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Gríma Goldentongue  by Lackwit 3 Review(s)
SalsifyReviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/5/2005
I really enjoyed this story. The characterization and the writing style are both outstanding. If Grima had always been as repellent as he is by The Two Towers, he could never have gotten a toehold at court in the first place.

Have you thought about doing another story following Grima later in his career? I've been thinking about Grima quite a bit lately, mostly from the point that he and Saruman first met onwards. It seems like we both came to some of the same conclusions about his past, and I'd love to see you go on with it if you're in the mood for tragedy.

Author Reply: Thanks for the kind review.

I hadn't originally intended any more than a one-shot, but after writing this I have indeed thought more about Gríma. A new story won't be for a while, though, as I have to get a realistic handle on Saruman; I find him a real stinker and don't want to end up with a caricature as a result of my dislike. But exploring the turning of Gríma would be intriguing.

meckinockReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/23/2005
Wonderfully descriptive, and a fascinating character study. Nothing is evil in the beginning, and it's interesting to see the path that might have led Grima to corruption.

Author Reply: meckinock- Yes, it's always more interesting to see a villain who isn't entirely black-hearted. Gríma had fallen so low by the end; how much worse had he begun higher.

Thanks for the review, I appreciate your thoughts!

purrlinReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/23/2005
Lackwit seems such a wrong name to call yourself.

This is a wonderful rendition of "the turning of Grima". It makes more sense than any other ideas I've seen and plays beautifully with the idea that he was so taken with Eowyn.

I do agree with your comments about the Charisma that Grima must have had but then may I possibly suggest that by the time we see him (aka Brad)the poison of Saruman has worked not only upon Theoden and his people but upon the vessel of their undoing as well. One can't create such misery and downfall without falling themselves perhaps. Maybe Saruman helped in this so as to keep Grima in line, always promising the ultimate prize but dangling it as a carrot. The best way to do so is to make Eowyn have to be relatively nice to Grima for her Uncles sake but remain at a distance due to Grimas visage (his gradual physical downfall perhaps).

This was a wonderful read and made Grima a believable character and not a caricature. I'd love to have been a fly upon the wall or a neuron in Saruman's brain when Grima came a calling....he must have appeared as a perfect implement...but how does one use such an implement to its full potential? I've always thought that Grima would not have been a one off... I'm sure there were other "moles" in Sarumans service, let alone in Saurons...I wonder what ever happened to them?

Ah me...gabbing on again. Your story has me thinking and wondering all sorts of things. Thank you, this was a good read.

purrlin :)


Author Reply: Purrlin,

I also prefer to think that Gríma's physical appearance didn't start to mirror his internal ugliness until well into the misery, although I also think PJ took it too far. I find ugly=bad too simplistic. I am glad Tolkien didn't take that route in the books.

Sadly, Gríma is too easy to caricature in fan fics. Since I like my villains to be well-rounded and tragic I wanted to present a character easier to empathize with. He is a creep at the time we meet him in Edoras, but by the time of his end in the Shire he is written as a truly pitiable creature without even dignity left to him. Had he started out as a creep, my ability/desire to pity him is vastly decreased. In contrast, I can really feel for a Gríma who may have been a generally decent but weak man, with perfectly normal desires, who had his weakness exploited and suffered for it. I can see such a man unable to stop himself from escalating the evil, hating himself but blaming others and extending the misery. Now that is one poor devil.

As I wrote this I also felt sorrier than ever for Éowyn because I had not previously paid much attention to her age. She had just reached adulthood when her family began disintegrating. She likely had little chance to experience any normal courtship, only this creepy guy, and probably had little female companionship (the other nobles would have likely pulled back to their estates during this dark time). All this had continued for her entire adult life until Théoden's healing. That's horrible. Knowing Tolkien's propensity for grand tragedy, it made total sense that he planned to off her on the Pelennor. Thank goodness Faramir walked out of the woods that day and refused to leave!

You bring up an excellent point about underlings helping Gríma. To the best of my knowledge I don't recall reading about any being cleaned out of Edoras at the same time but I find it unlikely that he could do it alone (if so, he was a pretty good turncoat for Saruman!) OTOH, makes for some excellent fic fodder :)

Thanks so much for the thoughtful review, I appreciate it very much.

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