Post by maestercambodia on Jun 26, 2016 2:47:37 GMT
I'm currently reading what is a new classic of fantasy literature, The Last Days of Magic by Mark Tompkins.
It was only published earlier this year so obviously it's irrelevant for trying to understand the mind of GRRM; nevertheless, what it does offer is an 'up-close-and-personal' detailed milieu compatible with how we might imagine the mythical Dawn Age/Heroic Age here.
14th century Ireland is the last bastion of magic, controlled by the Sidhe (=Children), which is heading towards a tragic conclusion as evidence by the title. They've come to an accommodation with the Celts (=First Men) and have long having intermarried with them, who in Celtic Christianity (here referred to as the Irish Church) have adapted Christianity to incorporate the old religion, and now together they are facing invasion and extermination by the Vatican/English forces (=Andals).
With the main Sidhe tribes having compromised and allowed the Celts and Vikings to cut down some trees, the Tree Sidhe have rebelled and foolishly joined with the invaders, thinking they can betray the heathen after establishing their authority over the other defeated Sidhe and Celts.
There are all sorts of conflicting agendas and emotions, and all characters are grey. The chief antagonist assigned to completely destroy magic not controlled by the Vatican is deeply conflicted. We have internal conflict among the Sidhe, "realistic" limited uses of different kinds of magic, and we have a watery species of anti-Sidhe that calls to mind potential pre-Iron Born denizens.
It's quite an original angle which I highly recommend.
Post by maestercambodia on Jun 26, 2016 3:49:18 GMT
If there's one thing I love more than a well-constructed fantasy world, it's an alternate history of this world. He seamlessly grafts fantasy and speculation into real history to present an extremely plausible lost time.
Post by maestercambodia on Jun 30, 2016 13:10:17 GMT
So I finished it - the plot went a little flat towards the end but a phenomenal read anyway. 8/10 for writing, but 11/10 for the sub-genre.
I'm hooked; looking for more top quality quasi-historical, mythical, fantasy Celtic literature, I've discovered the Avalon series of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana L.Paxson. Starting with The Mists of Avalon, the are eight tomes in the series and I'm a very slow reader.
I'll therefore likely be suspending my journey through the complete works of GRRM and full re-read of ASOIAF for a few months. I'll be sticking around here and logging in daily but won't have much to contribute for a while. Note, this has nothing to do with the end of the mummers' version!