recneps
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Posts posted by recneps
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I honestly quite liked the books, and so I feel like I have the burden of defending them here. I'll simply address most of the points above from the perspective of someone who read Sanderson for his job on WoT, not vice versa.
The middle books, as has been said, are a slog. This is fairly unanimous, even among more pure WoT fans. There are a few specific plot threads which feel too much like Eragon and not WoT-quality fantasy. That said, I actually appreciated how one book was mostly spent in the previous book but from different points of view. It gave us a sense of what the events looked like from those not directly involved in them, and answered the question of "What was everyone else doing while these characters did something big?" which otherwise tends to pop up.
Jordan was a master of foreshadowing. There are so many things early on which don't make that much sense, or don't seem at all significant, until later on. And most of the time you don't think back and realize their import.. You only notice on a reread. This is one of the things which I feel Jordan did much better with than Sanderson does.
Jordan's tendency to give the entirety of the scene was something which I actually really liked. As Erunion mentioned, if you're a fast reader it's entirely tolerable. You get the action and plot at a good pace, while also getting so much more of the scene. It also lends itself to so many more literary tricks where it physically places you within the world. Like where the characters don't notice something immediately, until they go back to it.. With the long descriptive texts, often you don't notice everything unless you're specifically looking for it. And so when Jordan tried to hide something, it was hidden. The characters didn't notice X and X happening, and neither do you, despite it being written in black and white on the page. And then the character notices, there's a break in the natural flow of the sentences, and it registers. You go back and read the description, and you realize you should've seen it.
WoT had many characters with flaws -- many characters I hated. I found that to be a decent thing. I'm very antisocial, and actually like very few people I meet in the real world. I felt that it was good to have a series where the protagonists didn't have to be well-liked. That said, I really think he could've done a much better job on the female characters. There were maybe 3 different female characters copy and pasted. And maybe, just maybe, done something about Emo Perrin.. I do feel like most characters had some degree of character development though. This is most easily visible in Nynaeve and the Three Ta'veren, but it is present in others as well. People transition from their original aims and intents into vastly different people, while the original threads are still visible.
The worldbuilding was good. It felt like an actual world with actual nations with actual people - Not a world created for the purpose of telling a single tale, but rather, a single tale told within a preexisting world. Much like Arda felt. I would've liked to see a bit more on certain parts of the world, though. It seemed like most of the book took place within the central nations, and we didn't get much on the far East and West. "Worldbuilding for several of the societies was far too unbelieveable. Lengthy and excessively florid descriptions of people's clothing, hair, and physical appearances (literally, it would go on for a whole page, about dresses)." This is true, from a modern perspective. Except many of these societies are variations on actual mid-medieval societies, and aren't far-fetched and all. Once again, to me it feels more like realism within the world. Societies are complex, not simply a minor variation on our modern Western civilization or a stereotyped Eastern/African/Middle Eastern civilization.. Rather, they have the true variety present within real societies.
Naked people hitting each other with sticks for some reason? This was probably something that was way emphasized in Leigh Butler's re-read. There was nudity in the books, except I don't remember a single scene with naked people hitting each other with sticks. Most of the nude scenes were decently tactful and had some explanation. Of course, there were a few which really seemed to be more of insert-author-kink-here than a sensible, tactful nude scene..1 -
I don't really believe they count as sentient. Do we have evidence of them responding to stimuli other than just their attraction to certain things? They behave much more like a fundamental force of nature - although bound by being cognitive entities - than they act like animals. The wind commonly has the cultural connotation of being fickle and fey.. So windspren mess with people. Spren reflect people's opinions, so when you measure one it stops changing in whatever aspect was measured. A definite size is known, and so that size is correct.
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I'd say that they're "stored" in the same way. The Radiants can touch them without hearing screaming because they're lesser spren. They're not sentient.
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@Herowannabe If the new round is starting now, I am officially signing up. I've familiarity with playing the game physically, and so if you need a spymaster I can be one. I'd prefer to be a regular player for my first round, but if noone else volunteers..
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He's said that we've seen stages 2 and 3, except not exclusively 2 and 3. Unlikely that it'd be the same organism.. Except do we have any WoB about the Tai Na?
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On 2/18/2018 at 2:58 PM, RShara said:
Odium is trapped in the Rosharan system. Other than him, any Shard that isn't Splintered and is sapient can move around whereever they want. Red is a sign of corrupted or co-opted investiture, not necessarily Odium.
He may not be trapped in the Rosharan system. Wax and Wayne takes place after Stormlight 1-5. We don't know how 1-5 ends.. It's possible that he breaks his bonds. Unlikely, but possible.
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Syl and Kaladin is nice.
Shallan and Nan Helaran was also nice.4 -
20 hours ago, Ammanas said:
But to add to that I think how most Mormons understand the idea of "intelligences" are basically spren. That we are basically a intelligence that Heavenly Father created into a spirit body, that eventually got born into a mortal physical body. But everything has a intelligence be it a blade of grass to animals. This isn't unique to mormonism; in fact I was just watching a show today where a Mongolian religious figure was explaining how everything has a spirit even what most would consider inanimate objects.
The assignment of spirits to everything is called animism, in general.. And Mormonism doesn't truly have it for things such as blades of grass and animals. Only for Humans, who are believed to have spirits which were created by Heavenly Father and his unnamed Wife in the aeons before the world was made.
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8 hours ago, MrHershybar said:
The plan came not without cost and binding Odium to Braize killed Honor... we still don't really know or understand how Honor was killed, he existed during a number of desolations seemingly went mad and then suddenly met his demise post final desolation I believe? (correct me if I'm wrong there)
Yeah, Honour finished dying after the Recreance.
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Do we know that Tai Na and Chasmfiends are separate?
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Following this for the purpose of joining the next game.
Does anyone know how to follow a thread without commenting?0 -
That was a special property of Lifeless where they'd accept additional commands later.. We don't know if it would even work on awakening a sword, and if so, it'd probably take a whole lot of breaths. Or you would have to visualize every single thing you might command it to do when saying Obey Me. Or both.
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Wasing the making of what?
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On 6/19/2017 at 4:09 PM, The One Who Connects said:
Aon Daa: "power, energy"
- Short Range RPG: Daa projectiles are essentially dumb-fire, so long range isn't as viable.
- "Missile" Emplacements(fixed/mobile): Heavy assumption that you can apply speed modifiers to the launched Daa projectile. They would essentially be a point and click cannon.
- "Ammo": This could potentially replace ammunition in any destructive weaponry. It does magic damage, it's unlimited, it doesn't jam, etc..
Why short-range? Why not use it in conjunction with other Aons, like they were designed for, to target a specific location? And if a specific location, why not track a moving object.. And target that specific location? It seems like using Ien and Nae combined with, perhaps, Ene could make a very sophisticated Aonic targeting system and then have a button-press to activate a burst of Daa combined with Tia to send a sharp burst of Power to the location specified by Nae.. Of course, this all would be highly complicated.. Yet if a society can mechanize the basic magic system, it seems that the people who once exclusively used it could afford to spend a few weeks on each new project.
Aon Ene: "wit, cleverness"
Aon Ien: "wisdom"
Aon Nae: "sight, clarity"
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Something I always find interesting is casting songs into fictional universes.. The Cosmere seems ripe for this, especially with Pink Floyd's songs. I think it would be interesting to compare them to the Cosmere, and so will start with High Hopes, specifically applying it to Ati.
The premise of this Cast is this: High Hopes is a song concerning Loss, and Ati has been through two major Downfalls: His perversion away from a "kind and generous man," by the intent of Ruin, and his loss of his status as a Divine Being following his death. I am assuming that Vessels can go to whatever afterlife awaits Humans, and that his original personality has been restored by this. With his personality mostly restored, and his massive rank above Ordinary lost, he now pens a lament for what once was. Of course, much of the links between the song and Ati are very figurative and take a bit of work.QuoteBeyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young --Beyond the bounds of Yolen, where the Vessels are from. The Greater Cosmere.
In a world of magnets and miracles --Magnets and miracles. Magnets are the various forms of Investiture, which once seemed so foreign but he now wholly understands. Miracles are that which he still does not understand, despite his elevation to a true Shardbearer.
Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary --He was part of an ambitious group who aimed higher than anywhere else.
The ringing of the division bell had begun --Adonalsium was weakening.
Along the Long Road and on down the Causeway
Do they still meet there by the Cut --Calling back to a life he once lived. Is Yolen still what it once was?
There was a ragged band that followed in our footsteps --The Seventeenth Shard
Running before time took our dreams away --Struggling to obtain power.. Before it fell out of reach. Ati's dreams have been taken away by Ruin.
Leaving the myriad small creatures trying to tie us to the ground --Abandoning those who he once loved, in order to take up a greater mantle: Vessel.
To a life consumed by slow decay --This can either mean that his former loved ones will slowly die, or is a reference to his corruption by Ruin.
The grass was greener
The light was brighter --These two lines are general nostalgia.. For when he was a better man, and he was more powerful.
With friends surrounded --He became an isolated man. All who he once knew he alienated, or they died.
The nights of wonder --Once again general nostalgia.. A time when he learned and grew. Before he realized the slower growth destroying him.
Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us --Embers of bridges behind us.. They've been burning bridges. By absorbing the Shards, the Vessels have fully abandoned their previous lives.
To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side --They did it for something better, a greater duty, a greater responsibility.. To bear the burden of Deity.
Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again --Ati hopes to become better and change the Cosmere, but Ruin drags him back and makes him a force of Evil.
Dragged by the force of some inner tide --That inner tide is the Intent of Ruin -- Like a Tide, it is slow but strong and inevitable.
At a higher altitude with flag unfurled
We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world --They did it. They became Shards..
Encumbered forever by desire and ambition --Yet Ati wanted more.
There's a hunger still unsatisfied --He wanted to destroy, no, to Ruin!
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon --He wanted more! More! To accelerate the inevitable entropic demise of the universe!
Though down this road we've been so many times --And he's tried. Yet Leras counteracts him.
The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded --Refer to above. Additionally, he can now be seen as lamenting the Shard he once Bore.
The dawn mist glowing --The Mists were glowing.. He was strong. He was corrupting. The Mists, a tool for Leras, were bringing Ruin.
The water flowing
The endless river --His power was infinite, once. He could destroy all that he wanted.
Forever and ever --And now.. Itt never ends. He is now an Eternal Being, caught up in the great Adventure that follows.. The Freedom that Waxillium saw.What do you all think? Do you have any Songcastings, Floyd or not?
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I must say.. Honour orchestrating a betrayal in effect, not just of direct Exact Words oaths, violates his Intent very severely. All of the Shards had to obey some rules, like obeying firm contracts.. As was mentioned to Dalinar when suggesting he prompt Odium into sending a champion. And so if it applies for all Shards.. It must apply in essence, not just in name, for Honour.
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What was the ability granted by the Medallion that Hoid gave Wax?
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I'm fairly certain Taravangian went second, but I don't think it was ever mentioned. I do feel like "Capacity" is a vague enough term, similar to "Forgiveness" that the Nightwatcher may have some difficulty with it.
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I read WoT before reading any Sanderson Originals, as did you.. Except I wouldn't have chosen to read any of his other works based on that alone. Mat was clunky, and that letter should have had proper grammar! Later, though, I decided to read Mistborn which I found in my brothers' room. I got hooked on Kelsier, but had to finish even after he died. Decided to read the rest of the Cosmere books as I had nothing better to read.. And they were good.
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Huh. Maybe the perfect counter to the odour, but what about to the pair of Fused guarding it?
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I don't believe that it was a long-term plan, but neither do I believe it was so simple as them deciding to abandon their oaths. I believe it was their realization that they're not fulfilling their oaths, and they never have been. The Oaths are things of perception, and this can be seen in their various forms even within the same order. If a Knight Radiant realized that they're not fulfilling their oaths, this undoubtedly would lead to the death of their Spren as it did for Syl when Kaladin broke his Oaths. We've never before seen what happens to a Sprenblade at the moment when the Spren dies, as Kaladin had not yet wielded Syl when he slew her. It seems possible they'd materialize.. And that could easily lead to the event we've seen as the Recreance - a bunch of Lost Radiants yielding their Shards, upon realization that they'd slain their spren.
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The problem is this: If you play chess against someone playing checkers, it's basically impossible for either of you to win.
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Keteks for all!
in Stormlight Archive
Posted
Am I? / Thus think I: / I am.. / am I? / I think. / Thus I am.