Tamzin Ashevai

Okay, now tell me why/when specific CRAP defines that I should/will do whatever?

No 100 boring pages for me, however.  I'm in and out about titles/authors/series.  Mostly, I'm into epics.  Sure, I'll read a short story (and the like), but I want to know more - the background and the potential interest me far more so.  Even so, I thought Dune had done it for me many years ago; nonetheless, no other author has surpassed what Frank Herbert did for me like Jacqueline Carey did with Kushiel's Dart.

Call me selfish and/or untrustworthy, but I'll never "lend" a signed book unless the lendee appreciates the quality of the book just as much as I do.

Seriously, are we debating authors or ideas?  It seems to me that this discussion began as discourse between differing premises, not individuals.  However, I wonder now just what this debate is really about!

You know, I always want to believe in a writer of fantasy fiction whom I've chosen to read because that writer is within which genre I most want to read, male or female.  It's all about the WORLD and the SYSTEM of MAGIC!  However, when such a writer defies my basic precepts (i.e.:  gives me something I'd never expected from them), forget that author!  I regret to say that I have a stack of Terry Brooks' Shannara novels on my shelf that I wonder whether I'll read ... ever.  However, I've got Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series on my shelf that I'm very much looking forward to reading (and I have no idea what they're about).

My plan is to begin reading WoR after I purchase it from my local, independent bookstore today.  I tried to purchase it two days ago, but the Bookshop was already sold out!  Worst of all was that an unclaimed but pre-ordered volume was sitting on the shelf, unclaimed, in plain view when I approached the register.  At the time, the assistants contemplated calling the supposed orderer (since s/he hadn't elicited any interest in the volume in 24 hours), but placed my interest on order instead.  I'm so looking forward to claiming my copy of WoR later on this morning!  (Yeah, I should be sleeping; I was asleep and recently woke again.  Perhaps I'll get to sleep better tomorrow night long after yoga in the morning.  Please!)

Btw, I will NEVER read ANYTHING written by Stephanie Meyer!

Oh, well ...   I had to work too late tonight to make it to the signing in time.

Erm.. most women keep writing two dimensional characters and stories driven by sex and I don't like to read those stuff, so I instantly turn into sexist? It's a fact as far as I know, female author + female main character = book aimed ONLY on female audience.

Anyway, for me, this isn't an argument but an attempt to encourage something "other".

Tamzin, would you mind explaining how my comments are sexist?

  Wit, your comments aren't sexist; there's simply content within them that implies sexism.  It's underlying, but blatant to a woman who's read a great deal of fantasy fiction written by both male and female authors.

One of the things I think is important from the opening is the isolation of female characters. I can't speak for science-fiction, but it's always been my impression that fantasy novels tend to be male-dominated casts, with only a handful of women. The problem I have with that is that it makes the female characters stand out more, simply on the basis of their not being male- which opens them to a degree of scrutiny and idolisation that I don't think would be applied otherwise.

Female characters in fantasy fiction simply aren't always isolated.  I think you need to read from a few authors from whom you've - perhaps - not previously considered.  First, and foremost (for me), is Jacqueline Carey.  Her http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushiel%27s_Legacy'>Kushiel Legacy remains my favorite of all time.  Granted, there are "elements" within it that you might not (and Shardbearer assuredly will not) appreciate/like/enjoy ... however, if you can keep an open mind to the remarkable joining of a courtesan/spy/scholar with a "religious"/stoic/swordsman, plus an incredible reverence for the otherwise-named Roma people, not to mention a truly Machiavellian villain (in addition to SO MUCH ELSE), I believe you'll open your mind to a greater genre of female protagonists and female characters in fantasy fiction.

 

I have to assume that everyone here has recognized that Brandon has updated his Fb profile pic to a current image, ... yes!

I like it!

Off the top, I have to admit that I haven't fully read through every previous post in this thread. However, I did scan them. Even so, I have to say that the work of those authors I read most are typically American, but equally female and male. Further, I sincerely, seriously appreciate when a female author can FULLY write a male protagonist (i.e.: Jacqueline Carey). By the same standard, I also appreciate the male author who can FULLY write a female protagonist (i.e.: Brandon Sanderson). So, due to my own experience, I must argue against your opinions, Shardbearer. I sincerely wish we weren't in the same 17th Shard category ... but that's selfish and errorgant of me. In this instance, I don't care. I harbor some serious concerns with regard to some of The Queen's Wit's & 17th Sharder's statements. To me, it seems that there's some literary sexism going on here ... BLATANTLY! Please ... please, please ... chill! (Or chull ... ?)

Hmm, I read Wizard's First Rule because my then boyfriend gave it to me for my birthday. I struggled through it, gritting my teeth at such inspired dialogue as 'You're my friend aren't you Kahlan?' (seriously, is he NINE?!). At the end, I for some reason thought that maybe I was being too harsh and read the second book in case it got better. Big mistake. I've not bothered with any of the others.

Melisande & Phedre from Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel Legacy

Jasnah & Shallan from TWoK

Vin & Breeze from Mistborn

Lightsong & Nightblood from Warbreaker

Arya & Daenerys from G.R.R.M.'s ASoIaF

Locke Lamora from Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards series

Verin Sedai from Robert Jordan's WoT series

Ender & Bean from Orson Scott Card's Ender series

Ansset from Orson Scott Card's Songmaster

Paul, Chani, Duncan, & Alia from Frank Herbert's Dune series

I could go on ...

Let's try this ...

Woot! This is just some of them. I freely admit to having piles of books elsewhere throughout the house.

Has anyone considered glyphs as tattoos? I would totally do this! Query: nahn for Jasnah? I want something veristitalian.

All of these are amazing! (I'm so un-skilled in Photoshop and completely clueless in Gimp, not to mention any other cgi programs.). I would expand my sig if I could. Can I? I think I've already reached my parameter limit.

Okay, this just confirms that my handwritten dramatis personae for TWoK needs to be included in the wiki. Time to get typing!

I'm 3/4 through my re-read of TWoK and have re-read Infinity Blade: Awakening, read Infinity Blade: Redemption and read Mitosis: A Reckoners Story during these past 2-1/2 weeks. My goal is to simply finish my re-read of TWoK by Tuesday, upon which day I'll purchase my hardcover copy of WoR and begin reading it. If only I was independently wealthy and didn't have to work! Yeah, right!

Ahem ... I was born in Ohio and grew up in Vermont/NewHampshire.  (I so want to insert an emote here!) 

California ... okay?

W/regard to Firefight, I'm amazed given Brandon's time frame for completion!  The man IS NOT a machine, but an incredible mind with an amazing wealth of imagination (and devotion)!  Thanks, Brandon!

I could get so lost in theories.  I don't disbelieve theories.  I don't develop theories.  I read theories and open myself to them.  I'm so open to theories that I both absorb and don't absorb them ... because I don't just want to "know".  I want so much to be "surprised" by as much as I may when "the truth" is revealed.  I know this sounds (to quote Shallan) "errorgant'.  (I love this word!)  Seriously, I'm not.  I'm just outside the "prospectus".

I have to admit that I'm not willing to devote my time/energy/effort to this again.  I really just want to read WoR without "taking notes" (as do some of my employers, who expressed that they don't want me "distracted" during my breaks by whatever written discourse in which I'm involved at the time).  Perhaps I still have something to offer the Wiki with regard to my document, though I don't really know just what that might be.  I'd like to hope for as much but haven't pursued it, despite however much I use www.coppermind.net for confirmation and validation of so many questions.  Thanks, everyone, for all you've done!

Thanks, Swim!  ( I hope I can refer to you as such.)