Brandon Sanderson Hate Him or Read Him

[Anddenex]

On 11/16/2017 at 7:04 AM, zil said:

* Elantris (the first one I read - good stuff)

* The Emperor's Soul (same world as Elantris, but stand-alone; novella)

The first I read of Brandon was "Mistborn" and I really liked them. Elantris was the second book and loved it. The Emperor's Soul -- hated it. I was looking forward to a follow up from Elantris, and then -- disappointed

[zil]

1 minute ago, Anddenex said:

The first I read of Brandon was "Mistborn" and I really liked them. Elantris was the second book and loved it. The Emperor's Soul -- hated it. I was looking forward to a follow up from Elantris, and then -- disappointed

IMO, Sanderson does not do that good a job of making the relationships between his books clear.  He seems to come from the disorganized school of thought (pretty sure this is where my husband lived) where you just pick something up and read it without caring what it's about, what came before, or whether anything comes after.

I'm from the organized school of thought, where I want to know everything except the actual content of the book before I read it - and then I want to read them in order (either the order written, or in the fictional order in which things happened).  Therefore, I go to great lengths to figure these things out.  That may be why I wasn't disappointed with The Emperor's Soul.  Of course, I can't remember being wowed by it like I was with Elantris.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, anatess2 said:

So, my friend didn't go with us to the movies because she has to stay home to cook the RANCID kimchee because that's the only way to make yummy cooked kimchee - use rancid ones.  I can't vouch for her sanity. 

I think you may be talking about kim chee chigae.  And, yes, you use the "sour" kim chee for chigae rather than the "sweet" kim chee which is used as the relish or side-dish.  This is akin to using blackened bananas for banana bread vs eating the yellow bananas straight.

I like banana bread. 

[Guest]

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Edited December 4, 2017 by Guest

[mordorbund]

20 hours ago, Carborendum said:

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What Mordorbund thinks when he sees dupe posts like this:

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[Anddenex]

4 hours ago, mordorbund said:

On 12/4/2017 at 3:11 PM, Carborendum said:

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What Mordorbund thinks when he sees dupe posts like this:

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As I see one pellet left, you forgot to put the ghost behind him

Edited December 5, 2017 by Anddenex

[zil]

2 hours ago, Anddenex said:

ghost

Did you say ghost?

(Yes, that's a PacMan ghost in judge's robes - made for a friend who really likes PacMan ghosts - and is a lawyer.)

Edited December 6, 2017 by zil

[anatess2]

Hey @Carborendum, just want to let you know that my son came to me today, hugged me, and told me I'm the best mom on the planet for getting him the books.  He is on Well of Ascension?  That's the 2nd book, right?  Anyway, he told me he is very impressed by the consistency of Sanderson's adherence to the rules of his universe and it's respect of physics.  He also mentioned something about a unique writing strategy that he is impressed by.  He wouldn't tell me what because he said it would involve having to reveal a major spoiler and he really really really wants me to read the book...

So... I guess mark my son as Read Him.

Edited January 10, 2018 by anatess2

[jerome1232]

Ah, Mistborn sucked in me, Stormlight Archives sealed the deal. I really liked how the first mistborn trilogy ended, I'm eagerly awaiting the last Wax and Wayne Mistborn books.

His whole unified cosmere thing is a ploy to get me to read all of his other series to wring out all the secrets in Stormlight I swear.

[anatess2]

5 hours ago, jerome1232 said:

Ah, Mistborn sucked in me, Stormlight Archives sealed the deal. I really liked how the first mistborn trilogy ended, I'm eagerly awaiting the last Wax and Wayne Mistborn books.

His whole unified cosmere thing is a ploy to get me to read all of his other series to wring out all the secrets in Stormlight I swear.

Well, my son did the "flashlight under the covers" to defy bedtime on a school night to finish the book, so... I'm sure he'll be the next victim to this ploy.

[Guest]

Well, all the kids who are old enough (12 y.o. and above) have read the book now.  They all loved it (big surprise).

[jerome1232]

2 hours ago, anatess2 said:

Well, my son did the "flashlight under the covers" to defy bedtime on a school night to finish the book, so... I'm sure he'll be the next victim to this ploy.

I can remember putting my boxcar children books inside my text book in elementary. haha.

[Sunday21]

Sanderson discussing the writing process

https://youtu.be/oH9sJrAVeC0

[Carborendum]

On 1/10/2018 at 1:02 AM, anatess2 said:

Hey @Carborendum, just want to let you know that my son came to me today, hugged me, and told me I'm the best mom on the planet for getting him the books.  He is on Well of Ascension?  That's the 2nd book, right?  Anyway, he told me he is very impressed by the consistency of Sanderson's adherence to the rules of his universe and it's respect of physics.  He also mentioned something about a unique writing strategy that he is impressed by.  He wouldn't tell me what because he said it would involve having to reveal a major spoiler and he really really really wants me to read the book...

So... I guess mark my son as Read Him.

I'm glad he liked them.

Actually, I did not read the first Mistborn series.  My wife actually told me that I probably would not like it.  The reason is that although it is a wonderful fantasy novel, it is a bit too "miserable".  And I just can't handle stuff like that in a book.  I can barely take it in film format.  (she's the converse).

But I picked up the second series (a prequel, and two of the three in a trilogy are out).  Now I think I know what JJ was talking about when he decried immorality in Sanderson's work.  There were a couple of risque scenes and more than a few uncouth statements on the part of one of the heroes (Wayne).  He was one of those guys that was raised on the wrong side of the tracks but was rescued by a virtuous law-man who saw the good in him and took him in.  So, every once in a while he shows some residue of his upbringing.

Edited May 8, 2020 by Carborendum

[anatess2]

33 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

I'm glad he liked them.

Actually, I did not read the first Mistborn series.  My wife actually told me that I probably would not like it.  The reason is that although it is a wonderful fantasy novel, it is a bit too "miserable".  And I just can't handle stuff like that in a book.  I can barely take it in film format.  (she's the converse).

But I picked up the second series (a prequel, and two of the three in a trilogy are out).  Now I think I know what JJ was talking about when he decried immorality in Sanderson's work.  There were a couple of risque scenes and more than a few uncouth statements on the part of one of the heroes (Wayne).  He was one of those guys that was raised on the wrong side of the tracks but was rescued by a virtuous law-man who saw the good in him and took him in.  So, every once in a while he shows some residue of his upbringing.

The Wax and Wayne series is just not the same without reading the Mistborn trilogy.  It might be miserable but lining it is always the sense of hope and survival.  The twists in the characters gave me a bit of whiplash especially at the conclusion of the 2nd book, but at the conclusion of the 3rd book I sat down contemplating how great that ending is and how it made complete sense that I wasn't able to relate with who I thought were the heroes.  Anyway, give it a shot. 

[Carborendum]

51 minutes ago, anatess2 said:

The Wax and Wayne series is just not the same without reading the Mistborn trilogy.  It might be miserable but lining it is always the sense of hope and survival.  The twists in the characters gave me a bit of whiplash especially at the conclusion of the 2nd book, but at the conclusion of the 3rd book I sat down contemplating how great that ending is and how it made complete sense that I wasn't able to relate with who I thought were the heroes.  Anyway, give it a shot. 

I'm feeling the fact that I'm missing out a bit.  But I trust my wife.  I am asking her a lot of questions about terminology and so forth.  And she does her best to fill me in.  But I realize I'm missing out.

[anatess2]

On 5/8/2020 at 6:51 PM, Carborendum said:

I'm feeling the fact that I'm missing out a bit.  But I trust my wife.  I am asking her a lot of questions about terminology and so forth.  And she does her best to fill me in.  But I realize I'm missing out.

It's not the just terminology.  It's mostly the foundation of the religious beliefs littering the series bringing the mythology into 3D rather than the cardboard that's left for worship.  It's like how a lot of Saints today revere Joseph Smith, Jr. as this great prophet but somebody who walked with him in the early days of the Church and even his friends that knew him before the First Vision know him in full 3D, beyond the reverence for his prophetic role.  Make sense?