All things Brandon Sanderson
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Zindan
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I hope this book is more focused than the last, and that Kaladin isn't cucked again. Then again, I'd like see more of the Wonder Duo: Szeth & Lift.
Brahma
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Voice actors can make such a huge difference. I've been listening to a lot of stuff RC Bray has done lately, and he's so good he keeps me awake listening to him. Just drags me into the stories.
Then right now I've been listening to "The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O." or something like that, and jesus fuck I'm out cold within 5 minutes listening to it.
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Zindan
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The Mistborn stuff is still my favorite, the first and second trilogy. I thought Warbreaker was good, though it's been a long time
Zindan
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Never read Elantris, so can't comment on that specific book. I've read the first Mistborn trilogy and thought it was good, good enough for me to start reading Stormlight, which has been a very enjoyable experience overall, even with the most recent book being disappointing.
Elantris was his first work and several cuts below his current standard. The rest is much better, if perhaps not the finest literature ever produced.
chaos
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I read Elantris first and almost didn't read any of the others because of it. It's not terrible but not good either and Stormlight is like 50k pages or whatever. But I'd try Mistborn. It's 500 pages long, but if you don't like that I'd think you won't like the rest, or the Stormlight stuff. Or read Warbreaker, that one's "standalone" but is in his universe, it's good.
Gask
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As everyone else has said Elantris wasn't very good but he does improve quite a bit in his other series. Where I differ from most other people is that I tend to like his first 1-2 books in a series but then lose interest as they continue on. At the start his worlds have decent rule sets and his characters have to make due with their lot, which I find interesting to read about. But he always undermines this with power creep and the addition of some characters that I find insufferable.
I enjoyed Way of Kings quite a bit when it came out and I've read it several times but I felt that the momentum that was built up in the first book was squandered and I despised that Dragonball like fight in the sky between Kaladin and Szeth in book 2. I'm a heretic I know but hopefully that gives you some variety of perspective. Bottom line is if you like decently written fantasy superhero epics then give him another try.
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Thanks, consensus seems like Elantris was some of his weaker stuff, I'll try some more.
Furry
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Sanderson's stories always include a female and male protagonist. The female typically starts as a naive but gifted girl who is beaten down by society and da man. She then gains strength consistently through the story and is the main catalyst for unveiling the world to the reader.
The male in his stories is (almost?) always a redemption arc. Some guy who was powerful and successful because of his station falls and has to struggle and suffer to make his way into being the ideal man for dat womenz. I have to admit, that struggle in way of kings was very interesting and good. But what the fuck happens next?
The real problem I have with his writing is that when the characters clash, the outcome is predetermined in the greater story, so it inevitably ends up feeling like some teenage angst book.
What troubles me most is that it seems he doesn't want to redeem kaladin in this story. The guy is a straight on turbo-moran of the worst type. His experiences of reality makes no sense to me, while his broad he's gunna ultimately save (nope?) is some living god of genius. It was the girl in mistborn that felt like some alien cyclops, but I feel the SJW claws deep in this stupid story.
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Furry
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And for public display, my favorite Sanderson book was "The Alloy of Law", which you must read the mistborn series to fully grasp. One of my more favorite books (top 10 probably?), but I had to suffer more than I liked to get there.
I enjoyed reading all of Robin Hobb's books more.
I enjoyed reading all of Robin Hobb's books more.
chaos
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idk, I get that it can be trying when you want the story to move on. But I like what he's doing in Stormlight with the morality. Kaladin has been through a lot, suffered a lot of loss, it's easy to lose the horror of those bridge runs in the idea of this fantasy setting. The same with Shallon and Dalinar, the horror of The Blackthorne vs the leader he is supposed to be, the honor of the Alethi vs the reality of the Alethi. It would be weirder if he just pivoted and became some mythical hero, undercut all the themes he's running with.
I felt like Oathbringer delivered enough that I give him a lot of leeway. And i'm curious to see what he does with the Singers.
I felt like Oathbringer delivered enough that I give him a lot of leeway. And i'm curious to see what he does with the Singers.