At least asoiaf subverts a lot of fantasy tropes. Aristocracy is more grounded on reality and it shows that regardless of who’s in charge, people still live a shitty life.
Tolkien is almost Disney-like. If you are ruled by the rightful and just king/queen, then it’s all rainbows and sunshines.
Honestly there’s a lot you can fault GRRM for but one thing he consistently gets right is portraying monarchy not as glamorous nobility but miserable, neurotic, inbred perverts who are constantly miserable from the consequences of their own actions and need to embody an entire nation.
Nearly every major destructive war or battle that isn’t against the white walkers (clearly at this point analogous to climate change) or Danni’s adventurist white savior liberation wars are the result of some courtly drama bullshit that ends in the death of thousands on both sides. There’s monsters in both armies, but also many many otherwise good people that just have no choice but to follow the word of their noble. Even Ned Stark’s sense of “honor” that got him killed wasn’t remotely in the interest of the realm and it’s people but nerdy liberal rules based order technicality on who should get to be the king.
I maintain, ASOFI only makes sense if it ends in the abolition of the monarchy or some sort of Revolutionary War / Magna Carta style power sharing agreement between the unlanded capitalists and merchants following an apocalyptic loss of life and power for the Great Houses. I’m talking Iron Bank / faceless men gunboat diplomacy or French Revolution.
I cringe when i remember i used to like A Song of ice and fire. Thank god the Tv show turned out so bad that it was forgotten lol.
At least asoiaf subverts a lot of fantasy tropes. Aristocracy is more grounded on reality and it shows that regardless of who’s in charge, people still live a shitty life. Tolkien is almost Disney-like. If you are ruled by the rightful and just king/queen, then it’s all rainbows and sunshines.
Honestly there’s a lot you can fault GRRM for but one thing he consistently gets right is portraying monarchy not as glamorous nobility but miserable, neurotic, inbred perverts who are constantly miserable from the consequences of their own actions and need to embody an entire nation.
Nearly every major destructive war or battle that isn’t against the white walkers (clearly at this point analogous to climate change) or Danni’s adventurist white savior liberation wars are the result of some courtly drama bullshit that ends in the death of thousands on both sides. There’s monsters in both armies, but also many many otherwise good people that just have no choice but to follow the word of their noble. Even Ned Stark’s sense of “honor” that got him killed wasn’t remotely in the interest of the realm and it’s people but nerdy liberal rules based order technicality on who should get to be the king.
I maintain, ASOFI only makes sense if it ends in the abolition of the monarchy or some sort of Revolutionary War / Magna Carta style power sharing agreement between the unlanded capitalists and merchants following an apocalyptic loss of life and power for the Great Houses. I’m talking Iron Bank / faceless men gunboat diplomacy or French Revolution.
I haven’t seen much of Game of Thrones but my SO loves it and loves Cersei. How is Cersei an adventurist?