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Brandon Sanderson - The Cosmere |OT| there's always another secret...

Kaladin

Member
I was so happy to have read Warbreaker first. I just can't see that moment being as cool the other way around.

I didn't catch onto that moment being as special till after the I read it, but that last sequence of WOR had enough that I was hype reading it all the way through.
 

Barzul

Member
Apparently Amazon gives you cheaper price for the Kindle version of books if you've bought the print before. Just discovered this and picked up the Stormlight archive books for my reread. I'd since lost the printed versions after moving.
 

Kaladin

Member
Apparently Amazon gives you cheaper price for the Kindle version of books if you've bought the print before. Just discovered this and picked up the Stormlight archive books for my reread. I'd since lost the printed versions after moving.

This is depending on the publisher of the book, some they do and some they don't.
 

Veelk

Banned
Concerning edgedancer:

I know there is a spoiler of Words of Radiance I'm it. But can someone tell me what chapter of words of radiance the spoiler is located? I just hit the 40's of WoR, and I don't really think I want to start reading edge dancer while reading WoR, but I'd like to know if I hit it yet.
 

Faiz

Member
Concerning edgedancer:

I know there is a spoiler of Words of Radiance I'm it. But can someone tell me what chapter of words of radiance the spoiler is located? I just hit the 40's of WoR, and I don't really think I want to start reading edge dancer while reading WoR, but I'd like to know if I hit it yet.

Biggest one is at the very end.
 

Woorloog

Banned
Ah, fuck. It seems the Mistborn video game got cancelled. Not a surprise since it was delayed once or twice already (and the studio making it was something of a no-name studio).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0psYyyZwYs

Shame really... Some complain it is like reading a video game (i disagree with that assessment) but it certainly would have made a good one.
In hands of competent developer team anyway.
 
I'd love to see Mistborn done as a Divinity OS-style turn-based action RPG. That way you'd have the freedom to get really strategic with how you use the different metals. Not sure surprising that it got canned though. It's gotta be a tough project.
 

Woorloog

Banned
I'd love to see Mistborn done as a Divinity OS-style turn-based action RPG. That way you'd have the freedom to get really strategic with how you use the different metals. Not sure surprising that it got canned though. It's gotta be a tough project.

I can't see the system working as TBS system. Not really. As a semi-simultaneous system (like what the Mistborn Adveture Game uses) it would be neat.
Not sure if i have the right word but the kind of system i mean is one where all characters choose their actions and everything is executed simultaneously.

(Or better yet, track things second by second like one old mecha strategy game Titans of Steel did... Probably the best computer turn-based strategy system i've ever played.)
 
I've always thought a Mistborn game could have real-time, character-action-game-style combat under normal circumstances, but shift into turn based when Atium is used. (And if the enemy has no atium, he/she gets no turns until your Atium runs out)
 

Woorloog

Banned
I've always thought a Mistborn game could have real-time, character-action-game-style combat under normal circumstances, but shift into turn based when Atium is used.
Atium would be bullet time with visual effect that shows what move enemy is doing and probably telling the player exact counter. If enemy uses atium, mere bullet time but no other effects.
 

Veelk

Banned
Okay, I finally finished Words of Radiance.

I enjoyed it more than Way of Kings, even though I don't think it's particularly better written than WoK. That's not a knock on WoK exactly, which I enjoyed, but what I consider to be it's flaws stood out to me more because I didn't know where Sanderson's strengths laid. Knowing what your getting into gives you a better handle on your expectations and that let me look forward more to the big epic moments than quibbling about his writing style (which I'd say continues to be his weakpoint for the most part). I think that whenever I decide to reread the series (probably several years from now, like when book 5 is gonna be released or something), I'm going to the first book even more, because now I know what I'm getting into.

While Sanderson is probably never going to even break my top 10 of favorite writers, I can't help but respect what he does here nevertheless. He is an unapologetic fanboy of epic fantasy and this series feels like one (extremely) long love letter to it. The scope of the world is overwhelming in it's hugeness, the characters are all participating in world changing events, but it never puts the cart before the horse and forgets that it needs to be about characters first and foremost (that he designed his magic system to be directly reliant on character's personalities helps with this tremendously). I can quibble about his prose for a lot of different reasons, but the man knows how to construct a good scene and demonstrates that talent often.

The only other criticism I can offer is that it's length means it's such a damn slog to get through. It never really drags, even less so than Way of Kings but there is just SO MUCH of it that I was left feeling exhausted having finished the novel. I was looking forward to reading Edgedancer given it's relative brevity, but unfortunately it features Lift and....I was not a fan of her interlude chapter. In fact, I squarely place hers as the least enjoyable one of the entire series, so I'm not super enthused about reading it. I will eventually, but not immediately.
 

Woorloog

Banned
I was looking forward to reading Edgedancer given it's relative brevity, but unfortunately it features Lift and....I was not a fan of her interlude chapter. In fact, I squarely place hers as the least enjoyable one of the entire series, so I'm not super enthused about reading it. I will eventually, but not immediately.

Not sure what i think of Lift (still need to read Edgedancer*). I found the interlude to have some hilarious stuff, but at the same time i don't find Lift a likable person, she's a tad too much of a free spirit and... i don't know, chaotic maybe? As a character, she is good i guess (since i know little, i don't have complete opinion yet).

*Hell, i need to read the whole Arcanum Unbounded but i'm not fan of short fiction in general (even when part of a bigger universe i like), so it is just waiting in my shelf. Or maybe in the box it came in... All i've read from it were the planetary system descriptions.
 

Veelk

Banned
I didn't care much about that. Especially since she's 13, she can be a little shit morally if she wants as far as I'm concerned, which is an offer she clearly takes up. In fact, characters being likable is a rare concern for me, with some exceptions.

Personally, I just don't like how her chapter was written. First it felt like every other paragraph seemed to only establish and then re-establish, and then re-establish her weirdness. "I'M OFFBEAT AND QUIRKY, HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT YET?!" Those kinds of characters always walk on the edge of a thin divide between being endearing and insufferable, and Lift jumps straight over that line with manic glee.

I just found her plain annoying.
 

Faiz

Member
Not sure what i think of Lift (still need to read Edgedancer*). I found the interlude to have some hilarious stuff, but at the same time i don't find Lift a likable person, she's a tad too much of a free spirit and... i don't know, chaotic maybe? As a character, she is good i guess (since i know little, i don't have complete opinion yet).

*Hell, i need to read the whole Arcanum Unbounded but i'm not fan of short fiction in general (even when part of a bigger universe i like), so it is just waiting in my shelf. Or maybe in the box it came in... All i've read from it were the planetary system descriptions.

Chaotic, yeah she's definitely that. I have a hard time not reading her a little like Tiny Tina from Borderlands at times. I really hate her constant use of the word "awesomeness". Not only does it feel clumsy it feels out of place for the world.

I will say I liked her a lot better after Edgedancer. But still not really big on her.
 

SuperOrez

Member
I'm about half way through Hero of Ages and did not even realize this was a shared universe thing. Ended up buying The Way of Kings so we'll see how this goes from here.
 

Woorloog

Banned
I'm about half way through Hero of Ages and did not even realize this was a shared universe thing. Ended up buying The Way of Kings so we'll see how this goes from here.

Shared universe is not really relevant for the books themselves in any practical manner. Or even visible, there are more or less subtle hints in most books.

It is visible the Stormlight Archive to an extent (if you know what to look at) but pretty sure the series isn't really a cross-over series.

IIRC, Sanderson implied third Mistborn trilogy would be something of a cross-over series (on the account of having FTL space travel) but since it is still probably decades away, this doesn't mean much. Plans do change.
 
Shared universe is not really relevant for the books themselves in any practical manner. Or even visible, there are more or less subtle hints in most books.

It is visible the Stormlight Archive to an extent (if you know what to look at) but pretty sure the series isn't really a cross-over series.

IIRC, Sanderson implied third Mistborn trilogy would be something of a cross-over series (on the account of having FTL space travel) but since it is still probably decades away, this doesn't mean much. Plans do change.

SA is actually supposed to develop into something of a Crisis Crossover sort of thing, which isn't that surprising considering some of the people we ran into in Words of Radiance.

The most obvious example has to be Secret Histories, though.
 

Veelk

Banned
SA is actually supposed to develop into something of a Crisis Crossover sort of thing, which isn't that surprising considering some of the people we ran into in Words of Radiance.

The most obvious example has to be Secret Histories, though.

I hope that other stuff doesn't become required reading. I like and respect Brandon Sanderson, but I am reading him with the understanding that Stormlight Archives is his best work, and I'm not interested in anything lesser by him.
 
Almost done with bands of mourning

Man, not sure why but Wax and Wayne trilogy was just a dud for me.

Loved: Words of Radiance, Way of Kings, The Final Empire, The Hero of Ages
Liked: Shadows of Self, Well of Ascension
Meh : Alloy of Law, Bands of Mourning

Super hyped for Stormlight 3.


Kind of off topic but where do I go from here? I'm in the mood for more fantasy. I want to get Sanderson a break though after reading 8 books in a row of his.

Other authors I love: Abercrombie, Martin, Lynch, Rothfuss
 

Kaladin

Member
Almost done with bands of mourning

Man, not sure why but Wax and Wayne trilogy was just a dud for me.

Loved: Words of Radiance, Way of Kings, The Final Empire, The Hero of Ages
Liked: Shadows of Self, Well of Ascension
Meh : Alloy of Law, Bands of Mourning

Super hyped for Stormlight 3.


Kind of off topic but where do I go from here? I'm in the mood for more fantasy. I want to get Sanderson a break though after reading 8 books in a row of his.

Other authors I love: Abercrombie, Martin, Lynch, Rothfuss


Try Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy for some epic fantasy. It starts with The Dragonbone Chair.
 

Bazza

Member
Almost done with bands of mourning

Man, not sure why but Wax and Wayne trilogy was just a dud for me.

Loved: Words of Radiance, Way of Kings, The Final Empire, The Hero of Ages
Liked: Shadows of Self, Well of Ascension
Meh : Alloy of Law, Bands of Mourning

Super hyped for Stormlight 3.


Kind of off topic but where do I go from here? I'm in the mood for more fantasy. I want to get Sanderson a break though after reading 8 books in a row of his.

Other authors I love: Abercrombie, Martin, Lynch, Rothfuss

David Gemmell might be worth looking at.
 
Almost done with bands of mourning

Man, not sure why but Wax and Wayne trilogy was just a dud for me.

Loved: Words of Radiance, Way of Kings, The Final Empire, The Hero of Ages
Liked: Shadows of Self, Well of Ascension
Meh : Alloy of Law, Bands of Mourning

Super hyped for Stormlight 3.


Kind of off topic but where do I go from here? I'm in the mood for more fantasy. I want to get Sanderson a break though after reading 8 books in a row of his.

Other authors I love: Abercrombie, Martin, Lynch, Rothfuss
Jim Butcher would be my rec. he's got an epic fantasy and an urban fantasy series, both worth checking out. Also good are Naomi Novak (more historical fantasy than epic) and Terry Pratchett (rip to the greatest).
 
Almost done with bands of mourning

Man, not sure why but Wax and Wayne trilogy was just a dud for me.

Loved: Words of Radiance, Way of Kings, The Final Empire, The Hero of Ages
Liked: Shadows of Self, Well of Ascension
Meh : Alloy of Law, Bands of Mourning

Super hyped for Stormlight 3.


Kind of off topic but where do I go from here? I'm in the mood for more fantasy. I want to get Sanderson a break though after reading 8 books in a row of his.

Other authors I love: Abercrombie, Martin, Lynch, Rothfuss

Guy Gavriel Kay is excellent. Excellent prose, lovable characters, and good political intrigue. Try Tigana or Lions of Al-Rassan.
 

Veelk

Banned
Just finished Edgedancer.

Yeah, Lift still sucks. I don't think I'm going to read any more novella's from him unless I hear they're really good, and it reinforces my decision not to seek out more of Sanderson's work outside of the SA. Sanderson when he's firing on all cylinders can be a great time. Sanderson where he's kind of puttering around with this meh character is a bore.
 
Just finished Edgedancer.

Yeah, Lift still sucks. I don't think I'm going to read any more novella's from him unless I hear they're really good, and it reinforces my decision not to seek out more of Sanderson's work outside of the SA. Sanderson when he's firing on all cylinders can be a great time. Sanderson where he's kind of puttering around with this meh character is a bore.
I don't think Lift is great but I was glad to get the general world advancement that Edgedancer provides. It changes the way I'll go into Oathbreaker.
 
Almost done with bands of mourning

Man, not sure why but Wax and Wayne trilogy was just a dud for me.

Loved: Words of Radiance, Way of Kings, The Final Empire, The Hero of Ages
Liked: Shadows of Self, Well of Ascension
Meh : Alloy of Law, Bands of Mourning

Super hyped for Stormlight 3.


Kind of off topic but where do I go from here? I'm in the mood for more fantasy. I want to get Sanderson a break though after reading 8 books in a row of his.

Other authors I love: Abercrombie, Martin, Lynch, Rothfuss

I really like Michael J Sullivan and Brian Stavely.
 

Kaladin

Member
First I've seen a blurb for Oathbringer:


In Oathbringer, the third volume of the New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe with numbers as great as their thirst for vengeance.

Dalinar Kholin’s Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that the newly kindled anger of the parshmen may be wholly justified.

Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths dark secrets lurking in its depths. And Dalinar realizes that his holy mission to unite his homeland of Alethkar was too narrow in scope. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put aside Dalinar’s blood-soaked past and stand together―and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past―even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent the end of civilization.

and a temp art:

81Otc3d7dcL.jpg
 

Kaladin

Member
It's as good as the other two covers.....and will fit alongside them nicely.

It's only freakin' March and I can't wait to have this doorstop in my hands.
 

X-Frame

Member
Looks so damn good.

I'm most definitely saving a day off for this book's release. I managed to tear through WoR in 4 days, including 2 weekend days, so I'm guessing I can finish this in a week easy.
 

Kaladin

Member
Looks so damn good.

I'm most definitely saving a day off for this book's release. I managed to tear through WoR in 4 days, including 2 weekend days, so I'm guessing I can finish this in a week easy.

Days? These books take me months......I'm a slow reader though.
 

X-Frame

Member
Days? These books take me months......I'm a slow reader though.

I basically didn't put the book down at all. I couldn't, especially the second half.

I am re-reading them come this Fall and I'll slow it down so I can digest more and catch anything I missed, which I am sure was a good amount of finer details.
 
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