Orlion Blight

There ya go, with the audiobooks again! The six Malazan Empire novels by Esslemont are best viewed as being supplemental. They expand on some of the world and its going ons. But there is not much of an overarching plot. The Crimson Guard tend to figure in them a lot, but that is really it. With the exception of Knight of Knives, each book covers a geographic location or culture not extensively covered in the Book of the Fallen. The final two cover continents you really don't see in the main series except for as hushed whispers.

Corn tortillas.

Since I'm a liberal, I hate all this freedom in my country.

Correct. Rithmatist 2 has an issue with research and being a culture unfamiliar to Brandon correct. He does not want, primarily, to be disrespectful and offensive. That problem does not exist with The Lost Metal. And I also think it's not a difficult book for him to write, it just was not a priority. And he does prioritize. Always has. Stormlight was put on a back burner because he prioritized Wheel of Time. Lost Metal was postponed originally because he prioritized Skyward 1 & 2 over it and talked about prioritizing Skyward 3 over it. But, now Skyward 3 and Lost Metal are on the back burner because Stormlight 4 is prioritized. You know what all three of these have in common? It isn't an artful decision, it's business. I don't think I need to argue his Wheel of Time focus as being business related. He prioritized Skyward so he could produce something for a contract since Apocalypse Guard was a fart (farce). That's an incredibly business move. And he's sticking to a regular schedule for Stormlight because they are, arguably, his most popular and successful works. His choice in writing YA novels also has a huge component of business to it. These are generally books not only meant to sell, but are also series/franchises. They aren't as clean as Cosmere (the Rithmatist franchise is on hiatus due to problems, as are the Reckoner/Apocalypse Guard books) but he it seems he is trying very hard to have a Cosmere type series of Young Adult novels. As far as work that is done mostly just for the art of it? There's Legion, maybe... and Alcatraz... and Snapshot. And, just to include it in this all ready rambling post, I think the Secret Project is something like a Star Wars book. Something that would legally compel him not to announce what it is but part of a franchise he would be excited to write in. Could even be a Magic book, won't know until he announces it!

That, and it is THE main series being worked on right now. Any and all other projects would be postponed in favor of Stormlight 4 & 5, and rightfully so. Era 2 Mistborn is a fun curiosity that surprisingly became somewhat important, if for no other reason then that it is introducing and setting up some important stuff (such as Secret History and, I imagine, Era 3). The question is: where does it stand in the pecking order? It's less important than Stormlight 4 & 5, but is it more important than Skyward 3? I would say, "yes", but Brandon could decide that it only needs to be written before Era 3 and could, theoretically, wait until after Stormlight 5 if he feels that, say, Skyward 3, Apocalypse Guard and Rithmatist 2 should all be written before hand. My current prediction is that we will get Lost Metal after Stormlight 4. I think the bulk of its writing will be done after he is mostly done with Stormlight 4, since I am under the impression that he does not like to switch mental gears when he is actively writing a Stormlight book. So I am resigning myself to a 2021 release.

Precisely! I think we'll be fine once we get to Era 3. Mistborn and Stormlight are the most important series, it's getting there that might be somewhat painful.

It's published by Dynamite. You could plausibly believe Stormlight 5 will be out before then. I'm thinking a 2020 release date, though. So Lost Metal will be postponed, which will postpone the Elantris sequels which might postpone the Era 3 Mistborn trilogy (though I think it might get started before the Elantris sequels). If he does not get some of Lost Metal written, I can not see him finishing it/ writing it while working on Stormlight 4, since that is apparently the hardest and most involved project he is on. And if that occurs, the question becomes when will Skyward 3 be written? What takes precedence, Skyward 3 or Lost Metal? I am pretty much readying myself for a 2022 release of the Lost Metal. This year's State of the Sanderson might change that calculus, but a lot depends on how much of Lost Metal and/or Skyward 3 has been "written". To add one clarification: it's excellent that he is sticking to the Stormlight schedule. That is the most important project currently.

Bloodborne. Because I'm better at it now. And for once, I am better at a game than my friend!

Read White Sand Vol 2! Now, no new Cosmere until maybe 2020!

Well, I got most of my Malazan books out of storage! Perhaps I should read the three I have not yet read, perhaps a re-read! What's most likely, though, is I will build a book fort!

Let's see, I'm reading Invisible Planets (a collection of Chinese science fiction short stories) and complaining about Brandon's writing schedule. You?

Just finished re-watching Cowboy Bebop, which is waaay better than anything you guys are watching... unless it's Cowboy Bebop

I don't think I'll read any of her other currently published books, I have plenty of series that I need to finish! But I feel I'll be perfectly happy with the Broken Earth Trilogy.

As I keep telling people lately, quit consuming all books in the audio format. It's a different medium and some books just will not translate into it. *Heavy breathing, hyperventilate into a paper bag to calm down* That said, I really liked Fifth Season. Since Jemisin is a trained psychologist, her characters tend to act way more realistically and the story is a fantastic, creative and insightful way to consider the themes.

I've come to that conclusion as well. Steelheart was fun/entertaining, but Firefight was so disappointing to me, I didn't bother finishing the trilogy. And then there's... I, too, will probably sound like a baby and will start by saying, "well, at least this won't affect Stormlight releases"... my issue is that it will and appears to have affected Mistborn and Elantris releases. Essentially, we're looking at Martin wait times for the concluding Wax and Wayne novel due to the Apocalypse Guard fiasco and his desire to write the entirety of the Skyward trilogy. Not going to lie, that makes me a little bitter

I will be starting The Obelisk Gate by N K Jemisin, the book that won the Hugo instead of Death's End.

Read some John Steinbeck! You almost cannot go wrong, but Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday are some fun ones that are not required school reading.

Stonewielder is my favorite of the 7 Malazan Empire series, followed by Blood & Bone (which admittedly has a weeeaaak ending!) Then Orb, Sceptre, Throne which I might have enjoyed more if I didn't view it as a direct sequel/ continuation of Toll the Hounds. Assail had some good pages right at the end, but I might actually rate it as the worst. Path to Ascendency is absolutely an improvement.

@Ammanas As I've said before, imagine that But that will eternally be the problems with official church publications. It will never be an in depth, complicated or mature view because it is meant to be "official." Anything resembling an interesting interpretation is anathema to that controlling policy. For example, look at the official book "True to the Faith" and compare it to Bruce R McKonkie's "Mormon Doctrine". The unofficial book is waaay more interesting, the official one is slightly more appealing than a fart for anyone that has a passing familiarity with Mormonism 101.

Honestly? I prefer arguing over violent action or civil war. I had a class in university that posited that the US had fewer inner violent conflicts in its history exactly because of the cultural of arguing. We literally fight each other with words, but because we do that, we feel that we don't need to fight each other with guns.

@Sorana Quite correct! So far, it has everything I could want in a concluding volume to this trilogy.

The gift is for her, not you.

Just say them. We all like to pretend we're level headed adults here! That way, someone can say that stupid "only on this forum can we talk about controversial topics civilly" that crops up to pat ourselves on the back even though no such discussion ever takes place. And with that, I'll start: Americans like to take credit for things they were minimally involved in and virtues they don't possess.

So, when I said that you could stop reading Cixin Liu's Remembrance of Earth's Past after the second book The Dark Forest? And that it had a satisfying ending? Yeah, pay no attention to such foolishness.

Kinda broke that goal with that first part