2020 Cosmere BR (Currently reading: Edgedancer)

[Tonari no Emily]

Alright I finished Final Empire! Will probably roll right on to Well of Ascension because my audio hold is still not available..

This was my third re-through (view spoiler)[ this time I was trying to pay attention to Kelsier's real plan about making himself a religious figure... I think I'll try to read Secret History after the second book too... (hide spoiler)]

[Tonari no Emily]

On to Well of Ascension...
Through chapter 8 (reread spoilers) (view spoiler)[ On my first read I really did not pick up at all on the switch re OreSeur... but now there are definitely hints that I feel like are quite large... maybe not obvious, but someone paying attention more than I apparently did the first time around would see haha (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I am going to need a couple of days for the Well of Ascension... I just started a Kindle book and it is not short, so I will probably start it on Tuesday... Is that OK, Emily?

[Brian]

I am almost done with Well Of Ascension. I am enjoying it but felt the middle had some pacing issues. Great story though. Sanderson sure knows how to make great characters.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

If/when Sanderson succeeds at getting Mistborn project going, he'd like to do movies of the first and last book of the trilogy, but a mini-series of the 2nd book, to really catch all the details of the political drama that ends up playing out, throughout...

[Tonari no Emily]

that's fine! I'm not doing audio so I won't be fast on this one :)

[Tonari no Emily]

That'd be pretty cool.. You can probably do something like that with a limited series having the 1st and last episodes movie length or something

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Sounds like filming on Mistborn starts next year... Sanderson teased some details a few days ago in one of his livestreams...

[Tonari no Emily]

Really?? I had no idea it was even close to production.. That's pretty exciting! It's about time something of his was made into film/tv

[Nirkatze]

Emily wrote: "On to Well of Ascension...
Through chapter 8 (reread spoilers) [spoilers removed]"

Running late in all the reads, but I'll hopefully start book 2 this week! Putting it in the lineup after the current listen. Looking forward to trying to catch those same hints Emily.

I saw that same Mistborn tv/film news! Quote went something like "I would be extremely surprised if we are not in production on set this time next year." So excited to finally see something Sanderson come to screen...

[Brian]

Done with book 2. Gonna knock out a few others I’ve been sitting in before starting book 3.

[Tonari no Emily]

My hold for the audio for Book 3 came in! So hopefully I can finish #2 in a timely manner... Just need to finish them before the Era 2 read..

[Tonari no Emily]

And I just got #2 on audio, so I will be finishing this much quicker than I originally thought!
As much as I love Sanderson, he is definitely not a romance writer.. That's probably the aspects I like least about his novels.. Which is fine since they are not romance novels haha

I am through Chapter 31 at this point..
(view spoiler)[ I really did not like how Elend was using Vin as his trump card assassin... I'm not sure he would actually ask her to go and kill Straff and his generals, but he didn't even realize how that would make her feel..

One of my favorite parts in this one is the growing relationship between Vin and her kandra though :) (view spoiler)[ even knowing what I know about him ;p (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Emily wrote: "And I just got #2 on audio, so I will be finishing this much quicker than I originally thought!
As much as I love Sanderson, he is definitely not a romance writer.. That's probably the aspects I li..."

I ended up blowing through book 2 this weekend. I have to agree on the romance aspect. In fact--I was getting a lot of deja vu for Stormlight Archive. (view spoiler)[Swap Vin and Elend for Shallan & Adolin, cast Zane as Kaladin and you have a lot of the same romantic beats. (hide spoiler)] Made me want to go back and read Elantris and Warbreaker again too, to compare those romances (which I remember being more satisfying).

[Tonari no Emily]

Yes I was thinking exactly that re Stormlight!

And I remember those romances being more satisfying as well... Perhaps I'll see on a reread eventually :)

[Choko]

Still pretty much in the beginning of Mistborn #2... (view spoiler)[ I think Emily is right - the growing relationship between Vin and her Kandra is the best and most compelling part of the story so far. I am getting nervous about who the enemy Kandra has eaten and who is going to die because of them... If you know me, you know that shape shifting imposters are my most hated, paranoia inducing characters, as well as those acting under compulsion.... It is the whole thing about being made to do something outside of your own will and choice, or someone doing something as yourself... It is just a nightmare of mine... (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Re the romances and Fantasy authors. You guys know my theory on that, right? The better the author is in the Fantasy genre itself, the more awkward they are in the romantic department (when it comes to their writing, I have no idea about real life:))))

[Choko]

Mistborn #2... 40% in. So, I had totally forgotten about Zain!!! Talk about not being stable... And we still don't know who the imposter is... This is driving me crazy!

[Choko]

Mistborn #2... About 65% in and I am totally pissed!!! Why, o why is Vin being such an idiot?!?!? I am so frustrated with her!!! (view spoiler)[ Why is she letting herself be manipulated by Zain?????? It is so obvious he is playing her, he goaded her into killing all those people, and she never questioned him? And after that she didn't stop to ask herself what exactly happened, but starts wondering if maybe Zain is a better match for her???????? WTF??? I am just flabbergasted! I didn't remember her being so stupid at this point... (hide spoiler)]

[Tonari no Emily]

Oh yeah this time around I was seriously mad at the character decision here.. Just didn't make any sense!
Also the whole love triangle here was super forced and I hated it!

[Nirkatze]

Emily wrote: "Oh yeah this time around I was seriously mad at the character decision here.. Just didn't make any sense!
Also the whole love triangle here was super forced and I hated it!"

Triple ditto on that! On that aspect, I feel Sanderson did do better with Kaladin in Stormlight--though I still didn't *feel* the romance, it was a much more convincing conundrum and I didn't dislike either of the options...

@Choko, I think I have seen you bring up that theory before! It feels very on point. Though--have you read the Kushiel's Dart series? It is one of my favorites, and is both a very sexy series with (IMO) great romances, and an amazing fantasy.

Hmm... on that side note--what are your favorite romances in Fantasy (or SF)? SF wise, I have to think of Vorkosigan Saga--though I also like Bujold's fantasies for that too. The Kushiel series... maybe Black Jewels saga... Romance is tough! I think I'll need to peruse my bookshelves and come up with a better list... later.

[Choko]

I finished #2 and the last battle was pretty devastating... Also, the way The Deepness played everyone was devious and very well written. It just makes you feel like the wind is taken out of you... It is hard not to jump straight into the next one and find out what happens...

About the romance, yep, not very good, was it... And Emily, the triangle was totally forced!

Nirkatze, I have to think about a good romance in Fantasy... I love everything Bujold, but I honestly don't remember the romantic parts very well.... I am definitely going to ponder it more though...

So, when are we reading the next one?

[Tonari no Emily]

I've already started.. I thought I had posted that earlier along with some of my final thoughts on 2, but I guess I exited the tab before I finished writing... woops haha

I'm pretty sure Brian has already started and Nirkatze is already done with 2 too

[Tonari no Emily]

Final battle was devastating for sure, but those kinds of scenes Sanderson particularly excels at for me. Also with foreshadowing and hiding tidbits in the text that make sense later. They always have great value on the reread!

Also (view spoiler)[ with the scene of Vin slaughtering Cett's men you can definitely tell Sanderson is not a grimdark writer... That scene in a grimdark's author's hands would have been so much more violent and gory. It was almost sanitized considering just how much death was wrought...

It's just interesting when you compare the more traditional fantasy authors with grimdark authors.. Lots of horrible things happen in traditional fantasy but the grimdark writers focus on horror a bit more.. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I think most people consider romance to be Sanderson's weakest point... but he has so much else going for him, it's hard to complain too much...

[Choko]

Iain, I totally agree! Just this time around it kind of rubbed me a bit wrong...

Emily, you are not kidding. This would have been horrifying as Grimdark... He is much gentler with us. I did notice he really delved into human 's relationship with religion in this one, way deeper than just as a plot point. I actually enjoy his musings on the theme quite a lot...

[Tonari no Emily]

Wellp I finished the #3 today! Couldn't put it down :D
(view spoiler)[ I feel like I was just really dense on my first read that I didn't realize Vin's earring was a hemalurgic spike... The reread was SO obvious with the way the beginning excerpts were structured! The first time I read it I didn't know until basically it spelled it out for me lol
I think this is partly because I'm a bit more of an "active" reader now compared to then and pay attention to the details more... But still.

I liked all the Cosmere bits in this one... Sazed's musings in the excerpts on where the original consciousnesses for Ruin and Preservation came from...
Hoid came up again once when Vin's recon of Fadrex.. Did Ruin push her to not visit him I wonder? Or was that true instinct? (hide spoiler)]

Gonna read Secret History now :)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Doing Secret History now, is considered a spoiler for #6, 3rd book of the 2nd Era, if this is your first time reading (Brian, I think)

(view spoiler)[since that's the book with the artifact that lets Wax see some visions of Kelsier's time meeting with the South Pole tribes and giving them feruchemy technology... the Bands of Mourning, and all that... (hide spoiler)]

It's definitely when I do it on re-reads, tho, considering the contents...

I really hope Sanderson finds time to do Secret History 2 & 3 between the other trilogies... because I have so many questions about (view spoiler)[how Kelsier becomes Thaidakar, leader of the Ghostbloods, and big meddler on Roshar and the Stormlight Archives novels... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

@Iain--are more Secret Histories on Sanderson's roster? It's been a few years since I read the first, but I don't remember if there was hints of more...

In the middle of Royal Assassin now, but planning on hitting up #3 Mistborn when I finish. :) Not sure if I'll do Era 2 on audio or physical. Recommendations?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

It's something Sanderson has indicated he'd LIKE to do, but hasn't committed to doing, because he knows how overbooked he is...

[Nirkatze]

Oh, shiny! I didn't know that. Almost done with Royal Assassin, should be starting Hero of Ages today. :) Then on to Era 2!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I think it was mentioned in Arcanum Unbound, the Cosmere anthology... each story has a little word from the author about the inspiration and place in the timeline, before or after...

That whole anthology just showcases how I wish Sanderson had more time, or wrote faster...

[Tonari no Emily]

Ironically the pandemic did him some good on that front, what with the FOUR freaking secret novels he wrote :D

Maybe he'll cut back just a smidge on all the travelling... Not that I want him to stop though because I would like to get the rest of my books signed haha

[Nirkatze]

When Choko figures out that dimensional pocket room, we need to send one to Sanderson. :)

I was very lucky that Sanderson came up to AK on his Skyward tour--and there aren't so many folks in AK that I was able to get in to the event with very little crowding. Any future signed books though I think I'll have to order through Dragonsteel/kickstarters... >.<

Just started Mistborn 3. Chapter um... 2? I think? (view spoiler)[When Vin & Elend are searching for the supply cache, they think the Lord Ruler must have anticipated Ska taking over some day, and left things so allomancers could find them. But they didn't think about the fact that it isn't an allomancer, but specifically Mistborn, who would have been able to open it--someone pulling without pewter would've been torn apart--OR a Steel Inquisitor, who has powers like a Mistborn. The Lord Ruler was trying to prepare the world for a time without HIM, but he thought his nobles (with their Mistborn) or his ministry (with the Steel Inquisitors) would still be in power.

Also, I'm glad Elend & Vin had a chat about the usefulness of Atium. I felt like that was a bit of a plot hole in the first book--if the world is falling apart, what use is Atium, except to Mistborn? I'm not going to worry about getting my money out of the bank when the Zombie Apocalypse comes. I'm hitting up the garden stores for seeds, and the groceries for canned goods. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I missed your post. Agree completely! Unless you are burning it, the economic value of it is negligible.

[Nirkatze]

Finished Book 3 and forgot to post! I was really enjoying how many different forms of faith there were in this book--Elend's faith in Vin, Spook's faith in Kelsier, Sazed's struggle with faith of all kinds--the book felt like a study, or even ode, to faith of all kinds.

Ending still makes me cry. >.< I always dread (view spoiler)[the moment when Vin takes on Preservation's power, and she'll never see Elend in person again--while Elend still thinks she's alive, and has faith in her, and she does actually fulfil that faith--but she's gone...waaaaaa! (hide spoiler)]

And I love Sazed. Big hugs.