Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Mordiceius
Nov 10, 2007

If you think calling me names is gonna get a rise out me, think again. I like my life as an idiot!

Louisgod posted:

I was thinking about reading the second trilogy of Mistborn (think that's what Wax & Wayne is) but I need a break from that world for a bit, and Warbreaker was a great distraction. I'll look into hitting up Arcanum and Emperor's Soul next though my friend really keeps pushing the Stormlight books, mostly so he has somebody to talk to about them.

okay I'll add it to my list.

So, Wax and Wayne isn’t a trilogy, it’s 4 books (though he’s finishing writing the 4th book as we speak). Stormlight is 10 books, four books are out currently. From what I’ve gathered, Stormlight is more like two five-book arcs.

It’s been super interesting watching his YouTube channel when he talks about his plans. He basically knows what he will be writing every year for the next 10+ years.

What we have to look forward to:
Wax & Wayne book 4
Stormlight book 5
Mistborn Era 3 (1980s computer spy thriller)
Stormlight 6-10
Mistborn Era 4 (space opera)
Elantris sequel
Dragonsteel series?

(Obviously not necessarily in this order)

The dude is a madman and I wish I had 10% of the drive and dedication he has.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Brutor Fartknocker
Jun 18, 2013


Louisgod posted:

I was thinking about reading the second trilogy of Mistborn (think that's what Wax & Wayne is) but I need a break from that world for a bit, and Warbreaker was a great distraction. I'll look into hitting up Arcanum and Emperor's Soul next though my friend really keeps pushing the Stormlight books, mostly so he has somebody to talk to about them.

The rest of the novellas and short stories in arcanum are fantastic too, the 6th of the dusk being a personal favorite. I'm currently doing the same to a few friends, trying to get them come back and catch up so we can talk about magic shenanigans in RoW magic nukes basically being confirmed .

eke out
Feb 24, 2013



Brutor Fartknocker posted:

The rest of the novellas and short stories in arcanum are fantastic too, the 6th of the dusk being a personal favorite. I'm currently doing the same to a few friends, trying to get them come back and catch up so we can talk about magic shenanigans in RoW magic nukes basically being confirmed .

to be fair, it sounds like the local god made magic nukes impossible

unfortunately that god is dead as hell

MartingaleJack
Aug 26, 2004

I'll split you open and I don't even like coconuts.
Yes, but also Shadow of the Dead Gods by John Gwynne! Edit: I don't know how this ended up here but you should read this book anyway.

MartingaleJack
Aug 26, 2004

I'll split you open and I don't even like coconuts.
6th of the Dusk is good, and isn't it the book that sorta explains Stormlight's weird use of chickens?

Torrannor
Apr 27, 2013

---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE

BananaNutkins posted:

6th of the Dusk is good, and isn't it the book that sorta explains Stormlight's weird use of chickens?

Nope, that's explained (or better, can be inferred from) Stormlight itself.

Cicero
Dec 17, 2003

Jumpjet, melta, jumpjet. Repeat for ten minutes or until victory is assured.

Louisgod posted:

okay I'll add it to my list.
I thought their suggestion was kind of a joke, just because Abercrombie's style is practically the opposite of Sanderson.

I liked the First Law trilogy though, definitely not a bad series to read regardless.

Taffer
Oct 15, 2010


BananaNutkins posted:

6th of the Dusk is good, and isn't it the book that sorta explains Stormlight's weird use of chickens?

No, they just call all birds chickens, which is just a curiosity kind of like the "safe-hand" business. But at some points the "chickens" get more detailed descriptions, describing them as very unusual, very colorful, etc. Particularly M'raize's bird, which is pretty overtly hinted at that it's a bird from the 6th of Dusk world. I don't believe any specific powers are pointed out or described for these birds anywhere in Stormlight, so far

scary ghost dog
Aug 5, 2007

Cicero posted:

I thought their suggestion was kind of a joke, just because Abercrombie's style is practically the opposite of Sanderson.

I liked the First Law trilogy though, definitely not a bad series to read regardless.

it was a joke but i also think first law is really good.

Potato Salad
Oct 23, 2014

nobody cares


BananaNutkins posted:

6th of the Dusk is good, and isn't it the book that sorta explains Stormlight's weird use of chickens?

birds are not native to Roshar, non Cosmerenauts think a chicken is representative of all birds

imo the behavior of 6th birds is clearly coded as parrot like

Evil Fluffy
Jul 13, 2009

Scholars are some of the most pompous and pedantic people I've ever had the joy of meeting.

Louisgod posted:

.

okay I'll add it to my list.

Don’t. The first law books are tedious as hell you’ll know 90% of the ending 5 minutes after seeing a character because Abercrombie uses foreshadowing about as subtly as an air strike.

New Yorp New Yorp
Jul 18, 2003

Only in Kenya.
Pillbug

Evil Fluffy posted:

Don’t. The first law books are tedious as hell you’ll know 90% of the ending 5 minutes after seeing a character because Abercrombie uses foreshadowing about as subtly as an air strike.

I think you're in the minority with that take. I loved all of Abercrombie's books.

scary ghost dog
Aug 5, 2007

Evil Fluffy posted:

Don’t. The first law books are tedious as hell you’ll know 90% of the ending 5 minutes after seeing a character because Abercrombie uses foreshadowing about as subtly as an air strike.
yep. theyre garbage books for morons. youd have to be a total idiot to read them

Proteus Jones
Feb 28, 2013



Evil Fluffy posted:

Don’t. The first law books are tedious as hell you’ll know 90% of the ending 5 minutes after seeing a character because Abercrombie uses foreshadowing about as subtly as an air strike.

While I don't think they're as good as the goon-mind makes them out to be, I definitely wouldn't wave anyone off reading them. They're OK books, just not ones I'd personally recommend.

ConfusedUs
Feb 24, 2004

Bees?
You want fucking bees?
Here you go!
ROLL INITIATIVE!!





Proteus Jones posted:

While I don't think they're as good as the goon-mind makes them out to be, I definitely wouldn't wave anyone off reading them. They're OK books, just not ones I'd personally recommend.

Counterpoint: I like them a lot!

Also they have the best sex scenes ever because they’re written as awkwardly and hilariously as possible. He tries to make them as unsexy as possible and I’m here for that.

zerofiend
Dec 23, 2006

scary ghost dog posted:

yep. theyre garbage books for morons. youd have to be a total idiot to read them

Push this opinion right into the garbage where it belongs.

Leng
May 13, 2006

One song / Glory
One song before I go / Glory
One song to leave behind


No other road
No other way
No day but today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhT7Zrg3aM8

Sanderson hits 66% on The Lost Metal (and I am pumped for the Steris arc which he is writing this week apparently).

Sab669
Sep 24, 2009

What a great visual aid :)

JOSEPH SAMOAN
Jun 13, 2010

Warbreaker is really good, especially compared to the stuff that came before it. It’s actually kind of surprising because it has an extremely sleepy beginning but as soon as the two main plots get jogging along it’s really engaging and feels like it does a little bit more to differentiate itself from Sanderson’s usual formula. The ending isn’t fantastic but honestly up until the point it was written I feel like every book he’d made except for The Final Empire had a lovely ending too.

Time to start Words of Radiance. I’m expecting a lot out of it with how good WoK was

Torrannor
Apr 27, 2013

---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE

Sab669 posted:

What a great visual aid :)

It really is, thanks for posting it!

I think the tight focus on characters has always been a strength of Mistborn 2. Wax, Wayne, Marasi & Steris have always made up the vast bulk of the character viewpoints. Nearly everybody else had only one-off PoV chapters, usually the baddies. Even Me'Laan, who helped our heroes several times, never got her own PoV chapters.

And I love Steris, but I think Brandon was right to limit chapters focused on her. Sometimes, less is more, so I'm not even bothered by her having less words written for her PoV in The Lost Metal.

I still like Stormlight Archive overall more than Mistborn 2, but some of the character sprawl has been to it's detriment (see Venli).


I'm super excited for the conclusion of the Wax & Wayne books, and considering the hints dropped in Rhythm of War, what happens in it might very well even have consequences for the Stormlight Archive books going forward!


Reaverbot posted:

Warbreaker is really good, especially compared to the stuff that came before it. It’s actually kind of surprising because it has an extremely sleepy beginning but as soon as the two main plots get jogging along it’s really engaging and feels like it does a little bit more to differentiate itself from Sanderson’s usual formula. The ending isn’t fantastic but honestly up until the point it was written I feel like every book he’d made except for The Final Empire had a lovely ending too.

Time to start Words of Radiance. I’m expecting a lot out of it with how good WoK was

Warbreaker is underrated, imho. I know a lot of people don't like Lightsong, but I don't mind him at all.

And even though it's still one of Brandon's early books, it still has some great writing highlights. One small scene I've always like is how Lightsong reacted to the painting of the Battle of Twilight Falls, and how his priests reacted to his reaction.

ConfusedUs
Feb 24, 2004

Bees?
You want fucking bees?
Here you go!
ROLL INITIATIVE!!





Torrannor posted:

I know a lot of people don't like Lightsong,

Those people are wrong.

External Organs
Mar 3, 2006

One time i prank called a bear buildin workshop and said I wanted my mamaws ashes put in a teddy from where she loved them things so well... The woman on the phone did not skip a beat. She just said, "Brang her on down here. We've did it before."
I've said it before in the thread but I love Lightsong's dad joke energy.

Alternately you can read him, at least his spoken lines, as Zapp Brannigan and it's just peachy.

Louisgod
Sep 25, 2003

Always Stupid
Bread Liar

Reaverbot posted:

Warbreaker is really good, especially compared to the stuff that came before it. It’s actually kind of surprising because it has an extremely sleepy beginning but as soon as the two main plots get jogging along it’s really engaging and feels like it does a little bit more to differentiate itself from Sanderson’s usual formula. The ending isn’t fantastic but honestly up until the point it was written I feel like every book he’d made except for The Final Empire had a lovely ending too.

Time to start Words of Radiance. I’m expecting a lot out of it with how good WoK was

It wasn't until I was 20% into Warbreaker when it really clicked, once Siri finally stood up to and spoke to Susebron and you find out he's basically a child. After reading the first three Mistborn books I was expecting some all powerful ruler, but loved the idea he's nothing more than a puppet.

Oh and Lightsong is a wonderful character, and the whole time I pictured him as Dionysus from Hades. It seems like a perfect fit for both his look, demeanor and divinity.

Finished book two of Elantris last night, which I loved, and am moving on to the Stormlight Archive.

Synesthesian Fetish
Apr 29, 2008

Ya know, I useta be President... I'll let you kids punch me anywhere but the face for a dollar.

eke out posted:

Finished book two of Elantris last night, which I loved, and am moving on to the Stormlight Archive.

Emperor's Soul or is there an Elantris book I'm not aware of?

Louisgod
Sep 25, 2003

Always Stupid
Bread Liar

Synesthesian Fetish posted:

Emperor's Soul or is there an Elantris book I'm not aware of?

Emperor's Soul, which is labeled Elantris book 2 for whatever reason.

eke out
Feb 24, 2013



Synesthesian Fetish posted:

Emperor's Soul or is there an Elantris book I'm not aware of?

this was extremely confusing to me, as i was trying to remember when i wrote that quote (that i did not write) lol

Tunicate
May 15, 2012

eke out posted:

when i wrote that quote (that i did not write)

I'm afraid this intricately carved piece of wood says you did.

JOSEPH SAMOAN
Jun 13, 2010

Louisgod posted:

It wasn't until I was 20% into Warbreaker when it really clicked, once Siri finally stood up to and spoke to Susebron and you find out he's basically a child. After reading the first three Mistborn books I was expecting some all powerful ruler, but loved the idea he's nothing more than a puppet.

Oh and Lightsong is a wonderful character, and the whole time I pictured him as Dionysus from Hades. It seems like a perfect fit for both his look, demeanor and divinity.

Finished book two of Elantris last night, which I loved, and am moving on to the Stormlight Archive.



I disliked both Lightsong and Denth at first because they both seemed like perpetual one liner machines. Eventually I got acclimated to them though, the latter for obvious reasons and the former because I accepted it was part of his character and that in canon most people found it irritating. It ended up making him somehow more endearing to me. My biggest surprise with Warbreaker was Nightblood, which I thought was going to be the most irritating part of the book but actually ended up being the comedic element that made me actually laugh the most reliably.

And yeah, The Emperor''s Soul is really really good. It honestly feels like you could have never touched Elantris and still get everything you need to understand it out of it, and I hope that the planned Elantris sequel touches a lot more on forgery because it ended up being one of the most interesting magic systems he's come up with.

Louisgod
Sep 25, 2003

Always Stupid
Bread Liar

eke out posted:

this was extremely confusing to me, as i was trying to remember when i wrote that quote (that i did not write) lol

well maybe next time etch it into a metal plate!

eke out
Feb 24, 2013



Tunicate posted:

I'm afraid this intricately carved piece of wood says you did.

Louisgod posted:

well maybe next time etch it into a metal plate!

:hmmyes:

Louisgod
Sep 25, 2003

Always Stupid
Bread Liar

Reaverbot posted:

I disliked both Lightsong and Denth at first because they both seemed like perpetual one liner machines. Eventually I got acclimated to them though, the latter for obvious reasons and the former because I accepted it was part of his character and that in canon most people found it irritating. It ended up making him somehow more endearing to me. My biggest surprise with Warbreaker was Nightblood, which I thought was going to be the most irritating part of the book but actually ended up being the comedic element that made me actually laugh the most reliably.

And yeah, The Emperor''s Soul is really really good. It honestly feels like you could have never touched Elantris and still get everything you need to understand it out of it, and I hope that the planned Elantris sequel touches a lot more on forgery because it ended up being one of the most interesting magic systems he's come up with.

I don't think anybody really likes Lightsong at first but how Sanderson writes his nonchalant attitude coupled with his self-deprecation absolutely makes him endearing, but to me he also comes off as a continuous dad joke with his humor, which I love. For me Nightblood was annoying and kinda boring though it sounds like he has a decent backstory fleshed out by a different book series (which one?). I really like the story of how he was created and how a vague, original ethos was twisted into an equally vague way to fulfill it.

Barreft
Jul 21, 2014

I'm really down on a lot of Sanderson stuff, but for some reason I blew through Warbreaker. I loved it. Maybe cause I heard about Lightsong for a long time and I was used to BS's humor.

Even Lightsong seemed so self aware that his humor was bad and put on I wonder if Brandon felt that way himself. Like his Mat and Talmanes in WOT is pretty much his every co-op duo in all the books I read of his.

e: hell RoW was basically a buddy cop book. Split two random people, make them riff on eachother.

Androl/Pevara. etc etc. anyway i lost the thread, I really liked Warbreaker.

Barreft fucked around with this message at 03:52 on Jul 9, 2021

Torrannor
Apr 27, 2013

---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE
RoW/Dawnshard: So are we any closer in guessing the name/command of the other three Dawnshards now that we know 14 of the 16 shards? I'm having a hard time placing Whimsy, or Mercy.

Sab669
Sep 24, 2009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ecrh9oG3xQI I don't know why I enjoy watching his short little Weekly Updates, but I do. Like does it make any difference in my life knowing he's made N% progress on <Book>? No, but it's still fun.

But this week's is especially fun because we've now invented spanreeds IRL apparently

th3t00t
Aug 14, 2007

GOOD CLEAN FOOTBALL
Re: Warbreaker chat

I'm happy to see so many have enjoyed Warbreaker recently! The thread's opinion of it seems to wax and wayne :rimshot: ( lightsong dad joke accomplished).

I really like Warbreaker. I think it might be his best story, despite the rougher craftmanship compared to more recent work.

JOSEPH SAMOAN
Jun 13, 2010

Words of Radiance has insane tonal shifts on it so far. Jumping between intense domestic abuse and adolin talking about making GBS threads his pants is quite an experience

MartingaleJack
Aug 26, 2004

I'll split you open and I don't even like coconuts.
It is not a cohesive book by any means. I think it is Sanderson's Crossroads of Twilight. The only good thing I can say about it is that the Cosmere stuff seems to be coming together finally in a way that is more than just cameos. It's a Sanderson book, so stuff happens, it's just that most of it doesn't move the series plot forward one iota. There's no real endgame in sight. The payoffs for some characters Taravangian, Moash, and Venli especially, are weaksauce. Kaladin gets a little time to shine, but most of the main PoVs are just spinning their wheels off doing sidequests and spending the majority of their chapters conflicted about who they are and what they want to be.

I still think Shadesmar as a whole was a huge mistake. In the first two books it was this mystic space that seemed like real magic where the rules were beyond human knowing. Then Sanderson had to systemify everything and now it's like a side universe where everything is representational but in actuality it just reads like everyone got shrunk down and dropped into an alternate dimension where everything is in a Japanese capsule machine and spren are people but not really but really.

Torrannor
Apr 27, 2013

---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE

BananaNutkins posted:

It is not a cohesive book by any means. I think it is Sanderson's Crossroads of Twilight. The only good thing I can say about it is that the Cosmere stuff seems to be coming together finally in a way that is more than just cameos. It's a Sanderson book, so stuff happens, it's just that most of it doesn't move the series plot forward one iota. There's no real endgame in sight. The payoffs for some characters Taravangian, Moash, and Venli especially, are weaksauce. Kaladin gets a little time to shine, but most of the main PoVs are just spinning their wheels off doing sidequests and spending the majority of their chapters conflicted about who they are and what they want to be.

I still think Shadesmar as a whole was a huge mistake. In the first two books it was this mystic space that seemed like real magic where the rules were beyond human knowing. Then Sanderson had to systemify everything and now it's like a side universe where everything is representational but in actuality it just reads like everyone got shrunk down and dropped into an alternate dimension where everything is in a Japanese capsule machine and spren are people but not really but really.

If you're replying to Reaverbot, they're speaking of Words of Radiance, aka book 2, not Rhythm of War, book 4. Words of Radiance is imho a fantastic book. But the tonal shifts are sometimes quite drastic, which is fitting for a book focused on Shallan.

MartingaleJack
Aug 26, 2004

I'll split you open and I don't even like coconuts.

Torrannor posted:

If you're replying to Reaverbot, they're speaking of Words of Radiance, aka book 2, not Rhythm of War, book 4. Words of Radiance is imho a fantastic book. But the tonal shifts are sometimes quite drastic, which is fitting for a book focused on Shallan.

drat palindromes. You're right.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Democratic Pirate
Feb 17, 2010

BananaNutkins posted:

It is not a cohesive book by any means. I think it is Sanderson's Crossroads of Twilight. The only good thing I can say about it is that the Cosmere stuff seems to be coming together finally in a way that is more than just cameos. It's a Sanderson book, so stuff happens, it's just that most of it doesn't move the series plot forward one iota. There's no real endgame in sight. The payoffs for some characters Taravangian, Moash, and Venli especially, are weaksauce. Kaladin gets a little time to shine, but most of the main PoVs are just spinning their wheels off doing sidequests and spending the majority of their chapters conflicted about who they are and what they want to be.

I still think Shadesmar as a whole was a huge mistake. In the first two books it was this mystic space that seemed like real magic where the rules were beyond human knowing. Then Sanderson had to systemify everything and now it's like a side universe where everything is representational but in actuality it just reads like everyone got shrunk down and dropped into an alternate dimension where everything is in a Japanese capsule machine and spren are people but not really but really.

Why do you think the payoff for your first character was weaksauce? Becoming the new god king big bad seems like a fairly important plot point going forward, and I liked the way Cultivation’s plan came together.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply