your dose of (bad) humor for the day
Mar. 16th, 2010 08:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedlamsbardMedieval England prof: Every time I read or say Hugh Despenser's name, I think of a condom dispenser.
Byzantine Civ prof: The Empress Irene marrying Charlemagne would be like Ivan the Terrible marrying Queen Elizabeth!
Between Edward II of England, Constantine VI of the Byzantine Empire, the Empress Irene, and everyone else connected with them, I am reminded of how amazingly complex and bloody history is. Also how, while a lot of high fantasy is set in faux-medieval times, it misses out on a lot of that complexity. The only thing I can think of that comes close is A Song of Ice and Fire. (And I am kind of desperate for a reread, right now.) Who needs magic when you have CONSPIRACY and TREASON and PLOTTING and BACKSTABBING and MURDER? It makes the magic boring. And unnecessary.
Huh. Maybe that's why they leave out the plotting, so they can put in the magic.
ETA: I lie; The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies I consider up there with ASoIaF with complexity, and I always forget that they actually have magic in them. Which is cool.
Byzantine Civ prof: The Empress Irene marrying Charlemagne would be like Ivan the Terrible marrying Queen Elizabeth!
Between Edward II of England, Constantine VI of the Byzantine Empire, the Empress Irene, and everyone else connected with them, I am reminded of how amazingly complex and bloody history is. Also how, while a lot of high fantasy is set in faux-medieval times, it misses out on a lot of that complexity. The only thing I can think of that comes close is A Song of Ice and Fire. (And I am kind of desperate for a reread, right now.) Who needs magic when you have CONSPIRACY and TREASON and PLOTTING and BACKSTABBING and MURDER? It makes the magic boring. And unnecessary.
Huh. Maybe that's why they leave out the plotting, so they can put in the magic.
ETA: I lie; The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies I consider up there with ASoIaF with complexity, and I always forget that they actually have magic in them. Which is cool.