Mary Sue Challenge

Challenge Details

They're everywhere: irritating, egotistical, painful to read. But how many people have actually approached a story with the intent of writing one? Is a well-written Mary Sue possible? What makes people write them in the first place? Find out for yourself by writing one of your own! Note: This challenge is not meant for parodies of Mary Sues, entertaining though they may be.

Rules:

1. The Sue must be a main character. She must be female, and she can be either an OC or a very underdeveloped character from canon.
2. The story must involve a romance with a Tolkien character. Events relating to this must constitute the plot or a subplot.
3. All ratings accepted.

Entries with Stories

The following authors have entered a story in the Challenge.

A. L. Milton - Summertime

General Audience

Last Updated: 08 Jan 04

[placeholder] (PG) Written for the Mary Sue challenge. Eldarion/OFC, because even spoiled brats deserve love, or at least the next best thing. Not your average straightfoward romance, thanks to the adding of a generous dose of comedy, politics and a hedgehog. By A L Milton

Anglachel - Mistress, The

Adult Audience

Last Updated: 01 Aug 09

How did Menegilda Goold become the Mistress of Buckland? A story of her life and loves. Features Gilda and Bilbo, with appearances a variety of other Bagginses, Tooks, Brandybucks, and assorted relatives. An entry in the Mary Sue Challenge. Rated adult for mature themes and explicit sex/sexuality. By Anglachel. 8/1/2009 - Story edited to test a database update. No changes to story.

Aralanthiriel - Travels in Time

General Audience

Last Updated: 05 Apr 03

Girl travels back in time to Middle-earth. Girl falls in love with Denethor. Her research project goes horribly awry. Not a parody, believe it or not. Response to HASA Mary-Sue challenge.

Ariel - Promises

Adult Audience

Last Updated: 16 Dec 02

So bright a star as Frodo Baggins could not be wholly taken from the world without diminishing that which remains. Somehow, that light should be reflected. Warning for NC-17 adult situations, and graphic descriptions. Warning also for OCs Could be considered AU, but does not alter book canon. Non-slash

Arwen Imladviel - Nár Tinwen (or: a Journey of Names)

General Audience

Last Updated: 02 Jan 03

Tinwen is a Maia, Arien's youngest sister. Her life is a journey, a quest for something she cannot name. She finds love and loses it several times, and many are those who perish with her name on their dying lips. For Tinwen, Tinwen of many names and many shapes, is beautiful and more. Perfect for the Mary Sue Challenge: My first fic and looks like one, too! Cast like a baroque opera: all and sundry from gods to hobbits.

Azalais - Amid the Powers and Chances of the World

General Audience

Last Updated: 24 Aug 11

"Men..should have a virtue to shape their lives, amid the powers and chances of the world, beyond the Music of the Ainur, which is as fate to all things else" (Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 1). A mortal woman is brought to Rivendell for healing in the summer of 3018, and thus becomes entangled with both Men and Elves in the events of the War of the Ring. How will destiny and choice shape the lives of the two Kindreds?

This novel-length story travels from Rohan via Rivendell to Gondor and back again, twining itself in and out of the canon events of LoTR as it goes. Gap-filling, drama, humour, a dash of angst and - eventually - romance between the OFC protagonist and a canon character (so don't say you weren't warned!)

Rated General rather than Adult, but should be considered PG-13 for, in later chapters, some fairly explicit descriptions of the aftermath of battle and for some (non-graphic) sexual content.

Thanks to the kind offices of Altariel, e-book versions are now available; .mobi here and .epub here.

Celandine Brandybuck - Lotheluin

General Audience

Last Updated: 26 Sep 04

Was Finduilas really the only woman Denethor ever loved?

Cirdan - Lady of the Seas, The

General Audience

Last Updated: 15 Jan 03

Cirdan and the Lady of the Seas.

Deborah - Tale of the Laughing Maiden, The

Adult Audience

Last Updated: 01 Feb 03

A Curufin romance, written for the Mary Sue challenge.

Dwimordene - Speaking of Love....

General Audience

Last Updated: 27 Feb 03

An attempt to write that Ioreth/Mary Sue for the Mary Sue Challenge. Very short (three pages), first person, fairly condensed. No graphic scenes or what not. If you're not averse to slash or romance, I'd say this is maybe a PG. It has a [gasp!] happy ending.

Dwimordene - Dreams

General Audience

Last Updated: 30 Dec 02

In true 'Mary Sue' summary fashion: Varwyn secretly loves Legolas. But does he love her back? Can she ever be happy without him?

(And to make it truly authentic with a wink and nod): I know you've read it before, but it's not as bad as it sounds, I swear...! ;-)

A short story written for the "Mary Sue" challenge, and an expurgation of my frustration with the notion of the "Legomance", I hope. An 'austere' romance, if we must call it romance, featuring Legolas and OFC Varwyn. Eowyn gets a cameo.

Elana - Elana's Tale

Adult Audience

Last Updated: 02 Mar 03

Elana is a young peasant woman of Rohan who is abducted by orcs, setting in motion a chain of events that will lead to terror, joy, heartbreaking choices, and unexpected loves. Warnings for rape (not explicit, but a major part of the story), some violence, and vivid birth scenes.

Ellipsis - Untitled

General Audience

Last Updated: 04 Mar 03

Placeholder for Mary Sue challenge until what I have resembles a story rather than disjointed paragraphs.

Fëadan - Private Chamber, The

General Audience

Last Updated: 21 Jan 03

An old friend of Boromir and Faramir is betrayed in love. The time is III 3014, six years before The Great War of The Ring. Warning, Adult themes. Fëadan

Firerose - Missing

Adult Audience

Last Updated: 20 Aug 09

The new Steward delves into the past, whilst coming to terms with the present, and the future. Set during RotK. Inspired by the Mary-Sue & Adjustments challenges. MEFA 2004 award.

Furius - And In These Days

General Audience

Last Updated: 19 Feb 03

The story of Celebrimbor and a female OC during the Second Age.

Written for the Mary-Sue challenge, and draft at that.

Ijemanja - Sister, Daughter

General Audience

Last Updated: 09 Mar 03

Placeholder for the Mary Sue challenge.

Kate Fairfax - Pride and Prejudice for Hobbits

General Audience

Last Updated: 15 Mar 03

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a fortune must be in want of a wife." Some of Frodo's female relations think it might be time to get him married off to some eligible young lady. (Does not follow the plot of Pride and Prejudice, it just seemed like a likely title since the story was inspired by its immortal opening line)

Kirixchi - Passing

General Audience

Last Updated: 26 Mar 03

A vignette of Haldir's reflections on his marriage as the time for parting draws near. Written somewhat in response to the discussion about love and marriage in the forums. An attempt at an angst-free, happy(ish) ending Middle Earth romance.

Korillian - Amulet, The

Adult Audience

Last Updated: 10 Jan 03

Applies to the Mary Sue Challenge. Work In Progress. A 21st Century woman transported to Middle Earth via an Amulet which in its own way is as powerful and evil as the One Ring. AU.

shadow975 - End To Innocence, An

Adult Audience

Last Updated: 15 Jul 03

Middle-earth meets Urban Fantasy, and Middle-earth is stubborn. When a woman from a bleak future comes to Boromir's rescue with two Glock pistols, whose fates will change? and will it be for the better, or for the worse? Intertwining themes concerning love, loyalty, power, surrender, and the ethics of violence.

Sorne - Standard Bearer, The

General Audience

Last Updated: 31 Oct 03

Epic adventure and love story (Elrond and Original Character) against the backdrop of the Last Alliance. Action-packed and big on plot. Why is the last daughter of an impoverished House of Man journeying through hardship and sorrow to the High King of the Noldor? The answers will take you from the Outlands of Gondor, through the Battlefields of Dagorlad to the very gates of Barad-dur - and beyond.

Gil-galad, Glorfindel, Elendil, Anarion and Isildur - all have their parts to play.

An illustrated version of this story can now be found at its dedicated website: Standard Bearer

Stultiloquentia - Dusk and Dawn

General Audience

Last Updated: 30 Jun 03

Aragorn and a Mary-Sue mourn for Halbarad.

Tindomiel - Bend In the Road, A

General Audience

Last Updated: 10 Jan 03

A hobbit healer's life takes an unexpected turn when she tends to an ill Frodo Baggins after his return to the Shire. As she befriends and falls in love with him, she learns the truth about his mysterious journey and comes to terms with his departure from the Shire.

Tyellas - Quickening

General Audience

Last Updated: 18 Jul 03

Someone who is no longer young nor pretty, but wise, brave and true, wins the favors of a handsome young rake. It’s a beautiful springtime Mary Sue OFC romance. Okay, they’re horses….Arod and an OFHC.

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