In celebration of Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday, I’ve made a list of Tolkien fic recs. Non-binary characters can be quite hard to find in this fandom (or in general tbh) so a list of all the Tolkien fics I know that feature nb characters seemed like a useful and good thing to do. I get massively excited whenever I come across nb characters in fic, so hopefully this list will allow others to share in my excitement!
If you know of any other awesome Tolkien fics with nb characters please tell me about them so they can be added to the list – especially if you know any Silmarillion fics with nb characters because they’re really hard to find!
Sansûkh by determamfidd: “In which recovery takes time, the dead members of the Company take to watching Gimli as though he’s a soap opera, the living struggle with being left behind, Legolas is confused, Khuzdul is abused, and Thorin is four feet and ten inches of guilt and anger.” (I didn’t assign this to a specific book because it kind of defies categorisation. Also it’s glorious and if you haven’t read it by now you definitely should!)
The Hobbit
Whoever you’ll be when the sun rises by lloydsglasses (I decided to get the shameless self-promotion out of the way early): “It was at this point that Thorin belatedly realised that LGBT+ doesn’t just mean gay. He wasn’t entirely sure what the ‘T’ or the ‘+’ entailed but he was starting to think that Bilbo might come under one of them. “This is probably one of those things I should google, isn’t it?” he asked.” SequelRunning by donniedont: “Kili spends large portions of life trying to figure out what dwarves do when they find themselves identifying with multiple genders.”
Rice Wine by rabbitinthewoods: “Haruna likes asking questions, and seems to believe that Bilbo has all the answers. Except he doesn’t; he doesn’t know what crops to put on his new terraces, he doesn’t know how to get more apprentices and he certainly doesn’t know how to deal with Thorin.Things are still strained between them, and Bilbo is trying to bury his old feelings and affections in exchange for some kind of bearable civility. Except Thorin doesn’t even seem to want him in the mountain, let alone be his friend.”
Dwarf Women Go Bearded by psyche_girl: “This is the story of Lady Dís, Dwarf-woman. This is the story of an impossible thing.” I’ve included this because it’s set in a universe where Dwarven concepts of gender are different so, even though no characters explcitly identify as non-binary or something similar, I thought it might be of interest.
Please Give Up – orphaned account: “People keep trying to court Ori. Ze wish they’d stop.”
Two-Self by allofthefandoms: “Dàmish. Two-selves. It’s an odd term, Ori decides, for an odd occurrence among dwarves. Due to the fact that only one out of every three dwarf men will find a woman to wed, the practice of male marriage is not uncommon, and is generally as well accepted as any other sort of bond. However, that’s not what Ori feels, at least not entirely.”
someday they’ll sing stories, but they won’t be of you by EatThem: “Thorin is fridged so his sister can take his place in the narrative, or, Queen Dís Oakenshield & Company (& Bilba) go on a quest to reclaim Erebor. Dís is twice as short-sighted and hostile and arrogant as her dearly-departed brother (and gets herself killed in the same quasi-tragic way) because women have the same right to character flaws.
”NB!Ori AU Series by MiljaTheFailcat: “Ori, a nonbinary art major (with a minor in English) gets an assignment to draw six portraits of six people. They have their two brothers, Fili, Kili and Gimli. But that’s just five. They need a sixth model.”
The Lord of the Rings
Immo by MirandaTam: “Bigender Arwen, growing up in Rivendell. (The twins exchange exasperated looks, but don’t press the point. Arwen grins to herself and raises her sword.)”Blessed by ilfirin_estel: “The fic where Éowyn finds Éomer brooding in the middle of the night and they talk about things, including Théodred, the Pelennor, Éowyn’s gender, and Faramir.”
The Stonework was Admirable by Culumacilinte: “‘Whatever I understand, I know that you have won renown and glory on the field, and shown yourself to be mighty in arms, and fearless, and fair. And I know that you are a lady of great heart, and that it is softer than you have made it. And that I would not for my life have you made less than you are. And I would wed you, and live with you in peace, as Éowyn, or Dernhelm, or whoever you wish. And what I do not yet understand, I will learn, and gladly.’”
Only Shooting Stars by Snow_Glows_Blue: “Gimli is not nearly as prepared as he thinks he is to meet the son of Thranduil. He has heard the stories, of a charming, manipulative princeling who takes after his father. Well. They’re halfway there…”
The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth
Nauca by Morgyn Leri: “Durin with a trio of avari before the First Age of the Sun.”
Ahhh, thank you!
Aw Yiss 