Actually I understand, the only way I was able to finish Oathbringer was with the help of audiobook, I liked how they have a voice for each protagonist
I have struggled with Sanderson in all his series EXECPT for Steelheart. It's shorter. More concise. Still has some of the problems you cited, but longwinded and unfocused are not them. Not a super satisfying ending in my opinion, but still pretty good.
You know, I haven't tried any of his short stories or novellas even, I might do it just to compare how he handles long and short-term storytelling, thank you!
Wow, I couldn't disagree more. I just read the first two books for the third time, and it took me only 3 weeks, and I work full time and have a family with three kids. My third time reading them, I still can't put them down. I'm on the third book again, and I just love this world, and this series. I also think it's very adult. He just doesn't do graphic romance or a lot of swearing, which books do not need to be adult. That's a very small way of looking at adult targeted books. It's very violent, and requires serious reading skills, which are both adult in nature.
I agree those themes don't need to be graphic for a novel to be considered adult, but the way he handles those themes seems to me pretty childish, or almost like he comes from a very childish/innocent perspective, I just can't connect with him, and that's what drags the story for me, maybe that is why I take 3-4 weeks to read one stormlight book, but I get what you're saying
I liked my time with Sanderson's books but after a few it was pretty clear there was a formula he wasn't deviating too far from and while I don't think it's entirely ineffective I got tired of it. I only read The Way of Kings in the Stormlight series and while parts of it really did click they were spaced out between unnecessarily long and circuitous sections that dragged the book down and I wasn't eager to continue-felt like the book could have been several hundred pages shorter as you said. One thing I noticed is that his character's internal monologues often sound very similar across characters and even book series. After Sanderson I read other popular fantasy series by Joe Abercrombie and Robin Hobb-both of whom do unique character voice very well- and preferred them; Abercrombie does more with less pages and Hobb just writes complex characters better than any fantasy author I've yet read. I think Sanderson is a pretty cool guy though, just not my favorite author, not awful though :) I'm reading Empire of Silence now and really enjoying it.
First of all, thanks for the comment man! And now that you say that, the thing about Sanderson's internal monologue of his characters, they do seem pretty similar from one another. Abercrombie is just on another level of course, even more if you listen to the audiobooks by Steven Pacey. Just incredible stuff. But going back to Sanderson, he IS a cool guy, you know, I really don't click with his stuff but I often find myself watching his videos and opinion on different media, he is cool. I actually just finished Demon In White, from the sun eater series and let me tell you, the series just gets better. Amazing to think Ruocchio wrote empire of silence when he was 18, that's just ridiculous talent lol
@@fedebooks It's rightly been said a million times or more by this point but it always bears repeating that Steven Pacey's narration is outstanding, so much so that I want to go back to the first few books in the First Law-which I read physically-and listen just to experience his fantastic takes on Abercrombie's dialogue and internal monologues. Had no idea Ruocchio was that young when he wrote Empire of Silence, color me impressed. Glad to hear the series has continued to improve for you, I'm excited to read further.
I personally enjoy Sandersons writings for the most part. some of his novellas are hard to get through but they are novella so they are far shorter. I love his long winded details, but then again I have also read through the Silmarillion several times. I love the extreme details and background to the worlds. the whole of the cosmere to me is amazing, every time through I find new details I missed the last go around. you also miss out on details if you have not read all 6 books of mistborn. the Lost Metal has HUGE spoilers to certain factions in the stormlight archive.
Thanks for the comment! And yes I was actually reading about that with mistborn, and of course his other works, I know that secret project 5 should have a lot of cosmere connections as well, I understand the appeal, maybe I should've start reading his books when I was younger, right now I think I like my stories more grim dark or pessimistic lol, but I totally understand the appeal he has with his audience
Good review! I can't say I agree with many of your points, but I thought your take was interesting nonetheless. I'd say its perfectly fine if you skip the interludes, especially if you don't enjoy them. I find it fascinating to hear about the different ways people go about reading this series; I even know some people who only read one character viewpoint all the way through before going back and doing the same for the other characters. Personally, I enjoy the interludes because I feel like I'm getting a brief, lower stakes (most of the time) window into the goings on of the world which brings me deeper and deeper into the work as a whole.
Hey thanks for the comment! You know, I've found that the book tube community is very accepting of different opinions unlike the rest of the internet lol which is nice, but yeah I understand what you are saying, for example right now I'm in the middle of reading the sun eater series and I try to read every short story, every novella, every single word about that world and I imagine some people feel the same way with Sanderson, the people reading one character all the way and then going back are something else haha but these are big books, I get why people get imaginative with them
Holi, Fede 🤗. Solo he leído el primer libro. Recuerdo que me gustó, pero se me hizo muy pesado por tantas perspectivas de personajes (había varias que me aburrían o no me interesaban). Así que decidí avandonar la saga 😅. Saludos 😃.
Hola, Cindyyyy, si la verdad te entiendo, yo voy a terminar la serie solo para saber como termina lol pero no es como que me guste mucho la verdad, tal vez el autor y yo simplemente no somos compatibles, saludosss
I am struggling mightily to get through the first book. I’ve been working on it for months…but it’s just boring to me. I’m a huge Tolkien fan, started reading his work when I was 8, about thirty years ago. I’ve read a lot of fantasy and science fiction…but the way of kings just seems young, geared toward teens likely. Ironically, I like the interludes a lot…but I also cannot stand Shalan either.
That happened to me as well, the first book was just painful to finish, and the only way for me to continue with the next books was skipping the interludes really lol but yeah, I know Shallan defenders exist but I just can't understand it haha
Wow this is like watching a foreign film dubbed in English. I quit Way of Kings 250 pages in. Unfortunately I made the mistake of it being my first read by Sanderson, and I don't generally like fantasy.
I admit I am a fantasy guy but Sanderson just doesn't click with me, idk how it clicks with so many people, maybe I just like dark stories better And yeah sorry, my accent is not perfect lol
@@fedebooks No, it wasn't your accent, I think the audio wasn't timed right. Only noticed it in this video so dunno what's going on there. No biggie. Don't ever worry about your English, you speak it very well, far better than my & most people's Spanish, so don't worry about that. And yeah, some authors just don't appeal to people. Sanderson has enough fans in my opinion (I do like him as an author though; I wish I was like Sanderson), so it's good to highlight other authors who don't get the attention they deserve.
I totally agree, i picked up the hardcover first edition way of kings back when it came out. I was excited to jump into a new epic world from the guy who finished wheel of time. Pretty much my favorite series ever. I was surprised when i just could not read another page, i was utterly bored and i was mid-book. I even scanned chapters ahead, does anything seem to change here? No theyre still in an endless war. Shallan, she had the vibe of a side character from the get go and i could not understand why we needed any of her story at all, i found myself skipping her chapters. Kaladin was only slightly more interesting by virtue of being male id wager, there was at least the possibility of something happening other than talking. Dalanar, this guy is just a name to me, someone other people in the book talk about. He seems interchangeable with all the other battle commanders in this boring war. Kaladins backstory, again boring, something about his father wanted him to be a doctor yada yada. I tried again on audible just because im like maybe its me? Everyone seems to love this series. It was absolutely mind numbing, i was never awake for longer than 10 minutes, id wake up someone would be talking about dalanar again. I continue to hate the way of kings. Im pretty sure i got words of radiance at the same time bc i had credits saved up. I haven't touched it.
Thanks for the comment! Btw, I'm starting to buy the Wheel of Time books lol In my last video I bought 7, I really want to start it but idk if I should start with New Spring or The Eye of the World. Anyways, going back to Sanderson, you are totally right, the worst thing he has going for him is that he is just boring 80% to 90% of the time, we have a finite number of books to read in our lives, It's just not worth it for me spending my time reading the entire cosmere, maybe the younger generation has a different approach and needs everything "connected" I really don't know
"Without metaphor, mystery, or hidden messages" Did you read the epigraphs before each chapter? They are all mystery and hidden messages. I see many people criticize Sanderson for his writing style and I don't get why. So his writing doesn't read like Charles Dickens. So what? Every Charles Dickens book sucks ass. People criticize his prose like they know what they are talking about. The definition of "prose" is: written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure. So by that definition Sanderson has the best "prose" because he writes how people actually talk. Also what you describe as "filler" is full of foreshadowing and character development and mystery and hidden messages.
I totally agree man, I don't think I can make it to 8 or 9 books to be honest, I'm just going to stick with the first 5 stormlight books and that would be it for me
Listening to these books was a game changer for me! Love them!
Actually I understand, the only way I was able to finish Oathbringer was with the help of audiobook, I liked how they have a voice for each protagonist
I have struggled with Sanderson in all his series EXECPT for Steelheart. It's shorter. More concise. Still has some of the problems you cited, but longwinded and unfocused are not them. Not a super satisfying ending in my opinion, but still pretty good.
You know, I haven't tried any of his short stories or novellas even, I might do it just to compare how he handles long and short-term storytelling, thank you!
Wow, I couldn't disagree more. I just read the first two books for the third time, and it took me only 3 weeks, and I work full time and have a family with three kids. My third time reading them, I still can't put them down. I'm on the third book again, and I just love this world, and this series. I also think it's very adult. He just doesn't do graphic romance or a lot of swearing, which books do not need to be adult. That's a very small way of looking at adult targeted books. It's very violent, and requires serious reading skills, which are both adult in nature.
I agree those themes don't need to be graphic for a novel to be considered adult, but the way he handles those themes seems to me pretty childish, or almost like he comes from a very childish/innocent perspective, I just can't connect with him, and that's what drags the story for me, maybe that is why I take 3-4 weeks to read one stormlight book, but I get what you're saying
Hot take alert damn. I appreciate your contrary opinion though. I loved way of Kings and thought oathbringer was mind numbing lol
Hahah tbh when I was making the video I didn't think it was going to be a hot take until a saw all the reactions from the fans lol
I liked my time with Sanderson's books but after a few it was pretty clear there was a formula he wasn't deviating too far from and while I don't think it's entirely ineffective I got tired of it. I only read The Way of Kings in the Stormlight series and while parts of it really did click they were spaced out between unnecessarily long and circuitous sections that dragged the book down and I wasn't eager to continue-felt like the book could have been several hundred pages shorter as you said. One thing I noticed is that his character's internal monologues often sound very similar across characters and even book series. After Sanderson I read other popular fantasy series by Joe Abercrombie and Robin Hobb-both of whom do unique character voice very well- and preferred them; Abercrombie does more with less pages and Hobb just writes complex characters better than any fantasy author I've yet read. I think Sanderson is a pretty cool guy though, just not my favorite author, not awful though :)
I'm reading Empire of Silence now and really enjoying it.
First of all, thanks for the comment man! And now that you say that, the thing about Sanderson's internal monologue of his characters, they do seem pretty similar from one another. Abercrombie is just on another level of course, even more if you listen to the audiobooks by Steven Pacey. Just incredible stuff. But going back to Sanderson, he IS a cool guy, you know, I really don't click with his stuff but I often find myself watching his videos and opinion on different media, he is cool.
I actually just finished Demon In White, from the sun eater series and let me tell you, the series just gets better. Amazing to think Ruocchio wrote empire of silence when he was 18, that's just ridiculous talent lol
@@fedebooks It's rightly been said a million times or more by this point but it always bears repeating that Steven Pacey's narration is outstanding, so much so that I want to go back to the first few books in the First Law-which I read physically-and listen just to experience his fantastic takes on Abercrombie's dialogue and internal monologues.
Had no idea Ruocchio was that young when he wrote Empire of Silence, color me impressed. Glad to hear the series has continued to improve for you, I'm excited to read further.
I personally enjoy Sandersons writings for the most part. some of his novellas are hard to get through but they are novella so they are far shorter. I love his long winded details, but then again I have also read through the Silmarillion several times. I love the extreme details and background to the worlds. the whole of the cosmere to me is amazing, every time through I find new details I missed the last go around. you also miss out on details if you have not read all 6 books of mistborn. the Lost Metal has HUGE spoilers to certain factions in the stormlight archive.
Thanks for the comment! And yes I was actually reading about that with mistborn, and of course his other works, I know that secret project 5 should have a lot of cosmere connections as well, I understand the appeal, maybe I should've start reading his books when I was younger, right now I think I like my stories more grim dark or pessimistic lol, but I totally understand the appeal he has with his audience
Good review! I can't say I agree with many of your points, but I thought your take was interesting nonetheless. I'd say its perfectly fine if you skip the interludes, especially if you don't enjoy them. I find it fascinating to hear about the different ways people go about reading this series; I even know some people who only read one character viewpoint all the way through before going back and doing the same for the other characters. Personally, I enjoy the interludes because I feel like I'm getting a brief, lower stakes (most of the time) window into the goings on of the world which brings me deeper and deeper into the work as a whole.
Hey thanks for the comment! You know, I've found that the book tube community is very accepting of different opinions unlike the rest of the internet lol which is nice, but yeah I understand what you are saying, for example right now I'm in the middle of reading the sun eater series and I try to read every short story, every novella, every single word about that world and I imagine some people feel the same way with Sanderson, the people reading one character all the way and then going back are something else haha but these are big books, I get why people get imaginative with them
Holi, Fede 🤗. Solo he leído el primer libro. Recuerdo que me gustó, pero se me hizo muy pesado por tantas perspectivas de personajes (había varias que me aburrían o no me interesaban). Así que decidí avandonar la saga 😅.
Saludos 😃.
Hola, Cindyyyy, si la verdad te entiendo, yo voy a terminar la serie solo para saber como termina lol pero no es como que me guste mucho la verdad, tal vez el autor y yo simplemente no somos compatibles, saludosss
All Sanderson books feel the same: Young adult type characters with middle grade level sensibilities stuck in an adult fantasy world.
I totally agree
I am struggling mightily to get through the first book. I’ve been working on it for months…but it’s just boring to me.
I’m a huge Tolkien fan, started reading his work when I was 8, about thirty years ago. I’ve read a lot of fantasy and science fiction…but the way of kings just seems young, geared toward teens likely.
Ironically, I like the interludes a lot…but I also cannot stand Shalan either.
That happened to me as well, the first book was just painful to finish, and the only way for me to continue with the next books was skipping the interludes really lol but yeah, I know Shallan defenders exist but I just can't understand it haha
Wow this is like watching a foreign film dubbed in English.
I quit Way of Kings 250 pages in. Unfortunately I made the mistake of it being my first read by Sanderson, and I don't generally like fantasy.
I admit I am a fantasy guy but Sanderson just doesn't click with me, idk how it clicks with so many people, maybe I just like dark stories better
And yeah sorry, my accent is not perfect lol
@@fedebooks No, it wasn't your accent, I think the audio wasn't timed right. Only noticed it in this video so dunno what's going on there. No biggie. Don't ever worry about your English, you speak it very well, far better than my & most people's Spanish, so don't worry about that.
And yeah, some authors just don't appeal to people. Sanderson has enough fans in my opinion (I do like him as an author though; I wish I was like Sanderson), so it's good to highlight other authors who don't get the attention they deserve.
I totally agree, i picked up the hardcover first edition way of kings back when it came out. I was excited to jump into a new epic world from the guy who finished wheel of time. Pretty much my favorite series ever. I was surprised when i just could not read another page, i was utterly bored and i was mid-book. I even scanned chapters ahead, does anything seem to change here? No theyre still in an endless war. Shallan, she had the vibe of a side character from the get go and i could not understand why we needed any of her story at all, i found myself skipping her chapters. Kaladin was only slightly more interesting by virtue of being male id wager, there was at least the possibility of something happening other than talking. Dalanar, this guy is just a name to me, someone other people in the book talk about. He seems interchangeable with all the other battle commanders in this boring war. Kaladins backstory, again boring, something about his father wanted him to be a doctor yada yada.
I tried again on audible just because im like maybe its me? Everyone seems to love this series. It was absolutely mind numbing, i was never awake for longer than 10 minutes, id wake up someone would be talking about dalanar again.
I continue to hate the way of kings. Im pretty sure i got words of radiance at the same time bc i had credits saved up. I haven't touched it.
Thanks for the comment! Btw, I'm starting to buy the Wheel of Time books lol In my last video I bought 7, I really want to start it but idk if I should start with New Spring or The Eye of the World. Anyways, going back to Sanderson, you are totally right, the worst thing he has going for him is that he is just boring 80% to 90% of the time, we have a finite number of books to read in our lives, It's just not worth it for me spending my time reading the entire cosmere, maybe the younger generation has a different approach and needs everything "connected" I really don't know
Ahhhh a Mets fan I see… you should just join the dark side
Hahahaha neveeeer
"Without metaphor, mystery, or hidden messages" Did you read the epigraphs before each chapter? They are all mystery and hidden messages. I see many people criticize Sanderson for his writing style and I don't get why. So his writing doesn't read like Charles Dickens. So what? Every Charles Dickens book sucks ass. People criticize his prose like they know what they are talking about. The definition of "prose" is: written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure. So by that definition Sanderson has the best "prose" because he writes how people actually talk. Also what you describe as "filler" is full of foreshadowing and character development and mystery and hidden messages.
"Every Charles Dickens book sucks ass.", yeah buddy, you are definitely in the wrong side of book tube lol
It deals with mental health and war and its consequences. If you just think that "adult" = "sex" then yeah, his books won't be for you
Here is my opinion. No it’s not worth reading. It is bad
I’ve read 8 or 9 of his books. Youll notice how formulaic his work is
I totally agree man, I don't think I can make it to 8 or 9 books to be honest, I'm just going to stick with the first 5 stormlight books and that would be it for me
@@fedebooks I only read that many to see what the hype was about.
It doesn’t do much for me.
What are some authors you like?
@@Andmore123go Some of my faves regarding fantasy are George RR Martin, steven erickson, ursula k leguin, gaiman, alan moore, etc, how about you?