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Here's a WoR Mini Review From a Beta Reader

Shardbearer

By Shardbearer
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Shardbearer

Shardbearer

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I just found this "review" of WoR on Tor.com left in the comments of the WoK reread by a beta reader:

 

 I have not written a review (other than "general reactions to the book" in the beta document), but I'd be glad to make a few comments without spoiling anything. FWIW, though, I'll admit that I'm completely biased. As I told Brandon, I sometimes felt that my beta input mostly consisted of squealing like a little girl. :)

Personally, I really liked the pacing in WoR; there were crazy-fast action sequences interspersed with slower progressions, so I had moments to catch my breath here and there. Even the "slower" bits tended to be pretty full of world-building and character development, so it wasn't like there were any boring bits. Those who want an adrenaline rush from start to finish might disagree with me, and there may be other reasons to disagree, but that was my personal reaction. There was plenty of adrenaline! There was one scene that left me so stunned, I couldn't form a coherent comment for a couple of days. (That was Peter's favorite, I think.) There was one where my coherence was limited to "Oh, my. Ohmyohmyohmyohmy!" There was also one where I said something like, "NO. I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS," and then had to sit on it for a while before I could say any more.

I felt that Brandon did a great job of giving us fulfilling answers - even answers we didn't expect yet - but balancing it with continuing questions and (of course!) new questions. The flashback sequences, as I said, were revealing, instructive, and heartbreaking; anyone who reads them without prejudice will, I think, dramatically revise their understanding of Shallan and her family. I had to repeatedly retrieve my jaw from the floor as new angles were revealed. (Keep in mind, here, that I am a reader who is generally content to let the characters be who they are, as long as they are consistent with human nature. So I was interested in finding out what made her tick, rather than whether or not I personally would enjoy spending time with her. She's definitely realistic. Well, plus Surgebinding powers, but there has to be some fantasy in fantasy...)

The interludes, like WoK, included some recurring characters and some one-offs. He used them a little differently, but I can't say more than that. They were great, though.

Again, there are multiple plotlines going, but in WoR they function together more than in WoK - for example, as we know, Dalinar and Kaladin are now "in the same space" and so their lines, while still distinctly their own, overlap a lot more. Some others do the same kind of thing, but I won't say which. :)

The avalanche will not, I think, disappoint anyone. I think it's a little longer (and there are earlier slides that made me wonder if he was starting the avalanche at the half-way point!) and more drawn-out than WoK, but it's every bit as fulfilling. Something that strikes me, though it may have changed in further revision, is that the end is very much like an avalanche. Everything is wild and crazy and chaotic, and then it seems to be done... and then things settle a bit here, and slide a bit there, and then it gets quiet, and then a few more bits fall into place, and then when you're sure things are quiet, something else goes SMASH.

My one-word summary on the final page?

BRILLIANT.

 

Source: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/12/the-way-of-kings-reread-chapter-48#comments (scroll down to comment 19.

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Moogle

Moogle

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Jealous, I think, doesn't quite fit. Jealous is a man looking at his neighbor's new car with a frown on his face, a child looking at her sibling's new toy. The feeling I have right now is more along the lines of Gollum, his hands outstretched, gibbering and begging Frodo for the Ring.

 

WANT SO BADLY

 

Also there were totally spoilers I think based on the scene that made the person sad and I AM SO EXCITED

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Shardlet

Shardlet

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 As I told Brandon, I sometimes felt that my beta input mostly consisted of squealing like a little girl.  :)

 

This bit of the review is quite funny if you have ever met Wetlander.  She is in her 60's.   :D   It makes for an amusing visual.

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firstRainbowRose

firstRainbowRose

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(Quick disclaimer: I feel safe saying this since anyone who follows Peter on facebook already knows I've read this storming book.)

 

Wait, we're allowed to post reviews?  I didn't know that.

 

Also, don't feel jelous.  You guys are still waiting for book two.  Those who have already read the book are waiting for a book that has yet to be written, or even outlined!  It's torture I tell you, pure torture.

 

Plus, the way we had to read it was not fun either.  We were sent part one (and let me tell you, the cliff hanger that part one ends with is INSANE!), then we had to wait a week to get the next part.  So, those of who you are fast at reading an planning on devouring the thing in one night, feel super lucky you weren't part of the beta.

 

In other news, I think the book is better than WoK.  And I can't wait to see the finished product and hold it in my hand.

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cem

cem

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(Quick disclaimer: I feel safe saying this since anyone who follows Peter on facebook already knows I've read this storming book.)

 

Wait, we're allowed to post reviews?  I didn't know that.

 

Also, don't feel jelous.  You guys are still waiting for book two.  Those who have already read the book are waiting for a book that has yet to be written, or even outlined!  It's torture I tell you, pure torture.

 

Plus, the way we had to read it was not fun either.  We were sent part one (and let me tell you, the cliff hanger that part one ends with is INSANE!), then we had to wait a week to get the next part.  So, those of who you are fast at reading an planning on devouring the thing in one night, feel super lucky you weren't part of the beta.

 

In other news, I think the book is better than WoK.  And I can't wait to see the finished product and hold it in my hand.

Oh yeah, we all feel your pain. :P

 

On a more serious note, I'm really not interested in beta readers' reviews, no offense intended. You obviously can't give us anything solid to talk about. Any review you write will revolve around sentences like, "it was great", "there was a very interesting scene but of course I can't tell you about it". And those are fine when they are posted two weeks before the book is published but when it's three months before, it's just teasing and annoying. At least, in my opinion. I think there will be others who'll agree with me.

 

It's also probably driving you guys crazy not being able to talk about it, but needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, and all that. :D

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Cortez

Cortez

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I wish I hadn't seen this now.

 

I'm going to spend the next couple of months worrying about what he's done to provoke those reactions. Has he killed off one of the key characters GRRM style? has he turned Shallan into a shardblade wielding parricidal maniac who makes Szeth look like a fluffy bunny? Does Kaladin turn out to be Odium?

 

aaargh! Someone pass me the brain bleach or a copy of this book.

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Natans

Natans

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(Quick disclaimer: I feel safe saying this since anyone who follows Peter on facebook already knows I've read this storming book.)

 

Wait, we're allowed to post reviews?  I didn't know that.

 

Also, don't feel jelous.  You guys are still waiting for book two.  Those who have already read the book are waiting for a book that has yet to be written, or even outlined!  It's torture I tell you, pure torture.

 

Plus, the way we had to read it was not fun either.  We were sent part one (and let me tell you, the cliff hanger that part one ends with is INSANE!), then we had to wait a week to get the next part.  So, those of who you are fast at reading an planning on devouring the thing in one night, feel super lucky you weren't part of the beta.

 

In other news, I think the book is better than WoK.  And I can't wait to see the finished product and hold it in my hand.

 

 huhhhhhh............ about that, I didn't fell lucky . In true i would really like be the "unlucky one" LOL

 

=)

 

PS: One sugestion, given the fact that we already have a release date, why we don't put a countdown clock in the site, that would be nice to remember everyday how much time remains until we are put out of all coletive misery =)

Edited by Natans
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Sasukerinnegan

Sasukerinnegan

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Let me give you my spoilery review of Words of Radiance. :P

Dalinar is....... "AWESOME" and kicks Sadeas's butt. Kaladin is ......."AWESOME" and kicks Amaram and Sadeas's butt and fights Szeth. Shallan is...... "AWESOME" and has sad and exciting flashback scenes about her homicidal, power hungry father and...... seduces Renarin (here's to u Feather Writer). Jasnah is...... "AWESOME" and literally reduces guys to smoke and seduces Kaladin (Yay! My theory stands true.) Renarin is ......"AWESOME" and becomes a kick butt Surgebinder........ and kicks Voidbringer butt. Szeth multitasks and kills people while crying and listening to non existent screams...... and gets his butt kicked by Kaladin. Eshonai is....... "AWESOME" and kicks stuffy Alethi butt........ and begins courting the DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE. (But no there's no "Kaladin, I am your mother" scene yet. That comes in book 9.)

 

Oh and by the way, Lift is AWESOMEST of all. :D

Edited by Sasukerinnegan
Please, no swearing
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Satsuoni

Satsuoni

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I, for one, don't feel any jealousy at all :) What I feel is envy, and a modicum of odium ( we should use this word more often). Very strong envy, though. Odium mainly refers to the teasing: seriously, keep you beta status a secret, or make with the spoilers! Lots and lots of spoilers :) And to slow publishers, sitting on the ready book for months ( I know their reasons for it, to be fair, it just doesn't affect my emotions)

And Natans: better try hacking Dropbox servers :) WoR *and* Dragonsteel (drools)

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