Argent Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Brandon confirmed (on Reddit) that the third book of The Stormlight Archive will be Dalinar's, and it looks like the tentative title Oathbringer is still around. Some of you might recall that Brandon writing Dalinar's flashbacks was an experiment whose goal was to let him decide whether he wants Dalinar's or Szeth's flashbacks in #3. Anyway, here's the full text of his announcement, which also includes the (awesome) first line of said flashbacks too Hello, Reddit. As someone else has posted, I have finished the rough draft of Dalinar's flashbacks for Stormlight Three. I consider the experiment of writing his flashbacks for this book, instead of waiting for book five, to be a success. Therefore, I'm proceeding with the Dalinar/Szeth flip. The reasoning for this is something I can't discuss in detail until the book is released. I'd be happy to revisit this topic once you all have a chance to read the novel. But for now, a few statistics. I'm working at about 2,000 words a day on average. That's slow for me (a better rate is around 3,000 words) but Stormlight is difficult to write. The complexity of the worldbuilding and the narrative structure require extra attention and detail. At this rate, though, I should be finishing the book sometime between December and February. We'll see--I have a tour for the new Mistborn book, as well as several weeks in the UK, coming up. They'll impact my ability to write. I'm doing a revision on these Dalinar scenes right now, and I'm very pleased with them. At fifteen chapters and 55k (rough draft) they're significantly longer than the other two sequences--I had a lot more to cover in them. I still anticipate the finished novel being about the length of the other two; Dalinar's flashbacks will simply eat a little into his other narrative. Also, expect the wordcount to shrink as I do revisions. Next step is digging into Part One. I anticipate this book moving well in the coming months; my outline is solid, my enthusiasm high, and I will finally get to write some scenes I've been planning for over a decade now. Thank you for putting up with the delayed pace of Stormlight releases. I know you all think I'm freakishly fast, but the truth is that even if I can get this book in on time, it will be two and half years between Stormlight releases. I've accepted that this is just how my process has to work. The difference between me and other writers (ones I wish readers would disparage less) doesn't seem to be one of actual speed. It's just that the thing that relaxes me for the next book happens to be writing side projects that, hopefully, you all enjoy reading. Edit: As a bonus, here's the first line from the first flashback: "Rockbuds crunched like skulls beneath Dalinar’s boots as he charged across the burning field." Source 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natc Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Judging from that last bit, I guess we're beginning with the Blackthorn right off the bat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argent Posted July 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Oh, yea. And it's such a perfect Blackthorn line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zea mays Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Yes! Bring on the Blackthorn! Dang it, In have to wait a year. The problem with Mr. Sanderson's writing pace, is the same problem I have with the writing pace of every single one of my favorite writers: none of them write a fraction as fast as I can read! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilNuff Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 I just low how much he reaches out to fans to keep them updated. That itself makes the waits between books seem shorter IMO. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 ...Can I just say that, more than maybe anything else, this line stood out to me? I'm working at about 2,000 words a day on average. That's slow for me (a better rate is around 3,000 words) but Stormlight is difficult to write. It makes me feel somewhat less terrible about the low word count I ever seem to be able to make. I still need to work on doing it daily, but still! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadoxicalZen Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 I'm more psyched for his visits to the UK. I hope he visits before i go travelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxal Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 I am really happy about this news. I currently have no attachment to Szeth as a character so the prospect on reading more about him was dreadful. Moving him to book 5 is a sound decision as it will allow the readers to develop some sort of positive feeling towards him. Dalinar is a more prominent character. He is a more logical choice for book 3, under my personal opinion. So I am thrilled 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moash Posted July 26, 2015 Report Share Posted July 26, 2015 I am really happy about this news. I currently have no attachment to Szeth as a character so the prospect on reading more about him was dreadful. Moving him to book 5 is a sound decision as it will allow the readers to develop some sort of positive feeling towards him. Dalinar is a more prominent character. He is a more logical choice for book 3, under my personal opinion. So I am thrilled I think that is actually a solid point. At first I was sort of disappointed it would be Dalinar, since for a long time Szeth was listed as the book 3 protagonist and I wanted to see more of him and see some development with him. However you are probably correct that it is better to see flashbacks of a more developed szeth rather than seeing them as he begins to develop. The more Brandon hypes up these Dalinar flashbacks, the more excited I grow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypatia Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 First with Stones Unhallowed I was all "oh no, I want Dalinar". Now with Dalinar I want Szeth. In fact I want both with Eshonai as a bonus. With this discussion comes a question - why the focus on this characters? I have the feeling because they are the two sides of the same coin. The Alethi and the Shin are direct opposites - both cultures with castes, but soldiers and priests/Shamans opposed to one another. On one site the priests are slaves, on the other soldiers - but both are connected by making one caste slaves. Now we have Dalinar and Szeth and somewhere in the past they have obviously gone the same path - knowing/telling about the desolation against the structure/believe of their own people. There is a parallel, a symmetry, between both characters only Dalinar doesn't face the same consequences. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AerionBFII Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Wow progress bar just jumped from 14% - 18% did anybody else's heart just skip a beat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humpty Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 Wow progress bar just jumped from 14% - 18% did anybody else's heart just skip a beat? Yup panties wet... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numuhuku Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) As a bonus, here's the first line from the first flashback: "Rockbuds crunched like skulls beneath Dalinar’s boots as he charged across the burning field." Awww yeah! BlackThorn! Blackthorne! Blackthorn! Edited August 16, 2015 by Numuhuku Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Wax Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Well, I just did some math. At (2.5 years, x 7 books) + (1.5 year x 1 book), it'll be 19 years until the series finishes in 2044! Also wondering about the titles. The first two books were titles of books within each of the novels. Oathbringer if finalised as the title would be an interesting change. It might also be worth wondering, if the title has a second meaning to suggest something promoting more oath taking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccstat Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Also wondering about the titles. The first two books were titles of books within each of the novels. Oathbringer if finalised as the title would be an interesting change.I'm pretty sure it's not a change.Brandon has not said so in as many words, but I gathered from several comments he made in the recent AMA that he still plans to continue the in-world text as title pattern, at least through book 5. The implication is that the shardblade originally took its name from a book or from the same historical source as a book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxal Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I'm pretty sure it's not a change. Brandon has not said so in as many words, but I gathered from several comments he made in the recent AMA that he still plans to continue the in-world text as title pattern, at least through book 5. The implication is that the shardblade originally took its name from a book or from the same historical source as a book. I prefer the idea the book is about the Shardblade... as in a novel featuring famous Oathbringer, the dreaded Blade and its always unbeatable bearer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awesomness Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Well, I just did some math. At (2.5 years, x 7 books) + (1.5 year x 1 book), it'll be 19 years until the series finishes in 2044! Also wondering about the titles. The first two books were titles of books within each of the novels. Oathbringer if finalised as the title would be an interesting change. It might also be worth wondering, if the title has a second meaning to suggest something promoting more oath taking? WOUW You just freakingly scared me!! What if I die before it´s finished? Or worse: what if I become a very serius person and don´t have time for this??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Wax Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 (edited) WOUW You just freakingly scared me!! What if I die before it´s finished? Or worse: what if I become a very serius person and don´t have time for this??? Either way, it's your loss I guess you'll have to force yourself to be alive and despite being serious, schedule some off time for the book For the second one, I can suggest using audiobook version during a commute. But, the rest is up to you PS hot tip: becoming a serious person with little time is a lot better than dying. Edited August 19, 2015 by axcellence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfa Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Well, I just did some math. At (2.5 years, x 7 books) + (1.5 year x 1 book), it'll be 19 years until the series finishes in 2044! Also wondering about the titles. The first two books were titles of books within each of the novels. Oathbringer if finalised as the title would be an interesting change. It might also be worth wondering, if the title has a second meaning to suggest something promoting more oath taking? I think you meant 2034. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the winter system Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Don't forget the break between 5 and 6, for MISTBORN. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfa Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Still 2015+19 equals 2034. And brandon hopefully won't torture us with a storming 10 years break Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamEternal Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Still 2015+19 equals 2034. And brandon hopefully won't torture us with a storming 10 years break Uh, it could be worse. At least he plans to actualy write the books, unlike a certain sequel that would tell us some important things about a certain worldhopper that has created a very important thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witborn Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Uh, it could be worse. At least he plans to actualy write the books, unlike a certain sequel that would tell us some important things about a certain worldhopper that has created a very important thing. Maybe he'll be inspired by said world hopper while writing this book and start to write the sequal after the first draft is done. At least I can hope. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfa Posted August 24, 2015 Report Share Posted August 24, 2015 Uh, it could be worse. At least he plans to actualy write the books, unlike a certain sequel that would tell us some important things about a certain worldhopper that has created a very important thing. Yes. And how this certain thing got in the hands of a somehow mentally unstable important person and a former assasin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Wax Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 Thank you for picking my bad on the years up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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