Top 25 Epic LOTR Fanfics
Ranked by AO3 kudos. These are the LOTR epics readers come back to. Save them for offline reading.
Sansûkh
by determamfidd
From a Hobbitkink prompt:The battle was over, and Thorin Oakenshield awoke, naked and shivering, in the Halls of his Ancestors. The novelty of being dead fades quickly, and watching over his companions soon fills him with grief and guilt. Oddly, a faint flicker of hope arises in the form of his youn
The Lost King
by Metalduck
In the fallout of the Tri-Wizard Tournament Harry finds himself very unexpectedly, quite far from home.Meanwhile those that were left behind are reeling, trying to make sense of it all and to pick up the pieces despite the Harry shaped hole that's made itself known.
to change the course of the future
by authoressjean
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." - Galadriel In an attempt to get the Arkenstone back for Thorin, Bilbo discovers the ring he's been using is the One Ring. Seized by a need to destroy gold, especially gold with the ability to ensnare creature and king alike, he sets ou
My Fandom Needs Me
by orphan_account
From immortal dragon riders to the classic best-friends-to-lovers trope, this work has it all. This is a collection of XReader One-Shots from multiple (probably too many) fandoms also posted on my Tumblr. Fluff, angst, and a shit ton of references!Links for prompts, some rules for requests, and a li
Dovahkiin (Dragonborn)
by Rhiw
Bilbo Baggins had walked this earth a total of eight times in his past. He did remember them all, in some form or another, though he could rarely recall their names or faces, or very much detail about their lives at all. He always remembered their deaths, though. And he always remembered how it was
At the Edge of Lasg'len
by AnnEllspethRaven
Mae govannen na in-ennyn eryn! (Well met at the gates of the forest!)Our story? A disenchanted NYC lawyer moves to rural Ireland, unintentionally entangling herself with the Wood-Elves of Hobbit fame that never departed Middle-earth. An Irish ex-con plus colorful friends soon follow and life is neve
A Study in Veridian
by irons_acre
In hindsight, she knew she'd been asking to be thrown into an alternate universe. She was a physicist, after all. What she hadn't been asking for was Sauron, a Convergence, and a bloody arrow digging into her neck. Also elves. She'd thought elves were a lie.
The Master of Death
by Alryetagory
Crappy Summary is Crappy!!Death had gone to personally collect the Potter Family's souls that fateful Samhain night. But to his surprise, someone survived and after a look into the future of the child, he opts to be a Troll to his sister Fate and raise the child. Taking the Potter child away to be r
Scars Of Old
by ferowyn
Waking up in a time that has long gone by is as confusing as it is terrifying. The latter especially rings true when Gimli realizes that he is going to meet people he has mourned for decades... and that he might have come here alone. Also, what if - what if he cannot change all the wrongs that happe
Rites, Writings and Ris
by Dollypegs
Dwalin Fundin/Ori Ri, Dwalin/Ori, Dwori, Balin Fundin/Dori Ri, Balin/Dori, Darlin. Soon Nori/Bofur, Eventual Fili/Sigrid, and Kili/Tauriel, Several OC dwarrows. Eventual Thorin Oakenshield/Bilbo Baggins, Thilbo, Bagginshield,Ori of the Brothers Ri is a freelance scribe in the poorest part of the Ci
From the Sky
by kuhleesi
Ellie finds herself in a predicament. She's lost in the woods, covered in poop and the only person willing to help her is the same guy who held a sword at her throat. This practical joke isn't funny.Wait, are those dwarves? What the hell are hobbits? Where can she buy a toothbrush and can people ple
Of Smoke and Salt
by RedHawksenFoxer
Shot out of the skies of Westeros only to wake up on the shores of Middle Earth, Rhaegal Targaryen finds himself as a prophetic keystone to end a war and begin a new age of peace.
To The Black Gate
by kuhleesi
The Fellowship is broken. And Ellie would much rather forget the last moments of Amon Hen forever. Injured and exhausted, Ellie finds herself rising to become a stronger person and a hero, although the scars the Orcs left during her capture never completely healed.There have been too many battles, t
Whore
by Ire1ia
只要给钱，莱戈拉斯对谁都能张开双腿
The Definition of Insanity
by Stealthily_Nobody
Mairon was perfectly fine with the uneven equilibrium he had found in the later ages of Arda. He has been granted leniency and a way to make up for his mistakes. He has his projects and his research. What more could he desire? Or at least, that's what he thought before a certain Noldorian prince qui
the fairest stars
by TheChasm
Angrist is a little stronger, and Beren and Lúthien steal two Silmarils from Angband. This changes some things.
A Captain's Grace
by GamerGirlBones
As the Shadow in the East grows, Boromir finds a different treasure in Minas Tirith: a healer named Sigrid. This is the story of the love that shaped the man, the family that became his and Faramir's refuge, and the secret he carried with him to Amon Hen and beyond. (Canon divergence, you've been w
The Prince Who Lived
by J_UnholyAlliance
Thrown from her world into the aftermath of the Fords of Isen, Jane saves Théodred before she even understands where she is. But in Rohan, a life spared can shift the course of war, and Jane soon learns that knowing the story does not mean she can control it.
Second Chances
by beignets4chev
When a girl falls into Middle Earth, she gets a second chance at life. And Thranduil gets a second chance at love. If they can get past their clashing personalities, that is.
The Alacritous Defenestration of Sense (Otherwise Known As Dwalin’s Ring Solution)
by Cupcake_Princess
On the morning of the twenty-sixth of February in the year ninety-one of the Fourth Age, Dwalin, Son of Fundin, died. On the evening of the twenty sixth of April in the year two thousand nine hundred and forty-one of the Third Age, it became quickly apparent that death was only a minor inconvenience
Song of Memory
by Nagash
After the Battle of the Five Armies, the Sons of Durin invoke the law of their people in an attempt to punish Belladonna Baggins for stealing the Arkenstone. Thorin, fearing for her life and unable to bear the thought of anyone laying a hand on his thief, sees no choice but to deceive Bella—sending
Hope and Faith
by Moony_M00N12
Gandalf had asked his most trusted companions to take part to the most dangerous quest. Thus, he managed to gather an alliance of Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits and Men to destroy the One Ring. Among those he trusted the most, is Theora of Rohan, a Shieldmaiden. Without second thought, she joins the quest.
Let Me Be Your Fire
by skatesfullofsunshine
What begins as an arranged marriage to assuage a restless kingdom following new information coming to light about Thorin's gold sickness thirteen years after Erebor was reclaimed, turns into two soulmates who have orbited each other their whole lives finally being brought together, which allows for
Valar's Calling: Unveiled Secrets
by tinysunshine
“I endured all of it,” she reiterated, ”and for what?! Hum?! For you to be so ungrateful that you call me selfish just because I hid it from you?!“Without thinking about her words, waiting only for the opportunity to reply, I shouted: ”So you did all of it so I would be in your debt?!“”Of course not
Strzał w ciemno
by Lampira7
Kiedy ponownie otworzył oczy, znajdował się w swoim starym łóżku, w swoim starym domu, w swoim starym ciele. Czy umarł? A może to była sztuczka magiczna? Tak czy inaczej, Bilbo dostrzegł drugą szansę, gdy ją miał i tym razem jego przygoda z Thorinem potoczy się nieco inaczej.
Find More Epic LOTR Fics on AO3
AO3's filter sidebar lets you set a custom word-count range. We've pre-filled over 100,000 words for you. Then read offline with Fanfict Reader.
About This List
This list of 25epic LOTR fanfics spans 15,548,095 total words. Kudos range from 72 on the newest entries to 25,138 on the most established. Most entries are ongoing works, so subscribe on AO3 for update notifications. The most common rating is Teen And Up Audiences (13 of 25 fics).
Recurring tags across this list: Tenth Walker · Angst · Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence · Fix-It · Modern Girl in Middle Earth.
Read LOTR on the go
Fanfict Reader is the best way to browse, search, and read AO3 fanfiction on your iPhone. Download for free and start reading your favorite LOTR fics today.