one of the best LOTR fics ever written
Jun. 25th, 2009 08:27 pmNow, I don't make fic rec posts very often. So when I do, you better believe it's something truly special.:) This story was recommended to me by ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ana_lib_elf, back when we met for the Yaoi Con in San Francisco in October'07. It was an unfinished WIP at that time, and I didn't start reading right away, because I have a love/hate relationship with unfinished WIPs.;) But finally curiosity won over, and I clicked on the link to the first chapter. And it pulled me in with enough force to leave me breathless.
It is a massive, novel-length fic (60 big chapters) - but still, I caught up pretty quickly to a nasty cliffhanger and then had to wait for another update, biting my nails raw in the process.;) Therefore, I decided to spare anyone the frustration and not rec it until it was finished. Which it is. As of this week.
So, without futher ado, I heartily recommend This Present Darkness by Lamiel. Here's the link:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2057806/1/
It is SERIOUS angst, people. And yes, bad things happen to Legolas. As bad as you can imagine, and probably worse. Incidentally, this must be the first time I have ever recced a major elf-abuse fic - I usually tend to avoid those, because, well... elf-abuse is WRONG.:P But this should only tell you how unbelievably good this story is.
I should also probably indicate that it is NOT a slash story. Another surprise from me, I guess - but ultimately, it is the quality of the writing that matters to me above anything else. It is a story about friendship, and love - and how the two aren't really that far apart from each other. It is also about betrayal and atonement, about the dark secrets of the human mind and the astonishing power - as well as vulnerability - of an elven spirit. The main pairing in the fic is Aragorn/Arwen, but Aragorn and Legolas are the most prominent characters throughout. Other heavily featured personas include Gimli, Faramir, Imrahil, a fiercely magnificent Thranduil and a thoroughly evil - though still quite realistic - OC villain that you will simply LOVE to hate.;) All the characters, no matter how minor, will jump out of the page in vivid colors, giving you more of an insight into their souls than Tolkien himself ever did. Especially the differences between human and elven psyche are explored in great depth - which I found absolutely fascinating.
And just one final note: Aragorn is NOT a villain in this story, even if it may seem so at the beginning. I just feel I need to say this, because I don't think I could have handled reading the whole thing through if he was - and I certainly wouldn't have had the heart to rec it, no matter how magnificently written. So I assure you that all the personalities in the fic are canon - just subjected to more psychoanalysis than some of them would care about, lol (especially Gimli, I presume).
Anyway... heed the warnings, kindly provided with every chapter - but otherwise enjoy some top quality fiction from an author who handles her characterizations, plot development and linguistic issues like a pro. Now, if only she wrote some happy slash... *wistful sigh*
ana_lib_elf, back when we met for the Yaoi Con in San Francisco in October'07. It was an unfinished WIP at that time, and I didn't start reading right away, because I have a love/hate relationship with unfinished WIPs.;) But finally curiosity won over, and I clicked on the link to the first chapter. And it pulled me in with enough force to leave me breathless.It is a massive, novel-length fic (60 big chapters) - but still, I caught up pretty quickly to a nasty cliffhanger and then had to wait for another update, biting my nails raw in the process.;) Therefore, I decided to spare anyone the frustration and not rec it until it was finished. Which it is. As of this week.
So, without futher ado, I heartily recommend This Present Darkness by Lamiel. Here's the link:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2057806/1/
It is SERIOUS angst, people. And yes, bad things happen to Legolas. As bad as you can imagine, and probably worse. Incidentally, this must be the first time I have ever recced a major elf-abuse fic - I usually tend to avoid those, because, well... elf-abuse is WRONG.:P But this should only tell you how unbelievably good this story is.
I should also probably indicate that it is NOT a slash story. Another surprise from me, I guess - but ultimately, it is the quality of the writing that matters to me above anything else. It is a story about friendship, and love - and how the two aren't really that far apart from each other. It is also about betrayal and atonement, about the dark secrets of the human mind and the astonishing power - as well as vulnerability - of an elven spirit. The main pairing in the fic is Aragorn/Arwen, but Aragorn and Legolas are the most prominent characters throughout. Other heavily featured personas include Gimli, Faramir, Imrahil, a fiercely magnificent Thranduil and a thoroughly evil - though still quite realistic - OC villain that you will simply LOVE to hate.;) All the characters, no matter how minor, will jump out of the page in vivid colors, giving you more of an insight into their souls than Tolkien himself ever did. Especially the differences between human and elven psyche are explored in great depth - which I found absolutely fascinating.
And just one final note: Aragorn is NOT a villain in this story, even if it may seem so at the beginning. I just feel I need to say this, because I don't think I could have handled reading the whole thing through if he was - and I certainly wouldn't have had the heart to rec it, no matter how magnificently written. So I assure you that all the personalities in the fic are canon - just subjected to more psychoanalysis than some of them would care about, lol (especially Gimli, I presume).
Anyway... heed the warnings, kindly provided with every chapter - but otherwise enjoy some top quality fiction from an author who handles her characterizations, plot development and linguistic issues like a pro. Now, if only she wrote some happy slash... *wistful sigh*
