Secret Project Online Reading Group

[Trutharchivist]

So, I was digging in my old posts (hey, people get bored sometimes), and found this:

Quote

I have an idea to have that happen here. we can open a group that'll intentionally read one chapter each week, or at least at the same pace, and will discuss it. This way you'll have your community and time to think. maybe you could open a thread or a PM for that, and avoid reading other things on the RoW spoiler board. I think it gives a solution that'll both satisfy the pro-delaying fraction and won't annoy everyone else, which appears to e most of us.

If the pro-delaying think there's still a problem I'll be glad to hear it. I guess you will have to dodge spoilers, but I believe it's possible.

I might even decide to join you, though I'm against delaying, thank you very much.

P.S. by my calculation, it's a little more than two weeks away. If there is a final date by which it'd be unstoppable before the publishing date, I believe it might've passed already.

It's from this thread, which is about reading RoW chapter by chapter (IIRC), instead of releasing it and letting people binge read it. 

Now, it appears that Brandon wrote those books for such a thing to happen - though not necessarily online. And maybe someone thought of it and already posted a topic somewhere else. I myself am not sure that this is the right place for it. If you know of such a thread - let me know. But if you don't, and you happen to not be in a book club that's interested in reading those novels, and you'd like to join one - well, you're invited.

If this won't interest enough people I'll let the idea die. I already have a couple of failed attempts at recruiting people for things I want to do - it'll be nothing new if this one joins them. If I'd have started a kickstarter I wouldn't have gotten anywhere near Brandon's initial target, not to speak about where he's at currently.

Please don't let the previous paragraph shame you into joining this or any other project I'm working on, and please be aware of the fact that both this paragraph and the one you're reading right now are mere psychological tricks to make you join.

Thank you for reading that far, and for putting up with my cheap psychological tricks! (Assuming you put up with them...)

Good [insert here the portion of the day you're currently at]!

[+Oltux72]

Isn't that what we are doing by reading at the pace Brandon publishes?

[Trutharchivist]

Basically, yes. Just adding to that having an official group here to discuss it chapter by chapter.

...

Yeah, it's probably meaningless. Sorry to waste your time.

Edit: though, it still means building a group of people uninterested in reading the sample chapters. It's not completely meaningless. I think that normal discussion threads will almost automatically become a full-book spoiler area.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Trutharchivist

[Medium]

Honestly, if he continues publishing at this rate, we won't be getting a chapter a day, we'll be getting a book a day lol

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

1 minute ago, Doomslug The Destroyer said:

Honestly, if he continues publishing at this rate, we won't be getting a chapter a day, we'll be getting a book a day lol

that sounds amazing though.

[Medium]

It does <3

[Trutharchivist]

All right. Final (and second... I give up quickly) try. I'll explain the idea, and see if anyone is interested.

Basically: we'll read and discuss a chapter each week, starting from the time the majority of the participants can read the book. Spoilers for further chapters are allowed only hidden in a spoiler box. It's recommended not to read too much ahead of the group - preferably, we'll all read at the same rate. It's different from just reading them at the rate they come out because there are some amazingly crazy people (such as myself) who succeeded in finishing RoW in three days or less, and they might finish those novels in one night. (Yep, that's definitely what I'll do without a reading group!)

So, do you want to join? If so, please do. Thank you for reading either way!

[Aria]

That sounds fun; would it take place here on the Shard?

I'm on the fence. It would certainly be a new experience for me; I think I first read all seven Mistborn books in about eight days back in 2019. Yeah, I'm one of those people, too. *sheepish grin* Confining myself to a chapter a week might be interesting for a change. On the other hand...I'm not sure I'll want to wait half a year to get to the ending of a 25 chapter book.

Maybe we could have a couple of different groups, taking it at different preferred paces? (e.g. three chapters a week/10-20 pages a day/a chapter a week) Granted, that's probably much more complicated to organize. It's just a thought. I don't know.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Aria

[Trutharchivist]

1 hour ago, Aria said:

That sounds fun; would it take place here on the Shard?

I'm on the fence. It would certainly be a new experience for me; I think I first read all seven Mistborn books in about eight days back in 2019. Yeah, I'm one of those people, too. *sheepish grin* Confining myself to a chapter a week might be interesting for a change. On the other hand...I'm not sure I'll want to wait half a year to get to the ending of a 25 chapter book.

Maybe we could have a couple of different groups, taking it at different preferred paces? (e.g. three chapters a week/10-20 pages a day/a chapter a week) Granted, that's probably much more complicated to organize. It's just a thought. I don't know.

Thanks for replying!

First thing first: yes, it's going to be on the Shard. Either as a thread at the spoiler area (which might be a bit problematic) or as a PM.

You're not alone here in binge reading - obviously so, but I'm far from being the worst case. Don't know if you saw the RoW reaction thread when it came out, but some people finished it in one day. Reading all of Mistborn in a week is big, but reading RoW in a day is... Well... I believe the proper word is "insane".

Anyway, I see your point. Ideally, I think we could see the length of each novel and divide it in a way that'll allow us to finish it exactly in time for the next one, though it'll make the pace irregular.

The thought is appreciated, but is problematic due to one simple problem: so far, it seems that there aren't many people jumping on the idea. If there will be, and there'll be enough people interested in different places, we'll do it. But if not... Well, I guess we can just decide on a different pace, that's all.

Edit: on another note, I just noticed that you're (relatively) new here. Welcome to the Shard! The place for all the crazy people who binge-read thousand pages fantasy books in a day (or three), where most people are polite and nice, but you'd better avoid the cookies - some of them are spiked. Where people can be socially awkward bookworms and yet be extremely active on the social parts.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Trutharchivist

[Aria]

Thank you! I've been lurking for a few years now, and always intended to hop on at some point; the urge to join in speculation around the Kickstarter and the Secret Projects was part of what finally made me take the plunge. From all I've seen, this a great community. (Will definitely avoid the cookies!)

I've definitely felt the kind of love that would make someone read a 460,000 word book in a day, but I don't think I could do it myself! Even now, there's starting to be a certain feeling of, "Hey, it's over already?" that I get with shorter books, and so I've been consciously trying to pace myself on the ones that I would normally speed through. It keeps the enjoyment going at least a little bit longer, anyway. The feeling of reading a new book that you know you're going to enjoy is...intoxicating, almost literally.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Aria

[Lego Mistborn]

My issue is that I want to get on the theory train and I feel that I may need to be quick about reading if I want to do this.

[ash's_eyes]

 I think that this is a cool idea! I would love to do it, although I might have a hard time pacing myself on the books... but if it was with a group of people, it might be easier

[Trutharchivist]

So far, it appears we're three people. Great!

On 13.4.2022 at 3:13 AM, Ta'veren Kaladin said:

My issue is that I want to get on the theory train and I feel that I may need to be quick about reading if I want to do this.

Yeah... That makes sense. Anyway, if you want to join at any point you'll be welcome.

Is there a reason that all the people to join are relatively new?

[Lego Mistborn]

Maybe I'll take notes chapter by chapter and share them in this group. (I will have to be very careful if I join the conversation though)

[Amira]

Is this still happening? I'm a slow reader and would love to join

[Lego Mistborn]

I believe it is. I know I'll be adding my notes chapter by chapter. And I believe everyone else who said they were doing it will participate too.

[Trutharchivist]

Yep, it is still happening! Still unsure whether it'd be a thread or a PM. I'll probably resurface it closer to the time the books come out. 

Also, this is my 1000th post. And I regret nothing - I truly want for this to happen.

[Garuda66]

On 4/12/2022 at 5:24 AM, Trutharchivist said:

All right. Final (and second... I give up quickly) try. I'll explain the idea, and see if anyone is interested.

Basically: we'll read and discuss a chapter each week, starting from the time the majority of the participants can read the book. Spoilers for further chapters are allowed only hidden in a spoiler box. It's recommended not to read too much ahead of the group - preferably, we'll all read at the same rate. It's different from just reading them at the rate they come out because there are some amazingly crazy people (such as myself) who succeeded in finishing RoW in three days or less, and they might finish those novels in one night. (Yep, that's definitely what I'll do without a reading group!)

So, do you want to join? If so, please do. Thank you for reading either way!

I would be down

[The Unknown Ajah]

I might join for individual parts, but we'll see about chapter by chapter. 

Also, everyone will get the ebook at the same time, so discussion should really begin within the day or so. Unless you want to wait for the hardcover for those who are getting it, in which case it could take up to a month or even longer.

[Lego Mistborn]

I can try and add you to our PM, you can do the same sort of thing I plan to do with participation.

[Shining Silhouette]

On 4/14/2022 at 8:57 AM, Trutharchivist said:

Is there a reason that all the people to join are relatively new?

Notwithstanding, I'm totally down! This seems like an awesome idea! I don't really have these kinds of groups elsewhere, so this is amazing!

 

[SymphonianBookworm]

Hey, I'll join!

[The Wandering Wizard]

I'd also like to join. 

[Trutharchivist]

All right. I'll invite you all to the PM, too.

I really thought we're going to stay with the amount of people we already had...

[Lego Mistborn]

@Trutharchivist Is this influx good or bad?