From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

Elantris (Elantris, #1)

Brandon Sanderson

Start date: December 3, 2012

Finish date: December 31, 2012

Discussion: Book Discussions

Why we're reading this: December Contemporary
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Feb 14, 2012 Trice rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, scifi-fantasy, fencing-swords-swordfighting, ebook-kindle, ipod

I enjoy reading Sanderson's books - I definitely wouldn't class them among the scifi-fantasy that crosses over into serious literature, but otherwise I'd say he's a good writer. I find the endings pretty predictable, but at the same time high-tension. Though I'm not absolutely sure since I was very involved in the story at the time, I think I was clenching my ipod in that moment when (view spoiler) I enjoy reading Sanderson's books - I definitely wouldn't class them among the scifi-fantasy that crosses over into serious literature, but otherwise I'd say he's a good writer. I find the endings pretty predictable, but at the same time high-tension. Though I'm not absolutely sure since I was very involved in the story at the time, I think I was clenching my ipod in that moment when (view spoiler)

Something I've found interesting in both Elantris and the Mistborn series is that the heroes make me think far more of Marvel Comics superheroes than of epic fantasy wizards/mages. I've found this rather refreshing and am still trying to figure out what gives this overall impression. The comic book feel of some of the villains has been less refreshing as this has seemed to make them more ridiculous in their supreme evilness, and less fleshed out in a lot of ways. It was interesting though to see (view spoiler).

Some of the pretty obvious/barely disguised real-world religious commentary was interesting and some of it a tad annoying; in this the comic book feel robbed it of a depth of perception that would have made this truly thought-provoking.

Wow, that all sounds so negative - I guess I really enjoy Sanderson's story-telling, wild romp and all, but I think he could work on the depth and feeling of reality somehow, and/or with the sense of the numinous that is so very powerful in really spectacular fantasy.

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Today (2/15/2012) I was reading an article in The Aesthete titled Sabers in the City (gorgeous pictures!) and centered around US sabreur/sabre fencer Tim Morehouse (slightly inaccurate though it is in that it ignores the amazing success of the US Women's sabre fencers in taking gold more than once) and was reminded that with all the excitement of the final pages of Elantris I forgot the bit about the fencing teaching which I found both really cool - he does give a good sense of fencing practice, though he does it while remaining pretty vague about their actual actions - and really really annoying... because he's so very very wrong in places! I know, I should just be glad to find a good bit about fencing and fencing training, and he does do a good job with it, but it seemed pretty obvious that his research on it likely included a couple books read and maybe a visit to a fencing salle, rather than coming from someone experienced in the sword arts. I know, I know, I'm a snob, and a pretty inexperienced (fencing-wise) snob at that, but... well, that's was my reaction - an excited "Yay!" combined with a really annoyed, "That's not true! nor is that!" shout. ...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Andrew rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi-and-fantasy

Silly but fun.

"Elantris" the novel takes place almost entirely in Elantris the city, and its smaller neighboring town, Kae. Once a place where superhuman beings lived, it is now destitute and rife with violence, dying humans, and filth. What happened? A mysterious phenomenon known as the Reod has been swiping up people, seemingly at random, and placing them in once-beautiful Elantris, to, essentially, slowly wink out of existence. Their hearts stop beating but they continue to live. They cannot ...more

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