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I know the artwork for SA is stunning and original and outstanding but I think we should have a "Twi memes" version with all the artwork replaced by Twi's "retelling". (And I don't want to nit pick but I think the Dory one might have a name error - shouldn't it be Adolin?)

You certainly did! See, told you I couldn't resist.

My sympathies. What sort of work are you looking for? Have you got a preferred career? I have an English degree too but, after taking a few years out to be home with my kids, nobody is interested in taking me back on in anything resembling a graduate level position. It's frustrating. Things seem so tough for all graduates but, especially, arts graduates. Shame because we have some amazing transferrable skils if they would give us a break.

I'm the opposite. I've not read any Reckoners (yet) so, yeah, I've probably thoroughly spoilered myself there! (I just can't not click on a spoiler tag, even if I know it's for something I haven't read! ) But I can still enjoy all the daftness that goes on around here between Reckoner fans. And may I recommend the cosmere to you ? 'Tis a fine and exciting place and there be dragons (allegedly)(amongst other things!)

The Oathgates?

I think it is Spook writing. You're right that it doesn't sound like Marsh at all. Spook had Sazed's (quite weighty, if I recall correctly, it's been a while since I read HoA) written record of events, it's possible there was something in there. And, I assumed he was Lord Mistborn for quite a number of years so plenty of time to do some research about it or maybe even chat to Ironeyes himself. He does seem the most likely candidate for author.

A Hemling? A Lurgling? Maybe not.

I'm sorry it happened Maxal. I was on the thread at the time - I'm the one who upvoted you back to zero because I thought it was such an unreasonable use of a downvote (and, also, because I liked your post. I would have upvoted it even if it hadn't been -1). I really enjoy all your posts. I like how much time you take to explain your point of view and how you explore various characters (with honourable mention to Adolin, of course!). This is a fan forum after all and its good to have a bit of zealous passion about your favourite character surely? Would be a pretty dull forum if fans weren't ... well ... fanatical about the stuff they love .

The rockbuds out on the shattered plains?

Ooh exciting - no beating about the bush there then. Straight into the action. "The Great Catacendre" - I think this refers to the ancestors of current Scadrians hiding in the caves. Catacombs ~ another word for cave and "cendre" from the French, "descendre" - to descend. So -the life saving descent into the Lord Ruler's caverns. That's my take on it but it is the first time I've heard the word although when I searched for it, I found the WOB where it had been previously mentioned. This line too from the chapter: "A representation of the ashen nature of life in a pre-Catacendric world, hmmm?" suggests that the Catacendre marked the end of the ash and, of course, the survivors emerged into Harmony's ash free new Scadrial. Edited: thread ninjaed!

I've just finished Philippa Gregory's The King's curse and have just started The Miniaturist. I love the Philippa Gregory historical fiction but not her original stuff so much. Not completely sure what I make of The Miniaturist yet - it's beautifully written but I haven't got completely absorbed in it yet - the characters haven't grabbed me and I need that to happen for me to stay with a book. Oh, and I fitted in Elantris in between. I know, I'm late to the cosmere party but nevermind. I'm getting there. As with all the Brandon Sanderson books I've read, I read it far too quickly! The plot cracks on at such a pace. So, at some point, I'll do a re-read where I pick up on all the foreshadowing and cosmere stuff that I miss when I speed-read!

I wondered if there were a few Easter Eggs in this for Sanderfans? I don't know if I'm reading too much into it though! Anyone spot any other cross-cosmere references?

Shadows of Self Prologue:

Are we allowed to post memes about the prologue to Shadows of Self since we have a pre-publishing excerpt on the Tor site? Or is it terribly bad form (I'm British so that is entirely the correct phrasing for this) to meme a soon-to-be work? *Wanders off to plan memes about hats and animals which must not be named until clarity is achieved*

I think a few people did behind spoiler tags. They're obviously top-secret giraffes!

I think that until you've read the Stormlight Archive, you aren't going to get a sense of what an amazing and well-rounded character Jasnah is (and, indeed, the others who populate the novels). I heartily recommend you get to it as soon as you can. All Sanderson's cosmere works are brilliant but SA is his most mature writing to date and it's much more overtly cosmere than his earlier works. But to answer your question simply (as someone who is also relatively new to the cosmere), yes, they are inextricably linked although it's not always a simple "magic therefore worship" proposition.

Little Wayne - with a bowler hat. I'm happy! With regards to the humour - it's didn't feel dissimilar to the humour in AoL to me although admittedly a lot less of it came directly from Wax himself in that book. He tended to be the butt of it (from Wayne) rather than the instigator but, given the timeline, I think that works He's much more gauche here and I'm intrigued how he got from this iteration to the one we know in AoL. I spotted a few typos but I think they've all been mentioned in this thread already.

Please don't make me choose ... That's like asking which of my children I love most, I just can't answer that ... ... but, if you insist, I think the Stormlight Archive is brilliant ... (I still love all my children equally though).

This is me too. I am realising that I'm quite a lot like Shallan - which is odd because I do find her quite an irritating character (sorry Shallan fans, I have tried to get over my irritation but I'm not there yet ... maybe SA3?). However, the major difference is our art skills -I'm definitely from the Sarene school of art (my school art teacher wept tears of relief when he confirmed that I wasn't continuing with art classes to examination level ). So, yeah, maybe I'll just be the world's worst lightweaver and plan secret assassinations and covert operations with my army of lightwoven stick-figures. (*leaves the thread open for some stick related humour to follow that comment*)

I was quite tickled by how much my LEGO avatar came out looking like me - it's probably around the right height too as I am a comparatively titchy 5'3.5 (and, yes, the half counts.) The only difference is I'm somewhat fluffier than my minifigure mini-me which I mind but my kids don't. Squishy cuddles are a good thing, they tell me. And I'm completely English, right down to loving the drizzly, mizzly dampness that passes for summer round these parts. (There must be some Celtic somewhere to explain my freckles and my son's red hair). I don't do hot weather at all - I don't tan. I just turn red and then my skin peels off - yep, quintessentially English.

There are so many - some of which have already been referenced, like the chasm scene and Kaladin joining Adolin's duel. This one stood out to me too: Kaladin picking up a spear in the chasms and performing a kata with it. I love the different effect it has on the various bridgemen and Kaladin's internal monologue as he runs through the moves.

via Imgflip Meme Maker

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Here in the UK we're taught French from France and my exposure to native speakers comes from several school trips to France many moons ago. I have a strong regional accent (which probably isn't what most non-Brits think of as an English accent - I sound nothing like the queen or anyone from Downton Abbey!) which means I speak French with a passable accent at best. I haven't read any Reckoners yet ( - a heinous admission for 17th shard, I know!) so I shall watch out for Abraham, the false swearing Quebecer when I do. When you say you are colourful with your cursing, I'm reminded of the Merivingian in the second Matrix film, swearing in French with a large amount of colour and fluency!

^ Me too, except that I say all the "J" names in SA with a "Y" sound (oh, except Jezrien. For some reason, he's my exception to prove the rule). In our house, Renoux is said with a big flourish and an awful French accent (apologies to Maxal for the mangling of her beautiful native tongue ), thanks to the fact that I, my husband and our 12 year old where at one point all reading different Mistborn books at the same time, leading to discussions like this one over pronunciation.