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Ironic. It was exactly Martin's Soap Opera take on Fantasy that turned me off his writing half-way through the second book.
It certainly livened up the rather dry riverbed most fantasy was at the time. I wholly understand why it's popular. I won't lie, I've read the books. I enjoy them as much as Bakker.
Being one of the Few is only partially a matter of genetics and everyone has two parents. The traits the Dunyain select for are also traits of the Few and their training tends to develop the necessary mental skills for those traits to express in being able to perceive the onta. Eight percent of everyone in Asia is a descendent of Genghis Khan and statistically, everyone in western Europe is likely a descendent of Charlemagne in one way or another. Don't over focus on direct descent. Everyone has two parents and the Dunyain have been selectively breeding a small population for two thousand years in isolation.
Sideris wrote:"I enjoy them as much as Bakker."I used to, but the fifth book was... ugh. Here's hoping number 6 is truly amazing.
Further to Cc's points, human sorcerers aren't generally allowed to marry or breed and witches were persecuted so much that status as one of the few is highly unlikely to be geneticly dependent.
Recessives? People hiding or refusing to train their talents? Still plenty of ways for it to spread. Besides, thought that sorcerers visiting prostitutes was fine, just no wives or mistresses. Unless whore shells are pretty much universal, I'd imagine a bastard or two has been left.
Mimara and Esmenet both had whores shells. It's almost like a workplace necessity. Pregnancies are fetishes, they don't pay any bills.I do like the idea of Recessives and everyone seems to forget the College of Luthymae (sp?), a sect within the Thousand Temples made up of the Few who want to narc for God.
I'd argue that if sorcery genes were sex linked or managed to hop chromosomes to become sex linked, that women would be far more likely to be among the few than men because until very recently there simple were no women sorcerers, and therefore no taboos about marriage and concubines to prevent spread of said genes.
I bought the first of Martins books, so I wouldn't be as much of a hypocrit posting on westeros. It felt a bit like going to bourbon and coke...after absinthe. After all, absinthe makes the heart grow fonder...But seriously, I wouldn't mind the capacity to write something like Martins first book. I tried, but the character started ignoring the plot...
Here's Scott's reply to the question of why Moe and Kell are both of the few (from three seas):QuoteThe idea is that pertains to a certain kind of ability to remember. Since memory, like other cognitive capacities, seems to be somewhat heritable, so is the ability - but only somewhat. The thing with the Dunyain, however, is that they have spent millennia breeding for certain cognitive capacities.
The idea is that pertains to a certain kind of ability to remember. Since memory, like other cognitive capacities, seems to be somewhat heritable, so is the ability - but only somewhat. The thing with the Dunyain, however, is that they have spent millennia breeding for certain cognitive capacities.
Sorcery being heritable is pretty much required for the Inchoroi to have successfully grafted it, soScott's answer makes sense.Quote from: Callan S.But seriously, I wouldn't mind the capacity to write something like Martins first book. I tried, but the character started ignoring the plot...From what I understand Martin prefers to write organically anyway. If the character starts ignoring the plot, try following the character to see where he/she/it finds a new one.
But seriously, I wouldn't mind the capacity to write something like Martins first book. I tried, but the character started ignoring the plot...
Quote from: The SharmatSorcery being heritable is pretty much required for the Inchoroi to have successfully grafted itI'm not sure about this assumption. I had envisioned grafting more as the Inchoroi attempting genus-wide genomics on finite populations. So a number of biologically apt candidates for the graft of "experiencing-the-onta" get into a chamber, get gassed or what have you, and then the graft - biogenetic re-sequencing - either takes or it kills them?
Sorcery being heritable is pretty much required for the Inchoroi to have successfully grafted it
If they graft via genetic engineering then sorcery is a trait that is genetically determined, therefore subject to heredity.
I don't think so Sharmat. Aurang's POV, TTTpg 224(hardback)QuoteAh, the raucous glory of that age! He had been young then, before the accretions of graft after graft had sapped his monumental frame.Suggests its more like gene therapy.
Ah, the raucous glory of that age! He had been young then, before the accretions of graft after graft had sapped his monumental frame.
I don't see how that contradicts what I said at all.Edit: Unless you're considering somatic cell gene therapy as something outside the label of genetic engineering?
