Malazan Empire: The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson - Malazan Empire

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The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson SPOILERS warning SPOILERS

#21 User is offline   Terez 

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Posted 30 October 2009 - 11:04 PM

lol, Knife of Dreams came out 4 years and 10 days before The Gathering Storm, iirc. So, almost exactly 4 years.

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#22 User is offline   Werthead 

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Posted 31 October 2009 - 03:31 AM

I believe Jordan wrote the entirety of the prologue (plus the prologue to Book 14) and there is a suggestion that he also wrote all of Chapter 2 (the Egwene one) as well. Chapter 1 was Sanderson I believe.
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#23 User is offline   Terez 

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Posted 31 October 2009 - 03:33 AM

BS did say RJ wrote most of the prologue, but I don't recall any indication that RJ also wrote chapter 2.

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#24 User is offline   Cedz 

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Posted 31 October 2009 - 05:15 AM

I've been a fan of the wheel of time series pretty much since my first science fiction novel and so starting The Gathering Storm I have been a bit skeptical that Sanderson would be able to do Jordan justice. I'm only about half way through and before the last chapter that I just read I would have to say it was above average and generally exceeding my expectations considering a totally different author is writing in Jordans voice. However I was just blown away with a certain pivotal scene involving Rand, Min, and one of the Forsaken. Frankly I dont think Jordan would have been able to do much better for this specific scene and has definately cemented in my mind that Sanderson was a very good choice for finishing this series.

I cant say everyone is going to like the change in narative voice especially if they are just looking for reasons to dislike the book, but if you just let go of any preconseived notions going into this book then I think you will be pleasantly surprised. In the end I think Sanderson is probably the best we could hope for apart from Jordan to finish the Wheel of Time series.

This post has been edited by Cedz: 31 October 2009 - 05:18 AM

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#25 User is offline   Optimus Prime 

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 04:17 AM

I went into this Sanderson thing skeptical and actually did not like this book at all. Sanderson is a goody two shoes and this book just felt...wrong. I've been reading WOT for 15 years and don't know how I can finish the series....ugh...Mat was utterly ruined by Sanderson.

Utter Crap.
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#26 User is offline   HoosierDaddy 

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 04:50 AM

View PostOptimus Prime, on 01 November 2009 - 04:17 AM, said:

I went into this Sanderson thing skeptical and actually did not like this book at all. Sanderson is a goody two shoes and this book just felt...wrong. I've been reading WOT for 15 years and don't know how I can finish the series....ugh...Mat was utterly ruined by Sanderson.

Utter Crap.


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#27 User is offline   Tsundoku 

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 11:22 AM

I bought Dust of Dreams 2 weeks ago and am only up to page 60. I bought TGS yesterday and am up to page 200. You figure it out.

Sanderson has made me enjoy the story again (despite my hatred of anything chick-magic related ie Windfinders, Wise Ones, Aes Sedai, Knitting Circle etc), which I haven't felt since maybe Lord of Chaos.

Just because something is repeated (ie opening chapter about the storm) does not necessarily mean you are being "hit over the head", just absorb and move on. Remember the title was decided on AFTER all that was written.

So far, so good mostly. Should have ghost-written it starting years ago. :(
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#28 User is offline   Fid 

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 05:10 PM

Chapter 7 - one braid yanking and 3 bosom descriptions to date - first impressions are that the pace is well above everything from Path of Daggers onwards
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#29 User is offline   Terez 

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 09:59 PM

View PostSombra, on 01 November 2009 - 11:22 AM, said:

I bought Dust of Dreams 2 weeks ago and am only up to page 60. I bought TGS yesterday and am up to page 200. You figure it out.

hmm.....

*looks at Dust o Dreams, sitting in the corner getting dust on it*

*looks at page 200 of TGS*

You ain't seen nothin yet! :(

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#30 User is offline   Illuyankas 

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 11:44 PM

You guys are infidels.

I picked up TGS yesterday on the way back from a beer run for the second Halloween party in two days I went to, and I'm at the first Perrin chapter. It just isn't a WOT book without braid tugging, constant fishing metaphors and people insulting the intelligence, treating like a child and generally sabotaging the efforts of the man who they're apparently aware of being THE GUY WHO HAS TO SAVE THE WORLD AND YOU ARE NOT HELPING MUCH AT ALL DAMN IT

Also I've seen a loophole in the Semirhage interrogation scene already - stick the a'dam on and give massive amounts of positive reinforcement. Or play the Avril Lavigne CDs, that would work too.
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#31 User is offline   Terez 

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Posted 01 November 2009 - 11:53 PM

Just keep reading Illy. :(

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#32 User is offline   Cedz 

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Posted 02 November 2009 - 06:51 AM

Is anyone else a bit frustrated that when we finally have Rand gaining a bit of ice in his veins that he is going to revert back to how he was after taking Tear? I mean how he handled a certain Forsaken was downright cold blooded (Frankly I thought it was one of the best displays of power in the series so far). Obviously near the end he was taking it too far, but I hope he keeps some of that 'cold iron' (to borrow a phrase :() for when dealing with uppidy Aes Sedai in the next books.

On the note of Sanderson's ability to do this series justice, I think he mostly succeeded with only the Matt chapters and maybe a few other scenes being jarringly out of character. Thats pretty dam impressive considering he's being thrown into the deep end to finish one of the most in-depth fantasy series ever written. Give the guy a break.
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#33 User is offline   Terez 

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Posted 02 November 2009 - 07:01 AM

View PostCedz, on 02 November 2009 - 06:51 AM, said:

Is anyone else a bit frustrated that when we finally have Rand gaining a bit of ice in his veins that he is going to revert back to how he was after taking Tear?

No.

Spoiler

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Please proceed, Governor.

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There it is.

Elizabeth Warren (2020) said:

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#34 User is offline   Illuyankas 

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Posted 02 November 2009 - 04:42 PM

Finished it.

Spoiler



On the whole though, I can't escape the feeling that at least some of the bits I really really liked about TGS and will probably like about the last two are put in by Sanderson purely because he recognised how stupid they were - like dealing with the Aes Sedai's retarded notion that they are masters of manipulation and not the worst thing since sliced babies, for instance - and not Jordan's intention. It's probably just because they were fixed in a co-written book so I won't know who did which parts. Still, it's a good book, and I'm glad Sanderson's done so well.
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#35 User is offline   Use Of Weapons 

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Posted 03 November 2009 - 10:08 AM

See, I just don't get the hate for Cadsuane. She's my favourite Aes Sedai. I love her relationship with Sorilea (and the rest of the Wise Ones are hilarious, too). I think of Cadsuane as a no-nonsense grandmother type who's quite prepared to spit on a hanky and wipe your face in public -- and being so old, she can treat _everyone_ the same way. I think her character is spot-on for her situation.
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#36 User is offline   Kanubis 

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Posted 03 November 2009 - 10:20 AM

I'm in a bind here - it's three years since I finished book.. eleven I think? I'm 100% sure that I don't want to read the whole thing again, because there were 3 or 4 books in the middle that I couldn't stand (I think it picked up again later personally.)

It's going to bug me a lot not knowing how it ends though! Maybe I should look for a good online summary of what happened so far...
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#37 User is offline   Terez 

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Posted 03 November 2009 - 10:28 AM

I'd suggest just reading it, alongside the Encyclopaedia WoT. It has chapter summaries, character profiles, and pretty much whatever else you might have forgotten.

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#38 User is offline   Cedz 

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Posted 06 November 2009 - 04:48 AM

@Terez

I agree with you that Rand was going overboard near the end of the book but I just really enjoyed finally seeing Rand being able to handle the different people around him who constantly try to manipulate and control him. Hopefully he remembers how effective it was NOT arguing but just reacting without emotion and not playing the Aes Sedai game.

Spoiler

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#39 User is offline   Pig Iron 

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Posted 12 November 2009 - 06:20 PM

Fantastic book. Brought back the sense of wonder I felt for the first couple of books when I first read them. And I thought the ending was moving. Great respect for Sanderson, and for Jordan who despite what I thought actually seems to have had a clear direction for the series all along.
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#40 User is offline   Illuyankas 

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Posted 12 November 2009 - 06:28 PM

Reread the book, and have come to a couple of conclusions:

1. The Mat chapters really weren't as good as everyone was hoping - still better than what you guys were saying, but less good than I originally saw them;

2. DEMANDRED IS WEIRAMON GUYS YOU SAW IT HERE FIRST
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
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