Why Do We Love Sanderson?

[Aon Ati]

Hello everyone. I am making this post to find out, as the title says, why we of The 17th Shard love reading Brandon Sanderson's works. I want to discover if there is a common thread between us all, thus making it easier to find others who might like the Cosmere.

My reasons for reading the Cosmere books are that the characters and worlds are actually places that I want to exist and interact with. The magic systems are also really cool, my favorite probably being the Metallic arts. And the stories that Sanderson tells are just so good, with plots that are strong and twists that come out of nowhere.

But that all that praise I just gave can be applied to several other fantasy series, so I still do not know what it is about myself and others that causes us to have a similar interest with each other through this forum. So if you have ideas as to what that shared trait is, please add to this.

[Ammanas]

There is a sense of optimism that permeates his books that is a refreshing change of pace from my usual tastes. I love his worldbuilding and putting together the giant puzzle that is The Cosmere.

[CarolaDavar]

I love him for the magical characters that feel real. I love him for the dedication he has, the speed in which he puts out books and the quality of those books. I love him for his new and interesting ideas and storylines, and the way he does research for  a lot of different things in his books.

I love that he has created so many interesting, as well as believable creatures that you could imagine existing in real life, and I love how he has created a culture out of nonexistent people, places, and environments and yet they seem real. I find it magical that he can create characters from very different backgrounds, social standings, and with many different strengths and weaknesses and yet somehow make them relatable.

Anyways. It's probably obvious. I love Sanderson's books like no other. As well as that, he himself is a very friendly, kind, nerds person who appreciates his fans and visits lots of places to meet us

[mirahound]

I love his work because every book I picked up has guided me through my own issues. Vin's fear of trust, Kaladin's depression, Shallan's repression, Vivenna's redemption... it's been a little surreal.

[Farnsworth]

Reading each book is like doing a math puzzle, but mixed in are people who I want to be friends with. It’s like an extra fun puzzle.

[C. M. Hayden]

In a world where gritty, dark, and "everyone is evil" fantasy has been big, Brandon's work is a breath of fresh air. It has real heroes. He also isn't afraid of high complexity in his novels and treats his readers as if we're intelligent.

As for the man himself, one thing that strikes me about Brandon is that he really is one of us. He's a fan first.

[The Technovore]

Stick

Edit: In all seriousness, I love Brandon because A his works are never what you expect, and B, because he's the most enjoyable to read. His characters are always well developed, you end up loving every single one of them, even the bad guys, and you can't help but smile when they start bantering. (Unlike some authors where you end up intensely hating half the cast.) I always get excited about the climax, I'm always surprised by his twists. He just does it... well. He does it in the best possible way.

Edited October 16, 2017 by The Technovore

[Weltall]

It's a bunch of things for me. I was first introduced to Brandon's writing when he was picked to finish the Wheel of Time series. I was absolutely blown away by how good The Gathering Storm was and I knew that I'd have to read some of his own works. I read the WoT books at a deliberately slow pace so by the time I was done, it wasn't that long before I saw Way of Kings on store shelves, saw that it was the beginning of a new series and dove right in. I didn't learn about the nature of the Cosmere until I went back and read the rest of his books in publication order and I started to notice Hoid, then looked things up and had my eyes opened.

Anyhow, I started loving him because I got eased into it with an awesome entry in a series that I'd already been following for over a decade by then, then loved his first original work I read, then his subsequent ones and have been hooked ever since. I love his dialogue and his humor, as a nice counterpoint to other series like ASoIaF and Gentleman Bastards that edge more into grimdark territory (which don't get me wrong, I still enjoy, but I like laughing a lot too). And I really love how he constructs magic systems that follow internal rules that let us predict how they'll interact and which forces the characters to come up with clever applications to accomplish their tasks (which we can understand even when we didn't necessarily see them coming in advance) rather than pulling out new powers. So I've had lots of fun with the magic systems he creates.

I also really love how open he is about his writing process and getting a look at various draft chapters or incomplete ideas so you can see how the Cosmere as we know it has taken shape in his head over a long time.

And lastly and perhaps most importantly when it comes to the Cosmere, I absolutely adore how he does worldbuilding. Individual series can be enjoyed on their own but the more you know about the wider franchise, the more connections you notice and the more enjoyment you get out of the whole experience. And the level of intricate detail and how much potential there is for us to theorize about future developments, new applications of magic systems, crossovers, character motivations, general discussion... it's the sort of thing I really enjoy. As you can probably tell by me being on the Shard at all and just writing several paragraphs on why I love Brandon's books. xD It's also what makes me a huge fan of the Legend of Heroes game series; I like trying to point people playing those in Brandon's direction because the worldbuilding is handled very similarly, just on a continental scale rather than a galactic one.

[Toaster Retribution]

Why we love Brandon? The man came up with a god who doesn't believe in his own religion. The question answers itself :-)

[Aon Ati]

On 10/15/2017 at 2:52 AM, mirahound said:

I love his work because every book I picked up has guided me through my own issues. Vin's fear of trust, Kaladin's depression, Shallan's repression, Vivenna's redemption... it's been a little surreal.

Hello Mirahound. I can completely understand this, Vin's trust issues actually helped me understand how to develop relationships in real life. This is one of the main reasons why the original Mistborn trilogy is so important to me.

[Aon Ati]

On 10/16/2017 at 7:01 PM, Weltall said:

It's a bunch of things for me. I was first introduced to Brandon's writing when he was picked to finish the Wheel of Time series. I was absolutely blown away by how good The Gathering Storm was and I knew that I'd have to read some of his own works. I read the WoT books at a deliberately slow pace so by the time I was done, it wasn't that long before I saw Way of Kings on store shelves, saw that it was the beginning of a new series and dove right in. I didn't learn about the nature of the Cosmere until I went back and read the rest of his books in publication order and I started to notice Hoid, then looked things up and had my eyes opened.

Anyhow, I started loving him because I got eased into it with an awesome entry in a series that I'd already been following for over a decade by then, then loved his first original work I read, then his subsequent ones and have been hooked ever since. I love his dialogue and his humor, as a nice counterpoint to other series like ASoIaF and Gentleman Bastards that edge more into grimdark territory (which don't get me wrong, I still enjoy, but I like laughing a lot too). And I really love how he constructs magic systems that follow internal rules that let us predict how they'll interact and which forces the characters to come up with clever applications to accomplish their tasks (which we can understand even when we didn't necessarily see them coming in advance) rather than pulling out new powers. So I've had lots of fun with the magic systems he creates.

I also really love how open he is about his writing process and getting a look at various draft chapters or incomplete ideas so you can see how the Cosmere as we know it has taken shape in his head over a long time.

And lastly and perhaps most importantly when it comes to the Cosmere, I absolutely adore how he does worldbuilding. Individual series can be enjoyed on their own but the more you know about the wider franchise, the more connections you notice and the more enjoyment you get out of the whole experience. And the level of intricate detail and how much potential there is for us to theorize about future developments, new applications of magic systems, crossovers, character motivations, general discussion... it's the sort of thing I really enjoy. As you can probably tell by me being on the Shard at all and just writing several paragraphs on why I love Brandon's books. xD It's also what makes me a huge fan of the Legend of Heroes game series; I like trying to point people playing those in Brandon's direction because the worldbuilding is handled very similarly, just on a continental scale rather than a galactic one.

Hello Weltall and thank you for your post. I have actually started reading The Eye of the World and have enjoyed it so far, but it will be a while before I get to Sanderson's books in the series. 

[Aon Ati]

On 10/16/2017 at 6:37 PM, The Technovore said:

Stick

Edit: In all seriousness, I love Brandon because A his works are never what you expect, and B, because he's the most enjoyable to read. His characters are always well developed, you end up loving every single one of them, even the bad guys, and you can't help but smile when they start bantering. (Unlike some authors where you end up intensely hating half the cast.) I always get excited about the climax, I'm always surprised by his twists. He just does it... well. He does it in the best possible way.

Hi Technovore. I completely agree with you about the twists always getting me. Even when I am looking for it I am always wrong and then blown away by the twist. And you seem to have an author in mind when you made the "intensely hating half the cast" quote. Would you care to tell which author your referring to?

[Steeldancer]

Because his books build people up. Both in my life and in this community, Brandon brings people together. 

[Aon Ati]

11 hours ago, Steeldancer said:

Because his books build people up. Both in my life and in this community, Brandon brings people together. 

Hello Steeldancer. That is a great way of summing up the way Sanderson's books make me feel, building me up as I read it, instead of wearing my happiness down.

[mariapapadia]

Ahh! This is one of those instances where I just want to blab about my eternal love for Sanderson and since I have no one IRL to do that with (all my friends and family have banned me from talking so much about him), I'll to it on the internet. That's how life works, eh ? 

I discovered Brandon, about 2 and a half years ago, which is not much in terms of how long he's been popular or relevant. But ever since the summer of 2015, when I first picked Mistborn, I couldn't enjoy another book that wasn't one written by him. Which is a real stuggle now because I love reading, but I am so critical of everything I read. 

The main reason I love his writing are his characters. Reading about them is like reading about actual people. I love how he manages to achieve what he is preaching, by making every character the hero of his/her own story. Of course, when it comes to liking characters, there are some I absolutely love and some that I hate. But even with the ones I hate, I don't hate them because of how they are written, but their motives/personal taste etc. This is what makes it so great for me, that he can show (not just tell) about the stuggles one is having and how far they have come. I find a lot of comfort in reading and I like to get attached to what I read and get immersed in the world. That's why small details about someone who is not a main focus, or about the world, every little thing makes me belive there is a world behind what I am reading, that after I close the book or finish a certain scene those people will continue on with their lives. 

In a time where introducing diverse characters in literature has become more of a trend or a checklist and I feel every new author that comes out is competing for "the most diverse book/character", Brandon does that so masterfully, that one can see it's not for the "trend" purposes. I have a problem when authors start defining or basing their characters only on religion/sexuality/race etc. A real person is more than their religion, sex, disability or race, and I feel like Brandon manages to express that really well. 

And then there is the reason why I love him as a person. I've never had the opportunity of meeting him so far, but watching his lectures online or his pannels at conventions and such, make me feel he is so genuine. Like someone said above, he is firstly a fan. His presence appears to be so positive and even if I have no interest in creative writing as a profesion, it was so fascinating listening to his lectures. You can tell that he loves to teach and the fact that he's still doing it, even if he doesn't get that many financial benefits from it, shows that his heart is in the right place. 

As I said, I get very attached to what I am reading and most of the time I hold some books to a greater level, not because of the masterpieces they are, but of the impact they had on me at a certain point in my life. For the longest time my favourite book(author) has been the first one I read on my own (an obscure children's book about a magic closet and a plastic indian that comes to life) and even Harry Potter couldn't take that first spot. That was until Brandon, I am aware that Sanderson is a human and what he writes has its flaws sometimes, but I honestly don't think I'll enjoy other books in my lifetime, as much as I enjoyed his.

I could ramble more, but this is already too long and I need to sleep.

Edited October 24, 2017 by mariapapadia

[Sparkrunner]

The writing style. I read straight Sanderson books for several months after reading Harry Potter and other series like that, then I came back to other books, and the writing is awful! The pacing, wording, style, foreshadowing, etc. In Sanderson's books are just in a different league.

[Flying]

I love Brandon Sanderson's books for the obvious reasons, such as the characters and the magic systems, but I also have another reason. When I first read Mistborn, I was fairly new to being a reader and the only books I had really read without being forced to read them were Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson. I'd also recently discovered that I loved writing fantasy stories of my own, but they lacked creativity and the characters and worlds were very poorly developed.

Then I read Mistborn, and something just sparked within me. It's hard to explain how, but exposing myself to Brandon Sanderson's books helped me make my own stories and characters a lot more well developed and interesting. My writing got better, and I realized I didn't have to use the same fantasy tropes a lot of writers used, which I'm particularly guilty of using myself. I stopped trying to copy what other successful writers had done in their books and just let myself write magic systems, even if they're crazy and earn me weird looks from the other students at school. My writing is definitely nowhere near perfect, but it's a lot better than it was when I first discovered Brandon Sanderson's books. 

I guess I kind of look up to Brandon Sanderson as a role model. He's the reason I'm not afraid of my ideas being too weird or crazy to be turned into a cool fantasy novel. I mean, who would have thought that a book about humans eating metal to access super powers would have been one of the best fantasy books they've ever read? 

I could write a whole essay on why I love Brandon Sanderson, but I should probably return to the one I'm avoiding writing currently 

[Steeldancer]

17 minutes ago, Roadwalker said:

The writing style. I read straight Sanderson books for several months after reading Harry Potter and other series like that, then I came back to other books, and the writing is awful! The pacing, wording, style, foreshadowing, etc. In Sanderson's books are just in a different league.

SAME! I never noticed the constant "..." Rowling uses before Sanderson. I never noticed how empty the characters in some "Award Winning book" are. And now I'm spoiled forever.

[Tesh]

They're just... amazing.

They're so complex, and the story lasts more than two days. The magic systems are all so amazing, the characters so... deep. The plot is so well developed, and the worldbuilding is down right awesome. And they're packed with action, adventure, magic (or should I say Investure?), philosophy, not too much romance, religion, etc. etc. etc.

Edited October 23, 2017 by Tesh

[Penumbra]

To condense it: I love that the worlds feel coherent and complete. Its not just magic without a cause and effect. It really feels like another world that could exist with it's own ecosystems of magic and social effects, causes, technologies and so on. And the more you read the more you realize how everything connects, which I also love!

Also plot twists that have made me scream out loud while reading. Granted I'm a pretty expressive reader but still. 

[Aon Ati]

16 hours ago, mariapapadia said:

Ahh! This is one of those instances where I just want to blab about my eternal love for Sanderson and since I have no one IRL to do that with (all my friends and family have banned me from talking so much about him), I'll to it on the internet. That's how life works, eh ? 

I discovered Brandon, about 2 and a half years ago, which is not much in terms of how long he's been popular or relevant. But ever since the summer of 2015, when I first picked Mistborn, I couldn't enjoy another book that wasn't one written by him. Which is a real stuggle now because I love reading, but I am so critical of everything I read. 

The main reason I love his writing are his characters. Reading about them is like reading about actual people. I love how he manages to achieve what he is preaching, by making every character the hero of his/her own story. Of course, when it comes to liking characters, there are some I absolutely love and some that I hate. But even with the ones I hate, I don't hate them because of how they are written, but their motives/personal taste etc. This is what makes it so great for me, that he can show (not just tell) about the stuggles one is having and how far they have come. I find a lot of comfort in reading and I like to get attached to what I read and get immersed in the world. That's why small details about someone who is not a main focus, or about the world, every little thing makes me belive there is a world behind what I am reading, that after I close the book or finish a certain scene those people will continue on with their lives. 

In a time where introducing diverse characters in literature has become more of a trend or a checklist and I feel every new author that comes out is competing for "the most diverse book/character", Brandon does that so masterfully, that one can see it's not for the "trend" purposes. I have a problem when authors start defining or basing their characters only on religion/sexuality/race etc. A real person is more than their religion, sex, disability or race, and I feel like Brandon manages to express that really well. 

And then there is the reason why I love him as a person. I've never had the opportunity of meeting him so far, but watching his lectures online or his pannels at conventions and such, make me feel he is so genuine. Like someone said above, he is firstly a fan. He's presence appears to be so positive and even if I have no interest in creative writing as a profesion, it was so fascinating listening to his lectures. You can tell that he loves to teach and the fact that he's still doing it, even if he doesn't get that many financial benefits from it, shows that his heart is in the right place. 

As I said, I get very attached to what I am reading and most of the time I hold some books to a greater level, not because of the masterpieces they are, but of the impact they had on me at a certain point in my life. For the longest time my favourite book(author) has been the first one I read on my own (an obscure children's book about a magic closet and a plastic indian that comes to life) and even Harry Potter couldn't take that first spot. That was until Brandon, I am aware that Sanderson is a human and what he writes has its flaws sometimes, but I honestly don't think I'll enjoy other books in my lifetime, as much as I enjoyed his.

I could ramble more, but this is already too long and I need to sleep.

I completely agree with you about authors who throw in diverse people only because it is a trend. Understand, I do not mind characters who are written with diversity in books, but when I read 'Ready Player One' and the author threw in a lesbian for no purpose other then a "twist", I mentally proclaimed "Oh Come On! There Is No Reason For This!". If there is an author who I think can do this right, it will be Sanderson.

[Aon Ati]

16 hours ago, Roadwalker said:

The writing style. I read straight Sanderson books for several months after reading Harry Potter and other series like that, then I came back to other books, and the writing is awful! The pacing, wording, style, foreshadowing, etc. In Sanderson's books are just in a different league.

Yes, Roadwalker! A thousand times yes! I tried reading 'Malazan Book of the Fallen' a couple of months ago and I had to stop because I couldn't make sense of what were the character's motives, the magic system, or the plot. I still plan on reading it but only after I practice with other fantasy novels first.

[MistbornAlpaca]

One of the things I dearly love about Sanderson is the realism. In too many fantasy books, nobody is at any risk of dying. This really bugs me, but in Sanderson's work, every character is just as mortal as others, and they're all at risk.

[Aon Ati]

16 hours ago, Warbreaker_Weiss said:

I love Brandon Sanderson's books for the obvious reasons, such as the characters and the magic systems, but I also have another reason. When I first read Mistborn, I was fairly new to being a reader and the only books I had really read without being forced to read them were Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson. I'd also recently discovered that I loved writing fantasy stories of my own, but they lacked creativity and the characters and worlds were very poorly developed.

Then I read Mistborn, and something just sparked within me. It's hard to explain how, but exposing myself to Brandon Sanderson's books helped me make my own stories and characters a lot more well developed and interesting. My writing got better, and I realized I didn't have to use the same fantasy tropes a lot of writers used, which I'm particularly guilty of using myself. I stopped trying to copy what other successful writers had done in their books and just let myself write magic systems, even if they're crazy and earn me weird looks from the other students at school. My writing is definitely nowhere near perfect, but it's a lot better than it was when I first discovered Brandon Sanderson's books. 

I guess I kind of look up to Brandon Sanderson as a role model. He's the reason I'm not afraid of my ideas being too weird or crazy to be turned into a cool fantasy novel. I mean, who would have thought that a book about humans eating metal to access super powers would have been one of the best fantasy books they've ever read? 

I could write a whole essay on why I love Brandon Sanderson, but I should probably return to the one I'm avoiding writing currently 

Warbreaker_Weiss, I really like your story. And I hope someday that I will be asked to write an essay on Sanderson books and turn in the longest and most detailed paper ever given in the class.

[Aon Ati]

12 hours ago, Tesh said:

They're just... amazing.

They're so complex, and the story lasts more than two days. The magic systems are all so amazing, the characters so... deep. The plot is so well developed, and the worldbuilding is down right awesome. And they're packed with action, adventure, magic (or should I say Investure?), philosophy, not too much romance, religion, etc. etc. etc.

Hello, Tesh. This description you gave Sanderson's books perfectly describes what drew my into the Rithmatist, the first Sanderson book I ever read, which eventually led me down the path into the Cosmere. Though I read the Rithmatist in one night, not more then two days.