DRAGONMOUNT

On March 4th, The Words of Radiance, the second book in Brandon Sanderson's epic The Stormlight Archive series, came out. So this month the review will be on the first book in the series.   The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson   This post will contain slight spoilers.   Synopsis: The world of Roshar is a rocky and hostile place, with fierce highstorms sweeping over the land, and with plants that withdraw into the ground to protect themselves from the elements. We meet several people, from the Alethi nobility, to low slaves. The story centers around these characters: Kaladin, once a surgeon's son, now a slave and a bridgeman in the kings army; Shallan, a young noblewoman, who's looking for patronage with Jasnah, who is the king's sister and a world-famous scholar and heretic; Dalinar, the king's uncle, who is plagued by mysterious visions during highstorms, and his son Adolin, convinced his father is losing his sanity; and Szeth, a mysterious assassin.   Each book in The Stormlight Archives will center around one character and their back story, and this is Kaladin's book.   Some years ago, the current Alethi king was assassinated by Szeth, and a race of people called the Parshendi claimed responsibility. Since then, war has raged on the Shattered Plains. The king and all the highprinces live in permanent camps there.  This is where we first meet Kaladin, in a slave transport on it's way to the Plains. He ends up being sold to Highprince Sadeas as a bridgeman, the lowest of the low in the army. The Shattered Plains live up to its name; it consists of plateaus that can only be traversed with bridges, and bridgemen die in the dozens on every run. Kaladin starts to feel a responsibility for his crew, but the demons from his past haunt him. In addition, a mysterious spren has attached herself to him, and he starts to discover he has unknown powers.   Dalinar is a soldier, now forced to play political games as the uncle to the king. He is dissatisfied with the war and the Alethi way of thinking and competing. His brother, the last king, directed him to a book called The Way of Kings with his dying words, and Dalinar is starting to realize things about the past--about the Voidbringers--through the visions that he receives when he blacks out during highstorms. He wants to unite Alethkar, and end the war, but he does not have the political power to do so, yet.   Shallan has traveled far to meet with Jasnah Kholinar, a scholar and the sister of the king. Shallan's official story is that she is there to learn and study with Jasnah. In reality, she is there to steal Jasnah's Soulcaster, a powerful magical device, to save her family from economic ruin. But Shallan is a scholar at heart, and she soon finds herself torn between the responsibility for her family and her own desires. We also find out Kaladin isn't the only one who's starting to learn about having mystical powers. And what exactly is it Jasnah is researching about the Voidbringers?   The Pros: It's a Brandon Sanderson book, so we know that the worldbuilding will be great. The world is complicated and confusing, yet makes all kinds of sense, and it feels real. The Alethi society is built up around the male arts and the female arts, and divided between lighteyes (the nobles) and darkeyes (the common people). It's very divided and the rules are strict, and it both engages and enrages you as a reader. The magic system is intriguing, logical, and very exciting. Although we don't understand everything yet, you are left with the feeling of craving to know more and more. The characters are well fleshed out, interesting, complicated, and their stories, although they seem unconnected at the beginning, slowly becomes intertwined. The interludes between parts of the book introduces other minor character in other places of the world, fleshing out the world even more. Worldbuilding truly is Brandon Sanderson's biggest strength, and here he does his best work to date.   The Cons: It's a very long book, and it takes a little while to really knit together the stories. That is the only critique I can manage to find for it.   Conclusion: This book is amazing, and a must-read for any fantasy fan. Sanderson slowly unveils what will be his major saga. I will rank this up in my top three favorite book series ever, together with Wheel of Time and Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles. I do not have enough praise for this book. I will simply use the words of Patrick Rothfuss to describe it: "I loved this book. What else is there to say?"   My rating: 5/5 stars   This book is available in Dragonmount's eBook store, here.  You can also pick up Words of Radiance here.

[The following is excerpted from Narg: A Memoir, found in the excavation of New Manetheren by archeologists in the Fifth Age.]           (Source)

Today is the release of Words of Radiance, Brandon Sanderson's second novel in The Stormlight Archive series.   If you can't pick up your copy today, Tor.com has plenty of preview material, including chapter samples and a video of Brandon working on the book in real time.   And of course, Brandon kicked off his Words of Radiance tour last night at midnight, as is his tradition.  The tour will continue for about three weeks, visiting various locations around the country.  Here is a list of the stops he will be making.  But don't worry if you can't make it to any of these.  Brandon will also be attending JordanCon 6, April 11-13.   To discuss the book as you read it, or make predictions before you've read it, stop by Dragonmount's forum where there is a Words of Radiance thread.   Find out more information about the series at Brandon's website, or at his fansite, the 17th Shard.   Finally, if you don't feel like waiting in line at the store, you can always buy the book from Dragonmount's eBook store for the discount price of $11.99.   Happy reading!

If you're interested in acquiring an autographed copy of A Memory of Light, you can order them through Brandon Sanderson's online store.  There's an option to have it simply signed with an autograph only, or to have it personalized with a brief message.  Of course another option is to buy or bring a copy to one of the upcoming events that Brandon will be hosting. He begins his 3-week U.S. tour tonight in Provo, Utah.  Next month Brandon will attend JordanCon 6, along with fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss. 

And so we are here, yet again, it's Friday and fan art time!   Today I wanted to focus on something completely different than we have before, namely graphic design-style fan art! And boy do I have some cool things to show you!     Ta'Veren 2 by armyamber   I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for grunge-effects. I really dig the rusty background contrasted with the shiny golden amulets. It's cool! The only thing I don't like about it is that it's too small for my screen to be my new wallpaper!     Light and Bloody Ashes by armyamber   I love the colors, proper fantasy green and brown! And those slashing light effects are pretty awesome, they remind me both of the True Power weaves and the slashes of a sword.     Aes Sedai by minniearts   Minniearts has several poster-style Wheel of Time artworks, and it was hard to pick a favorite! But this one is my favorite; I got a good laugh at "The Wheel of Time turns around Tar Valon," and the simplicity of the design is very good. Take a look at her gallery to see the rest of her cool posters!     Heart of Stone by moondi   A representation of Rand's heart. He is trying to turn his heart to stone, but there keeps coming new cracks. The geometric designs makes this something really special, it reminds me of a stained glass window.     Manetheren by armyamber   My personal favorite! I think this is so badass. The small picture really doesn't do it justice, you should click the link to see the proper full size!   Sorry for my shortness today kiddos, I have some internet problems, so this it from me this week! To make up for it I'll let you decide what we'll see next week! Is there a special character you want me to feature? Traditional art, 3D, digital painting? Let me know what you want, and I will oblige!

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog! The time is fast approaching when those among us who are lucky enough to be able to go can begin planning to attend the Sixth Annual JordanCon. Who knows? Maybe this year is the year you will be able to make it as well. Here is a bit of information to entice you and help you make those plans.   JordanCon is an annual convention for all fans of the works of our beloved Robert Jordan, which should certainly include us here at Dragonmount. It is held each year with great success. People often turn up in costume and attend panels on various subjects, meet other fans, and have a generally great weekend!   (JordanCon 2010. Costume contest.)   The event will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on April 11th to the 13th this year. The website for the event is JordanCon.org if you want to peruse and find more information.   What's incredible this year is that the special Guest of Honor is none other than Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind, a fantastic book (it is actually my best friends favorite book ever... Hmm... Maybe I can get him to go to JordanCon!). Our very own Brandon Sanderson will also be participating in the program. If you are a follower of the tWoTcast, the podcasting team, you will be pleased to know that they will be the Toastmasters of the event! Their website is linked above if you want to find out more about them (be warned--they are not a PG-13 site).   (JordanCon 2010. From left to right: Harriet McDougal, Maria Simons, and Brandon Sanderson.)   Do you think that you will possibly be able to attend? Well you'd better make your mind up quickly if you haven't already, because the tickets are available now at a very modest rate.  But this will increase somewhat after the end of March, and per-registration closes after April 1st.   Yes, JordanCon is a fantastic event each year, and everyone either goes and has a great time or is green with envy. Which will you be come April this year? That's all for now! Have fun!   Until next time, friends!

<!-- isHtml:1 --><!-- isHtml:1 --><!-- isHtml:1 --><!-- isHtml:1 --><p>Happy Friday again! I belatedly realized that since last Friday was Valentine's, I should’ve used that as an excuse to make a post about the couples of <em>Wheel of Time</em>. Ah well! Some other time then.<br><br><br /><br /> You might remember me saying that the fashion in the <em>Wheel of Time</em> universe is one of my favorite things to geek about, so today I thought we’d look into that, in the art of Joni Warden, or <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://jwarden.deviantart.com/'>JWarden</a> as she goes by on DeviantArt. I also thought it would be nice to get back to some traditional art!<br><br><br><img src="http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_353/gallery_22324_353_4738.jpg" alt="gallery_22324_353_4738.jpg"><br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' href=' /><br /> First up, we have this lovely Domani lady. It is filed under traditional art/drawings on DeviantArt, so I’d guess it’s made with colored pencils? The colors are fresh and lovely. The outfit isn’t quite how I think the Domani’s dress; I seem to remember it being mentioned the gowns don’t show any skin, but they are hugging the body and some are… not very opaque. So for this to be completely accurate it should probably have a high neck. But, it’s still very lovely, and I love the look on her face. Very "come hither!"<br><br><img src="http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_353/gallery_22324_353_5807.jpg" alt="gallery_22324_353_5807.jpg"><br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' href=' /><br /> The detail in the lady’s hair is amazing, I just want to sit and stare at it! It looks really cool, and so heavy! The men really get it easier. The high necks and the lace is very accurate to how I remember <strong>Robert Jordan</strong> describing it. I’d like to see this artist's version of a Cairhien gown and coat, with the House colors on them!<br><br><br><img src="http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_353/gallery_22324_353_1615.jpg" alt="gallery_22324_353_1615.jpg"><br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' href=' /><br /> Hooray! One of the very few who remember to show the Aiel female warriors with properly short hair. I’ll admit, I shake my head a little when I see a picture of a Maiden with long hair. The man has a quite "nordic" look to him, which is very correct when it comes to the Aiel, and they still look a bit exotic. Very cool, and I like the details of the <em>shoufa </em>and the spears.<br><br><br><img src="http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_353/gallery_22324_353_25916.jpg" alt="gallery_22324_353_25916.jpg"><br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' href=' /><br /> And the prize for weirdest hats go to… Amadician women! The bonnets are strange, but undoubtedly very practical in a southern environment with very strong sun. I can’t remember right now if we are told Amadicia is based on a real life culture/land, or if they are just a "generic" country, but I very much like the look the artist have given them. They look a tad Hispanic, but not so much as they would if they were from Tear. Actually, I’ll take that back. Especially, the man looks more Greek. Either way, it’s cool that they have a distinct look.<br><br><br><img src="http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_353/gallery_22324_353_13054.jpg" alt="gallery_22324_353_13054.jpg"><br><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' data-ipb='nomediaparse' href=' /><br /> This I’m a bit puzzled at, since the man looks quite South-American, and the woman looks like a Scandinavian woman. Andor is based on Tudor era England. Either way, I really like the braid and the shawl tying the hard back, and the striped coat is very cool.</p><br /><br /> <p></p><br /><br /> <p>I'm really impressed by her portraits of the various fashions!<br><br><br /><br /> </p><br /> <p>I think the artist used to be active on <em>Dragonmount</em> before and was a member of the Green Ajah, like me, which is very cool!</p><br /> <p>Have a great weekend everyone!<br><br /><br />  </p>

Sayings are usually expressions that contain wisdom or advice in them, and here are a few Wheel of Time sayings:   1. A gentling a day keeps the Breaking away.   2. Every cloud has an Air and Fire lining.   3. Hell hath no fury like a Forsaken-who-wears-white-with-moons-and-stars scorned.   4. To let the Dragon out of the bag.   5.  To make a mountain out of a mole hill (ref : Lews Therin).   6. Take the Trolloc by the horns.   7. To tie up any loose flows.   8. The Wheel has come full circle.

The Wheel has spun another week and it’s time for a new edition of Dragonmount’s Weekly Roundup! I trust that everyone had an amazing Valentine’s Day!   First on the agenda: the Empys. The Annual Dragonmount Awards winners are calculated and results will be posted soon. Three awards will be posted every day until all the winners are declared. Stay tuned to see if your favorites have won!   The Band of the Red Hand is discussing Favorite Winter Olympic games. Do you love the bobsled? Or is figure-skating more your style? Go and join the discussion with the Band!   Looks like someone is trying to be innocent in the Black Tower, and there is a new bonding taking place! Go congratulate Csarmi and Chaelca!   In the Dragon Reborn Roleplay, an interesting story arc is beginning with Ascension Part One.   Finally, for Dragonmount’s Facebook and Twitter update:     Remember you can get daily updates on Wheel of Time and other fan-related news by following Dragonmount  on Facebook and Twitter. 

Happy weekend DM’ers! Now this week I was planning on showing you guys something other than digital painting, and then I stumbled over a new artist, and I just had to share his works with you!   Today I’d like to introduce you to Endave, or David E. He’s made a lot of Wheel of Time fan art! I’m going to feature some of it here, but I do hope you’ll go check out his DeviantArt gallery afterwards! Link at the bottom of the post.   My favorite thing about Endave’s art, is how he uses details. Some parts of an image will be really sharp and highly detailed, the rest will be more roughly painted. It’s a great way of drawing the eye to the important parts of the image, and enhances it greatly.   Thom Merrillin   This is Thom charging at the Myrdraal in The Eye of the World. I don’t have words for this picture really; it’s astonishing and mesmerizing. Thom is one of my favorite characters, and this capture is one of his finest moments, the moment I personally fell for him.   Wisdom of the Two Rivers   It’s refreshing to see a painting of Nynaeve before leaving Emond’s Field! I love her expression, her body language says she’s tense and annoyed, but the face shows uncertain and fragile she can be. Excellent capture! The surroundings makes me want to see more of Emond's Field!   Next up we have two different portraits of Egwene:   Egwene Al’vere   Again a portrait back in Emond’s Field before the adventures ever start. It’s Egwene at Bel Tine, and it’ll have to be the year before The Eye of the World starts, since her hair is still loose. The soft, flowing background gives the image an ethereal quality, and I don’t know if this was the artists’ intention, but the flowing fabric in the background can be seen as a subtle foreshadowing of Egwene’s destiny.   Flame of Tar Valon - Egwene Al’vere   And here we have a portrait of the Amyrlin. A bit older, and loads more mature. I like that she’s in a white dress; a strong nod to how she was a forced "novice" and the Amyrlin at the same time. I also really like the architecture in the background; it’s supposed to be Tar Valon, and all the bridges and towers look good!   Madness - Rand Al’thor   What is there to say… A perfect representation of how it must feel like to be Rand around The Gathering Storm! The rough lines are great at showing the emotion, it’s a high-impact picture! That's of course Callandor in the foreground.   Ash’man Kill!   Since we had a picture from Dumai’s Well last week, I just had to include this. The battle of Dumai’s Well is probably one of the toughest things I’ve ever read, and the appearance of the Asha’man was, for me, just shocking. We’d seen over and over how difficult it was for Aes Sedai to be able to use the Power to attack, and then we see the Asha’man just explode with attacking power. A very strong mental image, and this is a very good physical capture of it. I especially like the depiction of Taim and his Dragon coat!     That's it for this week! As always do please tell me what you think of this weeks batch, and go look at the rest of Endave's DeviantArt gallery! This is a quarter of his gallery, and the rest is well worth looking at!