The Sword and Laser discussion
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A Memory of Light
Branderson Finished "A Memory of Light"
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yeah. It is getting released in Jan 2013. I already have the preorder in. :)
is there any word from Tor or Team Jordan about opening up the universe to other writers in the future?
From what I have heard it isn't going to happen. I think it's going to be this last novel and kaput. I don't have the references handy for these interviews but it was my understanding that RJ was fairly closed off to that idea.
Darren wrote: "I have you beat by over a decade. "You know, I just saw a comment on Reddit that claimed time had somehow stopped in our collective consciousness, and that we are all stuck with the idea that the 90s were ten years ago. I just proved it - I did not pick up Eye of the World after the year 2000. I just assumed the nineties were 10 years ago.
I'm going to go grab a crossword puzzle and soak my feet.
Towers of Midnight was one of my all time favorite reads I can't wait to see what Sanderson has for his Finale. I have been squeezing my eyes shut and willing January to come faster.
Is anyone else kinda sad to see it end because they felt Brandon's writing was actually better than Jordan's?I've enjoyed these two last books so much. He's done an excellent job.
Darren wrote:Disagree.You should remember that Jordan still wrote much of the t..."
Yup, I know how much Jordan left Brandon to work with. I followed Brandon's blog during the time he started writing the "last book."
And yes, while Jordan had left him both extensive notes and dictation, there were still many gaps to fill that had little to nothing. I mean, Sanderson figured he had enough material from Jordan to do at least about 300,000 words. He ended up with damn near 1,000,000. That's a lot of Sanderson in those last three books.
Regardless, as you can tell with Mat, I can tell with Perrin. Perrin was nearly forgotten by Jordan from time to time (and small wonder since he was an amalgamation of two characters, if I recall correctly), but with Sanderson, Perrin was made as strong a character as Mat and Rand, which felt good, even though I never really cared for Perrin previously.
But the biggest thing is pacing. Jordan meandered wonderfully, but extensively. Whereas Brandon likes to move the plot along. Harriet actually had to ask Brandon to add additional scenes that Brandon was going to skip; Brandon, initially, believed that the readers didn't really need to see those scenes, but agreed because he trusted Harriet's judgement completely.
And, really, I think Jordan's slow pacing and constant visits to all sorts of POVs either caused many people to lem the series, or at least read-on in spite of it.
So I think that was Jordan's biggest weakness, and not doing that appears to be one of Sanderson's strengths.
So, yes, it's totally a personal preference, and it does suck if your favourite character has changed, so I can see your point there. That said, with the life he breathes into Perrin and the improvement to the pacing, I'm glad Sanderson was the one to finish the story.
I personally feel that Sanderson is a more captivating writer than Jordan was. I can't give enough credit to Jordan on the abstract thoughts and background for the book the wheel of time universe is awesome. I just feel that Sandersons style makes you care for the characters Jordan made that much more he has a real knack for the epic scale. Those Rand scenes from TOM where just fun and he even turned the Perin Storyline from something I found a bit tedious to one of my favorite parts. There were so many things that just felt so right. I loved The Way of Kings and I can't wait to see how Stormlight Archives unfolds as a long series of Sandersons making.
Daniel wrote: "is there any word from Tor or Team Jordan about opening up the universe to other writers in the future?"Highly doubtful. Brandon Sanderson has been asked this question many times and he always answers it the same way. He says ultimately its up to Harriet but that its his opinion that she doesn't want anyone else to write in it and he agrees. The WoT was Jordan's vision and they don't want to tarnish that in any way.
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If not for being stuck in airports/planes for traveling during books 8 and 9 I might never have finished.
Book 10 was a real struggle. Book 11 was great though. I think Jordan was finally coming out the other side and getting on with the story.
I feel confident he would have wrapped things up nicely on his own had he the time to do so.
That said I've really enjoyed the 2 Sanderson books so far, and book 12 might be my favorite in the series. I'm looking forward to the final book.
I read Mistborn, not too long ago and it's now one of my favorites.
I look forward to checking out some of Sanderson's other works now that he has the time to devote to them again.
Darren wrote: "I have you beat by over a decade. :) Picked up the The Eye of the World in '90 or '91. The Great Hunt was the first trade paperback I ever saw in a bookstore, or owned. I'm really looking forward to the Whelan cover for this."Heh - I've been reading this series for longer than I've been married, and I've been married for coming up on 22 years.
Alexpope wrote: "Is anyone else kinda sad to see it end because they felt Brandon's writing was actually better than Jordan's?"No, I find Sanderson exactly as mediocre as RJ was. And his portrayal of the characters, Mat in particular, comes across like a fanfic writer who doesn't fully grasp the characters.
I found that the strength of wheel of time was more in the immersion than in the characters. So far I haven't found a better series for that. I think thats one of the reasons the community is so devided on these books. RJ put his world on paper along with pretty much every thought in every characters head. For me it was my first love in the fantasy genre.
I feel like if Robert Jordan did not die, this day would have never have come.
Its this series that has led me to stop reading A Song of Ice and Fire - I haven't read Dance of Dragons and won't until the series is finished / if its finished. As fans we lucked out on this series that Jordan knew he was dying which gave him time to finish the ending and make a detailed outline of how to get there. Who knows what Martin has done on his series. He's not only older than Jordan was when he died he also isn't exactly taking care of himself given his weight and smoking.
His magic suspenders grant him eternal youth don't worry Rik
James wrote: "His magic suspenders grant him eternal youth don't worry Rik"I hope he lives another 30 years at least as he's a fantastic writer. I just worry. There is another fantasy series, Guardians of the Flame, that went forever and will now never be finished because the author, Joel Rosenberg, died of a heart attack a year or two ago.
Given how many potential great completed series there are out there I've decided to focus on them. I'm about halfway through book two of the now completed Malazan series and given its density I figure Martin might actually be done by the time I'm done. I do love Malazan so far but there are times when I just want to not have to think so hard about keeping track of things and just enjoy a good story. I read Leviathan Wakes and its sequel in just under two weeks whereas I'm two months into the 2nd Malazan book and am only halfway through.
It will be great when it's finished, at the same time it's sad in a way. When it comes to other books in the series Robert Jordan said specifically that this was it, no more books in his world (with the exception of the encyclopedia that his widow Harriet is putting together).
When it comes to decades like 70's 80's and so on. The years 2000-2009 is called the naughties :). I love that.
I'm so excited about the final book! I've been reading this series forever, and I'm doing a reread in anticipation of the final book. It's bittersweet.
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If Jordan wrote the end it might have been 5 more instead of the 3 Sanderson wrote.
I've loved this series for years but I'll be glad when it's finished. It has been a part of my life really since i started reading fantasy but i'm ready for it to be done now.
Tomp wrote: "The years 2000-2009 is called the naughties :). I love that."I haven't heard that, but will now use it at every possible opportunity.
This is my favorite series ever but it has to end. I look forward with bated breath for the end and cannot wait to know what happens. But after that the series should be done.And I look forward to Sanderson continuing his own fantastic works.
The longer the anticipation the more let down you are with the ending... And this one has a lot building up for a long time...
I just started reading the Brandon Sanderson books. The Knife of Dreams is already head and shoulders better then the last 2. Stuff is actually happening! I can't wait to be done with the series either. It has been a long series. I am glad I read them though, but will be glad to finish.
I love this series from beginning to end. I'm both excited and extremely sad that the last book is coming out soon.
Darren wrote: "Neil wrote: "I just started reading the Brandon Sanderson books. The Knife of Dreams is already head and shoulders better then the last 2. Stuff is actually happening! I can't wait to be done wi..."You are right! At least it is beginning to pick back up. I am loving this book after 2 really boring ones.
The Sword and Laser
Books mentioned in this topic
The Alloy of Law (other topics)Towers of Midnight (other topics)
It seems impossible, but the series is finished. I'm halfway through Towers of Midnight, and looking forward to the coda. I picked up the first half of the first book as a free sample from Borders (!) over a decade ago. After three false starts, I've been making my way through the series since, enjoying plenty but struggling often. Sanderson's done a great job picking up the pace at the end - here's to a satisfying conclusion (and no "to be continued..." That wheel's got to stop turning at some point).