Things You Weren't But Are Now

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles]

I used to be someone who thought "excellent worldbuilding" was a few passages showing cultural attitudes somewhat different from those in mainstream America and a halfway plausible magic system. 

 

And then I picked up Way of Kings.

[Quiver]

I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow to the knee.

...oh, and I also used to think that fantasy was a very specific form of midfle-ages setting. Brandon isn't solely responsible for smashing that, but his unique settings certainly helped.

[Lightning]

• I used to think having multiple personalities was a bad thing.

I used to think killing God-kings was a big no-no.

I used to think eating lots of metals would be bad for your health.

I used to laugh at people who drew with chalk on their sidewalks.

I used to think that living in a world with semi-sentient animals who hunt humans would be scary.  Now I KNOW it would be scary.

I used to think stamps needed ink.

I used to think cloning would-be dictators was insane.

I used to think wearing aluminum hats was only for nut-jobs.

I always knew that being blind would help you be awesome at psionics.

I used to get mad at my kids for breaking things.

[Kobold King]

WoR spoilers:

 

TwiLyght's meme reaction series for The Way of Kings got me thinking about this. When I read the first book, I thought Nan Balat was a sadistic, irredeemable psychopath who would probably have to be killed before the series' completion.

 

After Words of Radiance, however, my view of him changed. He may still wind up a Rosharan serial killer, and he's definitely psychologically disturbed no matter how you look at him... but in WoR we see what made him what he is, as well as signs that in one part of his life at least, he was desperately trying to change himself. Now I'll think it's a tragedy if his sanity deteriorates any more than it already has.