Lord Stormer

I've finished the end just an hour ago. After reading previous replies I think my favorite scenes aren't the popular ones. I enjoy the Stormlight Archive until the end, but I've began to think that's ironic. I'm not so drawn to the action. All the way from The Way of Kings. I love revelations, anything that's emotional to a personal level, or a twist. I am pretty much excited when the next chapter is a Dalinar vision, or later Tanavast's recollections. If I can give a chapter I like most, that's Two Women, Ch. 116. How Taravangian tears open Jasnah's contradictions... that twist has the same level of mastery Brandon wrote at the end of The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance. I noted on my paperback that's "one of the best of all five books." There's a general consensus that Adolin's arc in Azir is a favorite, but I don't get it other than how it ended. Do any of you think that battle scenes in Wind and Truth has become somewhat... dilute? Or that's me burned out?

Thanks for drawing me into another open question. Take notice I'm not a philosopher nor an artist. Ask Wit, he's wiser. I regard art as an expression, but as we live in an entropic universe, it must exalt the natural order and stand out among the uniformity of chaos. Also something we can percieve and relate with. This is a traditionalistic definition, but I'll abide with that for very clear reasons. While it is impossible to compare between artworks, we can define what is deserving and not. Great art demands hard effort. If your art plans requires much meticulous work, then you're going the right way. An artist is like a mountaineer who scales uphill against the gravity of entropy. The peak is distinct and areally limited, while the lowlands are vast and geograhically nondescript. It is the very reason why the summit is rewarding, and the hard earned sights makes it even more. No Horneater references intended. The next few lines may be controversial. The order of entropy is inevitable. Over the last century a modern form of art has emerged, one without style, chaotic, certainly unconventional. I have no idea why these works are valued incredibly. Investing in them is more like speculative stocks. In the age of artificial intelligence, these forms of art would be easily replicated. Like a fraudster would just make one piece and claim it's his / her. There is no way to verify its creator, as it has no style. But AI cannot fabricate art that has a soul. Beauty, like you see in a classic painting is much more difficult to imitate, and even if it's possible, all great arts left distinct traces of the living creator. You can know it is made by hand. How the maker draw strokes, his / her subconscious preferences, even their mistakes. So, even with all criticism of AI, it helps art in one way: raising the standards, selectively pushing us in favor of the natural order. So art is somehow self-preserving. Lastly, I fully believe art should be idealistic that it may be timeless. While I find it acceptable to point out (some of) humanity's flaws through art, recently art has become too entwined with ideologies. It is an awful contradiction when the highest form of expression mingles with the worst. When art that does not adhere to what makes it worthy, value will be depreciated, and it will be overrun somehow, like what I've said previously. While I do have faith that we will cast out the worst of our qualities just like what we have done in the last few centuries, but still. Art can only survive when it sticks to universal goodness. We can percieve art as we like and have freedom to be creative, but the truth remains. Art holds a fundamental essence. True worth favors order and distinction.

I am always eager to give opinions on question and opinion threads - if the question is not about Cosmere mechanics. I simply haven't read enough to be confident in answering. I'd invest much time in writing posts as I try to express my perspective as best possible. Seems many of you here love the Roleplaying section, but I'm not used to such games. Probably I would end up posting something embarassingly irrelevant to the thread's direction. I post most often at General Discussion. Creator's Corner is of some interest as I'm aspiring to write. Maybe I'll try helping people on lore questions when I finish more Cosmere books. When I'm confident with my drafts I want to take them to Reading Excuses, but that's still way ahead. The specific topics I love: Open questions, even about the Cosmere, unless it doesn't involve the magic system too much. Character discussions, mostly Stormlight until I finished the Cosmere.

I understand yours too. Take note I'm not a philosopher at all. When I first read this thread, I saw this question was devised to instigate a deeper contemplation, with a sense of levity. I believe this question can be answered in both traditional and modern ways, but since "wet" is heavily associated with perception, I don't see a viable solution to this question without it. Therefore I give a traditional answer, a very simple one, that is fulfilling. Surely you can provide an answer from a scientific perspective too, and that does not conflict. It's impossible to be deny perception entirely. While the ancients are quite subjective, still we are after all sentient beings trying to understand our world. Good answers are the ones that can benefit us. I pose you another example. Is space cold? Scientifically yes, as measurements give temperature a few degrees below absolute zero. But space is actually also not cold, since conduction and convection does not exist. If you are left drifting in a vacuum (inside a suit), it would take hours for you to freeze, since you dissipate heat slowly through radiation. My point is that you can answer a question with different perspectives, but there is always a demand that answers should be satisfying. "Is water wet" is a very open question, so there are several ways it can do. Space is both cold and not (very) cold - both are correct - but the 2 answers are relevant in different ways. Scientists working on sensitive equipment would use the first one, but astronauts planning how to survive with little power as possible takes the second. More than one correct answers, but relevant in different ways.

I've posted here a month or two ago, and felt compelled to give a new insight. There's history why this debate ends up discussing definitions. In the modern world, we define things concretely - by their objective distinctions, but in ancient times it was more about functions and essences - how a particular object means to us. If we turn back time and invite some people to talk about this matter at, for instance, a forum of ancient Rome, I think this discussion will go very differently. Let me give an example. What is a chicken? The ancients simply believed that it's any animal that can be killed for poultry, and tastes like it. Today we believe it as flightless bird with a specific DNA that happens to be massively cultivated. That's the reason that if we bring someone living 2,000 years ago to the 21th century, he / she will percieve a car as some exotic horse (or an elephant, depending on culture). They see functions, not defining fundamentals. I advise that we approach this discussion more carefully. The question of "is water wet" is styled more towards perception than purely objective meanings. We just happen to live in the 21th century, where education and work culture formed our understanding of the world that is unrecognizable from the rest of history. So here we are. If I should answer the question the way it demanded, then water is wet. Because when I spray it on myself, it unpleasantly lingers for some time, and when the wind blows, my body feels colder. While I fully believe the current way of understanding is superior in so many ways, I feel the old way is still in many ways relevant. I suggest if you are arguing on definitions, don't make your answers arbitrary in essence.

Certainly the United States, being Sanderson's origin and where his main publisher (Tor) is. Utah - his state of residence - certainly has the highest readers per capita, though probably larger states may have more readers overall. Usually, American authors with broad appeal have their second largest market in the United Kingdom. Sanderson's second largest publisher is the UK-based Gollancz. While not fully representative, The Sharder's Stalking Guide gives you a broad picture.

I took the test right after completing Rhythm of War and Edgedancer and Lightweaver are tied at 74%. I want to bond two spren. Shocked that it's so accurate. My favorite Ideal is the Edgedancer's "I will remember..." and I like the Lightweavers best.

First. I got into Sanderson way back in 2015/16 - I was 14 - when I finally to decided to purchase Steelheart at a bookstore. I did not remember much of the details, but that day (like always) I sought for a space opera novel that is not set on Earth. Calamity has not been released, so I'm confident about the year. I desperately wanted to not return home empty handed, but I can be insistent and very specific. It was not a fitting option, but I relented. The read was rather a skim - 400 pages done in 3 days or so - but oddly I remembered the plot more clearly than others read around that time. Honestly, it was only good. Sanderson was out of my thoughts for the next 4-5 years, but I still sought for that specific space opera. I roughly imagine it as unique like Lord of the Rings without the fantasy setting, but that would purge worldbuilding. The usual sci-fi are too hard and too Earth-centric, but I have troubling issues with Dune (which I haven't read) and Star Wars (regarding worldbuilding mechanics). Astronomy is my prime interest for already more than 15 years - and I would draw fictional planetary systems at a very early age. Guess I'm born a worldbuilder. I'm still trying to get the appropriate book, and I remembered seeing Skyward on the shelves during 2019-2021. Interested to buy, but I only done it April 10 last year. It's spectacular, and ended up reading all four books. Honestly again, I am disappointed at the direction from Starsight onwards, though the series is satisfying. During my read I learned about Sanderson's main works, and took interest in the Cosmere - especially Mistborn or The Way of Kings. Of course they're not the genre I'm seeking, but the reviews were overwhelming. I read the latter first since The Final Empire was not available on shelves. Don't tell me to buy books online - I live far in Asia. When I ordered Lord of the Rings volumes few years ago, I spent more on delivery cost than the paperback, then waited at least 6 weeks to arrive. Reading Way of Kings was a self-challenge, because I'm not so familiar with modern fantasy and the pages are daunting. It starts slow, but to make it short, at the end it lives up to its reputation. Now I'm reading Wind and Truth. Second. The Shard was easy to find after knowing Sanderson, but I felt it was not right to create an account early, so I waited until I finished the Way of Kings. If you want to know why I am here, it has much to do with the space opera I'm seeking. Sometime before reading Skyward I realized that I would never find a fitting novel. So I'll write it. My dream to become author is as old as my pursuit. Recalling again how I got here... I feel blissfully fortunate. Sanderson has provided the right resources. I am aware of the Reading Excuses section of this forum, and I wish later to submit my drafts and receive feedback. But there are rules and standards, and I worry that I would get into trouble if I do not meet requirements. There are questions I'm eager to ask. Over the last year I've worked the outlines, the worldbuilding, and changing drafts, but I don't want to rush. That was a motive to sign up to the Shard, but for most of the time being I'm just going to post on topics like everyone else.

This will be my unpopular opinion about debates in general. I am deeply conflicted over the topic of debate itself. I spent much time delving into thoughts and reasoning, arguing with myself and consistently testing my own stances. And I am always reactive on everything that does not align with my desires, and often I would be violently eager to prove them wrong. I would be confident to argue everything I have a grasp on, and if I want to, I would splash in right now. But that was the past. Now I believe debates don't do much good, and I avoid them except if I'm curious and want to have fun discussing lighter things. So, rhetoric is a vaunted art since ancient times, but I'm deeply sceptical. Usually, major debates are won by the side that does best at their prosaic embellishments of half-truths - that's reality. Psychologically, we fear to lose the argument as if it's an existential humilliation or disgrace. That's why debates - on the internet or public - are especially inflammatory; no one can afford losing. For major topics, it goes beyond the discussion. When one side trashes their opponent, they feel good about it. They share it online just to create a narrative that the opponent's view (not argument) look bad. It's an "us or them" mentality. Truth is second thought and facts are tools for justification. No meeting points, and therefore no solutions. This culture just breeds itself over, and in science it's called positive feedback. We are so intuitively ingrained that by winning, we'll convince them. But we have become more intransgent no matter win or lose, and less people on the other side are willing to accept our view. The best way is the opposite. Don't be belligerent. Try to understand not just the counterpart's argument but also how they think, how they arrive with that opinion. Since I posted on this thread, let's do a friendly discussion. Let's start with Stormlight. Moash has been divisive for long, but there's the hate for Shallan. She's my favorite because I understand her complexities. Lightweavers is favorite order. While the condition I have differs from her, I'll try summing up what she feels. You should know that a mental disorder (her case, disassociative personality) rewires the very foundations of your conscience. You have no idea of the right way to think, how you should live. She lived a false comfort for years and since she feels fine with it, that personality became entrenched. Trust me, it's hell to get the will to change because that would mean purging your own soul and learn to live a completely unfamilar normal life. That's what Wit tried to encourage her to do in "The Girl who Stood Up" (Oathbringer, Ch. 82). If we want to discuss more, feel free to invite me to a relevant thread.

I've finished Oathbringer (first time) a week before New Year. I've heard pacing issues beforehand from taking up Way of Kings, and when I started reading I tried to gauge whether I share the same thoughts as many. Books 3 onward are slow, but I see I'm not so affected. We all read with different expectations and goals. If you're a casual reader, the bulk of the pages may be daunting. I consider myself committed and possessive of details, so I mark references and notes on available blank pages, then underline paragraphs of interest. If I rush I give a target of 50 pages a day (paperback), which I completed within 3 hours. Novels are ideally like foundation struts of a skyscraper - all of them are needed or the structure falls off. So I can't really suggest for you to leave out some chapters. Stormlight is complex. Each chapter is important in different ways - even beyond Roshar. I'll say they are specialized for different purposes. Some focus on character (76, 82); some heavy on lore (38, 111); some have Cosmere connections (68?); and a few are quinessentially epic (118, 120). For best enjoyment, I won't miss any. It's Journey Before Destination - yes, Oathbringer and Rhythm of War slog down, I believe in what Brandon Sanderson always says when it comes to plot: promise, progress, and payoff. Every ending delivers.

The complusions are the worst. Like now I'm scared to go anywhere because if I have the wrong thoughts while touching things, I got the obsession to "clean" those objects. You know what I mean. I want to just say that the advices people told me has not worked. My strategy now is writing down words and convincing myself to percieve objects and my mind the right way. Relax and believe that thoughts are shadows of my mind (not the world), then ward them off by imagining them evaporate. Despite that, my mind has this wager "what if you are wrong?" and so it has been challenging. Then there are those hated topics that the more I try to get rid, the more it haunts. I'm beginning to hate suggestions that I should take up activities like sport. It doesn't click like how the Stormlight Archive envisions Kaladin is able to drive off memories and depression by simply doing duty. I crave badly to get exercise, but it had the opposite effect. When I try to run or swim, compulsions and intrusive thoughts intensify, and my head ended up overwhelmed. Can't focus.

Take me in too. I'm 23 with (unfortunately) debilitating OCD. Felt the signs in 2009 but since 2013 life has slowed down to a near halt. Can't do so much things. Is this a place to really talk, cause I don't know anyone like myself irl.

I've been waiting to post a reply since early December, but the CleanTalk filter blocked me. I thank one of the Admins who has been helpful. Immortality and invincibility are often conceived as one but of course it's not. One can live without aging but die to unnatural causes. The phoenix problem we have here is more of a thought experiment. Every magic system has their share of pure logic and the sublime. The powers and abilities, as long it intuitively connect to the reader, they don't need exact logical explanation for everything that happens. That's the invisible glass pillar that allow fantasy to stand. Fantasy's greatest strength lies in its ability to bring in wonder and empower the theme, and thus magic's best role is to back these aspects. When we force thought experiments, these aspects dissolve and the magic system won't be sufficiently accountable. Alright, let's use your phoenix. When the phoenix dies, it is reborn to an incredibly cramped room where it would suffocate. The cycle continues with attempts to rebirth until death in the same place. If the phoenix wants to be reborn, it needs non-material agent, like a powerful being. For the case of the phoenix's soul, well I need you to define the rules. I think it is pressing enough to ask this question about the phoenix: Does it command its own soul? Can it choose to be reborn like in another place? I think you need to explain. If it rebirths automatically (similar to Heralds being sent into Braize/Damnation upon death), then it can do nothing to escape its cycle. This disturbing cycle gives me an intuitive urge to find a loophole or way out, and I think that's what you want too. I also want to ask, how does this phoenix can be reborn infinitely without magical cost? Does it have other powers it can use? Anyway, without a way out, this does not make a good story.... Fantasy is so flexible, and that is a problem. You can devise any rules and abilities to enrich the plot, and the only thing you need next is balance. And since you're proposing a thought experiment on a fantasy entity of yours, it's all up to you. I can only give suggestions based on what I know of what a phoenix usually is. When I began to write I've underestimated the freedom in fantasy worldbuilding. The story I've been working on is a mix of fantasy, science fiction, and space opera, which I admit they are hard to weave. I don't have the luxury of forging fantasical creatures like spren and magical fuel like Stormlight (although we know the Cosmere might end up as a space opera), so I came up with a magic system that relies on the soul's interdimensional connections. After months of brainstorming, yesterday (11th of January) I've finally found a sound solution. It has been arduous, and this is the hardest challenge I've faced. I'm so satisfied. For aspiring authors, I need to tell you this: giving too much mechanisms and rules to magic dilutes awe and poses an increasing risk of loopholes. Not to say that the rules must bear useful relation to the plot. The terms of the Oathpact and the nature of Desolations are complicated, and since many of the rules are not natural, it is fraught with holes unless the author can handle it.

When I decided to take up The Way of Kings back in June I thought it would be overwhelming. Everyone says this book is outstanding and so I am passionate to try to dip my feet directly into Roshar instead taking heed for the "lighter" Cosmere novels. The scarce availability in my region also pressed me to get a copy, because as far as I know restocking usually take months. It was a bit daring decision as I've never read any book more than half its length (excluding Lord of the Rings if you consider the parts whole). But my gloomy expectations were unfounded. Many people said the first half of The Way of Kings is too slow, but I don't think it is. I just read, like 20-30 pages a day on average and I never gripped away. Maybe it was my OCD that driven me to the finish line. This is my second fantasy read after Lord of the Rings and I have no issues except linking all the interconnected information, lore, and plot. I wrote an index and underlined more important paragraphs. I am a slow reader who don't like missing out information. Today I've read 62 pages in the Words of Radiance then indexed the chapter and the details. Five hours, and my head still hurts as I'm writing this. If you use other platforms other than physical copy then I can understand your difficulties. I can't enjoy the experience without my notes and scrutiny.

I'm going to answer your question from an (aspiring) author's perspective. The creation of fantasy magic is really an art of balancing reality and wishes. We love to leap over reality, but vaulting too far high would abandon storytelling. You can't have magic systems too powerful, or the conflict would fall apart. You can't also sacrifice your system to hard logic as well. What if the One Ring only turns the body invisible and not the wearer's clothes? That would be absurd. Sanderson's Three Laws of Magic - you know them. I am outlining a story (terribly long outlines) where eight near immortals - they can die but can resurrect - lives precariously in a planet ruled by another immortal, who has the only weapon that can kill them. This One wants to leave this prison planet. I wrestle with the mechanics of resurrection and what happens between life and death for these eight. A few months ago I'd proposed that the Eight are immune to damage, but that would break the plot, so I created this weapon owned by the One. However, I wanted that the Eight lose all their memories at death for conflict purposes. This is where it got interesting. I discovered that I cannot impose full amnesia because it's not intuitive. How do they knew the language and their names? Therefore I opted for a partial amnesia, where they had fragmented memories. They have their outfit, know their name, and parts of the language. I found that satisfying, but I still want finer input. The art of balancing reality and wishes. Let intuition fill in the blanks, because readers are intuitive beings. The fundamental aspect of fantasy is the alteration of nature, and therefore magic systems are not accountable to the mechanics of real physics or any other sciences. For your questions, I have suggestions. 1. For the genetically diseased phoenix, you would want a coherent explanation why the genetic disease recurs. It is not very intuitive. The phoenix should be reborn anew by default because the essence of resurrection is a gift of a new body. 2. I believe you mean that you want to remove the phoenix's ability to resurrect. I could write that the phoenix has enough suffering on its life that his soul decided to forfeit further incarnations. Disheartening. That assumes that the soul lives between incarnations, so it's intuitively sound. 3. I can't really understand your intent, but I see the forced imposition of hard logic here. If you write a book about water breathing magic readers should be able to ignore that question and assume that your character's body fluids can adapt seamlessly to the magic. The high ridge between magic and logical soundness is a challenge for all fantasy enthusiasts. How do you make the magic powerful, sound, useful, and magical?

Should I insert absorption into the equation? I'm sure none of you will have this debate in the first place if the skin is unable to absorb moisture. Here where it's goes interesting. Water is cohesive - the molecules have a high affinity of in attracting each other - and that's why it form droplets. Some insects can travel on water without getting wet and some animals have skin that does not absorb moisture. These creatures would disagree if water is wet. But there is another property - adhesion. Water has also a high affinity of sticking to surfaces. That's why we had a hard time rinsing off water off our skins after a handwash unless we have an absorbing agent (tissues, towels) or wait until it evaporates. When water has been absorbed, it sticks. In this context, water is wetter than other liquids like alcohol or some hydrocarbons. So, water is not so wet compared to other liquids, but if your skin is a good absorber, it is very wet.

I've been reading Brandon's works continuously for six months - some of the Cosmere and Skyward's all four. I am a slow and attentive reader who tried to not miss out anything on the pages. The length of the books poses a challenge (I read 20 - 30 pages an hour), but nevertheless it hasn't stop me. Recently it caught into my mind that apparently Brandon sometimes applied minimal (or only essential) details to events and settings instead of more vivid and concise descriptions. On items, objects, and lifeforms, he's done decent detail, however. I never doubted his worldbuilding, but there are often times that I wished he could invest more words in some areas. While I understand that his prose is akin to "glass" instead of "flowery", it arises some implications for me as a reader. I see that by writing this way, he left much of the visuals to the readers' imaginations instead of taking full command in the first place. He's said that in his lectures, so I think it is intentional. Back at school I was taught to write imaginatively - with vividness and clarity - and today, I still care about exact detail when possible. While reading the books I had a hard time visualizing events, settings, and especially combat scenes. I am forced to reread pages (sometimes repeatedly) because my OCD won't let me go until I get a flawless grasp on what's happening. Reading Mistborn I am somewhat unsatisfied with how he described Luthadel. It's just... doesn't feel enough. We have a detailed map of major city, supposedly complex and rich in every corner, but it doesn't project in my mind to what I've expected it to be. Same goes for Roshar, but we have an abundance of illustrations. Reading combat scenes is my greater issue. Should be an enjoyment but I often struggled. I give you an example: Interlude 9 (between Part 3 and 4) in The Way of Kings, Death Wears White. This is an intense chapter that I read in a loop before ending. Imagining the exact sequences of the fight is challenging. Here is an excerpt of a scene I also had a problem. Regarding immersion in combat, on one of his old lectures Brandon gave advice to new authors "don't do beat by beat" in these kind of scenes. I agree with that one, but he often just sum up / paraphrase "what essentially happened" in an act, much like in the excerpt above (and much of the chapter's context). There are minimal clues of direction, position, or clues of the surroundings - I have to interpolate it all. Sometimes the spatial descriptions are barely sufficient. Have you ever feel lost, confused, or disoriented during these sorts of scenes? When I feel almost blind to the environment setting, I lost the immersion, and when that happens I must reread the paragraph or the page, which is frustrating. I have some questions to ask, especially to physical copy readers: Is it just me? I may find my reading mindset to be a bit uncommon though because the majority of you Cosmere readers use audiobooks. If you are one of them, how do you even envisage the story when you speed up the narrator 2.5 times the normal speed? Is visualization a core part of your experience? Do you have any suggestions so I can absorb the text more effectively? Is my desire to understand the story too possessive? Am I reading the wrong way?

I see this thread talks a lot about Brandon's portrayal of religion, but I want to say about more of the fundemental undercurrents. Shortly after I read Steelheart back in 2015 I found out on the web that Brandon is religious (like myself), and that did not surprise me. Haven't read that since, but I know he alluded his views minimally on that one, so it's not a big deal. I read Skyward back on April, and I found that series as a whole more revealing. It's a YA book, so I didn't expect Brandon to weave out his more critical views (then I haven't read the Cosmere), but he did imply his beliefs subtly yet profoundly in some scenes. I believe in free will just like Brandon, and I usually percieve that free will is closely associated with spirituality while determinism is closely associated to materialism. The reasoning is quite complex, so I wouldn't explain throroughly. It's hard to believe Brandon is not religious when he adheres to that doctrine (which he admitted in his FAQ page). Brandon's worldbuilding heavily features fundemental spiritual elements. He often presupposes the existence of the unseen in a way that is necessary and integral to the universe itself. While of course there are authors who insert these concepts without being religious, I think Brandon goes further by a shot. It's just that I would believe that he is so much likely to be religious than not. You may not believe me, but I think Brandon's faith exerts the greatest influence on his outlook on life and therefore the themes he wrote. An author's worldview define writings like fingerprint on ink. When Brandon said he can't write dark fantasy, I think it's more because of his convictions not his capabilities. We know the prevalent themes in his works - Cosmere and non-Cosmere - hope, heroism, faith (not necessarily religious), love (not romance), redemption, honor, and others - despite how depressed and broken is the world. He wants to show that life is not an inescapeable tragedy. Honestly, I think this is the reason many of us are captivated. He may have a critical portrayal of humans engaging on religion (which I cannot disagree), but the core of his works really speaks for his inherent self. Tolkien is a similar case. Again, I need to acknowledge that of course non religious authors can do the same, but still, the aforementioned themes are closely aligned to many religious faiths. I agree with you about balanced perspectives. That is one of Brandon's literary merit. I love Shallan and Jasnah's conversations. Brandon himself stated that those parts are one of the hardest to write. That concept where the Almighty is dead is quite puzzling though, because I as a religious person believe the Almighty as an essence, not merely an entity. But well, the Cosmere is a fantasy universe, so Brandon has the right to rewrite all rules. That I can accept. Regarding portrayal of religion in science fiction and fantasy, that is very much true. Fantasy is probably the most neutral ground regarding this topic, maybe due to the influence of Tolkien, Lewis, and others, but science fiction is had always that cold stance. I have been aspiring to write a space opera for a decade, and honestly that has bugged me for years. Needless to say literature at large (not just SFF) paint religion in a negative light ever since the end of WWII (can be traced back to the 18th century), but especially after the events of the 1960s. Those who rise to fame during the upheavals are still dominating the circles. I think literary criticisms of religion are institutional not individual. That's where Brandon diverged. As many of you have said, he's writing the flaws of humanity, and one of the common ways to justify cruelty and oppression is religion. While that is a reality, there are many other ways, like envy, "the greater good", or of course, ideology.

1. Chapter 67 in The Way of Kings - while impressive - is not my best 5 in the book. 2. Relatedly, somehow I tolerate what Amaram did in Ch. 51, but Roshone's retaliation in 44 is outright irredeemable.

I've read all four. Skyward would be an awesome live-action adaptation, but I fear the "magic system" of slugs and the nowhere would break Starsight onward. It feels a bit... odd if tweaks are not made. The first book has the pace and the stakes of a sci-fi Top Gun, and if Sanderson wants a soft launch I would commend this.

Well, since you've said that you can only use your blood, so I would assume everyone has a unique type of blood, thus throwing off the possibility of transfusion, except if one desires an excruciating death. That way, it wouldn't take much time for civilization to realize how potent it is to transfer your own blood to your enemies, either by injection or by a custom ability. Otherwise, it would also pose a VERY intriguing tribal divide if the inhabitants of your planet have rather human like classification of blood types. Some blood types are reciprocally transfusible (A to B, B to A), but some are not (C to D, not D to C). You should explore about that.

I'm afraid my answer would be silly from the point of view of those who have finished Rhythm of War, so I say that I would like to relax on my boat at relatively storm-free Purelake.

I'm Lord Stormer and I am delighted to finally become a member of the 17th Shard. Prelude One afternoon on an forgotten date back in 2015. I stepped on a conveying elevator at the third floor of a shopping mall. I had hopes, but nothing specific. The fourth floor had a bookstore which I have visited often, but still, even at the verge of the entrance, my intent was less formed. I did not know exactly what book I should buy. The bookstore was spacious by local standards, but it wasn't size that drove me there. It was the stock of imported fiction. I knew most of the shelves and sections. So I stepped in. Often I had left other stores empty-handed. I loathed when that happened. I was always selective ever since I began to read. Though I had no clue of what I should buy, I would often find myself lingering around certain shelves. It wasn't my first visit nor my last. I'd seen similar titles, overviews, covers, and backcovers for years, and that didn't help much. Never what I'd wanted. That soft resentment did not disabuse me from the bookstores, instead it refined my preferences. I was desperate to the point I would rather write it myself. I would often take a handful of hours strolling around, scrutinizing the same areas over again for what I might missed. The fantasy and science fiction shelves had failed me. Any age suitable non-earth space operas with a mix of fantasy? No, there was never. I was fourteen that day. I'd tolerated slight deviations to my preference. The time of closure was closing in and I haven't decided. The person who had accompanied me that day persuaded me to leave soon. I scrambled for a book, and snatched one from a shelf leaning against the wall. The shelf was about twice my height, but the book perched on a low ledge. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. Firefight was on sale, but Calamity had yet to be published. That was the only detail I can recall that corroborated the year of the visit. It could still deviate slightly. I had not high hopes, but I rushed to the cashier anyway. I had not high hopes, so I read it with glances and not turning back on pages I did not fully understand. Four hundred pages were done in two days. Good, but it's not what I sought for. And the years passed. Prologue Eight and a half years later. I'd lost that copy of Steelheart and did not read the sequels, yet that book was a candle that won't die. I've read other books before and after, but almost mystically it left an imprint in my mind. Despite the frivolous read, I remembered the scenes (especially the ending) better than any other books I've read up until 2018. I still don't have a sound explanation why. Maybe the author's themes really appeals to me. By the way, that bookstore closed in 2021. Fortunately, the chain had another branch in another mall. April 2024, I visited it, still on the same pursuit. I still want an appropriate space opera. At March I bought a trilogy (clue: it won the Hugo where Brandon's work was in that same shortlist that year) in a book fair. I didn't like it, not my type at all. I badly wanted a space opera that suits me. I searched into titles and saw Skyward, yet somehow I was tentative. That book had been a regular fixture since 2021, but somehow I'd missed. I left empty handed. At home I wondered what should I read. Thoughts swirled inside my head that I should seek again. I craved for a match, so I gave chance another try. I waded along the same alleys and saw the same paperbacks, then inevitably there was the Sanderson shelf. I lived away in Asia, but there's a whole shelf for this author. And there was Skyward with some Gollancz (same for the rest of his works) edition copies slumbered upon the top ledge. I was still tentative till that minute on 10th of April 2024. Yes, it's an appropriate space opera but somehow the premise of the story didn't fit me exactly. I knew, however, that it was my best chance. I grabbed one copy and fled to the cashier. I didn't look back ever since. Actually my timid self broke into Instagram and celebrated the fact that I've found the book I sought for more than a decade. It would become the first series that I completed (other than The Lord of the Rings, of course, but some called it a single novel), and I did it in two months. I was a slug (reference intended) reader, in my truest form. First Chapter Sometimes you won't find what you desire, and that is good, because that longing would force you to write. That lack of fantasy space operas had always enflamed my desire to write, although English is somewhere between my first and second language (that is very long tale). Sometimes I pray for things far fetched, and I still do. Sanderson was more than just an acquaintance rediscovered. I am fulfilled in terms of what I want to read and how to learn to write. While I rather learn by reading instead of by video, the resources had been immensely useful. I think you can spot my prevalent mistakes. I am always easily obsessed, and it worried me. I had been obsessed with many topics in the past, and I had come to regret some of them. Will this last or fail? By 7th of June, Cytonic (book three) had came to a conclusion. I bought the last copy of Defiant available nationwide, but yet I need something new once the series is done. By then I've realized that the best of Sanderson wasn't any that I've read. He is in many ways a fantasy writer. Mistborn... or The Way of Kings? By then, I've been battered by an unhealthy amount of spoliers of both masterpieces. It was a result of my obsession, and I admit that I regretted it to an extent. I must make a decision. I've read both overviews, preferred Kaladin than Kelsier, and having gathered the fact that The Way of Kings is the epic, I went to the mall, took one escalator down, and entered the bookstore with a name in mind. I've never read a bulky paperback (other than The Lord of the Rings, which I read lazily for two and a half years), but I didn't care. It was an ambitious read, but honestly I don't really like prerequisites. I sought for The Way of Kings Part I (Gollancz editions are divided into two) on that same day. That mall has two bookstores that sell Sanderson - though the other less frequently. I hurried to each, but stocks had gone empty on both. So as The Final Empire. When I bought Starsight and Cytonic on the same day at May, one was left for Part I. This store chain is the only one selling Sanderson books at a regular basis nationwide, and a restock would take months. Trepidation filled me as I asked the cashier. The store chain has two branches. I'm going to ask on the other. Second Chapter "The Way of Kings Part I. May I know whether there is stock at the other branch?" That was my request translated. The customer service employee searched the digital database and told to me that there was one. One. I spoke gratitude and left for home. Another employee told me that The Final Empire is a successful title in my country even though no local editions exist even until the moment I am writing this. So I must haste. The second branch was about thirty kilometers from home, but fortunately my family planned for a takeout near that branch, and we went the next day. While the rest ate, I walked to claim the first entry of Roshar. The read was no disappointment. I knew many had criticized the pace, but such a great world necessitated a long introduction. The build up was subtle as well. I didn't expect that I would commend so much a page laden hard fantasy. Everything looked fine up to this. If I can read a little more than one half part of each Stormlight Archive, I would be there with you all on December 6th. Around two weeks later I went to the first bookstore for Part II. I knew where it would be. One was there at my last visit. Not anymore. I had higher hopes when I requested a database search for Part II. This time, customer service declared that no copies were available. My spirits sunk. The date 6th of December haunted me. Every fan must have been waiting or even re-reading the series, but I'm stumbled upon a quagmire. A restock would take months. Third Chapter I've always resisted buying books online, a last resort for titles or editions not sold traditionally. I've never owned an e-book, let alone audiobook. I acknowledge that Sanderson fans are inclined to use audiobooks due to the length. I have absolutely no problem with that choice, but I've been a hardcopy on site buyer for more than a decade. It feels more intimate to own one directly rather "having the right to access a service" or something like that. No matter how forced am I, the furthest I'd go is an online buy. Customer service of any bookstore had informed me repeatedly that stocks can replenish anytime, but more likely at the end of a month. So I had a good reason not to buy online, especially when stocks could refill within six weeks of proposed delivery times. I stalked the bookstores every few days, despite my favorite store lies eleven kilometers from home. Weeks passed since June, and my patience was as hopeful as flipping an hourglass. I bought Skyward Flight and Tress of the Emerald Sea during this period - on sale at some other store chains, providing me with something, but Brandon's Instagram posts about Wind and Truth brought me unsettled my days... and weeks. I have unruly OCD, and other than reading the rest to completion I could only comment despair on Brandon's updates and fiddling myself with fan posts. Sometimes spoilers leaked out like Stormlight. A few of my regrets. Tress was nearing to its end, and on late August there was a book fair out of city. Someone offered me a service where they could search the fair (and the stores) and fetch books by request to be delivered. I gave it a try, but I knew I won't proceed even if they found either Elantris, The Final Empire, and The Way of Kings. The next day, 30th, I was unexpectedly invited for a lunch near the store where I got Part I. It was the end of the month. As I remembered that lunch, I ate eagerly. Then I ran two kilometers under the humid 34 degrees C sun. Exhaustive, but it was worth it, of course. Four hundred meters from destination someone saw me running under the heat and offered me a FREE bike ride I never asked. How many times had that happened in my life? I couldn't recall. We arrived and parted, then I boarded the escalator up to the first floor. The glass sidedoors of the bookstore opened and I set my sights to the Sanderson shelf. No there was not Part II, just further entries of The Stormlight Archive. As expected. But I was drenched in sweat and I can't stop until I got a definite answer. One Words of Radiance Gollancz copy stood on one ledge. I removed it to see what's behind. I broke the soothing silence of the store. Fourth Chapter I vividly remembered that hour. How the book was there all the time I did not understand. I speculate it was a data error. At the customer service desk I saw firsthand fresh copies of Frugal Wizard and some other titles being unpacked from delivery. They'd just arrived. As what you've expected, I asked for The Final Empire, and after checking the database an employee confirmed the stock, but it hadn't been on location. I can wait on that one. I walked away like a victory lap. I went home with that the latter part of The Way of Kings, and on the way back one of the volunteers from the fetching service messaged me that The Final Empire copies were in stock at that mall branch I frequently visited. I won't let it slip this time. Purchase was done the next day, and I could finally ward off the worries. Later installments of both series are much less scarce, so it's something I would worry about. I winded through the rest of The Way of Kings. To be honest, I loved the emotions and the twists than the action. It might be an unpopular opinion, but my favorite chapter that is not from Part V is 44. The epilogue was done at at Tuesday (24/9), and I'm taking a brief break (not really, I'm reading The Emperor's Soul I bought online at my birthday) before planning to start Words of Radiance this weekend. I think that it would only do justice to register when I've passed a major Cosmere novel. I tried it at the hour of completion, but some issues prevented me to sign up, even to file a ticket. So I emailed @Chaos, hoping that he might help. Three hours before I began to write this post, it suddenly popped out from my email that an admin has created me an account. I am heavily indebted to whoever that admin is. Wish me the best to finish of Rhythm of War by December. I have that in mind. Journey before Destination - we might say. Lord Stormer