yes. It starts out profound and awesome, then suddenly takes a turn for the silly and awesome. This is one of those stories that I keep coming back to and rereading because it just makes me happy. ^_^ I am continually awed by erobey's characterizations, even when they're just a bit cracktacular like in this story.

Enjoy this and the rest of erobey's fics!

Spoils of War by erobey

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Thranduil/Galion
Length: 5,200ish words
Author on LJ: jael_the_scribe
Author Website: more fic at the LJ linked above
Why this must be read:
Lest you think Galion is an OC, he WAS mentioned in The Hobbit as the elf that fell asleep while drinking with the guard captain, thus allowing Bilbo to steal the jail keys and release the dwarves. :D

Anyway! This is a story set during the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, on the battle plain of Dagorlad before the gates of Mordor, where many Silvan elves fell in what would become the Dead Marshes. Prince Thranduil of Greenwood the Great takes a warrior's comfort in what is freely offered by his squire, Galion. This is a fascinating exploration of the characters, as well as the precursor and aftermath of the battle.

The Rose in the Fisted Glove by Jael the Scribe

Musical Artist: Original London Production (full cast and crew list available on the website linked below), Music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale, Lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus
Length: 9:57
Website: The Lord of the Rings - On Stage
Why you must watch this vid:
I was fortunate enough to see one of the final performances of this at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (thanks to my boyfriend who got tickets and drove us from Cheltenham, risking congestion charges and braving London traffic to take me for my birthday as a surprise) and it was AMAZING TO THE MAX. Just watching this video someone put together of some of the press reels of this musical have me tearing up with nostalgia.

This was the most expensive musical production ever staged, and It. Is. GLORIOUS. I wish it were still playing so I could go back and see it again, but at least I have YouTube (and my memorabilia)! I highly recommend surfing around YouTube to see other clips of this musical (look for the London production rather than the Toronto production). It's the familiar story reinterpreted for the stage, and it fills my Drama-teacher soul with glee.

Lord of the Rings Musical Press Reels

Vidder: Lunna the Burg
Musical Artist: Regina Spektor
Length: 3:28
Vidder Website: on YouTube
Why you must watch this vid:
So, I'm trying to showcase the multifaceted nature of the LotR/Tolkien fandom, right? So I'm not going to link you all to the (many and wonderful!) vids using the movies. I'm trying for something a bit different here. This video is certainly that!

This video is a fan-creation filmed entirely in the video game world of The Lord of the Rings Online, an MMORPG. The video is the story of another hobbit that follows the path that Bilbo first took, from the Shire to Rivendell, with multiple allusions to the book. It's lovely, and the music really fits.

Be sure to check out Lunna's other vids filmed in the game, especially her Path of the Fellowship series, featuring the music of The Lonely Mountain Band, a Tolkien-themed filk group (The Path of the Fellowship: Part 3, Into Khazad-Dum (Song of Durin) is my especial favorite!).

The Call: A Hobbit Journey by Lunna the Burg

Vidder Website: (Ionia Films), The Hunt for Gollum
Length: 39:07
Why you must watch this vid:
This rec is me bragging on my fandom. The Lord of the Rings OWNZ all other fandoms in terms of sheer creativity. I'm sorry guys, but it's true. The amount of filks, fics, scholarly geekiness, fan movies, tributes, etc, produced by fans of this franchise is... staggering.

And then there is something like THIS. Which is WOW.

From the YouTube description: Award winning unofficial prequel to The Lord Of The Rings dramatising Aragorn & Gandalf's long search for Gollum directed by British filmmaker Chris Bouchard. Based faithfully on the appendices of the books this is a non-profit, serious homage to the writing of J.R.R Tolkien and the films of Peter Jackson.

It was shot on locations in England and Snowdonia with a team of over a hundred people working over the Internet. It took two years to make and was released as a non-profit Internet-only video by agreement with Tolkien Enterprizes.

SERIOUSLY. This should tide you over until The Hobbit comes out later this year. It is THAT good.

The Hunt for Gollum by Ionia Films

(Also, check out another prequel (this one is actually a prequel to The Hunt for Gollum), Born of Hope, which is a 70-minute movie about Aragorn's parents and the Rangers of the North. This one is also fantastic.)

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Aragorn/Legolas
Length: not too long a read (69 very short installments)
Author on LJ: alliwantisanelf
Author Website: more fic can be found at the above journal
Why this must be read:
This is pure slapstick comedy (in the sense of 13-year-old boys sniggering about S-E-X) with screencaps from the movies to make it even MORE hilarious. There is absolutely nothing serious or profound about this story and It. Is. Awesome.

The Cock Rock of Rohan by Al
start from the beginning

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Haldir/Melpomaen
Length: 164,518 words
Author on LJ: celandineb
Author Website: Wellinghall, cels_fic_haven, on AO3, on FF.net
Why this must be read:
Have you ever thought about just how much fanfic has changed in the last 10 years? Does anyone else remember the old slash fandom tropes of love in the face of discrimination, hatred, adversity, and pain? I'm not saying it's not still there, but wow, the U.S. president now says he supports gay marriage! That seemed unthinkable just 20 years ago! I cut my fanfic-teeth on stories about men in partnerships having to hide their romantic and sexual feelings for each other, whereas nowadays it's not such a big deal in the fic, it seems.

This story was written 10 years ago and reflects that time period well, even though it is set in Middle-Earth. The pain and despair that Haldir, Melpomaen, and Legolas all feel in this story over their sexuality and the sense of alienation it causes them because of their distance from the accepted norms of their societies are artfully wrought in this story. This sequence is in turns sweet, painful, erotic, and bittersweet.

Celandine has an extensive body of work to read and is still an active (and very good) fanfic writer, so do explore the links I've provided if you enjoy the story!

Haldir Sequence by Celandine Brandybuck

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS/DOCTOR WHO (and kinda RPF?)
Pairing: Arwen/Aragorn, Éowyn/Faramir
Length: 12,844 words
Author on LJ: torn_eledhwen
Author Website: on AO3
Why this must be read:
Because the Doctor kidnaps (as he is wont to do) a young soldier named Ronald Tolkien from the trenches of World War I and takes him to visit another world... a world named Arda and a kingdom named Gondor where the people are getting used to their new king and recovering from a desperate war...

Highly enjoyable crossover. ^_^

Through the rain curtain by Eledhwen

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: none
Length: 1,000 words
Author on LJ: elanorfairbairn
Author Website: on her LJ (author doesn't seem to have an organized web presence)
Why this must be read:
Based on my recommendations to date, it is fairly obvious that I prefer long, epic pieces of fanfic in this fandom. But sometimes you just want a break from it all and this little gem of a story is just that sort of break from the high tragedy that comprises much of Middle-Earth. Appropriately enough, this is a story of the Shire. It's actually a story that we know already, both from the books and from the movies... a gentle, throw-away, character-building story. But in this little gem, it is told from another perspective.

A Brandybuck and a Took steal some mushrooms from Bamfurlong, and a Shirriff tells the story. This is just so quintessentially hobbitish!

The Case of the Disappearing Mushrooms by elanor

Fandom: THE SILMARILLION
Pairing: Salgant/Ecthelion, Glorfindel/Sauron, Maedhros/Maglor, Celeborn/Galadriel
Length: 19,240 words
Author on LJ: j_dav (don't know if the author is still involved in fandom)
Author Website: on FF.net
Why this must be read:
If the Professor had written slash, this is what it would look like. No, really. This was exactly as tragic and heartbreaking as it should be, considering the events surrounding the Kinslaying and the War of Wrath. This is breathtakingly wrenching stuff, but subtly so. Some people have told me that they find reading The Silmarillion too dull and dry (and oh so confusing -- why so many names for everyone, Tolkien, why?), but I'm always breathless with the sheer stupid nobility of it all and usually tear up (particularly at The Battle of Unnumbered Tears, appropriately enough) while reading it. This story? Felt like that. So much understated grief.

Also, read everything this author has written. Jdav has a gift for writing poetic prose.

Hallelujah - A Love Story by jdav

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Merry Brandybuck/Éowyn of Rohan, Éowyn/Faramir, Merry/Estella Bolger, Peregrin Took/Diamond of Long Cleeve, Sam Gamgee/Rosie Cotton, Pippin/OC, King Elessar (Aragon)/Arwen Undómiel, King Éomer of Rohan/Princess Lothíriel of Dol Amroth, various and sundry other pairings
Length: 215,000ish words
Author on LJ: aranel_took
Author Website: Aranel Took's Fanfiction: Stories from a Fancrone, on FF.net
Why this must be read:
I enjoy angsty, plotty stories full of blood and battles just as much as the next girl... but sometimes I also want stories about families and love and babies and LIFE. That's not to say that this is a simple story, because it isn't, truly. There is angst aplenty for Ivy, the accidental daughter of Merry and Éowyn. Growing up neither Hobbit nor Big Folk and feeling rejected by both peoples (but never by her family, which is large and caring) is tough on Ivy, but she is a Brandybuck AND a Shield-maiden of Rohan -- she can handle it.

I was pretty leery of this premise and I was actually pretty shocked at myself over how much I was drawn into the stories and relationships of the characters. Give this story a try, even if the premise seems as odd to you as it did to me. This author handles it all delicately and delightfully. Be sure to check out the side-stories in this universe, too.

The Roots of Ivy by Aranel Took

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Peregrin Took/Diamond of Long Cleeve, Peregrin/OC
Length: 102,000ish words
Author on LJ: no clue
Author Website: on FF.net, on Hennuth-Annun
Why this must be read:
This story is simply fantastic. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It had drama, adventure, romance, and pathos. The characters we know from the stories are drawn with love and faithfulness to Tolkien's vision and the original characters are well-fleshed out with believable motivations. The plot is unique and well put-together, touching on the history of Middle-Earth. Really, this story is brilliant -- I highly recommend it.

Author's Summary: His father named him wanderer, but everyone called him Pippin. A cheerful and thoughtless hobbit of the Shire, Peregrin Took followed his friend and cousin Frodo Baggins on what would become the Quest of Mount Doom and the War of the Ring, as one of the Fellowship of the Ring, the heroes of the Third Age.

But the Third Age is over. Now, Pippin will travel beyond the edge of the known world, over the Sea and into the depths of Far Harad, coming upon secrets and mysteries known to him only in his dreams. His goal? "The names of all the stars, and of all living things, and the whole histories of Middle-earth and Over-heaven and of the Sundering Seas, of course! What else?" And, maybe, while he's at it, find a way back home.

The Falcon: The Adventures of Peregrin Took by Chip of Dale/Shanghai Jim
(Alternate links to the story can be found on FF.net and Hennuth-Annun.)

Hi, I'm cloudtrader and I'll be recommending awesomeness for you this month! I recommended comics fandom awesomeness last month and for May I'm driving TWO vans, Sherlock Holmes and Middle-Earth (OMG, who will write me that story!??!). Ahem, anyway, yes. With The Hobbit movie coming soon starring Martin Freeman, the irony and coincidence is delicious. Hopefully, I won't become too mixed up while driving both these vans. Enjoy the fic!

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS (mostly movieverse, but with definite Silmarillion references and background)
Pairing: Éowyn/Legolas
Length: 128,000ish words
Author on LJ: erinlasgalen (I think? Same name, but there is only Doctor Who fic there and the last update was over a year ago. I believe that this author also wrote DragonBallZ fanfic under another pseudonym, too.)
Author Website: The Awakening, on fanfiction.net, on Stories of Arda
Why this must be read:
DO NOT RUN AWAY SCREAMING AT THE PAIRING. No, really, just don't. This fic is transcendent. It was written in 2003-2004, but even eight years later I can honestly say that it is one of the most impressive stories of Arda that I've ever read. This, coming from someone who isn't that fond of movie!Legolas and thinks that Éowyn/Faramir is romantic and awesome. This Éowyn is strong and competent -- every ounce the woman who killed the Witch-king of Angmar. She rescues Legolas and they form a bond in adversity and it's fun and amazing.

Did I mention the vampires? NO, DON'T RUN AWAY!!! Seriously, it is all woven together with canon explanations and it makes SENSE. This is an author that deeply loves the whole universe that Tolkien created, as see through her exploration of femininity and love in a medieval society, even when she portrays the pain Éowyn experiences when rejecting the traditional role of a woman in her society. Don't believe me about how awesome it is? When I was researching this author for this rec, I found several other people recommending this story, too. This recommendation sums up my feelings pretty well, too.

Author's Summary: In the aftermath of the War of the Ring, Eowyn comes to the painful realization that the wounds of the heart she still bears cannot be healed by going back to the cage, however gilded, however loving the master. Four years and hundreds of leagues later, her past is about to catch up with her in more ways than one.

The Price of Freedom by Erin Lasgalen

alternate link to story
another alternate link to the story

Fandom: HIGHLANDER/Lord of the Rings
Pairing: gen (non-explicit King Elessar/Arwen Undomiel)
Length: 4,474 words
Author on LJ: dhrachth
Author Website: Jill on FF.net
Why this must be read:

This is an older story (about 10 years old, I think?), but it is still one I re-read on an annual basis. I'm a sucker for stories where a character is displaced into an entirely new universe. This story sees Methos (ROG = really old guy in older Highlander fandom parlance) unexpectedly transported into Middle-Earth in a post-Return of the King world. Aragorn is rebuilding Gondor and is understandably suspicious of such a shady character as Adam, son of Pier, who appears by sorcery and who doesn't die like he should. There is a murder mystery, the mystery of Methos's interdimensionl travel, and some mysterious assassination attempts. I really love the characterization in this story and how the characters all interact. Jill does an amazing job of making me believe that the characters from these two fandoms would interact like they do in the story. The concepts and execution are lovely, and although the prose could use a little polish, I love it for that alone and it is thus one of my all-time favorite fanfiction re-reads.

( Here is a sample of dialogue between Legolas and Gimli in the story. )

ROG on Vacation by Jill

Hey there :)
I apologise for delay in delivering the goods- the last week will probably stay in my memory as The Worst Attack of RL in the History of My Short Life.
TWARLHoMSL.
Well, anyway... here we go:

Fandom: Lord of The Rings
Pairing: gen
Length: Long (1 123 KB, which is 662 pages in Word... etc. ;)
Author on LJ: I don't think she has one
Author Website: @ FF.net
Why this must be read:

This is a part of the series (it's the third piece actually) focusing on Legolas and Aragorn's friendship in their merry days before the Quest. This does not however mean that you need to read the previous stories from the series to understand this one- there're some allusions made, aye, but you are perfectly able to deduce and understand their meaning. I, for example, hadn't had even a glimple of one single line from the first and second fic before I stumbled upon To Walk in Night, and it didn't spoil my enjoyment in any way while reading.
Nili managed to do something that less and less (even gifted) authors of fanfiction manage recently: she has a plot. And amazing one at that. I adore the way she combines great humour (I was honestly dying from laughter during the first few pages, she enchanted me so strongly) and angst (also very well done, well managed and well justified ;P ).
Another point why this piece is so exceptional? Good original characters. They are thrilling- and they are very much alive, with personalities, background, ambitions, thoughts of their own, reasoning- they really fit into the canon, actually.
What else do we have?
Hm. "Good" villains? Check. (good, as you're most likely aware, is a matter of perspective)
The last thing I wanted to point out is the way no character is treated in a shallow way. The story's main focus remains Legolas and Aragorn, however we see much of Glorfindel, the twins, and beforementioned OCs (the fact which will not worry you- I am usually very wary of any Original Characters, but I fell in love with Nili's creations instantly.)

( Summary& Excerpt )

Link: To Walk in Night @ff.net

Hello, I'm yennefferand I'll be driving this month's van for Lord of The Rings. I'll probably focus on the gen fics, but you can most definitely expect also lots of angst, humour and from time to time some pairing fics. I'll do my best to collect a variety so that everyone can find something to their tastes.

As today we have All Souls Day, I'd like to start my month with a vid that is a perfect combination of the theme and LoTR fandom.


Fandom: Lord of The Rings
Pairing: none (gen)
Length: 3:42
Vidder on LJ: aren_chan
Vidder Website: Arendil
Why this must be watched:
Because both the editing and the choice of song create an impression of a fairy tale, world of make believe and magic. World from our dreams rather than film. Arendil did an excellent job on this, and I'm truly awed by the result. It doesn't focus on any central character, rather on the impression of Arda in general, and does it in a way that doesn't make any of the characters seem shallow- they are all part of the greater thing.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhuDlxK04dU

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS/SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex, suspicious comments by other characters
Length: Short
Author on LJ: mahaliem
Author Website: Here
Why this must be read:

The best kind of crack - funny, but so, so true. Mahaliem makes a brave attempt at answering "What would happen if Lex was a billionare in Gondor, and Clark had hobbit cousins?" Like all of mahaliem's fic, The Most Unlikely Creature Imaginable: aka - How to Make a Really Long Story Short is side-splittingly funny and excellently crafted.

The Most Unlikely Creature Imaginable

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: None
Length: Short
Author on LJ: casapazzo
Author Website: Fanfiction.net
Why this must be read:

The elves have their own kinstrife, and the elf-kin must not be left out in the cold. A tale of the Kinslaying of Gondor, and Umbar, and black fleet in the Anduin. A look at what happened when a king and a foreigner got in bed together.

Perfection, of a Kind

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: OC/Denethor
Length: 2 short chapters
Author on LJ:
Author Website: Stories of Arda
Why this must be read:

Another blissfull patient character study of Gondor in Denethor's youth. This fic has so much in such a short space that I will never fail to enjoy it. annmarwalk is an excellent author, and deals with all of her characters so carefully that every sentence brings some new piece to light.

For the Moon to Lead, and All the Stars to Follow

Vidder: Aranhe
Musical artist: Who Wants to Live Forever by Queen
Pairing: Arwen/Aragorn
Vidder on LJ:
Vidder's website: Here
Why this vid kicks ass:

So it's sappy. And romantically tragic. And all the other things people whine about Arwen/Aragorn in the movie adaption. But this video gets it right. The story of Arwen and Aragorn was sappy, romantic, and tragic to its core, but that's how it was supposed to be. And this video captures that feeling in an extraordinary way, as well as the outside events surrounding the romance.

http://ravenseye.co.uk/edderkopp/, scroll down the page to find the video

Vidder: JennMiller/ZeroMuch
Musical artist: Idioteque by Radiohead
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ:
Vidder's website: ZeroMuch.com
Why this vid kicks ass: A twisty, techno look at Helm's Deep. The editing really kept pace with the music and dragged me in. All of Jenn's vids are great, but this is one I just keep coming back to.  Maybe not the absolute best video I've ever seen, but one that hits me every time I watch it.


zeromuch.com/2004/08/02/happening/