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Brandon Sanderson AMA 2015


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Q: In regards to the time period each series takes place in. What time period is it during Mistborn whilst the other series are going on?(More specifically. Is it Wex during Stormlight? Or still Vin?)

A: Stormlight is closer to Wax than Vin, but takes place between the two.
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 Q: Interesting, hadn't really thought of it this way, but much of the environment and its events depend on magic - highstorms, plant and animal life, crem and water deposits, and those are just off the top of my head. Was it this way before the Shards showed up, or is this a change they caused (intentionally or not)?

A: This will eventually be revealed.

*squeee* pre-Shards Roshar!

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs2dqep?context=10000

 

Q: How many Cutting edges does Nightblood have? I'm just trying to find out what Nightblood looks like exactly, Warbreaker is a little spars on an exact description.

A: Nightblood is a long, straight sword, edged on both sides.
Q: If Nightblood was a Dark Souls weapon, which class would it be? Straight Sword, Greatsword, Ultra Greatsword? I think of it like the Claymore.
A: Claymore might be close. Though the dark souls ones might be a tad bigger than he is.
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Q: I've got a more hypothethical question.

Iron stores weight. Pewter stores strength.
What if you both make yourself very light and very strong***? Maybe even throw in burning pewter as well; how does it all work together?
A: I have some ideas, and have done some research, but I'm not ready to comment on this yet. I plan to use it in a future book.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs3ljr7?context=10000

 

Q: Can Hemelurgic Spikes be used to steal Listener forms?

A: Replicate them, perhaps. Stealing them would be like stealing the fact that someone is Asian--not really what Hemalurgy does.
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Well, that ruins my mental picture of Nightblood. I've been picturing him as an oversized, slightly curved, Katana-like sword.

I agree. At one point in Warbreaker, Nightblood is described as having a hooked cross-guard (the only mention of a cross-guard in the entire book) and these guards are more or less only used on a single-sided blade.

Also, Vasher seems to constantly pop Nightblood an inch or two out of the sheath with one hand...which is more akin to a katana on one's waist. Sigh. Head-canon for Nightblood has been destroyed. Now my black katana sword for my Vasher cosplay costume is entirely inadequate.

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Q:Can Forgery rewrite someone's gender (after all, it's just swapping out an X for a Y ...)?

  Are seasons on Roshar truly unpredictable, or have the storm wardens just not figured out how to predict them yet?

 

A: Forgery could do this, but it is a tad bigger a change than you imply. Think of it this way: It's much easier for the magic to pretend that a table was cleaned up and polished than it is for the magic to pretend the wood used to make the table instead was used to make a chair.

Well, if you consider the planet to be a closed system, then nothing about the natural processes are TRULY unpredictable.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs4oejw?context=3

Q: Is the Seventeenth Shard a fairly recent organization (in relation to the published books), or have they been around for a while?

A: RAFO

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs4ogq2?context=3

Q: When communicating over spanreed, do you have to compensate for the curvature of the planet? For example, would communicating with someone on the other side of the planet result in upside down writing?

A: Spanreeds auto-compensate when you activate them. Meaning, once you tap them on, they will follow the same pattern in relation to the writing board as the other one.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs4rtod?context=3

Q: Do both 'The Path' and Kelsier's religion have actual gods? I remember Sazed talking about Kelsier and Vin in whatever afterlife exists, but are Kel and Vin also proper gods or just dead hero mistborn?

 

A: This is discussed in the next books.

Basically, you can look at it like Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism has gods, and many Buddhists don't deny those gods exist, but they follow a different path. Obviously, the doctrines and practices are not the same as those two religions, but the relationship is somewhat similar.

It does get complicated in that Harmony doesn't particularly want to be worshiped, but people want to worship him anyway, and find ways to sidestep into religion. Survivorists worship the Survivor, but don't QUITE treat him like God.

 

 

(not from the AMA) http://www.reddit.com/r/WoT/comments/394k3d/finally_picked_up_a_copy_of_amol/cs550zt?context=3

Q: I have a question that I assume is going to be RAFO, but ... 1980s era spy thriller implies something like a Cold War to me. Does this mean United States: Elendelians :: Russia : Southern Peoples?

(I'm not sure what the proper demonyms would be.)

 

A: That's a pretty big RAFO.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs551kh?context=3

Q: You've previously mentioned that someone bonded to a Seon would get some benefits if they went to Roshar , basically that it would be treated sort of like a Nahel bond. This implies to me that something about Roshar likes to give powers from bonds. (Hi there, Honor...)

Should this be taken to mean that spren-bond based Surgebinding won't work off-world, as it's a benefit Roshar gives from having a bond? Or would it be more specific, and mean that some of the passive benefits Radiants get (visions, Windrunner squire strengths) would be lost, but Surgebinding retained?

Mainly I'm interested in whether or not we can reach maximum Jasnah levels and have the possibility of her appearing in non-SA books. I don't think she'd be much into worldhopping if she couldn't get back with the Travel Surge...

 

A: Surgebinding will work off-world.

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Q.for healing can Big Breaths heal onlyone person at a time or can you heal a bunchof people at once?(as long as they are not yourself)?

A. Legends say you can heal many.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs8qb30?context=3

 

Q.

Eshonai mentions that the Stormfather (rather, the Rider of Storms to her) was one of the spren who betrayed the listeners for the humans.

  • Was the Rider of Storms around before Honor and Cultivation arrived on Roshar?

  • Is the Stormfather composed partly of Cultivation's Investiture?

A.RAFO. :)

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs8qr6n?context=3

 

Q.Two questions about your books, one other.

    • I know you are a big Magic player. Vintage on Magic Online sometime?
    • How much do you consider the economic impacts of your magic systems? I always felt this was a weakness in the Wheel of Time books (which I loved) - rogue channellers would have been too good at robbing merchants for any inter-regional trade to happen.
    • I know the Reckoners series isn't Cosmere, but Calamity acts quite a bit like a shard in it. I've argued that, were it a shard its Shardic Intent would be temptation. Do you agree?

A. I prefer paper Magic. Not because of any problem with MTGO, but because I like the social interaction. But I'll play Vintage paper with you some time, if you're willing to accept that I'm basically terrible at Vintage.

I try to consider it and make it a component of the world, but I'm not an economist (look to L.E. Modesitt Jr. for a fantasy writer who is.)

I wouldn't argue against that interpretation.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs8qy4c?context=3

 

Q. is Hoid's home base a place that can only be accessed through Shadesmar?

A. Hoid has a home base on Shadesmar, yes.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs8rkkv?context=3

 

Q. Could Obliteration (or an Epic with similar powers), in theory, actively suppress his danger sense, so he doesn't teleport, even if someone would score a lethal hit on him? Also, do active Epic powers like throwing energy beams or flying drain stamina?

A. Obliteration hasn't learned to do this. Perhaps it's possible, but difficult. As for how draining the abilities are, it varies based on the epic.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs8rleu?context=3

 

Q. When Sazed picked up the Shards of Preservation and Ruin, did he actively choose to be known as Harmony (instead of, for example, Balance, or Equilibrium, or Stability), or is there some Cosmeric law that says Preservation + Ruin = Harmony?

A. He chose the name, but in part because it FELT right to him.

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Now I am imagining Hoid, in Shadesmar, in the middle of this vast plain, nothing in sight, only a small house, with a garden and a well, maybe a small fishing pond, sitting there and waiting for something interesting to start happening on some distant Shardworld.

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Now I am imagining Hoid, in Shadesmar, in the middle of this vast plain, nothing in sight, only a small house, with a garden and a well, maybe a small fishing pond, sitting there and waiting for something interesting to start happening on some distant Shardworld.

So, basically, it's his own little Minecraft world. Where's he's built some lovely gardens and houses. Maybe even a fun roller coaster just for himself. The only problem is that his world doesn't have access to all of the necessary building materials so he goes and visits other worlds to mine metals and resources he can't get in Mines-mar. Stamplylonghead has nothing compared to Hoid's Lovely World!

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Well, now I cannot get the imagery out of my mind that Odium is actually a creeper.

For, creepers are a representation of the intent Hatred in Minecraft.

Surely Ruin would be a creeper, content to blow himself to bits as long as he gets to destroy something else, Odium would be an Enderman, secretly creeping into your base and removing that one vital block thus causing your base to somehow get flooded with lava, killing everyone inside of it.

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Q: Do you ever find yourself changing the wording of certain lines during revisions to make them more... quotable?

A: Yes, I do indeed.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs9x5p9?context=10000

 

Q: If a novel can be named 'oathbringer', does that mean Dalinar named his sword after a book? Because that's pretty nerdy.

A: Many Shardblades have names that extend well beyond the original owner.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cs9x6bc?context=10000

 

Q: Is [sazed feeling of rightness about the name Harmony] similar to how a Shard's "personality" overwrites the Shardholder's over time?

A: Similar, yes.
 

 

Q: Just one question for you if you have the time.

Mr.T has his emotional intelligence inversely attached to his logical intelligence. in the physical realm, this means that on his emotional days, he is functionally a blithering idiot. The physical realm is more logic oriented, so that makes sense.
However, would this inverted intelligence express itself DIFFERENTLY perhaps in the cognitive or spiritual realm? In the world of forms, emotion, and identity, could weepy/drooly Mr.T express some unique insight inside of Shadesmaar?
A: This is a theory with merit.

It's an interesting question. I don't necessarily agree with the premise, but it's an interesting one nonetheless.

 
From /r/Stormlight_Archive:

 

Q: With shardpools being a thing and worldhoppers like Hoid being a thing as well it's entirely possible that people brought stories of the fauna of their world with them when they came to Roshar. After all, we know (via Word of Brandon) that the Horneater lakes are shardpools so they could have knowledge of lions via travelers, seeing them in the pools or some other way (worldsingers?)

/u/Mistborn  can you aid us in our questions?

A: No, it seems like you're asking the right ones.

 

Edited by Argent
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Q:Where would you place Hoid on this scale: http://i.imgur.com/z9fwRP2.jpg

If you have time, where would you place the other characters of your books on this?

A: Though I do like the D&D system conceptually--I think it leads to interesting discussions--one of the problems is that by putting a character into it, I would be making a value judgement upon their actions. Here's what I can say: If you asked Hoid himself, he'd probably say he was Neutral Good. The Sixteenth shard would argue that he's Chaotic Neutral. Frost would rationally argue him to be Chaotic Good, but there are those who even claim his motives far too selfish to be anywhere near "good," and probably deem him something akin to Neutral Evil.

Q:Sixteenth Shard? Is this just a typo or a really stealthy dispensation of information?

A: Sorry. Just a typo.

EDIT: added Weiry's follow up.

This one included since it impacts the AMA as a whole and questions still to be asked. http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/csb5ujq?context=3

Q:Thank you so much for answering so many questions. How do you feel about still indulging us? Are we taking too much of your time?

A:No, but the longer the AMA goes, the more likely I will be to RAFO the detailed fan questions. The problem is, I have to ration how much I say about things like this, as there are a lot of secrets I'm intentionally maintaining about the cosmere to keep future books interesting and compelling.

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/csb5zi1?context=3

Q:I was re-reading the prologues of WoK and WoR... and it seems like there's something wonky going on with the timelines.

Szeth claims Gavilar left the feast hours before he started doing his work.

Jasnah leaves the feast and finds Gavilar and Tearim. Gavilar mentions he's going to head back into the feast. Jasnah then has an adventure. She sees Ivory(?), speaks with Liss and two strange men, and then, what seems like a very short time later in her PoV hears the results of Szeth starting his job.

There's no way it took her hours to walk down two flights of stairs, briefly "drown", and have two short conversations!

Am I completely off base, or is there something going on here with Jasnah's perception of time?

A: It's less that, and more me (as the author) glossing over time passing with quick phrases like "after walking a short time" and the like.

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/csb60yf?context=3

Q:A recent analysis on 17th Shard noted that the geography of Hallandren suggests it is an area with frequent and powerful earthquakes. Is this correct? Does Hallandren have substantial tectonic activity?

A: It does.

Edited by ccstat
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Q: Sixteenth Shard? Is this just a typo or a really stealthy dispensation of information?

A: Sorry. Just a typo.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/csbkw7l?context=10000

 

Q: How important are Bonds like the Nahel Bond and a Seon bond in the Cosmere?

A: I'd say very important.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/csbkzxa?context=10000

 

Q:

1. Speed bubbles can't move once they're put up, but what happens if you put one up while you're in a moving train or something? Does it move with the train? What if the train stops/turns while the bubble is up? (This might have happened and I'm forgetting in which case just ignore me...)

 

2. Can an allomancer leave their bubble while it is still up (meaning it stays up with them outside of it)?
 
3. What happens to things and or people partially inside of the bubble? Like, if I swing a pole through the time bubble, do I feel extra resistance or acceleration on it? If I stick my hand through it does it get all messed up like in that episode of TNG(S6E25)?
 
4. Is the magnitude effect that causes bullets to go off course when entering a speed bubble proportional to the slowing/speeding of time in the bubble? For example, could I put up a very slight speed bubble (gaining me an extra second every few minutes) and get the same deflection as the ones used by Wane in the books?
 
5. If you change your weight with feruchemy, is momentum conserved? For example, if I am moving while I decrease my weight, do I start going faster?
 
A: You'd be surprised by how many of these questions I answer in the next two Mistborn books. I think I might have addressed every one except number four. (In that case, the deflection is indeed proportional.) This is a RAFO, but more a "I took all this time to explain it in the text, so let's let you read it there." :)
 

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/csbl00y?context=10000

 

Q: So, will Hoid and Frost continue their letter correspondence in Stormlight 3?

A: RAFO
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Q: I'm not going to ask what malatium does in feruchemy, but it'd be neat to know if Sazed had a chance to experiment with the little bar of it Kelsier found. Did he get around to trying it offscreen during the first trilogy?

A: Yes, but he didn't get far.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/csco38y?context=3

 

Q: Some of the most engaging and fun discussions we've had over at the 17th Shard were the decoding, or decrypting, or deciphering of those puzzles you sometimes hide in The Stormlight Archive epigraphs - the Alethi women script, the Thaylen writing, the excerpts from the Diagram, etc.

1. Do you always try to make sure those puzzles are solvable, presumably so we don't grow insane?
2. Will you keep adding things like that, assuming time allows?
A: 1.Not all the puzzles are solvable with the information you have, but they will all eventually be solvable as the books progress.
2. Yes, one of my main coals with the Stormlight books is to make them multi-genre. Visuals, different types of storytelling, flashbacks, ephemera. Puzzles (so long as they're in world, and relevant to the plot) are part of this for me.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/brandonsanderson/comments/3afor0/just_wanted_to_brag_about_my_username/cscpzm3?context=3

 

[The comment is by user /u/VinMistbornDiesel]

Q: I just created a new account just for a brandon sanderson related name too.

A: This one absolutely cracked me up.
I remember designing Mistborn, and thinking about naming. Delving into the linguistics and coming up with the perfect name for the main character, simple and short, yet somehow having just the right combination of sounds--ideal for reasons I couldn't explain. I wrote the first chapter and showed it to the writing group. And they said, "Oh, yeah. Like Vin Diesel."
And I stopped, read the name again, and realized that yes it was the same. I hadn't realized it until that moment. (I did something similar with the original name of Elantris. Sometimes, you get so into the worldbuilding that you completely miss real world connections.)

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2ytg2h/im_novelist_brandon_sanderson_ama/cscqe8l?context=3

 

Q: Is [the Nahel/Seon] bond relatively common or is what seons, spren, and night blood do little more rare among splinters. I'm specifically talking about the act of making bonds not a giving of magic powers really, that appearing to be function of Roshar. Also regarding your post about storm light 3 I am personally ok with 2000 pages if need be so make the chapters as long as you want.:)

A: The bonding is basically the same mechanic, regardless of the world, just with different flavoring. Roshar isn't the only place where the bond gives powers; it's a matter of what's stuffed into the soul, and how.
 
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Q: I'm not going to ask what malatium does in feruchemy, but it'd be neat to know if Sazed had a chance to experiment with the little bar of it Kelsier found. Did he get around to trying it offscreen during the first trilogy?

A: Yes, but he didn't get far.

 

::DIES::

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