Favorite Brandon Sanderson Story

[Peng the Just]

ahem. back on topic...

1. mistborn: the final empire

2. way of kings

3. Elantris

[The Rooster]

I think Way of Kings is my favorite.  It was the first BS I've ever read and it really emotionally blew me away.

 

But I just re-read the Mistborn trilogy via audioobook and I think as a Fantasy Trilogy Mistborn is flawless.  I wasn't down with the end of HoA the first time; I thought it seemed too Deus Ex Machina at the time.  But now that I am more Cosmere aware I think it's incredible and really well thought out.   

 

Edit: GRAMMAR!

Edited December 6, 2013 by AG Rooster

[Claincy]

Runner up for weakest, I thought, was Final Empire. There are a lot of things that I like about it, but the relationship between Vin and Elend just did not hit home for me. It felt really really awkward. And I know the awkward/endearing feeling, but I did not have it there. But then again I have never been good at accepting really fast transitions from stranger to fight-through-a-crowd-to-save-my-true-love.

I didn't feel the awkwardness *shrug* maybe due to how closely I related with both characters. I've never been good at accepting love at first sight either, but to be fair they had been together for months before the crowd scene you are referring too. That's much more reasonable. (I'm not trying to attack your views or anything, I'm ok with you not liking it as much as others )

 

On topic, I think my least favourite would be between Elantris and Alcatraz. Elantris was still good and I definitely enjoyed it but (unsurprisingly) it wasn't as well written as some of the others and I just didn't enjoy it as much as others. Alcatraz, it was good but maybe too silly for my tastes. *shrug*

[Jarno91]

1. The Way of Kings

2. The Final Empire

3. The Rithmatist

[Bloodfalcon]

I didn't feel the awkwardness *shrug* maybe due to how closely I related with both characters. I've never been good at accepting love at first sight either, but to be fair they had been together for months before the crowd scene you are referring too. That's much more reasonable. (I'm not trying to attack your views or anything, I'm ok with you not liking it as much as others )

 

On topic, I think my least favourite would be between Elantris and Alcatraz. Elantris was still good and I definitely enjoyed it but (unsurprisingly) it wasn't as well written as some of the others and I just didn't enjoy it as much as others. Alcatraz, it was good but maybe too silly for my tastes. *shrug*

Totally understand, it's a good discussion. The months that they had been aware of each other had huge gaps of not seeing one another. I felt like half the times they met again, one of them was saying "I haven't seen you at a party in a while." There is something to be said for desperation in the love department that makes it more understandable, but when I put myself in the characters' shoes, it feels very hurried. 

I like the characters. Elend started off a little slow, and at times I thought Vin was extra... plain as a paper bag (personality-wise), but that was only scene by scene. Over the course of the trilogy that was all flattened out and they turned out great, but Final Empire seemed shaky to my eyes. 

[Claincy]

Totally understand, it's a good discussion. The months that they had been aware of each other had huge gaps of not seeing one another. I felt like half the times they met again, one of them was saying "I haven't seen you at a party in a while." There is something to be said for desperation in the love department that makes it more understandable, but when I put myself in the characters' shoes, it feels very hurried. 

I like the characters. Elend started off a little slow, and at times I thought Vin was extra... plain as a paper bag (personality-wise), but that was only scene by scene. Over the course of the trilogy that was all flattened out and they turned out great, but Final Empire seemed shaky to my eyes. 

Early on yeah, there was months between meetings. But after her recovery she would have been attending social functions essentially everyday, sometimes multiple per day and while Elend wouldn't have been at many of the smaller social functions that she went to there were still multiple balls per week. After the point where they actually got together they would have been seeing eachother multiple times a week for at least a couple of months. It is fast, but it isn't love at first sight/immediately cannot live without you. It's more like a crush that develops rapidly into something more.

 

I think part of why the characters worked so well for me is how well they fit with parts of my own personalities/difficulties. Not all aspects obviously, but enough. Elend being an avid reader and reading at parties, you have no idea how often I want to spend parties reading. Just in general the idealism and carrying books everywhere fit me well. Vin's extreme difficulty in talking to others etc was very similar to my own struggles. (Not for the same reasons, I didn't grow up on the streets or anything and didn't expect everyone to betray me, I just found socializing of any sort really hard, still do to a lesser degree.) So how she slowly worked past that worked well for me. The scene early on when she stands in the hallway at night listening to the crew have a good-natured time together enjoying eachothers company in the kitchen and high the light, warmth and laughter felt like a barrier. That scene, as well as the later when where she is with them, resonated very deeply with me.

 

I do get why this wouldn't have seemed anywhere near as good to some people. But for me, struggling with the same issues, it was perfect.

 

On a different note as to why I like it, Kelsier was such an awesome character The blend of kindness he showed for Vin and care for the skaa, combined with his courage to do whatever it took, his eternally outwardly positive attitude and then combined with his absolute callousness and large ego made him a very interesting character.

Edited December 6, 2013 by lord Claincy Ffnord

[Bloodfalcon]

Early on yeah, there was months between meetings. But after her recovery she would have been attending social functions essentially everyday, sometimes multiple per day and while Elend wouldn't have been at many of the smaller social functions that she went to there were still multiple balls per week. After the point where they actually got together they would have been seeing eachother multiple times a week for at least a couple of months. It is fast, but it isn't love at first sight/immediately cannot live without you. It's more like a crush that develops rapidly into something more.

 

I think part of why the characters worked so well for me is how well they fit with parts of my own personalities/difficulties. Not all aspects obviously, but enough. Elend being an avid reader and reading at parties, you have no idea how often I want to spend parties reading. Just in general the idealism and carrying books everywhere fit me well. Vin's extreme difficulty in talking to others etc was very similar to my own struggles. (Not for the same reasons, I didn't grow up on the streets or anything and didn't expect everyone to betray me, I just found socializing of any sort really hard, still do to a lesser degree.) So how she slowly worked past that worked well for me. The scene early on when she stands in the hallway at night listening to the crew have a good-natured time together enjoying eachothers company in the kitchen and high the light, warmth and laughter felt like a barrier. That scene, as well as the later when where she is with them, resonated very deeply with me.

 

I do get why this wouldn't have seemed anywhere near as good to some people. But for me, struggling with the same issues, it was perfect.

 

On a different note as to why I like it, Kelsier was such an awesome character The blend of kindness he showed for Vin and care for the skaa, combined with his courage to do whatever it took, his eternally outwardly positive attitude and then combined with his absolute callousness and large ego made him a very interesting character.

Yeah, I agree! There are parties that I myself throw that I would love to read through  That idea helped me enjoy Elend too. And Kelsier was awesome, but I often had to remind myself that the only reason he could get away with some of those ideas was by having this crazy reputation and friends who come pre-dedicated. Didn't take away too much, but that was a tiny twitch I felt sometimes. Thought they were all above average characters. 

I felt a lot more invested in Stormlight Archive characters because all of those feelings were brought on by actions that appear "on screen." Dalinar comes in with this war hero reputation, and immediately loses it. But he builds a new reputation - one that can inspire believable loyalty - right in front of you. Same with Kaladin. 

So it is not that I dislike those FInal Empire characters, but it's the presence of that twitch feeling while reading that puts it beneath some of the other stories on Brandon's shelf.

[Claincy]

So it is not that I dislike those FInal Empire characters, but it's the presence of that twitch feeling while reading that puts it beneath some of the other stories on Brandon's shelf.

Fair enough. Kaladin is the same in stormlight archive. Quite literally, had a war hero reputation, lost it just before the book and built a new one. It helps that it is a sequence of 5 massive books, really allows Brandon to spend the first book laying out the foundations for the characters. Definitely a good thing

[Iredomi]

My favourite would have to be... Well my second favourite is Well of Ascension love it opens up the mistborn world and i love the politics and the ending. Third would have to be shadows for silence i absolutely love that story short though it may be. My favourite of course is Emperors Soul. Just love Shai to the end.

[Demandred]

My favorites would have to go in this order:

1. Mistborn: the Final Empire- I just finished rereading this for like the 8th time a couple weeks ago. I cannot express how much I love this story! Everything from the charismatic and at times a little scary Kell, to Breeze compulsively soothing everyone and trying to get Spook to fetch him some wine, to Ham's philosophical questions, to the balls, the looming threat of the Steel Ministry and the Inquisitors......... yeah. The other Mistborn are still great, but the first one has a magic that is I think greater than what is in the others.

 

2. The Way of Kings- This is a really really close second. In fact, this is second only for the moment until more Stormlight books are out, and only because I read Mistborn first. Kings is a work of art. There is no other way to say it. And as much as I love Mistborn, Kings is better written and the Stormlight Archive is from what I have seen destined for greatness.

 

3. Warbreaker- Lightsong, the God who does not believe in his religion. Do I really need to say anymore than that? Oh, and Nightblood, the most awesome sentient sword ever!

[Bloodfalcon]

My favorites would have to go in this order:

1. Mistborn: the Final Empire- I just finished rereading this for like the 8th time a couple weeks ago. I cannot express how much I love this story! Everything from the charismatic and at times a little scary Kell, to Breeze compulsively soothing everyone and trying to get Spook to fetch him some wine, to Ham's philosophical questions, to the balls, the looming threat of the Steel Ministry and the Inquisitors......... yeah. The other Mistborn are still great, but the first one has a magic that is I think greater than what is in the others.

 

2. The Way of Kings- This is a really really close second. In fact, this is second only for the moment until more Stormlight books are out, and only because I read Mistborn first. Kings is a work of art. There is no other way to say it. And as much as I love Mistborn, Kings is better written and the Stormlight Archive is from what I have seen destined for greatness.

 

3. Warbreaker- Lightsong, the God who does not believe in his religion. Do I really need to say anymore than that? Oh, and Nightblood, the most awesome sentient sword ever!

Warbreaker is one that I sometimes forget. I LOVED lightsong, but unfortunately I got the audiobook instead of reading the story first. Some audiobooks do the story justice, but the narrator of the Warbreaker audiobook was.... I don't want to be mean, but it was awful. Completely butchered Lightsong. It was like they hadn't read through their line before they started speaking. I think it says something about the strength of that character that i was able to look through that problem and still come out with a great impression.

[Edgedancer]

Now to rip a part of my soul into pieces:

 

1) The Way of Kings: Not a very suprising choice at this point I know but what am I to say "I like big books and I can not lie."

*sits in a corner for a couple of minutes and wallows in shame, then decides to leave the reference in and continues on.*

Now there has already been a lot of good arguments for this one so I`ll keep this short. The internal struggle to do the right thing even if it means to pay a price just spooke to me I suppose.

 

2) Warbreaker: As with every Brandon story this one has many points I coud compliment it on and few I woud critizise. So It Is a bit hard to pin down what it is I like so much about it. But if I had to try my money woud be on the characters and the reversals, espacally VNV (Vasher, Nightblood and Vivenna for those of you guessing), Lightsong the bold/entertaining/fabulous and how this book changed up some of the usuall elements in a story.

 

3) The alloy of law: One of the Mistborn books had to be on this list for me, so deciding on which of them to get this place was the hardest decicion in making this list. Overall the works in the original trilogy are the stronger ones, for several reasons, and I woud have enjoed AoL

a lot less without them setting the foundation but as things stand AoL was just the book I had the most fun reading.

Why was that so? Yet again hard to determain 100% accuretly but I`ll try.

For one naturally the characters, plot and themes where excellent and further the mixing of Allomancy and Feruchemy opens up a lot of fun and interesting possibilitys. Also I love the Wild West flaire I get from the book, even if it plays in the more civil part of the world. And yes, I also love the existence of guns, which is somewhat ironic given that Sanderson feared that AoL woud be unpopular because it included guns.

[Scriptorian]

Alright, here goes...

 

1) The Way of Kings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWWGzGpqpGg

 

2) The Way of Kings: Technically the second Sanderson book I've read (the first being Infinity Blade: Awakening), and I was competently Blown. A. Way. I read it in under 5 days during a hiking trip. I was most displeased when I finished it before the eight hour drive back.

 

3) The Way of Kings: The answer to every problem I've has with high school English. Proof that characters can go through awful situations and come out even more awesome (I'm looking at you 1984), proof that awesome stories can have their own awesome morals (I'm looking at you, in-world Way of Kings), and shardblades. Shardblades are awesome. Two shardblades would be even awesomer (Looking at you, rest of Stormlight Archive). 

[Aether]

Two shardblades would be even awesomer (Looking at you, rest of Stormlight Archive). 

Fun fact: The original draft of the Way of Kings did actually include someone dual wielding Shardblades. Brandon has seemed to hint at the appearance of this in later books.

 

The Blades would have to be summoned separately, by the way. 20 heartbeats.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Aether

[Scriptorian]

Fun fact: The original draft of the Way of Kings did actually include someone dual wielding Shardblades. Brandon has seemed to hint at the appearance of this in later books.

 

The Blades would have to be summoned separately, by the way. 20 heartbeats.

Yep! I was already aware of these facts, but there are probably others who haven't drooled over every piece of information relating to dual-shardblades, so thanks. (I also have a pet theory that you could have two blades that share a cognitive and/or spiritual aspect, and,  being essentially one weapon, they could be summoned at the same time).

[Kurkistan]

Yep! I was already aware of these facts, but there are probably others who haven't drooled over every piece of information relating to dual-shardblades, so thanks. (I also have a pet theory that you could have two blades that share a cognitive and/or spiritual aspect, and,  being essentially one weapon, they could be summoned at the same time).

 

Be aware that, at least usually, though the quote implies always, it's separate summoning.

 

Source:

CHEESE NINJA

If a character bears multiple Shardblades, can they summon them all in the same 10 heartbeat span, or does each Shardblade require a separate summoning? Dying doesn't count.

 

BRANDON SANDERSON

Separate summoning.

[Scriptorian]

*refusing to let dreams be crushed* 

Double shardblades would be awesome either way. And when I get them, I'm coming for you first, you storming, hemalurgic pussy-cat  .  

[Cortez]

My favourite has to be Way of Kings. A fantastic and original world, excellent magic system, intricate plot and good character development make this probably the best opening book to a fantasy series that I've ever read.

 

Second favourite is The Final Empire, I just loved the whole Oceans Eleven feel to it with the most awesome magic system ever. It's a shame that the other two books weren't anywhere near as good.

 

Third favourite is tricky as I think the rest of his books (that I've read) are much of a muchness with only WoK and tFE really standing out. So I'd probably have to pick Alloy of Law as my third favourite, because it manages to recapture some of the feel of the Final Empire, unfortunately I think its a bit short and ends just when it starts to get really interesting. 

[Ausar]

Since the only main Brandon series I've read was Alcatraz, I have to put a so far. But if I had to make a choice it would be Infinity Blade: Redemption, simply because it pointed out something that most people in sci-fi don't get: Mass Production of Teleportation devices is a literal recipe for the apocalypse.

 

Also, freaking Radriar's backstory man. Dying for his subjects,  basically doing what's his father told him to do, 'redeeming' himself. Like I said, until I read the other series of books, this is my choice, so yeah, Infinity Blade: Redemption is awesome.

[Guest Alaxel]

Hmm, I'm going to have to say, "The Way of Kings" by Nohadon within, "The Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson. Dalinar is by far my favorite character, so I greedily devour every reference to, or quote from, the Rosharan text that is shaping the man Dalinar is.

My second choice is, "The Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson.

Lastly, the Hero of Ages. It was an excellent story but I love the insights into the Cosmere that are revealed. Also, it's where I first met Hoid and Hoid led me here, to the 17th Shard.

[Iredomi]

Hmm, I'm going to have to say, "The Way of Kings" by Nohadon within, "The Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson. Dalinar is by far my favorite character, so I greedily devour every reference to, or quote from, the Rosharan text that is shaping the man Dalinar is.

My second choice is, "The Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson.

Lastly, the Hero of Ages. It was an excellent story but I love the insights into the Cosmere that are revealed. Also, it's where I first met Hoid and Hoid led me here, to the 17th Shard.

I love how Nohadon is basically a Rosharan Emmanuel Kant. When I was introduced to that guys thinking in my first year of univesity it was the first time morals made sense to me outside of religion (though Kant does point to God somewhere in his thoughts if not his theories). So it is super awesome that Brandon has that in the Stormlight Archive.

[Guest Alaxel]

I love how Nohadon is basically a Rosharan Emmanuel Kant. When I was introduced to that guys thinking in my first year of univesity it was the first time morals made sense to me outside of religion (though Kant does point to God somewhere in his thoughts if not his theories). So it is super awesome that Brandon has that in the Stormlight Archive.

That's actually the backbone of why I like Stormlight Archive. I think there may have been a thread somewhere like, "Why do YOU like Stormlight Archive" where I said exactly that.

And you're right. Morals ought to be black and white, like Kant's Categorical Imperative. Eddard Stark died because of his Categorical Imperatives and, in the Song of Ice and Fire books, was regarded as the most honorable guy around.

[Quiver]

Ya know what? I'm gonna buck the trends here: my favourite Sandernovel is Warbreaker.

It doesn't make much sense, since some big aspects of it are left open-ended, without a Mistborn-sequel promised conclusion, but even so I enjoyed it a lot. It felt like a Sword and Sorcery Sanderson story, and I liked it's standalone aspects. In the annotations, Brandon mentions how the books tone jumps around a lot, which I found particularly interesting. I really need to re-read that book one of these days...

[little wilson]

By far, Stormlight Archive. I would say The Way of Kings, but then I'd be leaving out Words of Radiance, and I have on excellent authority that that one is going to be phenomenal. I know people who've read it, and they all say it's Brandon's best book. Logically, if the first was that good, and the second is even better, I'm betting the rest of the series will continue in the same vein.

 

Decently far behind Stormlight is Mistborn. Final Empire, specifically. I love the whole series, but Hero of Ages wrenches my heart a little too much for me to want to put it here. But there's something about a heist story. It's simple awesome.

 

Third place goes to.....Warbreaker. I think. I'm kind of a huge fan of Vasher (and Lightsong), and I think the color magic and Breaths are really, really awesome.

 

Emperor's Soul gets an honorable mention.

[dyring]

1. Mistborn, The final empire. propably my current favorite among all authors.

 

2. Elantris - this one actually got me hooked on Sandersson, bought this when I found out Brandon would be finishing WoT. Loved it. Might hold it higher then I otherwise would as it was the first, but This post has been reported for attempting to skirt the rules, thats an ok reason;)

 

3. I hate dragons. I love this one. Thou it only barely won before Defending Elysium and Way of kings. Firstborn is good too. And well, so are the rest of em... . 

Edited January 2, 2014 by dyring