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Interestingly I never go the sense from how the characters are described in the book that they are supposed to look Asian. Could be my white boy brain, but it is really only indicated by contrast to the Shin, who are always described as having "big, round eyes", the Alethi characters themselves never seem to get any description that indicates they're Asian looking beyond "tan skin". Which is.... not exactly a uniquely Asian trait. Either way I'm not sure I'd be able watch an adaption of TSA. There is so much in the books that could turn out to be horrifically ugly or cringeworthy if not done perfectly, and after GoT.... yikes.
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May 30, 2019 01:05
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I'm just hoping this doesn't end up like the GRRM process 1. write self into corner from which there is no reasonable way out 2. get TV show so someone else can finish the poo poo for him 3. let the whole thing collapse once existing source material is exhausted 4. say "gently caress it" and just don't write the books Fortunately Sanderson is prolific enough that it's legitimately difficult to imagine him not finishing the series, but I'd still feel better about it if this were happening a little further than just 3 or 4 books in.
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May 30, 2019 02:53
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Fenrir posted:I'm just hoping this doesn't end up like the GRRM process GRRM also tends to write character driven and meander, while Sanderson plans the hell out of his stories. If he writes himself into a corner something has gone really, really wrong.
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May 30, 2019 03:07
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OAquinas posted:GRRM also tends to write character driven and meander, while Sanderson plans the hell out of his stories. If he writes himself into a corner something has gone really, really wrong. I don't know if it's still his process, but he used to write his outlines backwards, starting with the big, crazy finish and then figuring out how to get there along with trusts and turns. Thats why Sanderson's early books (Elantris especially) have the Sanderlanche in the last chapters. The Writing Excuses podcast has some really great behind the scenes stuff amongst all the writing advise, and he talks about having to work out how to seperate a books various climaxes so they don't happen at once. enigma105 fucked around with this message at 03:41 on May 30, 2019 |
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May 30, 2019 03:30
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Fenrir posted:I'm just hoping this doesn't end up like the GRRM process stormlight is structured as two sets of 5 books, with a 20 year timeskip between the two. So this arc is more 80% than 40% done.
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May 30, 2019 03:30
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Taffer posted:Interestingly I never go the sense from how the characters are described in the book that they are supposed to look Asian. Could be my white boy brain, but it is really only indicated by contrast to the Shin, who are always described as having "big, round eyes", the Alethi characters themselves never seem to get any description that indicates they're Asian looking beyond "tan skin". Which is.... not exactly a uniquely Asian trait. for the most part, alethi are viewpoint characters and as such they don't remark much about on features that are the alethi norm (but they regularly comment on the other rosharan ethnicities, which diverge wildly, up to and including "somehow hybridized with another species" to "literally from other planets") i feel like shallan is someone who ends up describing the traits you're talking about a fair bit, given that she's an outsider, looks dramatically different, and is very concerned with visual representation eke out fucked around with this message at 03:51 on May 30, 2019 |
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May 30, 2019 03:49
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Fenrir posted:Fortunately Sanderson is prolific enough that it's legitimately difficult to imagine him not finishing the series, but I'd still feel better about it if this were happening a little further than just 3 or 4 books in. He's not just prolific, he's disciplined and treats writing like a job. He turns up every day, has an outline in place for every book and every series, and he doesn't try to edit while he writes, which is the only explanation for how GRRM could possibly have only written like <200 words in one day of writing. Sometimes you do need to throw out whole sections or chapters but that shouldn't be an everyday occurrence.
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May 30, 2019 07:41
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Anybody else thinking that the heroes will win the Champion duel with Odium in the fifth book? I can't see how Odium can escalate much more. Ba-Ado-Mishram could be freed I guess, but he already has What do you think? Torrannor fucked around with this message at 21:31 on Jun 2, 2019 |
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Jun 2, 2019 21:14
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Torrannor posted:Anybody else thinking that the heroes will win the Champion duel with Odium in the fifth book? I can't see how Odium can escalate much more. Ba-Ado-Mishram could be freed I guess, but he already has i still think odium is too boring and weak on his own to be the main baddie for the second half, given that we've seen almost the full extent of his current powers and forces and he's going to have two more massive books to show off my money's on him being one of multiple Shards (with autonomy being an obvious one) opposed to the heroes in the second half and there being significantly more cosmere crossovers and multiple fronts on multiple worlds. that would be the kind of dramatic escalation necessary when all our anime heroes are pretty OP at that point and the knights radiant characters have still-underused powers that are obviously very good for travelling between worlds eke out fucked around with this message at 22:31 on Jun 2, 2019 |
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Jun 2, 2019 22:27
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I'm not all that certain that Odium is everything he's hyped up to be considering he ran away like a bitch.
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Jun 3, 2019 03:51
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I can see that happening. Odium is absolutely terrified of Harmony, so something is probably going to go down to neutralize/kill him, which ties into Autonomy showing up since Autonomy is active on Scadrial at the moment. OneTwentySix fucked around with this message at 14:47 on Jun 3, 2019 |
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Jun 3, 2019 14:43
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Kaiser Mazoku posted:I'm not all that certain that Odium is everything he's hyped up to be considering he ran away like a bitch. That specific event was perhaps not as damning as it may seem. The way I understand it, he's absolutely bound by his words as a shard. He has chosen Dalinar as his champion, and can't undo this choice. So if he's in the same place as Dalinar, Dalinar can choose a champion for his side and start the duel. And then deliberately lose. For this reason, Odium can't ever face Dalinar personally again, just because of the special rules binding the shards.
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Jun 3, 2019 14:49
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eke out posted:given that we've seen almost the full extent of his current powers and forces Yeah, and what we're seeing is that the human side is, so far, losing the war.
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Jun 3, 2019 15:23
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Torrannor posted:That specific event was perhaps not as damning as it may seem. The way I understand it, he's absolutely bound by his words as a shard. He has chosen Dalinar as his champion, and can't undo this choice. So if he's in the same place as Dalinar, Dalinar can choose a champion for his side and start the duel. And then deliberately lose. For this reason, Odium can't ever face Dalinar personally again, just because of the special rules binding the shards. I'm not sure if he's locked into that. The conflict, yes--that's agreed to. The combatants aren't set yet though. As for the battle actions, Odium is a plotter. He covers every angle and every drop before he tips the first domino. So when his carefully laid plan that was supposed to be a straight shot derailed due to Dalinar quasi-ascending (thanks to Cultivation's meddling), the conservative play is to step back and re-assess. Plus delaying the whole champion battle that he suddenly needed to activate a backup option for.
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Jun 3, 2019 18:08
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OAquinas posted:As for the battle actions, Odium is a plotter. He covers every angle and every drop before he tips the first domino. So when his carefully laid plan that was supposed to be a straight shot derailed due to Dalinar quasi-ascending (thanks to Cultivation's meddling), the conservative play is to step back and re-assess. Plus delaying the whole champion battle that he suddenly needed to activate a backup option for. While Oathbringer as a whole had its issues, that scene was phenomenal. I didn't see it coming at all, but as soon as it happened I couldn't believe that I had missed the blatant foreshadowing.
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Jun 3, 2019 22:13
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I have a question: Shards are basically like spren, unable to break an oath or go back on their word, right? But when Ruin and Preservation made Scadrial, I thought it was explicitly part of their deal that Ruin could later destroy that world? How could Preservation then betray Ruin to stop him from doing just that?
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Jun 14, 2019 19:24
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From how i understand it, the deal was more strictly "and you will make yourself weaker in the process, thus ensuring you lack the strength to stop me", rather than "and then you will stand aside and let me do it"
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Jun 14, 2019 19:30
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Torrannor posted:I have a question: Shards are basically like spren, unable to break an oath or go back on their word, right? most spren we're familiar with are like Honor to a greater or lesser extent, and i think Honor's the only one who is by-nature super bound by oaths (and pacts he's involved with, like with Odium, bond the other Shard more strongly as a result) even then, Honor and everyone else apparently agreed to all be separate, then he went and made a solar system with his girlfriend
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Jun 14, 2019 19:46
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eke out posted:most spren we're familiar with are like Honor to a greater or lesser extent, and i think Honor's the only one who is by-nature super bound by oaths (and pacts he's involved with, like with Odium, bond the other Shard more strongly as a result) Oathbringer posted:(Dalinar:)“What of the thing we fight? Odium, the origin of the Voidbringers and their spren. Can he break oaths?” I think you can get around the shards agreeing to go their separate places by saying they agreed to that before they became shards, and so weren't bound by that particular agreement the same way they were bound to whatever they said once they became shards.
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Jun 14, 2019 19:56
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Kaiser Mazoku posted:I'm not all that certain that Odium is everything he's hyped up to be considering he ran away like a bitch. He had good reason considering what he thought was happening, since it should be impossible. Also considering his statement is "we killed you" and not "I killed you" makes me wonder if he wasn't referring to Honor, but Adonalsium. The former would be a surprise and still shake him since Honor suddenly reviving would be bad, but Adonalsium somehow existing despite the shards still being separate would be some "oh poo poo I am well and truly hosed" level of panic. I'm sure he's referring to Honor but it's still going to completely throw someone off their game plan when their chosen champion suddenly channels the power of an enemy that shouldn't exist any more. Odium's almost certain fighting with one arm tied behind their back as well. That he's stuck on Roshar after having dealt with Honor implies he's either bound and his power restricted in some way, or he needs to remain because there's something he has to get/do (other than kill Cultivation, presumably). Torrannor posted:That specific event was perhaps not as damning as it may seem. The way I understand it, he's absolutely bound by his words as a shard. He has chosen Dalinar as his champion, and can't undo this choice. So if he's in the same place as Dalinar, Dalinar can choose a champion for his side and start the duel. And then deliberately lose. For this reason, Odium can't ever face Dalinar personally again, just because of the special rules binding the shards. To add to this he had also believed Dalinar was ripe to become Odium's ultimate champion, only to see that fail. To make matters worse, he not only fails but causes Dalinar to suddenly channel Honor's power which not even the Stormfather seemed to believe was happening at first, given his reaction to Dalinar's Words. It's an absolute worst-case scenario for Odium and he knows it. The odd thing though, is why Cultivation didn't make a move. She's not as powerful as Odium but he's so off-center right then that a surprise attack by her could be truly devastating to Odium. Maybe she figures it'd still not be enough and she'd get destroyed as a result, or that her gamble with Dalinar paid off as she hoped and that that's all she wanted for now. And we absolutely have not seen his full power outside of Dalinar's vision showing what happens if Odium wins and frees himself from Roshar. He can destroy planets with his full strength but he clearly needs something from Dalinar that will free him from the oaths he's currently hindered by. He also needs more raw power because he knows if he were to fight Harmony at his current strength he'd absolutely lose.
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Jun 15, 2019 00:49
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Torrannor posted:I think you can get around the shards agreeing to go their separate places by saying they agreed to that before they became shards, and so weren't bound by that particular agreement the same way they were bound to whatever they said once they became shards. yeah you're probably right - there's wiggle room in terms of what "their own rules" mean when it comes to their fundamental natures (so maybe an oath that was profoundly contrary wouldn't have the same effect) and wiggle room in terms of how sophisticated the Stormfather's understanding of this actually is given his broken nature, but generally speaking if you can get them into contracts they'll have trouble breaking them
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Jun 15, 2019 01:37
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Whoa! https://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/85505-three-new-novellas/ Brandon is writing three new Cosmere novellas! I'm just quoting the most important part: 17th Shard Forum posted:So! Three new novellas at some point. And apparently, the Rock novella will be the first to be written. I'm very excited for basically all of those novellas. A Lopen novella can only be  Rock is of course always a favorite. It will be interesting to see how he copes with having killed, and if he finally acknowledges that he's now the chief of his tribe. It can also give us a bit of info about the post-Oathbringer world. And Rysn manages to be a badass even as a quadriplegic, so more Rysn is always fine. I wonder if her novella will be between WoR and Oathrbinger, detailing her coping with her disability and getting the job at the Thaylen central bank? And as mentioned earlier, he's also writing a Sixth of the Dusk sequel novella. Torrannor fucked around with this message at 16:14 on Jun 16, 2019 |
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Jun 16, 2019 16:10
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Neat! I don't remember who Rysn is, though. This series has so many loving characters. Is this what Malazan fans feel like?
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Jun 16, 2019 17:14
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Merchant who jumped off a cliff
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Jun 16, 2019 17:18
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Cicero posted:Neat! I don't remember who Rysn is, though. This series has so many loving characters. Is this what Malazan fans feel like? unless the fifth book contains only brand new characters that have never been referenced before, we're not in malazan territory
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Jun 16, 2019 17:24
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Torrannor posted:Whoa! Paraplegic, not quadriplegic, but yeah. Rysn is the one that was apprenticing to be a merchant with a Thaylen master, jumped off a great shell as a way to impress them and go to a "higher authority", and did so well that it gave her a little mini-shell that can eat investiture. She was paralyzed in the attempt though, and gave up being a merchant to work in a bank (though later we learn it was her choosing not to continue, and her master was trying to convince her to keep going, and even tried to give her a ship i think). It was on such a trip to the bank that agents of Odium tried to steal a perfectly cut gem that never lost stormlight and Rysn had to drag herself, finally being rescued by her little shell companion eating the enemies' stormlight. That gem was what Dalinar eventually used to trap the Thrill
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Jun 16, 2019 17:36
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https://twitter.com/WoTWritersRoom/status/1141390183641866245
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Jun 19, 2019 18:54
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That's maybe the first honest sign of how seriously Amazon is taking this effort. I can't be more pleased.
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Jun 19, 2019 19:31
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VAGENDA OF MANOCIDE posted:That's maybe the first honest sign of how seriously Amazon is taking this effort. I can't be more pleased. My same thought; after all the stories about their Lord of the Rings-based show and how much money they threw at it, Wheel of Time felt like maybe they were just hedging their bets for TV fantasy. Rosamund Pike is great and will make a great Moiraine, it's very exciting. WoT has lots of material, and I think it can be edited down into a really good TV show. I will be looking forward to see what comes of it.
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Jun 19, 2019 21:46
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Haven't really kept up with the thread (still gotta read Oathbringer), but I was checking out a local bookstore today and found Skyward. How did that turn out? Seems to be one of his YA series?
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Jun 20, 2019 03:32
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Edmond Dantes posted:Haven't really kept up with the thread (still gotta read Oathbringer), but I was checking out a local bookstore today and found Skyward. How did that turn out? Seems to be one of his YA series? It is, first of a new series. I liked it a lot better than the superhero YA series he wrote.
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Jun 20, 2019 03:39
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rafikki posted:It is, first of a new series. I liked it a lot better than the superhero YA series he wrote. Exactly why I was a bit taken aback by finding it in the YA section; I'm reading Reckoners 3 at the moment and while I've liked most of Sanderson's stuff (and really, really liked most of what I liked), the series doesn't click with me (and his other YA, rhitmatist is not bad but eh?), and if it was closer to those than to original mistborn/stormlight, I may have to pass. May check it out after I finish reckoners. Or maybe before.
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Jun 20, 2019 03:45
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Edmond Dantes posted:Haven't really kept up with the thread (still gotta read Oathbringer), but I was checking out a local bookstore today and found Skyward. How did that turn out? Seems to be one of his YA series? I didn't read any of his other YA stuff, but I enjoyed Skyward. It's fairly straightforward and the characters are predictably.... teenagery, but overall it was good and a fun read, I'd recommend it. On the topic of TSA, I've been re-reading it. I'm noticing a ton of poo poo I didn't notice the first time through, and I'm in love with how many little hints and crossovers between cosmere series that I didn't see before there are (because TSA was the first I read). That said, I'm once again bored with Kaladin's backstory, more than I was the first time through, it's more plodding than I remember and generally way too long. Obviously his backstory informs his character, but IMO it deserves some editing. I enjoy Shallon's character more than I did the first time through, despite the poor performance by Kate Reading (the woman who reads the female POV characters in the audiobook), but her point in Oathbringer where she struggles with her identity as an amalgam of many different "characters" she creates is frustrating and not very compelling, IMO. It could be that it's just a thing outside my lived experience, but the mental illness and/or trauma backgrounds of the characters falls flat in her case at points. I resonate strongly with Kaladin as someone who has dealt with chronic depression my whole life. Dalinar's backstory, though obviously outside my lived experience, is extremely well done and resonates a lot, but Shallon's.... I dunno, feels a little contrived, with her constant repressed memories and split personality. Perhaps someone who has lived experiences like that can tell me that it's grounded, but I find myself wanting those chapters to just end. But the books are incredibly good and even better the second time through. Sanderson is a Good Author. I'm super excited for book 4.
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Jun 20, 2019 04:32
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Halfway through WoT book 11. It started to get interesting, then got railroaded by a bunch of Aes Sedai and Seafolk chapters and now I'm bored again. gently caress! My 14 yo has been reading book 1 for a few months now. He's almost halfway through it and I asked him how he likes it. "Uh, it's really confusing at times." Sweet summer child.
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Jun 20, 2019 07:09
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Edmond Dantes posted:Haven't really kept up with the thread (still gotta read Oathbringer), but I was checking out a local bookstore today and found Skyward. How did that turn out? Seems to be one of his YA series? I loved Skyward, I have only good things to say about it, other than really nitpicky things like 1) Defiant culture re who gets to graduate or not is really stupid, because it doesn't consider actual pilot skill and 2) inconsistency in how Ironsides refers to Spensa, it should be "coward" verbally but "defect" in thoughts but I've caught a few references in the wrong place Also can't wait until Starsight comes out and we find out more about Doomslug. He posted a teaser first chapter in his email newsletter and I'm already craving more. Taffer posted:On the topic of TSA, I've been re-reading it. I'm noticing a ton of poo poo I didn't notice the first time through, and I'm in love with how many little hints and crossovers between cosmere series that I didn't see before there are (because TSA was the first I read).
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Jun 20, 2019 09:09
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Taffer posted:but Shallon's.... I dunno, feels a little contrived, with her constant repressed memories and split personality. I found it interesting in the sense that she struggles to define even who she is, but is part of an order that must speak truths. But I agree that something about how she is written falls flat. I particularly disliked the scenes where her personality would switch in rapid succession.
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Jun 20, 2019 16:27
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I actually enjoyed her a fair bit in the first two books, but I was just so drat sick of it by Oathbringer. I've only read OB once though, so I wonder how I'll feel when I reread it.
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Jun 20, 2019 17:28
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Edmond Dantes posted:Haven't really kept up with the thread (still gotta read Oathbringer), but I was checking out a local bookstore today and found Skyward. How did that turn out? Seems to be one of his YA series? I didn't hate it but I wasn't too impressed by it either. It has a very safe, predictable YA feel to it. You'll be shocked to learn that the outcast teenager attends an elite academy against the wishes of authority figures who hate her for reasons connected to her heroic destiny, but she excels and proves them wrong anyway.
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Jun 20, 2019 17:48
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I sometimes feel like I’m the only one who likes Shallan but can’t stand Kaladin.
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Jun 20, 2019 17:48
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ConfusedUs posted:I sometimes feel like I’m the only one who likes Shallan but can’t stand Kaladin. I didn't mind Shallan until he started forcing a "I don't even know who I am any more" narrative on her, like every character needs a disability. Kaladin I wouldn't want to re-read his crippling ennui chapters
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Jun 20, 2019 17:55
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