Proselytizing for Brandon

[Firiel she/her]

We all love Brandon Sanderson.  I suspect many of us try to get others to love Brandon Sanderson.

 

What are your favorite "Proselytizing for Brandon" stories?

 

I recently got my roommate to start reading Warbreaker.  I don't think she has EVER read a fantasy book besides making herself read The Hobbit before she saw the movie, and she kind of looks down on the genre as ridiculous.  I think Warbreaker might be the best Sanderson book for non-fantasy/sci-fi fans, and she and her sister have a relationship much like Siri and Vivenna.  So I figured she'd really enjoy it.

 

SOMEHOW I managed to convince her to read it, though I had to promise her it was a fast read.  I asked her how she was enjoying it a few days later, and she said, "Ugh. I found myself thinking about it at work and wanting to know what happens.  And then I was ashamed."

 

She's super embarrassed about enjoying it so much and desperately wants to hide the cover because other people will know what she's reading.  But she's reading a 500+ page epic fantasy novel and thinking about it at work.

 

Success.

 

 

[lyht]

My wife finally got tired of hearing how awesome Brandon was and broke down and read mistborn. At the end she picked up Well of Ascension without even taking a break.

 

I tried to convince my sisters to jump on the Brandon bandwagon, but it was too late. They had all already read everything he has written!

[Terisen he/him]

I have a really good friend who wasn't much of a reader. Her husband, who is also a very good friend of mine, is also a huge Sanderson fan. For the longest time, we kept telling her that she absolutely had to read something from Sanderson and suggested that she start with Mistborn. That seems to be the universal Sanderson gateway drug.

She finally gave in and started on Mistborn. Finished that series. Then, of her own volition, she read Warbreaker. Then Elantris. And now she wants to read Way of Kings when she gets time. She's even gone to a book signing for Brandon.

Mission accomplished.

[Virtual Mayhem he/him]

I literally have extra paperback copies of Brandon Sanderson books that I just give to people and say, "Read!" I have gotten a bunch of my friends into them!

[Firiel she/her]

To get my ex into Sanderson, I read him the Prologue to Warbreaker.  After I was done, he was just like, "...could you keep reading?"

 

Good news, got him to read Brandon.  Bad news, ended up reading out loud for most of the 24 hour road trip that happened soon after that.

[little wilson she/her]

Early last year, I worked front desk at a hotel. I became good friends with the night bell person. When she didn't have anything to do, she'd come up to the front desk, and we would chat. One night, I was re-reading WoK. I was only about 100 pages in, and I came across a part I figured she'd thoroughly enjoy. So I read it outloud to her. She wanted to hear more. So I jumped to the beginning of the book and started over. Reading out loud. I even gave the characters different voices (as much as I could). She'd listen to me and draw different scenes and characters on scratch pieces of paper (and she's a pretty good artist). It took about 2 months to finish, but I read the entire thing to her. And it was awesome. And she loved it. 

 

When she found out WoR was out, she was excited, but at the same time, disappointed that I wouldn't be able to read it to her. I'd loaned her Mistborn at the same time, and she enjoyed that, but then I moved away, and I was her access to all things Brandon, so...yeah. I need to figure out a way to keep her hooked, since I know she doesn't have money to spend on buying books...

[Delightful]

So not that I'm actively trying to get everyone I know hooked on Brandon or anything....

 

I went on and on and on about Mistborn and then WoK for months until my brother finally agreed to read Mistborn. And then WoA, HoA, AoL, and then Wok and WoR in quick succession.

I gave a friend TES, then Elantris, and she proceeded to find WoK at the library and then gave the book to her sister to read.(double success!)

 

Oh, and I introduced Queen Elsa to Steelheart.

Edited May 25, 2014 by Delightful

[SmurfAquamarineBodies he/him]

I got my brother to read WoK in the hospital, this was after him seeing me lug the great big thing around for about a month with him constantly teasing me about it, he got 1 page in and literally couldn't put it down until he had read the whole thing. Even though his eyes hurt the whole time and he couldn't see by the end of it, idiot. First thing he said when he saw me again was "what's up with wit?"

Got my friend to read WoK when he had been annoying me for ages at his house ( I was rereading Mistborn for the hundredth time ) he kept complaining that he was bored so i threw it at him and said, "read that and shut up."

They have now read all of them and they were constantly complaining that "he takes too long to write them." Laughed for about an hour after that and introduced them to both ASoIaF and the Kingkiller chronicles, they no longer complain about the machine that is Brandon Sanderson.

[Argent he/him]

Wish I had a story to share. I just recruited 4-5 people. I think my biggest achievement is that one of them practically doesn't read any other fantasy (got bored of the genre or something), but still gets excited for new Brandon releases.

[Left he/him]

I once called one of my mates Gancho, so that he would start calling me Gancho. It's awesome because now I'm a Windrunner. All it took was some clever thinking.

I'm also reading everything anyone recommends me so that I can recommend Brandon to them and guilt them into it.

[Tien'sPetLurg she/her]

I couldn't get my husband into WoT. I think the first book begins with so much detailed description of the surroundings etc that he just could not go any further. It reminded him of talks with my mother. Painful. LOL 

All he would ever read was political, religious or nonfiction stuff. He was't very happy (shocker!) and I thought he could use an escape. I handed him Steelheart and he devoured it. I handed him Mistborn (The Final Empire) while I was reading The Well of Ascension and he tore through it and was trying to snatch the book I was STILL reading. So we started getting physical copies and audio copies of the books. 

We sent his daughter the Mistborn trilogy in the hopes that she will read them. (We want to subconsciously implant some of Vin's strength and initiative into her.)

We have gifted Steelheart to our comic superhero fan maniac office manager in the hopes he can make the leap in his reading of graphic novels to a "book without pictures." He also needs to see that all of the great origin and super power ideas haven't been done yet. Sanderson keeps them coming!

On a recent road trip, our son with special needs heard Rock speak (“No complaining today! You do this thing too much. Do not make me kick you. I do not like kicking....") and laughed. I think it's really good for him to see his parents reading together, enjoying each other, laughing, etc. 

We have praised Brandon in several FB status messages. We use Sanderson curse words at home which is a major improvement in our lives. So yeah---it's added a lot to our relationship actually. It gives us a common interest to talk about that isn't all about the problems or logistics of our day. Everyone needs some kind of escape. We just have to try not to over-do it.   

[shortycake she/her]

I basically just talk/tweet/facebook/tumblr/instagram about it incessantly until some poor soul finally lets me push a copy into their hands. 

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

I had finally convinced my brother to get into Sanderson. We're both very similar from looks to sense of humor, mannerisms and even voice. For about a month of two, I'd periodically get text updates from him, and every time it would reference one of my favorite lines or events from those books. He texted me both of the favorites I've got listed in my signatures.