Shadows For Silence - Reactions

[Windrunner]

I know I've already posted a topic in here, but I thought it would be good to have a central place for general reactions to the story. I'll pin it, for now.

 

Personally, I loved the story. The world is one of the most intriguing that I've seen in the cosmere. I'd really like to know more about the past of the world, the nature of the Evil and all that sort of stuff. Hopefully we'll see this planet again somewhere, I'd be rather disappointed if this was the only glimpse we got. Even if it's just a minor nod in the third Mistborn trilogy.

 

What did you guys think?

[Chaos]

I think it has probably the most fantastic and haunting atmosphere of any story Brandon has written. I know with Emperor's Soul Brandon really has rocked the short fiction format, but Shadows for Silence is just so well written. Haunting and makes you want to learn much more about that planet.

[Argent]

Naturally I loved it! Let me hide the rest behind a spoiler just in case (though if you are here you should be done with it...)

Let's see... I totally called Silence's grandmother being a shade. Also that she is the shade that protects the inn. I didn't think she'd be trapped, not only a few paragraphs before the reveal, but I'll take what I can.

I was happy William Ann survived. I suspected one of the women might die (otherwise the sense of danger from the shades would've been undermined), so a "mere" crippling is as much of a blessing as one could hope for. And in that note, I was hoping to see more of Sebruki. It felt like there might have been more to her then just shock and trauma. Something supernatural perhaps. Oh well...

What else...? The Evil sounds like a Shard - do we know that this world is Shard-free? The shades are probably Spiritual entities, distantly related to spren. It's interesting that people killed by then turn into shades themselves, but gradually lose their... Cognitive and Spiritual aspects?

As far as the blood, fire, and motion drawing their attention, I draw at a blank. Blood I could maybe understand, it's rich on Spiritual essence. But fire and motion? No idea...

[Swimmingly]

Is there any kind of positive Investiture on that planet? You know, stuff people can actually use, rather than just malicious shades floating around

[Windrunner]

I personally kind of doubt that there would be a Shard on such an unimportant planet. Right now, I'm hopeful that it may have something to do with the opposing force to Adonalsium. Unlikely, but it would be cool. Until we know precisely what the Evil did, it's hard to judge what sort of power level it's on. Surely if it wanted to destroy mankind, a Shard would have no trouble following them across a continent.

 

Well, Blood and Fire are both Soulcasting essences. But it's still kind of odd. Why is it not blood that draws them, but the act of drawing blood? Why is it safe to carry fire, but not safe to light a fire? Why is running only permissible during the day? It seems like there should be reasons there.

 

@Swimmingly

Not that appears in the story, and I'd be surprised if there is anywhere.

[Kurkistan]

Just finished it. I need to mull it over before I come to any grand theoretical or even story-impression conclusions.

 

Quality-wise... Hm...

 

It was certainly well written and interesting, but I can't say that it grabbed me. At this moment, I'd probably rank it at a smidge above the level of Legion (which I think is one of Brandon's weaker works). That might change over time, though...

[bartbug]

I always thought that the shades were more cognitive entities then anything else. The magic system (if you could call it that) actually reminded me a lot of Ruin. Is there a chance he could have had a hand in this world?

[Oudeis]

Can you travel to this world from Shadesmar? Would Scadrian silver hurt Shades, or must it be silver native to this world?

 

I saw a lot of the plot twists before they happened. Honestly, my expectations were high, and they weren't met. Objectively, it was a good story, just not an amazing one. On one level I like the "hints" we get at what's going on with the world, things that let us wonder, but I'm tired of questions with no answers. Knowing this is a minor world, having no guarantee that we'll ever come back... I like Way of Kings, despite the fact that almost nothing is explained, because there's a promise that all the big stuff will, eventually, be explained. I feel like we don't have that promise here. And that's fine, not everyone's brain is wired like mine. Some people like to be tantalized, even when they don't know if they'll ever reach the goal. It simply isn't my cup of tea.

 

Specific thoughts:

 

Perhaps it was because it was in an anthology called Dangerous Women, but the instant they spoke of the White Fox and Silence walked past, I knew it was her. I like how there was no sex, and how desperate Silence always was; she broke the "a strong woman is just a man named Jill" stereotype. I like the build-up for, what, ten pages of how dangerous Chesterton was, only to have him die quietly with little fanfare so the REAL bad guys could show up. It felt like I read it with a list. "Oh, these three things summon Shades? They have these levels of attackingness? All right. Running, fire, blood, check check check. Interested, attacking, enraged, check, check, check." Let's display these things and get them out of the way. I realize it was necessary, but he's usually more organic with how he shows off the magic of his world.

 

Again, I realize this might be a preference on my part... I just read a part in Well of Ascension where Vin stops briefly at a hovel of skaa enjoying life. It felt like it was a story set on Scadrial, as the world was being literally ripped to shreds by a God, and we're watching the story of some skaa. Yes, she survived the night with nothing worse than some wounds. Yes, she's got the money to run an inn (which apparently doesn't make ends meet on its own) for another three to four years. Taxes will keep rising, unless silver re-grows the mines will eventually run dry and all humanity will be eaten by Shades. The real issues, not just for the world but for Silence herself, both metaphysically and very, very human and mundane, are only going to get worse, and meantime she overcame a couple of minor villains, sacrificing her daughter's hand and suffering wounds herself that she'll be feeling for years.

 

How do Shades know who drew blood, who struck fire? How oddly specific their rules... Silence intended to start the fire, and Theopolis intended to draw blood, yet it was Red who held the knife; he never even decided to take the act of cutting her neck, he was literally shoved. And the fire was started by a horse; did the Shades go after the horse? The rider? By exactly what metric was the rider of that horse responsible for lighting the fire? The last human agency who decided "I will start a fire" was Silence. The last human hand to touch the fire-making tools was Silence. Was the rider "responsible" for giving the horse his own head, letting him follow the horse before it, and accidentally stepping on something that ignited a spark?

 

I'm glad he put in the part about self-inflicted wounds not counting; I was about to say, "Then clearly no man ever shaves."

[Pechvarry]

My understanding is that they were going for the horse. But with all the shades dazed and all of the group fighting (and causing motion), it simply didn't matter.

I'm mostly with kurk on the story: good, intense, but not grabbing me and making me seriously interested like most Sanderson does. I don't know if he felt he had to make it bleak because it was a GRRM anthology or what. The only reason I think I'll read it twice is because it's only 50 pages long.

Edited December 4, 2013 by Pechvarry

[The Rooster]

Picking up DW from the library at lunch right about NOW.  I was going to read the GRRM novella first but I guess its pretty big.  So I think I'll read Shadows for Silence!

[Pechvarry]

I still think the name almost sounds like a joke. granted, all components of the name are explained, but I was hoping for a really good in-story explanation to give meaning to the mouthful.

[Oudeis]

Yeah I've been trying to parse it. There are shades, a woman named Silence, and Forests in a place considered the land of the damned. "in the Forests of Hell" is simple enough, I suppose, just placement, but which "shadows" are "for" "silence"?

 

Maybe it's "for" as in, people "for" the ethical treatment of animals; there's a coalition of shades who stage sit-ins and hold signs in support of her local small business. Regrettably, as no one can see them in sunlight, people are unaware of their actions. They're about as effective as online petitions.

[Iredomi]

He may have made it bleak because it was in a GRRM anthology but I doubt this, the Cosmere probably has many planets where the people on it are doomed to a dark fate, and this is just one of them. I think it gives more depth to the Cosmere to have planets out there that can't and won't be saved. Of course I'm the biggest fan of bleak atmospheres and depressing stories so maybe that is just me. Oh and Sebruki is the best name ever and if I ever have a daughter and wife willing to accommodate my eccentricities I would name her Sebruki. Maybe not William though, I did like that in the story, having a girl named William, makes us question certain unneeded traditions like gender specific naming. 

 

Edit: upvote to you Confuzified for making me chuckle.

Edited December 4, 2013 by Ookla the Iredomitable

[Argent]

There is something about the title that bugs me... It sounds familiar. Vaguely Shakespearean, I think. There is melody to it, but I just can't figure out our. It's been bugging me for weeks...

[Oudeis]

Not iambic, so not shakespearean...

[Pechvarry]

I hope Sebruki grows up to be a super awesome worldhopper.

Edited December 4, 2013 by Ookla the Imagined
No swearing please

[Iredomi]

I hope Sebruki grows up to be a super awesome worldhopper.

Yes. This i want so much. She has to get off that planet and becoming a super cool worldhopper would be awesome .

[The Rooster]

Finished!  I thought it was really cool.  He's been doing a lot of good creepy imagery in short stories recently, I can't wait until Sixth of Dusk comes out.  It seems like the two will be good companion pieces.

[askthepaperclip]

Man, I have to disagree with you on this one Chaos. I thought the little we have seen of Sixth was much more compelling and creepy. I really liked the juxtaposition of beautiful setting/crazy monsters that can track you by your thoughts (!), whereas Shadows seemed much more generic to me. Ghosts? Meh...

[Mikanium]

I just listened to the audiobook version of this (narrated by Claudia Black).   In a blog post, Brandon said this:

 

....The resulting novella, called “Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell,” is set in the Cosmere but not on any planet you’ve seen before. You can read a short piece of it here. I also talked a bit about my inspiration for this novella here."

 

http://brandonsanderson.com/shadows-for-silence-in-the-forests-of-hell/

 

And I do believe I spotted hoid, near the end.   The guy who said "I'm an Idiot Ma'am, not a fool".

 

Great story.

[Kurkistan]

And I do believe I spotted hoid, near the end.   The guy who said "I'm an Idiot Ma'am, not a fool".

 

Great story.

 

Considering that that guy had been working for Silence for more than a decade, I'd say not.

 

As to whether Hoid is in there at all: Peter has said that Brandon has said that Hoid doesn't appear, but even Peter's not convinced of that...

[PeterAhlstrom]

I talked to Brandon, and he had forgotten about the thing that made me not be convinced.

[Mikanium]

AHA!   Can you say whether I'm Hot/Warm/Cold to your theory Peter?  

[Pechvarry]

There's an ominous figure in the beginning who I believe to be a red herring, because there's ALWAYS an ominous, hooded figure in every fantasy inn.

There's also a mid-day drunk stumbling out of the inn at the end.

I had intended to make a thread about this but got distracted. Anyone want the honors (I'm busy at work)?

[Mikanium]

How can you not love an author who adds a 'where's Waldo' element in just about everything he writes.....