Ammanas

I was thinking we could all acknowledge E.L James as the pinnacle of artistic achievement and announce that Brandon has been secretly working on Stormlight 4 with a release date of next month. I think one of the better April Fools jokes another blogger did is found here: http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2013/04/gene-wolfes-book-of-new-sun-to-be-movie.html?m=1

I am relistening to Oathbringer and have come to the conclusion that if a author wants to sacrifice plot development for other elements (such as world building and character development) that author must have magnificent prose; which is not one of Brandon's strengths as he has a very workmanlike style of writing. I think a interesting parallel is Tad Williams. I am currently reading the second book of his Shadowmarch quartet and he is able to pull of "not much happening" better then Oathbringer because I believe he is a better wordsmith and employs better prose in his series.

I've been watching Men of the West videos recently. They do Tolkien related videos on the history of Middle Earth. Thanks to @AngelEy3 for his recommendation of their channel!

Is your sister a huge Sanderson fan or just really likes Michael Jackson?

Sorry B.K I think that was me that spoiled you. In my defense I felt that I needed to give you something to look forward to because you were feeling very frustrated with the beginning of the book. I told you things really picked up in book 3 of Wall of Storms!

@Shaed I really like his Half a King trilogy. It is more restrained, less graphic, less bad language, but still has the trademark Abercrombie style and flair. I think they are a lot of fun!

Not sure if the"you" was meant for a particular person or not, but I have read everything that Joe Abercrombie has published. He's one of my favorite authors!

Are you in Northern Ireland or does amazon not have a Irish division? If you are from Northern Ireland how is it nowadays? Is everything still peaceful? Its been a while since I have heard of the old troubles and violence that used to common.

On a mission now? Just curious...

Dragon Con is very big and popular. It is held annually in Atlanta, Georgia and might be whst you are looking for.

Welcome to the club of those who have finished this massive tome! Did life get busy for you or were you just taking your time savoring it?

He will have his moment of glory one day at Dagor Daggorath and it shall make up for all he suffered. According to prophesy, "That day Tulkas shall strive with Morgoth, and on his right hand shall be Eönwë, and on his left Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin, coming from the halls of Mandos;and Melkor and his drakes shall curse the sword of Gurthang and the black sword of Túrin shall deal unto Morgoth his death and final end; and so shall the children of Húrin and all Men be avenged."

Dang you missed me by about seven years (already graduated). Hope you have fun there! Depending on your attitude about things it can either be the best school or the worst.

Well that's just about every book being published nowadays. Unfortunately their is a very loud minority of Social Justice Warriors that are screaming for more "diversity" in literature. It's all rather silly, but I can't really hold it against authors because this is, unfortunately, the agenda that publishers are wanting to push. I really don't let it bother me, because in many respects we are living in such a great age for Fantasy and Science Fiction lovers with many very high quality series being published at the moment. That being said I respect your opinion, even if I disagree with it. Just wanted to comment on that section of your analysis.

I'm going to come at you like Annatar to the elven ring smiths! You won't even see it coming!

Regarding the Polish conversation that's been gong on this thread I just find it hard to sit back and make moral judgments on people that have been through a situation I will never understand. I would like to think I would do the right thing, but faced with the mighty German war machine during that same time period and having my own family and problems to take take care of I don't really know what I would do. It is also a different culture and I don't feel comfortable to say I pretend to understand their mindset and history well enough to force my american values upon them. It's also easy to have morals when sitting in a comfy armchair typing things on the internet.

Is that the same game where your user name is Ragstopper?

I don't think Studio Ghibli films are any good. Everyone loves them and I have tried so, so hard to get into them but I just have to admit they are not for me. I have watched Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porko Rosso, Howle's Moving Castle and Spirited Away. I enjoy some anime so its not the animation style that bothers me either.

If anyone wants to give Lynch a try, but is worried about starting a series that might never be completed, I would recommend reading the first book The Lies of Locke Lamora. Not only is it the greatest thing the author has ever written (and probably ever will) but it can be read as a standalone. Books 2 and 3 both have a cliff hanger of some sort.

An absolute gem that Steven dropped on Facebook; it totally makes up for some of his other posts. Deconstructing the Siege of Pale Aftermath Scene from Gardens of the Moon-1.pdf

Wait...unless I have misread that you haven't finished The Cripplef God B.K?

Hah I wish, but I i think that this quote could apply to Steven Erikson as well as to it was originally intended CAS: Smith (or Steven Erikson) always seemed, to me anyway, a special writer for special tastes; his fame was lonely. Whether or nor it will ever be more than lonely, I cannot say. Every writer is special in some way, and those who are more than ordinarily special are either damned or lost along the way.”

Another gem from Reaper's Gale: A civilization shackled to the strictures of excessive control on its populace, from choice of religion through to the production of goods, will sap the will and the ingenuity of its people – for whom such qualities are no longer given sufficient incentive or reward. At face value, this is accurate enough. Trouble arrives when the opponents to such a system institute its extreme opposite, where individualism becomes godlike and sacrosanct, and no greater service to any other ideal (including community) is possible. In such a system rapacious greed thrives behind the guise of freedom, and the worst aspects of human nature come to the fore, a kind of intransigence as fierce and nonsensical as its maternalistic counterpart. And so, in the clash of these two extreme systems, one is witness to brute stupidity and blood-splashed insensitivity; two belligerent faces glowering at each other across the unfathomed distance, and yet, in deed and in fanatic regard, they are but mirror reflections.This would be amusing if it weren’t so pathetically idiotic…”

I really like the Rebecca art but, for me at least, it gives off a 1980's fantasy vibe. Most of the 1980's fantasy was still heavily influenced by Tolkien with the standard fantasy races of dwarfs, elves etc

Love the Beak scene! It is so powerful when (I am going from memory here) the Edur are confronted with the twisted sorcery preparing to die and one says to the group, "Look! One gives answer against it" and there is a enormous dome of light glowing.