New Brandon Sanderson WoT interview

[Humble Asskicker]

I also understand and agree with what russjass is saying. Even though I realized that Sanderson was following RJ's notes, and these characters wouldn't die, the way he wrote it injected such a sense of menace that I did kind of wonder if perhaps things might go the other way.

It did in fact go the other way for some long time characters. Again, this was following RJ's notes. But I think that made it a perfect storm of writing chops on Sanderson's part and things closing on RJ's part, melding to create an atmosphere where for a lot of the characters no longer seem safe.

[awesome possum]

I agree as well. An example off the top of my head is when Mat, Thom and Talmanes(?) are in the cursed town. I never thought for a second that Mat was in danger and I know Thom is important in rescuing Moraine but for a moment there I thought he and especially Talmanes or any of the Aes Sedai could die. There was never really that tension there before. Usually when a character was in danger you'd expect the main and major-minor characters to escape relatively unscathed while some useless side character bit the dust.

[pat5150]

Honestly, I never felt any more tension or atmosphere in which characters might die throughout TGS...

Patrick

[Guy Kilmore]

You want people to die, read ASOIAF.

Patrick

How come I don't see this as the advertising tag line on GRRM's next book..

[russjass]

The Major example of this that I was thinking of was:

When rand is choking Min. I was convinced she was dead right up until she wasnt.

[kcf]

The Major example of this that I was thinking of was:

When rand is choking Min. I was convinced she was dead right up until she wasnt.

Really? I didn't think for a second that she might die. Way too many prophesies/visions/etc have not been fulfilled for her to be in any real danger. (and the same is true for pretty much all of the main and a good many of the minor characters)

[fionwe1987]

Really? I didn't think for a second that she might die. Way too many prophesies/visions/etc have not been fulfilled for her to be in any real danger. (and the same is true for pretty much all of the main and a good many of the minor characters)

Yup. And I'm skeptical that the same scene, as written by RJ, would have been any less well done.

[pat5150]

How come I don't see this as the advertising tag line on GRRM's next book..

Hey, it would sell! :P

Patrick

[Renasko]

I think the greatest point in ASOIF's case, is that you don't want them to die. But they do.

[pat5150]

I have a long list of WoT characters that I would like to see die, chief among them Faile. But RJ/Sanderson are not GRRM, so there is no way she'll even get a papercut.

Alas. . . :crying:

Patrick

[Lightning Lord]

I have a long list of WoT characters that I would like to see die, chief among them Faile. But RJ/Sanderson are not GRRM, so there is no way she'll even get a papercut.

Alas. . . :crying:

Patrick

She might get spanked again. Less painful than a papercut, but seemingly it's enough of a punishment to BREAK HER.

[Liadin]

I have a long list of WoT characters that I would like to see die, chief among them Faile. But RJ/Sanderson are not GRRM, so there is no way she'll even get a papercut.

I don't understand this. Far more main characters (at least percentage-wise) die in Mistborn than in ASOIAF. So if he had his way, I'd expect Sanderson to be more likely to kill people off than GRRM--of course, with RJ writing the script, not as much.

Still, what epic fantasy doesn't kill off an important person or two in the final battle? I'd be surprised if we don't see a couple main character deaths in the last book.

[Myrddin]

Really? I didn't think for a second that she might die. Way too many prophesies/visions/etc have not been fulfilled for her to be in any real danger. (and the same is true for pretty much all of the main and a good many of the minor characters)

Actually, one point toward the end of GS:

could negate the prophecies. If the pattern completely unravels, all prophecies will cease to exist. I wish that point had been raised before Rand tried strangling Min. It would've added tension. And if one prophecy fails due to the pattern unraveling as it continues to do, others could too. It's pretty cool how the DO's main goal is to bale fire the pattern (essentially). Funny how the Forsaken don't seem to realize what that means for them.

They negate Dark Helmet's motto: Evil will always triumph over good, because god is stupid. :)

[pat5150]

I don't understand this. Far more main characters (at least percentage-wise) die in Mistborn than in ASOIAF. So if he had his way, I'd expect Sanderson to be more likely to kill people off than GRRM--of course, with RJ writing the script, not as much.

Untrue. Other than Kelsier, no one of great value dies. But though there are fewer characters, percentage-wise you might be right, depending on what you consider "main characters."

No disrespect, folks, and I'm happy with the way Sanderson is completing the series other than the Mat issue and some nitpicking, but it never ceases to astonish me that some WoT fans look up at him as a messiah figure. You know, it stinks when the guy takes a crap. But all the brown-nosing and the claims that he can basically do no wrong leave me utterly perplexed. . . :stunned:

Patrick

[Myrddin]

Maybe it's not brown nosing but a sense of relief that the series is being ended well.

I know I was relieved when I finished GS. Matt was the only "glaring" issue I had, but it was pretty minor when compared how well Rand and Egwene's stories were handled.

I gotta admit:

When Rand started weaving balefire on his father, I did think Tam was a goner. I was glad Rand came to his senses and left, and was cheering when Tam was telling Cadsuane that she was just a bully, but I did for a second think that Tam was going to die. After all, gods have no fathers. ;)

[awesome possum]

No disrespect, folks, and I'm happy with the way Sanderson is completing the series other than the Mat issue and some nitpicking, but it never ceases to astonish me that some WoT fans look up at him as a messiah figure. You know, it stinks when the guy takes a crap. But all the brown-nosing and the claims that he can basically do no wrong leave me utterly perplexed. . . :stunned:

I'm not sure where you're getting this from, as I don't see it. How exactly is one brown-nosing by saying they enjoyed the book he wrote?

After almost ten years of books that were mediocre or just plain horrid from Robert Jordan, it was great to see a near-completely entertaining Wheel of Time book again. I'm counting from Crown of Swords in 1996 to Knife of Dreams in 2005. While I know many count Lord of Chaos and even Fires of Heaven as among the crap, I enjoyed those books. I also partially enjoyed Knife of Dreams, but that was more surprise from it not being utter dredge like the previous several books.

I had given up on the series. I was going to finish it no matter what, but it was a major relief to read a WoT book that wasn't just tell the story RJ wanted to tell but doing it well.

[fionwe1987]

Untrue. Other than Kelsier, no one of great value dies. But though there are fewer characters, percentage-wise you might be right, depending on what you consider "main characters."

Ummm... Vin and Elend are not main characters?

[kcf]

Actually, one point toward the end of GS:

could negate the prophecies. If the pattern completely unravels, all prophecies will cease to exist. I wish that point had been raised before Rand tried strangling Min. It would've added tension. And if one prophecy fails due to the pattern unraveling as it continues to do, others could too. It's pretty cool how the DO's main goal is to bale fire the pattern (essentially). Funny how the Forsaken don't seem to realize what that means for them.

They negate Dark Helmet's motto: Evil will always triumph over good, because god is stupid. :)

I don't really see this as an issue. Yes, if the DO wins and unravels the pattern, then prophesies don't matter. But until that happens, they do. And we know that the good guys will win this one, so prophesies do matter.

[russjass]

I'm not sure where you're getting this from, as I don't see it. How exactly is one brown-nosing by saying they enjoyed the book he wrote?

I agree with this. Although I enjoyed all the books, the earlier ones more than the later ones, but i still re-read the later ones. And I think that RJ could have done TGS better than Sanderson, because it is his book. I dont see how pointing out differences (in my opinion) in the feel of the different authors is brown-nosing.

[Shryke]

Honestly, I never felt any more tension or atmosphere in which characters might die throughout TGS...

Patrick

Agreed. Any extra tension in the narrative came from the situation itself and it being the end of the series, and not the style of writing.

It really seems like people are reaching for a reason to say they enjoy the series these days.

Yup. And I'm skeptical that the same scene, as written by RJ, would have been any less well done.

Yup.