Brandon Sanderson: There's always another secret project.

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Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

He's admitted publicly he's not comfortable with sex stuff, but I don't think it takes away from his books any.

# ¿ Aug 11, 2014 17:42

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# ¿ May 3, 2024 13:30

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

TheMadMilkman posted:

I think that would be true regardless of his religious affiliation.

Agreed, that's why I made no mention of religion.

# ¿ Aug 11, 2014 21:18

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Dalinar is aggressively boring to me. I loved the first book in the series, second was good, but this one is really giving me a hard time. I'm 15% in and not feeling any stakes, should I? Maybe I'm just missing details but gently caress me is Dalinar boring to read.

I've been reading Edgedancer and like it more. Dalinar is like a PG version Ned Stark that doesn't die before you get sick of his loving honor and whatever.

# ¿ Mar 31, 2018 06:30

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Yeah like I said I'm only 15% in according to my Kindle, and I really like Sanderson. I'll love him forever just for finishing WOT. Gonna just whittle my way through until I get that hook I always get from him.

# ¿ Apr 1, 2018 03:24

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Torrannor posted:

Lord of Chaos is really good. I'd say it has an even bigger payoff than Fires of Heaven. The Aes Sedai political stuff becomes more interesting when the supergirls start to mess with it much more.

If you ever find that one storyline is really boring, you can just read summaries of them. I highly recommend Encyclopaedia WoT for this. You can click on a book title, and they have a very nice graph at the bottom of the page. It shows in colored lines what main characters appear in which chapters. It's obviously a bit spoilery, but you can then read the short chapter summaries of the plotlines you don't find engaging.

Books 7-11 can have pacing issues. I still like even the chapters where no big things happen as an insight into the characters, but opinions vary wildly. If you find them boring but still want to find out how the story ends, looking up summaries is a good way imho.

Also I got really high one time and editted the last three books from Sanderson: TGS/TOM/AMOL and changed all the chapters to the correct timeline that a bunch of people figured out and it reads so much better. I just made it one ebook called A Memory of Light. It's GREATLY improved because the TGS/TOM are mixed and you see all the characters instead of only focusing on two in each book.

I've been trying but I can't find the original mixed timeline spreadsheet to show, drat.

e: found it, I used https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14b-e8DNoRXiS2NtTjoAGNGguVG34C_uS_XIPMWMLH3s/edit#gid=0

Barreft fucked around with this message at 06:38 on May 15, 2018

# ¿ May 15, 2018 06:07

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Haven't read any Sanderson in a few years since Oathbreaker. I'm loving overwhelmed, there's so many short stories and stuff I'm interested in from more Mistborn, to the Cosmere series of stories. the hell do i begin

e: Oathbringer

Barreft fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Nov 27, 2018

# ¿ Nov 27, 2018 05:08

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Sorry my time was off, everyday seems a year now post escalator. I've read original Mistborn trilogy. And I read Oathbringer. In was talking more that he finished the second Mistborn trilogy and my Kindle has up cosmere short stories I dunno.

I think I'll start on the new Mistborn trilogy but I really want to learn more about the cosmere.

E, I read elantis and warbreaker, was a long time ago.

# ¿ Nov 28, 2018 06:53

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

large_gourd posted:

Finished WOK a little while ago.

Overall I think my thoughts on the book are pretty much in line with what I've seen from other people who more or less enjoyed the book but at pretty critical of aspects of it. The last 200 pages or so were really captivating due to the sudden onslaught of plot developments.

Kaladin and Dalinar's storylines converging was excellent, and I feel like it happened at just the right time for me. Kaladin's story had been by far my favourite for most of the book but towards the end I was starting to find the progress in his chapters far too incremental and getting a bit tired of his ambivalence about the way forward. Dalinar's chapters, at the same time, were getting more and more interesting to me. So the two storylines sort of converged at a point where I was really invested in both sides, but with a feeling like things had to progress immediately and they really did. The setup for book 2 here is great, I really want to continue on and see what happens there.

Even Shallan's story finally picked up some speed and my problems with her characterisation were not in focus. The revelations about Jasnah and Shallan not needing Soulcasters and what had actually happened when Kabsal tried to poison her were interesting turns, although I would have taken anything at this point, and that was supplemented with things like her being the one who killed her dad. I'd say I'm reasonably curious about what's going to happen next with her now, which is a big step up. Coming right after the Dalinar and Kaladin stuff, there was just a lot of momentum in the story at this point and every new plot point felt like it joined a stampede hurtling towards something.

I don't think the book needed to be as long as it was. I tore through it, so I was never truly bored, but having the full picture of it now I can say that Kaladin's chapters spun their wheels a lot, which I really only started to realise towards the end. His interactions and growing relationships with his crew were just real enough to keep these chapters alive, though, so it never really sunk into 'why does this chapter exist' the same way Shallan's did, where the interactions were corny and stilted. I don't think Dalinar's story really had much bloat at all, developments happened there pretty regularly, and it was populated with a lot of shifting character dynamics which made every chapter feel like something was happening.

Everything eventually played into the last act, so I don't think the 400 pages or so of Kaladin and Shallan in holding patterns was truly wasted. Obviously you get something out of the chapters - a bit of insight on the world, some character development - but it's interesting for me to think about the actual sum of the chapters in terms of what is lost by including material which, while it adds something, isn't really necessary. Since this is a 10 book series, maybe in the overall outline all of it is really 100% necessary in a way that can't be seen from this chunk of it.

It's a really mixed bag. On the one hand, I like how expansive the book is and all the extraneous details and interludes. On the other, I wish they were better so that I wasn't rushing through them to get back to the plot. The characterisation was pretty unoriginal overall. I was kind of disappointed the direction Sadeas went, actually. I think it would have been more interesting to keep him and Dalinar as allies against another force rather than doing the reverse twist of having him be as lovely as he first appeared and that's all there is to it. Kaladin and Dalinar have their minor faults, but are solidly heroic. There aren't really any characters who I changed my perception of throughout the book, they all feel a bit static. Sadeas changed into a more nuanced kind of bastard and then just changed back to full bastard as first presented. I suppose Kabsal turned out to be an assassin, but he was pretty minor and then he uh, immediately died.

I hear Words of Radiance is a bit better than this. It almost doesn't need to be in order for me to continue because I think I can just happily read this kind of thing. It's written in a functional kind of way that I think I could pick it up on the train or in spare moments here and there and get through it pretty fast and enjoy building the scenes out in my head, daydreaming about the world it is set in.

I'll take a break though and read something else. Probably another fantasy book. This was my first epic fantasy book like this, so I want to try a different author where the writing quality is a bit higher and see how I feel about that. Then in a month or two, probably grab Words of Radiance.

I just hate his uncreative ways of naming things. He did it in the WoT books too, and even admitted he was bad at it but hasn't shown any growth. There's a ton of side characters in the whole series i couldn't name cause they're like Tsrvbu, Jabriv, Bnar, Laner, Dnadn, Benmedin, trmpt, etc. Sure they're meaningless, but I'd like the author not to outright tell me they are as soon as they are introduced.

At least give them some vowels!

# ¿ Jan 22, 2020 03:14

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I completely ignored this thread and any reviews I wanted to go in blind. Kindle says I'm 90% through and I'm really struggling so here are just some vague thoughts.

I made this specifically because I hit into yet another kaladin and pursuer fight. I'm so drat tired of reading about Kaladin fighting in this book. It's just over and over. Which goes to my no. 2,

Can Navani do anything else? She's been just researching this whole book. I get it.

I loved the beginning of the book but after that? It's been spinning wheels every chapter. Like nothing is moving at all.

Chop out the middle 60%, mostly Navanis Science 101 and Kaladin fighting the same drat fight like a dozen times and I'd be okay.

Okay back to reading about Kaladin fighting the Pursuer. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of flying around and such like every other one.

Oh btw I love the first 3 books, and Dawnshard and Edgedancer are both really good.

This book has just been very repetitive for me.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2021 05:14

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I was way more into Dawnshard than I ever was RoW. The Navani chapters were just a chore in college science reading, I doooon't caaaare when it goes through the whole book. I do however care about these two weird species in Aimia, ones that literally are made of thousands of crabs.

Or literally anything else.

Barreft fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Apr 1, 2021

# ¿ Apr 1, 2021 02:55

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Rysns and Lopens story was cool as hell in Dawnshard and there's no reason it couldn't have been in RoW instead of the many Navani video game tutorials.

# ¿ Apr 1, 2021 03:16

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

tweet my meat posted:

Just finished the Mistborn trilogy a few days ago and now it's crossing over with Fortnite. Life is very odd.

Great loving books though, was absolutely blown away. Allomancy and Feruchemy were incredibly cool magic systems and the whole series felt like a tangled web of conspiracy filled with amazing characters.

I'm starting a Sanderson deep dive now. This whole Cosmere thing sounds intimidating, but Stormlight seems like the place to get started after Mistborn, the second era Mistborn series sounds cool as well in its own way.

I'm reading 2nd era Mistborn right now. It's cool but, drat get ready to read the word "Push" like 10 times a page during any action sequence.

# ¿ May 28, 2021 14:20

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

BananaNutkins posted:

Just finished RoW. Hated the Venli chapters like everyone else. The listener, regal, Fused, whatever is just too much for me to follow. Raboniel was the only one who interested me. I still don't really understand was a Fused is, though it was probably explained somewhere. I don't know what a Returned is either. I liked the book, but it was about 50% bloat.

Most of the Navani and Venli stuff could've been easily condensed and given more time for Adolin just to name one.

e: Kaladin and Shallan too. Actually most of the book felt like the same stuff over and over.

The beginning was great though

Barreft fucked around with this message at 05:31 on Jun 5, 2021

# ¿ Jun 5, 2021 05:29

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I didn't get much feeling of anime in Stormlight. I mean comics have people flying and poo poo all over the place.

Szeth though. Szeth is 100% anime.

# ¿ Jun 20, 2021 02:30

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I honestly have no idea how to picture Wit. He's in so many books as so many people I don't bother anymore.

# ¿ Jun 21, 2021 03:24

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Space Butler posted:

The giant swords and magic armour that explodes in puffs of light are pretty anime aren't they?

I'm grading on a curve. Yeah that's all anime but so is everything else if you rot your brain to think about it enough.

I'm just saying Szeth/Nightblood is #1 anime in Stormlight. You can grade everything else below him if you care to bother.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2021 05:11

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I'm on Bands of Mourning and I just glaze over every action scene cause after 3 books reading Push Push Pull Push, etc every paragraph sucks.

# ¿ Jun 30, 2021 03:22

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I just ignore most action sequences and I find I like Mistborn season 2 or whatever way better that way. I like the books but I can only read Push Push Pull Pull Push Pull 20 times a page before I blank out.

I'm sure in his mind whatever Wax and Wayne are doing is cool

# ¿ Jul 2, 2021 21:07

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I'm really down on a lot of Sanderson stuff, but for some reason I blew through Warbreaker. I loved it. Maybe cause I heard about Lightsong for a long time and I was used to BS's humor.

Even Lightsong seemed so self aware that his humor was bad and put on I wonder if Brandon felt that way himself. Like his Mat and Talmanes in WOT is pretty much his every co-op duo in all the books I read of his.

e: hell RoW was basically a buddy cop book. Split two random people, make them riff on eachother.

Androl/Pevara. etc etc. anyway i lost the thread, I really liked Warbreaker.

Barreft fucked around with this message at 03:52 on Jul 9, 2021

# ¿ Jul 9, 2021 03:48

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

He's writing way too much way too fast for such a huge cosmic spanning thing.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2021 03:04

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I still say for RoW:

Cut Venli
Eshonai Lives
More Adolin in that place
Merge Dawnshard in to replace a bunch of the Navani/other tired stuff.

I loved Dawnshard.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2021 02:06

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Yeah I think this:
https://wot.fandom.com/wiki/Source:EUOLogy:_Goodbye_Mr._Jordan

Was what got Harriets attention at first. Sanderson was a huge huge fan

quote:

Source:EUOLogy: Goodbye Mr. Jordan
VIEW SOURCE
From Brandon Sanderson's blog.

Cross posted from the EUOLogy section of my website:

My career, like many young fantasy authors, has been deeply influenced by Robert Jordan, and I find his passing a to be a tragedy for the entire community.

I still remember the first time I saw EYE OF THE WORLD on bookshelves. I was at my local comic store, which was the place where I bought my fantasy books. I went to buy the next book in the Guardians of the Flame series, and while browsing the new paperback shelf, I saw this HUGE fantasy novel there.

It was so big that it scared me, and I didn't buy it. (This is particularly ironic for me, who now regularly publishes books of 250,000 words or so.) Still, I can almost FEEL that moment, standing and holding the book in my hands, listening to someone play an antiquated upright of Cadash in the background.

EYE had such a beautiful Darryl Sweet cover. I'm often down on him as an artist, but with EYE OF THE WORLD, I remember why he became one of the powerhouses he is now. I think, even still, the cover of EYE is the best he's ever done�one of the best in fantasy. I remember opening the cover and seeing the second illustration on the inside flap, and wondering if it was a rejected cover design.

Either way, I loved the cover. The feel of the troop marching along, Lan and Moiraine proud and face forward. . . . The cover screamed epic.

I bought the book a few weeks later, and loved it. I was happy when, several years later, the next book came out in hardback. I couldn't afford it then, but I could afford DRAGON REBORN when it was in hardcover, and so I bought it. That has been my tradition ever since�I buy them, even if I haven't read the last two, as I wait for the series to finish.

I still think EYE is one of the greatest fantasy books ever written. It signifies an era, the culmination of the epic quest genre which had been brewing since Tolkien initiated it in the 60's. The Wheel of Time dominated my reading during the 90's, influencing heavily my first few attempts at my own fantasy novels. I think it did that to pretty much all of us; even many of the most literarily snobbish of fantasy readers were youths when I was, and read EYE OF THE WORLD when I did.

Eventually, I found myself reacting AGAINST Wheel of Time in my writing. Not because I disliked Jordan, but because I felt he'd captured the epic quest story so well that I wanted to explore new grounds. As his books chronicled sweeping scenes of motion set behind characters traveling all across his world, I started to set mine in single cities. As his stories focused on peasants who became kings, I began to tell stories about kings who became peasants. One of them those was ELANTRIS.

I only saw Robert Jordan one time. By then, I had begun attending the conventions. You could say I'd become a journeyman writer; I'd developed my style, and was now looking to learn about the business. At World Fantasy one year (I think it was Montreal), I saw a man in a hat and beard walk by in the hotel hallway outside a convention room. He was alone, yet distinguished, as he walked with his cane. I'd never seen him sit on panels, yet I felt that I should know who he was. I turned to the person beside me and asked.

"That?" they said as the figure hobbled around the corner. "That was James Oliver Rigney, Jr."

"Uh . . . okay."

"Robert Jordan," they said. "That was Robert Jordan."

Eventually, I got an offer on one of my books from an editor whom I'd met at that same World Fantasy convention. My agent suggested that we play the field, using that offer as bait to hook a larger deal at another publisher. But, this offer had come from Tor. Robert Jordan's publisher. Some fifteen years after I'd picked up that first printing copy of EYE OF THE WORLD, I still felt the influence of Jordan. Tor was his publisher. That MEANT fantasy to me. It's where I wanted to be.

I took the deal.

Now, he's gone. I'm sure many see this as an opportunity, not a tragedy. Who is the heir apparent? I wonder how many authors emailed their editors Monday, asking if someone was needed to finish the EYE OF THE WORLD series. Even if none of them are chosen for that task, there will be a feeling that Tor needs to push somebody to fill the hole in their line-up.

And yet, I sit here thinking that something has CHANGED. Something is missing. Some hated you, Mr. Jordan, claiming you represented all that is terrible about popular fantasy. Others revered you as the only one who got it RIGHT.

Personally, I simply feel indebted to you. You showed me what it was to have vision and scope in a fantasy series�you showed me what could be done. I still believe that without your success, many younger authors like myself would never have had a chance at publishing their dreams.

You go quietly, but leave us trembling.

Brandon Sanderson

# ¿ Aug 9, 2021 00:42

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Warbreaker is really good. Lightsong is the most self aware character he's written.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2021 04:43

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Evil Fluffy posted:

Shallan was the worst character until RoW. Now she’s solidly in second place and I have a hard time believing the new champion will be dethroned. At least I hope not because said character is worse than dead weight.

Venli?

# ¿ Aug 23, 2021 06:06

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Isn't the next book Szeth's? I figure we should get something there.

But yeah knowing him it'll be a novella like Edgedancer and Dawnshard (They both should've been in the books proper.)

# ¿ Aug 28, 2021 01:15

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Potato Salad posted:

All I'm going to say is that you better make sure that you read Dawnshard after Oathbringer, don't loving miss it.

This.

Dawnshard should have been in Rhythm of War, it's so good.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2021 01:46

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I've read all the Cosmere, and there's a lot I don't like about Sanderson's writing, but for some reason I just love Warbreaker, to where I even bought the ebook version with his notes for each chapter.

for random rankings cause I'm watching AEW and why not:
1. The Final Empire
2. Warbreaker
3. Oathbringer
4. Emperor's Soul
5. Way of Kings

# ¿ Sep 25, 2021 03:32

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Tunicate posted:

The superiority are ostensibly nonaggressive pacifists, so presumably they have logistical issues putting together a military

i think i had a stroke reading this

# ¿ Oct 1, 2021 01:27

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I still wish he cut a bunch of bloat from ROW and weaved in Dawnshard instead.

# ¿ Oct 30, 2021 02:35

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Just cut out all of venli, half of navani, add more adolin and make dawnshard part of the book.

# ¿ Nov 15, 2021 04:51

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

BananaNutkins posted:

I'm a big Sanderson fan, but I think his efforts to assembly line and solve the writing process through proceduralizing everything has resulted in higher page counts done quicker, as he hoped, but at the cost of quality.

I understand why he's done it. I understand why ANY genre fiction writer would want to produce as much possible, because it's almost impossible to make an impact without very regular releases, but...it feels like his writing improved all the way up to the release of Stormlight 1 and then just regressed.

He's pushing himself to do too much. Just my opinion but look at this:

# ¿ Nov 17, 2021 01:55

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

External Organs posted:

Lol at pat even being on that chart

I love that chart just for GRRM and Rothfuss.

# ¿ Nov 17, 2021 02:57

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

seaborgium posted:

That was the Tower stuff right? I remember hearing something about that, people didn't like it and were vocal about it, but the writing was mostly Jordan even if it did stand out as not as good as previous stuff.

Yea the Tower stuff was RJ but it was still in draft form, he had to fix things up.

Any WOT fan would be lying if they said they'd prefer no ending then what Sanderson spent like 6 years of his life doing. It's not the best but who can come in and finish an author's 11 book, 2 decade long series, having to make the last into 3 books and actually read like the original author?

# ¿ Dec 10, 2021 00:42

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Synesthesian Fetish posted:

Sanderson admitted that he got Mat's voice wrong in The Gathering Storm but I think he did a good job correcting it after that. I honestly think he gave new life to the series as it felt like RJ was spinning his wheels the last few books. I was very satisfied with the ending. I did a reread this year for the first time since the last book came out and I noticed Sanderson's touch even less than the first time through. Not perfect but you can't ask for a much better ending when the author has died.

He admitted that back during TGS

e: read that wrong, thought you meant you saw him say that just now.

# ¿ Dec 11, 2021 03:04

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

ROW was just ugh. Cut out half of it, put in Dawnshard, way more Adolin, and no more Shallan personality stuff and you got a good book.

E: oh and retcon delete Venli and just make her Eshonai.

# ¿ Feb 2, 2022 05:02

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I dunno if this was posted, was just uploaded today. really good Stormlight/cosmere spoilers, even some Wheel of Time stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJSK0hwsqfA

# ¿ Feb 5, 2022 01:59

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Oathbringer owns. ROW is boringly bad. Mistborn is the best. Dawnshard is really good. And Warbreaker rules.

# ¿ May 8, 2022 03:55

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I like Brandon but he's ruined the word tempest for me

# ¿ May 11, 2022 00:18

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

I love Warbreaker

# ¿ May 14, 2022 04:55

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# ¿ May 3, 2024 13:30

Barreft: Jul 21, 2014

Mordiceius posted:

Warbreaker thoughts -

I HAVE SEEN THE VOID! AND I CAME BACK!

What an absolutely delightful book. Absolutely loved it. I was a bit hesitant and first, but almost every aspect of it won me over.

Also - I listened to this via the Graphic Audio adaptation, my first time listening to one of their works. It took a little getting used to, and there were definitely a moment or two in the 18 hour production that had rough sound mixing that made it hard to hear the narrator, but those moments were brief and infrequent. The voices for all the characters were absolutely incredible and I found myself so immersed. I'm kicking myself for not listening to the graphic audio for Elantris, because one of my bigger problems with it was the narrator. I am a fool!

These will be brief thoughts, as my brain is still buzzing from just finishing it.

Random spoilery thoughts -

Lightsong. Lightsong. Lightsong. Easily my favorite Sanderson character ever. The scene where he and Llarimar were in cages and Llarimar broke down with the "You are a god to me!" speech... well, it's the first time a Sanderson story has made me ugly cry.

Susebron was a delightful surprise. I didn't know what to expect from that character, but it certainly wasn't what I got.

Denth was a great antagonist. All the antagonists were great and, in ways, sympathetic. I do feel like the stuff with Bluefingers felt a bit rushed at the end.

On that note - the ending, in general, felt a bit rushed. We talk about Sanderlanches and what not, but the pacing on the finale felt a bit awkward (I still loved it though). Especially with Kalod's Phantoms. The lifeless army, which has been a dangerous threat through the entire book, is dealt with in a few sentences in the epilogue. It felt incredibly anti-climactic, which is sad because everything was going so loving strong, then I feel like he kinda whiffed that part. The ending felt like a TV show that ran out of time and needed a few more minutes to wrap things up - but this is a book. I would have rather had another 50 pages or so to give a more satisfying conclusion to the lifeless threat. Overall, the ending was just slightly too abrupt.

Blushweaver's death was intensely shocking to me. Most shocking death in a Sanderson book thus far.

I've said this before, but I feel like Warbreaker is Elantris done right. In that, I mean each story has three main protagonists (Raoden, Sarene, Hrathen and Siri, Vivenna, Lightsong) that have their own plights and don't really interact much with each other until the end, if at all. Warbreaker handles this far better than Elantris, with each character in Warbreaker feeling important, compelling, and meaningful.

CURRENT SANDERSON RANKINGS -

The Final Empire
The Hero of Ages
Shadows of Self
*Warbreaker*
Mistborn - Secret History
The Bands of Mourning
The Alloy of Law
The Emperor�s Soul
----------The Line of Recommendation----------
The Well of Ascension
Elantris
Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania
The Eleventh Metal
The Hope of Elantris

Hell yeah. Warbreaker is sooo good.

And yes Lightsong is the best.

# ¿ May 18, 2022 01:51

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

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