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Brandon Sanderson - The Cosmere |OT| there's always another secret...

L

LProtag

Member
These two newest releases are making me want more so badly. I'm hoping that we start getting more of an understanding about what happens in the Cosmere and the fundamental workings of the universe since he gave us a ton of information here.

It's crazy looking at the schedule he has of upcoming stuff. He's already planned up to 2022.

At least he releases new stuff constantly, as it's going to take a while to get into the end-game stuff he has planned, it seems.
 
W

Wowfunhappy

Member
Is Mistborn: Secret History going to get an audiobook? I really want to get it, but I honestly haven't actually read a book for years (other than textbooks and other stuff for school).

hythloday said:
The main problem I had with Elantris was the discussion of
the competing religious sects. The characters are constantly talking about converting people, people of this faction worshiping this way versus that way, etc, and there was little context to what that actually meant. Like real life schisms, I suppose.
It really distracted me from the story, which wasn't bad in itself.
Click to expand...
Wasn't that, like, a big part of the story? It was a novel about different groups competing for power—economic, religious, and national—and how they all were affected by
Elantris's existence and downfall.

(above spoilers are very minor)
 
W

Wowfunhappy

Member
I loved, and still love, the first Wheel of Time book (Eye of the World) but they became increasingly less interesting the further I went. I gave up around #5. Much too descriptive and slow paced for me.

I've heard that they got much better after Brandon Sanderson took over, but I'm not willing to read all of the books leading up to that point.
 
R

ryseing

Member
Just finished Bands of Mourning.

Steris is the best.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT KELSIER SURVIVED
(at least that's what I got out of the ending)
 
H

hythloday

Member
Wowfunhappy said:
Wasn't that, like, a big part of the story? It was a novel about different groups competing for power—economic, religious, and national—and how they all were affected by
Elantris's existence and downfall.

(above spoilers are very minor)
Click to expand...

Oh, it was. That was the whole point. What bothered me was
the time name-dropping the actual religions, Shu'Dereth and the other one, when the religion itself didn't matter. They could have been snake handlers or skunk-worshipers, but the point was the factions were competing for power amidst everything brewing in Elantris. The details didn't matter but they were brought up so much I found it distracting.
 
A

Archaeopteryx

Member
So, what's the verdict? Should I wait to read Mistborn: Secret History until after I read Bands of Mourning? I've got Secret History loaded onto my Kindle, but I'm still waiting for my physical copy of Bands to arrive. Really hard not to dive into the novella right now.
 
R

ryseing

Member
Archaeopteryx said:
So, what's the verdict? Should I wait to read Mistborn: Secret History until after I read Bands of Mourning? I've got Secret History loaded onto my Kindle, but I'm still waiting for my physical copy of Bands to arrive. Really hard not to dive into the novella right now.
Click to expand...

Ending of Bands is given context by Secret History. So I would wait.
 
M

Mashing

Member
So I just started reading Sanderson about a few weeks ago. I've finished book 1 (Final Empire) and on book 2 of the Mistborn trilogy. Liking most of the character so far, especially Vin (
and Kelsier was great too, but even the paper thin crew are enjoyable... except Clubs, grumpy bastard ;)
)
 
R

Ri'Orius

Member
Tore through Bands (and Secret History; yay unemployment!). One potential inconsistency in the magic system that I'd love to hear clarified (major spoiler):

So they talk about using Feruchemy to zero out your Identity and thus create public-use metalminds, and are unsure whether they'd be usable to non-Feruchemists. Then they find a gold metalmind that Wayne can use but nobody else, implying that you need to be the appropriate flavor of Feruchemist to use a generalized metalmind. Then they find the medallions, and my understanding is that their necrosil ring stores the Investiture (which means "ability to use Allomancy/Feruchemy" [plus presumably other crazy Cosmere magic], right?) required to use the iron or brass part of the talisman. But how is it that normal people can tap the necrosil metalmind in the first place? Did I miss something, or are we assuming there's more to the talismans than that?

In other news, I've been trying to avoid the Stormlight Archives until at least five books are out, but after Secret History I'd really like to read more about the Cosmere itself. Not just other stories set in the Cosmere (although I've read almost all of those), but books dealing with Shards and the planets interacting. Is that stuff confined in SA, or are there novellas that cover it?
 
J

Jest Chillin

Member
Ri'Orius said:
Tore through Bands (and Secret History; yay unemployment!). One potential inconsistency in the magic system that I'd love to hear clarified (major spoiler):

So they talk about using Feruchemy to zero out your Identity and thus create public-use metalminds, and are unsure whether they'd be usable to non-Feruchemists. Then they find a gold metalmind that Wayne can use but nobody else, implying that you need to be the appropriate flavor of Feruchemist to use a generalized metalmind. Then they find the medallions, and my understanding is that their necrosil ring stores the Investiture (which means "ability to use Allomancy/Feruchemy" [plus presumably other crazy Cosmere magic], right?) required to use the iron or brass part of the talisman. But how is it that normal people can tap the necrosil metalmind in the first place? Did I miss something, or are we assuming there's more to the talismans than that?

In other news, I've been trying to avoid the Stormlight Archives until at least five books are out, but after Secret History I'd really like to read more about the Cosmere itself. Not just other stories set in the Cosmere (although I've read almost all of those), but books dealing with Shards and the planets interacting. Is that stuff confined in SA, or are there novellas that cover it?
Click to expand...

Regarding your spoilers Bands of Mourning Spoilers Follow


The initial discussion was speculation that the Kandra were theorizing but hadn't confirmed yet. The braclet that Wayne was using belonged to The Set while the Medallion belonged to the people from the Southern Hemisphere (I'm forgetting their name) so it's three different bits of info from three different factions. The Kandra had a theory that was unconfirmed. The Set seemed to have made advances but weren't as knowledgable in the creation of the special metal minds. The Southern Hemisphere mask wearing people are the most knowledgable with the "new" ways to utilize investiture from being taught. So it's not an inconsistency as much as it is a lack of knowledge in the techniques necessary to make a truly universal source of investiture.

I don't remember too many of the specifics of Stormlight Archives at the moment but iirc it mostly deals with just itself so far with a couple of things that people who've read other Cosmere novels and novellas would pick up on. It's planned to be a 10 or 11 book series so it's still very early.
 
V

VanWinkle

Member
Ri'Orius said:
In other news, I've been trying to avoid the Stormlight Archives until at least five books are out, but after Secret History I'd really like to read more about the Cosmere itself. Not just other stories set in the Cosmere (although I've read almost all of those), but books dealing with Shards and the planets interacting. Is that stuff confined in SA, or are there novellas that cover it?
Click to expand...

None of the Cosmere books have gone heavily into the inner-workings of the Cosmere, yet. That being said, the SA series HAS been going into it the most. The world of Roshar is far larger and more complex than Scadrial, so there's a lot of interesting stuff about ITS world that may or may not tie into the Cosmere at large in the future. I do recommend you go ahead and start reading it, if only because they're so good and it would be a shame to wait another ~6 years to start.
 
W

Woorloog

Banned
Well, well.
The Bands of Mourning is.... Well. Sure as hell is changing my perception about things on Scadrial.
And how wrong the RPG is about many things! Very understandable for Sanderson has told them little to none what he planned, if he even had anything to share when the Mistborn Adventure Game was made (especially the Alloy of Law supplement).

The implications this stuff has on the Cosmere at large... I have a feeling the Scadrialian magics may be a catalyst for many things in the Cosmere. (Of course, there's a lot we don't know about magics in Roshar. And i suspect certain aspects can be replicated with Rosharan magics.)

Need to finish the book though, another hour or two reading left (i've read it for some 6-7 hours straight now).

And i guess i need to get that Secret History book. I hate ebooks but i don't care to wait till its physical release.
Of course, this does depend on whether i can read it on my phone, if it is .epub not tied to any single device or anything like that? If it is even an .epub file.
 
R

ryseing

Member
Ri'Orius said:
In other news, I've been trying to avoid the Stormlight Archives until at least five books are out, but after Secret History I'd really like to read more about the Cosmere itself. Not just other stories set in the Cosmere (although I've read almost all of those), but books dealing with Shards and the planets interacting. Is that stuff confined in SA, or are there novellas that cover it?
Click to expand...

A place in SA is the same place that Kelsier goes to in SH.

SA was definitely the most cosmere aware out of all Sanderson's works before BoM/SH came out.
Hoid
has a fairly major role in SA. You also see a couple of the
Shards
through flashback.
 
E

ExMachina

Unconfirmed Member
Woorloog said:
And i guess i need to get that Secret History book. I hate ebooks but i don't care to wait till its physical release.
Of course, this does depend on whether i can read it on my phone, if it is .epub not tied to any single device or anything like that? If it is even an .epub file.
Click to expand...

Brandon's always offered DRM-free options for his eBook versions, Secret History included. Even the Amazon version isn't protected and can be freely converted to other formats, though it starts as an AZW3 (Amazon's version of ePub with more formatting options) and you could always read it on the Kindle phone app.

If you want an alternative to Amazon's storefront, I'd recommend buying DRM-free from Dragonmount (you get to support a fan-run fantasy community in the process, bonus!):

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/store/product/4040-mistborn-secret-history/
 
L

LProtag

Member
I'm just so excited for all this Cosmere stuff to start coalescing into a coherent story.

Obviously Sanderson wants to make his books remain accessible for everyone no matter their investment, but it just feels like as he continues they're going to eventually be dealing with a ton of overlap from other books. I think he said the final Mistborn trilogy is going to be extremely Cosmere-aware, or at the very least that
Hoid
will have a large role in it. I can't wait.
 
W

Woorloog

Banned
Holy shit, holy shit!

I suspected, there was something off throughout the book...
Of course, i didn't guess right. But i suspected, and that is enough to make me happy.


EDIT Dragonmount? Only 5$? DRM free? Sure, why not, despite my dislike of ebooks.
Also have something to read for the next evening... As i read Band of Mourning in some 8 hours or so.
 
L

Lirlond

Member
Finished secret history the other day. Damn Sanderson loves to end on a tease doesn't he? Wonder if that story will be picked up again in that format.
 
E

Epcott

Member
Finished Bands of Mourning, all in all (tiny review): I enjoyed it. While the other Mistborn Era 2 books have a bit of Sherlock Holmes / Wild West / Noir / Steammist-punk feel to them, this had more of an Indiana Jones feel of adventure to it. (Major spoiler incoming)
My only gripe is that I hate stories that have a character die (and you know they'll bring him/her back somehow from death). From that point on, it's hard to feel as if that character is in danger... So I was hoping this would be the final story with Wax, which isn't the case. I love Wax, I just hate resurrections. That's really my main issue. It's also why (while it broke my heart) Vin's fate from the original was so shocking.

Anyways, I have some questions about these Wax & Wayne tales:

(More major spoilers)
What is the point of the swashbuckling interludes? Are we (the reader) actually reading Wax's adventures via a pulp magazine within the mistborn universe (complete with advertisements), which will later be revealed to be written by an elderly Steris or Marasi? Should I be paying attention to these short stories for hidden meaning?

Second, anyone get the feeling the red eye'd immortals in the end are void bringers? Or is it too much a direct link to Stormlight to be the case?

Third... What is the significance of the scarred man in the end? Thinking about it, could that have been Kelsier with Hathsin scars down his arms and a spike in one eye due to being revived by the Lord Ruler after his battle with Vin?

And finally, fourth... The beggar who gave Wax the spike eye'd man coin was Hoid, correct? Just wanted to make sure.

Whew, now the long wait.
 
L

Lirlond

Member
The newspaper pages tend to contain hints about future books. BoM:
The southern people are seen in shadows of self. In this book, the story shows a character from the world of a short story he wrote for Dangerous Women.
 
R

ryseing

Member
Epcott said:
Finished Bands of Mourning, all in all (tiny review): I enjoyed it. While the other Mistborn Era 2 books have a bit of Sherlock Holmes / Wild West / Noir / Steammist-punk feel to them, this had more of an Indiana Jones feel of adventure to it. (Major spoiler incoming)
My only gripe is that I hate stories that have a character die (and you know they'll bring him/her back somehow from death). From that point on, it's hard to feel as if that character is in danger... So I was hoping this would be the final story with Wax, which isn't the case. I love Wax, I just hate resurrections. That's really my main issue. It's also why (while it broke my heart) Vin's fate from the original was so shocking.

Anyways, I have some questions about these Wax & Wayne tales:

(More major spoilers)
What is the point of the swashbuckling interludes? Are we (the reader) actually reading Wax's adventures via a pulp magazine within the mistborn universe (complete with advertisements), which will later be revealed to be written by an elderly Steris or Marasi? Should I be paying attention to these short stories for hidden meaning?

Second, anyone get the feeling the red eye'd immortals in the end are void bringers? Or is it too much a direct link to Stormlight to be the case?

Third... What is the significance of the scarred man in the end? Thinking about it, could that have been Kelsier with Hathsin scars down his arms and a spike in one eye due to being revived by the Lord Ruler after his battle with Vin?

And finally, fourth... The beggar who gave Wax the spike eye'd man coin was Hoid, correct? Just wanted to make sure.

Whew, now the long wait.
Click to expand...

One- yes. Apparently the interludes in Bands had some Cosmere implications.

Three- yes. Not exactly how that happened though. Read Secret History.

Four- yes.
 
W

Woorloog

Banned
Well, well. Secret History read.

Very interesting. Yet not all that essential, really. Or perhaps not yet.

There are still some pretty big question marks left in Scadrial.
 
M

massoluk

Banned
Finished Band of Mourning last week, going to jump in to Secret History and just realized Reckoner book 3 is coming out in a few weeks. Jesus Christ, dude. Do you ever stop writing?
 
S

Sulik2

Member
massoluk said:
Finished Band of Mourning last week, going to jump in to Secret History and just realized Reckoner book 3 is coming out in a few weeks. Jesus Christ, dude. Do you ever stop writing?
Click to expand...

He never stops writing and its why he is my favorite author. So many great stories from him all the time.
 
K

Kaladin

Member
This thread is a landmine field for someone like myself who is at The Hero Of Ages in the Mistborn series.

I know...I know, I took a side trip into the Lightbringer series, which is also awesome.
 
E

Epcott

Member
massoluk said:
Finished Band of Mourning last week, going to jump in to Secret History and just realized Reckoner book 3 is coming out in a few weeks. Jesus Christ, dude. Do you ever stop writing?
Click to expand...

Another Reckoner book? He IS a machine. Thanks for the answers guys. I guess I'll pick up secret history and read it on my phone.

Kaladin said:
This thread is a landmine field for someone like myself who is at The Hero Of Ages in the Mistborn series.

I know...I know, I took a side trip into the Lightbringer series, which is also awesome.
Click to expand...

Heh, yeah I hope new readers to Mistborn ignore those spoilers. Era 1 was such a great read and introduced me to the madness and delight that is Sanderson.

Totally helped me get over the lack of First Law books.
 
S

Sulik2

Member
Finished Bands and Secret History tonight. Wow that reveal. The cosmere is officially in play. I bet the letters in Words of Radiance are going to make a lot more sense now.

Sanderson seemed to always hedge that he was ever going to get to write his crossover universe books. Secret History seems to me like he now thinks he is going to be able to write the whole crazy saga and is going for it.

The wax and Wayne series are so much fun just on their own too.
 
T

Tenck

Member
I just finished the first book in the Stormlight Archive. I honestly don't know how to even put in to words my enjoyment of the book. Starting from the very first page I was hooked like never before.

Only found out about Brandon Sanderson because of a Game of Thrones thread. I had just finished the fifth book, and decided to browse Gaf. Saw a thread looking for book recommendations after the OP had found out that the next book wouldn't be out soon.

Will definitely read the second book in the Stormlight Archive and continue with Sanderson's other book series. The way he writes makes it incredibly addicting to just keep reading till your eyelids feel heavy with sleep.
 
S

Sulik2

Member
Tenck said:
I just finished the first book in the Stormlight Archive. I honestly don't know how to even put in to words my enjoyment of the book. Starting from the very first page I was hooked like never before.

Only found out about Brandon Sanderson because of a Game of Thrones thread. I had just finished the fifth book, and decided to browse Gaf. Saw a thread looking for book recommendations after the OP had found out that the next book wouldn't be out soon.

Will definitely read the second book in the Stormlight Archive and continue with Sanderson's other book series. The way he writes makes it incredibly addicting to just keep reading till your eyelids feel heavy with sleep.
Click to expand...

You should read Warbreaker before Words of Radiance.
 
S

suzu

Member
ryseing said:
Hello, would you like to destroy some evil today?

I didn't even like Warbreaker and that got me.
Click to expand...

Yeah. This was me:
v0ACjgi.gif
Click to expand...
 
G

garath

Member
Side note, I hate publishers sometimes with regards to kindle pricing. The paperback of warbreaker is a little over $6. The kindle edition is $9 - set by publisher. In no way should digital be more expensive than real copy. It's infuriating.
 
F

Faiz

Member
Finally finished Bands of Mourning and went right into, and finished, Secret History.

So much info! And as usual... There's always another secret. Sanderson could write 100 books in the cosmere in his time on this earth and I convinced there will still be more secrets that he was unable to share with us!

Random quick thoughts:

#TeamSteris wins

Can't wait to see how he connects the end of Secret History with where we left Kelsier and Spook. And what he has planned for Kelsier in general.

Mentions of Threnody and Taldain in Secret History were unexpected, and we finally get introduced to Nazh.

It's interesting how differently the Cognitive Realm is represented in Mistborn vs Stormlight. I wonder if this is a function of investiture present in the worlds/people who inhabit it. Maybe not the worlds as Kelsier seemingly crossed to another shard world through the Cognitive Realm when he sought out the Ire. I should revisit SA and see if I can ferret out anything there even if it's just a flub in how I perceived the two.

Gonna have to poke around 17th Shard tomorrow and see what people have been talking about post BOM and SH.
 
R

ryseing

Member
Tenck said:
Any particular reason why? I just bought it because people agreed with you, and now I'm curios why so many people agree with you.
Click to expand...

There's a thing in WoR that you'll only recognize if you read Warbreaker first. Once you recognize that thing you will be in absolute glee.
Faiz said:
Finally finished Bands of Mourning and went right into, and finished, Secret History.

So much info! And as usual... There's always another secret. Sanderson could write 100 books in the cosmere in his time on this earth and I convinced there will still be more secrets that he was unable to share with us!

Random quick thoughts:

#TeamSteris wins

Gonna have to poke around 17th Shard tomorrow and see what people have been talking about post BOM and SH.
Click to expand...
Damn straight #teamsteris.

There's been some good conversation on that board the past week. Been meaning to make an account over there myself. I'm not as nearly as Cosmere adept as 90% of those guys though.
 
C

CrichtonKicks

Member
ryseing said:
There's a thing in WoR that you'll only recognize if you read Warbreaker first. Once you recognize that thing you will be in absolute glee.
Click to expand...

Wondering if I need to re-read Warbreaker before I finish WoR (about halfway through). I read it on initial release. Really enjoyed it but I hardly remember anything from it.
 
R

ryseing

Member
CrichtonKicks said:
Wondering if I need to re-read Warbreaker before I finish WoR (about halfway through). I read it on initial release. Really enjoyed it but I hardly remember anything from it.
Click to expand...

Let me put it this way. I barely remembered Warbreaker and I almost immediately recognized the thing we're discussing. I'd just finish WoR and reread Warbreaker before you do a potential WoR reread in the future.

suzu said:
Hah, more than one thing actually.
Click to expand...

Referring to the one big thing. I'm sure there's other stuff, but again, I hated Warbreaker so I have no desire to go back and reread it just to pick up on connections.
 
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