Croaker's Apprentice

Being a writer

A Song of Ice & Fire, by George RR Martin- Elantris - Mistborn, The Final Empire - Words of Radiance- Edgedancer- Warbreaker- Game of Thrones, the TV show-

Hey Chaos, it's a pity you weren't Cosmere Admin when Rashek had a similar problem "posting" Scadrial into its new orbit... Also, I'm personally hoping that one of the Shards will turn out to be Humor "God's own Divine sense of humour, separated from the puns that gave it context" (as they say).

Odium isn't an embodiment of either of those things is he ? Odium isn't evil, he is a piece of God - "God’s own divine hatred, separated from the virtues that gave it context" - as Frost writes to Hoid. Odium may certainly be the Enemy, but he is explicitly *not* an Epic Fantasy "Dark Lord" (and neither were Ruin, or the Lord Ruler for that matter, despite superficial resemblances).

Avengers: Infinity War: The Black Company series, by Glen Cook:

You're welcome ! I love noticing 'mythic connections' like that, it gets us ever closer to the Grand Unified Theory of Story...

I'm sure this has been pointed out before, but I just came across the fact that the Greek Goddess of Ruin/ Downfall is called Ate (Ati's sister from another mister perhaps ?) Hence this passage from "Julius Caesar" (Mark Antony speaking) - And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, with Ate by his side, come hot from Hell, shall in these confines with a monarch's voice, cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war... Here's hoping that dog Odium doesn't get hold of Ati's old Shard or we may all have a problem !

Interesting point. Do you have Free Will if your freedom is constrained by parameters ? I don't see how Ruin and Preservation could not have Free Will, but could create humans (the Scadrians) who do. Also, Autonomy, the Shard of Free Will, must surely have it, mustn't she ? It would be a bit weird if the Shard of Free Will was governed by Determinism. ...But funny !

Definitely; Peter Pan and Tinkerbell 4 Ever !

Doesn't that quote from Brandon just mean that Odium/ Anger as a concept is not inherently evil ? But if Rayse or Ati choose to do terrible things we can consider them to be evil. After all, surely Brandon isn't saying that in the Cosmere, humans have free will but Shards of God do not ?

Well, without getting into a theological debate (which can be fun, but I'm on my lunch break) (pancakes before journey in this case) isn't the point that we are dealing with a God that has been shattered into separate parts, and even if you are right that God's (Adonalsium's) Mercy was intrinsic to his Devotion (or Love as you define it), post- shattering they could still be separate Shards of the divinity's broken identity couldn't they ? I would also point out that Love itself may well be considered to be made up of more than simply Devotion... Thanks for the interesting conversation ! Bite-sized philosophy is always a good filler for sandwiches.

I would beg to disagree, as Mercy is clearly different from Devotion/ Love. You wouldn't tend to be merciful towards someone you love would you; quite the opposite, mercy is for those you would otherwise hate ?

I was speculating on the identity of the 6 'known unknown' Shards the other day and definitely think MERCY has to be one of them - your theory tends to confirm this !

Just though I'd share some inspirational words from newly published author Dalinar Kholin on the art of writing - The most important word a person can write. It's not the first one, is it ? It's the next one. Always the next one.

On a recent visit to Venice, I came across this painting by Titian in the Gallerie dell'Accademia, clearly showing a young child Invested with Stormlight...Probably a Lightweaver I suspect. Later the same day, we found ourselves in a church where a choir opened a choral performance with "O Radiant Dawn..." Just wanted to share !

I have always though Lift is channelling Cultivation’s Power, not Honor’s, when she burns food; wasn’t there a scene in one of Lift’s early interlude chapters in which Nin is trying to keep Stormlight infused gems away from her, not understanding that she is getting her powers from food ? Anyway, that’s what I tell myself when I decide to have a second bowl of cornflakes for supper.

I think the humour (forgive British spelling) in the books is great and doesn't at all affect my Connection with the story; whilst a lot of Cosmere characters do like the style of 'subversion of expectation' to deliver a punchline, as well as extended wordplay/ puns, perhaps that's because a lot of people generally employ those styles (I would point out, for example, that Allomancers are known to burn irony). It is much better than the rather po-faced world of the Wheel of Time which was a laughter desert most of the time(whereas we know God has a sense of humour, even if Wit isn't a Shard). There are plenty of characters e.g Wax and Vasher who don't go in for that kind of comedy schtick at all, a nice contrast to the others. Although having said that, I'm sure you'd agree Vasher can deliver a killer one-liner ?

I'm new around here, so apologies as this is probably a repetition of previous discussions, but would anyone like to share their favourite soundtrack albums for reading Brandon's works ? I remember reading a while back that Brandon wrote one of the Mistborn books to the soundtrack of the M. Night Shyamalan film "The Village". Personally, I rather enjoyed some Jeremy Soule music whilst thrilling to the adventures of Vin and Elend & co in that blasted land, in the form of the soundtrack from Skyrim (note - I never played the actual computer game, so the music was fresh for me and not associated with anything pre-existing, which is probably why it worked so well). Mistborn Era 2, and what a pleasure is a 'reading night' featuring top- notch Wax & Wayne banter to the strains of the soundtrack of "Westworld" (Season 1), washed down by a sharp whisky. When it comes to what is surely Brandon's 'magnum opus' in the form of The Stormlight Archive, I suggest Jeremy Soule's "Fear Not This Night" as excellent 'title' music to commence an evening reading The Way of Kings, but above and beyond that I highly recommend the albums of Audiomachine, which appear to have been specifically written as scores for epic fantasy books. Their album "Tree of Life" appears almost to have been written to be synchronised with the climatic sequence of The Way of Kings (start listening to tracks 3 - 5, "An Unfinished Life" to "Equinox" as Kaladin teeters on the brink of doing the right thing). I would also recommend their other albums "Epica" and "Existence" and for Oathbringer's amazing final chapters a particular sequence from the album "Life" featuring the very aptly entitled tracks - "Reunited", "Remember Not to Forget", "Try Again Tomorrow", "The Falling", "Radiant", "All Is Not Lost" and "Life Imitates Art". Blast *that* music out as you stand with Dalinar in the gap in the wall...brilliant stuff. Or should that be, radiant ?

That was my impression as well (although I may have had a few beers at the time); but isn't Kaladin in love with Syl ?