2020 Cosmere BR (Currently reading: Edgedancer)

[Paula]

Lucija(view spoiler)[ Oh, yeah, wyndle just mouthes too much sometimes. And with how Lift doesn't pay much attention she didn't really noticed the valuable information given for free. He is great. I haven't read a single spren that I don't like, they are all amazing in their own way. Though as a friend I still prefer syl.

Good memory. I think you are right that he is called Ym

I think that it was a bit of a sudden also, but I guess eventually he would have noticed the strange storm and the parshendi with red eyes. Lift just made him really look. I just hope he helps the others. He could be of great help, and I want to see more of szeth.

Totally agree. When the cremling guy appeared I just thought that another thing that expanded the world and mythology just appeared. I guess we will find some answers in oathbringer.

I didn't realize that period thing. I just thought some emotional wound or something. It makes sense I guess. (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

yes, it's in another thread and I think that it starts in the 13th

[Lucija]

@Paula

(view spoiler)[I haven't read a single spren that I don't like, they are all amazing in their own way. Though as a friend I still prefer syl.
So true, I agree!

I think that it was a bit of a sudden also, but I guess eventually he would have noticed the strange storm and the parshendi with red eyes. Lift just made him really look.
Ah yeah, you're right, it makes sense. And yes, I want to see more Szeth too

Totally agree. When the cremling guy appeared I just thought that another thing that expanded the world and mythology just appeared. I guess we will find some answers in oathbringer.
Yeah, we'll see what that was all about (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Paula wrote: "yes, it's in another thread and I think that it starts in the 13th"

Uhh okay, so that means today, I got to get to reading when I get home :D

[Beena]

@Lucija (view spoiler)[ Yeah I don't find her that annoying tbh, I like her, she's funny, though her character is a bit restricted by being a child.

And yeees, I loved that reference about the cobbler, Ym was it?
Yeah, good memory, I completely forgot his name!

Also, it was never really clearly stated, but did Lift get her period and that made her run away from Azir as she realized she is aging after all?

I honestly completely missed that, I've no idea, but it would make sense. (hide spoiler)]

[Beena]

Completely agree with loving all the spren so far too Paula!

[Beena]

Yeah Oathbringer starts today, here's the thread btw Lucija, so looking forward to this! I feel like it's been forever since Words of Radiance!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Kinda went AWOL on you guys... finally did my Edgedancer re-read... behind on finishing re-reads and getting to the new stuff

I agree with Choko that Lift is my least favorite Sanderson character... but she's OK in small doses... and I think she's more palatable in Oathbringer, where we get to see her through some other character's eyes... and I think I commented on my Buddy Comedy ideas...

I also think there's a lot of growth in Edgedancer... and alot of stuff that can easily be missed... like (view spoiler)[

"Is this about what happened to you?" Wyndle asked. "I don't know a lot about humans, but I believe it was natural, disconcerting though it might appear. You aren't wounded." -- pretty easy to miss she's hitting puberty, despite her attempts to never grow up (Nightwatcher boon/curse)...

I actually just read a theory about Lift that is pretty cool... reminds me of the stuff with Taravangian... (view spoiler)[the theory is that linking Lift to the Cognitive Realm makes her mutative, like spren... affected by perceptions... both her own and those around her... her childishness is an attempt to stay young... but the tutors in Azimir's attempts to change/mature her worked because of this Cognitive Realm thing... cool, if true... (hide spoiler)]...

Another good one is the guy who jumped into a Krul, that Lift and Wyndle talk about... that was Axies the Collector again, from his Interlude and Rysa's Interlude... he wanted to see the spren in it's gemheart, for his studies, and he can't die anyway, so... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Paula wrote: "Finished!!
[spoilers removed]"

Kremlings... (view spoiler)[that's another Aimian... a different type of Aimian than Axies the Collector... Aimians are immortal, and originate on an island in Roshar... they largely stay out of Cosmere stuff and just do their own thing...

I think novella 3.5 is supposed to explore them a bit more... other than that, I think I heard an Aimian would be a main character in the sci-fi Mistborn trilogy (4th Era), once all the other series are done... Mistborn Era 4 is the conclusion of the Cosmere... probably 20 years away, still... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Guess you guys caught most of the things without me :D

Just now had time to read through the last page...

[Anni]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Guess you guys caught most of the things without me :D

Just now had time to read through the last page..."

Reading through all those comments is like a novella on it's own :D

For Dawnshard and Rhythm of War there are new threads, in case you haven't already found them:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Sir Anni wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Guess you guys caught most of the things without me :D

Just now had time to read through the last page..."

Reading through all those comments is like a novella on it's own :..."

and Oathbringer https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Anni]

Oh, you're right, I forgot about that. But I don't think it's active anymore anyway...

[Beena]

@Iain, lol I was wondering where you went!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

My reading has been way down... and I was sick with possible coronavirus around the time the BR finally happened... mostly better now...

[Beena]

Oh shit! Glad you're feeling better!

[Anni]

Oh no Iain! I'm glad you feel better now, hope you recover fully soon!

[Paula]

Iain, im glad that you are feeling better!
(view spoiler)[I definitely didn't catch the puberty thing and neither the mention of axies

yeah, we learned more of the amians in dawnshard which was nice. an aimian in scifi mistborn sounds great! shame that we will have to wait that much (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I listened to a spoiler-free review of Dawnshard today... guess I need to manually read the ebook if I want the experience...

I hear Dawnshard is great, but probably more relevant to book 5 than book 4... and packed full of Cosmere reveals... sounds great...

[Chris]

I'm finding it's pretty relevant to book 4. I've seen several spots in RoW where things from Dawnshard are refered to.

[Anni]

Chris wrote: "I'm finding it's pretty relevant to book 4. I've seen several spots in RoW where things from Dawnshard are refered to."

I'm not that far into book 4, but I agree! Plus it's awesome, so you really shoukd read it :)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

The spoiler-free review didn't say Dawnshard was irrelevent... just that it was possible to understand and enjoy Rhythm of War without it, if you didn't want to delay...

Basically, it said that there was one Interlude that it almost felt necessary to appreciate fully, and another half dozen or so chapters that it added depth to...

I DO plan to read it, tho, so no worries... altho I kinda started spoiling myself on the wiki during my Oathbringer re-read...

I see that alot of the theorycrafting/speculation proved true... I don't think too much has been added to the wiki yet, just the big stuff...

[Choko]

Bumping this up, because Brian and I are about to start reading Mistborn from book #1... Everyone is welcome to join us:)))

[Choko]

Started this today.. I am always surprised how much the notion of slavery, of the concept that people ever believe they could own other people, absolutely disgusts me!!! And it always brings this simmering anger within me to a boil!!!!

[Choko]

Up to Ch. 8... (view spoiler)[ So, Vin is so weird and untrusting in this part of the book, I totally understand! Her life has been terrible up to here, her own brother teaching her to never trust anyone, her prostitute mother trying to kill her as a baby, her brother abandoning her, traveling through different towns, with different criminal crews, being abused by that crew boss, having to make herself invisible in order not to be raped... How can she trust anyone??? And at once Kelcier shows up with his crew and they are treating her well, sure she is going to mistrust them... What the heck is their end game and how are they going to screw her up?

Kelcier, from the first page we met him, we know he is trouble:) A charming and enigmatic trouble, but still... I was so happy when he killed that nobleman who abused the young girls, and as a "good and proper nobleman" killed them and disposed of them after 12 days....Ghhhrrrrr!!!! But then I wasn't thinking about the consequences that could befall the rest of the ska .... He didn't really give them a choice, did he...

Then we see him, learn that he has survived and escaped an inescapable mine, which has left him with scars all over his body, but the mental scars run deeper. He has lost his wife in the mines, but has become a Mistborn - a person who can internally burn metals and perform supernatural feats or control his environment. It is believed that only the nobles have that ability, but they do have sex with the ska and have children with them, so it has gotten out of the nobility... But he wasn't born with it, but happened at the mines.... I want to know more about this...

I love all the rest of the crew so far:) And I am just getting into Kelsier explaining allomancy to Vin:) It is fascinating!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

I started yesterday too! Mistborn: The Final Empire

I think this is Brian's first time reading the series, yes? Choko, is this a reread for you or a first time? I think this is my third or fourth reread.

I had totally forgotten the opening scenes, and Vin's attitude. I love the little bits of text at the beginning of each chapter, and the Ocean's Eleven meets My Fair Lady feel for the opening story.

I think I'm a little past where you mentioned, when Vin starts really going to balls frequently...

Characters (view spoiler)[It's so interesting seeing how kind she is inside, but how she doesn't believe anyone else can be. I think Kelsier made the observation--she's not a bad person, she just believes everyone else is. I wonder why she so strongly believes that her brother abandoned her? He could have easily gone out and just died too, and not come back.

I enjoy characters like Vin who start out thinking that they can't like things like dresses and dancing because its frivolous, then it starts sneaking up on them... I'm remembering Aviendha in Path of Daggers right now, so embarrassed to be enjoying a conversation about lace and hats!

Kelsier... has a problem with nobles. Blind spot. Yes, the Ska need representation and freeing--but that doesn't mean that all other people are evil. And are you just planning on slaughtering or enslaving the other half of the population? That doesn't do well, historically speaking.

I love Ham! Thug with a heart of philosophy. It would be fun to argue big questions with him. Breeze is quite funny too. And Lestibournes! On audio his accent is quite unintelligible. XD (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I am about 40% in. This is a reread for me and the first time for Brian:)

I love the little notations at the beginning of every chapter. Obviously, they come from the journal of Lord Ruler before he's Ascension , but the story they create is very interesting... Brandon is great at showing and not telling:)))

Vin is a good person who has been deeply scarred... But same could be said about Kelsier...

I love, love, love Sazed and he is just such a great character, without being perfect. He has his hands full with Vin and trying to do The My Fair Lady thing with her. I love that musical, by the way.

Vin is definitely(view spoiler)[ falling for the young Lord Venture, which is cute, but those noble ladies are not going to let them have it easy. That bitch was horrible to her! She needs to get her comeuppance!

You are right that not all nobles are horrible, but that guard killing the kid and nobody blinking an eye makes them all implicit and I understand Kelsier 's hatred... I would have a hard time trusting or liking any of them, if I see that type of treatment being condoned. Not fair to the regular, not an a****** noble, but understandable... However, you have to choose your battles and try to weed out the worst, give a chance to the rest to change...

Ham and Breeze are my second most favorite characters so far, after Sazed of course. They are just such entertaining and charming characters, they steal the spotlight when on page for sure!

I can see Spook falling for Vin and her breaking his heart :((( He is such a cool dude, I hope he finds a girl good for him...

I love the worldbuilding and I can't imagine the world without green plants, just as they can't imagine it without brown vegetation and ash constantly falling from the sky... This must be miserable for the regular folks... They don't even see the stars at night:( The Mistraiths are also fascinating to me and I want to know why do people fear them so, because I haven't seen an example of them hurting anyone yet. I want to know more about that too...

The alomancy, the more you get into it, the more interesting it gets. However, those Inquisitors kicked their asses way too easily and now I want to know what makes them so strong and powerful. The picture in my mind, of them blind with metal spikes in their heads, is terrible and very vivid... They creep me out!

The Athium seems to be kind of like coke - one hit is expensive and last just moments. I understand it gives you glimpses of the future possible moves of your opponent, but to cost as much as it does and for it to be the backbone of the economy seems really shaky to me. Another point I want to know more about... (hide spoiler)]

[Tonari no Emily]

I reread this one recently, but as always you guys make me want to reread again 😅

[Choko]

Emily, you are totally welcome to join us..

[Choko]

Just got to the meeting of Kelsier and the old informant - HOID!!! YAY!!!

[Nirkatze]

Choko wrote: "Just got to the meeting of Kelsier and the old informant - HOID!!! YAY!!!"

I know! I was like Hey! There you are!!! Gotta keep an eye out for him in each reread. :)

I'm getting close to the end--about 3 hours left to go. I think I'm in Part 5? The (view spoiler)[House War (hide spoiler)] just started.

I still remember most of the twists and secrets from this series, so seeing all of your wonders & questions Choko, I'm like "I remember that! mmmm. no spoilers!" But I forgot most of the details and surrounding bits that make everything so much fun. (view spoiler)[Like the bit about foliage, and Spook's infatuation, and even the details at the balls. Or Breeze & Ham's banter.

But I remember what the Deepness is, and who the Hero of Ages is. I remember why the Inquisitors have their powers.

I thought I remembered Vin's old crew getting slaughtered, but I had the timing wrong--I thought that was how Kelsier found her. I like being wrong--makes rereading more fun! (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to the last few hours of book... I think I remember how this book ends, but I'm looking forward to seeing how it gets there. Journey before destination!

@Emily--yes, join us!!

[Nirkatze]

Finished the first book!

Before y'all introduced me to Audiobooks, I'd often listen to Sanderson's book signing Q&A sections and lectures on youtube. I remember him talking about word choice when writing, and bringing up Misbtborn--that there was a word that he was guilty of overusing, that should have been a once-a-book word and he used it multiple times and got called out by fans. At the time, I couldn't remember noticing such a thing--but I noticed this time! The word was (view spoiler)[maladroitly. (hide spoiler)] Did anyone else notice while reading? ;)

I also forgot Kelsier's tagline: "There's always another secret." But how accurate it is! I loved the countdown to the end, once the ball starts rolling, and how so many secrets are peeled back one by one. And you know there's more, because this is only book one!

Let me know when folks start reading the next one!

[Choko]

I finished it as well. Goodness gracious, I had forgotten so much of the details. This is why I love rereading books I love - you always remember or discover tidbits that make everything even better.

(view spoiler)[ The biggest points were the difference between alomancy and feruchemistry and the ability of the Lord Ruler to somehow do both. Also, what is it that he was protecting the world from? What is The Deepness??? I kind of figured early on that the Terasman Roshan had killed the man who had written the journal and taken his place, so that wasn't much of a surprise, but there are so many questions left unanswered. I guess this is why we have two more books:)))

Kelsier's death was very dramatic and his plan to have the Chondra impressionate him to start a religious like zial in the populus , so they would truly rebel, was a great plan! Very well though out and executed! And the sorrow of the crew was palpable! Even I teared up.

I loved Vin killing that other Mistborn bitch!!! That whole scene was awesome. That and really all the fighting was very well done, I was on my toes through all of them. Sanderson sure knows what he is doing:)))

I hope that we get to see more of all the living crewmen in the next book! And I want much more Sazed!!!! I couldn't quite remember, did Spook live - was he one of those Ham saved from the cage? If yes, I want more of him too... I felt bad for him not getting the girl... But yeah, Vin first better with young Lord Venture... I hated his father though - he actually wanted him to get killed! What an arrogant, cold fool!!!

I want more of the Chondra as well - I know he freaks our folks out, particularly after having eaten Kelsier 's bones, but I think he is awesome! I want to get into his head as well! (hide spoiler)]

I loved it and I hope Brian reads it and lets us know so we can get to the next book soon:)))

[Choko]

I actually did not notice that word, but that is funny:) I kind of take words like that for granted from some authors, while they bug me when a less capable and talented author uses them... I will try to notice next book:)))

[Nirkatze]

Choko wrote: "I finished it as well. Goodness gracious, I had forgotten so much of the details. This is why I love rereading books I love - you always remember or discover tidbits that make everything even bette..."

I so much ditto you on rereading--I especially like when I've forgotten key parts, and manage to puzzle them out all over again from the clues.

As for all the questions left unanswered--like Kelsier says, "There's always another secret." Part of me wants to pick up Mistborn: Secret History now and read it parallel to the next two books.

Regarding your questions on the Deepness--if you really want to know--I'm pretty sure I remember: (view spoiler)[I think the Deepness is the Mists. It shrouded the sun, which killed the plants, the crops, and the people were dying. I'm not 100% sure I'm right though, because I also have an impression that the Mists were linked to the positive Shard--Preservation--but the Deepness has to be of the negative Shard, Ruin. But I think it was something like that--a primal, natural, force, not a group of people or something that could be fought by conventional means. (hide spoiler)]

I love what you picked out for the highlights--I loved the (view spoiler)[girl Mistborn fight too! It's always nice to see arrogant folks get their behinds handed to them. And I really like the inventive way Vin fights--first with doing the sneaky thing with the atium, then later when she fights the inquisitors, with the stone arrowheads and the pewter dust. Very smart! She totally downplays her own talents and usefulness--I wish she didn't think she was only worthwhile as an assassin, but Vin has a whole road of healing and learning self-worth ahead of her.

I love the Kandra!! Such interesting creatures, and I love what I remember of his character journey. There's more of him to come, and Sazed, and more Terrisfolk too--I remember a woman being prominent and was surprised she didn't show up in book 1. Yes, Spook survived, and I know we get more of him but I don't remember when.

In fact, other than Kelsier, we didn't lose anyone major this book, did we? (hide spoiler)]

And I hear you Choko, about taking big words in stride for more talented writers, and looking askance at less developed ones when they use the same words.

Though I can think of some times when I've noticed word over-use from even good writers... I did a Honorverse reread last summer and there were a few words David Weber threw in to each book that made me groan... can't think off the top of my head, but one was "for all intents and purposes" and I think another was a consistent misuse of a word that started with "o"... not "obstinate" but something like that, but used wrong.

And yes, Brian, let us know when you're on to the next one!! Me excited. :)

[Choko]

I have to get to the Honorvrerse! It has been on my TBR for ages, but I just never got to it... Do you think I would like it?

[Nirkatze]

Hmmm... we haven't read much military SF with this group, or hardly an SF at all really--I picked it up when I was suffering from Miles-withdrawal after my nth reading of Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga and was not disappointed. I've enjoyed every bit of Weber's work I've read so far, though he seems to have trouble actually finishing series.

I like military SF in general, so I really like the Honorverse. I've heard some folks get put off by the technical aspects and battles, and Weber has a sprawling cast and does the same thing Jordan does where we get more scenes with the bad guys than feels necessary--and not as satisfyingly as Jordan does in WoT.

That said, the stories are great, the conflicts epic, and if you enjoy underdog-against-huge-odds-who-win-by-their-crazy-ideas stories, they are a lot of fun. Great character stories, and promotion in ranks gives similar feelings to seeing interesting worlds and a lot of thriller-style political maneuverings and interesting worlds with different religious, governmental, and economic makeups. The world is huge, and Weber often invites other authors to come play in his sandbox, so there's at least four side series with co-authors, six or seven books of short stories, as well as a main series of over 20 books. Last year I did a chronological reread putting all the shorts in order, and it was enjoyable, though the last few books in the series have some issues--the third Saganami book takes place mostly before the second one, and is made up almost entirely of copied scenes from other books. I have no idea how it got published..

If you don't want to commit to something so huge to see if you like Weber's work, I'd recommend the March series co-written with John Ringo, starting with March Upcountry, or the Dahak series. Both are more or less complete, though there's threads left hanging if the author(s) ever feel the urge to return. Or you could try out the Star Kingdom series or Manticore Ascendant series in the Honorverse--both take place hundreds of years before the main storyline, and are fun, but are not yet finished.

And that was a lot of words. I guess I could have just said yes or no...

[Choko]

Hahaha! Thank you so much! I love military Scifi as well, so if you like it, I think I will too:))) I love long series, because if I like the world, I hate saying goodbye to it... I know we are only in book 8 of WoT, but I already have a bit of anxiety that it is soon coming to an end... I will definitely check Weber out!

[Tonari no Emily]

Through Part 1.. A lot of this story I remember pretty well, I probably got all the big things still.. I can't remember if there is anything more with Reen or not... (view spoiler)[ other than the earring thing... still remember that one. (hide spoiler)]

I forgot how skiddish Vin was at the beginning.. She has a lot of growth during the trilogy.

Re hating all nobility (view spoiler)[ I understand I guess where Kelsier is coming from, but yeah that truly is a blind spot. Nobles were born into their lot just like the Skaa.. And being radical is something you have to learn, so that needs to be a choice given to them ya know?
Also yeah, you can't just enslave a whole people because then you're back to where you started but in reverse... Not saying that nobles shouldn't deserve some sort of justice, especially the bad ones... (hide spoiler)]

LOL maladroitly, completely forgot about that tidbit... But found it right away with Kelsier's scene at Keep Venture :D

I'm finding the writing a bit less refined? than I remember.. Maybe just compared to Sanderson's later works Idk...

[Choko]

Emily, definitely less refined than his later work, but even within the book he gets better as we go... I actually love seeing his progress through the books. He gets better and better:)))

[Nirkatze]

It'll be interesting re-reading the series--from some of his earliest work to his very latest!

Hah! Glad you found the word Emily. :)

re: Reen--there's one bit that's done by the end of the book, but you might not be thinking of that as a secret--(view spoiler)[that he didn't actually abandon or betray Vin... (hide spoiler)]

I had also totally forgotten how mistrustful Vin was at the beginning!

re: Hating nobility--I had forgotten the path this thread took in the book. :) By the end, (view spoiler)[I was happy with the choice Kelsier made, recognizing that he wasn't able to make balanced decisions on that and trusting in Vin. (hide spoiler)]

I know we all started reading again because of Brian, but I haven't seen him poke his head in this thread yet... I'd be down to moving on to book two whenever.

[Tonari no Emily]

I'll need about a week to finish this one... I don't want to pay for the audio so I only have my hard copy :) Hopefully my holds come through for the audios on books 2 and 3!

Reen-- that's the bit I couldn't remember!

[Brian]

Hello ya all. Sorry I’ve been swamped. I’m reading the paperback so going a little slower. I’m 400 pages in so should be done in a day or two. I am down to keep going right after if y’all are.

Happy Friday

[Nirkatze]

@Brian, I hope your swamped-ness gets better!

I also find hard-copies slower going--but I notice so much more! I'm glad I did my first read on hardcopy.

:)

[Tonari no Emily]

On chapter 24.. I forgot about the Eastern dialect Spook speaks. That conversation between him and Kelsier completely went over my head.. Trying to parse it out and I got nothing lol

[Nirkatze]

Emily wrote: "On chapter 24.. I forgot about the Eastern dialect Spook speaks. That conversation between him and Kelsier completely went over my head.. Trying to parse it out and I got nothing lol"

So true! I payed extra attention the second time it came round--I could understand the words, but still had no idea what he was trying to say...

[Choko]

I love Spook! I think he was even more dear to me than Sazed this time around... His accent makes the character what he is, really...

[Nirkatze]

Choko wrote: "I love Spook! I think he was even more dear to me than Sazed this time around... His accent makes the character what he is, really..."

That, and his unrequited Thing for Vin... (view spoiler)[the whole handkerchief thing was just so cute!! (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I know!!!! And he knows he is out of his league, but he had the guts to give her the handkerchief despite it! Love the dude!:)))

[Tonari no Emily]

Yes, that was kind of adorable :)