Iarwainiel I

@Nicrosil -- I asked the same question re: VIP event / reserved seating / wristband, and as far as I know it hasn't been answered yet. But on further thought, isn't the wristband also for the signing line? So maybe the VIP thing gets you in but not a place in line? I'm sure we'll find out before Nov. 13th. + @ CaptainRyan -- I also selected Pick up at Store, and another poster told me that was the correct option for the last signing, so I think we're good to go. Hope to see you both at the event!! So psyched for this!

It might not have made as much of a difference as you think. I got in at 7:10, right when the site opened, and my number appears to be 940. So either they didn't start at zero, or during those first 9 minutes they were processing 940 pre-orders, or something. Also, 1 number will not equal 1 book, since someone might order multiple copies. And not everyone who purchased the book via the BYU site will be attending the release party - some people probably just wanted to buy signed books and have them shipped wherever. Oh well, at least we've got our barcodes. Hope to see you and all the other Shard-ers at the event!

This is really awful that you're having problems. Hopefully Team Sanderson is keeping an eye on this thread and will respond somehow. Have you tried clearing your browser's cache? Maybe it's loading an "old" version of the page. Or, try using a different browser - i.e., if you've been using Chrome, maybe try to open the page with Firefox. If that fails, maybe try rebooting your machine? or try using someone else's computer? BTW - I never got an actual "404" error - - I got a page that said "Sorry no products fit your search" or something like that. So maybe you're running into forewall issues on your end? That's all the ideas I've got; if I thnk of more, I'll come back & post them here. Whenever you DO get through, please be sure to let us know.

It says "Your order number is SO940" - does that sound right? The order numbers might be for all BYU Bookstore purchases, not just ours for the event...

@sophiehatter - looks like you're new around here! Welcome to the 17th Shard!!

It took me several tries too, but I got in at about 7:10. Whew! For a few minutes there, I thought we were all crashing the BYU Bookstore site! I came up with another question that's not covered in the article on Brandon's site: Where it gives you shipping options, I selected "Pick up in store" - is that correct? I certainly don't want the items sent to my home - I want them at the release party!

I have a question about the release party announcement, and there's no way to post it on Brandon's site, so I'm hoping this is the best place for it. One of the perks listed for the VIP backstage party is " Reserved seating for Brandon’s Presentation." If I spring for the party (and buy the book, of course), will I still need to get a wristband at UVCC on that Monday? Seems like it might be a duplicate of what I'd get with the ticket to the party, and if I take a wristband and don't need it, then I'm effectively taking it away from someone else if the event fills to capacity. There's probably no rush to get an answer to this question, but I read the post 3 times looking for the information and didn't see it. Soooooo looking forward to this! It'll be my first (and probably only) release party - extra special since Dalinar is my favorite character (so far).

Thanks! I just saw that after trying to post. I tried logging off, thinking it was just showing different for me since they were my own spoiler tags. But not. This is a great thread - I'll try to come back and re-add my people when it's working right. (Forums are probably overloaded re: Oathbinger preview!! )

Not sure why I can't give an up-vote/rep point to the OP here -- you deserve it for this great toopic! I also thought of Fingolfin and Feanor, and Beren too. I'd say Earendil as well, but he kind of didn't die, per se. How about King Arthur, in almost any telling of that myth? Agree with @Toaster Retribution re: Harry Potter. Other deaths were tragic too, but maybe not "epic" since they occurred off-stage. (Spoiler tags are not working for me right now, so I've removed part of this post.)

I have purposed in my heart not to watch trailers for this, just so I don't spoil it for myself. The book was so awesome! I know the movie will be different, re: changing the storyline. I want to be able to enjoy both to the fullest.

How great is this thread! The most surprising thing to me is that all y'all's musical selections are songs with lyrics ... for me, I imagine something more like movie soundtracks and/or orchestral music. Does anyone have suggestions for music thatreminds them of the Parshendi? Maybe something with a lot of percussion?

I'm looking forward to The Core too. I agree that Brett did a good job worldbuilding, and the US cover for this 5th volume is so beautiful! I knew it would be Leesha this time. Brett has also made himself accessible to fans, though in different ways from Brandon - his little contests are fun and allow people all over the world to easily participate. I've posted on this series before on these forums, so I won't repeat too much here - just that the series is a little violent for my personal taste, so sometimes I skim through those. It's just my own sensibility; I know it doesn't bother others as much. Here's a theory for you @Sirscott13 - what if the Deliverer is Leesha? Not saying I'm onboard with that theory, just fun to think about...

What a great thread! Have an up-vote, OP! :-) Here are mine: Eowyn from tLotR Mad Ben Styke from Sins of Empire (McClellan's new Gods of Guns and Powder series) Europa Duchess-in-waiting of Naimes from the Monster Blood Tattoo series Chet the dog from the Chet and Bernie mysteries Arthur Bryant from the Bryant and May mysteries Lobo (sentient spaceship) from the Jon and Lobo series by Mark van Name Elwin Ransom and the Green Lady from Perelandra by C.S. Lewis Llew and Tegid from the Song of Albion cycle by Steven Lawhead

Easily the weirdest book I've ever read is the "Area X Trilogy" (also called the "Southern Reach Trilogy") by Jeff Vandermeer. It's 3 books in 1: Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance. The whole thing is so surreal, you never know what's actually happening; you never know where in the world it takes place (though maybe Florida or coastal Georgia are good guesses), and you don't really know what ends up happening to most of the characters. Is there a villain? or just natural forces? or perhaps occult involvement (which occurred off-camera before the story starts). Is what's happening a good thing? or if it's a bad thing, is there any way to stop it? Almost everything is vague and undefined. And yet ... and yet ... the story draws you in so well that you keep reading to the end, at which point you decide in your own mind what happens. (FYI - I have "lemmed" my share of books, and I was not tempted to do that with these at all.) Very, very weird. Supposedly they're making a movie of the first book now. I have no idea how they'll portray what Vandermeer wrote and communicate the same feeling of dread and mysteriousness (but not horror; skillful writing!). I'd like to encourage my fellow Shard-ers to read the books first, before seeing the movie.

I'm sad - he almost always comes to Dayton. He has really spoiled us, hasn't he, with being so accessible for so long. Oh well. IIRC one of the WOT tours was in November/December, but his kids were tiny then (or not born yet!) and committment to family is one of his many admirable qualities. I still hope to attend the midnight release, even if it is at 7 PM for some odd reason...

@Leiasqz - It looks like a lot, but I've been accumulating them since 1969 when I became a Christian so I guess it doesn't seem to me like as many as it is. (17th Shard - a great place for expanding one's perspective on oneself!) I've read almost all of them, though a couple books are still TBR. Also, I do some writing for a Christian ministry, so some of them are reference books; that's the case for some of the various versions/translations of the Bible as well. Studying the beliefs held by people through the centuries and around the world is valuable - I expect you've seen many patterns and also pattern-breakers. Have you ever read The Discarded Image by C.S. Lewis? It's a scholarly work, not one of his religious texts. Its purpose it to describe the cosmology that underlies the literature from Greece and Rome up until the Renaissance - i.e., when we read an ancient poem about "the Sun," we need to keep in mind that its author and initial audience would not have been imagining a sphere of burning helium, in a galaxy of billions of other stars, and around which the earth orbits; the original meaning would have been quite different because of the cosmology of the times. IMO it's a fascinating study of beliefs about nature and the physical universe, though it's not so much about religion. And it's very approachable by a layperson - the best kind of scholarly work. @little wilson I am SO jealous of those broadsheets!! @Draginon No apololgies needed! It kinda baffles me why so many people don't enjoy reading. I try to tell some of my co-workers that it's a lot more fun to imagine characters and settings yourself, rather than letting a movie or TV producer do it for you, but their imaginations don't seem up to the task - it seems easier to them to just watch, not co-create as Brandon describes his readers as doing. Reading is freedom!

LOL - wow, I didn't intend to create a game, but I guess I did. I just re-read TWoK & WoR, so they're out of place. Alcatraz is hiding behind them at the moment. Yes, I've got multiple copies of books that I give away to folks who show interest - I almost never loan books anymore. I'm running a little low on "Dog On It" just now; I bet I've given 20 copies of that away. (I pick them up for cheap at Half Price, etc., whenever I can.)

Finally had the time to get this image together. It shows everything I have except arts & crafts books and what I'm reading now. Decades of amassed Book Wealth! Almost all the shelves are 2-books-deep (you can't see the back rows so I labelled them). Absolutely all the shelves are somewhat disorganized. This is a great thread! Thanks to the OP and everyone who's contributed!!

@Orlion On a Cob - So, your cat's name is Mervyn Peake? ... just kidding. He inspired D.M. Cornish's "Monster Blood Tattoo" series - have you read that? It's tween lit but very creative. @Draginon - Aeems like you're new 'round here - welcome to the 17th Shard! Are we only posting photos of genre books? Or is it everything in one's library?

@Delightful, I encourage you to try the new book, Sins of Empire (first in a trilogy, "Gods of Blood and Powder"). The setting of McClellan's original trilogy resembled Napoleon's military campaigns and the tone was more intense; the setting and tone of SoE are different - I understand that he pitched it to his publisher as "post-Revolutionary America is invaded by the Aztecs, with magic." The Mad Ben Styke character is just too good: colorful and complex. And the little girl Celine ... I hope to someday ask McClellan who he modeled her after because she is awesome. There's a scene near the very end of SoE that is one of the most hilarious passages I've read in a long time (though it wouldn't be out of context). I understand he's publishing a Ben Styke e-novella soon and I'm really looking forward to it. Also - - gotta say, I love your new photo/avatar, Delightful! Gal Gadot is the perfect WW! (Don't know about you, but I look at her and think "Esther"!) @hula, I can sympathize with you; after 18 times through, I'm giving TLotR a break. Are you looking only for fantasy books? If you're open to sci-fi, I recommend One Jump Ahead by Mark Van Name (nano-enhanced human + sentient spaceship; good multi-book plot arc). The "Ex-Heroes" series by Peter Clines is a quick read (superheroes + zombie apocalypse; slightly lighthearted with some good plot twists). If mysteries interest you at all, I recommend the "Bryant and May" series by Christopher Fowler (octogenarian detectives in London with a paranormal twist; great characterizations!). Hope this helps! :-)

Saw it a couple days ago and loved it - IMO the best Spiderman movie I've seen. I think this won't be a spoiler, since the scene was in several of the trailers - it's the scene where Tony tells Peter that he wants the suit back, saying, "If you're nothing without the suit, you don't deserve it..." Right now I'm re-reading Words of Radiance (preparing for November) and I'm in chapter 58, "Never Again." - right after Adolin's big duel in the arena, where Kaladin helps him then messes everything up, and Dalinar confronts Kal. Well, I feel that the dynamic between Dalinar and Kaladin at that moment is similar to when Tony confronts Peter in the movie: an older, imperfect person who yet has perspective that the younger person lacks not because they aren't trying but the opposite, because they're too emotionally entangled in something they don't understand well enough yet. (I apologize for the length of that last sentence - hope it makes sense to ya'll.) It just felt similar to me. Anyone agree? disagree?

That's cool @UpLifted! Sadly, since it's a local business here where I live, the word "Steris" is too strongly associated with "sterilizers" for me to get much beyond that ... kind of like that kid who couldn't answer a test question because "there's a bear in the way." (If you never saw that meme, here it is.)

What a great thread! Everyone gets an up-vote (even if it takes me 3 days to do so!) because all of your reasons are so creative! My first thought was to say I feel a commonality to Mad Ben Styke, but then I remembered that he's from Brian McClellan's books, not Brandon's. (but SRSLY - Mad Ben Styke!) When I take those Star Wars personality tests, a lot of times mine comes back as Boba Fett ... because "you find it easy to show irritation with others." Hmmm... gotta work on my character some, it appears. But back on topic - the Sander-verse characters I feel the most similar to are Jasnah (for logic and scholarshhip, though not the non-believing part), Steris (for awkwardness that can sometimes still save the day), Kaladin (for moodiness and the desire to help others), and Dalinar (for idealism and the strength to speak out against the ills of society, which I hope to do more of this year than ever before).

@Retsam - Your post brings up a couple great points and, though I personally loved the movie, I've also enjoyed pondering what you wrote. First, re: the name "Steve" - We know that both characters had that name in the original comics, so there's the source. But why might they have had the same name? As my moniker implies, I'm a tad older than most Sharders (I think). Back in the post-WWII baby boom, closer to when the original comics would have been created, parents in that "Greatest Generation" were strangely non-creative when it came to naming their children. Among the 15 girls in my first grade class, there were 5 Debbies, 3 Susies, and 2 Kathys. It was the same for boys: 3 Daves, 3 Mikes, 2 Jimmys, 2 Johnnys ... you get the idea. So having 2 "Steves" would have been seen as normal, not copy-cat at all. It might have even seemed "organized" to people - that someone with the name "Steve" would be a herioc figure. This might make an interesting sociological study, if anyone's looking for a topic for a dissertation or thesis. Another potential topic for those endeavors, for someone studying culture or literature, would be the similarities and differences between historical fiction, historical fantasy, alternate history, fantasy/fiction with historical elements, etc. These are all distinct sub-genres, and they all scratch a different itch, so to speak - some will find one more satisfying, others another. It's almost like moviemakers need to let audiences know which sub-genre a movie is in, to set expectations right. IMO, "Wonder Woman" is closer to the last group I mentioned, fantasy with historical elements. It's certainly not an alternate history, or even really historical fantasy - it's much less related to real history than even the first Captain America movie was. Thanks for your thought-provoking ideas, Retsam!

Just found this thread. Agree that Sander-fans are awesome and can (virtually) discuss stuff like no other community can. :-) One thing that I cannot abide, in books or film, is torture - whether people or animals. That is an absolute Full Stop, IMO. I can handle violence better than sensuality in books/film; not sure why, but my best guess is that sex scenes feel voyeuristic to me - like I'm a "peeping tom." I don't want to have images of other people doing stuff in my mind, 3rd person - - I want any mental images on that topic to be my own experience. Everyone should read/watch what they're comfortable with, and folks on the Shard are so helpful to steer each other toward (and away from) new books and movies that we think the other person would enjoy (or not). :-)