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Wise Man's Fear XI


Michael Seswatha Jordan

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Also a vastly better story :P

1 hour ago, C.T. Phipps said:

 

1. A publisher decided to change the terms of the contract (which they got smacked by the Horror Writers of America for) but also exploit every loophole to get authors to accept worst terms. People who had already published their books with this publisher found themselves no longer wanting to work with them even though they had plans for lengthy ongoing series.

 

Eh, can you say which publisher, or will you get in trouble?

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3 hours ago, Let's Get Kraken said:

For me it's not just that he takes a dig at other authors. It's the fact that not only does he constantly dig at this one specific author, but that the writer he chooses to target just so happened to have written a vastly more popular story about a boy orphan attending a school for magic.

Hasn't he done a complete 180 on criticising other authors? At least I remember taking Paolini as a punching bag before and now he's all praise. Or is that because they share the same publisher and he got reined in?

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41 minutes ago, Proudfeet said:

Hasn't he done a complete 180 on criticising other authors? At least I remember taking Paolini as a punching bag before and now he's all praise. Or is that because they share the same publisher and he got reined in?

Never heard him bash Paolini, but here's him on Rowling in 2014 (see minutes 31-33):

 

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Interesting way this discussion has turned.

I don't believe that the authors owe us anything. It is a lot of work to write a novel, and even harder go give it the exposure it needs to become a named author, with lots of fans.

That being said, a lot of authors will want to complete the story for thier own satisfaction. I particularly like Robert Jordan, when diagnosed as terminal, set down enough notes so that the series could be finished posthumously. To do that shows a certain commitment to the fans and the story.

At the same time I can respect a decision in the other direction. Some of my favorite Star Wars novels are Karen Traviss' Republic Commando series, and yet it was left unfinished due to her arguments with Lucasfilm over the story. It's a bitter pill to swallow for us, the reader, but clearly the only decision she felt she could make.

I don't think Rothfluss is stringing us out. If he thinks it needs more work, I'm inclined to believe him. The same with Winds of Winter. I want the books, but I'd feel disappointed if they lacked the polish of the other books.

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4 hours ago, Chaircat Meow said:

The Adem were so tedious and pointless. That section of the book was really just boring drivel for the most part. Really came across as phoned in. In contrast I quite liked the Fae, esp the Cthaeh.

I disagree.  The Adem served to illustrate Kvothe's dychotimous nature.  How he is a constant roil of darkness and beauty in competion with each other.  How he has the potential to walk a peaceful path but chooses recklessness over and over again.  It is a further illustration that no matter how powerful he becomes Kvothe is still the terrified boy who found his family slaughtered.  That no matter what he learns to guide his life and to protect himself fear and anger will always be there to pull him down from his victories.

Vashet probably should have killed him if Kvothe really is the source of the evil that is stalking the "Four Corners".

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10 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

I disagree.  The Adem served to illustrate Kvothe's dychotimous nature.  How he is a constant roil of darkness and beauty in competion with each other.  How he has the potential to walk a peaceful path but chooses recklessness over and over again.  It is a further illustration that no matter how powerful he becomes Kvothe is still the terrified boy who found his family slaughtered.  That no matter what he learns to guide his life and to protect himself fear and anger will always be there to pull him down from his victories.

Vashet probably should have killed him if Kvothe really is the source of the evil that is stalking the "Four Corners".

Ok ...

Can you explain why Vashet contemplated murdering Kvothe at one point? Is she just an evil psycho? I did not really understand that.

Tbh the only thing I got out of this, in terms of message/moral was that there is sometimes only so much a sensible person does to help others, especially when they bring their problems on themselves. Tempi should have answered for his own mistakes: Kvothe was very stupid and naïve to put himself in so much danger because of him. But he found the name of the wind because of it, so that's good ...

I am reading quite fast though, so maybe that is why this is not coming across so well. I am enjoying the book overall though and will certainly pick up three when it comes out.

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28 minutes ago, Chaircat Meow said:

Ok ...

Can you explain why Vashet contemplated murdering Kvothe at one point? Is she just an evil psycho? I did not really understand that.

Tbh the only thing I got out of this, in terms of message/moral was that there is sometimes only so much a sensible person does to help others, especially when they bring their problems on themselves. Tempi should have answered for his own mistakes: Kvothe was very stupid and naïve to put himself in so much danger because of him. But he found the name of the wind because of it, so that's good ...

I am reading quite fast though, so maybe that is why this is not coming across so well. I am enjoying the book overall though and will certainly pick up three when it comes out.

Chairman Meow,

Because Kvothe is reckless, dangerous, and careless with the power he weilds.  He let's his anger, fear, and frustation rule him.  Not all the time but frequently enough.  All that remainswith his University training, with his travels, with his training with Tempe and Vashet.  Worst of all, from the Adem perspective, it remained with his deep knowledge of the Lethani.  

Vashet, percieved all of this and was rightly troubled by it.  A recurring theme in this series is Kvothe's recklessness.  His failure to think things through.  His failure to understand long term consequenses of his hot temper.  

I am not convinced that Kvothe is truely a "hero".  I suspect, but am not certain, that Kvothe's story may be that of an antagonist but told from the antagonist's point of view.

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21 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Chairman Meow,

Because Kvothe is reckless, dangerous, and careless with the power he weilds.  He let's his anger, fear, and frustation rule him.  Not all the time but frequently enough.  All that remainswith his University training, with his travels, with his training with Tempe and Vashet.  Worst of all, from the Adem perspective, it remained with his deep knowledge of the Lethani.  

Vashet, percieved all of this and was rightly troubled by it.  A recurring theme in this series is Kvothe's recklessness.  His failure to think things through.  His failure to understand long term consequenses of his hot temper.  

I am not convinced that Kvothe is truely a "hero".  I suspect, but am not certain, that Kvothe's story may be that of an antagonist but told from the antagonist's point of view.

I don't disagree about Kvothe's recklessness and I get that she might be troubled by Kvothe. I don't see how she got from there to pondering whether to murder him. And I also don't get why they were bothered about his brief intro to the Lethani and the sword moves (whatever they were) with Tempi. He barely knew anything so how could he have been a danger? I'm probably getting this all wrong and just haven't read it carefully enough but it all seemed super contrived and stupid.

 

 

 

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Chaircat Meow,

The Lethani is "the heart of Ademre".  That someone could have that heart and still be able to abuse it is deeply disturbing to the Adem.  And should disturb them.  As they understand the Lethani those who possess it shouldn't be capable of abusing it.  That is how important and intrinsically they see the Lethani.  This Kvothe's possession of the Lethani and ability to abuse it warrents his death.

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21 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

David Hackett Fischer was shortlisted for a Pulitzer for his work Albion's Seed.  It's a great work of non-fiction.  In his introduction he mentions that is the first of a 5 volumn work exploring American "folkways" and their influence on American Culture.  That was in the early 90's.

The rest of the books remain to be written.  Is his failure to write the rest a moral failing?

Not familiar with the work.  Does it stand alone, or is it just an installment of an overall series?  Because something like Rothfuss's works are really just one large novel chopped into three parts so that it can be sold in pieces.

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16 minutes ago, larrytheimp said:

The Cthaeth so far is just some lame garden of Eden serpent bs. 


It seems a fairly straightforward "Ironic Prophecy" machine.

The thing is, how would you KNOW it was making the worst of all possible outcomes?

It could just say that and you'd have no way of knowing.

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1 hour ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Sperry,

"Chopped into three parts" impiles the work is completed and then divided, like the Lord of the Rings.  You and I both know that isn't how this works today.

Which is exactly how the book was purchased by the publisher and then marketed to the consumer. Rothfuss may not be my bitch, but he is a bitch.

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6 minutes ago, RedEyedGhost said:

Which is exactly how the book was purchased by the publisher and then marketed to the consumer. Rothfuss may not be my bitch, but he is a bitch.

I, honestly, was confused why he and the publisher thought, "Three books and done!" was somehow a selling point.

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