MechaBiollante Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) Now, this may come across as a weird thread to some but honestly I look at this forum and besides the thread for giving my reactions I'm a bit at a loss. I'm fully caught up with the series and would certainly entertain discussions and theories and such but most the discussions on here have me lost in the original post. The OPs often seem to assume I understand things already. Now, this is either the fault of my reading comprehension when reading SA or it's because I'm a new member to a large community that is having ever evolving discussions and there are things the group as a collective has decided that I have no clue on. Like, I will say totally legitimately speaking before finishing book 3 I never read a single word online about these books for fear of spoilers so for all I know people have already figured out all sorts of things I have no clue about. I was wondering is there a way to get a general feel for the information not clearly told to you in the books, the dots you're expected to connect, the characters who dart in and out of each book you're meant to remember? I do plan to re-read all 3 but I was wondering if anyone felt like helping or some sort of guide already existed. I know certain terms I can simply look up but that's so much less exciting for me. I don't blame anyone though for feeling like I need to put in the effort myself and they don't feel like catching me up. I've read other fantasy series like Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire and with those I was active enough in the online communities I knew the big theories and big connections they had drawn, but to give an example looking at this thread for me would be like finishing book 5 of aSoIaF and then for the first time ever looking online and seeing thread topics with names like Spoiler R+L = J still not fully confirmed and thinking WTF does that title even mean. Edited February 9, 2018 by MechaBiollante Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stBondsmith Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) Big question, bigger answer. I suggest you look and the Coppermind first. It can answer names and places best. Nicknames are somewhat fun, but off putting for those not in the joke. I agree that long hand works best for communication. Another more in-depth source is the new data base of the Words of Brandon (WoB) at all the events. You can search words and topics there to get definitive answers. Finally, direct questions get the best results on the forums. Ask them. People here are nice and remember when it was all new to them. Trust them with your questions and they are very patient and helpful with direct ones. The rest will likely require some research in the two sources I mentioned. They were painstakingly crafted for just such questions. Welcome to the Shard. Good luck. Journey Before Destination. Edited February 9, 2018 by 1stBondsmith additions 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechaBiollante Posted February 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 7 minutes ago, 1stBondsmith said: Big question, bigger answer. I suggest you look and the Coppermind first. It can answer names and places best. Nicknames are somewhat fun, but off putting for those not in the joke. I agree that long hand works best for communication. Another more in-depth source is the new data base of the Words of Brandon (WoB) at all the events. You can search words and topics there to get definitive answers. Finally, direct questions get the best results on the forums. Ask them. People here are nice and remember when it was all new to them. Trust them with your questions and they are very patient and helpful with direct ones. The rest will likely require some research in the two sources I mentioned. They were painstakingly crafted for just such questions. Welcome to the Shard. Good luck. Journey Before Destination. Ah, thanks for that, see I wasn't sure if entering discussions and asking people what all the things they were referring to were would be warmly welcomed or not. The way people talk in here I sometimes feel like I didn't fully follow the books, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RShara Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 2 minutes ago, MechaBiollante said: Ah, thanks for that, see I wasn't sure if entering discussions and asking people what all the things they were referring to were would be warmly welcomed or not. The way people talk in here I sometimes feel like I didn't fully follow the books, lol. Both are perfectly fine. We're always good with brainwashing inducting explaining things to newcomers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechaBiollante Posted February 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Well my other question is, how much time looking through old threads is required before deciding if your theory is worth posting for discussion? I suspect the stuff I want to theorize on is less in depth than the rest of you, like a thread near the top right now talks about Axies in Shadesmar and I don't even remember who Axies is, I looked it up and now SORTA remember. So it makes me wonder how worthwhile my own topics on theories would be and I've been on other forums where even if what you posted was posted before 50 pages deep you still should have looked through 50 pages for it, hah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calderis Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) It's completely understandable that you're confused, and frankly, stepping into this writhing mass of speculation mixed with fact is daunting. The biggest thing is that a large quantity of the knowledge that we have isn't available in the books. It's through the extensive number of WoBs (Word of Brandon) from Brandon's generous amount of information given in Q&As, at signings, and on Reddit and Twitter. The you have things that are completely reliant on things we've learned through other books in the Cosmere. Characters have appeared as Easter eggs in SA, from. The original Mistborn trilogy, Warbreaker, Elantris, White Sand, and there's smaller bits connected to literally every series, even some unpublished. Then you have the magic properties which we've gained bits and pieces of from all of the. It's a daunting sea of information. Without digging into Arcanum, and being active within the community... If you'd picked up on all of I I'd call you a genius and ask for your take on just about everything. We all started out just as lost. Welcome to the fold. Edited February 9, 2018 by Calderis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RShara Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 I'd say if it's not in the past few days or first few pages, and you don't easily see it in a search, feel free to post it. If there *is* another thread that someone remembers, we can link you to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechaBiollante Posted February 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 2 minutes ago, Calderis said: It's completely understandable that you're confused, and frankly, stepping into this writhing mass of speculation mixed with fact is daunting. The biggest thing is that a large quantity of the knowledge that we have isn't available in the books. Their through the extensive number of WoBs (Word of Brandon) from Brandon's generous amount of information given in Q&As at signings, and on Reddit and Twitter. The yummy have things that are completely reliant on things we've learned through other books in the Cosmere. Characters have appeared as Easter eggs in SA, from. The original Mistborn trilogy, Warbreaker, Elantris, White Sand, and there's smaller bits connected to literally every series, even some unpublished. Then you have the magic properties which we've gained bits and pieces of from all of the. It's a daunting sea of information. Without digging into Arcanum, and being active within the community... If you'd picked up on all of I I'd call you a genius and ask for your take on just about everything. We all started out just as lost. Welcome to the fold. How crucial reading are the other books that sort of tie in that you mention? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calderis Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Just now, MechaBiollante said: How crucial reading are the other books that sort of tie in that you mention? At this point, not very. SA is meant to be a standalone. The only real exception is Warbreaker. As of OB, two of the human characters we've seen, and the sword Nightblood (the black sword) originated in that book. Well, in Brandon's writing process they originated in SA, and he wrote that book as a prequel about their origins, and the prequel got published first. On the whole though, beyond aiding on discussion of the magic itself, they're completely optional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RShara Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) 10 minutes ago, MechaBiollante said: How crucial reading are the other books that sort of tie in that you mention? Mmmm if you want to theorize about just SA, not very. SA is self contained, with cameos from worldhoppers. If you want to theories about the cosmere, then you'll definitely want to read the other books. The closest I would say to "required" reading would be Warbreaker, as it is part of Zahel and Azure and sword-nimi's backstory. Edited February 9, 2018 by RShara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechaBiollante Posted February 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Who's Azure again? And was I supposed to know the sword is called Nightblood (oh man, badass, they stole my goth name). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RShara Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 She's the highmarshal that helps them in Kholinar. If you know the sword is Nightblood then good on you. I didn't want to spoil it for you if you didn't know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shqueeves Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 2 minutes ago, MechaBiollante said: Who's Azure again? And was I supposed to know the sword is called Nightblood (oh man, badass, they stole my goth name). Azure is the captain of the wall guard, and I don't think Nightblood was actually named in OB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calderis Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 And if you have a theory feel free to post it. I'm not going to say that it won't get shot down, because at least in my experience newcomer theories tend to die quickly, my own included. At least for me though, the amount of information that was given to show how and why I was wrong, and the polite attitude of the people providing that information, just made me start digging harder. 1 minute ago, MechaBiollante said: Who's Azure again? And was I supposed to know the sword is called Nightblood (oh man, badass, they stole my goth name). Azure was the chick in Shadesmar who knew the Swordmaster Zahel, who at one point basically said she's not from Roshar. The mysterious general who held the Kholinar wall. And unless you've read Warbreaker, no. The swords name hasn't ever been said in this series... Which is weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RShara Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Just now, Calderis said: And if you have a theory feel free to post it. I'm not going to say that it won't get shot down, because at least in my experience newcomer theories tend to die quickly, my own included. At least for me though, the amount of information that was given to show how and why I was wrong, and the polite attitude of the people providing that information, just made me start digging harder. Azure was the chick in Shadesmar who knew the Swordmaster Zahel, who at one point basically said she's not from Roshar. The mysterious general who held the Kholinar wall. And unless you've read Warbreaker, no. The swords name hasn't ever been said in this series... Which is weird. You ninja'd me, but I ninja'd you back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MechaBiollante Posted February 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 Oh I see, so I kept hoping Azure would turn out to be something I'd already heard of but I suppose not. So is her quest to get the assassin in white now or was she after the sword's previous owner? Is her quest more about the sword than the owner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shqueeves Posted February 9, 2018 Report Share Posted February 9, 2018 1 minute ago, MechaBiollante said: Oh I see, so I kept hoping Azure would turn out to be something I'd already heard of but I suppose not. So is her quest to get the assassin in white now or was she after the sword's previous owner? Is her quest more about the sword than the owner? She's after the sword Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ElephantEarwax Posted February 10, 2018 Report Share Posted February 10, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, RShara said: Both are perfectly fine. We're always good with brainwashing inducting explaining things to newcomers Also spiking, and divesting/deinvesting... Edited February 10, 2018 by ElephantEarwax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Song Posted February 10, 2018 Report Share Posted February 10, 2018 3 hours ago, MechaBiollante said: Who's Azure again? And was I supposed to know the sword is called Nightblood (oh man, badass, they stole my goth name). I read OB with no idea about the backstory of Warbreaker. It felt like there were in jokes I didn't get. But it didn't make a difference to the actual story, though I am subsequently reading other BS books and enjoying that. I have found this a great place to learn things. I put up theories all the time that people show aren't right based on all those pesky WoBs (took me a week to figure out that meant Words of Brandon- I thought it was another book!) But it doesn't matter in the slightest and everyone is nice about it Welcome! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.d41b1ca865930ccf5f63b08a839f908e.png){kind=logo}
Recommended Posts