First let me say that I am a huge fan of GOT. The first three volumes are great; the fourth is pretty good, and the fifth is a real mess. The holes I am going to point out are common to fantasy cycles in general, but given the quality of the writing and the depth of the universe construction; I hoped for better.
Technological Deep Freeze: Without going into all the anomalies technology seems to have frozen in the late middle ages for many hundreds/thousands of years. There is a sense of loss of technology, for instance no one really knows how to replicate the Great Wall. Whether it is 700 or 800 feet or even higher; no one knows how it was constructed in actual terms. It is beyond belief in terms or normal human experience, the Great Wall of China is like a Legos model in comparison. Yet, relatively modern marvels like the statue straddling the
harbor of Braavos (obviously based on the Colossus of Rhodes) are widely found.
The series features several important sea based powers and a major trade all across the Inland Sea. Despite this
we seem to have stopped with the compass, no sextants, so astrolabes, apparently no proper map making, no
observation of the heavens. Why in so many fantasy sagas we have a historical back story of thousands of years,
but no societal development?
We have banking in the free cities, but apparently none in Westeros. The Iron Bank of Braavos is in saga terms
a relative child. Still it is half a millennium of practicing finance. Is Venice the model for Bravos? If so why
in Braavos and the other Free Cities don't we see a Renaissance? I hadn't really thought about it but, there doesn't seem to be any painting, sculpture, but no real painting. There seem to be illustrations in books,
but no painting. In a late medieval world; there should be tapestries. Why is this left out; is it a conscious
omission, or is it just a blip. It is of interest to me because in the Renaissance art and science have a connection.
Let's go back to the Free Cities and trade for a minute. Where is a Henry the Navigator; where are the sun sightings, where are the rutters (voyage logs with detailed descriptions of coastlines), where, where, where,
are the changes brought about by commerce? Banking is a relatively late development, in 600 years no one
developed a letter of credit?
More to come, but I need to take a break.
Technological Deep Freeze: Without going into all the anomalies technology seems to have frozen in the late middle ages for many hundreds/thousands of years. There is a sense of loss of technology, for instance no one really knows how to replicate the Great Wall. Whether it is 700 or 800 feet or even higher; no one knows how it was constructed in actual terms. It is beyond belief in terms or normal human experience, the Great Wall of China is like a Legos model in comparison. Yet, relatively modern marvels like the statue straddling the
harbor of Braavos (obviously based on the Colossus of Rhodes) are widely found.
The series features several important sea based powers and a major trade all across the Inland Sea. Despite this
we seem to have stopped with the compass, no sextants, so astrolabes, apparently no proper map making, no
observation of the heavens. Why in so many fantasy sagas we have a historical back story of thousands of years,
but no societal development?
We have banking in the free cities, but apparently none in Westeros. The Iron Bank of Braavos is in saga terms
a relative child. Still it is half a millennium of practicing finance. Is Venice the model for Bravos? If so why
in Braavos and the other Free Cities don't we see a Renaissance? I hadn't really thought about it but, there doesn't seem to be any painting, sculpture, but no real painting. There seem to be illustrations in books,
but no painting. In a late medieval world; there should be tapestries. Why is this left out; is it a conscious
omission, or is it just a blip. It is of interest to me because in the Renaissance art and science have a connection.
Let's go back to the Free Cities and trade for a minute. Where is a Henry the Navigator; where are the sun sightings, where are the rutters (voyage logs with detailed descriptions of coastlines), where, where, where,
are the changes brought about by commerce? Banking is a relatively late development, in 600 years no one
developed a letter of credit?
More to come, but I need to take a break.