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Jul. 30th, 2015 08:15 amI'm reading Ken Liu's Grace of Kings and enjoying it so far. For one thing, it's refreshing to have historical fantasy that isn't another generic Tolkienesque NW Euro feudal society, but is instead modelled after classical Chinese epics.
However, it's also amusing to look at it with a modern perspective. The dying emperor is reviled because he overthrew the "natural order" of seven competing kings and replaced it with a strong central authority. He imposed standardized language, weights and measures, and "set peasants in place of nobles while nobles live in huts." Corrupt bureaucrats rule in place of nobles who are tied to the shining orb of feudalism. So... (theoretical) meritocracy rather than accident of birth. And so forth.
I'm not complaining - one of the big problems with much historical fantasy is that they have modern attitudes with a vague wash of idealized historical outlook.
However, it's also amusing to look at it with a modern perspective. The dying emperor is reviled because he overthrew the "natural order" of seven competing kings and replaced it with a strong central authority. He imposed standardized language, weights and measures, and "set peasants in place of nobles while nobles live in huts." Corrupt bureaucrats rule in place of nobles who are tied to the shining orb of feudalism. So... (theoretical) meritocracy rather than accident of birth. And so forth.
I'm not complaining - one of the big problems with much historical fantasy is that they have modern attitudes with a vague wash of idealized historical outlook.
