[Maark Abbott]

Andorion, on 28 February 2015 - 02:06 AM, said:

Finshed Warbreaker. Very very good book. Not as epically awesome as Mistborn. But still excellent. The whole Breath thing is cery complex. I am still not sure I understand it. If Warbreaker 2 really does come out it will be awesome.

How many series does Sanderson think he can juggle? There another post about Sixth of the Dusk.

It's in my to read pile. As for breath, I can explain that easy enough...

[Andorion]

So I have started the Stormlight Archive. 12 chapters into Way of Kings and......



IT IS EPIC!

where to start:

huge history...
intricate and very original world-building and magic system....
some very interesting characters......

I think its safe to say I am hooked.

Kaladin: I really hope he gets to fight in an army again. I would love reading that.
Shallan: A very promising character so far. The drawing scens were very interesting.
My favourite though is the first interlude character Ishikk. He made me smile.

The openig assasination scene was pretty well written.

Still too early for more detailed comments.

[Briar King]

Argh I want to say shit but I'm not. I think you ll be picking all the books back up to skim parts and have some "no shit" moments.

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 06 March 2015 - 07:39 PM, said:

Argh I want to say shit but I'm not. I think you ll be picking all the books back up to skim parts and have some "no shit" moments.

Umm are you talking about Cosmere? I can't enter 17th Shard anymore because of how strangely organised their site is, their strange Spoiler policy... apparently there's a timelapse factor and their total obsession with Cosmere.

[Briar King]

Yep. I'm sure you ll want to go back and make the connections once you start looking up the Cos info. I know I did and once you know it's gonna be easier to know what to look for in future. I had fun reading SLA 2 trying to find the eggs. There's a Cos thread here also buts it obviously full of spoilers.

[Andorion]

So far, I think the chapter beginning quotes in part 2 are Cosmere

[Briar King]

Har your lucky I'm nice and won't ever spill info. You have stumbled on a segment that your going to look back up afterward being like wtf.... I'm not telling which one it is that I've seen you bring up. Oh it's gonna be fun for me to see you go back.

[Andorion]

29 chapters into the Way of Kings. What to say... the shift to the Dalinar and Adolin PoV was interesting. Seeing what Shardplate adn Shardplates can do from the PoV of people who use them on a daily basis certainly fleshed out why everybody is in awe of these suits. The Chasmfiends were also very interesting. They all come with a gemstone inside?

But the most intriguing part was Dalinars vision. A window into the past, also a guide to the future? Or is there a measure of deception involved, like Vin was tricked by Ruin? Sanderson is pretty good at twists after all.

Those chapter heading quotes were quite clearly Cosmere stuff. There was a reference to Aon which is from Elantris

Another thing is that if you leave spheres out in the Highstorm they get infused with light. So the Highstorms are more than storms, they have magical power of their own. Could they be a shattered fragment of a larger force? They were shattered and now roam aimlessly, sowing random destruction?

[Briar King]

Yes the bigger the Fiend the bigger the Stone.

Ahhhh Dalinar sit back rafo and enjoy!

Chapter headings indeed have Cos nuggets but so does the chapters themselves. That's why I'm positive you ll be going back to re read parts of the books.

Spheres recharge each Storm but in reply you ll have to read 1&2 to find out. Bk 2 will fill you in much more in regards to this.

[Andorion]

43 chapters in. Did a lot of commute reading today. Its agreat way to pass the boring trips, but people tend to stare a lot.

I am increasingly getting the feeling that SLA is a real labor of love for Brandon Sanderson. The care he is taling in building up the world and the characters, the sketches, the history, the backstory, the mythology... a lot of thought and care has gone into this

So.. the variosu storylines..

Closed the Dalinar arc with his decision to abdicate.
Kaladin is stuck with the realisation that those he care for are going to die and he cant do anything about it.
Shallan is caught at a crossroads.

I feel Dalinar is probably the most important arc in terms of information about the history, the radiants and the heralds, as well as Cosmere.

I can identify with Shallan and Jasnah. Archival and library work, reading and analysis is something I do regularly, so I find their plotline relatable. Shallan is growing, but....really slowly
She really isn't the smartest. I am however fascinated by her drawings. Can she see the future? Or just possible futures? Is this something like Allomancy?


As for Kaladin by far the most compelling plotline. His struggle is really rivetting. So much so, that I get really angry when the PoV shifts.

The Highstorm bit was very intriguing. And is Kaladin absorbing Stormlight? He couldn't do that before, so something changed alright.
Come to think of it, Kaladin reminds me of somebody in Warbreaker. Is that Cosmere?

All the info about soulcasters is pretty interesting. I am only now coming to understand the radically differnt economy tht would prevail in a world with highstorms and soulcasters. I have a theory that the diversity and effeciency of function of a soulcaster is directly proportionla to the knowledge, aptitude and imagination of the wielder.

I find the idea of a subservient religious order who continue to be influential extremely interesting. Also the carapace of the Parshendi...reminds me of the monsters in Mistborn.

The originality of Sanderson is very refreshing.

The chapter heading quotes in this section seem to from Jasnahs research.

The wildlife seems to be a cross between snails, lobsters and insects. All have protective shells or chitin. Highstorm adaptation?

[Briar King]

It's been awhile since I read WB but Kaladin has no direct connection atm. Who are you thinking of?

Yes the wildlife from animals to plants have evolved to withstand hurricane winds every few days in cool ways. Do you have 2 yet?

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 09 March 2015 - 11:08 PM, said:

It's been awhile since I read WB but Kaladin has no direct connection atm. Who are you thinking of?

Yes the wildlife from animals to plants have evolved to withstand hurricane winds every few days in cool ways. Do you have 2 yet?

I was thinking of the chap with the 'phantom army'. name was kind of similar.

As a matter of fact I do have book 2. Just got it.

[Andorion]

So, finished Way of Kings. This was easily one of the most enjoyable fantasy reads I have had recently. The scope and history of the world Sanderson is creating cotinues to intrigue. But first the character arcs:

Shallans arc went from relatively quiet to explosive. I did not see that poison scenario coming. The ethereal figures she sees... are they Radiants? Or something more? Jasnah seems to know a lot about them, so expecting an infodump later. Also Parchmen are Voidbringers... finding this a bit unlikely...mprobably there's way more to it.

Dalinars arc was probably the most satisfying. I honestly thought at one point he was going ot kill the king, take the throne and go dark on me. But he seems to have pulled himself together. Plus he is no longer a Shardbearer, so I guess we get to see a more intellectual side of him.

Kaladin... grew really fast towards the end. What is he exactly? A returned Radiant? An interesting new career seems to lie ahead for him. Cant wait to see him fight though.

Sanderson has perfected the art of the plot twist, especially when it comes to betrayals. Szeths storyline was frankly shocking. I did not gues the chapter headings were connected to the hospitals. I had been thinking of Ardents taking deathbed notes. But i really should have guessed given the demographic variations.

I am now officially taking the policy of trusting no one in a Sanderson book if that person isn't a PoV character.

Now regarding Cosmere... Wit is Hoid. I was suspicious of Wit for some time. Also the Almighty is dead? Killed by Odium? Taking from Mistborn, if there were two opposing forces, that means the balanc eis all out of whack. This explains all the presentiments of disaster.

One thing I am very surprised by is the amount of stuff that happens un this book. Kaladin has Radiant powers, they can now translate the Radiant language thanks to Dalinar, and the last Herald suddenly shows up? WTF? I was actually thinking he had gotten embittered at being abandoned by his comrades and turned into a villain. Given that ita ten book series, a lot of really important stuff has already happened.

I am truly impressed with Sandersons worldbuilding and originality. Though I have only read one book of SLA, I rank him above Wheel of Time, fo rnow.

There appears to be a non-spoiler outline of the Cosmere theory in 17th Shard. Think I will take a look at that before I start Words of Radiance.

[Briar King]

Do so at your own risk. You never know what you may see that slipped through Spoiler policy.

Yes Wit is Hoid. Hoid has been in every series. He went unnamed in Mistborn. I still won't tell you cause I think you ll be surprised but you read something cool in SLA and will want to relook at it.

All your other statements are big RAFO. Just jump straight into 2.

I didn't like Shallan at all in 1. By far my least fav.

Your in for a treat.

[Andorion]

There was a mention of Ado- something or the other. I think tat might be important. Also in the opening scen of the book, there were these huge creatures of stone. I always thought they were the actual Voidbringers.. I was vidualising them as granite dinosaurs with burning eyes and stuff. Which, now that i think about it , is ridiculous.

In terms of revelation, I think the Shallan-Jasnah storyline has the most potential, though I ama bit scared of Jasnah, who can be pretty ruthless. I would love a PoV line of hers though.

I am treading very carefully in 17th shard. Basically lurking, that too in Mistborn, because they dont have seperate book Spoiler threads like we do.

BTW did you know that they give non-Sanderson books movie ratings like G, PG based on sex and violence? Malazan is an R


WoT is PG 13, which is silly because that series can scar people for life.

[Briar King]

Yes the Ado thing is basically the core consept of Cosmere.

The void bringers is a big rafo and I think you ll like what's been revealed so far. I will say that bk 1 is Kaladins bk. 2 is someone else's and each one next will be the same. I won't say who 3 will be about but fuck I can't wait for it!

I do think you will be excited for 2 for sure. I hope your jumping straight into it.

Yes 17th shard as I said seems populatEd by kids and can be annoying as fuck.

[Andorion]

Yeah, jumping straight into it, after I get back this evening. Have a long and irritating day ahead of me, and I don't think I will be able to commute read.

[Briar King]

Lmao! Watch those double post Ando or your gonna get a spanking!!! You see what I mean now when I say kids???

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 13 March 2015 - 03:52 AM, said:

Lmao! Watch those double post Ando or your gonna get a spanking!!! You see what I mean now when I say kids???

I know....sheesh......... two posts on two totally different topics.....and why are they posting Wheel of Time near-Spoilers on the general reading thread?

[Andorion]

Words of Radiance coming along slower than I thought due to insane work schedule. But will probably get more tiem during the weekend

Shallan dives underneath the sea to look at a cross between a huge Man-of-war jellyfish/snail/squid? Have to hand it to Sanderson he comes up with unique creatures.

So Shallan, Jasnah and Kaladin are all Radiants-to-be? And Radiants are adopted by Spren? Then why did Shallan get a brain-damaged doormat?

Oh BTW BK, I sent you a PM.