Di & D Reading Group discussion

I suggested it as well! Its a great book by my favorite living fantasy Author. I didn't think we would read it since it seemed too much up our alley and the original goal was to read some books outside the usual suspects. Glad you picked it.

I have had this book recommended to me for literal years at this point. This was just the tipping point. I have some other Sanderson experience, but not much.

Leslie wrote: "I have had this book recommended to me for literal years at this point. This was just the tipping point. I have some other Sanderson experience, but not much."

Sanderson is currently my favorite living Fantasy Author. Read everything he has published and met him at a local signing. Mistborn is a great intro to his work.

Book One ordered, although my UK Amazon had a different cover,
Only read his closing volumes of the Wheel of Time and skimmed a few of his You Tube how to write videos.
Looking forward to getting started.

It's interesting so far. I'm part way through the book (reading on my phone so it's hard to guess how much is left).

Has anyone here read The Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks? It's my favorite fantasy series.

How is everyone enjoying the book so far? I really enjoyed the magical system, with its unique take on flying and limitations there off. How do other people feel about?

Also curious about everyone's reactions to the gender breakdown in the book and how much you noticed it.

Do the chapter intros draw you in?

Brendan wrote: Do the chapter intros draw you in?

I haven't figured quite what to do with the chapter intros just yet. I'm hoping they figure into a more cohesive whole because they are kind of just...whatever for the first bit.

I'm intrigued by the magic system, though. I will admit as much.

Leslie wrote: "Brendan wrote: Do the chapter intros draw you in?

I haven't figured quite what to do with the chapter intros just yet. I'm hoping they figure into a more cohesive whole because they are kind of j..."

I would pay attention to all the little details in the book, including the chapter intros. :)

What do you like about the magic system?

Brendan wrote: "What do you like about the magic system?"

A girl has to keep her secrets, love, especially when she'll have a show to record on the topic. A large part is, though, that he came up with a specific system.

Leslie wrote: "Brendan wrote: "What do you like about the magic system?"

A girl has to keep her secrets, love, especially when she'll have a show to record on the topic. A large part is, though, that he came up ..."

That might be true, but if you have to keep it all under wraps it kinda takes the discussion portion out of it all. :)

Brendan wrote: "...it kinda takes the discussion portion out of it all."

Hey, I'm discussing, I'm discussing! I'm just hedging my bets for the moment! I'm still also reading the book, so opinions are yet forming. So...thbb.

Sanderson's your favorite - where does Mistborn fall on your list?

How far along are you? How do you like Kelsier?

Hmmmm, pretty high. Fantasy is my favorite genre so I have to rate it higher than his young adult stuff. Stormlight Archives is for sure higher. Its got more characters and even deeper meaning as he ties the plot and character development tighter.

Warbringer and Rithmatist are pretty close, I don't think any of his work is much worse than Mistborn, I just prefer fantasy.

Also, if you haven't heard of them; Sanderson's Laws of Magic could provide some good disscussion

This book definitely influenced the way that I thought of world building and magic systems, especially when creating my own settings and stories.

Somehow this is the only one of the series that I really got into. I'm hoping that this will launch me back into #2 and i'll get through it this time.

How did it change the way you thought of magic and world building?

Have you read/listened to Brandon's stuff on writing like his podcast or video lectures?

The next two books are pretty different from the first, form a kind of duology on how to form a government and try to survive the end of the world. Its a shift but still a great story.

I was not impressed in the end, though I finished the book with a headlong rush and stayed up too late. I like and dislike any number of things, but I have to say Rithmatist remains, soundly, my favorite.
Construction-wise, the Alcatraz books rank higher as well, but are tied with end opinion, because their narration wore out for me.
I need to reread Elantris, because I recall really liking that one, but not why.

If I seem cryptic, it is with good reason. Well, two of them. Currently, the biggest factor is not being at a proper keyboard.

Why didn't you enjoy the end? Not sure how spoilerly you want to go now, maybe after the discussion goes live. Its a traumatic ending at least.

What really stood out to you about Rithmatist? Sanderson says its the top request for a sequel he gets.

You like the comedic style of Alcatraz?

I loved Elantris because you get to see a good, competent person be a true leader and improve things over time. Its nice to see that slow steady improvement that should be a greater part of life and America than the one moment of heroism. I love the steady, satisfying increase in the world. Its the same feeling I get after finally finishing an important project. Its nice to see that improvement in the world and imagine its possible in ours.

Yeah, a full keyboard is still the best content creation device we have.

I am enjoying the book so far, at part 3, and like the different take on the magic system which maintains a coherent core to explain the effects. I liked the way the flight between Fellisse and Luthadel shows wider application of alloymancy to adjust ways of living and moving for the mistborn.
My thought is that the intros relate to the "hero" who failed to fulfill the prophesy which created the Final Empire.

I'm glad you're enjoying this! Is it your first Sanderson?

Yeah, Sanderson loves being consistent because he believes that's what creates believable stakes. If magic can do wahtever you need, there is no way for a reader to make guesses as to what will happen and solutions feel unearned.

Yeah, when reading the Chapter Intros I thought they were an intro to this world's mythology.

Brendan wrote: "Why didn't you enjoy the end? Not sure how spoilerly you want to go now, maybe after the discussion goes live. Its a traumatic ending at least. "

I didn't find the ending (of pt.4, which I assume is what you mean) too traumatic: I feel like that was pretty well presaged by the discussions with Sazed. And I'm not one for spotting things ahead of time, generally.

I was surprised, for instance, at the true identity of....

I do like how it's clearly set up further books with the "yay, we accomplished a thing!" "Oh, what the hell is this coming our way?" downstream consequences structure.

Big fan of Vin and her learning to trust, feel joy, and let go of hurts.

(First Sanderson-not-counting-Wheel-of-Time for me, likewise have had him recommended oodles of times over the years. I like sprinkling "canon" in with the off-the-beaten-path choices for the club. We've all got stuff we feel we "should" read but haven't gotten to, so thanks for nudging me to finally get to this author.)

Yeah. One thing I really like about Sanderson is that his books are generally self contained. You want to find out what happens next, but the story is complete and the next book will likely be out soon.

Unless it is the sequel to Rithmatist.

Leslie wrote: "Unless it is the sequel to Rithmatist."

Well, to be fair the story was relatively self contained and he said don't expect a sequal for a while. However, it is far more in need of a sequal than Warbringer or Elantris since the villain still roams free. :)

Arglebarglefargle

Anybody want to get some last words in before 11AM eastern tomorrow?
Asking because of reasons.

Reasons? Do tell. :)

Hope I haven't commented to much, but there are a couple things I am curious about.

One, do you like more consistent, detailed magic systems or do you think they take too much of the wonder out of fantasy?

I at least want a magic system to be consistent and mastery earned. I don't like when new abilities are pulled out of thin air, like the Wheel of Time. I want it to build slowly and have the characters earn their abilities.

How did you react to Kelsier? He's an interesting character with a surprising end, one you wouldn't find in traditional heroic characters. I thought it was appropriately underhanded and kept him from being a cliched Jesus parallel. Instead, I found it an interesting take in the style of a heist plot.

Brandon has said that two of his goals were to make this feel like a fantasy heist film and to set it in a world where the heroes failed. The Empire has risen instead. Do you feel he succeeded?

The thing he feels he failed to do was mix the genders. He got so focused on making Vin the main character, he defaulted to an Ocean's 11 cast of all male partners. Do you notice or feel this detracts from the story?

Thanks for letting me comment!

Brendan (Vulcronos on the Digressions and Dragons Website)

Okay, so the episode for this goes up next week, but you'll see that neither me nor Mr B were deeply impressed if you look at our stars.

That's too bad. Looking forward to your thoughts.

Tag me in a DM or sonething and we can chat without Brian the judgapus.

Or click this link and hang out in my discord.
https://discord.gg/tN5Vg7

Has anyone here read The Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks? It's my favorite f..."

Oh I've read this many times. Sadly I have to recommend the first book of the series with a caveat, as Weeks tends to much of book 1 doing story setup for the rest of the series

Cameron wrote: "Oh I've read this many times. Sadly I have to recommend the first book of the series with a caveat, as Weeks ten..."

Sigh. This seems a problem.

Nitsua60 wrote: "something something wheel of time."

How did the Wheel of Time transition go? I've not read them, but I know my husband read the whole kit and kaboodle. I've not previously had good experiences with abrupt changes in a series, but I know that Sanderson had notes to work with...and, of course, a well-established canon.

How did the Wheel of Time transition go? I've not read them, but I know my husband read the whole kit and kaboodle. I've not previously had goo..."

I was amazed at the job Sanderson did. The series as Jordan wrote is widely (and rightfully, IMO) panned for really dragging in books ~7-11. (And for other things that I don't really care to get into here.) Sanderson came in and wrote three books that felt tight and fast-paced like the early books in the series--accomplishment #1. He wrote in a way that *felt* very much like it was Jordan writing--accomplishment #2. And he jettisoned some of the bits of Jordan's style/characterization that are criticized (again rightfully, IMO) pretty loudly--accomplishment #3.

TL;DR: for someone who read and enjoyed early WoT but petered out somewhere in the doldrums (*Winter's Heart*, anyone?) I'd suggest reading chapter summaries at EWoT to get through the last of Jordan and then reading Sanderson.

For someone who hasn't read Jordan I can't, really, recommend it. It's too big a project with too many weaknesses, and there's too much other good stuff out there.

That is an impressive achievement! I can't say I have any great interest in the series, but I wondered. Thank you.