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!
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.
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.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
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.
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…
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.
The tone and language and atomsphere of this are perfect. And I always say I don't like horror fics in general. Utterly and perfectly creepy and I love the style in which it's written. I like the use of the singing and how he appreciates their malice, the way they attack the orcs, but "fawned like cubs" over him. Eww nasty. And their development for the taste of elves and men--chilling. Great job. No more complaining about reading werewolf fics from me.
Thanks, Oshun! I had this scene so clearly in my head, and I wanted that atmopshere to be just right. I'm glad that came through for you. You know where my thoughts turn this time of year, to werewolves other fell beasts. ;-)
Bard, I think you have outdone yourself with this one. You have the style and tone down, but more than that, the heart of it all. The mingling of 'self' that binds and strengthens at the same time is a lot of the heart of the story of the Silmarillion and all the Histories and you have captured the essence of that with this short story amazingly well.
Thanks, Sulriel! I greatly appreciate your comments. When I read that there were werewolves and vampires in Tolkien's stories I wanted to more about them. He certainly has a different "take" on what we think of as traditional for these creatures. It's certainly an interesting area to explore.
You had me at "selenium and tin." Nice touch there and especially appealing to someone as nerdsome as myself.
Your vision of werewolves' genesis fits well with my take of Middle-earth's species of werewolves. They did not engage in lycanthropic transformation but instead had heightened humanoid sentience through grafting of corrupt spirits/souls/fëar or some other manipulation.
And that penultimate paragraph? Ooooooh, yeah! The whole of the story reads as a stygian "just-so" fable. Thanks for the delectably dark confection!
Pandemonium, you honor me. I wish I could write my stories as well as you write your reviews. "stygian just-so fable" I love that. :-)There are few things as fightening as evil combined with intelligence, which is what makes Tolkien's epic villians so disturbing and fascinating.
Ah werewolves! To bring in the music as a mechanism to create is put to good practice with the useage of elements. Not every sentence runs as smoothly to me when I read it, as if there is too much information crammed in there using and as a conjuction. Then it picks up again and it runs smoothly, it might be me. It's a small thing because Sauron in all its evil and cunning planning stand out, leaving me wonder if he has a small feud or dislike of Nessa. I love the different faces of Sauron's wolves: cubs vs dangerous beings ready to kill and conquer at the snap of Sauron's fingers. I can so imagine that later in his life, Sauron as the one eye wishes to be returned to those good ol' times.
Thanks so much for your comments! I think the difference you note comes from the fact that the first paragraph I wrote like me and then I kind of switched to the Tolkien style. :-) I'll see if I can fix that in future posts. Hmm, the idea of Sauron feuding with Nessa gives me another plot idea... I love your comment about Sauorn getting all nostalgic for the good old days, when he had a body, and even another eye. lol
Comments on The Making of the Werewolves
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.