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@Calderis suggested the idea of writing posts in poetic form. Here’s my attempt at an English sonnet, comparing my three favorite fantasy writers. I first read Brandon when Mistborn was new. He captured me as much as Martin did, And Robin Hobb, who wrote Fitz and the Fool. These three became the novelists I read. George Martin has the grandest epic style, Yet better suited visually for the screen. Ms. Hobb is introspective all the while Her heroes suffer horrors most obscene. But Brandon writes a clear compelling tale, With magic interwoven through his worlds. The weakest and the broken become hale – The heroes who receive their just rewards. Though Martin hasn’t finished and looks lame, The three of them deserve their well-earned fame.

As I obsessively read everything to leave Brandon's pen, the more I notice elements of his personality and writing habits peeking through consistently through all of his work. When I come across them, it momentarily breaks the fourth wall, but in an endearing way. I only notice these things because I'm familiar with his writing. Examples: When Joel eats a really salty sandwich in The Rithmatist, that's a sandwich Brandon would love. Frowning signifying contemplation. "Elend frowned" could be it's own sub-genre. Interesting, that. Good points, those. Pretty gowns and sharp, buttoned-up military uniforms The 1920s. Oh goodness the 1920s. And I am among the least of these, the Sharders. What are some other things others have noticed?

So I was inspired by @ShadowLord_Lith and his post about Shards. I wanted to ask this question in a broader forum area. If you were to be a Shard, what would your name be? Also, if you feel inclined, enlighten us on your magic system and world. I would be happy to hear! If I were to be a shard, I would be Affirmation. Magic in my world would be based upon strength of belief, being similar to Soulcasting. If you believe something, Investiture would affirm said thing, making it true. Also, another form of Investiture would be able to work upon the mind, Affirming certain beliefs inside of someone, similar to Soothing and Rioting. I could Affirm certain beliefs to make them stronger, while Dismissing others. In terms of a world, I would have several high mountains, which sat above a shadowed world covered by clouds. Below, your abilities would be far more powerful, due to the planet being undefined, while above, humans lived normally. There would be two types of magic, the mental Affirmations and Dismissals, and the physical Affirmations and Dismissals. As I said above, you can only truly change reality within the lower areas of the planet, the ones below the Godpeaks. So, this would prevent the destruction of humanity before it could develop a set of rules. The further one goes from the ground of the planet, the weaker their physical abilities would become. Conversely, those who possessed mental abilities would grow stronger the further you ascended. After all, creation is impulsive, while belief is built on already created ideas. Creation must come from something unformed, while honing something, that comes from what has been built. The Godpeaks were built by me personally, and as such, can not be affected by physical Affirmation. Someone could only destroy my Affirmation with intense amounts of Investiture, as to destroy an idea, you need a more powerful one.

I'm actually really curious. As in many countries, they speak other languages, how does he interact with fans at these other signings?

So I picked up Stormlight Archive over the summer and absolutely devoured the books, that were lovely and I couldn't put them down. So I picked up Mistborn like a few months ago trying to get further into the Cosmere. The premise seems good, I'm like 100 pages into it but I can't seem to find the motivation to really dive into it like I did with SA. Maybe I just need a reminder of how good the series is to get me excited for it like I was with SA. HALP!!!

I'm sure most of you will have seen the following comment time and time again. I'm new to Sanderson. I'm thinking about reading on of Sanderson's Cosmere novels, but I don't know where to start. This post is for them. Some bright spark in the Discworld community had a similar idea. They made a sheet (shown above) which has a sort of reading guide of what you should read first. It's by no means completely linear, but it helps. So, I'm trying to organise something similar to be made. I have done a basic map of what cosmere books should be read first, though it is by no means final. From there, we can finalize it/ make it look fancy. So hear it is. Version 0.1. EDIT: Thanks to navybrandt, we now have an awesome version 1.0. Thanks! Image below.

Please note: I consider Sanderson to be one of my favourite authors. What I'm about to say here I consider a minor irk, in the same way that I've seen complaints about people 'raising an eyebrow' too often. I'll still be waiting eagerly for Brandon's next book. Also, please note that there are spoilers for Mistborn, the Stormlight Archives, the Reckoners, and most Sanderson novels in this post. One thing I've been thinking about recently is this: If there were one thing I disliked about Sanderson's writings, what would it be? In the end, I've settled on one slight theme that I politically disagree with. Some of you might actually disagree with me and my political views, which is perfectly OK. Some of you might have a different take on how I see things, which is also OK. But, if I were to point at one thing about Sanderson's writings, and say "I disagree with that.", I would talk about the theme of redemption. Throughout Sandersons novels, there are many examples of the theme of "Once a villain, always a villain." And, usually, the resolution of the story ends with murdering the 'bad guy'. The only exception to the rule that I can see is when you have an Unreliable Narrator, and we don't see the full picture, or else there are external influences in causing the character to be evil, while deep down, they're pure of heart after all. But, in real life, people can and do change. If you do something wrong, that doesn't automatically make you a horrible person, irredeemably, for the rest of your life. In fact, it is partly through are mistakes that we learn, develop and adapt to become better. This is one of the reasons I personally strongly oppose the death penalty. I genuinely believe that virtually anyone can change, to become better people than whoever they were before when they committed the crime. But, I don't see this in Sanderson's works. You almost never get a genuinely remorseful villain who wishes that they hadn't done something horrible. For example, the Lord Ruler and Sadeas, when confronted about the horrible things they'd done, respond in a similar way. "I did what I had to do", or else actually provoke the people confronting them. Shortly afterwards, both of them get murdered. Now, imagine how we, the readers, would have reacted differently if The Lord Ruler had been remorseful. If The Lord Ruler, quietly, had turned back to look out the window, silently thinking of all those he'd murdered, all those who were now dead because of him. Then, he looks back at Vin, with deep, haunted eyes, and talked of how he'd tried to do the best thing, the only thing, he thought possible. Would you, the reader, still have sympathized with Vin when she tore Alendi's bracers off and stabbed him through with a spear? But, Sanderson didn't do this. And, so, we cheer Vin on as she throws off the yolk of oppression that the Lord Ruler has kept the skaa under for the past 1000 years. The same story goes for most 'villain' deaths in Sanderson's canon. Whether or not it's intentional, this enforces the message that nobody who has done something for a purely selfish reason in the past can ever work past their flaw in their nature, or become a better person in the future. A few of you may ask me about the Reckoners, in which Prof, after briefly becoming and Epic, overcomes his evil side to join David and the Reckoners once again. However, in this case, his evil side never actually belonged to him, but instead was forced upon him by Larcener. If it hadn't been for that, he would never have become evil. So, if I were asked what issue I had with Sanderson's works, that is what I'd say. I, personally, believe that no matter what one's done in the past, one can move beyond that. Alfred Nobel created the Nobel Peace Prize because he was so horrified at the damage and carnage he'd created by inventing dynamite. Oppenheimer, too, helped to create the Atomic Bomb, and only later did he regret what he'd done after seeing the carnage of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, quoting from a Hindu text: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." In this way, people learn from their mistakes and regrets, to become their better selves, something I feel is lacking in Sanderson's works.

So Brandon has announced a new way of getting the numbered edition of his new books personalized! Now, rather than just requesting the personalization when ordering the numbered copy, you pay more, but the leftover money all goes to charity (source). Does this bother you, particularly since any one wanting to ask a question has to pay the highest price ($28 for book, $20 donation)? I don't generally buy these numbered copies to begin with as I'd rather support by local bookstore, and getting my copies signed in an actual signing was far more fulfilling and memorable than having them arrive in the mail (still mad I didn't take Shadows Beneath to be signed a second time so that one of them was in person). But I know some people really like having the numbered copies, and was interested in the community's opinion on the matter.

Well, the Stabby Award winners have been announced, and Brandon won three! Shadows of Self won Best Novel of 2015, Perfect State won Best Short Fiction of 2015, and Writing Excuses won Best Related Work of 2015! That's awesome! Link

This is just a thought I had. It makes sense that Brandon would have an account on the forums that doesn't show him as Brandon, so he can quietly post without being mobbed by questions. so I was thinking about who it might be, and my first and strongest thought is... Kobold King! He has so many upvotes, his rank is above adonalsium. It all fits! Leave your thoughts. And random ideas. And any related jokes/puns you might have.

Has Brandon announced the Bands of Mourning tour and dates? I would really like to know. Thanks.

Brandon just tweeted that he working on a story within a story called: The Girl Who Stole God's Light. I think God is Honor and the Light is Stormlight. The girl: Lift. What do you guys think?

I was just reading Brandon's AMA over at r/books from 2 months ago. It was pretty far down so I don't know if others saw... But both Herdazians and Horneaters are the result of human-listener interbreeding. :/ So, apparently they had been 'discovered' long ago, not to mention that relations were probably quite quite good. So Rock+Rlain=fam forever.

*I don't mean this post to be a request, just an expression of my thoughts as a fan who's fired up about any Brandon Sanderson material.* Maybe 3 times a week I go to BrandonSanderson.com with nothing else in mind but checking on the progress bars in his site header. I think it's one of the coolest things an author can do (especially considering the genre's writing habits) to post on the progress of each book. Recognizing that their existence is a gift in itself - I think those progress bars should be updated more frequently and emphasized for the sake of marketing Brandon's talents. For many authors, progress bars would be.... minimally helpful. Not many authors have as much in the works as Mr. Sanderson, and on top of the workload, Brandon has been writing series after series that just sink their hooks into my mind in a way that not many others accomplish. At the end of each book, I am left with a raw hunger for the next, and those progress bars are like the scent of a juicy steak grilling just for me. What I really mean to be saying (instead of just making myself physically hungry) is that I think those progress bars have huge potential. How many times have I read someone online say, for example "A new Dresden Files book is out?! How did I not know that?!" By going to that site, I know exactly what's coming down the pipe and have a good idea of when to expect it. That keeps me excited throughout the dry period when I stop following other series until I see the cover in a B&N storefront window. Progress bars keep fans hyped! Knowledgeable fans have got to be good for book sales, right? Brandon deserves that hype. He writes like a ravenous animal, or some kind of machine that just churns out fantasy brilliance. Whether he is a fearsome force of nature or a fantasy Awesome-o, his writing speed is well recognized at every update of those progress bars. He's got a good reputation because of that speed (which is really time spent) and could probably benefit from making that better known. It might also help this fansite to post a reflection of those progress bars in a similar fashion. Members who frequent 17thShard can tell you that one of the most recurring topics/posts is along the lines of "when is the next ____ coming out?" or "Is Brandon writing ____ or ____ next?" I imagine some Google searches lead new fans here before they ever get to Brandonsanderson.com, so it could actually be doing Brandon a favor to have them represented here as well. I recognize potential consequences though. The quality of writing should be considered first and foremost, and having to hit an unofficial "progress bar deadline" to meet fan expectations could cause some stress. Speaking from experience though, I know fans on this site at least are very patient and understanding (though hungry, as I noted). TL;DR - The progress bars on Brandon's site, if updated more frequently and presented in the right places, could be an excellent marketing tool to keep fans excited and up to date while showcasing his particular, genre-defying talents.

Heh heh. Top reputation is pretty funny. Top two are obvious, but number 5 has about an 80 upvotes-per-post ratio. Jeez.

Does anyone know what eye color Brandon has?

So, The way of kings was long. WOR was yet longer. How long will the third be?

Brandon tweeted that he will be tweeting a big announcement today at 4:00 PM EST . My guess is it will be a release date for Shadows of Self since his update bar is full. Anyone have any other ideas?

Hi everyone! I am a somewhat new Brandon Sanderson fan, I have only read "Mistborn" and "The Well of Ascension" and loved them both! I can't wait to move on to The Hero of Ages, but I think I've already decided Sanderson is my favorite author! I have already bought Elantris, and The Way of Kings and will most likely stick to the Cosmere books. And that's another thing that fascinates me about Sanderson, the Cosmere. I can't wait to read more of his books so I can understand it better!

So I was getting my boots signed at Comic Con when Brandon suddenly presented me with this opportunity to be awesome. http://t.co/iDV2Nh7kiE EDIT: Mods, if this is in the wrong forum, feel free to move it.

Starting a new topic before the other one gets too derailed. This is from Fantasycon: http://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/2a490q/wor_first_look_at_stones_unhallowed/ This is a reading from Brandon of something he wrote the previous week. Contains non trivial spoilers for book 3 and by extension book 2. Credit for link goes to Moogle: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/12700-dalinar-sadeass-murder-and-public-opinion/page-6#entry158236 PS I don't know if we have any particular policy for book 3 readings going ahead. I looked around for some from book 2 but couldn't find anything.

So, I was just wondering, does anyone know if/when the next Q&A with Brandon Sanderson on these 17th Shard forums will be? I know there was the one a while ago, but I have more questions and I'm not really in a place he comes to... I personally was hoping there'd be one during the WoR tour for us, but I guess not... So, has anyone heard anything?

Hey guys! I'm at Jordancon this weekend. I will have the opportunity to ask Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss some questions. I have so far: Odium shattered Devotion and Dominion because they could oppose him. Did they have some special ability to do so or are any 2 shard on the same planet a danger to him? If a Listener bonded an Honorspren would they get the same powers as a human? And if a Human bonded a stormspren would they have the same powers/consequences that the Listeners do? (Shamlessly stolen from a thread in the WoR discussion board) What would be the real world carat value of a chip and a broam? WoT spoiler Lightsong notices that there is always enough room in the Palace for the Returned. Is there a cap on how many Returned may be alive at once or would they just build the Palace larger? That's all i have any suggestions please post them for me PS if this is in the rong area please relocate it for me Thanks Admins!!

Did anyone else hear Brandon using Hoid to voice some valid concerns? Pleading with his fans not to put him on too high a pedestal? Maybe Brandon is just another of Hoid's aliases. That's how he's come up with all of these amazing book. Brandon Sanderson isn't just an ordinary guy turned superauthor, he's a being from a parallel universe. The cosmere novels aren't really The Best Fiction Ever Written, they're a recounting of events as told by someone who lived it, who was there. It's kind of Alcatrazy.

Let's do it. Let's get in this deep. The big question, as stated in the title: What is your favorite Brandon Sanderson story? I used the word "story" on purpose. It does not have to be a full novel. Heck, it doesn't even have to be a book. But make sure that whatever it is that you name, you prefer it to all other Sanderson stories. Let's hold to these rules: - You can name up to three stories, but they need to be ranked. First, second, third. - No middle ground answers like "I can't decide between ___ and ____." If you can't decide, don't name them. If that is the case, just name your favorite two, or one, or NONE. Feel free to include details on reasoning for those you do end up ranking. - Take it easy on yourself. It is not a crime to love some things more than others. You can play favorites here without hurting anyone's feelings. I'll start 1: The Gathering Storm: Not 100% Brandon work, but he wrote it and the writing was noticeably helpful with my enjoyment of the story. I cannot even explain how relieved I was when I looked up from the book about 30% in and realized things were going even better than expected. It began a much needed increase in pace and held one of my favorite scenes of all 14 books - the reveal of a certain Aes Sedai's double agency. It felt like more than a desperate attempt to finish up a story to appease fans. It really felt like a book filled with enough attention to truly honor Robert Jordan. A feeling that earned Brandon my respect and ultimately hooked me on the rest of these great stories. 2: The Way of Kings (e-book format) - Definitely my favorite Brandon original. Probably has something to do with the raw content amount. Both in the number of pages and level of detail built into each concept. I like the characters, world, magic- everything. E-book format allows jumping from chapter to chapter (which can be difficult with a hardcover when the book is so big) and my favorite tool in the world: CTRL+F!!!!! 3. The Alloy of Law - Takes what I love about the first trilogy and speeds it all up. Fast paced, full of action, and has characters I deeply enjoy (while keeping a tidy cast list). It delivers on a dream I have for many of the universes I love; it gives a glimpse of what the results and consequences are years after some original world changing events. I could write and write on why I love these books, but I tried to keep it as brief as possible.