Guimond777

Thanks for the response. It just seems to me like there is quite a lot of assumptions and open-ended discussions with this series...something I'm not used to seeing in Brandon's works...especially with him saying that he was "done" with the Reckoners series. Not like him to leave so much ambiguity on a "finished" series. I guess Apocalypse Guard will more then likely expand on these questions....it's almost like he's setting up another Cosmere, but instead of planets, he's using dimensions.

So I just finished the book last night, but it left me with more questions then I'm used to having in a Sanderson novel. I'm sure I may have just missed the answers to some of these, but please feel free to fill me in... 1) I understand that Davids father in the alternate dimension is Steelheart. But in the normal dimension, David fights Steelheart and beats him, but winds up becoming Steelheart of his dimension. So doesn't that technically mean that there was TWO Steelhearts? (The original from book one, and now David?). I feel like I missed something here....how did David all of a sudden get the original Steelhearts (the one he killed) powers? (I didn't read the 2nd book as in-depth as I'd like so maybe I missed something in it?). 2) Calamity talks a lot about how "they" wouldn't allow him to do such-and-such. Who is "they"? It sounded to me as if there was an even higher power then Calamity pulling the strings, but it is never explained on who or what that power is/was. Sanderson said that this series was "finished"...so it begs the question why he left something like this open-ended. Am I mistaken on something? 3) Did it ever explain what Atlanta was a big moving pile of salt? What was causing the Salt? Larceners power? I just assumed it was him, but I don' think it was ever explained why the New Atlanta acted like a salt cube. 4) Speaking of Larcener, did anyone else get a sense of Deus-ex Machina feel out of him? Turns out Calamity was a random Epic that only appeared in the 3rd book halfway through? I don't know...didn't sit completely well with me. 5) So what exactly *was* the deal with Obliteration? Was he good? Bad? Just some loony Epic? Did he survive the end? His story was left completely open-ended. 6) Mizzy randomly became an Epic *after* Calamity was taken care of? How? What's her powers? I don't know....it just seems that there was a lot of open-ended questions for a series that is supposed to be "wrapped up". We are left to assume a lot (whats the deal with Tavi? How did Dean kill David in the alternate dimension? What happens now that Calamity is gone, are we to assume the darkness is now gone?). I can't help but feel Sanderson left things open-ended in case he ever wanted to revisit this series and add on to it. Can someone help clarify these things for me?

I read that Patrick Rothfuss actually wrote the entire series in one shot, and just has been editing the manuscript as they are released. He heavily edited the first book before it was released (Devi wasn't even part of the original manuscript, for instance), so I'm positive that by the time he had to get to the third book, the entire draft had to be redone. It's been nearly 4 years since the release of the 2nd book. I think a lot of fans' (myself included) issues is that Patrick Rothfuss does not give us a single shred of updates on the novel. Maybe Brandon Sanderson has spoiled us, as he is constantly giving out status updates of his projects. It would be nice to hear something out of Pat on where the book stands, at least. At least Auri's short novel is coming out at the end of the month.

I enjoyed the book. Good pacing throughout and it gave Abercrombie a new world to play around with. I do agree that it isn't up to par with his other series, but this was his first attempt at a YA series, so I got to take that into consideration. Overall, good, quick read. I recommend it to anyone.

I tried to read the first one, got about 150 pages in and I just wasn't interested in it. The magic system wasn't clearly explained early on, leaving me confused over their abilities (that and it seems to be similar to Sandersons system in Warbreaker). I don't know....just didn't captivate or interest me. I'll probably give it another shot. Maybe it was just bad timing to read or something.

I actually recentley attempted to start the Malazan Book of the Fallen series, and only made it through 1 1/2 of the books. It is definitley not for everyone. My main issues with the series is that it throws SO much at you (and never explains any of it), and the complete lack of character depth. Personally, I find it incredibly hard to stay engaged in a story when I don't care about the characters, and the Malazan series throwns 800 POV's at you, all in which have no character backstory or depth. If you like large, expansive and complex worlds, than it's up your alley. But if you like engaging characters you can get invested in, then stay clear. The Ice and Fire series, IMO, is like the Malazan series but better written. GRRM created a deep and vast world, full of characters that all have backstories and depth to them. I highly recommend reading the books and not taking the TV series literally...the Books are much better IMO.

Um, isn't the title of this thread kinda...spolierish?

I have another quirk I've noticed he does.... "x parsed his lips" or "x pressed his lips into a straight line" I can't remember the exact verbiage specifically, but he does write a lot about lip movement. Anyone else notice this?