Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson starting January 1, 2018.

Hooray! Thanks Niki!

Just finished this. Definitely wasnt what I expected! Looking forward to what you all say about it!

If you can, Jess, you should check out Secret History now... it's included in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection anthology...

It does peel the onion a bit on the Cosmere, but there's a lot of good Mistborn-centric reveals in there, too...

The last couple pages are a bit of a spoiler for book 6, I think, but otherwise it's pretty safe to read at this point...

-----------------

In other news, I've started a re-listen... I'll probably be on this book by New Years, if not before... so I might join in...

I've made a start on this, awesome first chapter!! Probably gonna take me a while to get through though because I'm going to have to fit it between other reads (definitely don't have time this month, but I'll do it anyway 😂).

So excited to see what you guys think of this one especially the ending perhaps one of the best endings I saw last year

Ahdam wrote: "So excited to see what you guys think of this one especially the ending perhaps one of the best endings I saw last year"

Can't wait xD

Since I finished it last month, Ill be one lurking around...

I may pop my head in and drop 2c from time to time...

Chapter 5 - (view spoiler)[ I'm not sure how I feel about Elend suddenly being a more powerful Mistborn than Vin... But they're certainly a cute couple working together so well! It's cool how they can both control the kollos.

I feel so sorry for Sazed with his religious crisis :( hope he finds some solace.

And poor kandra! I know he broke the laws and all, but we like him for helping Vin! Someone needs to save him! (hide spoiler)]

I re-read Final Empire but not Well od Ascension, before I was side-tracked, so not sure I'll be making it to this one... Alloy of Law in a few months, tho...

Iain wrote: "I re-read Final Empire but not Well od Ascension, before I was side-tracked, so not sure I'll be making it to this one... Alloy of Law in a few months, tho..."

See you there!

I'm not sure where 1st Jan came from for this one to be honest! Think I'm the only one reading and I didn't set up the read!

*still counts as a buddy read as I did not engineer this situation!

:p

Jess set it up with the mods.

Started a couple of days ago (right on new year, so happy new year guys!). Currently on page 103, beginning Ch 12. Better beginning than the previous two books.

(view spoiler)[
1. What kind of power does the Well of ascension have? In the little passages before each chapter, it says the power allowed Rashek to move the planet and reshape the landscape. Can it be used to destroy Ruin? How do you get it back? On pg 102, the power can return ... how and when? Is this gravity (is this turning into a mash up of SFF? Lol)?

2. What exactly is Ruin? It can control the mists and the minds of the Inquisitors, even before it was released by Vin? How did it change the writings on papers anyway? How do you defeat something that is shapeless?

3. If Rashek was chosen to protect the world from Ruin, why did he not develop some sort succession plan? I’d assume he would know he couldn’t defeat the Deepness alone?

4. What’s in the last cache? Atium? I think not.

5. So that’s why the ash kept falling, because Rashek wanted to cool the planet down by attempting to create an Ice Age. But, so far no sign of ice age.

6. I hope TenSoon lives on and goes back to help Vin. He’s certainly shown a lot of wisdom. He also says that they must submit to Vin. Can Vin also create kandras?
(hide spoiler)]

Yayyy hi Barry! I'll try and catch you up tonight :)

Siobhan wrote: "Iain wrote: "I re-read Final Empire but not Well od Ascension, before I was side-tracked, so not sure I'll be making it to this one... Alloy of Law in a few months, tho..."

See you there!

I'm not..."

Yea I set this one up. Sorry if the 1st is bad for you guys!

In response to Siobhan's note about Ch5...
(view spoiler)[ I also wondered about Elend finding his own place within the ranks of the Mistborn. And he suddenly seems more powerful than Vin? Really shook things up. <\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

Hi Siobhan! Please do catch up. I think this book is gonna be an faster read than the previous two. Lots of interesting things happening. So, hopefully it won’t keep me from actually working during the day lol.

Jess wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Iain wrote: "I re-read Final Empire but not Well od Ascension, before I was side-tracked, so not sure I'll be making it to this one... Alloy of Law in a few months, tho..."

See you..."

Definitely! I'm curious to see how it plays out.

Haha I wish I had more time off work to read it! I'm reading something else at the moment too, just trying to fit around things.

Barry wrote: "Jess set it up with the mods.

Started a couple of days ago (right on new year, so happy new year guys!). Currently on page 103, beginning Ch 12. Better beginning than the previous two books.


1...."

I agree this is a much stronger beginning than Well of Ascension! It hooks you straight in, but I suppose that's the joy of not having to set up the story and introduce you to people etc.

Some really good questions there... Wish I had any answers 😂

I'm with you on point 6. *fingers crossed* (view spoiler)[I'm guessing that Vin will have the power to create kandras, but she'll need to figure out how. Or maybe not? She let the power of the Well go (which was actually Ruin) instead of keeping it herself, so maybe she's different. (hide spoiler)]

Barry wrote: "Jess set it up with the mods.

Started a couple of days ago (right on new year, so happy new year guys!). Currently on page 103, beginning Ch 12. Better beginning than the previous two books.


1...."

A lot of the answers to your Well of Ascension questions have to do with the greater Cosmere... Sanderson's super-series that connect all his stories...

1. (view spoiler)[ The Well of Ascension is what's known as a Perpendicularity... it's a point where Preservations power pools... Ruin's Perpendicularity is (view spoiler)[the Pits of Hath-sin... or it was until Kelsier destroyed it... (view spoiler)[Atium being the pooled power (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

There are 16 of these Perpendicularities spread across the Cosmere, because there are 16 Shards (Ruin, Preservation, Honor, Cultivation, Odium, Ambition, Autonomy, Devotion, Dominion, Endowment... and the last 6 are unknown at this point...) (hide spoiler)]

That spoiler is probably best left alone until you finish the book :)

Iain wrote: "Barry wrote: "Jess set it up with the mods.

Started a couple of days ago (right on new year, so happy new year guys!). Currently on page 103, beginning Ch 12. Better beginning than the previous tw..."

Why did I click on your spoiler before reading that last line... Doh.

Siobhan wrote: "Iain wrote: "Barry wrote: "Jess set it up with the mods.

Started a couple of days ago (right on new year, so happy new year guys!). Currently on page 103, beginning Ch 12. Better beginning than th..."

The main reason I said to wait was that I saw you thought that the Well of Ascension was (view spoiler)[Ruin's power... and it's not... (view spoiler)[Ruin was just trapped by it due to an agreement with Preservation from centuries ago... Vin returning the power unused was Ruin's escape clause (this feels like a Santa Clause 3 reference) (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

A lot of these greater Cosmeric implications are explained in Secret History, which I think you guys should find time to read between this and Alloy of Law, even if it does contain some spoilers for book 6... altho maybe I only say that since I'm so dense I missed the implications of book 6 that Secret History spoils until I checked the wiki a few weeks ago...

Yeah I had to research quite a bit and it wasn't until I read Way of kings I understood and I think once you read 2 series in the Cosmere universe you will understand how the worlds are connected in a way so definitely read way of kings after this to get a better grasp of the Cosmere although I still don't understand this is directed to you Iain "that" DO NOT READ THIS GUYS AT ALL THAT GOES DOUBLE FOR YOU SIOBHAN(view spoiler)[Hoid (hide spoiler)] I don't want to put it in spoilers because "that" doesn't have a huge presence in mistborn but it does in Way of Kings so I'm assuming it will be explained in the other books but it is interesting

Ahdam wrote: "Yeah I had to research quite a bit and it wasn't until I read Way of kings I understood and I think once you read 2 series in the Cosmere universe you will understand how the worlds are connected i..."

(view spoiler)[Hoid is a world-hopper from the planet Yolen... he was there when the Shattering happened (Adonalsium broke into 16 Shards)... there is to be a prequel series called Dragonsteel about this event some day... Hoid will be in it...

Not much is known about how you become a world-hopper yet, but it's linked to the ability to enter/exit Shadesmar (the Cognitive Realm) physically, which is done at these Perpendicularities... Shadesmar seems to be one unifying place that connects to many worlds...

Hoid visits the worlds of each book, we think, because he's trying to repair the Cosmere and reassemble Adonalsium... he knows where to go because he uses Feruchemy to store his luck for future use... this is done by spending most of his time as a down-on-his-luck beggar... this is why he is seen as a beggar most of the time outside of Roshar...

Hoid is more involved on Roshar because Odium is such a big threat to the Cosmere... Odium has already Splintered 4 Shards (Devotion, Dominion, Ambition and Honor) and seeks to destroy the rest... altho he's afraid of Balance (Ruin + Preservation merged)

The strength of world-hopping comes in mixing the magic systems... and is what's going to make the sci-fi Mistborn series so cool, I think... apparently Hemalurgy was invented by Sanderson for its dangerous nature on a Cosmeric level (being able to steal powers from other magic systems by stabbing people with metal spikes, especially through the heart)... also, look how much the Lord Ruler was able to do by mixing just allomancy, feruchemy, and hemalurgy... add in the Surgebinding/Voidbinding from Stormlight Archive... the Forgers from Emperor's Soul... whatever is used in Elantris/Warbreaker... the magical birds from Sixth of Dusk...

All of these different magic systems are called Investiture, and are activated through a traumatic event (like when Kelsier's wife/lover died in the Pits of Hath-sin and he became a full Mistborn... or Kaladin witnessing the death of his brother and slowly becoming Radiant once the nahel bond with Sylphrena matured... (hide spoiler)]

I think I unloaded enough condensed Cosmere for one post... feel free to ask any followups, Ahdam... :)

Iain wrote: "Barry wrote: "Jess set it up with the mods.

Started a couple of days ago (right on new year, so happy new year guys!). Currently on page 103, beginning Ch 12. Better beginning than the previous tw..."
Ah so I guess I need to continue with his other series? Which one is better after Mistborn?

The Pillars of the Cosmere are Mistborn and Stormlight Archive... Stormlight Archive is epic fantasy tho... 1000-1350 pages per book... and will take awhile to end, as it's a 10 book series split into two 5-book arcs, with a book releasing every 3-4 years... Oathbringer (#3) just came out in November...

If you want shorter, still connected stories (and some of Sanderson's earliest publications) we are doing Buddy Reads of Elantris (March 24th) and Warbreaker (January 25th) quite soon... both are expected to get sequels eventually...

There is also Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection which includes most of his short fiction set in the Cosmere... most of it is set on planets that don't have series, but some ARE connected to series, and they need to be read at certain times to avoide spoilers... that Secret History I mentioned, is in here...

Lastly, there's White Sand Volume 1, a graphic novel being published based on Sanderson's outline of the story... this is the world Khriss is from (she writes the Ars Arcanum entries at the end of each book, explaining the magic systems)...

Do we need to understand the cosmere universe to enjoy the various series? Do we need to read them in order (e.g read The Mistborn series before the Oathbringer) Or can they sorta considered as standalone series but sharing the same universe?

Anyway, this is news to me so thanks for the wonderful info Iain. Seems like Sanderson has created an extensive world right from the very beginning. That’s awesome (and daunting to attempt to finish all of his books haha).

I’ll see if I can squeeze in (and get cheap version) of either book you mentioned.

You don't need to read it in a specific order Barry you can read it from different books but like I said once you read his other series you start to see the links and I think it's in this book you see the cosmere taking its shape

Don't worry I didn't understand either but the more cosmere books you read the easier you will understand which is why I will be reading warbreaker to see how that fits in the universe I like to think of it as the marvel universe and I am wondering how What Sanderson will do with the cosmere since there are things going on there which you will see very soon 😊😊

Also don't worry about the cosmere just yet there mainly just hints and remain in the background while the story is focused on what's happening now

Right now, the connections are Easter Eggs... the main connecting feature is the Creation Myth (The Shattering) and the similarity of magic systems...

Mistborn has Allomancy that pushes and pulls on metal to jump around and travel... Roshar/Stormlight Archive has Windrunners who can use Stormlight to manipulate gravity and fly by falling upwards or sideways... stuff like that...

(view spoiler)[and a character named Hoid shows up in every series (hide spoiler)]

Actually caring about the interconnectedness of it all won't come for another decade or two, when all Sanderson's plans start coming together for a finale...

You do need to read The Way of Kings & Words of Radiance before Oathbringer tho... start at the beginning of that series...

Page 221 / start of Ch 27

(view spoiler)[
1. Spook miraculously received an additional power of pewter ... so I guess like how Elend got his Mistborn power, there’s some “metal pieces” that allows people who eat them specific misting power ?

2. Who’s talking to Spook? The Ruin? I don’t think there’s magical spirits in this series right ?

3. In this book Rashek wasn’t portrayed as evil as in the first and second books , if u think about it. I wonder if his decisions (setting up the Final Empire the way it was) were influenced by Kwaan? I feel like Rashek knew he couldn’t defeat the Deepness, but why did he feel setting up an autocratic empire was to his best benefit?

4. Speaking of Kwaan, was there any mention at end of book 2 if he ever survived? I forgot.

5. Loving the philosophical debates with Elend and Vin : is it ok to rule ruthlessly for the “good” of the people?
(hide spoiler)]

I'm onto chapter 15, not much has happened since my last update as such, but (view spoiler)[I'm really glad Marsh is still in there somewhere, and that he's determined to kill himself to help stop what Ruin is doing to the world. Sad :( (hide spoiler)]

Just read chapter 19 (view spoiler)[Oh my! Kelsier! Or the ghost of Kelsier! I thought that the mist dude who helped Vin in Well of Ascension might have been the ghost of Kelsier, I've been desperate to see him back haha. (hide spoiler)]

Barry wrote: "Page 221 / start of Ch 27t..."

I'm choosing to believe (view spoiler)[in ghost Kelsier! Something definitely gave Spook the power to burn pewter, and it sure sounded like Kel xD
Maybe the church of the survivor is just getting to my sensibilities haha.

I suppose the Lord Ruler wasn't really evil. Just trying to make the best of a bad situation. Elend and Vin's discussions show how quickly someone with the best of intentions can end up a tyrant. Mmm. (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "Barry wrote: "Page 221 / start of Ch 27t..."

I'm choosing to believe in ..."
(view spoiler)[I'm thinking it's either Ruin or Preservation (I guess since the metals all have opposites, I assume the same rule applies to the "spirits" as well). Not sure how to differentiate between either at this point in the book. Can they both be the mists?

I have no idea how Sanderson is going to provide the explanation for the 16% mists injury rate thing. That is interesting.

Pure speculation here : I dunno if Sanderson is gonna say at the end ... well Ruin is a necessary evil for progress? We see that theme in the discussion between Vin and Elend with regards to Lord Ruler. If that's the case, then we should expect a bleak ending?

Also. somehow I think the kandra are the tools that can defeat Ruin. Again, pure speculation on my part. (hide spoiler)]

I already know the ending so i cant really say anything but...

Siobhan and Barry, your points have merit.

*smirks and walks out*

Can’t wait until the ending, is it gonna be mindblowing??

Pg 337 end of Ch 37
(view spoiler)[ so that’s what koloss were. And the kandra is also of Hemalurgic origin? How did the Lord Ruler created the differences between the three creatures (koloss, inquisitors and kandra) from basically the same magical methodology... (hide spoiler)]

@Barry: I thought so...

Barry wrote: "Can’t wait until the ending, is it gonna be mindblowing??

Pg 337 end of Ch 37
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[The type of Hemalurgic creation has to do with how many spikes were used, and (only read if you know the full extent of how Inquisitors are created already... it's been awhile since I read the last 2 books in this trilogy) (view spoiler)[What attribute was stolen with the spike... Inquisitors get all the Mistborn powers from 9-11 spikes... Koloss get strength from 4 strength spikes... Kandra get 2 spikes of a single attribute that varies by individual (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Barry wrote: "Can’t wait until the ending, is it gonna be mindblowing??

Pg 337 end of Ch 37
[spoilers removed]"


For me, there wasnt a point where everything came together in an Aha! Moment. More like it dawned on me slowly. Had to have time to process. So, not MINDBLOWING for me, but it was still a good ending.

Mindblowing might be overselling, but I didn't see the ending coming...

Started reading last week of 2017. On page 475 and can tell that something big is brewing. I have a feeling that TenSoon is going to be the key to defeating Ruin. I also feel like we are going to loose either Vin or Elend. Complete speculation on my part.

Is Sazed's self-pitying attitude getting on anyone else nerves? Fairly certain that the answer or a clue that would lead to the answer of defeating Ruin can be found in his metalminds.

Pg 456, starting Ch 51.

(view spoiler)[
1. Spook turned into an awesome dude. Well done Spook. I’m still concerned that the voices he’d heard were Ruin. I assume Preservation wouldn’t want to kill humans ...

2. Well that plan from Elend and Vin backfired horribly. Huge gamble to try to sneak in without proper scouting. I thought the setup was too easy (should’ve picked the corridor with no soldiers). And Vin is unconscious. Interesting what Yomen would want from this little trickery.

3. So according to the little passages (which I assume would be written by Sazed?), after a few years Ruin had “freed” itself = Ruin got its body back? So, does that mean Elend and Vin failed? If that’s the case I’d agree that one of them could die ... but yeah it’s pure speculation atm.

4. I assume Preservation is the mist that always killed 1/16 of the population to inoculate the remaining from Ruin? Just because so far we haven’t seen Preservation’s manifestation like Ruin’s.
(hide spoiler)]

just finished ... will gather my thoughts and post something longer tomorrow after a good night sleep. really brief summary : the ending seems perfect to tie up the loose ends and provide some basis for era 2 (maybe).

Barry wrote: "Pg 456, starting Ch 51.
2...."

I just read chapter 50 (view spoiler)[

1. I'm concerned about that too. It's very like the voice Zane used to hear telling him to kill people...

2. Yep they really underestimated Yomen. He's not daft. I don't actually know how they will win this one, Vin getting herself locked up and the siege not going well at all.

3. I thought it just meant freed from the prison that it was trapped in by the Well. Maybe I'm reading it wrong because I'm assuming the little paragraphs wouldn't be big spoilers? I assumed they were written by Vin, because in my mind she's still the 'Hero of Ages'. But the original Hero wasn't who we thought writing the paragraphs in book 1, so maybe someone else is the new Hero of Ages. (I know you're now finished and probably know the answer to this... I'll catch up eventually! XD)

4. I really don't know on this one. The mists and 16 is still completely weird and unknown for me.

(hide spoiler)]

I'm really loving this so far. I appreciate the short chapters because it's easy to dip in and out of too. Hoping to get finished before I start Red Seas or Menagerie! :)

I'm here, finally :D I'm up to chapter 4 and agree, this book has a really strong start :)

Anni wrote: "I'm here, finally :D I'm up to chapter 4 and agree, this book has a really strong start :)"

Yay! :D

Chapter 70 - (view spoiler)[Oooh it makes so much sense, the mists make people snap and become allomancers! Wait, what if they don't have any noble blood? Like 16% of a whole skaa population can't be noble bastards right? OK I'll not think too much about it haha 😂

I love TenSoon and I'm glad Sazed is feeling more like himself with this new hope for the Terris religion! I'm excited for him to find out stuff from the kandra first generation! (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 5 - [spoiler]"

(view spoiler)[ Elend becoming a Mistborn bothers me less than him becoming king in the last book, don't know why :D I think he is more powerful because of the way he became a Mistborn, it is how the Mistborns of the first generation get their powers. We were told they were much stronger than todays Mistborns like Vin, maybe their strength gets 'diluted' by generations.
I also feel sorry for Sazed!

I am incredebly happy TenSoon get's his own POV! Love this part of the story!

I'm at Chapter 10 right know and hope I get some reading done this weekend :) (hide spoiler)]

Anni wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 5 - [spoiler]"

..."

(view spoiler)[ yeah I think you're right about the way he became Mistborn making him more powerful, I'd kinda forgotten that was a thing! XD

TenSoon's POV is definitely my favourite in this book! (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 70 - Oooh it makes so much sense..."

I'm not sure how much of a spoiler this is, but the key to snapping is (view spoiler)[ being damaged... it causes a tear in the spirit that allows the magic in... there's a reason Kelsier became Mistborn right after Mare died in the Pits of Hathsin (hide spoiler)]