Aon Tia Posted December 29, 2019 Report Share Posted December 29, 2019 11 minutes ago, erude1 said: It's quite difficult for me to choose because I have a pretty fond spot for Elantris being my first Sanderson novel. I think that although they may not be his most nuanced characters, there's something in each of the three that I could either find relateable, interesting, or inspiring. Paired with the interactions between the three, I think I can't really pick just one! See thank you.. I have been saying that Elantris is best read as first Sanderson book because I have realised I like it much more than others who read it after Mistborn!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted December 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 Wow, so few people like Sarene... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aon Tia Posted December 30, 2019 Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 2 hours ago, Honorless said: Wow, so few people like Sarene... I actually found her part of the story to be a bit bland! I liked her best when she met spirit. Beginning portion is boring when she is giving fencing lessons and attending balls 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted December 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 1 minute ago, The traveller said: I actually found her part of the story to be a bit bland! I liked her best when she met spirit. Beginning portion is boring when she is giving fencing lessons and attending balls Ah yes, her charity to Spirit. That scene made me dislike her the most, it was so petty of her! I liked the other parts with the court, with Hrathen, with her fellow co-conspirators. With the way people talked about Raoden, I was expecting him to lose rather than Sarene. This is rather surprising. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aon Tia Posted December 30, 2019 Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Honorless said: Ah yes, her charity to Spirit. That scene made me dislike her the most, it was so petty of her! I liked the other parts with the court, with Hrathen, with her fellow co-conspirators. I meant more Later, when she landed up in Elantris... when she realised that she was being unnecessarily mean to poor elatrians! 4 minutes ago, Honorless said: With the way people talked about Raoden, I was expecting him to lose rather than Sarene. This is rather surprising. Yea but the real winner : Heather is no surprise. I just wish that his interest in Serene was made a little more explicit. Well I have always said I rather liked Raoden when I read elantris, his arc is my favourite It is only later when I grew more into this genre that I realised that Brandon made him too perfect. He has no internal conflicts which are what make a protagonist more interesting and empathetic. That is why I think Brandon has done a better job with Kaladin. Edited December 30, 2019 by The traveller 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted December 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 (edited) On 12/30/2019 at 11:28 PM, The traveller said: Well I have always said I rather liked Raoden when I read elantris, his arc is my favourite It is only later when I grew more into this genre that I realised that Brandon made him too perfect. He has no internal conflicts which are what make a protagonist more interesting and empathetic. That is why I think Brandon has done a better job with Kaladin. I don't mind the perfection really. I mind the lost chance of a truly haunting prose: There was mystique in the settings there, a fallen city of gods! Not that the perfection wasn't grating: I just don't like how calculated his actions were. Instead of exploring the mysterious city and failed magic, he was joining the gangs of the Elantrians for the greater good. I mean, I understand, priorities and going after the problems he actually had any idea how to solve, but still! Magical city! Plus, Raoden was literally thrown to a fate of undeath, he should've been in considerably more emotional turmoil! We got nothing of his strained relationship with his his parents! I do not like Hrathen. He's too dogmatic. Even the leader of his own religion had to spend years to get him to be less so and use "heathen magic" (Seons). And how he treated his Seon! The fact that he wasn't completely "my god is the true god" and chose his religion consciously for its "logic" makes me feel even more disgruntled with him [White Sand spoilers] Spoiler I didn't like Ais the Trackt for similar reasons And then he's responsible for the fall of Duladel, though apparently he didn't expect a violent insurrection. I didn't see his actions at the end coming and he gets some cool points from that, I guess. Edited January 24, 2021 by Honorless grammar... yikes 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aon Tia Posted December 30, 2019 Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 2 minutes ago, Honorless said: Plus, Raoden was literally thrown to a fate of undeath, he should've been in considerably more emotional turmoil! Agreed and that is where the inner struggle and growth for his character could have come. He could have shown some more regret and worry for his plans for his kingdom but he just forgot all about it and threw himself in solving elantris problems as he saw fit. And the way he won over that 2nd group and made their leader into a sculptor was a bit too easy I agree. And the fact that he is so perfect is a problem! He is most good looking, was going to be the best king. He is liked by both nobility and peasantry and gang leaders! He is the best swordsman in a country where no one learns fighting. He is good at dancing too I am sure. He is even the tallest guy in the room! He is the beat at making Aons also! He is good at acting also! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frustration Posted January 11, 2020 Report Share Posted January 11, 2020 On 12/7/2019 at 1:45 PM, Calderis said: Raoden is probably one of my least favorite Cosmere characters. His story is a series of events that happen too him, but he doesn't have to actually change at all because of those events. The man he is at the beginning and end of the book are the same. His powers change, his looks, and his social situation. But as a person, he doesn't. Sarene is very similar. Not quite to the same extent, she has a bit more of a journey of self acceptance with her whole "no one will ever want me" thing, but... Frankly I think that is a bit of a cliche internal struggle anyway. Still better than none. Hrathen on the other hand has to struggle with both the reality of if he even has faith in the first place, and then face what the people running his religion have done, and decides that while he still believes in his God, he no longer believes in the people running things. He has a real and difficult internal struggle. He's one of my favorite characters in the entirety of the Cosmere, and beyond the magics, he's the only character worth reading the book for. Your entitled to that opinion and I do like Hrathen, but Raoden figuring out Aondor was an amazing moment, and I like him not because he changed but because of what he did 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwordNimiForPresident Posted January 13, 2020 Report Share Posted January 13, 2020 On 1/11/2020 at 1:03 PM, Booknerd said: Your entitled to that opinion and I do like Hrathen, but Raoden figuring out Aondor was an amazing moment, and I like him not because he changed but because of what he did I agree completely. Not every character needs to have Kaladin’s back story. Sometimes people are just well adapted and capable. The interesting parts of Raoden’s story where discovery and learning. The interesting part of Sarene’s story was the intrigue and maneuvering. I’m curious @Calderis how you feel about Shai’s lack of personal emotional struggle in The Emporer’s soul. She is effectively the same character as Raoden, only more competent and in a different setting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calderis Posted January 14, 2020 Report Share Posted January 14, 2020 8 hours ago, SwordNimiForPresident said: I’m curious @Calderis how you feel about Shai’s lack of personal emotional struggle in The Emporer’s soul. She is effectively the same character as Raoden, only more competent and in a different setting. I completely disagree. She is a character who inherently distrust everyone and manipulates them, and over the short course of the story is forced to open up to Gaotona about things that she repeatedly lies to herself about. She has a very real and intense struggle, which is the key to her escape. If she hadn't done so, Gaotona would never have let her go. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwordNimiForPresident Posted January 14, 2020 Report Share Posted January 14, 2020 13 hours ago, Calderis said: I completely disagree. She is a character who inherently distrust everyone and manipulates them, and over the short course of the story is forced to open up to Gaotona about things that she repeatedly lies to herself about. She has a very real and intense struggle, which is the key to her escape. If she hadn't done so, Gaotona would never have let her go. I feel like they were things that she lies to everyone else about, not herself. Her opening up to Gaotona was actually a manipulation. She realized he was not the kind of person she could manipulate through greed, so she had to make an actual connection with him. This is just my take on it obviously, but thanks for the insight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 People who like Sarene more, where art thou? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightwing8888 Posted January 22, 2020 Report Share Posted January 22, 2020 I think we can all agree that Hrathen's character arc is amazing. Some of you are saying that Raoden is boring, but I think it's kind of nice to have a Sanderson character that doesn't constantly fight depression. NOT that I dislike the depression, but Raoden's optimism is heartwarming. Sarene does get kind of annoying sometimes, but I think that Kiin and his family make up for that. I love them all. But I would have to say that my favorite part of the book was Raoden's, so Team Elantris here. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomerang Guy Posted February 16, 2020 Report Share Posted February 16, 2020 On 1/22/2020 at 11:09 AM, Lightwing8888 said: I think we can all agree that Hrathen's character arc is amazing. Some of you are saying that Raoden is boring, but I think it's kind of nice to have a Sanderson character that doesn't constantly fight depression. NOT that I dislike the depression, but Raoden's optimism is heartwarming. Sarene does get kind of annoying sometimes, but I think that Kiin and his family make up for that. I love them all. But I would have to say that my favorite part of the book was Raoden's, so Team Elantris here. I agree with pretty much with every thing you said exempt the part where you said that Sarene was annoying. i guess i see what you mean but i still don't totally agree. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Harrycrapper Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 On 1/22/2020 at 11:09 AM, Lightwing8888 said: I think we can all agree that Hrathen's character arc is amazing. Some of you are saying that Raoden is boring, but I think it's kind of nice to have a Sanderson character that doesn't constantly fight depression. NOT that I dislike the depression, but Raoden's optimism is heartwarming. Sarene does get kind of annoying sometimes, but I think that Kiin and his family make up for that. I love them all. But I would have to say that my favorite part of the book was Raoden's, so Team Elantris here. The funny thing is that Raoden was fighting depression, just not his own depression. If I were voting for favorite character's chapters to read it would be Raoden, but if it's just favorite character, I'd vote for Hrathen. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightwing8888 Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 2 hours ago, Harrycrapper said: The funny thing is that Raoden was fighting depression, just not his own depression. If I were voting for favorite character's chapters to read it would be Raoden, but if it's just favorite character, I'd vote for Hrathen. That's a really good way to phrase that thank you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightwing8888 Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 Another way of saying it: the chapters I most enjoyed reading were Raoden’s, the one I most enjoyed thinking about was Hrathen (because that was the best ever) and the character dialogue I enjoyed the most was Sarene. It’s a wonderful balance and Brandon is amazing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted February 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 (edited) On 12/12/2019 at 11:49 PM, Wander89 said: Not a fan of Raoden, couldn't live with that! On 12/13/2019 at 7:21 AM, Merlin said: Blargh. Get. That. Image. Out of. My. Head. On 12/13/2019 at 10:12 AM, Invocation said: Snog Hrathen, we agree on that, but marry Sarene and avoid Raoden. Allow me to make you rethink that Presenting, His Majesty, the Prince of Arelon: RAODEN! *smug satisfaction* Edited February 28, 2020 by Dreamer 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Invocation Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 9 hours ago, Dreamer said: Presenting, His Majesty, the Prince of Arelon: RAODEN! That doesn't do it for me. Not rugged enough. Honestly, I'd probably marry Hrathen instead, but I get the feeling his religion wouldn't allow that so much. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frustration Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 On 2/28/2020 at 5:32 PM, Invocation said: That doesn't do it for me. Not rugged enough. Honestly, I'd probably marry Hrathen instead, but I get the feeling his religion wouldn't allow that so much. Why is that what you go to, I wouldn't marry him? but I do agree on one thing he needs more muscle, also the Elantrian skin and hair to complete the look. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Invocation Posted March 1, 2020 Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 1 hour ago, Booknerd said: Why is that what you go to, I wouldn't marry him? Please clarify. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted March 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2020 (edited) His muscle tone is fine, not every guy needs to be Schwarzenegger or anime level fit. Edited March 1, 2020 by Dreamer 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frustration Posted March 2, 2020 Report Share Posted March 2, 2020 23 hours ago, Invocation said: Please clarify. On 2/28/2020 at 5:32 PM, Invocation said: Honestly, I'd probably marry Hrathen instead, I'm, wondering why on Earth your marriage to a fantasy character has to do with the topic, but if that is how you measure your characters don't let me stop you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Invocation Posted March 2, 2020 Report Share Posted March 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Booknerd said: I'm, wondering why on Earth your marriage to a fantasy character has to do with the topic, but if that is how you measure your characters don't let me stop you. Oh no that was just me noting stuff on the initial topic in a direct contrast to what I said the first time I was here on this thread. I may have...forgotten...to indent for clarity. My bad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorless Posted March 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Booknerd said: I'm, wondering why on Earth your marriage to a fantasy character has to do with the topic, but if that is how you measure your characters don't let me stop you. It was a sort of game (snog, marry, avoid) that we got into jokingly 14 minutes ago, Invocation said: Oh no that was just me noting stuff on the initial topic in a direct contrast to what I said the first time I was here on this thread. I may have...forgotten...to indent for clarity. My bad. Hmm? You've been consistent with your views... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.