Cultus Dispatches: "The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far)
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data for 2025 shows that "The Rings of Power" TV series has not had the same impact on the fandom as the film trilogies did ... so far.
Founded in 2005, the Silmarillion Writers' Guild exists for discussions of and creative fanworks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and related texts. We are a positive-focused and open-minded space that welcomes fans from all over the world and with all levels of experience with Tolkien's works. Whether you are picking up Tolkien's books for the first time or have been a fan for decades, we welcome you to join us!
Cultus Dispatches: "The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far)
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data for 2025 shows that "The Rings of Power" TV series has not had the same impact on the fandom as the film trilogies did ... so far.
New Challenge: Building Middle-earth
Let global architecture be your inspiration in this challenge, where you will work with a prompts that are architectural styles, locations in Arda, or both.
Cultus Dispatches: Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey
Ten years of demographic data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey show consistencies in who reads and writes fanfiction, as well as a few key demographic shifts.
New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
[Writing] Wound Care by StarSpray
He’d ventured into the little fishing village in search of food and maybe a dry place to sleep for a night of rain and wind—he hadn’t expected this, to be bullied into a hot meal and a healer’s attention.
[Writing] Swelling from the Sea by annarobots
Tuor and Elwing’s recreational sailing excursion goes terribly awry when a carnivorous siren casts her gaze upon their vessel. With her song, she enchants the mariners and boards with evil intent. She kills and eats their crewman, she demands Tuor’s hand in marriage, and for dessert…
[Writing] A Song Amidst His Torment by Elrond's Library
Of course it was a trap.
Maitimo has to survive. He must. But what price is too high to pay for survival?
[Writing] The Mirror Crack'd by AdmirableMonster
Rescued from a brutal Angband hunt, an ex-thrall with a strange and powerful artifact embedded in his spine is brought to Himring, for it is one of the only places in Beleriand which welcomes such folk. Though he has no memories of his life before, Anniavas slowly becomes accustomed to his new…
[Writing] From That Rubble by StarSpray
Fëanor shrugged, studying the contents of his wine glass. “Something must be done about that house. It will fall down eventually.”
“It does not follow that it must be you that tears it down single-handedly. Are you sure you do not want help?”
“It’s not as though I…
[Writing] One Flesh, One Soul. Part I by FellFireFan
As beautiful as he is dangerous, Aegnor, an elven prince, stands against the looming shadows of Angband. Brother to Galadriel, he commands the siege with a fierce intensity, a duty that exacts a heavy toll on him. But beneath the iron walls he has built lies a broken soul, haunted by a…
[Reference] "The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far) by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies mark perhaps the most influential events in the history of the Tolkien fanfiction fandom. As the Rings of Power show approaches its third season, data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows that it is not even close to…
Building Middle-earth
Receive a prompt of an architectural style or a location on Arda—or both!—to inspire your fanworks. Read more ...
Dip the Ladle
Tolkien had many tales, places, and artists who inspired his work. For this challenge, prompts invite creating a fanwork using one of Tolkien's influences. Read more ...
"The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far) by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies mark perhaps the most influential events in the history of the Tolkien fanfiction fandom. As the Rings of Power show approaches its third season, data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows that it is not even close to matching the impact of the films ... yet.
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Expanding on my 2018 article "Why People Don't Comment," comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
[Writing] Down the Long Years by Isilme_among_the_stars
Bilbo, the strange old hobbit with the wandering feet, senses something special in young Frodo the first time he sees the lad; as they become close, they find in each other a cameraderie not well understood by other hobbits. Five poignant moments between Bilbo and Frodo Baggins over the course…
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
Out of the shadow, light is born anew.
A Chieftain is dead. And whilst the events surrounding his death are unclear, a son tries to come to terms with his loss.
Innumerable Stars 2026
A character-based Tolkien fandom gift exchange is returning for another year of gifting.
Silvergifting Week 2026
A week dedicated to Celebrimbor/Mairon | Annatar | Sauron pairing, aka Silvergifting. August 10-16, 2026
Oh, this was so beautiful! Not only that, so utterly romantic as well. Itare just brief touches upon her life and yet they tell so much. Even though this piece mainly breathes Haleth and her decisions, I love the way how Caranthir show through here as well:
Writing a letter to his brother that contained all that he wanted to say, then rewriting the letter with what he was permitted to say and burning the first.
or
Neither looked at the other: He gazed at the stars and she upon his black-clad shoulder.
No longer did anything stand between them and the stars.
Okay, I shall stop here, I loved this a lot! Btw, the ë's in Fëanorians are not displayed correctly, just fyi.
Hi, Rhapsy!
Thank you, thank you! I\'m glad that it worked. It was an eensy bit experimental, going backward in the story, but I do like ficlet series; they\'re fun to write and usually seem to work for me. Of course, what works in my head could seem completely crazy to someone else. ;)
I\'m glad that you noted those lines; they were some of my favorites as I was writing this, but it often seems that what I like best in stories, no one else does! :)
On the umlauts ... I\'m at work and working through a circumventor (since Websense has out site blocked as ... web hosting? >_<) and special characters sometimes don\'t display correctly through the circumventor. But the umlauts are showing up fine in your review, and I checked Doc Bushwell\'s story, and they\'re working there too. Do you recall where particularly you noticed the problem?
Anyway, enough business talk! Thank you again for the review. *hugs*
I like your idea very much. It most certainly works, and I like the way you've brought the series full circle as the first and the last one present a young girl and an old, wise woman. This way, I think, you've given the story more significance.
I like Caranthir here too. He speaks when it's necessary, and as many words as he thinks are needed, and I'm yet again contemplating the fate of the Eldar and Edain. Ah well... :)
Thank you for sharing. Lovely series.
You ripped my heart out with this one. The moving backwards certainly did work. When I got to the end and read the line, "Those are not our sort, girl," you had really finished the job. You made me fall in love with Caranthir too. I agree with Rhapsody's remark that one of the best lines is about Caranthir writing a letter and burning it. Hooray, for fanfic! I loved your segment that included Maedhros (of course, he isn't cursed to me, only doomed or fated, but that is my craziness and has nothing to do with Haleth's opinion or this story).
In two of those odd coincidences that seem to happen to me in relationship to youi, I was reading about Haleth for my upcoming bio, when I took a break to read this, and only a short while earlier had written a segment in my Maitimo/Findekano saga, in which Maitimo asks Findekano, "Am I cursed?"
Wonderful story. I enjoyed it so much.
I'm a horrible person. I actually read this as soon as you posted it, but didn't so much as leave a *squee* or a thank you. But you can believe me, I did squee. When I found it, and several time while reading through it. This story works soo well on soo many levels. I especially love the "circular" structure because that's something I particularly enjoy, be it in writing or in movies (I just recently realized that the Fiery Chasm scene with Sam and Frodo in LotR is edited in the very same way as the one with Elrond and Isildur - that made me squee, too - yes, I'm strange). Also, the idea to tell the story backwards is GREAT!
But I'm telling you, this right here...
Sleeping in his vast bed, naked under furs
... is highly unfair. I'm supposed to write 100 pages of scientific work here and you tempt me with naked Noldor! I'm not so sure if I want to be friends with you anymore. ;-P
Also, I've especially liked drabble IV. It's funny, but I've written quite a similar scene (a conversation of Maedros with Haleth) that was planned as some kind of AU to WRU. I've thought of putting it into the revised version, but then WRU is characterised by the fact that somehow no one talks to each other, so I will have to think about that... (damn, I wish I had the time to write fanfic right now... I miss that).
This is truly wonderful. This story made my day and will make many more yet, I guess. I simply love those two. Thank you soo much!
P.S.: "I would love a pony," Haha, this is so Haleth! :)
I've always preferred elf-to-elf pairings in the stories I read but Caranthir and Haleth's had always been too interesting for me to pass up. I especially liked how you describe the Feanorions, thanks to AMC I've always pictured Caranthir/Carnistir as a cherubic, pink-faced baby who bounced on his family member's knees--a picture of innocence. But here I'm treated to a very different Caranthir/Carnistir--a grown-up and utterly irresistable image of physical attractivness and power.
In my opinion, he is the most mysterious and probably the least developed Feanorion and having him fall in love with one of the Second-born adds to his "appeal". I liked how you compared the color of his eyes to the setting sun--I thought it was romantic. The first and last scenes served their purpose well; I think they "united" the whole story. I wish I could give more technical comments but I'm afraid I'm only limited to writing about how your story moved me. I'm hoping to read a few more stories about Haleth and Carnistir/Caranthir from you in the future, maybe lighter, happier ones too. Thanks for sharing this.
Site © Dawn Felagund
Logo © Bunn
All copyrights for creative work hosted on this site are retained by their creators.
This site is built using Drupal and the theme W3CSS.
Characters and stories associated with J.R.R. Tolkien's works remain the property of his estate. Creative work using this material has been written solely for the enjoyment and enlightenment of its creator and their associates. No profit is made on the materials shared on this site.
Comments on Light of the Westering Sun
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.