I don't just like Asian epics

[dangermousie]

See this trailer for the upcoming HBO show based on Game of Thrones, G.R.R. Martin's fantasy epic set in a quasi-Medieval world:

Shivers.

Shivers.

And I speak as someone who's never read a word of the novels.

Based purely on the trailer (a) this looks so much my thing - it makes me think of Icelandic sagas I used to love (someone adapt Laxdaela Saga into a show already) (b) I am going to love Sean Bean's character so very much. I always go for the honorable ones (sorry, queenofthorns, I know you are a huge Jaime fan but Ned Stark seems much more my type).

Comments

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I really urge you to read the books; I think Martin did a remarkab job of making Jaime far more complicated than the bare statement of his crimes would suggest. Also the incest doesn't bother kendo much in these books as in real life because the former royal family basically institutionalized sibling incest so it's not as OUT there. (And Jaime has an amazing scene that I think will appeal to the romantic in you but it's not until book 3.)

He's also punished pretty severely for his transgressions and I am sure he won't make it Pinot the series alive.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I look at the length of those things and the number and my heart blanches within me - I don't have the world's best patience with epically long fantasy series. But if I like the show, I probably will be more inspired.

Re: incest. Here is where it being a fantasy world comes into play. I'd probably be icked out if it was set in ancient Egyptian royal family but at least I know they were constrained by historical facts. Fantasy is not historical so even if within that fantasy world it's normal, I don't have the bastion 'it really happened' as back-up and my inhibitions and grossed-out factor is in full force.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I think the Lannisters are actually at least partially based on the Borgias and that was certainly a rumor flying around about Lucrezia (or really, about any Renaissance lady whom people wished to discredit such as Anne Boleyn!)

The incest isn't actually presented as desirable or good (the royal family who practiced it had a fair share of maniacs to show for all that inbreeding, and Jaime & Cersei do some very bad things to protect their very bad secret. They're also guilty of treason, since she's the Queen!) So I think we're MEANT to be icked out by it, but ... it's also not something that they being as conscious adults, really? I dunno, it's hard to explain. I keep falling back on "it's really complicated" but you know, obviously, read/watch and make up your own mind!