THE WAY OF KINGS Spoiler discussion

[JenniferL]

I am assuming that many WoT fans are now also SanderFans, and are probably off reading the preview materials posted on Tor.com today.  If any of you feel the need to discuss what you've read here, please do so in this thread. This way, all the spoilers are in one, easily avoidable place for those (like me) that prefer to wait and read the book all at once in August when it's released.

 

You can find links to the sample chapters, as well as other material related to The Stormlight Archive series here: http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=blog&id=59417

[Thorum]

The last sentence of BS's introduction:

I want to talk about the scope of the series, the distinctive world which is so much larger and more real than anything I’ve worked on before.

That from someone who worked on the Wheel of Time world...

 

Also, don't these previews come a bit soonish? According to amazon, it only comes out in February in Europe :(

[JenniferL]

It comes out in August in the US.

[jemron]

Thanks Kathana!  I just requested something like this in the TGS board.  Any chance we could open a whole board dedicated to Brandon Sanderson's other writings?

[JenniferL]

I answered you in more detail in that thread. The short answer is that we're not interested in taking away traffic from sites that are completely focused on Sanderson. We may change our minds about that in future though.

[jemron]

I guess I'll start. 

 

So, I've only yet read the prelude, but I'm wanting some clarification because I want to make sure I understand exactly what's happening:

 

Does it seem like Kalak and the other 9 people who must have made some sort of agreement (the Oathpact) to somehow be willing to endure endless torment (The cycle of Desolations) in fire and brimstone in order to hold back some evil?  I guess the question is, did leaving just one of the 10 behind (Talenel or Taln) still keep the "enemy" at bay, or did he figure out some way to escape whatever it is that's holding him down?

 

Like I said, I haven't read past this yet, but I want clarification.  I'm definitely interested in learning just what the significance of the swords is.  Why are they important?  How does one "summon" their sword?  By leaving the swords in that place, does that automatically  end that person's "oathpact"?

 

Some cool and interesting things to consider.  I'll post more thoughts/ideas after I've read more.

[jemron]

Really?  Nobody?

 

I finished the rest of the free material on tor.com.  My favorite chapter was the one with the guy (can't remember his name and too lazy to look it up) who was a slave and had that strange "'windspren" (I think it was called) following him around.  That, above everything else, was interesting and made me want to know more.  I will definitely be buying this book.

 

The next chapter, with the girl looking for that other girl or something, wasn't very interesting, but I hope that it will be a cool storyline, as it was more of an introductory chapter than anything else.  I read that last chapter very late last night, and couldn't hardly stay awake, so the details are a bit more fuzzy.  Will read the whole thing over again when the book is released.

 

Any thoughts?  Comments?  Theories (too early?)? Discussion?

 

Did it feel like BS used a few too many compound words?  Oathpact, windspren, Shardbringer, Shardblessed, Shardblade, etc...?

[bohika5]

I'm intrigued by Kaladin's interaction with the windspren. Consider the fact that he is "Stormblessed" and check out this from a fight scene in chapter one - "He spun between the last two, his spear a blur, wielding it like a quarterstaff. For a moment, Cenn thought he could see something surrounding the squadleader. A warping of the air, like the wind itself become visible."

My early guess is that he's being aided by it in some way that could end up being central to his character. Its all very interesting, I cant wait for some more material to be released.

[Morsker]

I read it and think it looks promising, but it's a bit early for me to have any thoughts on it. I want to know what Spiritcallers are, and what else they can do besides make food from green gems. I thought this was going to be a world where magic was forgotten and being rediscovered, especially because Szeth's PoV says no one would even recognize Stormlight use. But just 5 years later, Spiritcallers (whatever they are) are common enough that it effects the market value of green gems. Hm.

 

Also I warn everyone not to read Brandon's official forum if you don't like spoilers. There are "alpha readers" there who've read it already and aren't supposed to post spoilers, but they invariably screw up and do it anyway, and moderation is very lax in cleaning it up. (Apparently the moderator has to logout and log into a different account to moderate anything, so he almost never does it.) This really sucks because it's the only forum where people discuss the connections with Brandon's other books, for now I'd avoid it like the plague until WoK comes out.

[scott_swampy]

Also I warn everyone not to read Brandon's official forum if you don't like spoilers. There are "alpha readers" there who've read it already and aren't supposed to post spoilers, but they invariably screw up and do it anyway, and moderation is very lax in cleaning it up. (Apparently the moderator has to logout and log into a different account to moderate anything, so he almost never does it.) This really sucks because it's the only forum where people discuss the connections with Brandon's other books, for now I'd avoid it like the plague until WoK comes out.

 

Thanks for the head's up, i was just about to head over there so thanks again.

 

I'm intrigued by Kaladin's interaction with the windspren. Consider the fact that he is "Stormblessed" and check out this from a fight scene in chapter one - "He spun between the last two, his spear a blur, wielding it like a quarterstaff. For a moment, Cenn thought he could see something surrounding the squadleader. A warping of the air, like the wind itself become visible."

My early guess is that he's being aided by it in some way that could end up being central to his character. Its all very interesting, I cant wait for some more material to be released.

 

Good call i think, i hadn't put two and two together. Maybe that's why it was upset about him giving up? Because it has attached it self to him?

 

 

[jemron]

I agree that Kaladin is probably (unknown to himself, no doubt) Stormblessed, or whatever the proper term is for "able to use the magic system that BWS made up for this series."

 

In Mistborn, the main protagonist seems to be especially "lucky" until she realizes that the magic has just been working in her, without her realizing it.

 

I'm assuming Kaladin's "luck" is similar.  Maybe, in this world, the use of the Stormlight or whatever, has unintended consequences to those around you?  Kaladin seems to think that while his luck his good, those around him almost always suffer.

[Roga]

I read it and think it looks promising, but it's a bit early for me to have any thoughts on it. I want to know what Spiritcallers are, and what else they can do besides make food from green gems. I thought this was going to be a world where magic was forgotten and being rediscovered, especially because Szeth's PoV says no one would even recognize Stormlight use. But just 5 years later, Spiritcallers (whatever they are) are common enough that it effects the market value of green gems. Hm.

 

Brandon refers (at readings, etc) to thirty-odd magic systems used in this series, though.  I'd say some of them will be more widespread and better understood in parts of the world than others, which could explain the familiarity of Soulcasting (think that's what you meant).

[JosephLear76]

I have the advance copy of the book, but I haven't passed chapter 3, I like to take my tme, but I don't mind talking about if there's no spoilers.

 

It's late, but I'm going to read more, and I'll try to show the book if no one believe me, I hope you do.

[jemron]

Cool!

 

I just read this review, and it has gotten me more excited:

 

http://onlythebestscifi.blogspot.com/2010/07/review-way-of-kings-by-brandon.html

 

I live very close to Brandon, and I work at BYU as a teacher, just like he does.  I'm getting tempted to start the process of begging my wife to let me go to the midnight release party there.  I'm still not sure if I want to pay for the hardback version though.  I feel like, once I decide to buy it, then I'll have to purchase every single hardback of every single Stormlight book for the next 15-20 years.  I'm not sure I want to make that commitment right now  ;D

[Alec]

I just finished the book, my review is above. If you have any specific questions you can ask away and I'll answer what I can about it. As a long time WoT fan, a number of the elements in the book had close parallels in Randland. Cultural things, characters, but also the story structure and info dumps followed a similar pattern. At least it felt that way...

[JosephLear76]

you have advance copy too, and you finish it? I'm on like page 323. I'm just taking my time, but I want to get to part three soon.

[jemron]

Hey all,

 

There is a new Stormlight Archive fan site that I recommend for discussion of the series:

 

Also, they just posted up some videos of BWS reading chapters from WoK:

 

http://www.stormblessed.com/

 

Check it out!

[Roga]

Tor posted audio chapters 4-6 today!  That's one more for Shallan and two for Kaladin.

 

The short answer is that we're not interested in taking away traffic from sites that are completely focused on Sanderson. We may change our minds about that in future though.

 

Thank you from the Sanderson sites for this.  ;)

 

Also, thanks to Jemron for the Stormblessed mention.

[CUBAREY]

chapters 4-6 now available on audio through tor.com.

 

Book is really starting to get interesting.

[Ashaman Kovan]

Tor posted audio chapters 4-6 today!

 

Anyone else find it extremely annoying that they're only in audio format?

I for one can't stand being read to or listening to someone else read.

[jemron]

I don't mind listening to books AFTER I've already read them, but I agree with you Asha'man Kovan.  I have a hard time listening to this book for the first time around.  And, it is weird for me to read the first 3 chapters and then have to listen to the next three.  I gave up on listening to them, and I will wait for the book to come out, or wait for BWS to post chapters 4-6 on his site before I finish them.

 

Also, it doesn't help that I was trying to work while listening.  I missed pretty much everything.  :P

 

Also, I highly recommend Stormblessed.com for a place to discuss the Stormlight Archive.  I figure this site will only thrive if we make it into an active community.  I would love to see a database formed, similar to encyclopaedia-wot.org and a organized page for anything and everything that BWS says at signings and cons and in blogs about the series.  I think a community for SA could be even bigger and better than the one for WoT, since we can start clean and fresh and organized right up front.  The only way for this to happen is if people actually make it a popular site.

[JenniferL]

*carefully looks away from spoilers*

 

More WoK preview material released today. Enjoy!

 

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/08/the-way-of-kings-chapters-9-and-11-up-now

[jemron]

Thanks for posting that Kathana!

 

I just got an email telling me that I won one of the Goodreads giveaways of tWoK.  Too bad they won't send it until after the release date :-(

 

Still, now I'll have two copies!  One that I'll get for free, and one that will hopefully be numbered in the top 100 since I'll be going to the Way of Kings midnight release party in Provo!

[Werthead]

700 pages into the book so far. Points of interest:

 

1. It's his best book to date. Including THE GATHERING STORM. The step-up in quality is greater than the step-up between ELANTRIS and MISTBORN.

 

2. He has awesome magic systems in the book but doesn't throw them in the reader's face every five seconds. In fact, there's been bursts of magic use but nothing like MISTBORN so far. It's there and part of the world, but the book doesn't revolve around it like it does in the trilogy and ELANTRIS.

 

3. His worldbuilding is vastly improved. The world in ELANTRIS and MISTBORN feels a little flat, especially outside the main cities where the action takes place. The world in KINGS is far more believable and interesting, dozens of kingdoms and cities spread across a gargantuam continent with tons of cultural details and racial differentiations.

 

4. This is a more adult work. Those readers who freaked out over his very, very mild swearing in THE GATHERING STORM (if 'bloody' even counts as swearing these days) aren't going to be happy about this one, at all. There's a bit more swearing, a fair bit more violence and one character hints that she has been the subject of sexual violence. The world is also harsher and there's a lot more betrayal and treachery, and some unexpected character deaths. It's nothing that would really give Robert Jordan fans pause, let alone Morgan, Martin or Bakker ones, but those who feel Sanderson has been a bit too conservative and YA up to this point should be satisfied by his developments in this area.

 

Something potentially spoilery, but it's a question that lots of people have asked about the connections between his other books so I'll answer it:

 

5. The book is indeed set in the greater 'Sanderverse' of MISTBORN/ELANTRIS/WARBREAKER, though the connection so far has been a single mention of a common element.