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Mistborn Fan - Struggling w/ WoK

Dubisx

By Dubisx
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Dubisx

Dubisx

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Hi all,

 

I just finished the Mistborn series and thought it was truly an amazing read. That said I really struggled through the middle of the 2nd book where the plot progression began to crawl.

 

I'm now beginning to read The Way of Kings (first 8 chapters read), and I'm already starting to feel like I'm in the middle of Mistborn 2 again.  Without giving any spoilers, can the fans of this book/series confirm there is light at the end of the tunnel? Does the plot ever quicken? Is there good action? The taste of magic at the beginning of the book was cool, but I haven't touched it since...

 

Thanks.

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Smye

Smye

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I'll absolutely admit that it took me surprisingly long to get into WOK - stick with it, I now love it FAR more than mistborn (which is saying a lot, because mistborn if excellent). I'd recommend trying the audiobook if you get too stuck, your local library might have it.

 

So yeah - it gets far better

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GrainofaRiver

GrainofaRiver

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 The Way of Kings is much longer than any of the Mistborn books, and as it is also the first in a ten part series, it certainly has a LOT of setup to get through.

 

 Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Yes - the larger setup results in larger payoff.

 Is there good action? No, there is fantastic action.

 The taste of magic? Just a taste, with so much more to come.

Edited by GrainofaRiver
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natc

natc

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Instead of the magic being the basis of the ruling theocracy as in Mistborn, in this world it is more of a lost art slowly resurfacing in the various characters as the end of everything draws closer. An art once wielded by a group everybody believes to be traitors of mankind. We still haven't seen it's full potential, but what we have seen is good.

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Mestiv

Mestiv

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Is there light at the end of the WoK tunnel? Of course there is, there is so much light you can get tanned! Without giving any spoilers, there is one point, when Kaladin decides to do what is right. From that point it gets unbelievably hard to put the book down, you just wait ;)

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StormingTexan

StormingTexan

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Instead of the magic being the basis of the ruling theocracy as in Mistborn, in this world it is more of a lost art slowly resurfacing in the various characters as the end of everything draws closer. An art once wielded by a group everybody believes to be traitors of mankind. We still haven't seen it's full potential, but what we have seen is good.

 

 

This is an excellent explanation as to why I think WoK seems really slow to a lot of people. I read Mistborn first too which I loved and to be completely honest felt really let down with WoK up until the very end. Mistborn had action from the very beginning. We learned about the magic system very early on but just as natc said everyone knew about the magic. In WoK it is just the opposite the magic is very unknown and slowly being revealed to us as well as the in book characters. This does slow down the pace considerable. WoK also sets the stage for a huge 10 book series and an extremely detailed world and history. The ending does make the rest worth it though. I appreciate WoK a lot more now after finishing WoR. You're not alone though I think a lot of people had the same thoughts. 

Edited by StormingTexan
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Guest

Guest

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I'm now beginning to read The Way of Kings (first 8 chapters read), and I'm already starting to feel like I'm in the middle of Mistborn 2 again. Without giving any spoilers, can the fans of this book/series confirm there is light at the end of the tunnel? Does the plot ever quicken? Is there good action? The taste of magic at the beginning of the book was cool, but I haven't touched it since...

Thanks.

I remember my first time reading it I had the same thought. Upon later rereads, I've been much happier with it because I know what I'm looking for, there's a lot of mini-goodies that pay off later which you almost definitely aren't catching first time.

Is it worth it? I can definitely say that my answer is "YES! 4 TIMES OVER!" Because I've read it 4 times so far.

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Senor Feesh

Senor Feesh

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Not gonna sugar-coat it. There are times, working through Kaladin's depression, where the book is a real slog. You might want to quit at times. I didn't so much the first time through, but on the re-reads I have felt that pain. But glossing over it would have been not doing justice to just how much of a slog depression is.

Stick with it. You won't be sorry.

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Dubisx

Dubisx

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I'd recommend trying the audiobook if you get too stuck

 

I have the audio book on audible, which is how I'm "reading" it. I might have to switch to the actual text though because my biggest problem is listening to Kate Reading's voice on the Shallan chapters. Her recorded voice just sounds too robotic and artificial to me, and that coupled with all the endless detail makes my head want to explode.

 

Anyway, I'll give it another shot. The Kaladin parts do have my interest, and I know Sanderson can tell a great story.

 

Thanks for all the replys.

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StormingTexan

StormingTexan

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I have the audio book on audible, which is how I'm "reading" it. I might have to switch to the actual text though because my biggest problem is listening to Kate Reading's voice on the Shallan chapters. Her recorded voice just sounds too robotic and artificial to me, and that coupled with all the endless detail makes my head want to explode.

 

 

 

It is funny you mention that I felt very similar. Eventually I kind of got use to it and actually appreciated it as the book jumps back and forth the female narration made it easier to know when it was switching. Additionally I just couldn't get in to Shallan's chapters in WoK. I did a complete 180 though in WoR and Shallan's chapters became some of my favorites. 

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Elsecaller3414

Elsecaller3414

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I don't really know very many people that have picked up WoK other than myself, (and you people on the forums) and about 5 of those people could not get through it.  Trust me, it can be hard.  I mean, one of those people read the entire Wheel of Time saga without getting bored, but could not even get through the prologue.  So totally worth it, though. :D

Edited by Elsecaller3414
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Mckeedee123

Mckeedee123

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Eh... I loved Way of Kings all the way through. Best I can tell, though, people who read Mistborn first think that Stormlight Archives is too slow and has boring characters, whereas people who read Stormlight Archives first think that Mistborn characters (especially Vin) are kind of whiny and that there are too many character deaths.

 

I'm one of the latter, but hey, I get it. Maybe this book hasn't blown your mind yet, but once you get to that climax, I'm sure you'll have at least a better opinion of the book.

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Kelsier Kenobi

Kelsier Kenobi

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I was completely hooked on WoK and Stormlight Archive after the two Preludes.  I haven't struggled through any part of the first two books.  So I really can't help you there.

 

I can say once certain characters begin to discover their powers the magic use and action ramp up.

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Teegs

Teegs

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Shallan's chapters in the audiobook were rough. All I can say is that Kate does a MUCH better job with Shallan in WoR. So much so, in my opinion, as to steal the show.

 

Kate's voice for Shallan aside. I also just found her chapters completely boring in WoK. My lady friend always gives me flack about it too. Whenever I ask her if she likes something she responds with "Jam. I like jam." Its enough for me to storm off! Shallans chapters in WoR are much better IMO.

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Titan Arum

Titan Arum

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I'll absolutely admit that it took me surprisingly long to get into WOK - stick with it

 

 

My advice: Stick with it WoK is a great beginning to a series, even if it is a lot of setup

 

 

Stick with it. You won't be sorry.

 

 

Please stick with it, the payoff is well worth it.

 

You may be asking yourself why I've quoted these 4 people: Sticks. If you keep reading...you'll get to Words of Radiance, and then there you may find a new religion. The Church of the Stick. 

 

He is a Stick.

We are a Stick.

Everything is a Stick.

Sticks we will all be forever. 

Edited by Titan Arum
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Winds Alight

Winds Alight

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It took me a while to get into WoK too.

Though I immediately fell for the Kaladin chapters, Shallan was a challenge. I didn't like her, I didn't like her storyarc, I didn't want to read her chapters and I even caught myself flipping over some pages (shame on me for that. In a re-read I won't to that anymore.).

It was shortly after I finished school and had no idea what to do with my life, bought my first computer and spent my days on the blasted thing and I struggled with the language. I hadn't read that many English books back then (German is my native language) and it was hard to keep up with all the explanations and descriptions. So, I crawled through he pages like a chasmfiends with cut off legs through too narrow chasms. I even read one or two books in between and didn't continue WoK for days, almos weeks.

I sped up when Kaladin was tied up in the Highstorm and discovered his abilities, and in the end, when Sadeas' betrayal came, I read frantically until deep in the night until I was finished. It took me about seven weeks. If I had been into it sooner, I could have made it in less than two.

I never thought about giving up on the book though. For that, I still found it way too good from the beginning.

 

I don't remember how long it took me to read Mistborn, but I know I was through book one in no time.

 

With WoR, it was quite similar. It tooke me ten days for the first half, and three for the second. Two weeks whole and I could have done better.

Edited by Winds Alight
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Titan Arum

Titan Arum

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I'm pretty sure it's intentional (god I hope it's intentional). I did make a callout to it in the other part of the post; writing it another way would be glossing over his mental state rather than exploring it.

 

Senor Feesh, Brandon writing in Kaladin's depression like that was completely intentional:

 

QUESTION

Did you do the same thing with Kaladin's depression?
BRANDON SANDERSON

Yes I did but that one is a little closer to home, [several people in Brandon's life have depression].

 

QUESTION

I have depression as well, it's pretty inspiring to me.

 

BRANDON SANDERSON

I had never seen a hero who had depression and I was like "I need to do a real, legitimate that it's not about their depression, they just have it" Does that make sense? Like whenever I read a book it is all about them having depression. And I'm like "No, your life is not about you having depression, your life-- that is part of your life but--" So it was very important to me that I get that one right.

 

QUESTION

I just, yeah I just find your book so inspiring so I just really appreciate you doing all this for us.

source

Edited by Titan Arum
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Iarwainiel I

Iarwainiel I

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Welcome to the 17th Shard, Dubisx!

 

To me, Stormlight Archives is more strongly character-driven than the original Mistborn trilogy (which I enyoyed tremendously). You get to know the SA characters more deeply - their feelings - their motivations - and that allows you to sense the meaning of the plot in a different way.

 

Sometimes it's literally painful: I know I entered each Kalladin flashback with more and more dread. His pain is so raw and so vividly written. But in hindsight, it's like it made me feel like I was walking through these awful things with Kaladin, which made it all the sweeter later on when he ... (no spoilers here!)

 

You don't really get to know Shallan in WoK - Words of Radiance tells her backstory through flashbacks, like Kaladin's in WoK. But you need to be aquainted with her character in the first book to be ready for #2. Various plot twists in her arc start to get much more interesting near the end of #1, too.

 

Totally worth it - keep on!

 

Also -

... and that coupled with all the endless detail makes my head want to explode. ...

 

Excessively florid detail was one of the things I liked least about the Wheel of Time series, so consider this a heads-up re: WoT. ^_^  (Just my opinion; your mileage may vary.)

Edited by old aggie
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