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The Tale of Krispos
Topic Started: Aug 21 2008, 09:40 PM (636 Views)
SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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The Krispos trilogy is out in a very attractive omnibus and I've just about decided to dip my toe into the Videssos universe at long last.
When you wipe your ass, make sure you wipe it really well.
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Custer
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Resident Kamikaze Warrior
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It's great. I bought the omnibus last November, read the entire thing in like less than two weeks, and then wrote a shitload of Krispos articles on the TW.

Custer's fun fact of the day: the trilogy was subject of the very first Turtledove-related thread on this board when we moved last year.
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SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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I'm out of reading material at the moment, so . . .

Actually I'm not out (I'm never completely out), but I don't feel like starting any of the books on the waiting list.
When you wipe your ass, make sure you wipe it really well.
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Custer
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Resident Kamikaze Warrior
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If you plow ahead into the ToK you might gain a sudden big interest in Byzantine history. There's your warning.
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SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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Eh, I just won't pay attention to the tweedoms or look up the references. Shouldn't be too hard.
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Custer
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Byzantine history is great.
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SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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But it ended on such a sad note . . .
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Custer
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Resident Kamikaze Warrior
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Yeah, so?
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SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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If I got into it in a big way, I'd feel like I was building to an inevitable depressing conclusion, that all their accomplishments were for nothing, all the wisdom, learning, civilization, piety, heroism, and courage in the universe wouldn't save them from the Turks. I don't enjoy hearing of great achievements with the foreknowledge that in the end it all comes to a bad end no matter how bright their star had shone earlier on.
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Makkabee
Count
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But it wasn't for nothing. The Byzantine empire is gone, but their achievements continue to enrich us. The Hagia Sophia is still one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, and building materials and techniques developed for its construction have gone into many subsequent archetectural glories. The law code of Justinian was an inspiration for the Code Napoleon, which brought levels of equality and real justice never before seen to much of Europe. The Byzantines preserved and in some areas expanded on the learning of the Greeks and Romans and passed it on to the west and the Arab world. And if you're a fan of western civilization, remember that the Byzantines shielded Europe from assaults from the east for centuries. Not until the 14th century did that shield finally fail, and for another century after that the Byzantine empire's continued existence was enough to distract the Turks and keep them from turning the full force of their empire against the west.

So no, it wasn't all for nothing.
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SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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Well, looking at it that way does cheer me up a bit.

If I had a drink I'd raise it to the glories of Byzantium!
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SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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Says Iakovitzes to Krispos: "'We have a proverb: "When you come to Videssos the City, eat fish."'"

:huh:

What the fuck kind of stupid-ass proverb is that? That's the lamest proverb I've ever heard! Travel advice--and hard-to-ignore advice at that--rates as a proverb now? That really annoyed me.

Also, why do they keep calling it "Videssos the City"? There must be a less awkward way of referring to it than that.
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Makkabee
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Is it really any dumber than "when in Rome, do as the Romans do," though?
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SladeJack
The Grand SladeJack
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Ooh--That's a good point. Maybe it's just a way of giving a concrete example of what "Romans do." I understood it to be literal--and to be fair to me, the passage in question seemed to lean strongly in that direction.

Here's a proverb for you:

When in Singapore, don't litter!

And another:

When in Tokyo, expect crowded subways!

This is fun!

When in LA, suck!
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Makkabee
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I like that last one.

And the Dodgers are under .500 again. Yay, Phils!
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