Thisguy's Topic on Brandon's Work

[ShaunShawn]

That's not rude at all, it's very true. That was kind of my point - none of us have any idea what exactly was submitted. We are taking you and Luckers at your words for that. My point was, given his behavior over a very simple twitter post from Brandon, I wouldn't put that theory out to pasture.

 

I'll tak you at your word...meanwhile, I knew this was a waste of time, but I suppose a better way to waste time than staring at spreadsheets.

 

 

Really? I must have missed the first one...and I'm not accusing him of doing that, it's obviously a pretty loony theory. I'm just saying that we are getting one side of the story, Luckers claims to have intimate knowledge of the situation and is accusing Brandon of being lazy and dismissive of fan complaints. That may be the case...or maybe my loony theory is true...or maybe Luckers never sent anything to Brandon. Or maybe he did but it was worthless ramblings. We don't know what that back and forth consisted of, and given the behavior of Luckers in the last few days / weeks, I kind of feel like a loony theory like that may not be outside the realm of possibility.

 

Trust me, you have no idea what you are talking about. Not saying that to be rude but I know enough to understand you are totally off base here. I know enough of how the process has gone from various people I trust(yes there is fault to go around with Team Jordan as well), I have reviewed Luckers critique that Brandon himself requested and it is far from "worthless ramblings". All of his complaints are very much valid and perhaps post AMoL things will be allowed to be discussed openly.

[sdelu]

From an outside perspective, the real issue is that this whole project appears to have been poorly managed.

I disagree with the extent to which you think the matter was out of Brandon's and Harriet's hands. First of all, experience shows that when either of them says "this is not ready, we need more time" they got it. Secondly, Harriet holds the rights, and to the best of my knowledge, she doesn't need the income from these books. If she'd said no to a release, it wouldn't happen. As simple as that. Nor do I think Tor would give up on the entire project because of any delay; it's worth money no matter when it comes.

 

You're right, it's not out of entirely out of their hands, and they did have some leeway when they asked for it. However, I don't believe that precludes the whole fiasco from being poorly managed, be that by a "higher power" or by BS/Harriet/TJ themselves.

 

That said, perhaps I misrepresented my stance a bit. I wasn't trying to imply that they (Harriet) had no power, nor that it was necessarily minimal where it existed (though, admittedly, I doubt Brandon had as much power as an author usually does, but that isn't the issue either). What I really meant was that there are other parties interested in selling the book (read: MacMillan) -- possibly much more so than the crew working on it -- that might have even more power. There could have been a lot of internal pressure to finish the series up. And, heck, they knew it would sell regardless of quality, right?

 

There are plenty of behind-the-scenes decisions and discussions we are not privy to. I highly doubt that MacMillan would be okay with pushing the title back over and over again, and I also doubt they would adopt the philosophy of "don't worry, it's worth money no matter when it comes." Further, I don't think a business looking at a potential million-dollar title would care whether or not Harriet does or does not "need the income from these books." MacMillan paid a ton of money for the books and they really do have the final say on when it will be published.

 

But that's all speculation and is for the most part worthless. We'll never know for sure why the books have been pushed out as they are. But they have been, and, as I said, someone somewhere gave the OK for that.

 

We should spread the blame around some is all!

 

They did accept a delay.

Which was what I said.

 

They asked for a single book. Brandon went back to them and told them it'll take three.

Actually, it was Tom that--upon seeing what Brandon had done after a time--decided to split it into three books.

 

What has been very clear is that they wanted this done quickly, Tor and Harriet included, with no major delays. Brandon has emphasized a few times that he gave his word to Harriet that it would be done quickly. He's also said that Harriet expressed "a great urgency" to complete the project.

That Brandon promised to do so with expediency, yes. But not fast, necessarily, but rather as fast as possible. Can you supply quotes to support claims to the contrary?

 

 

You're right, it was Tom's decision to split the books officially, but not before Brandon pointed out that at 250,000 words he felt he only had about 1/3 of the book done and had set his estimate for the total at 750k words. I'm primarily using Brandon's blog entry on the split.

 

 

Getting this book out ASAP to the waiting fans was not just a priority to Brandon but to Harriet and Tom as well. I think you're calling "fast" what I call "as fast as possible."

 

"Great urgency," "quickly," "as soon as possible." None of these make it sound like they were interested in writing quality books in the first place.

[The Fisher King]

"We must find the cause of this effect - or, rather, defect - or this effect defective must have cause."

 

- Polonius, Hamlet.

 

 

Fish

[shortkut]

There are too many threads and posts about the criticism of bs's work too read then all. Are people upset at the criticism of the work or that some people seem to act like it is their personal duty to convert people to their thinking? I have many of the same grievances as suttree and Luckers and others but I get really annoyed when someone claims to like something and a member like suttree responds telling them to explain why they like it (and then acting like their reasons are stupid) or sounding arrogant and saying something like "we'll actually most people have complained about it so it is funny you enjoy it." (Note to suttree: don't ask me for links, we've had a debate about this like 3 tomes in different threads and in one if them you claimed I was following you around). People can like what they like or dislike it, but it is not anyone's job to convince others to change their minds.

[yoniy0]

Let me stop you right there. I haven't yet read the entire last page, but I've read enough. Despite several claims to the contrary that I've seen today, very little of what's been said about Brandon's performance is being said with regards to Brandon himself. Any such comments--that are truly pointed at him instead of his work--should be reported to moderators and will be dealt with. However, please don't confuse reports of dealings someone had with Brandon with an attack on his character; the two are not at all similar.

 

In stark contrast, I'm seeing quite a few discussions of the character of posters, on both sides of this debate. I'll warn you now: this is skirting violation of DM CoC, and will not be suffered for long. Take heed, as continued remarks of that nature will be arbitrarily removed, and those making them will face further discipline. The waters are murkier now that the release is nearing, but we won't let DM devolve into a place were people simply come to shout at and insult one another.

[shortkut]

Was that directed at me or the thread as a whole? I skipped the last few pages

[yoniy0]

My response in PM

[MrWOTjunkie]

Quality of the writing, Jordan v Sanderson, people getting all uppity: topics of which I have never felt the need to engage in. The ONLY issue I have is BS stating 'then the hard core fans feel the need to point out flaws'

 

Feel the need? Am I the only person who finds that generalisation mildly insulting?

 

To me it reads like BS is stating that the hard core fans harshly critique his work not out of intelligently thought out reasoning but spite alone.

 

After reading all and sundry on the topic I fail to believe that I am the only one who reads BS' comments as both unecessarily defensive and somewhat insulting.

 

I would like some honest feedback re the above......

[yoniy0]

I'm sorry, but that's not the thread for it. You can see the one Luckers started today for more opinions on that, and please PM myself, Barid or Luckers if you believe it should be reopened.

[MrWOTjunkie]

Continuing my faultless run of 'narry a response'

 

Apologies anyway yoniy0

[ShaunShawn]

I read them as BS trying to generalize what might be the cause of some negative feedback in 140 characters or less. He was answering a question about why DM has changed in the last year. His "hardcore fans" comment was probably not the best phrase to use...and I even took that to refer to anyone that is on DM now that wasn't on it a year ago (hence the change in DM's atmosphere between then and now). And I also assumed he was trying to convey a back and forth that occurs on here quite frequently, not tearing down the hard core fans. Just my take.

 

 

Quality of the writing, Jordan v Sanderson, people getting all uppity: topics of which I have never felt the need to engage in. The ONLY issue I have is BS stating 'then the hard core fans feel the need to point out flaws'

 

Feel the need? Am I the only person who finds that generalisation mildly insulting?

 

To me it reads like BS is stating that the hard core fans harshly critique his work not out of intelligently thought out reasoning but spite alone.

 

After reading all and sundry on the topic I fail to believe that I am the only one who reads BS' comments as both unecessarily defensive and somewhat insulting.

 

I would like some honest feedback re the above......

[Suttree]

I have many of the same grievances as suttree and Luckers and others but I get really annoyed when someone claims to like something and a member like suttree responds telling them to explain why they like it

 

Given we provide evidence outlining reasons for critique(as we did with our praise post TGS), I feel in most cases when discussing quality of a written work it is fair to request support for one's opinion. That way people can have a rational debate on praise/critique with actual evidence to back each side.

 

"we'll actually most people have complained about it so it is funny you enjoy it."

 

I have done that concerning exactly one topic which would be Brandon's handling of Mat. Not only is it a very true statement concerning the general sentiment but the author himself admits he botched it, so not sure where arrogance comes in. Now there is nothing wrong with that opinion, but again it is very fair to ask what it was they thought he did well, especially given Brandon's own stance.

[Saken]

Because of fandom, Star Wars Prequels shattered Box Office Records, too ;-)

 

 

Fish

 

That is hilarious, I just watched one last night. Awful!

[The Fisher King]

Precisely. ;-)

 

 

Fish

[Sid]

That is a very apt comparison, Fish. It's too bad, but a lot of characters now remind me of Jake Lloyd delivering his lines in The Phantom Menace.

[shortkut]

I have many of the same grievances as suttree and Luckers and others but I get really annoyed when someone claims to like something and a member like suttree responds telling them to explain why they like it

 

Given we provide evidence outlining reasons for critique(as we did with our praise post TGS), I feel in most cases when discussing quality of a written work it is fair to request support for one's opinion. That way people can have a rational debate on praise/critique with actual evidence to back each side.

 

"we'll actually most people have complained about it so it is funny you enjoy it."

 

I have done that concerning exactly one topic which would be Brandon's handling of Mat. Not only is it a very true statement concerning the general sentiment but the author himself admits he botched it, so not sure where arrogance comes in. Now there is nothing wrong with that opinion, but again it is very fair to ask what it was they thought he did well, especially given Brandon's own stance.

i forgot to add that I was using you as an example not the rule.

[Valsuvious]

I have been a long time lurker in these forums and for a while now I have kept quiet. Watching threads (this one in particular) devolve into the mess that it is does not speak well of the entire fan base and why they are here. While there are points that I will concede, I just cannot understand that while Brandon Sanderson is not and will never be Robert Jordan, that plenty of people (especially those with administrative privileges) are seemingly looking for an excuse to throw BS under the bus. Everyone knew going in that this had the possibility of turning into a semi flawed venture in the first place. While Sanderson has gotten some of the voice wrong in terms of what I am used to in some of the characters, I truly believe that he got a lot right. You can also see progression where he is trying really damned hard to fix some of the flaws in order to provide a better experience for all. When you also take into consideration the fact that he was adding and removing parts of the novel to satisfy Harriet and the rest of Team Jordan, can anyone here honestly say that the flaws are entirely Sanderson's fault? As far as the twitter debacle that was posted on earlier it is my opinion that it should not have so much value put into it. I am not trying to insult anyone here but how much deep meaning should we expect to find in about 140 characters? Should he have chosen a different forum to put forward his thoughts?? Absolutely! That is the mistake I will concede here because all it did was piss off those here that have the power and/or sway because they have been here the longest. My final point is this. If you want to complain and be upset about the work that Sanderson has been asked to complete in the best of his ability, you don't have to read the book. Your other option is to wait until after the book comes out along with the encyclopedia so that you can find out hat parts RJ wrote the most of so that you can get add more bullets to your proverbial gun to take these continually unnecessary shots at Sanderson when all he is trying to do is give us the story as closely as RJ intended. What would be hilarious is if we find out that most of what people complain about where it relates to the story are the parts that RJ left the most detailed information on.

 

Feel free to pick this apart too as that seems to be the trend around here. Perhaps we should commission Jason to take a look at some of the ridiculousness here and post his own thoughts publicly so that we know that the people who have been given authority can be held accountable. Sorry fellas but I am a fan boy of the Wheel of Time as much as I am both of these authors. If this is my last post here then so be it.

[The Fisher King]

Sidster...

 

Brandon Sanderson made Mat Cauthon transform from Han Solo into Jar Jar Binks LOL!!! :-( ;-)

 

 

Fish

[The Fisher King]

Valsuvious...I enjoyed your post and sincerely hope it is not your last.

 

 

Fish

[NetSlider]

Patton or Macarthur?

 

 

Fish

 

LMAO!!! Let me say, it's good to see you still navigate through these DM waters with mental dexterity, wit, and personality that simply....well, leaves me speechless. You've made my day, sir, and for that I thank you, as usual !

 

As far as topic at hand, I actually read through all 31 pages of posts (thought it would be entertaining and relaxing; was hoping to take a break from contracts, cases, leases, and statutes. Instead, I'd rather read legal opinions from 1800s; that is, if not for Fish ). This being said, I was planning on writing long and pretty harshly worded post and than it hit me. (1)No one will care much about what I think as it seems people pretty much made up their minds; and (2) I don't really care much whether or not people do care about what I have to say.

 

Thus I was saved by Abschalten. What he had to say is actually as close to how I would have expressed myself on the subject as it is possible.

 

I just wanted to add my two cents in, and then I'll go back to my lurking corner.

 

Personally, I thought (and still think) that Brandon Sanderson has done a good job with the series. While I agree with some of the common criticisms (the writing style is different, some of the characters feel different in tone, etc.) I still find that, overall, I enjoy what he's written immensely.

 

Lest you think that I'm just some rube that laps up whatever dross is thrown on the ground, I should say that I am comfortable in my ability to read literature and be critical of it. I aced the AP English Literature exam in high school, and carried those college credits with me to the university where I enrolled as an English major. I have studied and analyzed classical works all throughout the history of the English language, learned how to be critical and analytical in my study of it. Now I don't put out these factoids in order to fluff up my ego or buy myself "cred," or to attempt to elevate myself above others, but merely to assure that what I am about to say isn't from somebody who just passively reads a book the way somebody might watch a popcorn flick with the higher cognitive thinking processes turned off. With all that out of the way, I go back to my original point.

 

Brandon Sanderson has done an admirable job with the series. I personally rank The Gathering Storm up in the top handful of books in the series, probably in my top three. I tell my wife that the book is amazing, and is the one I look forward to the most whenever I do a series reread. Towers of Midnight I thought was pretty good, though I felt as though the POVs jumped around a wee bit too much (seriously, three to five POV shifts in a chapter? Across multiple chapters? Yikes.)

 

BS's writing style is, different, though. This common complaint I agree with (though I don't consider it a complaint, merely an observation.) I find Robert Jordan's prose to be evocative, nuanced, and deep, though leaning towards wordiness and annoying repetition. Brandon Sanderson gives up some of the depth for streamlined and well-paced plot. I do think this shift in narrative tone rubs some folks the wrong way, and I would be understanding of those sentiments. BS did say from the start, however, he had no intentions of aping Robert Jordan's style. I thought that approach was admirable. Now, having read Way of Kings, I felt like BS's style was more appropriate to his own material, and perhaps a bit more out of place with the world of the Wheel of Time. Still, he didn't do a *bad* job. (I just wish he'd find a thesaurus and use alternatives to the word "fetch." Good lord, man! I could make a drinking game out of looking for that word!)

 

Some of the characters do feel different. Mat does feel slightly off to me, though it's more in the fact that more of his jokes and humor are painted on the surface of the dialogue rather than inserted in a subtle manner (see also the paragraph above regarding Jordan's nuanced writing.) Mat was less of a problem to me than say, Elaida. Elaida went from being an only slightly-off-her-rocker egomaniacal protagonist in Knife of Dreams to a batshit crazy raving lunatic. Obviously this character bothered me more so than Mat. There are differences in tone with some others, but those are really the only two characters that struck me as being noticeable to any degree.

 

As for the plot itself, well, I really have no way of knowing for certain (as of now) which scenes were written by Jordan, planned by Jordan but left unwritten, or totally invented by Sanderson to fill in an outline gap. That said the plot has been superb. It has been paced well, the scenes engaging and entertaining, and I feel like the major characters are being used well.

 

This is going on a bit longer than I intended, but I'd like to address something before I go. I fully acknowledge that BS has made some mistakes in his writing, editorial and otherwise. There are some folks up in arms about oversights he's made in the writing, and used that as carte blanche to tar his overall production of the final three books. I only wonder, then, if these same individuals were up in arms whenever Jordan himself made these same mistakes. I recall errata that includes errant eye colors, foreknowledge of events that individuals should have no access to, MISSING CHARACTERS in various scenes, or actions that defy plausibility within the setting's internal logic. Jordan had editors when these mistakes were printed, and I can only think that under similar circumstances, when confronted with the sheer enormity of the setting and world itself, that even with the best editors some errors are going to pass through and get printed on a page.

 

I am really not trying to come out as a Brandon Sanderson apologist by any means, even though my words may read that way a bit. I feel genuine perplexity, however, when my independent feelings and thoughts on what has been produced by Sanderson is so at odds with what the vocal individuals here at Dragonmount feel. Criticism is valid, certainly, especially when warranted and supported by facts. I do think that the overwhelmingly negative and acerbic tone by some individuals regarding what has been written is a bit unjustified. I wish more than anybody else that Jordan had been able to finish his story, and I was distraught when I learned of his death. But in general, I feel that Sanderson has done an imperfect and uneven but still a fine job of giving us what we've been waiting for these past two decades.

 

Regards!

[Valsuvious]

Valsuvious...I enjoyed your post and sincerely hope it is not your last.

 

 

Fish

 

Thanks. I am not trying to be judgmental or harsh to anyone but enough is enough. I have been lurking here and reading up on theories and everyone input for a while now (since 2004 roughly) and have been reading the series since i turned 18 years old (am now 34). I made an account here and have posted a couple of different times but this recent attitude of people I can understand but they could be more selective in what they feel they have to say. I have an even better idea .. if the issues bother you enough, why not take it up with the author himself via twitter and keep it out of here? I used to love coming here and reading everyone's input but recently it has turned into a diatribe of what BS did wrong rather than what he may have gotten right. It's a damn shame is what it is.

[Suttree]

I used to love coming here and reading everyone's input but recently it has turned into a diatribe of what BS did wrong rather than what he may have gotten right. It's a damn shame is what it is.

 

Then you were around for when he was almost exclusively praised after the TGS and to a lesser extent ToM r correct? It was that very unrealistic response that has played a large role in leading us to our current situation. Additionally as more people have closely studied the work on rereads after the intial new material glow wears off mistakes become more glaring and most of the positive passages have already been discussed long ago. I think another issue is the regression in quality we saw in ToM an then again in the AMoL excerpts. There is the very real perception that things are going backwards. Take Mat, despite claims that Brandon fixed his issues with that character we see the very same things in ch. 11 that were problems in TGS.

[Valsuvious]

I used to love coming here and reading everyone's input but recently it has turned into a diatribe of what BS did wrong rather than what he may have gotten right. It's a damn shame is what it is.

 

Then you were around for when he was almost exclusively praised after the TGS and to a lesser extent ToM r correct? It was that very unrealistic response that has played a large role in leading us to our current situation. Additionally as more people have closely studied the work on rereads after the intial new material glow wears off mistakes become more glaring and most of the positive passages have already been discussed long ago. I think another issue is the regression in quality we saw in ToM an then again in the AMoL excerpts. There is the very real perception that things are going backwards. Take Mat, despite claims that Brandon fixed his issues with that character we see the very same things in ch. 11 that were problems in TGS.

 

I never said that BS fixed anything. What I stated was that there was progression and that he was attempting to correct his mistakes as best he could to not only stay true to the story but also to appease the fans. I agree with you that the degradation of BS has been mainly focused over the past 2 to 3 months. Before then it was tolerable. I felt that Matts voice was more spot on in ToM than it was in TGS. Did he get it 100% accurate? No. However it is my opinion that he was making the attempt to fix what wasn't right. I have seen the praise for his work and applauded it as well. Like previous posters have listed, I look forward to the story being completed above all else and honestly, I really hope that the arcs that people have complained the most about were the pieces that RJ left the most data on. It would be rubbing it in peoples faces and some do need a healthy dose of it.

[Agitel]

Thus I was saved by Abschalten. What he had to say is actually as close to how I would have expressed myself on the subject as it is possible.

 

I just wanted to add my two cents in, and then I'll go back to my lurking corner.

 

Personally, I thought (and still think) that Brandon Sanderson has done a good job with the series. While I agree with some of the common criticisms (the writing style is different, some of the characters feel different in tone, etc.) I still find that, overall, I enjoy what he's written immensely.

 

Lest you think that I'm just some rube that laps up whatever dross is thrown on the ground, I should say that I am comfortable in my ability to read literature and be critical of it. I aced the AP English Literature exam in high school, and carried those college credits with me to the university where I enrolled as an English major. I have studied and analyzed classical works all throughout the history of the English language, learned how to be critical and analytical in my study of it. Now I don't put out these factoids in order to fluff up my ego or buy myself "cred," or to attempt to elevate myself above others, but merely to assure that what I am about to say isn't from somebody who just passively reads a book the way somebody might watch a popcorn flick with the higher cognitive thinking processes turned off. With all that out of the way, I go back to my original point.

 

Brandon Sanderson has done an admirable job with the series. I personally rank The Gathering Storm up in the top handful of books in the series, probably in my top three. I tell my wife that the book is amazing, and is the one I look forward to the most whenever I do a series reread. Towers of Midnight I thought was pretty good, though I felt as though the POVs jumped around a wee bit too much (seriously, three to five POV shifts in a chapter? Across multiple chapters? Yikes.)

 

BS's writing style is, different, though. This common complaint I agree with (though I don't consider it a complaint, merely an observation.) I find Robert Jordan's prose to be evocative, nuanced, and deep, though leaning towards wordiness and annoying repetition. Brandon Sanderson gives up some of the depth for streamlined and well-paced plot. I do think this shift in narrative tone rubs some folks the wrong way, and I would be understanding of those sentiments. BS did say from the start, however, he had no intentions of aping Robert Jordan's style. I thought that approach was admirable. Now, having read Way of Kings, I felt like BS's style was more appropriate to his own material, and perhaps a bit more out of place with the world of the Wheel of Time. Still, he didn't do a *bad* job. (I just wish he'd find a thesaurus and use alternatives to the word "fetch." Good lord, man! I could make a drinking game out of looking for that word!)

 

Some of the characters do feel different. Mat does feel slightly off to me, though it's more in the fact that more of his jokes and humor are painted on the surface of the dialogue rather than inserted in a subtle manner (see also the paragraph above regarding Jordan's nuanced writing.) Mat was less of a problem to me than say, Elaida. Elaida went from being an only slightly-off-her-rocker egomaniacal protagonist in Knife of Dreams to a batshit crazy raving lunatic. Obviously this character bothered me more so than Mat. There are differences in tone with some others, but those are really the only two characters that struck me as being noticeable to any degree.

 

As for the plot itself, well, I really have no way of knowing for certain (as of now) which scenes were written by Jordan, planned by Jordan but left unwritten, or totally invented by Sanderson to fill in an outline gap. That said the plot has been superb. It has been paced well, the scenes engaging and entertaining, and I feel like the major characters are being used well.

 

This is going on a bit longer than I intended, but I'd like to address something before I go. I fully acknowledge that BS has made some mistakes in his writing, editorial and otherwise. There are some folks up in arms about oversights he's made in the writing, and used that as carte blanche to tar his overall production of the final three books. I only wonder, then, if these same individuals were up in arms whenever Jordan himself made these same mistakes. I recall errata that includes errant eye colors, foreknowledge of events that individuals should have no access to, MISSING CHARACTERS in various scenes, or actions that defy plausibility within the setting's internal logic. Jordan had editors when these mistakes were printed, and I can only think that under similar circumstances, when confronted with the sheer enormity of the setting and world itself, that even with the best editors some errors are going to pass through and get printed on a page.

 

I am really not trying to come out as a Brandon Sanderson apologist by any means, even though my words may read that way a bit. I feel genuine perplexity, however, when my independent feelings and thoughts on what has been produced by Sanderson is so at odds with what the vocal individuals here at Dragonmount feel. Criticism is valid, certainly, especially when warranted and supported by facts. I do think that the overwhelmingly negative and acerbic tone by some individuals regarding what has been written is a bit unjustified. I wish more than anybody else that Jordan had been able to finish his story, and I was distraught when I learned of his death. But in general, I feel that Sanderson has done an imperfect and uneven but still a fine job of giving us what we've been waiting for these past two decades.

 

Regards!

 

Thank you for bringing this post to my attention. I feel the same way as the both of you.

[TootThatHorn]

I just don't understand what's hard to get about it. There is this idea that this criticism sprang up all of a sudden, but really, what else sprang up? New content. And quite a bit of it. So if there is a consensus of people that find it lacking, it's going to be spoken about.

 

Look, if people want to discuss the content in poor light, then why aren't we allowed? I don't see the need for white-knighting for BS. Like myself and so many others have said, then prove us wrong, present your case, tell us what you did like, some of us will probably agree, and if we don't, well we're different individuals, how boring would it be to all have the same opinion? If it really bothers you that much too, there is no reason why you have to read those posts, or even see them. I recently found how to block people's posts, it's great.

 

Some people liked the last chapter. That's great for you, I'm even a little jealous. I haven't stated my opinion yet about it but now I feel like doing it. I hope the double bond comes in to play in a big way, it will justify to me having a Red do the absolute last possible thing I would ever expect one to do, especially after a reaction of almost being violated by a male channeler. Also their whole conversation felt as though it was running circles, it seemed like they said the same thing in 3 different ways, and was tough for me to give any merit. It seems as though it is set up for the BT to finally have some progression for once, but it's still hard to tell when. That there hasn't been any resolution at all yet really makes me worry as to how much attention it will get. I'm sure the fact that this is build up is why it has been released, but hasn't it been built up long enough?

 

As far as Avi. One of my more favorite characters and none of this made sense to me. Respectfully waiting, yes. But sneaking around and playing meek and whatnot? Not at all. She was on a mission and I believe she should have come straight as an arrow to discuss her issue and be done with it. Just felt wrong. She does show a general confusion at times, but even so, I don't think this was the time to do it. I guess these things we will have to see them in context with the rest of the book, but honestly I'm worried that it's going to go slow then take off like a bat out of hell and go by so fast I'll have no idea what just hit me.

 

My two cents on a lot of it. And to end, I get how people are saying they think it's becoming a caustic environment with the lack of support for BS, Harriet, and TJ, I really do. But play some devil's advocate, don't you think it feels the same for people who want to discuss their opinions that may differ from yours? I mean look at the thread titles going up; Discuss the prologue, discuss the 1st ch. and so on and so forth. That's what's happening.

 

To be honest I get the impression BS bit off more than he could chew. I made this comparison before; get a really bad tattoo and take it to an expert, they probably won't even want to try and fix it. Most people who are excellent in their craft want nothing to do with someone else's work. But BS took it on, and I would really like to know why. Was he struck by the honor of it? Was he confident in the job he thought he could do? Did he see the potential impact on his career and his own works? I don't know. What it FEELS like to me though, which can happen pretty easily, is that he did tGS, and for a time felt like he knocked it out of the park. He even remarked that Mat, one of his biggest flaws, was thought to himself as a success until it was pointed out to him and he went back and looked at it. So does a good job, thinks to himself "I got this." Puts out ToM as fans re-reads of tGS start pointing out mistakes. ToM comes out, and people know what to look for, point out even more flaws, and now his confindence has crumbled. Now he just wants to be done with it and go back to the safety of his own work. Can't give them what they want so I'll give them what I can and walk away. That is the precise feeling I get of it.

 

Meh, that's enough.