I found this meme over at Tumblr through juno_magic, asking for my Tolkien reading experience. It was quite fun, actually. do feel free to pass it around but please mention the original source: askmiddleearth's Tolkien Reading Day Questionnaire.
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elliska has a really nice story featuring Legolas and Gimli in the Fourth Age. It's one part Legolas + Gimli banter and one part looking back to the history of the elves, and really a very nice read. Do check it out.

ETA: Because links are generally helpful...

To find a new green by elliska

St. Patrick's Day wouldn't be complete without some sharing of Irish culture. By which I mean the co-opting of it by various shows, with varying degrees of respect. Still, it's not half as bad as whatever's going on in Time Square tonight, and it makes me smile.

1) an Irish toast, Sherlock-style

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Signal boost: Lyra made an absolutely beautiful Numenor-style gown as part of the BMEM fandom event. Do check it out - I love it!

http://b2mem.livejournal.com/251935.html?view=3316255#t3316255

I’ve been working my way through the alphabet of prompts Dawn gave us on the first day. D is for discovery, and in particular Smeagol’s discovery of the ring. Just how would that day by the river change things for him and those he was closest to?


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In Tolkien’s writing, the Valar have an infuriating habit of giving the corrupted members of their order like Sauron and Morgoth a wide breadth, protecting only certain parts of the world and those who choose to live there rather than confronting the dark lord du jour directly, leaving it to men and elves to manage the situation. And Olwe and ( Read more... )

I’m beginning to see the appeal of writing Silmfic. Reading “Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin” for the “Courage” BMEM prompt, and now that I finally can tell those “F” elves apart (hint: Finrod is not Finarfin, and Felagund isn’t a new guy at all), just… wow. It’s an awesome, epic story, and if Jackson ever threatens to adapt it I ( Read more... )

After escaping the destruction of Numenor, the Faithful would have hoped to start a new life in Middle-earth, free from the darkness and fear that had defined life on Numenor in those last years. But the Akallabeth did not just destroy their homeland. Tolkien writes, “And all the coasts and seaward regions of the western world suffered great change ( Read more... )

For last Sunday’s BMEM “wildcard” day, we were asked to reread our favorite chapter of Tolkien. I did the Akallabeth, and for some reason started pulling out the most significant quotes and organizing them for a future essay. Is anyone interested in seeing an “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Numenor, But Were Too Afraid to Ask” essay, ( Read more... )

It seems every Gondor-centric writer is duty-bound to write their take on the crowning of Aragorn at some point of another. Somehow I’d avoided that until now. But you can’t outrun fate forever, and that BMEM quote came with massive fangs. Enjoy!

The Days of the King

“Nay, cousin!” A woman’s voice rose above the fray. “They are not boys. These ( Read more... )