It's technically the 13th, but I haven't gone to bed yet, so I'm calling this the post for the 12th....
And it's about one of my all-time favorite FanFiction authors, Thundera Tiger. She (although it might be a he) is an incredibly versatile author, but her many stories have one common denominator: they're all phenomenally well-written, gripping, and all-around wonderful.
In the mood for humor? Try "With Many Fond Acknowledgements", which gives you Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas' takes on the Red Book of Westmarch. Or if you're looking for something longer, check out "When the Ring Went South," a gapfiller that takes place after the Fellowship has left Rivendell but before they arrive at Caradhras.
If you're in a contemplative mood, read "The Day After" and "The Day Before", musings by Gimli and Legolas respectively about time and the nature of their friendship. They're real tearjerkers.
Finally, I would like to recommend a timely story that has to do with the Hobbit. Ever wonder where Gimli was during "The Hobbit"? Find out by reading "Questing"!
The best part is that Thundera Tiger has written over 50 stories on various subjects, so you'll never run out! Enjoy, my friends!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
4 Days: Ten Minutes of Manflesh Madness
The Lord of the Rings movie franchise has spawned innumerable Youtube videos poking fun of it. Whether it's "Boromir's Retarded Idea" or "How the Lord of the Rings should have ended", there are always fans ready to make the rest of us laugh at the expense of our favorite characters.
But today's post is about a special class of parody, one that is simultaneously extremely funny and incredibly annoying. I'm talking, of course, about people who take a few seconds of one of the Lord of the Rings movies and turn it into something else.
"Ten Minutes of Manflesh Madness" is the same seven-second clip on repeat for 10 minutes -- hilarious!
For the stronger of heart, there's always "They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard", which is secretly really catchy, although I've never met anyone who has made it through all ten hours!
There are buckets more of these silly, sometimes stupid, videos. If you like this kind of stuff, shoot me a message or leave a comment and I will do another post about them. But for now, this will have to suffice.
But today's post is about a special class of parody, one that is simultaneously extremely funny and incredibly annoying. I'm talking, of course, about people who take a few seconds of one of the Lord of the Rings movies and turn it into something else.
"Ten Minutes of Manflesh Madness" is the same seven-second clip on repeat for 10 minutes -- hilarious!
For the stronger of heart, there's always "They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard", which is secretly really catchy, although I've never met anyone who has made it through all ten hours!
There are buckets more of these silly, sometimes stupid, videos. If you like this kind of stuff, shoot me a message or leave a comment and I will do another post about them. But for now, this will have to suffice.
Monday, December 10, 2012
5 Days: Nili
Ever wonder what life was like for Aragorn growing up among elves? Had he met Legolas before the Fellowship was formed? One enterprising fanfiction author, Nili, has endeavored to bring us the missing chapters of Aragorn's childhood, in a series of suspenseful, dramatic, and fun stories about the adventures of Aragorn, Legolas, Elladan, and Elrohir.
Nili has completed 7 stories in her universe and is working on an 8th. Each of the stories follows the same basic format: Aragorn and his friends get into some mischief, are subject to torture, and just when all hope seems lost manage to save the situation. The stories are highly entertaining but they are also rather long, and they get repetitive if you read them all in a row. The characters are sometimes OOC, but I can't bring myself to mind the fact that the author has made the normally staid elves as carefree and fun-loving as children. That is, after all, how Tolkien describes them.
Another strong point of this series is that it fleshes out the personalities of some important elves that are barely mentioned in Lord of the Rings -- Glorfindel, Thranduil, and Erestor. Not to mention Elladan and Elrohir! This really is a fantastic set, and I have them listed in chronological order below, along with the story description from FF.net.
Nili has completed 7 stories in her universe and is working on an 8th. Each of the stories follows the same basic format: Aragorn and his friends get into some mischief, are subject to torture, and just when all hope seems lost manage to save the situation. The stories are highly entertaining but they are also rather long, and they get repetitive if you read them all in a row. The characters are sometimes OOC, but I can't bring myself to mind the fact that the author has made the normally staid elves as carefree and fun-loving as children. That is, after all, how Tolkien describes them.
Another strong point of this series is that it fleshes out the personalities of some important elves that are barely mentioned in Lord of the Rings -- Glorfindel, Thranduil, and Erestor. Not to mention Elladan and Elrohir! This really is a fantastic set, and I have them listed in chronological order below, along with the story description from FF.net.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
6 Days: The Littlest Orc
There and Back Again: A Little Orc's Tale is a fan-made black-and-white movie about a missing scene in the book. The movie is adorable, short, and features some old favorites as well as some exciting new characters!
Actually, it's really just a cute little thing where all of the characters are totally OOC (out of character) but somehow it's the better for it. I won't give you a description because the movie is too short to do so without giving away the whole thing, but I will say that two of our heroes meet and unexpected friend in the woods.
I hope you all enjoy this great short film!
Actually, it's really just a cute little thing where all of the characters are totally OOC (out of character) but somehow it's the better for it. I won't give you a description because the movie is too short to do so without giving away the whole thing, but I will say that two of our heroes meet and unexpected friend in the woods.
I hope you all enjoy this great short film!
1 Week (Late!): Rankin Bass' "Return of the King"
I have to preface this post by apologizing for putting it up a day late, and qualifying that even though this blog is for fan production only, I'm making an exception today for "The Return of the King," produced by Rankin Bass in 1980.
First, let's take a look at the movie poster:
So there's a dragon... wierd
There are some random dwarves... what?
And two hobbits are riding a horse at the head of an army... ... ...
So it's not a particularly good movie, nor one that is particularly faithful to the book, but it has an absolutely wonderful soundtrack. Absolutely wonderful. It features songs like "Where there's a whip, there's a way" that anyone who's ever been to school/had a job can relate to. Never mind that it's not one of the many wonderful songs that Tolkien wrote. Nor is this catchy song about the Towers of the Teeth.
Unfortunately, the full movie is no longer available online. Someone has been systematically taking down every illegally uploaded version of this movie as well as the Ralph Bakshi version of Lord of the Rings. But I'm sure that you can find it on a torrent, if not at your local library.
Watch this movie if you enjoy some catchy tunes and a kitschy interpretation of the last couple scenes in Lord of the Rings... don't expect a good movie that is faithful to the book!
First, let's take a look at the movie poster:
There are some random dwarves... what?
And two hobbits are riding a horse at the head of an army... ... ...
So it's not a particularly good movie, nor one that is particularly faithful to the book, but it has an absolutely wonderful soundtrack. Absolutely wonderful. It features songs like "Where there's a whip, there's a way" that anyone who's ever been to school/had a job can relate to. Never mind that it's not one of the many wonderful songs that Tolkien wrote. Nor is this catchy song about the Towers of the Teeth.
Unfortunately, the full movie is no longer available online. Someone has been systematically taking down every illegally uploaded version of this movie as well as the Ralph Bakshi version of Lord of the Rings. But I'm sure that you can find it on a torrent, if not at your local library.
Watch this movie if you enjoy some catchy tunes and a kitschy interpretation of the last couple scenes in Lord of the Rings... don't expect a good movie that is faithful to the book!
Friday, December 7, 2012
8 Days: Where the Grass Grows Green
"Where the Grass Grows Green" is a fanfiction series that promises to approach the epic proportions of Tolkien's own work. Although only 1 1/2 books of the projected six have been written, Ragnelle, the author, is steadily working her way through these wonderful masterpieces.
The basic premise to this series is that Sam killed Gollum before the quest was completed; therefore, Sauron was able to defeat the armies of the West and all of Middle Earth is currently under his tyranny. All of it? No! for a small company of "Faithful" remain at work in the shadows, ever attempting to foil the enemies plans...
Accordingly, the first book in the series follows the actions of Eomer, who manages to escape the Battle of the Morannon. The book takes place ten years after this battle. At the risk of telling too much, We May Yet Stand chronicles his journey to Minas Tirith with several other Faithful in a desperate bid to free.....
The first book ends on a terrible cliff hanger and the second book, On Bended Knee, is a work in progress. I won't even give you a hint of what it's about because that might risk shattering the suspense of Book I, but it's dark, thrilling, and beautiful all at the same time.
In addition to the wonderfully crafted storyline, Ragnelle has a way with words that makes her writing extremely enjoyable. Her tone is similar to Tolkien's without slavishly imitating his writing, and she does it well, unlike many other FanFiction authors. The only downside is that chapters are posted at the rate of one per month, which means the wait between chapters is nigh-on unbearable!
The basic premise to this series is that Sam killed Gollum before the quest was completed; therefore, Sauron was able to defeat the armies of the West and all of Middle Earth is currently under his tyranny. All of it? No! for a small company of "Faithful" remain at work in the shadows, ever attempting to foil the enemies plans...
Accordingly, the first book in the series follows the actions of Eomer, who manages to escape the Battle of the Morannon. The book takes place ten years after this battle. At the risk of telling too much, We May Yet Stand chronicles his journey to Minas Tirith with several other Faithful in a desperate bid to free.....
The first book ends on a terrible cliff hanger and the second book, On Bended Knee, is a work in progress. I won't even give you a hint of what it's about because that might risk shattering the suspense of Book I, but it's dark, thrilling, and beautiful all at the same time.
In addition to the wonderfully crafted storyline, Ragnelle has a way with words that makes her writing extremely enjoyable. Her tone is similar to Tolkien's without slavishly imitating his writing, and she does it well, unlike many other FanFiction authors. The only downside is that chapters are posted at the rate of one per month, which means the wait between chapters is nigh-on unbearable!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
9 Days: The Music of Colin Rudd
With only nine days until the Hobbit comes out on the big screen, I'm showcasing the talents of Colin Rudd. I know nothing about this man except that he likes geeky things and has set many of Tolkien's beautiful songs and poems to music. My personal favorite is his rendition of the Song of Durin. I love this song in the book too, when Gimli sings it to Frodo outside of Moria, but this man really brings it to life.
Rudd's Lament for Boromir is also worth checking out, as well as the ever-popular Lay of Leithian.
Judging by the number of subscribers this man has, he's a pretty popular frood and when you hear his covers of various popular songs you can easily see why!
Rudd's Lament for Boromir is also worth checking out, as well as the ever-popular Lay of Leithian.
Judging by the number of subscribers this man has, he's a pretty popular frood and when you hear his covers of various popular songs you can easily see why!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
10 Days: Tolkien-verse Family Tree
So you already know that Tolkien's work is a lot more than just Lord of the Rings/the Hobbit... but if you've tried to read the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Children of Hurin, etc. you'll know that there are a LOT of names to keep straight. Which is why today's post is dedicated to a massive internet project called "A Genealogy of Middle Earth". The enterprising creator of this website has created a huge family tree that links all of the character that Tolkien writes about. And when I say all the characters I mean elves, dwarves, hobbits, men, and others. You can search different characters, and when you click on their name it gives you more information.
Mind.
Is.
Blown.
There's also an interactive map and a timeline that goes all the way back to the First Age. This is candy land for Tolkien fans! Follow the link and go wild, my friends!
P.S. Anyone else see TV Spot 10? Jackson better have a DAMN good reason for why Galadriel was caressing Gandalf. The mere thought of all the bida' in that gesture makes me queasy...
P.S. Anyone else see TV Spot 10? Jackson better have a DAMN good reason for why Galadriel was caressing Gandalf. The mere thought of all the bida' in that gesture makes me queasy...
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
And a bonus from Peter Jackson...
... They released six minutes' worth of footage from the Hobbit, including the scene where Elrond gives the history of Thorin and Gandalfs' swords! Although I'm super excited about this sneak peek, I was disappointed that the directors didn't take the chance to give some first and second age history.
Did anyone else watching this notice that the scream of the goblin who gets pushed off of the walkway is the same scream as the elf who falls off of the walls of Helm's Deep in the second movie? I have a feeling there are going to be lots of moments like this in the movie!
Released footage
Also, don't forget to check out the Colbert report this week! He's doing a special Hobbit-themed week because it turns out that Colbert is a super Tolkien fan. Check out this interview, where he completely pwns James Franco, a self-proclaimed Lord of the Rings fan.
I'm only including this here because Colbert is a fan so arguably if he has a segment about The Hobbit, it's still fan-based! And because it's awesome and I wanted to share :) And because it's finals and I don't feel like doing work right now...
Did anyone else watching this notice that the scream of the goblin who gets pushed off of the walkway is the same scream as the elf who falls off of the walls of Helm's Deep in the second movie? I have a feeling there are going to be lots of moments like this in the movie!
Released footage
Also, don't forget to check out the Colbert report this week! He's doing a special Hobbit-themed week because it turns out that Colbert is a super Tolkien fan. Check out this interview, where he completely pwns James Franco, a self-proclaimed Lord of the Rings fan.
I'm only including this here because Colbert is a fan so arguably if he has a segment about The Hobbit, it's still fan-based! And because it's awesome and I wanted to share :) And because it's finals and I don't feel like doing work right now...
11 Days: Ranger
Whether you're the hugest Tolkien geek on the planet or one of those "only seen the movie" people, you will definitely have heard the tale of Beren and Luthien. It's a central aspect of Tolkien's world, and one of his most beautiful stories. In a quick summary that doesn't even begin to do the tale justice:
Beren is a mortal man of noble birth who comes upon Luthien, the daughter of the Elven king Thingol and the most beautiful woman in the world dancing in the woods. They fall in love but when her father, who hates men, learns about this romance he tells Beren that he can only marry Luthien if he recovers one of the Silmarils in Morgoth's crown. Beren and Luthien together manage to steal the Silmaril, but Beren loses the jewel and the hand that held it to the wolf of Angband, Carcharoth, while they are escaping. The two return to Thingol who gives them his blessing, but shortly after Beren is slain by the wolf. Luthien dies of grief not long after, but she is so beautiful and persuasive that the Valar allow her and Beren to return to Arda and live happily for a little while before they both die as mortals for good.
If you want the full tale, Tolkien has a chapter about them in "The Silmarillion", which is available online.
The movie I'm reviewing today is a fan-made spinoff of the tale of Beren and Luthien. It is charming and well-made, though of necessity it cuts out most of the story. Unfortunately, this includes some of the best parts. Huan and Finrod are completely left out, as is Melian, and Luthien doesn't accompany Beren on his quest to redeem the Silmaril, which is in this case a jewel stolen by a dragon. Nonetheless, it is a fun, short film, and a great look at one of the most important parts of Tolkien's work that is rarely given its due.
Ranger, on Youtube
Monday, December 3, 2012
12 Days: The Last Grey Ship
So after yesterday's depressing entry, I'm going to hit you with an equally depressing one! But it is Monday, after all...
The Last Grey Ship is another MEFA award winner (2004), but this three-chapter fic by ErinRua is cannon-compliant. It explores Gimli and Legolas' reaction to Aragorn's death, and Gimli's decision to sail to Westernesse with Legolas. It's an incredibly beautiful story, a real tear-jerker, and less than 10,000 words long.
Another fic in this vein is Beyond this World (MEFA winner 2005), written by the excellent author Thundera Tiger -- there will be more on her in a later post. For now, just know that Beyond this World gives us a glimpse of Legolas and Gimli's life on the hither shore, and tells the story of a friendship that can never be broken. Sweet, right?
I hope you take the little bit of time to read these stories -- they are truly worth it! And if you don't have time for the stories... Peter Jackson just posted a new Hobbit TV spot on the facebook page in which we see Smaug and Dol Guldur at last! Along with something that looks like... the War between Dwarves and Orcs? The Battle of Azanulbizar? I'm curious to see how they're going to work that one in, considering it happened 150 years before "The Hobbit"!
The Last Grey Ship is another MEFA award winner (2004), but this three-chapter fic by ErinRua is cannon-compliant. It explores Gimli and Legolas' reaction to Aragorn's death, and Gimli's decision to sail to Westernesse with Legolas. It's an incredibly beautiful story, a real tear-jerker, and less than 10,000 words long.
Another fic in this vein is Beyond this World (MEFA winner 2005), written by the excellent author Thundera Tiger -- there will be more on her in a later post. For now, just know that Beyond this World gives us a glimpse of Legolas and Gimli's life on the hither shore, and tells the story of a friendship that can never be broken. Sweet, right?
I hope you take the little bit of time to read these stories -- they are truly worth it! And if you don't have time for the stories... Peter Jackson just posted a new Hobbit TV spot on the facebook page in which we see Smaug and Dol Guldur at last! Along with something that looks like... the War between Dwarves and Orcs? The Battle of Azanulbizar? I'm curious to see how they're going to work that one in, considering it happened 150 years before "The Hobbit"!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
13 Days: Lie Down in the Darkness, Rise up from the Ash
Lie Down in Darkness is a alternate-universe fanfiction that seeks to answer the question: what if Gollum had been killed before the events of Lord of the Rings ever happened? Starting with the council of Elrond, this fic retells the story of LOTR, with a very dark cast. It's worth reading for anyone curious about what could have been who also has a very high tolerance for depressing content. Some very beloved characters, whose names I will not reveal, meet unfortunate and untimely deaths.
Another warning: this story is extremely long: 280,00 words. To put things into perspective, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix only had 250,000 words. I won't divulge the circumstances under which I had that much time to spend reading fanfiction, but suffice it to say, it was well worth the investment :)
Incidentally, I discovered this fic through the Middle Earth Fanfiction Awards archive. These awards honored the "best" Middle Earth fanfiction writing every year from 2004 to 2011; they were discontinued this year after what seems to be a series of heated arguments about rating systems.
The story, which you can find at the link below, is posted at Henneth Annun, which is a great source for Lord of the Rings Fanfiction. However, I find that its format is unwieldy, so I tend to stick to the tried-and-true fanfiction.net if at all possible.
Lie Down in the Darkness, Rise up from the Ashes
For a shorter (3,000 words), equally dark AU fic from the MEFAs, check out Worth, which received first place in the Alternate Universe category. As the author puts it, "bad things happen to good hobbits"
Another warning: this story is extremely long: 280,00 words. To put things into perspective, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix only had 250,000 words. I won't divulge the circumstances under which I had that much time to spend reading fanfiction, but suffice it to say, it was well worth the investment :)
Incidentally, I discovered this fic through the Middle Earth Fanfiction Awards archive. These awards honored the "best" Middle Earth fanfiction writing every year from 2004 to 2011; they were discontinued this year after what seems to be a series of heated arguments about rating systems.
The story, which you can find at the link below, is posted at Henneth Annun, which is a great source for Lord of the Rings Fanfiction. However, I find that its format is unwieldy, so I tend to stick to the tried-and-true fanfiction.net if at all possible.
Lie Down in the Darkness, Rise up from the Ashes
For a shorter (3,000 words), equally dark AU fic from the MEFAs, check out Worth, which received first place in the Alternate Universe category. As the author puts it, "bad things happen to good hobbits"
Saturday, December 1, 2012
2 Weeks: Born of Hope & The Hunt for Gollum
These are two fan-made movies produced by Kate Madison; both tell stories that are mentioned in the books, but they take place in the movie-verse.
Born of Hope tells the story of Aragorn's father and the rangers of Arnor. It is a full-length movie, clocking in at 1 hour and 11 minutes! Although the movie can be a bit slow and melodramatic, it's still a great excursion into Middle Earth; some of the fight scenes are particularly good. My favorite part is without a doubt the arrival of Elladan and Elrohir, who are completely neglected in Peter Jackson's movies.
The Hunt for Gollum is a shorter movie (about 40 minutes) that tells the story of Aragorn's search for Gollum. Although the story is mentioned in the books, it is never fully described, and Madison takes many creative liberties with the story. Most notorious among these is the appearance of a Ringwraith and Aragon's solo stand against it. Plausible? No. Entertaining? Rather.
Neither of these movies are as engrossing as the books, but they are incredibly well made for independent films, and they provide welcome relief to Tolkien fans who want more. Both of the movies are available for free on YouTube, and the links are below.
Enjoy!
Born of Hope
The Hunt for Gollum
Born of Hope tells the story of Aragorn's father and the rangers of Arnor. It is a full-length movie, clocking in at 1 hour and 11 minutes! Although the movie can be a bit slow and melodramatic, it's still a great excursion into Middle Earth; some of the fight scenes are particularly good. My favorite part is without a doubt the arrival of Elladan and Elrohir, who are completely neglected in Peter Jackson's movies.
The Hunt for Gollum is a shorter movie (about 40 minutes) that tells the story of Aragorn's search for Gollum. Although the story is mentioned in the books, it is never fully described, and Madison takes many creative liberties with the story. Most notorious among these is the appearance of a Ringwraith and Aragon's solo stand against it. Plausible? No. Entertaining? Rather.
Neither of these movies are as engrossing as the books, but they are incredibly well made for independent films, and they provide welcome relief to Tolkien fans who want more. Both of the movies are available for free on YouTube, and the links are below.
Enjoy!
Born of Hope
The Hunt for Gollum
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)