Teaghen

Hello, 

So in order to celebrate my love for Sanderson i want to  get a signet ring engraved with a glyph. I was toying with getting Bridge Four, but think creating a new glyph would be more interesting. I don't have the skills to create a glyph so was wondering if one of you lovely people would volunteer to? 

What I'm thinking is to get the first oath of the radiants as a glyph on the ring. So using the symbols for L, S, J, B.

(E.g. Life before death, Strength before weakness, Journey before destination. With the before's in each sentence all represented by the last B). 

I could do a design using standard Alethi glyths but was hoping for a more stylized representation, more like the ancient glyphs. 

Any budding artists up for the challenge? 

2 hours ago, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

The book is "The Gospel According to Science Fiction: From the Twilight Zone to the Final Frontier" by Gabriel McKee.

https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-according-Science-Fiction-Twilight/dp/0664229018/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517587449&sr=8-1&keywords=the+gospel+according+to+science+fiction

 

 

Thank you, that's incredibly helpful, aside from anything it looks to be a great read! If it turns out to be helpful will be an added perk 

On 19/01/2018 at 6:05 AM, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

Ahh, ok, that makes a lot more sense.

There is a stark divide in the morally gray fantasy of writers like GRR Martin and the writing of BWS that is written with a moral imperative. Your outline doesn't have explicitly where you are going to draw these comparisons (unless you are planning to do a parallel investigation of both types for each point). Structurally, I think you are best off by examining the work of BWS first according to your general outline, and then having a conclusion for each major section where you show how brandon's writing is different than the other type of morally gray epic fantasy. Also, for points where the divide between the two is specifically wide, you might do some textual analysis of the morally gray fantasy.

I love Brandon's work precisely because it's written moral imperative, and the comparative religions that he creates for the Cosmere function as background screens where small nuanced elements of belief stand out in high contrast.

I like your general outline a lot, I have quoted it below (spoilered, with suggestions for individual points in red)

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Totally take these for just the suggestions that they are.

I don't think I fully addressed how to pull in other fantasy series to contrast your points, but I think you have a very solid framework outlined and I think you are on your way to making a great dissertation.

One final point, the only work that is comparable in construction and effect to the works of Brandon Sanderson is Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. Like Brandon, Plutarch shows the contextual framework in which the subjects of his Biographies lived, what they believed, what their characters were like (strengths and weaknesses) and draws very obvious conclusions about how their character, morals and beliefs affected the outcome of their lives. Might be something to bring in for comparative purposes (it's epic history though, not really epic fantasy, though the Story of Timoleon reads like an amazing fantasy novella).

Best of luck!

Thank you first of all for the feedback.

But overall yeah its finding points of good contrast that I am struggling with so I will definitely have a look at Plutarch's Lives as this could be my connection to ancient myth. I think I will use the critic of Brandon as a 'mix of J.R.R. Tolkien and George R.R. Martin' as a springboard for my critic, perhaps also comparing him to Rothfuss. But the area of most focus for me (and the thing that is so hard to define) is why Sanderson is such a refreshing fantasy writer, not just the old themes and motifs with a new paint job, but instead an original take on these ancient themes. I like the 'mix of ...' critic above as it gets as close as I have seen to the uniqueness of Sanderson; it is, of course, an oversimplified version-but still close to the mark. But it is developing this idea that I am currently struggling with, trying to pin down why (for me at least) Sanderson isn't just another excellent writer, but one of the most insightful writers of the century (so far). 

But if anyone has any links to any academic material on Sanderson, or on this area of study, in general, that would be much appreciated

Cheers in advance.

17 hours ago, Secrets said:

I can't think of any feedback but...

...

I think the very terminology involved in the above post speaks greatly about Brandon as a writer and why I, and probably others too, like him so much. 

 

Thank you, even just to hear that there is other fan's that appreciate my work (so far) is greatly encouraging

I have outlined above (see the second comment), but uniqueness is mostly how throughout Brandon Cosmere there is a strong sense of morality - but not a simplistic morality of good and evil, instead, being heavily nuanced. I intend to put this, in contrast, to to to trends in mainstream fantasy, of ether more simplistic morality or a rejection of morality. But it is key to note that this is within the high fantasy tradition and not just all fantasy that does not have the grandness scope of the Cosmere (as for example the work of Patrick Ruthfuss or Joe Abercrombie) 

Yes! here a more extensive list of my current thoughts (this being too long to include in my initial intro) 

(1)    The blurring of fact and fiction

a.       How the viewer gains an understanding of the creation and function of mythos

b.      The indistinct line between these two

(2)    The mixing of Science, Religion and Magic

a.       These conceptions co-existing and subverting each other within the novel

b.      Scientific techniques used to advance magic systems

c.       Magic systems existing within a logical (scientific) Framework

d.      The intermingling of magic and religion

(3)    The question of Truth

a.       How the godlike perspective of the viewer, leads to an understanding of different interpretations

b.      The ‘truth’ within each interpretation

c.       Understanding why the mythos develops in the way it does

d.      How ‘truth’ becomes integral parts of the societies

(4)    The role of culture within these invented religions

a.       The link this has to point (5)

b.      The link this has to point (3)

c.       How to distinguish religion from culture

(5)    Why certain invented religions feel so real to us

a.       What makes a realistic religion

b.      Compare this to less believable invented religion

(6)    How these insights can be used to understand the real world

a.       How fact and fiction are not as distinct as we often believe

b.      How classifications (science, religion and magic) are often not as distinct as we believe

c.       How ‘Truth’ can be a thing concerning perspective rather than fact

(7)    The death and creation of gods

a.       The complex interlinked nature of the gods of his universe and the people

b.      In one story arc it is revelled that a planets god was killed years ago, in another we see the creation of a god

c.       This question and it’s link to point (1) and (2)

Hey all,

So before I get to it, just wanted to say hi to everyone, nice to see a thriving community of Sanderson fans.

I’m about to undertake my bachelor’s degree dissertation, in Religious Studies. I wondered if any of you could help, give feedback or simply point me in the direction of useful material.

Overview:

I will explore the idea that – Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere universe, has rediscovered nuance in modern myth-making; combing with a post-modernist deconstructivism. Using techniques, that although prevalent in ancient myth, have been all but absent in modern myth-making i.e. fantasy literature. This combing of ancient knowledge/techniques and post-modernist questioning has led to a unique product of contemporary meaning.

What I am looking for:

So general feedback or overall comments (but please include feedback of clear points of why for or against).

Any academic work that has already been done on Sanderson and pertaining to my question (please include a link).

I would also like to hear if you feel there is other fantasy series that are rivals to this.

Bit of a serious post for my first one, but that’s my life right now, all about my dissertation.

Much appreciated to any constructive comments you can add.