Ring of Darkness

Cover of the 2007 Russian edition of Elfijskij Klinok

Ring of Darkness ("Кольцо Тьмы") is a Russian-language fantasy series set in Middle-earth 300 years after the War of the Ring, written by Nick Perumov. It consists of three novels:

• 1993: Elven Blade
• 1993: Black Lance
• 1995: The Adamant of Henna

From the author's website

Having written the last lines of "The Lord of the Rings", J.R.R. Tolkien has closed the door to the world of elves, dwarves, goblins, hobbits and men which he has created, and threw away the magical key to it. And only one author, Nick Perumov, was able to find the missing link to the mysterious and fragile world of the Middle-Earth. The job proved to be difficult as with each step the road kept getting steeper, each incorrect word could have ruined the magic of Tolkien. But talent has prevailed. J.R.R.T.'s world has come alive, has changed, has aquired [sic] new voice and depth and...has transformed into Perumov's world. And what Perumov thought of as a loose continuation of "The Lord of the Rings" has transformed into the vivid, magnificent epic trilogy, one of the most recognizable in the Russian and world science fiction genre.

Three hundred years have passed since the War of the Rings. The Dark Lord's fortress lies in ruins, peace and prosperity [sic] has not left the free lands of Middle-Earth. The last remnants of wizards and mighty kings have grown weak from abundness [sic] of luxury and turn a deaf ear to the powerful omens prophesizing great evil. Suspicious wanderers have been seen in the inns of Shire and in Folko the Hobbit's hands glows with an uneasy blue fire THE ELVEN BLADE.