RECS: 35 fic (Tolkien, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings)
SHARING TIME:
ღ - Whoops. I meant to just take the weekend off and then somehow that turned into almost a week off. Ah, well, as long as I don't go a full week without posting, I should be fine. :D
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Tolkien/The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings - 35 Fanfics
→ Battles Won by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 7.1k
Little Legolas's older brother comes home on leave, and they engage in battles both physical and emotional.
I've read this fic before, but it was a good re-entry point for me with this author's series, where it's about bb!Legolas and his middle older brother coming home again and spending time together after their mother's dead. The OCs are ones that I can immediately pick up again and enjoy, they have such life and love to them, they're such family here, and this fic is always good for me because it shows the way elflings are such little shits sometimes, but always with a core of goodness. Thranduil and sons sparkle here as they play in the snow, so much joy and love in Legolas' life, even with the tragedy.
→ Legolas's Begetting Day by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 28.3k
Legolas is turning 20 about 8 in human years. His friends spend the night and his family remembers the day he was born.
This is a bit longer of a fic, but I swear that I tore through it no less quickly because it's more of exactly what I want in this fandom! I admit that I skimmed over the flashbacks from before Legolas was born/the ones without canon characters in them, but they're small scenes against a greater whole in a fic that has bb!Legolas bringing field mice in as pets (which goes over about as well as you'd expect it to) and his older brother sending him on a treasure hunt (which is adorable) and mixing in background plot machinations that are sure to come up again later. It's a lovely story for everyday life, even as the plot moves, and I want all of bb!Legolas and his joyful childhood, even when he's sometimes a bit of a stinker.
→ A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes by Tanis, thranduil & legolas, 5.7k
It's the night before Mettarë and a very young Legolas has a wish Thranduil has no hope of bringing to fruition.
This was a beuatiful fic and the language of it is just as lovely as the emotion! It's rare that I go for a more poetic style in prose, but this author knew how to use it and didn't try too hard, it had a natural flow when I was reading it. But the best parts were Thranduil with bb!Legolas, both still mourning after the loss of his mother, the way I felt such intense emotion even as the author kept that levely serenity about them, those aspects were fantastic. There's a ton of lovely detail and such presence from both characters that this was a gorgeous read.
→ A Balrog in the Closet by Tori of Lorien, thranduil & legolas, 5.5k
Balrog hunting, warm tea, and a misplaced book is not how Thranduil expected to spend his night. But when Legolas' true fear comes to light, he sees how the loss of a loved one has impacted both of them.
Oh, man, you don't know how much I am here for bb!Legolas and father!Thranduil fluff, especially when it may have genuinely punched me in the feelings by the end. The writing is a little stiff, but the heart is there and I had such a smile on my face while baby Legolas kept Thranduil up all night with just one more request before going back to sleep! It has angst in it for the loss they're suffering, but it's also good and about the beginnings of healing and Thranduil taking care of the precious little elflet. ♥
→ The Shadow Rising by Morpheus626, thranduil & legolas, 1.5k
Just a general Thranduil and Legolas father and son fic--Legolas is a sweet elfling unintentionally causing his father worry; and Thranduil is a newly-single parent, doing his best to rule his kingdom and take care of his young son. Of course, it would be like Legolas to get himself stuck in a tree and need his Ada to rescue him.
Oh, this was so good for me, with headstrong bb!Legolas and still grieving Thranduil doting on him, it's a combination of angst and fluff that worked wonderfully for me. Legolas being too much for the advisors to handle, so Thranduil comes out to get the toddler and then carries him back, yessss, this is what I am in fandom for!
→ Hidden Agenda by sheraiah, thranduil & legolas & aragorn & gimli & arwen & elladan & elrohir & hobbits & others, 42.6k wip
A female elf is brutally murdered in Minas Tirith. Is this just a random act of violence or does the killer or killers have much more in mind for Legolas, Thranduil, and the king and queen of Gondor?
Holy shit, yes, this is what I have been looking for in this fandom! Post-ROTK plotfic with a heavy focus on Thranduil and legolas, which would have had me at that alone, but everything about this fic is spot-on to what I've been craving. I'll warn that it's a wip and hasn't been updated in two years, but the author is still in the fandom and, most importantly, it leaves off in an excellent place and you get a ton of resolution in this 40k+ fic. The father and son dynamic is probably the heart here, but Legolas' friendships with the others are never neglected, he adores everyone and they adore him, along with one of the best depictions of Legolas and Gimli's friendship that I've seen, it sparkles in this author's hands!
Everyone is spot on though, from the best Arwen I've read (she is perfection here and I found so much affection for her!) to Elladan and Elrohir to the hobbits to Aragorn to Gimli and, best of all, to the gorgeous way Thranduil and Legolas are written. They are elves through and through, so much of that culture is woven into the little touches, but also Legolas' life is full of joy and Thranduil is terrifying as fuck one moment and gently kissing Legolas' forehead the next and it's not a contradiction at all, it's just the character being exquisitely written. Also of particular note was the fantastic scenes between Thranduil and Arwen! I didn't know I needed that until I had it and, wow, was it satisfying.
There are moments of humor and so much physical expression of concern and love that my id was nearly rolling around in it like catnip, every time Thranduil would pet Legolas' hair or put an arm around him or Legolas would lean against his father to rest, the easy love there, even as this was never sugary, but instead about elves. All of that was so, so good for me. Plus Thranduil's interactions with others (Aragorn and Gimli especially) are spot-fucking-on! This was an amazingly well-written fic and gave me everything I've been craving in teh fandom and I'm only sorry that I tore through it in one day.
→ Elrond's Most Forgettable Birthday by TreeHugger, thranduil & legolas & elrond & glorfindel & other canon characters & some ocs, fluff, cracky, 70k wip (minutes author notes)
Prince Legolas must choose something for King Thranduil to send to Lord Elrond for his birthday-something quite forgettable!
There are a couple of notes before getting into this fic--the length is more like 70k when you take out author responses, it's a wip that will likely never be finished, and it's a style you need to just roll with. The fic is obviously familiar with Elven lore, there's lots of detail worked into it, but it's entirely silly and cracky, the hijinks everyone gets into and how they react/talk are all in that vein. But the author is very good at writing in a light-hearted style and making me genuinely fond of all the characters here, so I can sit down and read 20k without feeling like much time has gone by. It's long, but nothing ever really drags and it's just easy to read and was entirely comforting when I want fic about elfling Legolas getting into trouble or Thranduil's scary as shit temper despite that he's an openly loving father. It's just such a warm read that's full of silly affection that engrosses me and I'm sorry to have read nearly all this author's work now. ):
→ Interrupted Journeys: Part 5, Journeys in Mirkwood by ellisk, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 58.4k
A series of stories exploring Thranduil and Legolas's lives through the Third Age until they go West. Part Five: The Shadow is deepening in Mirkwood, causing Legolas and his cousins to learn a hard lesson.
This is part of a series that should largely be read in order (at least from part 3 on).
I've read parts 3 and 4 of this series and this is a continuation of those, so I was able to jump in here when I started reading in this fandom again. I love a lot of the world that fic authors set up with the Mirkwood characters, but I think this author has my favorite world they've created because everything fires on all cylanders for me. There is a living, breathing world here, one that is full of joy, but one that also knows sorrow, there are OCs that you care about and feel just as vibrant as the canon characters, even as the author keeps focus on the canon ones very nicely. Legolas especially tends to be the focus, but these fics are also great for me as a Thranduil fan! My attention never wanders during scenes, because those canon characters are always around, even if the story isn't put on them as the center all of the time.
The prose is so easy to read, there's narrative consistency, and this author is stellar at what I'm looking--elflings getting into trouble, scary Elven King with a terrifying temper, but who actually communicates with and teaches the children, who openly and easily loves his son and the other children, he's fair to them, yet it's so much fun when they get in trouble and have to own up to it or get caught. Everything I'm looking for in a fic is right, which is why I read this in one day and would have sworn it was only half this length because it just few by me. Even the heartbreaking stuff just flew right by and had me diving right into the next story of the series!
→ Bathtime by AilciA, thranduil & legolas & some ocs, fluff, 7.5k
A little insight into Thranduil's sometimes-overlooked love for his youngest son. We also learn about Legolas' homelife and family.
I admit that I skimmed over the opening info dump to get to the actual story part of the fic (which the author suggests doing, if you want) and found an absolutely delightful precious, spoiled bb!Legolas fic! ♥ The sheer joy in the charming little shit who shrieks and struggles to get out of bathtime and the way Thranduil hauls him over a shoulder to tickles him was just pure delight and sparkle! It's such a happy-making fic and I loved it dearly.
→ Storms by Ramoths Own, thranduil & legolas, fluff, 3.6k
You are never too young or too old to accept responsibility.
This was pure fluff of the kind I am looking for, always. Little bb!Legolas is scared of the thunderstorms and runs away so Thranduil must find him and comfort him, but also show him why this was bad and it's PURE FLUFF and loads of cuddles! It's super sweet and hit me right in the id and just made me happy, ahhhh.
→ Take Your Place by Coriel, thranduil & legolas & ocs + brief appearances by ingwe & celeborn & galadriel & elrond & finarfin & finrod & melian, valinor/post-rotk, 33.6k
Tirion. Rounding the bend, Thranduil stopped impulsively, awe-stricken by the supernal grandeur of the White City that rose before them upon the mighty green hill of its foundation, standing vigilant watch over the Calacirya.
I have been pining for fic about Thranduil in Valinor and the politics of the place and the question of how that's going to work when the power structures were so different and complicated in Middle-Earth already. And this is the fic of my heart, even as I could have easily read something twice as long as this was! Thranduil's arrival in Valinor, the reunion with friends and family, seeing his wife and son again, the adjustment to it from Eryn Lasgalen, all are done wonderfully. But this is a fic about what happens next, about the structure in Valinor, now that they have peace and the Sindar are leaderless.
The way Thranduil must give up power, as things are different here, the way he accepted that even before he sailed and yet still struggles with it, the way he holds himself in the discussion with Ingwe (and later Melian), how he is far from emotionless, how he is so young compared to them, yet still holds his dignity and strength of character is gorgeous to see. He has been a great king for thousands of years and yet is not arrogant about it (stubborn, but honest and fair), so I loved this fic for the way he fits into Valinor politics, the role he accepts as King of the Sindar, as much as I love this fic for the characterization.
I enjoyed the more domestic scenes, when first arriving and reuniting with loved ones, but the council meeting with the higher elves, putting Thranduil in a room where he's one of the younger ones and knows it, yet does not ever lose his stateliness, does not ever lose his sense of self... that council meeting where they recount much of the history he's seen and the things he's done and what he does/does not regret... all of it was such an intensely good read, for the sense of history and for the characters and just because I enjoy seeing Thranduil in elven politics. This is 100% now my headcanon for how Valinor goes from here on, I am not kidding.
→ Swordplay and Swimming by cliodna_bright, elladan & elrohir + elrond/celebrian + thranduil, 3.6k
A light-hearted story, in which the young twin sons of Elrond run away from home and are discovered by a delegation of Woodland Elves, led by none other than King Thranduil himself.
Oh, this fic absolutely had me at what a pain in Elrond's ass Oropher must have been, according to Glorfindel, as recounted by Elrohir. I lost my shit at that and was forever gone on this fic, but there was even more than that! The twins are perfect and adorable little shits, but it's thranduil who is stunningly perfect here. He's scary as shit, but deeply caring and full of joy and intensely insightful and has this magnificent presence. I never knew I needed Thranduil fic with Elladan & Elrohir, but, wow, did I ever. This was accurate to Elven politics, pitch-perfect characterization, and gorgeously written. A MUST READ.
→ The Silmarillion Rewrite by Jenavira, the silmarillion elves, a fuckton of elves, and fuckin' melkor, humor, 28.5k wip
The Silmarillion Translated from the Elvish by Professor J.R.R. Tolkien Translated from Professor Tolkien's Handwriting by Christopher Tolkien Translated Lovingly from the Tokienish by jenavira
More than once I have tried to read The Silmarillion, but I can never get past the beginning with the Ainur and into the drama with the elves, which was a tragedy because I love me some fucking elves, especially if half of them are batshit as fuck. Then along comes this amazing retelling of the book which has clear and deep affection for everything, but also knows when to laugh at this shit because it's hilarious. And, wow, did I laugh until I just about cried--more than once! Like, it's genuinely useful as a way to get a better grasp of the history of the elves and these characters, it's a much easier read to follow along with, but the humor is where it got me. I had to honestly put my reader down and shove my hand over my face at Maedhros and Fingon on the cliff, I just fucking lost it at that point, because, oh, my god, elves.
The fic isn't finished, half of everyone is still alive after all, but the fic still serves as an amazing way to get introduced to most players, to understand why Feanor fucked up on an epic scale, to understand (some of) why the Teleri/Sindar are pissed at the Noldor, to understand the scale of the Noldor soap opera. All while being a beautiful, beautiful fic that had me weeping at every turn. And, oh, my god, Melkor is a treasure, okay. And Feanor! I love that asshole. Everyone is amazing and everyone should read this, if you are at all interested in the history of these fucking elves.
→ Games People Play by Evergreene, aragorn & legolas & the fellowship, humor, 15.8k
Legolas is rather puzzled by the behaviour of the hobbits. Aragorn does not help. It's a long walk to Mordor...
Oh, this fic was a find today, because the author has absolutely mastered what a joyful dick Legolas is. Well, they all are, this is a lovely Fellowship piece where they're all terrible to each other in that perfect way friends are, but Legolas shines the most. While this is an ensemble piece, it's got Aragorn & Legolas at its center, which it does beautifully, so the ridiculous smile never left my face, unless it was during one of the parts where I was giggling madly. I never wanted this fic to end, it's the perfect kind of daily life meets road trip fic that I love and Legolas is such an elf about everything and he and Aragorn are thick as thieves one moment, then throwing things at each other the next, then climbing up a tree together the next, and it's perfect. The characterization is exquisite, I am all aglow after reading this, and, oh, every situation they all got into fit, everything had such a natural flow and the ending had me cackling aloud because fucking elves, for real.
→ The Scruff Factor by JastaElf, legolas & aragorn & elladan & elrohir & arwen & elrond & other elves & other dwarves + some background aragorn/arwen, humor, 40.8k
How DID Aragorn come to be neat & tidy for Elrond's Council? Ch. 7, The Long Awaited Scruffilogue: in which a squirrely evening is had by all, Dwarves learn not to drop eaves, and Legolas courts doom by going to bed early.
I don't know why it took me so long to sit down with this fic, because it's fucking amazing. It's beautifully written and such sharp, hilarious comedy of the kind I've been looking for! This is my Legolas, who is an absolute and utter little shit of a spoiled rotten elf who knows exactly how he appears to others and his quicksilver moods, agile and fast thoughts, his ability to outplay others, and his deep and true love of fucking with people is written exquisitely here. His friendships with the children of Elrond are all perfectly written, they're all characters I have affection for here (it's lovely how the twins have seperate personalities yet are a package deal, how Arwen is utterly charming, how Aragorn is put upon and amused and stubborn in turns). And there is such a great current of these characters being such fucking elves, both in the history woven into the story and in how batshit they all are.
There's also a great current of Legolas as an Elven prince, the son of Thranduil, and how amazing that makes him at everything, even as it's Legolas himself that is perfection at the same time, that his father doesn't outshine him, even as it's important who Legolas' father is. And, oh, lord, every time the fic described how impossibly beautiful he was or how charming he was I lost my shit, because it was always layered over and contrasted against what an utter little shit he was and his perfect, innocent face may have been brilliant, but he was still a spoiled fuck about it. This is perfect to how I see Legolas, because it's never at the expense of how he truly cares, how he can be serious, just... he's such a fucking elf!
I loved this fic for the humor, that at least a dozen times it had me cackling aloud, but it truly has my heart for being humor fic that gets at how I see the characters and making me love each and every one of them completely. Another absolute MUST READ for me!
→ A Bit Green at This by Kereea, dwarves & tauriel & legolas + thorin/bilbo + implied kili/tauriel + thranduil + aragorn + bard + other elves + some ocs, 53.1k
While the Company rested at Beorn’s, Gandalf appraised the deterioration of Mirkwood and decided the best option was to call in a favor for a little extra help in guiding the dwarves through the forest. And so Legolas Greenleaf was dragged into the quest for Erebor.
This was an interesting fic! Basically Legolas and Aragorn stumble over the dwarves earlier, Legolas and Tauriel join the dwarves on their quest, and tragedy is averted. As an action fic, it's a lot of fun and keeps up a snappy pace so that it never drags--even if I wound up skimming by the end, if you're more invested in the dwarves than I am, you'll probably enjoy every bit of it! The author does very well with balancing an ensemble cast and letting everyone have some character moments and building friendships and making their voices pretty distinct. I admit, I wish there had been more Thranduil and Legolas interaction (because that's what I'm personally here for), but there's a lovely scene by the end when father comes to get wayward son, in a way that I was glad to see, because it shows that, yes, this relationship is a healthy one, for all that sometimes Thranduil was overprotective of his precious youngest son. (Even if I did kind of want him to actually drag Legolas home by the ear, this way was better.) There were some great moments any time Aragorn was on-screen, there was some neat OCs for Legolas' brothers (because I will always see him as the youngest of three kids, it explains a lot, imo), there's a good amount of resolution here, and it's a fun piece to read for Legolas' character! Don't let the wip status put you off, almost everything that needs being resolved is!
→ An Ada's Kiss by 17seconds, thranduil & legolas, ~1k
Little Legolas is hurt, but an Ada's kiss fixes everything.
This was short, but so very good for me, as the author shows the facets of both scary Elvenking and doting father, as seen through human eyes. I love both aspects, how genuinely unsettling he is and how the love is undeniable, both are good for my id, but it's in showing that it's not just one or the other the humans see, that they're not jagged edges jammed together, but instead both are entirely true of Thranduil, they're parts of a the greater whole. Yesss.
→ Where Fault Lies by Evergreene, aragorn & legolas & thranduil, humor, 2k
Aragorn believes that Legolas is at fault. Strangely, Legolas does not agree.
I cackled my way through this fic, let me tell you, because I am here for this so hard. Aragorn and Legolas return to Mirkwood bruised and battered, bantering the whole way, and each absolutely ready to sell the other out to a stone-faced Thranduil. Every part of this was a delight, especially what amazing dicks Aragorn and Legolas are to each other. Also Legolas' guileless face when speaking to his father, that spoiled rotten little shit is amazing. This is a great fic for my id and for when I needed a good laugh!
→ Growing Under Shadow by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 56.7k
Shadow continues to spread through the Woodland Realm Legolas gets his first adult bow.
I've been reading this fic over the last several days and then finally stayed up far too late last night to finish it because I could not put it down! It's everything I want from this fandom on an intellectual level and an idfic level! There's a mix of elflings being elflings and a plot happening, which come together in a really satisfying way and I enjoyed the author's notes/responses, as they shed light on the world-building and character insight, all of these things are as good as they always are in daw's stories! But where this fic went into high gear for me (as much fun as the plot with the Men and the Dwarves absolutely was, as much fun as the elflings learning to hunt was!) is when Legolas can't help doing things that will get him in trouble and it's so satisfying when he does!
This author's Thranduil is perfect, where he's very loving and caring and raises his children in joy, but his temper is not an idle threat, he's terrifying when furious. When Legolas is caught, it's so good for my id, because the author makes it clear that his fury comes from love, even if there is an edge of demanding respect as their father, in just the right mix. And it's always followed up by talking with Legolas and teaching him and loving him, so I'm just so completely done whenever I read a fic by this author, all the more so because it shapes the character I see in the canon, with all the good that he's had in his life. Just, such a good fic, ahhhh.
→ My Nauglamir by Jodlet, thranduil/legolas' mother & legolas & others, 24.1k
Thranduil had met her before, before he had travelled over the Misty Mountains with his father and joined the Silvan Elves. The oldest daughter of a high elf lord, who was an adviser if he remembered correctly to King Thingol, he'd stopped and stared when he'd first saw her. His father, Oropher, had laughed at him and given his shoulder a gentle shove - 'She would have you jump through hoops, my son.'
I admit, I skipped to chapter 4 in this fic, because that's when Legolas was added to the story and where my interest is at its highest. That still leaves half the fic to read and, oh, chapter 4 is PURE JOY as Legolas is an angel-faced little demon and Thranduil loves him all the more for what a precious little shit he is. The OC for Legolas' mother is lovely, she fits very well into the story, with a strong personality and yet never crowds out the canon characters, it's a great balance! There are loads of father & son bonding moments, as well as the fic spans the years up to the events of The Hobbit and was such an engrossing read this morning. If nothing else, chapter four is a MUST READ for me!
→ Paths Taken by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 35.7k
A practical joke goes wrong and Legolas and his oldest brother learn something about confidence and courage.
This is a direct follow up to Growing Under Shadow, which should probably be read first, but both are well, well worth the read! As someone who has a child in their life at about Legolas' maturity level, oh, this fic nailed that feeling of the transition process betwen child and adult, how it's like your sweet baby was replace by this little goblin monster who will just not listen. And this does not make Legolas bad, he is still recognizably himself, just... caught between growing up but not and adult yet, caught between an incredibly busy father and brothers and yet they are over-protective of him. He's also recovering from having been in trouble, but as teenagers are wont to do, they jump right back into it again!
The author does a gorgeous job of hitting my wants (Legolas getting in trouble and his father or older brothers finding out, danger lurking around corners that eventually strikes) with how everyone truly wants to help and understand each other, they all pull back and reassess when necessary, and that's so satisfying on an emotional level!
→ Hunting Ada by sheraiah, thranduil & legolas + brief oropher & thranduil, ~1k
The elven version of hide and seek in Mirkwood,
Short, less than a thousand words, but it's a fluffy and cute as shit game of hide and seek between elfling and father on a rainy day. It's pure sweetness with bonus Oropher and bb!Thranduil flashback, too!
→ Escape by fanged geranium, feanor & sons + most other important elves in valinor post-rotk + valar, humor, crack, 21.6k
Fëanor plots to escape from Mandos.
You don't know how much I love the Feanorians because of how they fuck things up for everyone, so a humor fic about how they finally talk their way out of Mandos' Halls (who is tired of dealing with them) is AMAZING, especially when it goes as well as any rational person would expect it to go. The amount of canon detail and characters that into into this fic are great, but my favorite is how batshit each of those seven shits is, in their own way. Whether beging ridiculous levels of stabby or just not being bothered by things that are terrible or just having an awful temper, they are all a delight. I cackled my way through this fic and I am happy what's here of it, because the Feanorians fucking everything up and people just flat-out leaving the room when seeing them is HILARIOUS.
→ Ready by Lomelindi, thranduil & legolas + thranduil & oropher, fluff, 3.8k
The passing of power from father to son is never an easy one. Angst and some shameless warm-fuzzy moments for Oropher, Thranduil and Legolas.
I picked the link for this fic up from mirkwoodfamily's recs and it's a lovely piece about readying a prince to take his father's place, about the contrasts and similarities between both. The situation Thranduil was in with Oropher is not the same as Legolas is with him, you see the differences, and yet also see why the connections are there, which is very well done! But it's Legolas' reaction and the clear and deep love between father and son that really shone here the most--so good!
→ The Three Hunters and the Elven King by JediSapphire, thranduil & legolas & aragorn & gimli & elladan & elrohir, humor, 7.5k
The War is won, Sauron has been defeated, and Legolas is finally returning home in the company of his friends. They have a furious Elven-king to face.
I read this early on in my fic reading for this fandom and yet I can't find any rec I wrote for it! Which is a shame because it's one that influenced what my heart really wants with these characters--a perfect balance of hilarity, genuine love, and also a legitimately scary Elvenking when he thinks anyone will harm his son. Aragorn's amusement and genuine fear, Gimli being all "ugh fuckin' elves" and yet legitimately wary, the twins just being flat-out terrified, and spoiled little shit Legolas? All pulled off beautiful and exactly what my fannish heart cries out for. It's a humor fic, but it also has a ton of heart that's absolutely wonderful!
→ The House of the Golden Flower by vericus, thranduil/oc & glorfindel & gil-galad, 42k
Those of the House were always noble. But Gondolin, and those who held loyal to it, were doomed first by Morgoth, and then the sons of Fëanor...
I initially picked this up for how a Thranduil & Glorfindel fic would go, my curiosity roused by the idea, but found that it was really just as much about the politics of Gil-Galad's court and about Thranduil/his future wife. It was an engrossing read the whole way through, from the mystery surrounding two unknown elves to the entirely satisfying reveals (even if it's obvious from the summary and what we know of Glorfindel's return, it's still entirely satisfying when you get there!), to the every day but surprisingly interesting lives of elves, especially a younger prince Thranduil (who is a Sinda, even if this fic calls him Silvan) in a Noldorin court, not quite a king yet, but you can see how he will be.
This rec is terribly boring, I know, but the fic was such a find recently, the writing so smooth and lovely, and the characters all sparkle. This is one of those OCs that I was genuinely fond of, she was special, but in the way that all the characters are, the writing does her justice--as it does with all of them. So many of them are such large figures, Glorfindel and Thranduil and Gil-Galad, so the fic does justice to that as well, that they're epic characters, even as I fell in love with them on a personal level. I really, really recommend this one a lot!
→ The Black Arrow by ziggy3, thranduil & smaug & legolas & gandalf & ocs, 19.6k
Thranduil enters the dragon's lair; it is not gold that he seeks, but something much more precious.
This is a fic about how the black arrow came to be back in Bard's family's possession and a story about an Elven King doing what he needed to for the good of everyone and it's so good a fic. My one caveat is that the last chapter is completely disconnected from the rest of the fic, it has no bearing on anything and was like it was from a completely different fic, to the point where I think it would have been better dropped off/the reader to skip it. Otherwise this was a fantastic piece about Thranduil going to see Smaug, the careful politics that kept everyone safe and things stable, right down to the precise and careful language used, where each word said was chosen with such care, in the way that does justice to the enormity of these characters. It was a fic about a king protecting and leading his people. It was about a loving father who had three strong-willed sons (and every mention of Legolas was perfect and spot on) and how Thranduil is brilliant and strong enough to keep all this together. There are moments of humor, moments of such love, moments of terror, but mostly this is a fic about what a great king and father Thranduil is. It's spot on for everything I wanted, ahhhhh.
→ Odd Reunion by Grey-Rain-Cloud, thranduil & legolas, fluff, ~1k
Seven of the Fellowship travel to Mirkwood, and six of them observe something they do not understand.
I am 100% here for scary Elveking rage fits over Legolas joining the Fellowship and how that phases everyone but the elf himself. Short and charmingly silly, I honestly smiled my way through the entire fic.
→ Watch This! by daw the minstrel, legolas & ocs, 2.5k
Little elves fight boredom with shields, a stairway, and a phrase dreaded by the parents of boychildren of all races.
I am absolutely weak to young elflings unable to help themselves from getting into trouble, especially when they're just so full of energy that they're practically bursting, so this fic was a joy in my soul. The adorable playfulness was charming and yet it still contributed bits of world-building and was clearly written in reference to that scene in the movie, making it a short but wonderful read!
→ Blessed by Ilúvatar by White Wolf1, thranduil, 3k
It has been many long years since an elfling was seen and heard in the halls of King Thranduil. Is that about to change?
A short piece on loss and love and joy and sorrow in Greenwood that I really enjoyed as a showpiece for how children can bright lives, as well as hot it just makes utter sense to me that Legolas is a youngest child and so joyful.
→ My Brother's Keeper by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 32.3k
An adolescent Legolas wrestles with decisions over how far his care for another should go.
daw's OCs are probably my favorite elven OCs (and in the running for overall favorite OCs) and I find them to be so well-crafted that they feel like canon characters, especially Legolas' brothers, they're perfect. This fic was one of those that I can barely convey how satisfying it was for me, how it hit my idfic wants (young Legolas being a good-hearted trouble magnet and his father's loving but firm hand with him, oh, it's so good) but was also fantastic for how it relied on misunderstandings that I believed. Legolas is young yet, so he's not told everything about what his brother is doing and he wants to protect his brother, so he says nothing, either. No one is overly dumb, but instead their choices are all understandable and came from caring, so it makes it all the more satisfying to read!
The balance of canon and original characters is perfect, I was never far away from Legolas or Thranduil being in a scene, even as I was legitimately interested in the brothers' stories, too. The way these are elves is also perfect, and, oh, when Legolas gets in over his head and gets caught, it's so perfect there, too. As is Thranduil's reactions when talking to him afterwards! This is an Elvenking who is scary when he's furious, but there is zero doubt that he loves his children more than anything. This was such a satisfying and genuinely good read, the author has such care and thought put into everyone and everything.
→ The Life & Times of Greenwood the Great by Adere, thranduil & elrond & gil-galad & celebrimbor & others & ocs, 107k wip
He raised a crown weaved of the vine and autumn leaves and placed it on the king's head. "You will be our King," he said softly, "King of Greenwood the Great."
I admit, by the last third or so of this fic, it had lost a lot of steam and Thranduil was too special with too many powers. But the first 70k or so were absolutely fantastic and some of the best fic I've read in this fandom! It's an AU where the Silvan elves ask a Sinda from Gil-Galad's court to unite them and be their king, the fic being about their journey to establish their kingdom and how engrossing a read it was. The sheer amount of personality in Thranduil and these elves, that you can see why they chose him, you can see the great king he turns into step by step, each situation that he prepares for and yet has to handle the surprises that come along, all of it being immensely satisfying.
It's a long story, so there are many events in it, the span of the story is years (at least half a century, if not a lot more), I really felt that scope and the way elves measure time (and how they don't measure time, too). It's a world-building kind of story that puts all the necessary effort in, so that watching them figure out where they're going to have their kingdom, watching the crowing ceremony, watching their perilous journey to their new home, all of it is legitimately interesting to read. The early scenes are really sharp and you feel the steel and fire in Thranduil's character, yet you understand how much of a loving elf he is at the same time, so you get why they asked him to lead them, you get why this is a kindgom that you know will last a very long time. All of it is just a great read!
→ ...No Matter How Tall by MissFaust, thranduil & legolas & oc, 2.3k
Thranduil is the King of the Woodland Realm, he has fought in the Battle of Dagorlad, has faced orcs and spiders. He is a redoubtable warrior and a respected negotiator. But to tell a tiny elfling "no" might prove to be out of his league. Alas, he must, he must!
Spoiled, precious elfling Legolas is my favorite thing, where he is nearly impossible to resist and has a good idea of it! So, it's both completely understandable and completely hilarious when he wants an oliphaunt because he was promised a reward. and it's hard (or almost impossible) to say no to him. He's such a good-hearted child and so love and his parents are so perfect that this was just a complete joy to read.
→ The Origin of the Swag Stag by ladydragon76, thranduil & legolas, 1.8k
When Legolas rescues a young fawn from the spiders, he can’t possibly just abandon it alone in the woods.
A short, but adorable story of Legolas getting lost in the woods, finding a Great Elk fawn and just having to help it when it's in trouble. It's all my favorite things--bb!Legolas being adorable, his family worried over him, exasperated at his well intentioned antics, and warm-heartedness all around!
→ Celeborn's Gift by Karri, Celeborn & Legolas, 1k
Celeborn gives Legolas a gift.
I admit that I nearly turned around at the author's notes (despite that I didn't want it to be slash, either), because that attitude prickles at me, but I know that fandom was something of a different place ten or more years ago. And I otherwise enjoyed this fic so much, as it's a gorgeous piece about Legolas' arrows and the history of elves and the connections between these two Sindar elves. I love the idea of Celeborn giving Legolas this gift, why these two would have this connection and what the gift meant, as Thranduil had lived through Doriath. Lovely, lovely piece!
TOTAL GOAL: 170/1,200
This entry was originally posted at http://tomomichi.dreamwidth.org/215660.html. I'm fine with comments here or there, whichever. :D
ღ - Whoops. I meant to just take the weekend off and then somehow that turned into almost a week off. Ah, well, as long as I don't go a full week without posting, I should be fine. :D
AND ONTO THE RECS:
Tolkien/The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings - 35 Fanfics
→ Battles Won by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 7.1k
Little Legolas's older brother comes home on leave, and they engage in battles both physical and emotional.
I've read this fic before, but it was a good re-entry point for me with this author's series, where it's about bb!Legolas and his middle older brother coming home again and spending time together after their mother's dead. The OCs are ones that I can immediately pick up again and enjoy, they have such life and love to them, they're such family here, and this fic is always good for me because it shows the way elflings are such little shits sometimes, but always with a core of goodness. Thranduil and sons sparkle here as they play in the snow, so much joy and love in Legolas' life, even with the tragedy.
→ Legolas's Begetting Day by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 28.3k
Legolas is turning 20 about 8 in human years. His friends spend the night and his family remembers the day he was born.
This is a bit longer of a fic, but I swear that I tore through it no less quickly because it's more of exactly what I want in this fandom! I admit that I skimmed over the flashbacks from before Legolas was born/the ones without canon characters in them, but they're small scenes against a greater whole in a fic that has bb!Legolas bringing field mice in as pets (which goes over about as well as you'd expect it to) and his older brother sending him on a treasure hunt (which is adorable) and mixing in background plot machinations that are sure to come up again later. It's a lovely story for everyday life, even as the plot moves, and I want all of bb!Legolas and his joyful childhood, even when he's sometimes a bit of a stinker.
→ A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes by Tanis, thranduil & legolas, 5.7k
It's the night before Mettarë and a very young Legolas has a wish Thranduil has no hope of bringing to fruition.
This was a beuatiful fic and the language of it is just as lovely as the emotion! It's rare that I go for a more poetic style in prose, but this author knew how to use it and didn't try too hard, it had a natural flow when I was reading it. But the best parts were Thranduil with bb!Legolas, both still mourning after the loss of his mother, the way I felt such intense emotion even as the author kept that levely serenity about them, those aspects were fantastic. There's a ton of lovely detail and such presence from both characters that this was a gorgeous read.
→ A Balrog in the Closet by Tori of Lorien, thranduil & legolas, 5.5k
Balrog hunting, warm tea, and a misplaced book is not how Thranduil expected to spend his night. But when Legolas' true fear comes to light, he sees how the loss of a loved one has impacted both of them.
Oh, man, you don't know how much I am here for bb!Legolas and father!Thranduil fluff, especially when it may have genuinely punched me in the feelings by the end. The writing is a little stiff, but the heart is there and I had such a smile on my face while baby Legolas kept Thranduil up all night with just one more request before going back to sleep! It has angst in it for the loss they're suffering, but it's also good and about the beginnings of healing and Thranduil taking care of the precious little elflet. ♥
→ The Shadow Rising by Morpheus626, thranduil & legolas, 1.5k
Just a general Thranduil and Legolas father and son fic--Legolas is a sweet elfling unintentionally causing his father worry; and Thranduil is a newly-single parent, doing his best to rule his kingdom and take care of his young son. Of course, it would be like Legolas to get himself stuck in a tree and need his Ada to rescue him.
Oh, this was so good for me, with headstrong bb!Legolas and still grieving Thranduil doting on him, it's a combination of angst and fluff that worked wonderfully for me. Legolas being too much for the advisors to handle, so Thranduil comes out to get the toddler and then carries him back, yessss, this is what I am in fandom for!
→ Hidden Agenda by sheraiah, thranduil & legolas & aragorn & gimli & arwen & elladan & elrohir & hobbits & others, 42.6k wip
A female elf is brutally murdered in Minas Tirith. Is this just a random act of violence or does the killer or killers have much more in mind for Legolas, Thranduil, and the king and queen of Gondor?
Holy shit, yes, this is what I have been looking for in this fandom! Post-ROTK plotfic with a heavy focus on Thranduil and legolas, which would have had me at that alone, but everything about this fic is spot-on to what I've been craving. I'll warn that it's a wip and hasn't been updated in two years, but the author is still in the fandom and, most importantly, it leaves off in an excellent place and you get a ton of resolution in this 40k+ fic. The father and son dynamic is probably the heart here, but Legolas' friendships with the others are never neglected, he adores everyone and they adore him, along with one of the best depictions of Legolas and Gimli's friendship that I've seen, it sparkles in this author's hands!
Everyone is spot on though, from the best Arwen I've read (she is perfection here and I found so much affection for her!) to Elladan and Elrohir to the hobbits to Aragorn to Gimli and, best of all, to the gorgeous way Thranduil and Legolas are written. They are elves through and through, so much of that culture is woven into the little touches, but also Legolas' life is full of joy and Thranduil is terrifying as fuck one moment and gently kissing Legolas' forehead the next and it's not a contradiction at all, it's just the character being exquisitely written. Also of particular note was the fantastic scenes between Thranduil and Arwen! I didn't know I needed that until I had it and, wow, was it satisfying.
There are moments of humor and so much physical expression of concern and love that my id was nearly rolling around in it like catnip, every time Thranduil would pet Legolas' hair or put an arm around him or Legolas would lean against his father to rest, the easy love there, even as this was never sugary, but instead about elves. All of that was so, so good for me. Plus Thranduil's interactions with others (Aragorn and Gimli especially) are spot-fucking-on! This was an amazingly well-written fic and gave me everything I've been craving in teh fandom and I'm only sorry that I tore through it in one day.
→ Elrond's Most Forgettable Birthday by TreeHugger, thranduil & legolas & elrond & glorfindel & other canon characters & some ocs, fluff, cracky, 70k wip (minutes author notes)
Prince Legolas must choose something for King Thranduil to send to Lord Elrond for his birthday-something quite forgettable!
There are a couple of notes before getting into this fic--the length is more like 70k when you take out author responses, it's a wip that will likely never be finished, and it's a style you need to just roll with. The fic is obviously familiar with Elven lore, there's lots of detail worked into it, but it's entirely silly and cracky, the hijinks everyone gets into and how they react/talk are all in that vein. But the author is very good at writing in a light-hearted style and making me genuinely fond of all the characters here, so I can sit down and read 20k without feeling like much time has gone by. It's long, but nothing ever really drags and it's just easy to read and was entirely comforting when I want fic about elfling Legolas getting into trouble or Thranduil's scary as shit temper despite that he's an openly loving father. It's just such a warm read that's full of silly affection that engrosses me and I'm sorry to have read nearly all this author's work now. ):
→ Interrupted Journeys: Part 5, Journeys in Mirkwood by ellisk, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 58.4k
A series of stories exploring Thranduil and Legolas's lives through the Third Age until they go West. Part Five: The Shadow is deepening in Mirkwood, causing Legolas and his cousins to learn a hard lesson.
This is part of a series that should largely be read in order (at least from part 3 on).
I've read parts 3 and 4 of this series and this is a continuation of those, so I was able to jump in here when I started reading in this fandom again. I love a lot of the world that fic authors set up with the Mirkwood characters, but I think this author has my favorite world they've created because everything fires on all cylanders for me. There is a living, breathing world here, one that is full of joy, but one that also knows sorrow, there are OCs that you care about and feel just as vibrant as the canon characters, even as the author keeps focus on the canon ones very nicely. Legolas especially tends to be the focus, but these fics are also great for me as a Thranduil fan! My attention never wanders during scenes, because those canon characters are always around, even if the story isn't put on them as the center all of the time.
The prose is so easy to read, there's narrative consistency, and this author is stellar at what I'm looking--elflings getting into trouble, scary Elven King with a terrifying temper, but who actually communicates with and teaches the children, who openly and easily loves his son and the other children, he's fair to them, yet it's so much fun when they get in trouble and have to own up to it or get caught. Everything I'm looking for in a fic is right, which is why I read this in one day and would have sworn it was only half this length because it just few by me. Even the heartbreaking stuff just flew right by and had me diving right into the next story of the series!
→ Bathtime by AilciA, thranduil & legolas & some ocs, fluff, 7.5k
A little insight into Thranduil's sometimes-overlooked love for his youngest son. We also learn about Legolas' homelife and family.
I admit that I skimmed over the opening info dump to get to the actual story part of the fic (which the author suggests doing, if you want) and found an absolutely delightful precious, spoiled bb!Legolas fic! ♥ The sheer joy in the charming little shit who shrieks and struggles to get out of bathtime and the way Thranduil hauls him over a shoulder to tickles him was just pure delight and sparkle! It's such a happy-making fic and I loved it dearly.
→ Storms by Ramoths Own, thranduil & legolas, fluff, 3.6k
You are never too young or too old to accept responsibility.
This was pure fluff of the kind I am looking for, always. Little bb!Legolas is scared of the thunderstorms and runs away so Thranduil must find him and comfort him, but also show him why this was bad and it's PURE FLUFF and loads of cuddles! It's super sweet and hit me right in the id and just made me happy, ahhhh.
→ Take Your Place by Coriel, thranduil & legolas & ocs + brief appearances by ingwe & celeborn & galadriel & elrond & finarfin & finrod & melian, valinor/post-rotk, 33.6k
Tirion. Rounding the bend, Thranduil stopped impulsively, awe-stricken by the supernal grandeur of the White City that rose before them upon the mighty green hill of its foundation, standing vigilant watch over the Calacirya.
I have been pining for fic about Thranduil in Valinor and the politics of the place and the question of how that's going to work when the power structures were so different and complicated in Middle-Earth already. And this is the fic of my heart, even as I could have easily read something twice as long as this was! Thranduil's arrival in Valinor, the reunion with friends and family, seeing his wife and son again, the adjustment to it from Eryn Lasgalen, all are done wonderfully. But this is a fic about what happens next, about the structure in Valinor, now that they have peace and the Sindar are leaderless.
The way Thranduil must give up power, as things are different here, the way he accepted that even before he sailed and yet still struggles with it, the way he holds himself in the discussion with Ingwe (and later Melian), how he is far from emotionless, how he is so young compared to them, yet still holds his dignity and strength of character is gorgeous to see. He has been a great king for thousands of years and yet is not arrogant about it (stubborn, but honest and fair), so I loved this fic for the way he fits into Valinor politics, the role he accepts as King of the Sindar, as much as I love this fic for the characterization.
I enjoyed the more domestic scenes, when first arriving and reuniting with loved ones, but the council meeting with the higher elves, putting Thranduil in a room where he's one of the younger ones and knows it, yet does not ever lose his stateliness, does not ever lose his sense of self... that council meeting where they recount much of the history he's seen and the things he's done and what he does/does not regret... all of it was such an intensely good read, for the sense of history and for the characters and just because I enjoy seeing Thranduil in elven politics. This is 100% now my headcanon for how Valinor goes from here on, I am not kidding.
→ Swordplay and Swimming by cliodna_bright, elladan & elrohir + elrond/celebrian + thranduil, 3.6k
A light-hearted story, in which the young twin sons of Elrond run away from home and are discovered by a delegation of Woodland Elves, led by none other than King Thranduil himself.
Oh, this fic absolutely had me at what a pain in Elrond's ass Oropher must have been, according to Glorfindel, as recounted by Elrohir. I lost my shit at that and was forever gone on this fic, but there was even more than that! The twins are perfect and adorable little shits, but it's thranduil who is stunningly perfect here. He's scary as shit, but deeply caring and full of joy and intensely insightful and has this magnificent presence. I never knew I needed Thranduil fic with Elladan & Elrohir, but, wow, did I ever. This was accurate to Elven politics, pitch-perfect characterization, and gorgeously written. A MUST READ.
→ The Silmarillion Rewrite by Jenavira, the silmarillion elves, a fuckton of elves, and fuckin' melkor, humor, 28.5k wip
The Silmarillion Translated from the Elvish by Professor J.R.R. Tolkien Translated from Professor Tolkien's Handwriting by Christopher Tolkien Translated Lovingly from the Tokienish by jenavira
More than once I have tried to read The Silmarillion, but I can never get past the beginning with the Ainur and into the drama with the elves, which was a tragedy because I love me some fucking elves, especially if half of them are batshit as fuck. Then along comes this amazing retelling of the book which has clear and deep affection for everything, but also knows when to laugh at this shit because it's hilarious. And, wow, did I laugh until I just about cried--more than once! Like, it's genuinely useful as a way to get a better grasp of the history of the elves and these characters, it's a much easier read to follow along with, but the humor is where it got me. I had to honestly put my reader down and shove my hand over my face at Maedhros and Fingon on the cliff, I just fucking lost it at that point, because, oh, my god, elves.
The fic isn't finished, half of everyone is still alive after all, but the fic still serves as an amazing way to get introduced to most players, to understand why Feanor fucked up on an epic scale, to understand (some of) why the Teleri/Sindar are pissed at the Noldor, to understand the scale of the Noldor soap opera. All while being a beautiful, beautiful fic that had me weeping at every turn. And, oh, my god, Melkor is a treasure, okay. And Feanor! I love that asshole. Everyone is amazing and everyone should read this, if you are at all interested in the history of these fucking elves.
→ Games People Play by Evergreene, aragorn & legolas & the fellowship, humor, 15.8k
Legolas is rather puzzled by the behaviour of the hobbits. Aragorn does not help. It's a long walk to Mordor...
Oh, this fic was a find today, because the author has absolutely mastered what a joyful dick Legolas is. Well, they all are, this is a lovely Fellowship piece where they're all terrible to each other in that perfect way friends are, but Legolas shines the most. While this is an ensemble piece, it's got Aragorn & Legolas at its center, which it does beautifully, so the ridiculous smile never left my face, unless it was during one of the parts where I was giggling madly. I never wanted this fic to end, it's the perfect kind of daily life meets road trip fic that I love and Legolas is such an elf about everything and he and Aragorn are thick as thieves one moment, then throwing things at each other the next, then climbing up a tree together the next, and it's perfect. The characterization is exquisite, I am all aglow after reading this, and, oh, every situation they all got into fit, everything had such a natural flow and the ending had me cackling aloud because fucking elves, for real.
→ The Scruff Factor by JastaElf, legolas & aragorn & elladan & elrohir & arwen & elrond & other elves & other dwarves + some background aragorn/arwen, humor, 40.8k
How DID Aragorn come to be neat & tidy for Elrond's Council? Ch. 7, The Long Awaited Scruffilogue: in which a squirrely evening is had by all, Dwarves learn not to drop eaves, and Legolas courts doom by going to bed early.
I don't know why it took me so long to sit down with this fic, because it's fucking amazing. It's beautifully written and such sharp, hilarious comedy of the kind I've been looking for! This is my Legolas, who is an absolute and utter little shit of a spoiled rotten elf who knows exactly how he appears to others and his quicksilver moods, agile and fast thoughts, his ability to outplay others, and his deep and true love of fucking with people is written exquisitely here. His friendships with the children of Elrond are all perfectly written, they're all characters I have affection for here (it's lovely how the twins have seperate personalities yet are a package deal, how Arwen is utterly charming, how Aragorn is put upon and amused and stubborn in turns). And there is such a great current of these characters being such fucking elves, both in the history woven into the story and in how batshit they all are.
There's also a great current of Legolas as an Elven prince, the son of Thranduil, and how amazing that makes him at everything, even as it's Legolas himself that is perfection at the same time, that his father doesn't outshine him, even as it's important who Legolas' father is. And, oh, lord, every time the fic described how impossibly beautiful he was or how charming he was I lost my shit, because it was always layered over and contrasted against what an utter little shit he was and his perfect, innocent face may have been brilliant, but he was still a spoiled fuck about it. This is perfect to how I see Legolas, because it's never at the expense of how he truly cares, how he can be serious, just... he's such a fucking elf!
I loved this fic for the humor, that at least a dozen times it had me cackling aloud, but it truly has my heart for being humor fic that gets at how I see the characters and making me love each and every one of them completely. Another absolute MUST READ for me!
→ A Bit Green at This by Kereea, dwarves & tauriel & legolas + thorin/bilbo + implied kili/tauriel + thranduil + aragorn + bard + other elves + some ocs, 53.1k
While the Company rested at Beorn’s, Gandalf appraised the deterioration of Mirkwood and decided the best option was to call in a favor for a little extra help in guiding the dwarves through the forest. And so Legolas Greenleaf was dragged into the quest for Erebor.
This was an interesting fic! Basically Legolas and Aragorn stumble over the dwarves earlier, Legolas and Tauriel join the dwarves on their quest, and tragedy is averted. As an action fic, it's a lot of fun and keeps up a snappy pace so that it never drags--even if I wound up skimming by the end, if you're more invested in the dwarves than I am, you'll probably enjoy every bit of it! The author does very well with balancing an ensemble cast and letting everyone have some character moments and building friendships and making their voices pretty distinct. I admit, I wish there had been more Thranduil and Legolas interaction (because that's what I'm personally here for), but there's a lovely scene by the end when father comes to get wayward son, in a way that I was glad to see, because it shows that, yes, this relationship is a healthy one, for all that sometimes Thranduil was overprotective of his precious youngest son. (Even if I did kind of want him to actually drag Legolas home by the ear, this way was better.) There were some great moments any time Aragorn was on-screen, there was some neat OCs for Legolas' brothers (because I will always see him as the youngest of three kids, it explains a lot, imo), there's a good amount of resolution here, and it's a fun piece to read for Legolas' character! Don't let the wip status put you off, almost everything that needs being resolved is!
→ An Ada's Kiss by 17seconds, thranduil & legolas, ~1k
Little Legolas is hurt, but an Ada's kiss fixes everything.
This was short, but so very good for me, as the author shows the facets of both scary Elvenking and doting father, as seen through human eyes. I love both aspects, how genuinely unsettling he is and how the love is undeniable, both are good for my id, but it's in showing that it's not just one or the other the humans see, that they're not jagged edges jammed together, but instead both are entirely true of Thranduil, they're parts of a the greater whole. Yesss.
→ Where Fault Lies by Evergreene, aragorn & legolas & thranduil, humor, 2k
Aragorn believes that Legolas is at fault. Strangely, Legolas does not agree.
I cackled my way through this fic, let me tell you, because I am here for this so hard. Aragorn and Legolas return to Mirkwood bruised and battered, bantering the whole way, and each absolutely ready to sell the other out to a stone-faced Thranduil. Every part of this was a delight, especially what amazing dicks Aragorn and Legolas are to each other. Also Legolas' guileless face when speaking to his father, that spoiled rotten little shit is amazing. This is a great fic for my id and for when I needed a good laugh!
→ Growing Under Shadow by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 56.7k
Shadow continues to spread through the Woodland Realm Legolas gets his first adult bow.
I've been reading this fic over the last several days and then finally stayed up far too late last night to finish it because I could not put it down! It's everything I want from this fandom on an intellectual level and an idfic level! There's a mix of elflings being elflings and a plot happening, which come together in a really satisfying way and I enjoyed the author's notes/responses, as they shed light on the world-building and character insight, all of these things are as good as they always are in daw's stories! But where this fic went into high gear for me (as much fun as the plot with the Men and the Dwarves absolutely was, as much fun as the elflings learning to hunt was!) is when Legolas can't help doing things that will get him in trouble and it's so satisfying when he does!
This author's Thranduil is perfect, where he's very loving and caring and raises his children in joy, but his temper is not an idle threat, he's terrifying when furious. When Legolas is caught, it's so good for my id, because the author makes it clear that his fury comes from love, even if there is an edge of demanding respect as their father, in just the right mix. And it's always followed up by talking with Legolas and teaching him and loving him, so I'm just so completely done whenever I read a fic by this author, all the more so because it shapes the character I see in the canon, with all the good that he's had in his life. Just, such a good fic, ahhhh.
→ My Nauglamir by Jodlet, thranduil/legolas' mother & legolas & others, 24.1k
Thranduil had met her before, before he had travelled over the Misty Mountains with his father and joined the Silvan Elves. The oldest daughter of a high elf lord, who was an adviser if he remembered correctly to King Thingol, he'd stopped and stared when he'd first saw her. His father, Oropher, had laughed at him and given his shoulder a gentle shove - 'She would have you jump through hoops, my son.'
I admit, I skipped to chapter 4 in this fic, because that's when Legolas was added to the story and where my interest is at its highest. That still leaves half the fic to read and, oh, chapter 4 is PURE JOY as Legolas is an angel-faced little demon and Thranduil loves him all the more for what a precious little shit he is. The OC for Legolas' mother is lovely, she fits very well into the story, with a strong personality and yet never crowds out the canon characters, it's a great balance! There are loads of father & son bonding moments, as well as the fic spans the years up to the events of The Hobbit and was such an engrossing read this morning. If nothing else, chapter four is a MUST READ for me!
→ Paths Taken by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 35.7k
A practical joke goes wrong and Legolas and his oldest brother learn something about confidence and courage.
This is a direct follow up to Growing Under Shadow, which should probably be read first, but both are well, well worth the read! As someone who has a child in their life at about Legolas' maturity level, oh, this fic nailed that feeling of the transition process betwen child and adult, how it's like your sweet baby was replace by this little goblin monster who will just not listen. And this does not make Legolas bad, he is still recognizably himself, just... caught between growing up but not and adult yet, caught between an incredibly busy father and brothers and yet they are over-protective of him. He's also recovering from having been in trouble, but as teenagers are wont to do, they jump right back into it again!
The author does a gorgeous job of hitting my wants (Legolas getting in trouble and his father or older brothers finding out, danger lurking around corners that eventually strikes) with how everyone truly wants to help and understand each other, they all pull back and reassess when necessary, and that's so satisfying on an emotional level!
→ Hunting Ada by sheraiah, thranduil & legolas + brief oropher & thranduil, ~1k
The elven version of hide and seek in Mirkwood,
Short, less than a thousand words, but it's a fluffy and cute as shit game of hide and seek between elfling and father on a rainy day. It's pure sweetness with bonus Oropher and bb!Thranduil flashback, too!
→ Escape by fanged geranium, feanor & sons + most other important elves in valinor post-rotk + valar, humor, crack, 21.6k
Fëanor plots to escape from Mandos.
You don't know how much I love the Feanorians because of how they fuck things up for everyone, so a humor fic about how they finally talk their way out of Mandos' Halls (who is tired of dealing with them) is AMAZING, especially when it goes as well as any rational person would expect it to go. The amount of canon detail and characters that into into this fic are great, but my favorite is how batshit each of those seven shits is, in their own way. Whether beging ridiculous levels of stabby or just not being bothered by things that are terrible or just having an awful temper, they are all a delight. I cackled my way through this fic and I am happy what's here of it, because the Feanorians fucking everything up and people just flat-out leaving the room when seeing them is HILARIOUS.
→ Ready by Lomelindi, thranduil & legolas + thranduil & oropher, fluff, 3.8k
The passing of power from father to son is never an easy one. Angst and some shameless warm-fuzzy moments for Oropher, Thranduil and Legolas.
I picked the link for this fic up from mirkwoodfamily's recs and it's a lovely piece about readying a prince to take his father's place, about the contrasts and similarities between both. The situation Thranduil was in with Oropher is not the same as Legolas is with him, you see the differences, and yet also see why the connections are there, which is very well done! But it's Legolas' reaction and the clear and deep love between father and son that really shone here the most--so good!
→ The Three Hunters and the Elven King by JediSapphire, thranduil & legolas & aragorn & gimli & elladan & elrohir, humor, 7.5k
The War is won, Sauron has been defeated, and Legolas is finally returning home in the company of his friends. They have a furious Elven-king to face.
I read this early on in my fic reading for this fandom and yet I can't find any rec I wrote for it! Which is a shame because it's one that influenced what my heart really wants with these characters--a perfect balance of hilarity, genuine love, and also a legitimately scary Elvenking when he thinks anyone will harm his son. Aragorn's amusement and genuine fear, Gimli being all "ugh fuckin' elves" and yet legitimately wary, the twins just being flat-out terrified, and spoiled little shit Legolas? All pulled off beautiful and exactly what my fannish heart cries out for. It's a humor fic, but it also has a ton of heart that's absolutely wonderful!
→ The House of the Golden Flower by vericus, thranduil/oc & glorfindel & gil-galad, 42k
Those of the House were always noble. But Gondolin, and those who held loyal to it, were doomed first by Morgoth, and then the sons of Fëanor...
I initially picked this up for how a Thranduil & Glorfindel fic would go, my curiosity roused by the idea, but found that it was really just as much about the politics of Gil-Galad's court and about Thranduil/his future wife. It was an engrossing read the whole way through, from the mystery surrounding two unknown elves to the entirely satisfying reveals (even if it's obvious from the summary and what we know of Glorfindel's return, it's still entirely satisfying when you get there!), to the every day but surprisingly interesting lives of elves, especially a younger prince Thranduil (who is a Sinda, even if this fic calls him Silvan) in a Noldorin court, not quite a king yet, but you can see how he will be.
This rec is terribly boring, I know, but the fic was such a find recently, the writing so smooth and lovely, and the characters all sparkle. This is one of those OCs that I was genuinely fond of, she was special, but in the way that all the characters are, the writing does her justice--as it does with all of them. So many of them are such large figures, Glorfindel and Thranduil and Gil-Galad, so the fic does justice to that as well, that they're epic characters, even as I fell in love with them on a personal level. I really, really recommend this one a lot!
→ The Black Arrow by ziggy3, thranduil & smaug & legolas & gandalf & ocs, 19.6k
Thranduil enters the dragon's lair; it is not gold that he seeks, but something much more precious.
This is a fic about how the black arrow came to be back in Bard's family's possession and a story about an Elven King doing what he needed to for the good of everyone and it's so good a fic. My one caveat is that the last chapter is completely disconnected from the rest of the fic, it has no bearing on anything and was like it was from a completely different fic, to the point where I think it would have been better dropped off/the reader to skip it. Otherwise this was a fantastic piece about Thranduil going to see Smaug, the careful politics that kept everyone safe and things stable, right down to the precise and careful language used, where each word said was chosen with such care, in the way that does justice to the enormity of these characters. It was a fic about a king protecting and leading his people. It was about a loving father who had three strong-willed sons (and every mention of Legolas was perfect and spot on) and how Thranduil is brilliant and strong enough to keep all this together. There are moments of humor, moments of such love, moments of terror, but mostly this is a fic about what a great king and father Thranduil is. It's spot on for everything I wanted, ahhhhh.
→ Odd Reunion by Grey-Rain-Cloud, thranduil & legolas, fluff, ~1k
Seven of the Fellowship travel to Mirkwood, and six of them observe something they do not understand.
I am 100% here for scary Elveking rage fits over Legolas joining the Fellowship and how that phases everyone but the elf himself. Short and charmingly silly, I honestly smiled my way through the entire fic.
→ Watch This! by daw the minstrel, legolas & ocs, 2.5k
Little elves fight boredom with shields, a stairway, and a phrase dreaded by the parents of boychildren of all races.
I am absolutely weak to young elflings unable to help themselves from getting into trouble, especially when they're just so full of energy that they're practically bursting, so this fic was a joy in my soul. The adorable playfulness was charming and yet it still contributed bits of world-building and was clearly written in reference to that scene in the movie, making it a short but wonderful read!
→ Blessed by Ilúvatar by White Wolf1, thranduil, 3k
It has been many long years since an elfling was seen and heard in the halls of King Thranduil. Is that about to change?
A short piece on loss and love and joy and sorrow in Greenwood that I really enjoyed as a showpiece for how children can bright lives, as well as hot it just makes utter sense to me that Legolas is a youngest child and so joyful.
→ My Brother's Keeper by daw the minstrel, thranduil & legolas & ocs, 32.3k
An adolescent Legolas wrestles with decisions over how far his care for another should go.
daw's OCs are probably my favorite elven OCs (and in the running for overall favorite OCs) and I find them to be so well-crafted that they feel like canon characters, especially Legolas' brothers, they're perfect. This fic was one of those that I can barely convey how satisfying it was for me, how it hit my idfic wants (young Legolas being a good-hearted trouble magnet and his father's loving but firm hand with him, oh, it's so good) but was also fantastic for how it relied on misunderstandings that I believed. Legolas is young yet, so he's not told everything about what his brother is doing and he wants to protect his brother, so he says nothing, either. No one is overly dumb, but instead their choices are all understandable and came from caring, so it makes it all the more satisfying to read!
The balance of canon and original characters is perfect, I was never far away from Legolas or Thranduil being in a scene, even as I was legitimately interested in the brothers' stories, too. The way these are elves is also perfect, and, oh, when Legolas gets in over his head and gets caught, it's so perfect there, too. As is Thranduil's reactions when talking to him afterwards! This is an Elvenking who is scary when he's furious, but there is zero doubt that he loves his children more than anything. This was such a satisfying and genuinely good read, the author has such care and thought put into everyone and everything.
→ The Life & Times of Greenwood the Great by Adere, thranduil & elrond & gil-galad & celebrimbor & others & ocs, 107k wip
He raised a crown weaved of the vine and autumn leaves and placed it on the king's head. "You will be our King," he said softly, "King of Greenwood the Great."
I admit, by the last third or so of this fic, it had lost a lot of steam and Thranduil was too special with too many powers. But the first 70k or so were absolutely fantastic and some of the best fic I've read in this fandom! It's an AU where the Silvan elves ask a Sinda from Gil-Galad's court to unite them and be their king, the fic being about their journey to establish their kingdom and how engrossing a read it was. The sheer amount of personality in Thranduil and these elves, that you can see why they chose him, you can see the great king he turns into step by step, each situation that he prepares for and yet has to handle the surprises that come along, all of it being immensely satisfying.
It's a long story, so there are many events in it, the span of the story is years (at least half a century, if not a lot more), I really felt that scope and the way elves measure time (and how they don't measure time, too). It's a world-building kind of story that puts all the necessary effort in, so that watching them figure out where they're going to have their kingdom, watching the crowing ceremony, watching their perilous journey to their new home, all of it is legitimately interesting to read. The early scenes are really sharp and you feel the steel and fire in Thranduil's character, yet you understand how much of a loving elf he is at the same time, so you get why they asked him to lead them, you get why this is a kindgom that you know will last a very long time. All of it is just a great read!
→ ...No Matter How Tall by MissFaust, thranduil & legolas & oc, 2.3k
Thranduil is the King of the Woodland Realm, he has fought in the Battle of Dagorlad, has faced orcs and spiders. He is a redoubtable warrior and a respected negotiator. But to tell a tiny elfling "no" might prove to be out of his league. Alas, he must, he must!
Spoiled, precious elfling Legolas is my favorite thing, where he is nearly impossible to resist and has a good idea of it! So, it's both completely understandable and completely hilarious when he wants an oliphaunt because he was promised a reward. and it's hard (or almost impossible) to say no to him. He's such a good-hearted child and so love and his parents are so perfect that this was just a complete joy to read.
→ The Origin of the Swag Stag by ladydragon76, thranduil & legolas, 1.8k
When Legolas rescues a young fawn from the spiders, he can’t possibly just abandon it alone in the woods.
A short, but adorable story of Legolas getting lost in the woods, finding a Great Elk fawn and just having to help it when it's in trouble. It's all my favorite things--bb!Legolas being adorable, his family worried over him, exasperated at his well intentioned antics, and warm-heartedness all around!
→ Celeborn's Gift by Karri, Celeborn & Legolas, 1k
Celeborn gives Legolas a gift.
I admit that I nearly turned around at the author's notes (despite that I didn't want it to be slash, either), because that attitude prickles at me, but I know that fandom was something of a different place ten or more years ago. And I otherwise enjoyed this fic so much, as it's a gorgeous piece about Legolas' arrows and the history of elves and the connections between these two Sindar elves. I love the idea of Celeborn giving Legolas this gift, why these two would have this connection and what the gift meant, as Thranduil had lived through Doriath. Lovely, lovely piece!
TOTAL GOAL: 170/1,200
This entry was originally posted at http://tomomichi.dreamwidth.org/215660.html. I'm fine with comments here or there, whichever. :D