The Circles
, by Angmar and Elfhild, is a sequence of fan novels that diverge from The Lord of the Rings when Sauron conquers Minas Tirith and takes back the One Ring. As of 2024, it contains nine novels:
- The Triumph of the Shadow
- Journey of Sorrow
- To Escape a Dark Destiny
- Paths Both East and West
- Through the Valley of Death
- Across the Wide Hamada
- Land of Treachery
- A Mordorian Bestiary
- Beneath the Nurnian Sky
The Circles provides examples of:
- Alternate Universe Fic: This sequence is a Divergence Fic where Sauron won the Battle of Pelennor Fields. In The Lord of the Rings, Sauron lost the battle.
- Conveniently an Orphan: Considering that the series starts out with a war, there are many characters who have lost at least one parent.
- Elsewhere Fic: Both Types One and Two. Much of The Circles takes place in areas that Tolkien never explored. Occasionally a canon character will make a cameo appearance, but the main focus is upon the original characters.
- Evil Overlord: Sauron wants to rule all of Middle-earth.
- Polar Opposite Twins: Elfhild is idealistic and outgoing, while Elffled is quiet and cynical.
- Self-Insert Fic: Inverted. Some fanfiction authors name characters after themselves, but the authors of "The Circles" take their pen names from two major characters in the story, Elfhild, a woman from Rohan, and the Witch-king of Angmar.
