Brandon Sanderson, 36-volume fantasy series/setting | Discussion

[Suttree]

Interesting article from our good friend Wert.

 

http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2012/02/brandon-sanderson-plans-36-volume.html

 

Would like to hear people's thoughts on this. To call it ambitious would be an understatement. Does anyone think he can actually pull it off?

[metalisticpain]

... i did not pick any of that up... going to have to re-read.

[Basel Gill]

Now I have to go back to Elantris and find this Hoid. At the time I had assumed he would be inconsequential. Thirty-six volumes makes me doubt whether Brandon will survive to complete this thing, which I would find strangely ironic given that he has stepped into the shoes of another author who failed to finish a series before passing on from this world. Brandon certainly doesn't think small.

[Songstress]

Interesting article from our good friend Wert.

 

http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2012/02/brandon-sanderson-plans-36-volume.html

 

Would like to hear people's thoughts on this. To call it ambitious would be an understatement. Does anyone think he can actually pull it off?

 

Possibly - at very least he'll get quite a lot of it done. And he's a relatively young guy with a good work ethic and loads of ideas. If he doesn't hit the full 36 volumes, he'll get the vast majority of it done, barring some sort of medical catastrophe or unforeseen mishap.

 

I certainly look forward to reading as many of them as I can.

[Alric]

I can't really comment much having not read most of his stuff yet, but if he wants to do this for the rest of his books, I hope he started out vague enough not to tie himself up to specifics that he would most probably want to change or adjust later in his life. There are some things in tEofW that are unexplained or a bit strange compared to the rest of tWoT because (most probably) RJ changed his mind, and while that's not too problematic, I hope Brandon has thought about this.

[Red2111]

if you read the break down, then it's very doable imo; especially considering how fast and creative of a writer Sanderson is. i'm a casual reader, so the multi-verse is a cool idea but nothing i picked up on.

 

 

the only thing i'm scared of is that he's gonna burn himself out wrting too much and not taking any breaks. whcih will lead to alot of his character blending into one another. especially if all the Stormlight books are on the same size scale and word count as the first one.

[Suttree]

if you read the break down, then it's very doable imo; especially considering how fast and creative of a writer Sanderson is. i'm a casual reader, so the multi-verse is a cool idea but nothing i picked up on.

 

 

the only thing i'm scared of is that he's gonna burn himself out wrting too much and not taking any breaks. whcih will lead to alot of his character blending into one another. especially if all the Stormlight books are on the same size scale and word count as the first one.

 

I think he can do it, just not sure the quality will be all that high. That is what makes me nervous...

[fearless-freak]

it can be done, take John Norman the author of the Gor series started in 1966 and book 31 is coming out this year

[Werthead]

Well, Sanderson is only 37 and is 6 books into the 36 already. He can complete the whole thing by the time he's GRRM's age if he doesn't take on any more massive, WoT-sized side-projects and assuming that not every book has to be 600 pages long (in fact, hopefully the Wax & Wayne books will help him with mastering the art of conciseness). Several of those books (most notably WHITE SANDS and THE LIAR OF PARTINEL) are also already-written in first drafts. Whilst total rewrites will likely be necessary, having those first drafts hugely speeds his output (as he's said about WAY OF KINGS). Also, he may have mapped out 36 books but it's not necessarily the case he needs to stick to that. He might get to DRAGONSTEEL and decide it's better as a 5-book series rather than a 7-volume one. I believe he's also retreated a little from STORMLIGHT being 10 books but has instead said it will be 10 story arcs, which may be possible to contract into fewer volumes. However, I think the 10-volume statement is so widespread he's going to stick to that.

 

Finally, in the UK edition of THE WAY OF KINGS Sanderson adds an afterword in which he says he thinks that KINGS will be the longest book in the series and the other nine will be shorter. That's not set in stone and could change, but at the moment he is not planning to write another book of that length.

[Vinny]

Interesting article from our good friend Wert.

 

http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2012/02/brandon-sanderson-plans-36-volume.html

 

Would like to hear people's thoughts on this. To call it ambitious would be an understatement. Does anyone think he can actually pull it off?

 

What did planet earth do to deserve such punishment...???

[brujah]

Now I have to go back to Elantris and find this Hoid. At the time I had assumed he would be inconsequential. Thirty-six volumes makes me doubt whether Brandon will survive to complete this thing, which I would find strangely ironic given that he has stepped into the shoes of another author who failed to finish a series before passing on from this world. Brandon certainly doesn't think small.

 

I don't remember him being in Elantris, but he was def in Warbreaker. And of course appeared quite a lot in Kings.

[Werthead]

Hoid's appearances in full:

 

 

ELANTRIS - Hoid is a beggar helping smuggle weapons for Sarene into Elantris.

THE FINAL EMPIRE - Hoid is a street informant Kelsier visits.

THE WELL OF ASCENSION - Hoid is a Terrisman Elend meets on his way back to Luthadel.

THE HERO OF AGES - Hoid is a beggar/street informant in Fadrex City. Vin senses something 'wrong' about him and decides to avoid him.

THE ALLOY OF LAW - Hoid is the 'beggar in black' at the wedding.

WARBREAKER - Hoid is the storyteller that Lightbringer summons.

THE WAY OF KINGS - Hoid, sometimes called 'Wit', is present throughout the book and plays a notable role in events.

 

[Crowl Rife]

it can be done, take John Norman the author of the Gor series started in 1966 and book 31 is coming out this year

 

Ha, I didn't realize he was still writing those! Read the first 6 or so after finding them in a used bookstore many years ago... fun books, but a bit repetitive.

 

This 36 volume thing sound interesting, though it doesn't seem like an actual series to me in the traditional sense.

 

If he's going to start things, he should finish them, though. Don't be like Lin Carter... die with a half-dozen series unfinished.

[Luzburg]

Well. Erikson has 10 books down. Two trilogies planned. Thats sixteen. Four novellas based on the same world, maybe count them as two volumes to be fair. Thats eighteen.

 

Esslemont. Four books in. At least two planned.

 

 

Overall Malaz has a potential target of 30. Thats with two authors. And thats only the next ten years probably. If they stick with the same world and stay healthy.... by the gods.

 

 

 

I never read any of Sanderson's own books. How long would they be?

[Jon Paul]

Sanderson is mad. Mad I tell you!

[Red2111]

I never read any of Sanderson's own books. How long would they be?

 

 

if your lookign for somethign to read, i highly suggest picking up one of his books. Alot of people like Mistborn, which is a Trilogy, but i also like both his stand alones "Elantris" and "Warbreaker". Elantris was written when he was first getting started, so it's not as polished as his others, but still very enjoyable (i've read it twice and am probably getting set for a 3rd).

 

 

his books aren't too long. i'm a realtively slow reader, and i only read about an hour a day if that; so it took me about a month to get through Elantris and War Breaker. it took longer with Mistborn, but thats only because i didn't enjoy the book as much and had to push through it (the first book i enjoyed, it was the last two i didn't like so much). Mistborn has a 4th book in it called Alloy of Law, which is a between book between the two planned trilogies (the 2nd trilogy hasn't been started yet) that i've heard nothing but rave reviews about. this book also has it's own thread not to far down the page if you want to check it out.

 

now his Epic Fantasy, thats a different story. that book is huge!! almost 1000 pages in hardback. but still worth picking up, its a good book, even if it's dry in some places. i haven't read it per say, but if you dig on this forum there is a thread where those who've read the book have posted about it. it is on my "To Read" list though

 

 

Edit - i decided to go ahead and link them for you, just be aware that spoilers are in the threads.

 

Mistborn Thread

 

Alloy of Law Thread

 

Way of Kings

[Luzburg]

I never read any of Sanderson's own books. How long would they be?

 

 

if your lookign for somethign to read, i highly suggest picking up one of his books. Alot of people like Mistborn, which is a Trilogy, but i also like both his stand alones "Elantris" and "Warbreaker". Elantris was written when he was first getting started, so it's not as polished as his others, but still very enjoyable (i've read it twice and am probably getting set for a 3rd).

 

 

his books aren't too long. i'm a realtively slow reader, and i only read about an hour a day if that; so it took me about a month to get through Elantris and War Breaker. it took longer with Mistborn, but thats only because i didn't enjoy the book as much and had to push through it (the first book i enjoyed, it was the last two i didn't like so much). Mistborn has a 4th book in it called Alloy of Law, which is a between book between the two planned trilogies (the 2nd trilogy hasn't been started yet) that i've heard nothing but rave reviews about. this book also has it's own thread not to far down the page if you want to check it out.

 

now his Epic Fantasy, thats a different story. that book is huge!! almost 1000 pages in hardback. but still worth picking up, its a good book, even if it's dry in some places. i haven't read it per say, but if you dig on this forum there is a thread where those who've read the book have posted about it. it is on my "To Read" list though

 

 

Edit - i decided to go ahead and link them for you, just be aware that spoilers are in the threads.

 

Mistborn Thread

 

Alloy of Law Thread

 

Way of Kings

 

 

I won't look then! I just got the entire Pratchett collection. I've yet to get the latest ICE book so I'll have to see after I get that.

 

Speaking of Pratchett... His books are for the most part short by my standards and I have all of his books bar the junior stuff. That is around 33 books I think. Oh I forgot Snuff. So I think 36 is pushing it unless he does really short books.

[Stormcrown]

Here is the article I am discussing, from February 2012.

 

Please avoid spoilers for all of his books in the 'Cosmere'.

 

Anyhow, does anyone know if this is still his plan, as far as we know?
 

He plans to write;

 

9 more Stormlight Books, a few more side novels with Wax and Wayne (Alloy of Law)

6 more Mistborn books (2 more trilogies)

Warbreaker 2

Elantris 2

Dragonsteel Series, 7 volumes.

3 more I have not heard of.

 

From the same article, it details the order he plans to write them, and that Mistborn 2 will be in a world with modern technology, and Mistborn 3 will be in space with magic-fuelled FTL travel).

 

Anyone super excited to be a Sanderson fanboy/girl for the next....20 years?

[Mashiara Sedai]

I can't wait for more Mistborn books!  I think that magic system is one of the most fascinating I've ever read!  Seeing the metals used for FLT would be awesome.

 

With so much to work on, I hope he's able to get them done quickly.  It's a bit sad to know that there are plans for these books, but we'll have to wait so long before we get them.

[Stormcrown]

Yeah. It's nice though, because with the Wheel of Time its all over, and we have nothing to look forward too...but with Brandon Sanderson we have 30+ books to be excited about, 2-3 different series....

 

It'd be terrible if there was no other author to replace our addiction.

[Suttree]

Another thread from a while back on this:

 

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/67762-brandon-sanderson-and-the-36-volume-series/?hl=%2Bsuttree&do=findComment&comment=2183054

 

Wert had some good takes in there.

[Agitel]

I'm not sure I'd call it a 36-volume fantasy series. Many of his works (though not all) take place in a single 'cosmere,' but I'm not sure I'd say that they're a single series. Aside from some general themes, maybe he'll do something down the road that ties them all even more closely together.

 

Still, it's a very ambitious schedule. The delay of AMoL likely slowed him down a bit, though I know he's hoping to get his second Stormlight Archive book done for the fall of this year, he's admitted that's not 100% certain. If things don't change, I can largely see him doing this. He's a very disciplined writer. This is planning for years ahead, though, and he may desire to do other things, or he may desire to relax a little and publish at a more leisurely pace. We shall see.

[peacesells]

I've read and enjoyed several of his books but I wouldn't mind if he exclusively did Stormlight books for the next 10 years.  That first one was by far his best work.

[Arran]

I haven't actually read any of his books yet, but I'm so looking forward to this whole Cosmere thing, seems like a super ambitious task!

 

Anybody got any suggestions on where to start? I was thinking on starting with Elantris.

[Stormcrown]

I haven't actually read any of his books yet, but I'm so looking forward to this whole Cosmere thing, seems like a super ambitious task!

 

Anybody got any suggestions on where to start? I was thinking on starting with Elantris.

 

I'd say start with either the Mistborn Trilogy or the Stormlight Archive (the way of kings). Those are going to be longer series, and I'd say are more so his flagship books.

 

Elantris, Warbreaker, are also worth reading.

 

TSA is probably going to be the closest to the WoT, as it is his Epic Fantasy, and it's very well done.