hubrisnxs

Didn't want this to fall into the ether without proper praise

Hey. Fascinating topic(s). I just wanted to point out when Brandon said Odium had influence "not much, but some" he was speaking of all shards having some influence everywhere. He often says this kind of thing when someone asks if ____ had influence on this or that happening in world. Almost without exception, it's yes, but the "not much" turns out to be quite a little

I have read pretty much every epic Fantasy published in the last 20 years, including self published ones, and this series towers above all of them. So you don't feel like you are putting money on the line, create a Gmail account and get an audible credit. Download Way of Kings, good sir. In my experience, for a book this long, you usually see huge battles between partisans: Infinite Jest, Gravity's Rainbow...you get the point. I have thrust this book on more friends than any other in my life (that's my habit), and I have yet to see someone get 20% in and not be thoroughly engrossed. That said, Words of Radiance, imo, is far superior, although I have no idea how the story can really continue at this pace for 8 to 10 books.... Frankly, I'm baffled how the third book can be anything approaching what we who treasure this series would want... The POV is going to be largely focused on a character that we don't really want as a protagonist, and, again, the pace is so frantic at this point that I am hesitant to recommend this to people until the third book comes out. It's kind of ironic, since I was just as engrossed by Wheel of Time when I was a kid, as were many of my peers... And I dread that it's going to be a bit like WoT books 5-8, though I actually loved those books. I just know almost all those peers set it aside until Brandon came in and finished it up. Apologies for the length and lack of lucidity; I assure you, Brandon may write as much, but for some reason that is beyond my ken, he isn't tedious. Hope you take the audible challenge, but elsewise wish you well, BCH

This is probably an awkward way to make a first post, I just want to say that the discussion re: Kaladin/depression was one I found fascinating. Well, compelling. Either one, really, and either way, I'd also put it to you that the discussion re:difficulty of making a point without the use of voice inflection/body language/etc was also...so.

I've read and listened to it twice, and I cannot think of timelines established, year wise, in any areas except the prefaces to the chapters ["Chapter 6 Terrible destruction. We had never considered we'd have Parshendi spies among our slaves, yada yada yda Journal of Blah Blah Yessasan 1174" I'm thinking I'm either incredibly dense, or just coy good writing to have all that detail without firmly established dates excepting those written in the future, with hindsight and/or irony. This means that we know specific people will survive long enough for their same-surnamed scholar to use the pronoun: "we" after cataclysmic events, after enough time has past that their writings are later considered important. As important, I'd wager as capt obvious, as the death rattle silliloquys in WoK

I am one of those people that did the audible/kindle whispersync thing; which I do not capitalize and do generalize since, dollars to nickels, I am not the only one who does this. Just establishing that; you know, for the whole "credibility" thing. That said, either the transition to reading whilst walking (or, if I'm being completely honest, a few while listening or doing the ol' standing/reading routine) has resulted in many a faux-pratfall, faceplant, or elsewise bungling, and though I can't call my body anywhere near as damaged as the book, as metaphors go I feel they're a bit equivalent. A real part of my none-too-stoopid mind has been through a real ringer, to speak in cliche and awful. New paragraph! I strangely felt, reading/listening-to WoK, in a way I can only compare to my reading of Infinite Jest. Maybe I shouldn't call it "strange;" specifically, a sustained piece of narrative just should not be this good. I am inclined to the espoused theory, admittedly stemming from my fear, jealousy, or whatever base notions first inclined me to agree, that Brandon used Wit to explain how he can't possibly live up to this again. Then again, it was a very good book, and I find it telling that Wit was in that scene.