[Prologue Spoilers] What Harriet Had Brandon do...?

[UncleButcher1980]

Orem Signing Report - Zas

 

Question

Any spoilers for A Memory of Light?

Brandon Sanderson

Let's see here. Harriet killed a character in the book that I did not intend to kill. So I wrote the entire book with a character living and she killed this character.

Question

Did she tell you right before you finished, or what?

Brandon Sanderson

She sent back the draft and said "This person dies."

Question

So did you have to change a lot?

Brandon Sanderson

So they succumb to their wounds. I intended them to live, so there is a character who died unexpectedly. So that's a slight spoiler. There is like a chapter that's over a hundred pages. It's a Super Chapter.

 

Any idle speculation? My first thought was Talmanes

[mjasghar786]

99.9% talmanes seeing as how there is always the hint he could be saved then you get the veins bit tacked on to justify him dying

[Luckers]

Hey, sorry I changed your title as titles show up on the main board listing and thus can unintentionally spoil (or infer spoilers that aren't even certain) as was the case in this instance.

[putts]

I have to think it's a fairly major character. In the end, I don't see Harriet going out of her way to make sure someone like Talmanes kicks the bucket.

 

I think it'll either be one of the Two Rivers gang, Elayne, Aviendha, Min or Lan.

[yoniy0]

I don't think Talmanes died abruptly (if, indeed, he's dead), so I'm guessing it's someone else.

[UncleButcher1980]

I don't think he died abrubtly either, I thought maybe he'll die later on of his wounds.

[Agitel]

I have to think it's a fairly major character. In the end, I don't see Harriet going out of her way to make sure someone like Talmanes kicks the bucket.

 

I think it'll either be one of the Two Rivers gang, Elayne, Aviendha, Min or Lan.

 

She may have if his survival seemed completely out of place or inconsistent with the themes of the book.

[MasterAblar]

With the Prologue out wounldn't Brandon know we'd immediately think of Talmanes?

 

I have to think it's a fairly major character. In the end, I don't see Harriet going out of her way to make sure someone like Talmanes kicks the bucket.

 

I think it'll either be one of the Two Rivers gang, Elayne, Aviendha, Min or Lan.

 

I'm pretty sure it would be in the notes if one of the major characters was supposed to die at the begginning of the book.

[MarkDiLillo]

Definitely Talmanes.

[Vardar]

I don't think he died abrubtly either, I thought maybe he'll die later on of his wounds.

 

He could die abrubtly if he died while being healed. i.e. BS wrote some huge thing about a healer rushing to his side via gateway, but BAM, died while being healed.

[Glokta]

I have to think it's a fairly major character. In the end, I don't see Harriet going out of her way to make sure someone like Talmanes kicks the bucket.

 

I think it'll either be one of the Two Rivers gang, Elayne, Aviendha, Min or Lan.

 

I don't think it would be a major character because this is something that RJ would have planned.

But I don't think it can be Talmanes either because, even if he does not die, readers now expect him to die from his wounds.

Also, from the quote, BS says that they succombs to their wounds but a character dies (the bold is mine). I would interpret this as a group of secondary characters gets wounded and one of them dies.

So my guess would be one of the Wise Ones, or either Berelain or Galad.

[Neophyte]

Also, from the quote, BS says that they succombs to their wounds but a character dies (the bold is mine). I would interpret this as a group of secondary characters gets wounded and one of them dies.

 

Nah, I think he was just making a very common error with pronoun-antecedent agreement.

[Ithillian Turambar]

'They succumb to their wounds' can refer to a singular person. It simply means the statement is non gender specific. And Brandon also states that Harriet told him 'this person dies' - person is singular.

[Clouded]

I have to think it's a fairly major character. In the end, I don't see Harriet going out of her way to make sure someone like Talmanes kicks the bucket.

 

I think it'll either be one of the Two Rivers gang, Elayne, Aviendha, Min or Lan.

 

I don't think it would be a major character because this is something that RJ would have planned.

But I don't think it can be Talmanes either because, even if he does not die, readers now expect him to die from his wounds.

Also, from the quote, BS says that they succombs to their wounds but a character dies (the bold is mine). I would interpret this as a group of secondary characters gets wounded and one of them dies.

So my guess would be one of the Wise Ones, or either Berelain or Galad.

 

It's growing more popular in common day English to use "they" and "their" instead of "he or she" or "his or her". I think this is just another instance of the new rule.

[Ithillian Turambar]

He probably just used it so that people wouldn't know if it was going to be a male or a female character who dies.

[Luckers]

Maybe Brandon was trying to pre-empt fan rage against him by blaming Harriet. I'll be specific....

 

Brandon Sanderson

"Brandon, why did you kill..." I'm not gonna say.

 

Jennifer Liang

"You killed Cadsuane! What's wrong with you?"

 

Brandon Sanderson

Luckers would just murder me.

 

Jennifer Liang

Yeah. Yeah, he would.

 

.... [i'm joking... or am I?]

[Glokta]

Also, from the quote, BS says that they succombs to their wounds but a character dies (the bold is mine). I would interpret this as a group of secondary characters gets wounded and one of them dies.

 

Nah, I think he was just making a very common error with pronoun-antecedent agreement.

'They succumb to their wounds' can refer to a singular person. It simply means the statement is non gender specific. And Brandon also states that Harriet told him 'this person dies' - person is singular.

I have to think it's a fairly major character. In the end, I don't see Harriet going out of her way to make sure someone like Talmanes kicks the bucket.

 

I think it'll either be one of the Two Rivers gang, Elayne, Aviendha, Min or Lan.

 

I don't think it would be a major character because this is something that RJ would have planned.

But I don't think it can be Talmanes either because, even if he does not die, readers now expect him to die from his wounds.

Also, from the quote, BS says that they succombs to their wounds but a character dies (the bold is mine). I would interpret this as a group of secondary characters gets wounded and one of them dies.

So my guess would be one of the Wise Ones, or either Berelain or Galad.

 

It's growing more popular in common day English to use "they" and "their" instead of "he or she" or "his or her". I think this is just another instance of the new rule.

He probably just used it so that people wouldn't know if it was going to be a male or a female character who dies.

 

Thanks to al for the grammar lessons!

[hjustinpace]

It's seems a bit strange that it wouldn't be in the outline if it's a major character. That could also cause major re-writes. So it's probably a relatively minor character.

 

But I'll just assume it's Harriet ending her rivalry with Egwene once and for all, because that's more salacious.

[Luckers]

The outline was nowhere near as comprehensive as is assumed. Brandon stated recently that only half of what occurs in tGS, TofM and aMoL was in the notes.

[Wolf505]

Well, after reading Chapter 1 looks like it isn't Talmanes. So I guess the speculation goes on. I had a feeling he'd make it, I was just wrong on how.

[Suttree]

The outline was nowhere near as comprehensive as is assumed. Brandon stated recently that only half of what occurs in tGS, TofM and aMoL was in the notes.

 

Nice to see that Q&A so we can put to bed the well if "Brandon wrote it, that's what RJ wanted" argument.

[The Fisher King]

Wolf505...first let me say that I HATE "Spoiler Nazis" with a passion usually....but u just MAJORLY dropped a bad one for those reading this thread BEFORE reading Chapter o ne (like me me :-( )

 

Pleeeease edit your post.

 

 

Fish

[Kara]

Well, after reading Chapter 1 looks like it isn't Talmanes. So I guess the speculation goes on. I had a feeling he'd make it, I was just wrong on how.

 

Hey...I did not even know that chapter 1 was out...spoiler alert next time please!!

[spleen1015]

You're reading posts in a spoiler forum and you're complaining about seeing spoilers? Cracks me up every time.

[The Fisher King]

I think you're missing the point lol.