<< I started reading Chinese history to get a feel for Kralorela. I was struck by two things. One, that this was damn fun, and two, that it wasn't Kralorela, >>
You're right David. Ancient China, as far as I can tell, seems to be a far more "interesting" (as in curse "may you live in interesting times") place than Kralorela with its stable government, peaceful populace, lack of nasty neighbours.
To quote directly from the Introduction of my copy of Sima Qian's Historical Record:
" Power-mongering, fence-sitting war lords, policy peddling plotical clients, panacea- vendors, needle fine Machiavellian intriguers, itinerant Nestors, down-at-heel wizards of statecraft, indeflectible assassins, ruthless pimps of Realpolitic, generals and tacticians of superb genius and cunning - dog-butchers, gamblers, tipplers, farmyard impersonators, medics, cat-burglars, jesters, masters of wisecrack, lascivious princesses, seductive concubines, philosophers, giants of the mind, immortals of the tongue, saints of astounding virtue and fortitude, and rogues of limitless treachery - all this is only a part of the cavalcade which we witness in the pages of Sima Qian's Historical Records....."
Which is how I think Kralorela should be. Perhaps it is? Alex, is it? With Godunya in charge for the last few centuries I think it comes across as a bit lacking in dramatic tension. I hope I, immodest and unworthy as I am ,can be proven wrong, or shown to be in error. At least, let there be a War Lord or two?
Keith N
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