Iain Roberts

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• Commented on In Defense of Fantasy: #2 The Imagination's Sandbox
  Look at it this way: Abercrombie relates to, say, Raymond E Feist roughly as Shaun of the Dead relates to Resident Evil. In the former, the characters appreciate the absurdity of what is going on, and they think and act...
• Commented on In Defense of Fantasy: #2 The Imagination's Sandbox
  Abercrombie is all about the Antihero lead Not entirely. In the First Law trilogy, there are some fairly likeable lead characters such as West and the Dogman. Logen is a fearsome barbarian warrior, but on a personal level he's...
• Commented on In Defense of Fantasy: #2 The Imagination's Sandbox
  Nitpick to the OP: IIRC "A Song for Arbonne" was GGK's medieval-Provence-with-magic novel. "Tigana" is loosely based on late c15 and early c16 Italy, at the time it was being fought over by the French and Spanish....
• Commented on Aftermath
  I did say my breakdown was still simplified. Call north Wales a PC/Lab battleground if you like, or split Wales into south/central/north. The overall conclusions still stand....
• Commented on Aftermath
  (Cross-posted at Noel's linked blog entry) Duverger's Law isn't wrong, but you're drastically oversimplifying the political geography of the UK. A more accurate (but still simplified) breakdown into regional monopolies and duopolies, following the 2010 election, would be: 1) Safe...
• Commented on The Scottish Political Singularity, Act Two
  Your original premise is mistaken. "Everyone on the planet" does not have the right to live in the UK and no one is seriously proposing they should. I can say from personal experience that it is NOT easy or cheap...
• Commented on The Scottish Political Singularity, Act Two
  The Little England scenario wouldn't be pleasant, but predictions of a permanent Tory majority in England are a bit exaggerated. The Conservatives evolved to counterbalance a Labour party which had large Scottish/Welsh contingents. If Scotland and Wales leave, there would...
• Commented on The Scottish Political Singularity, Act Two
  I think OGH was mostly referring to the media and political classes. Things which once would have been considered unacceptable bigotry are now being said openly. It does filter down to less exalted levels though. I'm a white English-speaking Canadian....
• Commented on The Scottish Political Singularity, Act Two
  They can attempt to save the union. To do this, they will need to address the fundamental need for constitutional reform before tackling the Barnett formula. The best outcome would be wholesale root-and-branch reform This is what happened in Canada,...
• Commented on The Scottish Political Singularity, Act Two
  Excellent post. One thing you didn't mention: The recent collapse in the price of oil makes Scottish independence look less financially viable than it did a year ago. At this time, I'm not sure the SNP leadership want full independence...