Honestly, I was told that Stormlight explicitly centered this shared universe stuff and I’ve read all three currently published Stormlight books and I don’t think it’s explicit at all. There are a couple of weird characters who seem like they come from somewhere else, sure, which is also true in at least some of the Mistborn books. But in terms of them actually talking about that or the origins of what’s going on in the Stormlight story etc as being part of this overall fabric? Not that I’ve noticed.
Meh. I will read the books but I am not Sanderson’s number one fan.
I think writing it off as retconning is doing Sanderson a disservice. It’s all there and internally consistent. It’s just more along the lines of easter eggs here and there, rather than “ooooh Aragorn showed up!”
There’s the one character (Hoid, not a spoiler, he goes by a different name basically every time you see him) who shows up in most (all, maybe) Cosmere books but he quite intentionally doesn’t impact the developments of the plots so much as make cryptic pronouncements and fuck off before anyone can pin him down.
Stormlight 3 has arguably the first major crossover when Nightblood shows up. Aside from the Stromlight interludes and chapter intros, which are more or less fragmentary pieces of wider Cosmere things.
I’m kind of in the same boat. I enjoy his novels. But to me he’s kind of like Christian rock: well-produced, competent stuff that is meticulously aping the conventions of a genre, but in kind of a sanitized way. He’s a decent writer, and is very prolific. He did a great job finishing up the Wheel of Time, but IMO it’s pure escapism; he’s not writing anything challenging or dangerous. Maybe I’m wrong–I haven’t read any of Stormlight (because it’s not finished and I don’t read unfinished serieses)–but he feels like kind of a throwback to the early 90’s.
I thought Mistborn was very inventive, as is stormlight. Even his ya superhero books were. But, different strokes for different folks.
Do not click until watching the video above
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonsteel/surprise-four-secret-novels-by-brandon-sanderson?ref=bva2b9 It’s breaking records, the fastest time to do $4M in KS until now
Need the like button back for this one! Thanks!
Quick question… I just finished the Mistborn trilogy. I swear somebody told me that Szeth’s smoking black sword (from Stormlight) was in one of the books, but I don’t remember it. Does it appear in a later Mistborn book or something?
Not in the original Mistborn trilogy no. Warbreaker is what you’re looking for.
Is it otherwise worth reading? I thought Mistborn books 2 and 3 were a bit of a slog. The Stormlight Archive holds my attention much better.
I liked Warbreaker quite a bit more than Mistborn 2 or 3. It’s definitely still one of his earlier books and not as refined or complex as Stormlight, but it has a charm to it. It’s also a stand-alone (at least for now).
I feel similarly about Mistborn 2 and 3 and would say it’s worth a read yes.
Mistborn Era 2 (the Wax & Wayne books) are great imo.
That’s what my neighbor says. Maybe I’ll check those and Warbreaker out. I might need a Sanderson break for a bit, first.
You should read Rivers of London! ;)
Just ordered it!
Agreed about both. Mistborn 2/3 were a bit of a slog, and the Wax & Wayne series (Mistborn second series) is fantastic.
This is fun also. Was actually a recommendation of Charles Stross when I saw him pre-pandemic at a local book signing.
Holy crap, the KS is nearing $10M already…
I mean… this guy. He’s insanely prolific. Is there anyone who matches him? Now or historically? That much work. All in his former travel time. My mind boggles.
I can’t help but wonder what Rothfuss and Martin think about this.
Hopefully Sanderson takes some of this money and starts a production company to get an animated Stormlight Archive series developed. Or just hires the people who did Arcane for Riot, Fortiche.
Isaac Asimov wrote several hundred books over his (admittedly substantial) lifetime. But yeah, Sanderson’s well above average.