Inkthinker

Dangit. Double-post.

Also "Dalinar and Andolin facing death". Though the gif for that was somewhat closer to what I felt when reading Taravangian's reveal.

Hah! I didn't even think to take off the dust jacket. You're right, it's quite nice. The typo is the one, singular, perfect flaw that reminds us of the nature of the universe; nothing is finished, everything is process. It's very Zen.

Hazekillers for Shardbearers? Sounds like a plan. I think if a shardbearer were hit often enough by concentrated crossbow fire, it'd be enough to crack and potentially even disable shardplate, but a single bolt won't do it. Not even a handful, you'd need to be hit hard and in short order. Maybe it would help soften 'em up, and if they don't have a shardblade you could overwhelm them with numbers and weight, but if you're one-to-one your best bet is to pull a Kaladin. And even he was lucky, fighting someone who was (if the rumours pan out) inexperienced and over-confident.

Got my print copies today. I gotta say, this book is damnation pretty! And frickin thick, too, it really does fit beautifully next to the hardcovers of the novels. Artwork ain't half bad neither.

All that sorta depends upon an infinite supply of half-shard tech, which if I recall is a fairly recent development and probably somewhat cost-prohibitive to use just anywhere. I could see crossbows being suppressed in Alethkar or Jah Kaved, but as mentioned I wouldn't be surprised to see them in other nations that don't have the shard superiority. Just remember, the problem with crossbows is that they take a bit of time to reload. If there's only a handful of guys with crossbows, they had better get in some VERY good shots with the first volley or that shard-bearer is going to get in amongst them, and then it gets splattery real quick.

WE 7.24, June 10th. About a month ago. http://www.writingexcuses.com/2012/06/10/writing-excuses-7-24-project-in-depth-way-of-kings/ But yes, coral colonies and tidal pools were a specific inspiration. It's no accident that a Chull looks like a giant hermit crab with elephant feet, that skyeels swim through the air, or that the Axehound is a nightmare crossbreed of snapping turtle and lobster... it's at the core of what Brandon asked for in those designs, and it's all quite purposeful. He's not just doing it to be different (though that's a nice side benefit).

I'm always a bit amused when it's suggested that homosexuality isn't "manly", considering the historical evidence that our own "warrior cultures" have embraced the practice (notably both the Samurai and the Spartans, arguably the most successful warrior-centric societies in recorded history, considered homosexuality to be pretty normal). Brandon doesn't touch on sexuality much unless it's relevant to the plot. It's entirely reasonable to believe that there are gay men amongst the warriors of Alethkar, and (as mentioned before) nobody cares. It's just not relevant to the story being told. Even if there's socio-cultural elements of it in the society, we're not likely to run into them in the canonized story unless those aspects are relevant to the plot.

Kaladin's hardly asexual, he's had at least two romantic relationships. Both of which ended badly, and he's spent most of Book 1 with a bad case of "everyone who gets close to me dies", which kept him from pursuing any relationships. Not that I recall a lot of opportunities... lately he's been hanging out in a sausage fest, and he's too noble to partake of camp prostitutes (presuming bridge crew are even allowed), so there's been no subject for Kaladin to be romantic involved with. If he's been seen as "asexual", it's been a matter of circumstance as much as character. I expect that won't last long. I do wonder if we might get a Tinkerbell moment with Syl/Kaladin at some point. But I don't see them ever being an actual couple. Though Sanderson might surprise us, you can never tell with that guy.

Bear in mind as well (and I'm almost certain that this was explicitly clear in the book) that it's not just about Shallan's family. They're the local lighteyes of wherever (Jah Kaved, but I don't recall what they're in charge of there), which presumably means that they've got lands and such to care for. Being a noble family means being responsible for an exponetially expanded group of people beyond just her immediate relatives. If her family goes under, then so do their retainers, associates, servants, etc. Their territory will be taken over by someone else, quite possibly someone who will be worse for the local darkeyes. And yes, as mentioned... if they can't pay their debts, they're not going to be exiled to a farm to live in rags. Her family is going to be systematically assassinated. Maybe the women will live... but they might wish they hadn't.

K/A.... Kaladin... Andolin? That's... wow. Completely off the rails, but wow. What a pairing. That's practically up there with Sam/Dean shipping (minus the incest angle).

This. If you (like me) have been reading too much epic fantasy, it's easy to forget that most fiction runs in at 400-600 pages.

Maybe I missed it, but has nobody pointed out that Szeth might neutralize a Mistborn's mobility through Lashing? Stick 'em to the ground, or better yet the wall or ceiling, especially at multiple gravities, and they're going to be in a heap of trouble.

You guys really reckon that bullets and coins will smash through Plate that easily? Maybe bullets, but coins... I dunno, seems like they're a bit soft for punching through Plate, given that they can often be blocked with wooden shields. Though Kelsier's "storm of metal" attack would probably put a dent in Plate pretty quickly, I wonder if it's all enough to stop Dalinar from getting in close with his Blade. Do we assume each player has full knowledge and understanding of the others' abilities? That affects battle strategy immensely.

Can Shard metal be pulled upon through allomancy? It's not a topic Brandon's ever ruled upon (I think), but it would majorly change up the tatics used in the fight. If it were me, I'd make it either inert (like aluminum) or at best "slippery". Otherwise an Allomancer is just going to play with a Shard-bearer like a kitten with a ball of string until he gets bored. Would you pit Scadrial vs. Roshar first and then face off the winners, or pit the players against their counterparts and then against each other? 'Cause Kelsier would very likely destroy Wax in a one-one fight. And Dalinar was arguably a better warrior than Gavilar, who gave Szeth a serious run for the money, so it's not looking good for Szeth if Dalinar has Plate and both have blades. Or is it all four in a pit brawl? Anything can happen in such chaotic conditions.

Offhand, wear around the hammer and cylinder, probably around the breech from the blasts of each round. I know gunpowder grains can grind up in there unless you clean it regular, and even then I gotta reckon it'll scratch up any finish.

Notes, bars, and coppers. I think. I believe the notes are paper bills that can be traded for metal at a bank (as classic bank notes were tradable for gold or silver). Not sure what the bars are made of. Not sure if coppers are actually made of copper.

I'd call an accent a matter of socio/cultural factors, not genetic. I'm not sure if their stature or hair color really separates them from the Alethi. Though I suppose "dark" hair is not the same as "black" hair. The Herdazian fingernails, on the other hand, sound like they're a legit genetic marker.

...Actually, it was because Tin is for enhanced senses, so it made sense as the symbol for those who see clearly and hear more than the average citizen. But I can roll with "E" for "Elendel" too, sure, why not? Totally intentional, meant it the whole time.

Near as I can recall, it's contextual. And if there's an "OU" point (like "though") then I believe the rule was to use one symbol. Same for situations with double-letters. Browsing the valkynphyre translation, nothing else stood out. As I said, almost perfect. I did double-check the second paragraph, and I did get it right ("is greater by far"). Don't scare me like that! I got a nervous disposition. In the end it was just meant to be a fun game for someone to play. I tried hard to get a "secret" in there, but there wasn't anything I could include that Brandon was ready to let out into the wild. So I ended up just writing a lot of pseudo-religious-sounding text that seemed suitable to the Ministry. I reckon if anything in there was determined to be "wrong", we could chalk it up to the Ministry being mistaken. Not me, of course. I never make mistakes.

Hm. On the other hand, I could also see it working like a partitioned HDD, with each Feruchemist only being able to access that portion of the metalmind that they personally invested. From a mechanics standpoint, option 2 has the most potential for fun application, but if the Treatise isn't clear on this point, then someone ought to ask Peter/Brandon. Ooh! Plot hook suitable for the RPG (or a very good fan-fic writer): a group of feruchemists each puts a part of some great secret into a single metalmind, and at some later date they're being murdered one by one by spiking, to create one person who can access the whole thing (who is also going increasingly insane by being multi-spiked).

Almost perfect, well done!! But "bend" should be "bind". Easy mistake, the I/E share a symbol. Also I thought it was "those chosen" rather than "the chosen", but I might have messed up (though we triple-blind-checked it). If I really did write "is by greater by far", it'd be nice if the wiki translation fudged a grammar correction there (it should just be "is greater by far", of course). It's not surprising that the text is hard to read at that resolution, especially when you add in that I had a whole internalized set of rules for allowing the symbols to touch in order to aid in the "script" effect. Letters do blend together a little, intentionally. I think that image might be my favorite out of the whole set... I was wondering how long it would be until someone got around to translating it.

It might create an interesting element of tension for the Demon to be stalked by John without the Demon understanding the danger he's in, while the reader is fully cognizant of it.

Videogames. Dude loves him some games.

It's a low-budget but potentially effective approach on Paloppa's part. I think they've certainly gotten the right mood in place, though the director in me flinched badly when they broke the 180 rule in there. I'm glad I'm not the only person who thought of the The Lord Marshal's signature effect from "The Chronicles of Riddick" when imagining atium at work. Here's to hoping they can get some movement with this!