hobbit fanfiction gimli time travel

Time Travel (The Hobbit)

Time Travel is a common and early form of fix-it in The Hobbit fandom. [1] [2] It's goal is usually an Everyone Lives outcome, achieved by at least one character having foreknowledge of the Battle of Five Armies . A few works focus on ensuring that Erebor Never Fell instead.

Use in Fanworks

Generally (though not always), the travel is backward from the future, and it's usually a member of Thorin's Company who goes. Much of the time, the company member is also returned to their original age at the time of the quest, though this isn't always the case.

Some time travel works only return the character to right before the Battle of Five Armies. However, many retell part or all of the quest, often with changes that add up as the quest continues and the company member tries to affect the final outcome (such as by trying to prevent Thorin Oakenshield 's gold sickness ). Therefore, this trope is related to the Alternate Quest for Erebor trope, but is unique in that it's usually the second trip for one or more characters. Works tend to blend movieverse and bookverse quest elements because many works in progress were started after the first or second movie and took years to complete, due to the length required to retell the original quest. Often the movies came out while such works were still in progress, further encouraging a hybridization of canon.

The trope became so well-known that Antarctica_or_bust parodied it using a mix of Groundhog Day and video game style in Round and Round Again . The story is told from the point of view of Ori , who is forced to relive the quest over and over until he can keep the entire company alive through the whole process. Scenes in the story are presented in non-sequential order, but quest-based works are so common in the fandom that readers can still follow the plot easily.

Example Fanworks

Archives and resources.

• Trope: Time Travel on hobbit_kink 's Pinboard
• Hobbit + Time Travel on AO3
• A Shot in the Dark by Silver_pup (Bilbo travels back from sailing to Valinor)
• Out of the Troll Cave by silverneko9lives0 (Half the Company time travels to pre-Smaug Erebor)
• Comes Around Again by scarletjedi (Gimli travels back to his childhood and joins the quest)
• An Expected Journey by MarieJacquelyn (Bilbo dies in Valinor and is brought back to the beginning of the quest)
• A Second Chance by honeybearbee (Dwalin dies at age 340 and finds himself back at Bilbo's door)
• Desiderium by Laora (Fíli and Kíli travel to the future mid-quest)
• Round and Round Again by Antarctica_or_bust (Ori must relive the quest over and over again until the entire Company survives it)
• Once More by ISeeFire and Lady_Juno (Thorin dies and returns to midway through the battle)
• The Twice-Told Tale of Thorin Oakenshield by TheLadyZephyr ("Thorin wakes up after the Battle of Five Armies the day the company is due to meet their new burglar in Hobbiton.")
• ^ The Hobbit - All Media Types had 83 Time Travel works by March 17, 2015. This was about 0.5% of all Hobbit works tagged on the archive.
• ^ The first work posted to AO3 for this trope was probably Silver_pup's A Shot in the Dark , which was started January 12, 2013.
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The Hobbit » Fanfic Recs

These are recommendations made by Tropers for The Hobbit fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here .

You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.

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     Authors and Websites 

• Recommended by fruitstripegum
• Comments: One of the best authors I have ever come across. Everything they write is a pleasure to read, and they come up with some of the most interesting concepts. Granted, their material is probably not to everyone's taste (they're fond of gender flipping characters and slash pairings), but if you like that sort of thing, I really recommend their work.
• Comments: Perhaps the best author of Durin family stories ever.
• Recommended by CatcherInTheWry
• Synopsis: A Campaign Comic about PJ's trilogy. Not set in the same Universe as the DM of the rings.

     General  Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast.

• Recommended by Zephyr 7 , SMARTALIENQT, AddictOfReading , tricksters heir, lyamainu
• Status : Complete
• Synopsis : Bilbo Baggins is a humble grocer, living a quiet life. The police say the Sons of Durin are a crime family. The government has labeled them a group of environmental terrorists. Thorin Oakenshield will tell you that they are simply desperate for a home. But when Bilbo is dragged into the group as their unwilling burglar, everything he has taken for granted will be torn asunder.
• Chiming in to say that this is hands-down the best Hobbit fanfic I have ever read in my life. It is flawless, the slow burn is beautiful, and the references to canon are spot-on.
• Gonna fourth this and say this is legitimately the best fanfic I have ever read; it felt like a novel, clearly the story of The Hobbit , but with such excellent characterization of each dwarf and explanations for the circumstances they find themselves in that make perfect sense in the story.

• Recommended by miucorte, trickstersheir
• Status : Dead
• Synopsis : Thorin Oakenshield is the wretched heir to a fortune which was stolen from him and left him orphaned. Now he wants it back, with nothing but an unlikely crew of aspiring robbers and not-burglars let loose on London to aid him against the power of the tyrannous and manipulative Smaug. Modern corporate AU.
• Comments : In a similar vein to the above fanfic, this is Tolkien's classic in a modern setting—but perfectly transitioned. The author's usage of colloquialisms and syntax native to modern London, as well as physical landmarks written into the story tell you that the author knows what they're writing, when they're writing, and makes it all come alive. Each chapter to date is meticulously written so while we do focus on Bilbo, each character is present and active. There are plenty of little quirks in the dialogue itself that made me laugh aloud, from references to Elrond's daughter and the boy she fancies (and he disapproves of) to Fili and Kili muttering lyrics from "I'll Make a Man Out of You" make the story spectacularly real and charming. Highly recommended. One thing, though—it seems to depend on movie-verse more than book-verse.

• Recommended by miucorte
• Synopsis : Kíli nocks his bow and points it at his brother.
• Comments : Possibly the most poignant, devastating Hobbit fics out there. We see the youngest members of our Company, in their tweens and aching for adventure. And when they find it, it shakes them to their bones, and they get into quite a lot of trouble—arrested in a human town and forced to entertain their captors through terrifying acts (the title should give you an idea). And yet still, the author colors in life in Ered Luin for the two young dwarves and their exiled royal family beautifully and does a brilliant job of character expansion. All in all, a absolutely gorgeous, heartrending fic that ends with a line that packs more than just a punch.

• Recommended by Honey and Cloverfield
• Synopsis : A canon divergence in which history's most important hobbit dies in the place of the King. When Gandalf found the body of the Company's former burglar, he had the strangest sensation that a chess piece was lost. Thorin Oakenshield and his heirs live, in Bilbo's place, and the King under the Mountain has yet to make his peace with the hobbit he had nearly thrown from the Gate of Erebor. Here we follow the affairs of Erebor, the turmoil of its King, and the memories its warriors hold, as the years ebb closer and closer to the inevitable War of the Ring.
• Comments : This is an unexpectedly beautiful and detailed fic! I was amazed at how expansive the author writes it as, and the slow burn really gets to you, especially how the author writes about family. If I may warn you, there's a good amount of gore in some of the chapters.

• Recommended by Zephyr 7 , scarletclarinet
• Synopsis : All Bilbo wants is a nice, pleasant breakfast, but Thorin insists he learn to fight.
• Seconded heartily by scarletclarinet. This is a lovely short piece that follows both movie and book characterization of the characters.

• Recommended by MianPi
• Synopsis : Canon AU wherein Thorin survives the Battle of Five Armies and visits Bilbo in the Shire soon after Bilbo adopted Frodo.
• Comments : This is a lovely AU which somehow does not become a Fix Fic . Most of the story is canon compliant, getting little details correct like Frodo's age when he was adopted by Bilbo and his past as a mischievous troublemaker. Thorin and Bilbo's characterizations are also spot-on, as is their ( platonic ) relationship with one another.

• Recommended by MianPi , Merytsetesh
• Synopsis : Ori knits a pair of gloves for Bilbo.
• Comments : A lovely and introspective character study for Ori and a very understandable friendship between the hobbit and the scholarly dwarf!

• Recommended by Zephyr 7 , Elenor, lyamainu
• Synopsis : Hobbits always survive; even where trained and experienced soldiers don't.
• Comments : Bilbo and hobbits in general are revealed to be much more badass and dangerous than the Company has initially expected, especially when they see Bilbo in action displaying his skills during a training session. The author has a playful tone set throughout the story and it was adorable to see all the dwarves and Bilbo relaxing and having some fun.

• Recommended by Merytsetesh
• Synopsis : A kink-meme fill with the prompt: So the battle happened and Thorin lived (barely, but he's managed to escape death) his nephews too. The treasure has been divided and Elves and Men went on their way. Dwarves are set on rebuilding Erebor to its former glory and there's just one little thing left unsolved - setting their burglar on the way. I would pretty much like it form the point of view of Dis, who just arrived to Erebor to take care of her boys (brother included) and sees what a mess Thorin's made of everything.
• Comments : Dis saves everyone and fixes everything by being even more scary and stubborn than Thorin, but for the sake of her family instead of treasure. Slightest, barely there Thorin/Bilbo slash at the end.

• Recommended by Malconvoker
• Synopsis : With eyes following the howls on the horizon, Kíli drew back his bow... but the arrow never left it. (Or: Thorin and Kili are injured in a battle with wargs on the plains and taken back to Rivendell. A distraught Fili learns what it means to be an heir of Durin.)
• Comments : While the first fic is slightly AU, the sequel definitely is, since both Fili and Kili survive while Thorin does not . The lessons and experiences the characters learn in Rivendell are persistent in the sequel. Both pieces are complete.

• Synopsis : "There are powers in Middle Earth older then Sauron, and the Ring is not the only thing with a will of its own." Thorin, Fili and Kili die at Erebor, only to revive some seventy years later, far from their resting places. The consequences and reasons for their revival remain to be seen but may have something to do with the Arkenstone.
• Comments : Technically a crossover with Lord of the Rings (as it is categorized on Fanfiction.net), this story is an adventure that takes its time building drama and exploring the bonds of the characters and the impact they could have on the world.

• Recommended by trickstersheir
• Synopsis : The one where Bilbo is a dragon and still gets roped into reclaiming Erebor, Gandalf is a meddling Wizard, and Bilbo may have confusing feelings for Thorin Oakenshield.
• Pairing : Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
• Comments : Highly amusing and very intriguing. The author makes the AU setting work excellently. A great read for any fan of dragons and unusual yet brilliant ideas.

• Recommended by Dellanotte
• Summary : We all know he had to be there, so what was he doing while Bilbo and The Professor overlooked him? Follow in the footsteps of the Elvenking's son, as we see the latter events in The Hobbit and the Battle of the Five Armies from an Elven perspective.
• Comments : An amusing, in-character look at a more lighthearted Legolas. His point of view is followed effortlessly from the Greenwood festivals to the slopes of Erebor, all with a Perspective Flip on these bumbling dwarves and their apparent need to trouble everyone . All while being completely faithful to the book, which is now rather Hilarious in Hindsight for something published long before the movie made him a fan-favorite.

• Recommended by Neo Shiraku
• Synopsis : Perhaps it is an old prejudice which also leads Thranduil to disapprove of Tauriel when it comes to Legolas.
• Comments : A very interesting exploration of just why Thranduil might disapprove of Tauriel.

• Recommended by fakescorpion
• Synopsis : Thorin treats Fili and Kili differently, and he remembers all too well why.
• Comments : A character study of Thorin, of Frerin, and of the Durin family.

• Recommended by liesbehindstars
• Synopsis : Losing loved ones is the hardest thing of all, but there are ways to abate the grief, ways to let the sadness ebb away. Two-parter about loss in the line of Durin.
• Comments : A very sad but well-written depiction of the aftermath when death claims members of Dis's family. Also explains an aspect of Kili's appearance in the movies if you look closely.

• Recommended by wprime
• Synopsis : AU of movieverse. It is many years since tragedy struck the line of Durin when the youngest heir was lost to a pack of orcs. Now Bilbo Baggins, having agreed only to stealing treasure from a dragon, finds himself instead tangled up in a web of tragedy and revenge, and finds that what is lost does not always stay that way.

• Recommended by Tiggerific
• Synopsis : Filmverse. It's sad, but life is full of sudden goodbyes.
• Pairings : Thranduil/His Wife
• Comments : A beautiful story that perfectly portrays Thranduil's thoughts about his wife, and how her death affected him. Not technically shipping, since the focus is on Thranduil's character and not a romance. Also, have tissues ready. Seriously, you'll need them.

• Synopsis : A collection of one-shots, each one asking a different What If? .

• Synopsis : Fíli wakes the morning after the battle of the five armies, injured and exhausted, left to deal with the overwhelming reality of his future. Luckily, younger brother Kíli is there to make it all seem less intimidating.
• Comments : A Fix It Fic , but a damn good one.

• Recommended by Decaf Grub 47393
• Synopsis : Fan edit of Peter Jackson's Hobbit movies that removes everything not in the book, including the love triangle, Radagast and more. The Blu-Ray version includes Radagast as a bonus feature.
• Comments : This edit shows that hiding inside 3 mediocre movies was a 4-hour-long epic masterpiece.

• Recommended by GothicProphet , Polaris
• Synopsis : Thorin dies in the Battle of Five Armies. Mahal sends him back to relive the Quest and avoid making the same mistakes again.

• Recommended by KungFuKitty
• Synopsis : Kili is captured on a solitary hunt and presented to Azog After days of searching, Thorin believes him to dead, but Kili is very much alive. And as time passes and hope of rescue fades, Kili is forced to forsake his family ties, the customs of his people, even his own humanity, in order to survive.
• Comments : A richly detailed, action-packed, plot-driven saga with excellent world-building and genuine character development, as well as one of the most intensely emotional fanfictions I've ever read. Painful to read at times, but definitely worth it.

• Recommended by GothicProphet
• Synopsis : Bilbo dies on the ship to Valinor. Thorin dies in the Battle of Five Armies. Both of them wake up weeks before the quest starts.
• Comments : A time-travel fic that sends both Thorin and Bilbo back, though neither of them know it at first.

• Synopsis : Bilbo and Thorin take Frodo in while the Bagginses and the Brandybucks figure out who takes him in.

• Pairings : Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Kili/Tauriel (mentioned)
• Synopsis : It was a very normal day in the lives of Frodo Baggins, his two uncles and his cousin - until his uncles overslept.

• Synopsis : Pre-quest fluff with little Fili and Kili: the troublesome twosome want to find out how good their invincible Uncle Thorin is at climbing trees.

• Synopsis : There are whispers about who really fathered Thorin Oakenshield's youngest nephew...but don't let him or his heir hear you repeating those whispers...or you will wish they had killed you.
• Warning : Implications of rape.

• Synopsis : In which Ori joins Balin's Company, goes to Khazad-dum, writes letters to Dori, and basically loses his mind because of Khazad-dum. It's a lot of sad, gothic-y, vaguely creepy thoughts about Khazad-dum, and how places are haunted by the events that transpire within them.

• Synopsis : By rights, they shouldn't be here. Thorin, Fíli, and Kíli give them a reason to stay.

• Synopsis : Instances and World Events definitely weren’t his things. He had barely took part in the Fell Winter Quests storyline, having been a too low-level player at the time to truly be useful. But that was fine, Bilbo kept repeating himself. He had decided to play a Hobbit for a reason, damnit, and it wasn’t the become Middle Earth’s Greatest Warrior! (Or: the fic where Bilbo is a casual-type gamer stuck in Middle Earth , the journey to Erebor is a Quest to try and find a way home, the Elven-King's Halls may have been planned as an Instance, the Ring's description is suspiciously lacking and there is loot to sort through...)

• Recommended by SybariteStories
• Synopsis : Rather than offering Bard and Thranduil the Arkenstone, Bilbo offers to give them his share of the treasure. Unfortunately, neither of them is willing to believe Thorin will hand it over—which leads to a ransom plan that is, in Bilbo's opinion, quite ridiculous indeed.
• Comments : A great "happy-ending" style AU to the Hobbit. Bilbo's POV scenes are expressed perfectly in his naive yet self-assured style, and it's always a breeze and a laugh reading his parts. The alternating chapters from Thorin's POV lack a bit of personality in comparison. It's nominally a Slash Fic , but the first 2/3 could be seen as a general fic in it's own right, since no romance really happens until all the action is settled in the third act.

• Recommended by SubversionStation
• Synopsis : Kili is reckless and accident-prone. Luckily, Fili has a peculiar gift for catching him when he falls.
• Comments : A two-chapter fic that takes a simple AU premise and wraps it in a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Also includes bonding between Thorin and his nephews and a great rendering of Fili and Kili's mother, Dis.

     Shipping  Stories that are focused on romance.

• Recommended by YeMightyDespair , miucorte
• Pairing : Bofur/OFC
• Synopsis : "He whittles for the widow and her child; his sweet, sad widow," said Bombur smugly. "How is she his widow if he's still alive?" Bilbo wondered. "Because she's not my widow," Bofur cut in. "She's a widow. I have no claim to her, or anyone."
• Comments : ...Probably the closest thing to perfection in any fanfiction I've ever read. Bofur's OC love interest is astoundingly well-developed and likable, and this is coming from someone who usually doesn't like original characters . At all. Their relationship developes naturally and what drama it has is natural and not forced. Bofur and other canon characters are perfectly written and every chapter has Bofur tell a story that is both wonderful in and of itself as well as fit in with what is going on in the rest of the chapter. I'm not even describing half of what makes this story as perfect as it is. Seriously, this cannot be recommended highly enough. Read it.

• Recommended by KitsuneChan , SybariteStories
• Pairings : Bilbo/The One Ring, Bilbo/Sauron ( yes, really )
• Synopsis : After the Battle of Five Armies, the One Ring decides it needs to understand Bilbo better to manipulate him. It does not, however, go entirely to plan. The Wise and the Mighty might say that everything has already been tried against Sauron, but Good Hobbit Sense and actually communicating somehow hadn't made that list.
• Comments : This is an amazing, epic length fic, and it's one of the slowest building pairings I've ever read. There isn't a single moment of OOCness —the main reason for the slow build, really. Jana's exploration of various Middle Earth cultures (especially the Dunlendings, the Rohirrim, and the Ents) is to die for, and their original characters are some of the best I've ever read.

• Synopsis : Modern AU wherein Bilbo is a university professor who becomes the boyfriend of Thorin, not knowing at first that he is really the head of a Mafia.
• Comments : Yes, yes, this is a Slash Fic , but it is so more than that! Bilbo is represented beautifully as a happy scholar, still in the closet back home in Hobbiton, who finds himself way over his head as the Spear Counterpart of a Mafia Princess . Thorin however will break your heart as the loving, yet possessive and ultimately destructive mafia head. Warnings: there is sexual content of dubious consent and a good deal of violence as well.

• Recommended by Merytsetesh, Polaris
• Synopsis : After the Battle of Five Armies, Thorin Oakenshield is determined to secure Bilbo's place in the world, even if he must make him a husband and a widower in the same hour to do so.
• Comments : Canon compliant, which means certain people die. No happy ending, but it hurts so good.

• Recommended by Science
• Pairing : Fíli/Kíli ]
• Synopsis : Life is a funny thing. Kili, a happy party animal by night and carpenter by day, doesn't let his past get him down. But when he meets Fili and starts to fall in love it isn't just Kili's troubled childhood that catches up with him.
• Comments : Easily one of (if not the) best Fíli/Kíli fics I've read. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me grin like a giddy fool, and I love every bit of it. Modern AU that becomes more canon-esque as the story progresses.

• Recommended by AddictOfReading
• Pairings : Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Aragorn/Arwen, Legolas/Kíli, Dwalin/Ori, Fíli/OFC
• Synopsis : 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 out alone for Mordor. Anything to forget about the love that gold cost him. What he doesn't know is that Thorin is no longer under the thrall of gold, and is desperately racing to catch up with him to keep him safe. They may have just started on another adventure, but this one may not end as well as their first quest.
• Comments : An AMAZING fic that really digs into what would have happened if the events in Lord of the Rings happened sixty years earlier. All of the pairings are well-written and sweet, as well as the battle scenes that are incredibly fast-paced and leave you wondering what happened and I need more. It's complete, with the author saying more might be written in the verse.

• Pairings : Bilbo Baggins/Kíli, Fíli/OFC
• Synopsis : Fíli tries to sabotage his brother's romance over the course of their journey, but sometimes love is worth the price.
• Comments : This fic has a very different take on Fíli than you usually see, but it's one I at least could see just as well. You can tell Fíli loves Kíli and that he's doing what he thinks is best for his little brother, but that Fíli can't tell the difference between what he thinks is best and what is actually right.

• Recommended by AddictOfReading , trickstersheir
• Synopsis : Certain events in Bilbo’s life were always destined to come to pass, but the will of Belladonna Took is not to be trifled with, and her choice may yet change the lives of many. This is the story of how Bilbo became the kin of the Eagles of Manwë, and all that happened after.
• Comments : A fic that takes an interesting idea and runs with it, making it amazing at every possible turn.

• Recommended by ramber, lyamainu
• Synopsis : Poor Mister Baggins. He was doomed to be a nine-days wonder no matter what and is it any wonder after a year-long adventure? Even the Tooks haven’t the influence to hush that up, but Mad Baggins seems to have managed to silence every tongue in the Shire on that subject which would be awe-inspiring ...if not for the way he decided to go about it. (OR: That one where Middle Earth seems to be unclear about where baby Hobbits come from.)

• Recommended by Blue Jazz, vividwakingdream, Polaris
• Synopsis : 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 youngest kinsman, a Dwarf of Durin's line with bright red hair.
• Additional Comments : The author's deep dive into Middle Earth lore, realistic worldbuilding, and attention to detail is absolutely amazing. Can't recommend enough.

• Pairings : Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
• Synopsis : The Arkenstone is not just a gem.

• Recommended by vividwakingdream, lyamainu
• Synopsis : Bilbo Baggins led a rather peaceful life, thank you very much, until an old acquaintance decided to turn it upside down, and he found himself agreeing to take a job that’s...let’s say not exactly up his alley, and might eventually cost him a little more than his treasured cozy lifestyle. Who would have thought tutoring a slightly menacing monarch’s more than slightly overbearing nephew could prove to be such an...adventure?
• Seconded. One of the best, if not the best, modern royalty AU I have ever read.

• Recommended by Misstikilicious, Apocrypha, Olmo JV
• Pairing : Smaug/OFC
• Synopsis : "I am SMAUG! I kill where I wish and none dare resist! And now, you belong to me!" Smaug stirs beneath Erebor when he hears a heavenly voice and knows he must have such a prize for his own. Trapped in the Dragon's lair, Kathryn, a seer, must survive this deadly creature to escape to freedom. But a vision plagues her, one that connects her to the mighty dragon forever.
• Full-heartedly seconded. I went into this expecting to hate Kathryn (special powers, weird name spelling, purple eyes), but the author makes sure to emphasize the "cursed" part of Cursed with Awesome . Kathryn has actual flaws and fears like any other person, makes mistakes, and is one of the most well-done original characters I've ever read, to the point I stopped thinking of her as an OC and just another one of the inhabitants of Tolkien's world. The author also does the romance slow, with plenty of development, and with about as much realism as one can get from a dragon—Smaug is Yandere-levels of possessive, but with enough good traits that it wasn't a stretch to believe Kathryn would stay with him out of anything other than fear.

• Recommended by Kereea
• Pairing : Thorin/Bilbo, side pairing of Dwalin and Ori
• Synopsis : In which everyone sees the budding romance between Thorin and Bilbo, except, of course, for Thorin and Bilbo themselves. Also, Dis brings the fear of God in other Dwarves and likes to meddle in her big brother's romantic life, and if she has to do this through scathingly written letters, then so be it.
• Comments : The story that earned Nori the nickname "Patron Saint of Bagginshield", this is one heck of an excellent ride. One big reason Thorin and Bilbo don't realize what's going on is that the others intentionally leave them out of the loop, as the Company is distracting the Iron Hills dwarves from politics while Thorin is healing by pretty much turning his and Bilbo's romance into an epic myth all its own in-universe. Gives a lot of love to some of the less fleshed out members of the company at the same time, as well.

• Recommended by Farasha
• Pairing : Thorin/Bilbo
• Synopsis : After Bilbo saves him from Azog, Thorin realizes that his feelings for the burglar are more complex than he thought.

• Pairing : Thorin/Bilbo (humorous references to a side-threesome of Dwalin/Gamgees)
• Synopsis : After the Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo returns to the Shire in mourning—while Thorin survived, Fili and Kili did not. He adopts Frodo and settles into a life of quiet, until Thorin and Dwalin turn up on his doorstep.
• Comments : A slow, meditative exploration of grief and healing in the Shire. Bilbo pines, Thorin pines, neither of them realize that they're actually pining. They dance around each other for far too many chapters before Dwalin gets fed up with them both.

• Pairing : Thorin/Bilbo, Dwalin/Ori
• Synopsis : A simple hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, would have lived rest of his life without knowing about the war between dwarves and orcs if not a wounded dwarf soldier had found his way to Shire. When Bilbo hears that his relatives are in middle of that horrendous war he knows that he must go and save them! But it’s dangerous to go alone and to get into the dwarf-army you need to be a dwarf...
• Comments : A Hobbit version of Mulan , minus the Disguised in Drag part (Bilbo poses as a dwarf). And Smaug's a good guy! Well, kinda ...

• Pairing : Eventual Thorin/Bilbo
• Synopsis : Bilbo Baggins isn't sure about this. Not one bit. Frodo is definitely too young to enter into an arranged marriage with a dwarven king called Thorin Oakenshield. It's a good thing that Bilbo is there to chaperon him through their courtship. After all, there's no chance that a fussy hobbit bachelor would ever catch the eye of a king.

• Recommended by Gowan
• Synopsis : When Bella came of age there were no courting gifts, not that she had expected any, much to her parent’s disappointment. While heartbroken at the thought of never being a wife or mother, a part of her had been relieved. If being barren already made her less than a woman, what would her spouse think when they found out she could also grow a beard? It was Bella’s most fiercely guarded secret, something she never confided even to her parents. And if she had had her way, she would have taken it to her grave.
• Comments : It is heavily implied that Bella Baggins suffers from PCOS. The story deals with this in a sensitive way, and also with the culture clash that ensues when Bella finds out that to dwarves, women with beards are completely normal.

• Synopsis : Bilbo is an accountant whose nephew, Frodo, just got seriously sick. In order to save young boy's life Bilbo borrows money from one of the mafia families. Later, he discovers that he can't to save enough money to pay his debt back; he is kidnapped and turned into the leader, Thorin's, personal accountant. And Bilbo is fine with that but is it necessary to live with him?

• Synopsis : A series of AU fanfics where Bilbo and Thorin are lovers, and raising their children (Frodo is one of them) in the Shire.

• Recommended by Helgatwb
• Pairings : Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Aragorn/Arwen, Dwalin/Ori, Legolas/Gimli, Frodo Baggins/Rose Cotton/Sam Gamgee
• Synopsis : In a universe where Smaug never came to Erebor, Thorin son of Thrain marries Bilbo Baggins of the Shire for political alliance. Herein are the tales of their marriage, and what came of it.
• Comments : Completely AU. I started reading this at around 6p.m., didn't stop until I had finished at 6a.m. the following morning. Then, when I woke up, I wanted to read it again. Seriously good stuff. The series is marked as unfinished, but only because the author might add one-shots. The main story is complete as-is.
• Tags : Arranged marriage, AU, dwobbits. Yes. Dwobbits.

• Recommended by Nausicaa of the Spirits
• Synopsis : Driven mad by dragon sickness, Thorin banishes the company and locks himself inside Erebor. Days pass, and fearing for Thorin's safety, Bilbo descends into Erebor to find him. Instead, Bilbo discovers Thorin slowly becoming a dragon himself, and must do what he can to save him before Thorin succumbs to a curse that twists his body and mind.

• Recommended by hopelesshogwartian
• Status : Ongoing
• Pairings : Thorin/Bilbo, side Kili/Tauriel
• Comments : An excellent combined effort that focuses on the Company's shenanigans as they make their way towards Erebor. Effortlessly combines humour with a well constructed and detailed plot and characterization. The character building is fascinating and hilarious, and the two blogs detail the adventures of the Company and their relationships fantastically well, with little details that make the read a joy. Best read concurrently, as the two perspectives make it better than reading them separately. The in-character interactions with the various anonymous asks are hilarious and fascinating, as is the rapport between the two. An excellent read, even if you aren't a fan of the ships. Make sure to read from the beginning and be sure to make note of the tags.

• Recommended by Licyan
• Pairing : Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Aragorn/Arwen, Denethor/Finduilas of Dol Amroth
• Synopsis : In a Middle-Earth where Erebor never fell, a shadow remains in the heart of the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo Baggins finds himself drawn reluctantly into a quest that will lead him across the continent—from Bree to Lake Evendim to the icy North and beyond—with a party of five dwarves searching for an artifact that will cure the ailing King Thrór.
• Comments : AU in which Smaug never came to Erebor but Bilbo Baggins still finds himself in an unexpected journey. An epic and engaging read. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings fusion.

• Synopsis : It started in Rivendell, where eyes followed Bilbo wherever he went. It happened again at Beorn's, and a third at Mirkwood. By the time they arrived at Bard's, Bilbo demanded an explanation.—A crackish Bagginshield one-shot

• Synopsis : A blocked path, a stray spell, and a hobbit with the most peculiar sort of luck. Bilbo knew, leaving the Shire, that hobbits certainly weren't the tallest of folk in the big, wide world. But this is ridiculous. A magical mishap; a Thorin/Bilbo romance.

• Recommended by Polaris
• Synopsis : Fíli lived his life by an old dwarven proverb: when a fool drops a treasure, a wise man picks it up (it sounded better in the original khuzdul). Bella Baggins never quite fit in the Shire. Perhaps she was made for the mountains, instead.
• Pairing : Thorin/ Fem!Bilbo
• Comments : Shipping doesn't kick in until around Mirkwood. This story is largely about dwarven culture and the concept of family, as well as Bella's journey from being an outsider in Hobbiton to being part of a big dwarven family. Incredibly heartwarming, and a fun extrapolation of dwarf culture. The interactions with Bella and Dís towards the end were some of my favorite scenes.

• Synopsis : After the Battle of the Five Armies, Thorin has forgiven Bilbo; but Bilbo finds he cannot forgive Thorin.
• Comments : An AU where everybody lives, but not without trauma, and the healing process is believably slow and complicated.

• Recommended by Subversion Station
• Pairing : Kili/Tauriel
• Synopsis : "Tauriel is young. She must learn that denial cannot keep steady for long." Her walls—built of denial, refusal, unacceptance—are no match for memory.
• Comments : A tragically beautiful look at how Tauriel coped with Kili's death upon her return to Mirkwood.

     Humor  Stories aimed to amuse, parody, and generally not take themselves too seriously.

• Synopsis : On women, tropes, and the thrice-dreaded supernatural interspecies love triangle. Rumors of a certain movie have reached Middle Earth and characters are not amused. Can Tauriel convince the canon that their reasons for hating her are wrong? Legolas laments, Tauriel teaches, and Gimli...Gimli is just Gimli.
• Comments : In which Legolas and Tauriel are medium-aware tropers trying to survive the new Hobbit fandom, with running commentary . Highlights include Thranduil banning (some) degrading fanfiction; one of the better-written author tracts (2nd half of chapter 1); and hated, ever-mocked Shipping Goggles .

• Recommended by: Sarah 1281
• Pairings : Thorin/Bilbo
• Summary : Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain and Totally Majestic Badass of Middle Earth, does not have a raging hard-on for Bilbo Baggins. No, seriously. Just read his diary.

• Recommended by: Grant MK 2
• Summary : "In all fairness, you already have Arwen," Legolas pointed out. "She was written," Aragorn retorted, "by the Professor himself. We even have a section devoted to us in the Appendices! However, nowhere in any of the books is the name 'Tauriel' even mentioned, much less your scandalous and entirely inappropriate relationship with her!" Crack. Anti Legolas/Tauriel. Hobbit 2 spoilers.
• Comments : A pretty humorous meta look at one very divisive character. Not especially long or deep, really just an extended conversation between two characters, but enjoyable and can get a laugh out of you (name notwithstanding).

• Recommended by Guesss Who
• Crossover with: Sherlock
• Synopsis : Sherlock is Smaug. The skull was Thorin. Mycroft is Gandalf. John was Bilbo and is now a superior piece of treasure. Everyone else is rather confused.
• Tags : Sherlock fusion, humor, identity crises

• Recommended by Naal 2
• Crossover with: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
• Synopsis : An ancient, storied evil arrives in Equestria, and joins Fluttershy's menagerie, as a baby dragon. Will the Mane 6 Discover it in time? Will they recognize the evil when they see it? Or can it avoid the temptation to succumb to his previous nature? Will a brave knight challenge this evil with courage and the power of friendship? Helping him face the terror of the memories of his death? Crossover, but that would give it away.

• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: After he gets shot, John gets flashbacks to another life—that of Bilbo Baggins of the Shire. And, of course, it's just his luck that he ends up shacking up with an ex-Dark Lord. Reincarnation fic with mild Johnlock
• Comments: Pretty much Exactly What It Says on the Tin —John is the reincarnation of Bilbo, and Sherlock is the reincarnation of Sauron.

• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: For saving the lives of his friends, Bilbo gets their eternal gratitude. For trying to save his own, he gets the immortal curiosity of a dragon. A Hobbit/Sherlock crossover.
• Comments : Smaug becomes a human and takes the name Sherlock.

• Synopsis: Nine year old Sherlock finds someone under the hedge. It’s not a womble.

• Recommended by Silver Wizard
• Crossover with: Marvel Cinematic Universe (specifically Avengers: Age of Ultron )
• Pairings : Bard/Wanda Maximoff
• Synopsis : Wanda Maximoff unexpectedly finds herself joining the Quest of Erebor. How will Middle-earth react to the Scarlet Witch as a powerful evil rises once more?
• Comments : While this is smack-dab in the middle of the Avengers of the Ring series, it can mostly be read as a standalone.

• Crossover with: The Silmarillion
• Synopsis : There is no sea-longing within her. Tauriel waits on the shore, trying to find the desire to sail to the West. Instead, she meets someone from an Age long past.

• Recommended by Toshiaki
• Crossover with: Final Fantasy XIV
• Synopsis : Shortly after running across Gollum, Bilbo met a peculiar feline-looking woman armed with an axe. She decides to tag along, and the rest is quite literally history.

• Recommended by SAM 996
• Crossover with: Agent Carter
• Synopsis : After an accident involving a mysterious device Howard located and took from Whitney Frost's lab after stopping her, Peggy, Sousa and Jarvis are whisked away by a portal to Middle Earth. Here they will meet Bilbo Baggins and the Thirteen Dwarves and join them on their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. Set after Season 2 of Agent Carter. Inspired by Avengers of the Ring.

• Crossover with: The Wheel of Time
• Pairings : Thorin Oakenshield/OC
• Synopsis : Sarainya Vostovan is an Aes Sedai, but she wishes that she could be something else. She leaves the world she knows behind in search of a new home and the first person she meets in this new world, Gandalf the Grey, sweeps her into an adventure of a lifetime. An adventure which includes Dwarves, Elves, a dragon and a long lost kingdom.

• Crossover with: Pokémon
• Synopsis : Bilbo should have known better than to sass a Wizard. Because the next afternoon, Gandalf the Grey, the Fire Rider, the sneaky bastard, turned up at Bilbo’s gym with a bundle of Dwarves trailing along behind him. Bilbo Baggins did not scream at Gandalf, because grown Hobbits did not scream at anybody, let alone at a Wizard. But oh, how Bilbo wanted to. Because Bilbo knew full well that between the bulky fellow with the mohawk and the one with the split beard, was Thorin Oakenshield, the Erebor gym leader.

• Recommended by Wildpaw 1
• Synopsis: Bilbo has been planning to kill himself for a while. However, he wants to go out with a big bang and not just a common death. Cue Gandalf and his invitation to a dangerous adventure that will surely give him an opportunity to die in a lot of interesting ways. Now, if only those bothersome dwarves stop saving him at every attempt . . . Full prompt inside. Half serious, half not.
• Tags: Dark crack, implied/referenced suicide, idealization of suicide, suicide attempts, hints of depression

We also have recommendations for The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings .

• FanficRecs/Tolkien's Legendarium
• The Lord of the Rings
• His Dark Materials
• Fanfic Recommendations
• Hollow Kingdom Trilogy

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