Brandon Sanderson: There's always another secret project.

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Brandon Sanderson: There's always another secret project.

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Khizan posted:

I don't think it's surprising at all, because the books aren't that good. The characterization is flat. The dialogue is forced. The prose is workmanlike at its best, and that's being generous. His 'avalanche' leads to a boring middle section, because none of the threads resolve until the very end. It also leads to a rushed feeling on the ending, because there isn't enough time to witness the aftermath of any of the resolved threads.

The only thing he happens to be good at is the technical details of the worldbuilding and magic systems. It just so happens that there's a large audience for that. It's sort of like LE Modesitt in a way; I don't know what it is but if he wrote a book that was "500 pages of some dude building furniture" I'd probably read it.

The Magic of Recluse and The Death of Chaos, are the books pertaining to that.

# ¿ Dec 6, 2015 02:30

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 18:08

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

To be fair, badasshood doesn't tend to occur from sitting on a couch eating cheetos.

# ¿ Sep 3, 2017 03:08

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

I dunno, I think the big crab showing up 2 hours early in WoK should have had at least one or two.

# ¿ Apr 7, 2023 21:11

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Finally got around to listening to The Way of Kings after bouncing off the prologue back when it first came out.

A few thoughts so far a bit under halfway.
Kaladin does seem pretty cool, he just preformed the sideways bridge maneuver, so I imagine he's about to get strung up in a high storm since they've hammered that punishment but we haven't seen anyone suffer it yet.

Dalinar also pretty interesting, last we saw him he'd just decided to abdicate to his playboy(but still also pretty cool) son.

Shallan has been OK, the "wit" that I've seen talked about hasn't been too annoying so far, I think it's mostly that I'm not a fan of Readings.. uh, reading style.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2023 15:40

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

I work in construction, generally by my self for the better part of the day, I think I'll continue listening to books.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2023 23:01

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

"That sword is worth fortunes!" Gotta admit, that was a pretty boss move.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2023 15:35

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

I am all aboard the Kaladin/Adolin snipe train.

# ¿ Apr 20, 2023 14:33

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

WOR part 1 I can't wait for Roshar to figure out differential gears.

# ¿ May 8, 2023 18:03

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

pik_d posted:

Up to chapter 7 of The Final Empire

I'm very glad that we got a novice Mistborn so we could get a training montage of what the different Allomancy metals do, though so far I still have 0 knowledge about the 9th metal, and I don't know what Atium or the 11th metal do. Vin has one hell of a survival mode don't trust anybody mentality, I'm guessing she'll shed that around Kelsier sooner or later. This heist seems fun and definitely no part of it will go wrong. Fun book so far, but I'm very curious how much the mist actually does since that hasn't been explained yet.

# ¿ May 16, 2023 20:13

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Having just finished Row, I'd say you're not that far from when it starts to pick up.

I was listening to it while I work so the slow bits weren't as much of a problem as it would be if I'd been reading it.

# ¿ May 21, 2023 17:34

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

pik_d posted:

I was going to read 2 chapters last night, but they were short and there wasn't much left so I finished the book. And then also read The Eleventh Metal.

The Final Empire chapters 35-Epilogue (Part 5)
Some things answered, some new questions asked, very good end of the book though. Looking forward to the next one.

So people gathering in the street just preaching the word of Kelsier. I guess his plan was good, they start praising him but he dies so it doesn't go to his head and he doesn't become a tyrant. Then Vin is like "I can totally take the Lord Ruler this time, I have this mystery metal to help." Absolute lunatic. I'm guessing Kelsier never figured out what the 11th metal is because he always burned it when he was alone, so never saw the alternate versions of people. This makes it an alloy of gold? Which means that the higher metals do have the pairs thing going on, which means Atium might have an alloy that is internal precognition? Oh and by the way there's ANOTHER metal that you can burn that just depleats all your reserves? Is there an alloy of that that can deplete someone elses reserves? I somewhat feel like the answer to that last one is "no" because that would just be a cheat code.

Anyway, I was right about the Kandra being involved in Kelsier's death, it scooped up Kelsier's bones and posed as him to make people think he wasn't dead. Kinda spooky but sure. That does mean that Kelsier isn't coming back, unlike his loving brother?? Who is an Inquisitor but NOT turned? And he killed a bunch of other Inquisitors without them all ganging up on him? Wild.

And Elend shows up again, the idiot. Can we just call him a himbo? Dude's a himbo with book smarts but absolutely clueless when it comes to "should I stick my nose in here". He's lucky his crush is a Mistborn or he'd be dead like three times, at least. It'll be interesting to see how good of a king he is, and if he needs saving in the future books. Glad he got a hug in the end, I was worried about Vin going full Batman and going it alone for a second there.

And the Lord Ruler that we know is Rashek. So that fucker killed the real hero and ended up taking things for himself. I had been reading this kids diary and thinking "wow you grow up to be a dickhead", I'm so sorry dude, you would have done it. So now I wonder if Vin is the new Hero of Ages. She's the Dragon Reborn. She's gonna have to go to the Well of Assention and be the Hero that defeats the Deepness, which, looking at the next two book titles, makes a lot of sense.

I also read the Eleventh Metal, Kelsier's trainer came straight out of the school of hard knocks, and Kelsier had a loving big clue that the Eleventh Metal was external since there were literally people that it was being tested on. What a clown.

# ¿ May 29, 2023 18:25

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

pik_d posted:

Listen, if they get to the fake Well of Ascension, find the Terrisfolk, then get to the real Well of Ascension all in the last 10ish chapters I'm gonna wonder what the hell Brandon was doing with the rest of the book

Welcome to early Sanderson, after the Mistborn trilogy, he gets better at pacing.

# ¿ Jun 16, 2023 02:26

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

No way I'm going to remember that come this November, let alone next.

Good thing someone else will.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2023 18:55

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Torrannor posted:

I misread this and thought I forgot that SA5 comes out this year, and was super disappointed when I reread your post

That SA5 prologue was crazy, and considering what happened in Rhythm of War... The book will be so insane, and to have to wait more than a year for it is torture.

Providing minor disappointments seems to have become my goal in life lately, so at least I've got that going for me.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2023 22:07

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

CapnAndy posted:

Joke's on you, sucker! RoW is the prologue for KoWT!

Knights of the Wide Table.

# ¿ Jul 21, 2023 23:33

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

pik_d posted:

Stormlight WoK chapters 43-51 & Part 3 Interludes (second ~half of Part 3)

Future @Mordiceius be warned, I have some galaxy brained theories here, but obviously only based on stuff I (and you) have already read

Shallan has been, by far, the more interesting POV character in these few chapters, with the exception of Kaladin's highstorm vision. She's still got a lot of secrets, but at least Jasnah has finally seen the deception, even if she barely believes the reason. Shallan really is in way over her head here. I'm frustrated that the section ended without Shallan talking to Jasnah about the lineheads (who can now talk to her) and the soulcasting.

Speaking of, that one chapter where she kept drawing the lineheads getting closer was a straight up horror story. When she was soulcasting, it felt like she was seeing the atoms or molecules of the goblet and wine, then spoke to them to instigate the change, that's pretty wild. I wonder if that's a personal interpretation or if everyone does it that way too? One of my theories for this part is that the lineheads are actaully in the Cognative realm. Possibly Spiritual, but the Cognative realm has distinct locations per the Selish system essay, so morel likely that. That matters because I believe that Shallan's Memory snapshot is actually taking "pictures" of all available realms, which is why she ends up drawing the lineheads.

I'm glad the hot priest is gone, especially after his dumbass poison and antidote scheme. I had suspected that Jasnah transmuted the jam into poison, but it seems like the antidote just spoiled it instead. If Jasnah is capable of using Stormlight the way Szeth and Kaladin are, she could have done that even with the broken fabrial.

As a note, it really does seem like Shinovar is incredibly Earth-like, or maybe Scadrial-like, since Scadrial is pretty Earth-like itself, outside of the 1000 year Final Empire era. The vegitation is described like our grass and trees, strawberries and other things that grow there can't grow in regular Roshar soil. I'm wondering if Scadrial, or another "normal" world ended up having some land transport into Roshar? Or maybe Roshar was all like this, and the rest of the world had to adapt, but Shinovar, being on the west coast, is protected from the worst of the Highstorms.

Kaladin's flashbacks were a mixed bag for some of my theories. I thought that Roshone would have had Kaladin's parents killed, forcing Kaladin to flee with Tien, but instead Tien's name was called for the draft and Kaladin went with him. I also was sure that Kaladin killed the shardbearer but was told he couldn't have the Shardblade and plate, but instead he didn't even want it. I suppose I was a little right there, because Amaram did take it from Coreb. Gotta say though, as Amaram, it was really stupid to let Kaladin live. I'm sure they'll meet again and Amaram will end up dying that time, and Kaladin will take the blade and plate that time.

I really enjoyed Kaladin's highstorm vision, but I think I'll have to go back to them later to see what connections I just don't know about right now. The cities in clawmark-like gashes reminded me of Kharbranth nestled in the clif wedge. Living in hollowed-out stalactities reminded me of the ATLA Western Air Temple, so that was nice. The triangle lightning building seems important. I'm wondering if the pretty gold/red haired woman in the corner will be important. It sounds like this is in Shinovar, where Szeth is from.

Who the gently caress is Tanavast? This seems important, since Kaladin is a child of Tanavast, despite Tanavast being "long since departed". This Odium... person? being? reminds me, in name, of Atium. I think that's a coincidence though. Also they're the "most dangerous of all the 16" which immediately made me think of the shards, because the presence of the "Seventeenth Shard" as an organization makes me think there are actually 16 shards. This gave me huge Rayse vibes, since "He holds the most frightening and terrible of all of the Shards." So either Odium is the shard that Rayse holds, or they literally are the same being. I'm going for the latter, if only because Odium doesn't sound like any other shard name, and I still think the Roshar shard (if there is only one) is named Desolation.

I'm going to be honest, Kaladin's present day life is just slowly getting to where he needs to be. Teft knows he's something special but is dancing around the subject. I do think Kaladin will find an underground river since he's thinking about the water needing to have somewhere to go. I am just ready for him to not be a slave anymore.

After the theories about the lineheads and Odium, I also have some theories about how the spren fit in to things. One of the more recent spren the book told me about was Groundspren, which are described as basically being gravity. Szeth uses lashings to change his gravity orientation. I think that his use of Stormlight is actually directing, or maybe "casting" spren to interact with him differently. Stormlight use, "soulcasting", is the use of different spren to affect the world in ways useful to the user. My second theory is more of a stretch, but comes from the interlude by Geranid. The spren literally have an observer effect, but only takes effect after the measurement is written down. This instantly made me think of Ruin's ability to "read" and change the words written. From this I'm making the leap that spren are the physical part of Roshar's shard. I really hate saying that spren, including Syl, are part of Desolation, so I'm hoping there's a second shard! Either way I think they are the shard's way of interacting with the world.

Progress so far:

These sure are some thoughts and theories. :allears:

# ¿ Aug 8, 2023 23:58

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

CapnAndy posted:

You discount the possibility that you're right and it's funny.

Also being wrong and it's great_{for everyone else}.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2023 03:42

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

I always pictured Wax as Timothy Omundson, and never really had a mental picture of Wayne.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2023 03:23

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

pik_d posted:

I typed that up then immediately started reading again only to have like half my theories immediately shot down

That's the great (for us) thing about the shorter books.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2023 04:14

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

TGG posted:

Of all things I expected from the first four Stormlight books, Adolin being my favorite character was not one of them. I'm a straight dude and I totally get Shallan's SIGH, the dude is just great.

He's got a bit of a temper, but that's understandable. He's a pretty stand up guy all things considered though.

# ¿ Sep 5, 2023 02:41

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Nitrousoxide posted:

Alright I started back up on the second Mistborn book after like a month break for a couple of other series.

I'm like 80% sure these Koloss are absolutely carrying around a backup supply of Atium for the Lord Ruler. There's no other reason for Sanderson to hang such an enormous and bright red flag on these "coin purses"

I wish I'd written down things I was thinking when I read the books.

# ¿ Sep 5, 2023 17:53

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Captain Monkey posted:

yo whatup alternate self.

gently caress, there more of me out there than I thought!

# ¿ Sep 6, 2023 16:17

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

The Maladin love triangle was a bit much though.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2023 20:08

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Tunicate posted:

To be fair a competent leader could have just said I have witnessed two men win shardblades in the arena, against a staggering disadvantage, and in admiration of their feat, I grant the right of challenge to both brightlord Adolin and brightlord Kaladin.

And it would have made the challenge even more legit, a darkeyes winning a shardblade unarmed it the type of legendary poo poo a boon is for.

Yeah, well, Elhokar.

# ¿ Sep 11, 2023 10:10

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Mordiceius posted:

This comes down to a personal failing of my own when it comes to empathy. The "Kaladin has depression" talk is something I see talked about a lot. I know that IRL, I generally have a really really really hard time around people with depression. We all have periods of our life when we're depressed but I'm talking actual clinical depression. It's one of the few groups of people where I just cannot connect. Maybe it is just because of my crazy hyperactive ADHD optimism in life.

I still think the most apt comparison in my mind is that Kaladin is a directionless Raoden.

Raoden, to me, was a failure of a character because he didn't really have an arc. He was just perfect from the get-go. I think even Brandon has mentioned that he made Raoden a little too much of a unflawed character. Kaladin feels like a Raoden with zero direction and I think that's the only way to make that character more boring.

I'm very curious to see what makes me finally come around on Kaladin because I'm sure I will. I've seen far too many people to profess Kaladin as their favorite fictional character of all time. At this point, to me, he's one of the most boring protags in the entire Cosmere.

As someone with depression for most of my thinking life span, even I get exasperated with Kaladin.

I get it, but I deal with it myself, I don't really need to read my own thoughts written by someone else.

I would like to say that the flashbacks do have payoff _{it just takes a while}.

# ¿ Sep 13, 2023 02:06

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Nitrousoxide posted:

Mistborn Book 3 Chapter 53:

The whole mists making 16% sick, of which 16% of those stayed sick for 16 days is baffling. Vin joining the Crew at 16. And yet the mists don't harm mistborn or nobles? I cannot fathom what is going on here. From the "notes from a future scholar" stuff at the ends of the chapters it's clear that the mists are from Preservation. Yet the mists were apparently killing people before Ruin got loose? Why would Preservation be destroying stuff???

Don't worry, this will actually be explained

# ¿ Sep 15, 2023 17:14

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Mordiceius posted:

Time for

I've found it interesting how Terrismen are portrayed.

Since I'm in WoK right now, I can't help but draw slight connections between Parshmen and Terrismen. I know that is incredibly unfair since it seems like Parshmen on Roshar are basically animals in humanoid form? (Which still gives me the ick).

This is explained later... But, uh, don't be holding your breath on the time scale.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2023 20:12

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Sanderson has always said there would be a 5+ year gap between SA1-5 and 6-10.

# ¿ Dec 20, 2023 05:50

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Narsham posted:

Warbreaker up to Chapter 34 spoilers, as well as The Lost Metal:
And Hoid just showed up. Typical.

I now suspect that the burning of the God-King's sheets every morning has something to do with how they transfer his breath into his heir. Though it's hard to believe that Sanderson of all writers is going to have some sort of sperm-based Breath transfer system. Still, the "destroy all this stuff" aspect of life in the palace strikes me as an attempt to conceal the destruction of something vitally important to getting ahold of all that power.

My other observation is from earlier but now modified a bit: Lightsong's colors are red and gold. That's the same colors as Autonomy's army in Lost Metal... or at least, the army she was using. And the Usurper supposedly had empowered Lifeless referred to as Phantoms who may still be around? That makes me wonder one thing about Lightsong--perhaps it's wrong to assume that all Returned return immediately after death?--and another about that army of red and gold. Or maybe Brandon just likes using red and gold to depict power/martial might/evil/corruption, which would say something else about Lightsong.

Oh, and Hoid mentioned something about the person who taught him how to perform. I find myself wondering if that person isn't the driving motivation behind everything he's doing now. I even find myself wondering whether, if we treat Adonalsium as the Cosmere God, we should be thinking of Hoid as Satan? But is he a repentant Satan?

All these theories trigger the "Hmm, yes, I see, do go on" vibe in my brain, in the best possible way. :allears:

# ¿ Mar 13, 2024 20:48

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Ojjeorago posted:

Press X to swear Fourth Ideal.

Kaladin's F key is stuck.

# ¿ Mar 20, 2024 07:05

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 18:08

immoral_: Oct 21, 2007; So fresh and so clean.; Young Orc

Mordiceius posted:

PROGRESS!

OATHBRINGER - PART 2

Dalinar Flashbacks - I love how the tone of the flashbacks kinda shift. In the early Dalinar flashbacks, it was "haha look at this funny barbarian man walking through the highstorm for a knife" and by later flashbacks it's "boy this guy is a piece of poo poo abusive husband." I still don't know what happened for him to want to get Evi's memory erased by I have a guess. The way that The Thrill manifests in Dalinar reminds me of video-gamey bloodlust. My guess is that Dalinar drinks too deep of The Thrill and ends up murdering Evi (Dalinar is Kratos).

I'm very interested to see what you have to say about these parts when you finish OathBringer.

# ¿ Apr 16, 2024 00:29

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Brandon Sanderson: There's always another secret project.