The Second Apocalypse

Earwa => The Aspect-Emperor => The Judging Eye => Topic started by: What Came Before on April 26, 2013, 04:40:08 pm

Title: A Moment of Levity
Post by: What Came Before on April 26, 2013, 04:40:08 pm
Quote from: Truth Shines
I think we can all agree that these books, generally speaking, are not big on comedy.  The only exceptions are probably some of those occasionally funny "fireside chats" by Kellhus early on during TWP -- and even those are tinged by forboding because our knowledge of his true nature.

But here's a meta-moment that made me smile and chuckle.  RSB, in a classic Ubermensch-esque gesture, poking a little fun at himself.  This is a scene where Esmenet, Maithanet, Imhailas (captain of the Eothic Guard), and Phinersa (master of spies) gather in front of the corpse of Sharacinth and plan on how to react (USA 1st Edition, hardcover p278):

[Esmenet]: "... In the meantime, it is absolutely crucial we find this Psatma Nannaferi..."

"Indeed, you Glory," Imhailas said, nodding with almost comic grandiloquence.  "As the Khirgwe say, the headless snake has no fangs."

Esmenet scowled.  The Captain had a habit of spouting inane adages -- from some popular scroll of aphorisms, no doubt.

 :lol:
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: What Came Before on April 26, 2013, 04:40:18 pm
Quote from: Madness
To be honest, Cnaiur made me laugh all the time. An intelligent barbarian :shock: ... he bested those Inrithi sheeple in wit all over PON.

Though, I appreciated Xinemus and company. Xerius and Conphas were funny, in that I thought they were often ridiculous.

Disciple's where Bakker really gets to stretch his comedy leggings... but it's pretty twisted too ;).
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: What Came Before on April 26, 2013, 04:40:25 pm
Quote from: Triskele
That popular scroll of aphorisms is pretty awesome.  Nice find.


As much as I like RSB's writing overall, I don't usually like the humor.  The jokes made in the book by the characters that generate laughter from the others aren't usually funny to me. 

But yeah, Cnaiur urs Sciotha, the most violent of all men (who will murder me!?) can be fucking hilarious. 

Kellhus makes a joke to Proyas at the counsel of Great Names.  It's just a manipulation on the part of Kellhus to get more accepted, but Cnaiur shoots him a look and thinks "Play these fools if you must, Dunyain, but do not play me!"
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: What Came Before on April 26, 2013, 04:40:37 pm
Quote from: Curethan
That bit where Kellhus takes his shoe's off on the march and some religious takes on the event spring up = the shoe scene in Life of Brian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka9mfZbTFbk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka9mfZbTFbk)
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: What Came Before on April 26, 2013, 04:40:46 pm
Quote from: Truth Shines
Quote from: Triskele
That popular scroll of aphorisms is pretty awesome.  Nice find.
As much as I like RSB's writing overall, I don't usually like the humor.  The jokes made in the book by the characters that generate laughter from the others aren't usually funny to me.
I'm not sure he's writing for the next Seinfeld either, but some of them are pretty good though.  Here's one:

Then they [the Skin Eaters, marching in the halls of Cil-Aujas] started on beggars, trading tales of this or that wrtech.  Soma's claim to have seen a beggar without arms or legs was met with general derision...  In the spirit of mockery, Galian went one better, saying he saw a headless beggar when he was in the Imperial Army.  "For the longest time we thought he was a sack of ripe turnips, until he started begging, that is..."
"And what did he beg for?"  Oxwora asked...
"To be turned right side up, what else?"

 :lol:

Kinda low brow, of course.  But again, these are the Skin Eaters.  You probably won't find too many fans of The New Yorker cartoons there. 

Interestingly, this whole section serves no narrative purpose in terms of advancing the plot, except building up the atmosphere of camaraderie, humanizing a group of hardened killers who hunt inhuman monsters for a living.  Perhaps I'm reading into this a little too much, but can this not be seen as a replay, "through the glass darkly," of the Holy War?  Achamian, once again, marching in the company of men whose habits and temperament are completely different from his own yet still finding a measure of friendship, but ultimately leading to horror and destruction.  The teacher, yet again, losing the student.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Callan S. on November 25, 2013, 05:19:07 am
Worth repeating it here - and some other poster recognised this (who are you! Cry out! 'Cause I forget, Dunyain!), that no, that supposed camraderie scene does tie right into the themes of the book.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Duskweaver on December 09, 2013, 10:58:33 am
and some other poster recognised this (who are you! Cry out! 'Cause I forget, Dunyain!)
*Cough* (http://second-apocalypse.com/index.php?topic=774.msg3691#msg3691) ;D
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Alia on January 17, 2014, 07:53:56 pm
Somehow, this little talk by Sarl made me laugh: "If this is no coincidence, Captain, then it's the Whore. Anagke. Fate. [...] And the Whore, begging your pardon, Captain, fucks everyone in the end - everyone. Foe, friend, fuzzy little woodland creatures..."
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Madness on January 17, 2014, 10:27:56 pm
It's the fuzzy little woodland creatures ;).
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Inraus Ghost on January 27, 2014, 11:01:03 pm
I think if we were sitting around those fires, drinking with these characters, their jokes would be far more amusing. But "gazing down" on them as spectators and analyzing the the movements of their souls to discern who's doing what and for what purpose robs us of the relative innocence of being in their moment.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Madness on January 28, 2014, 01:07:41 am
Participatory affect. Powerful stuff.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Quinthane on December 24, 2015, 07:08:48 am
(Xinemus)...so I said, 'Indeed, my Lord Prince, indeed,' then nodded the sage way you do when you agree with someone you think isn't as clever as you."

Achamian smiled and nodded sagely.

lol


Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Quinthane on December 24, 2015, 07:12:57 am
(but for whatever reason i find this to be the funniest beat in the whole story)--



  “I dr-dreamed...” he said, hugging his arms against a shiver. “Dreamed of him.”

         “Him?”

         “Shauriatas.”

         He had no need of explanations. Shauriatas was the curse-name of Sheönanra, the cunning Grandmaster of the Mangaecca, the intellect who discovered the last surviving Inchoroi and resurrected their World-breaking design.

         Shauriatas. The Lord of the Consult.

         The surprise in her eyes was fleeting. “How’s he doing?”
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: geoffrobro on December 24, 2015, 10:58:39 pm
When Conphas says his uncle "Xerius, who suspected conspiracy whenever two of his slaves farted."
that little line always made me chuckle.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Wilshire on December 29, 2015, 02:42:47 pm
"Like a prune fucking a twig"

(Xinemus)...so I said, 'Indeed, my Lord Prince, indeed,' then nodded the sage way you do when you agree with someone you think isn't as clever as you."

Achamian smiled and nodded sagely.

lol

What I love about this setup is that there are at least 2 or 3 other instances in TDTCB where different people pull this off after this scene happens. Makes me chuckle every time
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: themerchant on December 29, 2015, 06:04:02 pm
Conphas does loads of little funny things. Like leaning back and forth with martemous(sp?) just to watch him mirror him. whatever he gets up to with the concubine standard when alone. His whole strutting about and quips. " i wore sandals" to Proyas when saying Gotian didn't want sand in his boots.

Him and Cnaiur are two amazing characters i love reading about them, but imaging the scenes from their PoV as actually from a 3rd party, privy to their thoughts and actions, gives me much mirth.Cnaiur goes to the tree starts screaming at Kellhus in his native tongue, starts a mini riot and starts jamming thumbs into eyes, then when Saubon appears, acts like nothing has happened and declares the vigil a "fools watch" or something. That had me in tears after a few re-reads. 

Poor Cnaiur always having these revelations and folk coming up to him to ask questions. Imagine being the person to go get him. "Captain get the Scylvendi we need his counsel for the upcoming battle". Cnaiur is either off in the sea naked screaming, fucking the ground, or rampaging through villages on murdering spree, and when you get to him he's like "you call me a weeping faggot?" before choking you out and attending the council.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Wolfdrop on December 29, 2015, 09:33:15 pm
I thought when Akka got stoned with the Skin-Eaters was pretty funny, didn't feel forced at all.

"Only the good mud on the slug"

Considering that Bakker uses "mud" for "shit" often, I found these guys essentially going "this is the good shit, some damn fine weed" entertaining. The whole scene was very true to life. I think it's pretty obvious Bakker's had a few good tokes in his time.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: themerchant on December 30, 2015, 01:56:20 am
"It has to carry us far"

Yeah mirth at someone "coughing their lungs out on good shit" is something any smoker has experienced.

In saying that not surprised the bong was put away once they got into the nonman mansion. Cil-Aujas doesn't strike me as a great place to sit and get high.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Madness on December 30, 2015, 03:59:18 am
And, you know... Qirri is a hell of a drug.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: geoffrobro on December 30, 2015, 02:35:13 pm
OMG lol Conphas is Patrick Bateman. now i have to read everything he says in that monotone voice.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: themerchant on December 30, 2015, 05:29:19 pm
And, you know... Qirri is a hell of a drug.

Charlie Murphy's real great ordeal stories.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: Madness on December 31, 2015, 12:06:18 am
Lol.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: EkyannusIII on January 05, 2016, 06:59:50 pm
And, you know... Qirri is a hell of a drug.

Kellhus has to snort Mekeretrig in the next book.  I demand it.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: H on January 05, 2016, 07:33:51 pm
And, you know... Qirri is a hell of a drug.

Kellhus has to snort Mekeretrig in the next book.  I demand it.

The question shall then be: "Father, am I to dwell in your house?  And put mine feet upon your couch?"
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: BeardFisher-King on March 16, 2017, 02:42:54 pm
I love this thread. (Attn: "Spoilers")

And, you know... Qirri is a hell of a drug.

Kellhus has to snort Mekeretrig in the next book.  I demand it.

The question shall then be: "Father, am I to dwell in your house?  And put mine feet upon your couch?"

Notes toward a possible screenplay of TUC

NEW SCENE
<Kellhus meets Proyas at Golgotterath>

K. Bro! Whassup!

P. Fuck this noise, that's what's up. This fucking "Great Ordeal" is a goddamn shitstorm!

K. Whoa, chill, Greater Pro! Try teleporting across the entire Empire. Have you made the necessary decisions?

P. The fucking hell...yes, Lord, I did. Hey, did you know that if you burn up a Sranc completely, the ashes from the charred Meat are pretty fucking potent? We've been slogging all the way from Dagliash on that shit.

K. Good call! Now let's fuck up the Consult.

END SCENE.
Title: Re: A Moment of Levity
Post by: mrganondorf on March 18, 2017, 12:48:44 pm
I love this thread. (Attn: "Spoilers")

And, you know... Qirri is a hell of a drug.

Kellhus has to snort Mekeretrig in the next book.  I demand it.

The question shall then be: "Father, am I to dwell in your house?  And put mine feet upon your couch?"

Notes toward a possible screenplay of TUC

NEW SCENE
<Kellhus meets Proyas at Golgotterath>

K. Bro! Whassup!

P. Fuck this noise, that's what's up. This fucking "Great Ordeal" is a goddam shitstorm!

K. Whoa, chill, Greater Pro! Try teleporting across the entire Empire. Have you made the necessary decisions?

P. The fucking hell...yes, Lord, I did. Hey, did you know that if you burn up a Sranc completely, the ashes from the charred Meat are pretty fucking potent? We've been slogging all the way from Dagliash on that shit.

K. Good call! Now let's fuck up the Consult.

END SCENE.
I LIKE IT! :) MAYBE THE WHOLE THING CAN TURN INTO A PRANK WAR LIKE REVENGE OF THE NERDS