Tamzin Ashevai

I have to admit that I bypassed all previous comments on this topic before my own. Given that, I have to say that I've loved ASoIaF ever since I began reading it. Even in stating this, I know that some of my own friends disagree with me in my assessment of this novel! So what?

OMG! Where do I begin? There's so much I don't know! It's not like I'm the kind of person who feels that she needs to be the expert on anything ... but I feel like I'm the in-expert on everything! While there are some things that I know, I really don't know so much that, it seems, everyone else does. I have to admit that I'm not a data-whore. Neither am I a horder of information. Given both of these fats, just where do I proceed from here?

I'm now reading The Sword of Shannara. Why? A Professor, colleague and friend (plus a fellow fan of fantasy fiction), had asked me for the past several years if I'd ever read the series. Since he is now retired, I'm honoring him in my reading of a series he held in such high regard. Thus far, I'm pleased with what I've read. Even so, I'm challenged NOT to compare it to J.R.R.Tolkein's, Lord of the Rings series. Still, it's really good in its own right! I'm looking forward to finding out what happens!

I'm a pescatarian. If you don't click on the link, what this means is that I'm predominantly a vegetarian, but I eat fish and shellfish, albeit rarely. While I love my sushi, I eat salads on a daily basis and enjoy my own dips like hummus, black bean, and cilantro, the latter two of which I make myself. My diet is designed to keep me fit and trim. (I also work out on the elliptical trainer at the gym while I read books on my iPad to focus my attention.)

There's a lot of food that I love that I no longer allow myself to eat. My body is my job and if I'm not in shape, I'm not working. Beyond this, my profession is my yoga; my work-out is my sweat ... and is absolutely necessary to my constitution. There's no way I'd have been able to do what I've done for the past nearly 22 years if I hadn't maintained the conviction I have.

I would like to announce that I'm still very new here (despite whenever I joined the site because I was distracted elsewhere) and I'm slowly making my way through the forum topics while curious to understand just how members advance and receive awards. I know I have a lot to read but I definitely want to be a contributing member of this community. I believe that Brandon's Cosmere contains within it the bright future of fantasy fiction and I'm happy to be an avid reader of his works. (Sorry if I got too serious for this thread.) I look forward to getting to know more Brandon fans!

Mistborn! (I think I got off easy on that one.)

Would you rather careen off a cliff (without the ability to burn Steel as an Allomancer) and risk the canopy that awaits you below, or scale a building given only your hands and feet (without the same ability) in the event that you fall?

Sorry to meet you in your wake, but I hope you land softly wherever that may be.

I'm on Goodreads and recently provided Chaos with some links to discussion there regarding Elantris and Warbreaker, although I don't yet know if he was able to gain access to them.

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3626834-lady-shahrizai

Can I please state that I need to learn a lot more before I can even ask a question? I know only what I know; I'm not one of those individuals highly apprised of inside information. Suffice it to say that I love this author's writing and I'm looking forward to reading more of it. This is a good place for me to be because I know so little, where I want to know so much more.

I read the 3 novels in His Dark Materials one after the other ... as I'm typically won't to do in any series. Anyway, I loved all three (even though they're not among my favorites). Still, I do like them a great deal for their outrageous take on religion and the convictions of those devoted to various Christian denominations. Before reading them, I thought that within the novels, something quite different than that which I expected would be revealed. Having read them, I remain disappointed because not enough that was set forth was achieved ... legally, at the very least.

I do believe that the divine breath remains with the recipient. Why else would Lightsong have given himself wholly to Susebron? I believe that Lightsong knew the consequences of his actions and acted for both Seb and Sirri, betting on the future of not The Returned, but the unknown!

Okay, hate me for fast-following this feed without reading anything. All I have to say with regard to the Mistborn movie is that I don't think it will ever happen. I'm sorry to say this but, even though I haven't yet read it, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series still commands more attention, even though Brandon has written the concluding volumes of the epic. Dare I say that there's a greater chance of WoT becoming a film epic (just as ASoIaF has become for G.R.R.M/)? I don't know ... but I'm not hopeful.

Tam (as in ram); zin (as in zinfandel); Ash (as in gosh); e (as in eh); vai (as in hi). The bold denotes syllabic emphasis. Tamzin Ashevai.

Welcome, Momo! I think you're going to like it here! Even though I registered a while ago, I've only recently become active. Please, join me!

I have those that I found when I read the massive novel marked with Post-It Notes. Nevertheless, I acknowledge that I'm a bit behind the lead in pointing these out. So, I defer to you all before me and respect your finds. If, at some later date, I find something to include, I'll definitely share it, but I sincerely think (even without looking) that members have already found everything for which I might attempt looking!

My congrats to the finders!

I sincerely believe that Shallan had/has the power to wield a Shardblade and killed her own father in using it. I believe this is from where her haunted memory comes. That she can Soulcast without a Soulcaster reinforces my belief.

The ten heartbeats are there; I just can't find them in the novel despite my extensive notes and post-its! Grr! Nevertheless, I'll be re-reading this novel long before it's sequel is released.

Whew! There's so much about which I need to learn!

Keeps determinedly plodding onward.

No, it wasn't me. It was Harakeke. Turos designed a font to write Alethi and I wrote a Java program that transforms English text into phonetic Alethi using Turos's font conventions.

Fascinating! (Oh, crap! That sounds like a Spock comment and the reference is entirely unintended.) Thanks for the clarification, Kurkistan. I have to admit that I remain in awe of the process of transformation (because I'm just not that technologically savvy). Still, I remember that Brandon posted that he knew someone would figure it out, I think on Time Wasters. My congrats to Harakeke, Turos and yourself! It was brilliant!

I assume you're referring to my signature. Do you want to use it/need help with it?

I first learned of 17th Shard on Adonalsium.net (which is now defunct), and then on Time Waster's Guide, which I didn't frequent often, but of which I'm still a member. Even so, I want to be more of a presence here if I can. So, since it's been such a long time since I joined the site, what I'm interested in is contributing to the site however I might and being a member of this community. I want to be involved however I might because I'm definitely a Brandon Sanderson fan. I've read most of his novels twice (save the Alcatraz series) and am looking forward to the next installment in The Stormlight Archive. So, with regard to Birthright, I think others know more than I do and I don't play games. Suffice it say that I'm just happy to be a member of this community and I thank you for your acceptance of me.

As I was reading TWOK, I knew someone way smart would translate the nearly incomprehensible "scratches" preceding specific chapters.. Someone did. I found that out on The Timewaster's Guide after TWoK was released. Was it you? (I still don't know what your sig says, but I think it was you.) Am I right? Ultimately, this doesn't matter; I'm just curious because I want to meet new people.

Even though I joined 17th Shard a while ago, I've only recently become active. Why? Because I was a part of Adonalsium.net, which folded before I realized 17th would be so vital to Brandon's activity. I just want to be a member of this community and I have significant contributions to make.

I have to admit that I've never attended a Con at which I wasn't working as a fine art model. To explain, I've been a fine art model for the past 22 years. I live in the Bay Area of California where so many of Silicon' Valley's animation/gaming companies reside. So, these companies (which include Pixar, Dreamworks, Electronic Arts, Sony, etc.) encourage ongoing education of their artists through the drawing of live models. I've been one of those models for as long as I can remember each of these companies in each their beginnings.

But, we're discussing Dragon Con.. I won't be there, but if I could be, I would. I so want to attend a Con! (Work always gets in the way because, as a self-employed person, my income is all about myself.) And, it's just not enough to do "it all", so to speak.

No, I was just initially provided with alternative information on a different site which is now defunct.

I'm happy to to accept your reply, Commander ... if I may refer to you in this way.

Seriously, please tell me how I might refer to everyone here because I'm still really new and I don't know the language. I want to and I've been trying to make an impression. I want to contribute (and I've already offered something, the acceptance of which I wonder because I've received no notification regarding ... whatever. Okay, I'll just wait for something.

Dang!

Shallan, obviously, has no idea that what she's doing when she enters Shadesmar (even though she knows she can do it). Jasnah's reprimand of Shallan's entrance - and rescue of her - eventually encourages her to finally accept Shallan as her apprentice.

Given what we know of Shallan's history, according to The Way of Kings, it would seem that Shallan wields a Shardblade. So, just what is her status within The Stormlight Archive?

I can't even comment on this right now, even inasmuch as I want to! I totally need to read through it all again ... in daylight!

As an addendum to my introduction, I just want to say that, if I ever might have been considered a cheerleader (which I never imagined), I would've been one for Brandon. I eagerly look forward to his next visit to the San Francisco Bay Area and the reading for the next Stormlight Archive novel.

I really want to respond here, but I'm seriously confused. I guess I just don't know enough about what I think I should know. Or, I accept that I just don't know. Okay, I just don't know ... but I want to! That's why I'm here. I really want to know! I'm tired of guessing and I don't want to speak for Brandon's novels without knowledge anywhere else.