Beyond the Dawn

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Cover art by Alexey Lipatov

Beyond the Dawn is one of five most prominent Russian Tolkien fanfics. The four others are Ring of Darkness by Nick Perumov, Black Book of Arda by Nataliya Vasilieva, The Last Ringbearer by Kirill Eskov and The Great Game by Nataliya Nekrasova). Since copyright law is rather lax back in the Motherland, this book was formally published on paper rather than staying a Web Original like so many fanfics.

Beyond the Dawn is a fantasy novel written by the Ukrainian writer Olga Chigirinskaya (Brilyova) under the pen name of "Beren Belgarion". This fantasy adventure novel retells the story of Beren and Luthien as told by JRR Tolkien in The Silmarillion. The book was published in Russian by Exmo Publishing in 2003.

The plot basically follows the Lay of Leithian, but deviates substantially from Tolkien's original version in some points. BTD's Middle-Earth is portrayed as a grim and realistic medieval world, and the followers of Morgoth and Sauron as humans, just like their enemies.

The book uses the poetry of Russian and Western poets and rock bands that is dedicated to Tolkien's characters and plots, such as Blind Guardian (translated into Russian by Chigirinskaya herself).

Tropes used in Beyond the Dawn include:
  • Adaptation Expansion: Two volumes total more than 1,000 pages. From the story that takes less than 30 in The Silmarillion. Whoa.
  • Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Type 1: Beren during his duel against Boldog.
  • Anti-Hero: Beren. His declination from imaginary Knight in Shining Armor was so great that it caused big disturbance in Russian Tolkien fandom.
  • Anti-Villain: Illyo the Half-Elf.
  • Artificial Limbs: Maedhros' mechanical hand. Also, the hook made for Beren by village blacksmith when he lost his right hand to Carcharoth.
    • And the other mechanical hand made for Beren by Celebrimbor.
  • Badass: Every leading haracter, good and bad in a row.
    • Actually, it was Tolkien who designed his characters as total Badasses, Olga only described their badassery vividly the way she saw it.
  • Badass in Distress: Beren, captured by Sauron. Twice.
    • Finrod's eleven.
  • Badass Princess: Luthien. Galadriel too, although her badassery suffers from the lack of action.
  • Big Damn Heroes: happens several times. The first time, the Ents play Big Damn Heroes to rescue Beren from Sarnaduin. The second time, Hurin's army and Fingon's Noldor arrive at Tol-i-Ngaurhoth and help Luthien take down the tower.
  • Bittersweet Ending:

This doom she chose, forsaking the Blessed Realm, and putting aside all claim to kinship with those that dwell there; that thus whatever grief might lie in wait, the fates of Beren and Lúthien might be joined, and their paths lead together beyond the confines of the world. So it was that alone of the Eldalië she has died indeed, and left the world long ago. Yet in her choice the Two Kindreds have been joined; and she is the forerunner of many in whom the Eldar see yet, thought all the world is changed, the likeness of Lúthien the beloved, whom they have lost. The Silmarillion

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