I checked out the digital books of this series awhile ago. The fact he starts the story with "I'm not a good person." Immediately told me I was in for a good time. I couldn't put it down
As a hard core sanderson fan (he's basically my fav author) it never crossed me to read alcatraz as I thought it was only for kids. But you sir have convinced me otherwise and made me excited to try it.
Right? This guy pops out of nowhere and got this supernatural librarian thing going on, i mean...read through a trilogy or two even when you don't like it that much, but liked the first..this guy should be amongst the authorities on youtube, twitch, nebula....I'd even help with the misleading bookmarks and other promo stuff, i just want this passionate charming man to win. And the great thing about this guys popularity growing, is that this would mean raising the bar, the standard of book content, some ppl here can learn a semester or two from what this guy has to offer. I'm with you Sima0th, i subscribed,in the middle of first video i saw, then saw 3 more. Take care friend - Solo (from U.n.c.l.e, definitly the chauvinist gambling idiot from SW)
Thanks! My kids and I listened to the audiobooks together in the car several years ago, and we all loved them. Even though they're in high school now, they can't wait to read the upcoming sixth book in the series, despite it being (ostensibly) a middle grade book.
I don't know if you follow Sanderson's podcast with Dan Wells, Intentionally Blank, but in a recent episode, he provided a bit more insight into the "evil librarians" premise: One of his day jobs before he became a full-time author was in a university library. It...did not go as well as he'd hoped. Anyway, I'll have to try this series out. I love Sanderson's sillier side.
Really love this series and the clever use of the Talents. Looking forward to the final book, which is co-written with Janci Patterson (he ran into problems, and pulled her in for help). She wrote the spinoff Cytonic novels (the Skyward Flight trilogy) which were great, so I have high expectations!! Great channel!!!
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback and suggestion. I've been wrestling with how to create a distinct look for my thumbnails to set them apart from the countless headshot thumbnails on BookTube. I thought it might be unique to use a collage of book covers as a kind of wallpaper, and to vary the books in the collage, depending on the genre being discussed in the video. Unfortunately, when viewed all in one place on my channel, they tend to blend together, and it'll become more of an issue as I add more videos.
They are a lot of fun. I enjoyed the Alcatraz series more than I did his Reckoners series (although they target different audiences; Alcatraz is aimed at a middle grade students and Reckoners at high schoolers).
Is this about Florida? It feels like a Florida thing. Omg it iiis a Adolf Desantes thing. Please tell me that this is about the florida thing please Mr LibrarianLadder!!
These are some of the only Sanderson books I haven’t read. Have you read his Reckoners series? I found those enjoyable, and I’m surprised they don’t get talked about more.
I have read Sanderson's Reckoners series, which seemed to be aimed at the YA market. I enjoyed it, but was a little frustrated by some of the plot and character elements. Like you, I find it curious that it seems to be an overlooked series. I wonder if Sanderson's prolific output as a writer is actually oversaturating the market for his books.
I found you the other day, I have just liked and subscribed. I have tried to read Sanderson`s books, i don`t really like him, but i think i will try these books. I am interested what is your background or are you just a book lover.
Thanks! I've had mixed experiences with Sanderson's books. The Alcatraz books don't take themselves too seriously and are intended for kids (although there's plenty for adults to enjoy in them as well), so they'll probably seem very different from his other books. Have you tried reading Warbreaker? It's a standalone and it might be Sanderson's most accessible novel in my opinion. I'm primarily just a book lover, and I've been one for more than 50 years. I've been an avid book collector for more than 40 years. I trained as a writer (journalism), and I spent several years as a college professor where, among other things, I tried to help students develop good writing skills. In recent years, I've led a book club for middle grade students (5th and 6th graders) at a local school. I'm an omnivorous reader, and I enjoy most genres, although what I read often depends on my mood. This is my first foray into social media and video production. It's been quite a learning experience so far. Thanks again for watching and commenting (and subscribing)!
I like the series a lot (the not quite slapstick isn't exactly my taste, but it's great for the demographic, and if kids can get over how long the book "looks," they usually like it), but i think the most overlooked is The Rithmatist. Sanderson has said that he wished he had a bit more courage to not leave that book open-ended, but I'm one of the people who've been dreaming of sequels. Such unique world building, and enough Harry Potter vibes that kids would dig it if they have it a chance.
Shoot, I never quite noticed how much the Hush Lands and Free Kingdoms are thematically The Matrix and Zion. Or rather dipping into the same thematic well.
Oh I really like Alcatraz. I am listening to them as graphic audio and they are really good. still have the Dark Talent open. your voice is amazing!! great video 🤗
Thanks! I had a lot of fun making this video. Also, I've recorded a few classic short stories for fun here on my channel, and I might do more in the future. They can be found in my channel's Audiobooks playlist.
Sounds a lot like The City of Dreaming Books (at least in zaney meta breaking whimsy) by Walter Moers. I never got into Sanderson's other series (maybe too weighty?) but I'll defintely give these a try!
Great comparison! There's certainly a degree of absurd zaniness in both series. I love Moers' The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, and I'm still making my way through the rest of his Zamonia series. Thanks!
I am cracking up. This is the best promotional video I have seen of a series I never heard of. So good! I need to buy the collection and get going. I think I have read 5 books from Sanderson. The Final Empire is the best fantasy stand-alone book I have read other than Fantasy Magnus Opus The Lord of the Rings. I did not like Well Ascension or Hero of Ages, but I appreciated the worlds, the set-up and payoff, and the work/cleverness put into it. Warbreaker had potential but it was too short. The Way of Kings was phenomenal and it took me a while to digest. I finished it in 2019 and until 2022 I got the energy to listen to Words of Radiance. BTW, Words of Radiance was as good of a follow-up as I could have expected and I had high expectations. I do have Oathbringer and Rythm of War but don't know if I am ready to go back to Roshar yet.
Indeed implying to the young imaginative readers that Alcatraz fantasy may be an actual reality,🤯 this series is perhaps little known because of ... You guessed it : the🤫😏🧐🥸😠 evil librarians.😱 Barakha 🙌🏾 Shalom 🌾🙏🏾
I plan to look them up! I started te first book of the Wheel of Time. (Was I on Audible or Chirp?) I lost interest in the book. It was taking to long to get started.
I think it a perfect series of fantasy books for boys. But, I'm not 100% sure about for girls, hence I'm debating myself to get the signed hardcovers or not.
In case it's helpful to you, I read the first five books in the series with my daughters when they were age 10 and 12, respectively, and they loved it. It was one of the most entertaining reading experiences they had at that age.
Hey, it's me, your new Swedish fan, Solo! Hope your'e doing well, the parasocial thing is a super weird phenomenon these days, but i feel less weird writing here since there's only 66 comments so far. First of all, i tried Mistborn, got through rhe first and almost half the second book, without spoiling anything, i gave up when the main char got involved with the giants. It was well written, main character was interesting, but i really got tired of the "invading part" and the magic, jumping on coins is something i my self wouldnt say no to and the characters find pretty advanced "chess style" ways to use even the simpler abilities,, but it wasn't for me....maybe because i had just finished Alistair Reynolds Revelation space series and had justr re-read RR Martins last book to prepare for what i thought was the next book "coming VERY soon" because of course i did, and of course it didn't. Maybe i'm just impatient, i liked Vin and the charactrers around her (most of them at least) though i have to admit that my class-war driven heart sometimes translates into me being VERY impatient with nobility, royalists and royalists even if the story kinda has to lean into some portion of Hapsburgian characters because of the ruling system set in this world...but, i mean, i didn't have this much problem with it in GRRM's books, and countless other stories, and it's not sexism, i honestly feel that the main character was one of the few things holding the book up for as long as i did read it. I mean, sne is a bit of an underdog proto-punkrocker who does everything she can to escape wearing fanct dresses and DOES NOT see the point of acting like some werid socialite. That said, i have a question for you Mr Ladder. Am i missing out on something good here? Should i pick up the second book and push through until the story kicks off again? Also, you make great videos, and i mean GREAT, But are you keeping your voice down because your'e in a library?:) Thank you for your fantastic job on this one, Your new fan from Sweden - Solo (and no, it's not a nick name, It's a cool name, or it would have been if it wasn't based on the worst character from Star wars)
Thanks, Solo! You're not alone in feeling a little strange about the parasocial aspect of UA-cam. :) Regarding Mistborn, I happen to enjoy the first trilogy, but if it hasn't grabbed you after the first book, there's a good chance the second and third books won't either. I'm not a fan of the later, 'Second Era' Mistborn books. If you want to give Sanderson another try without committing to a lengthy series, I suggest reading his standalone novel Warbreaker. I think it's one of his best works. P.S. Perhaps you could say that your name was inspired by Napoleon Solo (the James Bond-like super spy from The Man from U.N.C.L.E.).
I know it. I know that librarians hide a secret. (ahahah) Seriously. I won't read this book because it's for young readers and I look for other stories but I like this idea. It's very brilliant !
You might give it a try anyway. Although it's written primarily for kids between the ages of 10 and 14, Sanderson includes a lot of inside jokes and commentary aimed at adult readers, particularly in books 2-5. I really enjoyed the series a lot more than I thought I might.
I read the series and I laughed out loud many times! I loved it when Sanderson says that chapters are actually intended for the characters to go to the toilet 😅🤣
I can’t enjoy his writings for some reason. But I am also having that problem with most contemporary authors that are supposed to be great. Although I like the story and the setting when described to me.
Thanks for sharing. I can empathize with you. Sanderson is very hit-or-miss for me. I've enjoyed some of his books, while others left me underwhelmed. Part of the problem, I'm discovering, is that the hype many newer authors receive from publishers and from the online community often is grossly out of proportion to the actual merits of their books. Some of the hype can be attributed simply to the self-interested motives of authors, publishers and influencers who are all trying to attract attention. I think some of it, though, stems from a lack of exposure to other (often older and better) works. I've lost count of the number of book reviews I've seen claiming a book is one of the best the reviewer has ever read. Those kinds of claims might say more about the reviewer's limited reading experience than about the books themselves. Similarly, I'm skeptical of reviewers that routinely give out five-star ratings to books. Either they're rating books based on very different criteria than I use, or they lack a sufficient frame of reference to meaningfully compare books (i.e., everything they read seems new and fresh to them, which can introduce a positive bias in their reviews).
I read Elantris and found it so cringy that I did not want to read any of his other books. Why do people always say that he is one of the best, I don’t know
I checked out the digital books of this series awhile ago. The fact he starts the story with "I'm not a good person." Immediately told me I was in for a good time. I couldn't put it down
This book series somehow managed to simultaneously deliver an amazing comedic masterpiece and a deep world that is incredibly well built.
As a hard core sanderson fan (he's basically my fav author) it never crossed me to read alcatraz as I thought it was only for kids. But you sir have convinced me otherwise and made me excited to try it.
Great! I hope you enjoy the books as much as I did. They're definitely a change of pace from his typical epic fantasy.
I don't think i fell in love with a UA-cam channel before as fast as yours! Love the contents and the narration.
Thank you! I don't think I've fallen in love with a comment as quickly as I did with yours! :D
I have many more videos planned, so stay tuned.
Right? This guy pops out of nowhere and got this supernatural librarian thing going on, i mean...read through a trilogy or two even when you don't like it that much, but liked the first..this guy should be amongst the authorities on youtube, twitch, nebula....I'd even help with the misleading bookmarks and other promo stuff, i just want this passionate charming man to win.
And the great thing about this guys popularity growing, is that this would mean raising the bar, the standard of book content, some ppl here can learn a semester or two from what this guy has to offer.
I'm with you Sima0th, i subscribed,in the middle of first video i saw, then saw 3 more.
Take care friend - Solo (from U.n.c.l.e, definitly the chauvinist gambling idiot from SW)
This needed to be said. I am reading these books to my boys and at times I enjoy them more than them. He has so many inside jokes for book lovers.
Thanks! My kids and I listened to the audiobooks together in the car several years ago, and we all loved them. Even though they're in high school now, they can't wait to read the upcoming sixth book in the series, despite it being (ostensibly) a middle grade book.
@@thelibraryladder Thank you for sharing!
Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians was my introduction to Brandon Sanderson and it's still one of my favourite books
I don't know if you follow Sanderson's podcast with Dan Wells, Intentionally Blank, but in a recent episode, he provided a bit more insight into the "evil librarians" premise: One of his day jobs before he became a full-time author was in a university library. It...did not go as well as he'd hoped.
Anyway, I'll have to try this series out. I love Sanderson's sillier side.
Thanks for sharing that story about the evil librarians. I wasn't familiar with it. I'll have to check out that podcast.
Unironically, this book series influenced me more than anything.
This site is a great treasure for me , fulfilling and nourishing . Have recommended to all my reading friends. Many many thanks.
Thank you! I try to make videos that I hope will be useful resources for viewers.
I always find you reviews fascinating. Thank you for your efforts, Sir!
Thank you! This has long been one of my favorite videos. It was the first one in which I began feeling comfortable in what I was doing. :)
Really love this series and the clever use of the Talents. Looking forward to the final book, which is co-written with Janci Patterson (he ran into problems, and pulled her in for help). She wrote the spinoff Cytonic novels (the Skyward Flight trilogy) which were great, so I have high expectations!! Great channel!!!
Thanks! I didn't realize he had enlisted Patterson's help with the final book. My kids and I are looking forward to it as well.
You have an amazing voice, I subscribed. Slight recommendation; add some variety to your thumbnails. I believe it’ll make a huge difference
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback and suggestion. I've been wrestling with how to create a distinct look for my thumbnails to set them apart from the countless headshot thumbnails on BookTube. I thought it might be unique to use a collage of book covers as a kind of wallpaper, and to vary the books in the collage, depending on the genre being discussed in the video. Unfortunately, when viewed all in one place on my channel, they tend to blend together, and it'll become more of an issue as I add more videos.
I only recently read this series. The tone gave me some serious Rick Riordan vibes. Major nostalgia overload.
Good thought. The Riordan comparison hadn't occurred to me, but I can definitely see it now that you've mentioned it. Thanks for watching!
Will definitely add this to my daughter's bookshelf, and I'm sure I will give it a go myself.
Wonderful! I hope you and she enjoy the series as much as my kids and I did.
This channel deserves more audience! Just remember I was here before 1,400 subscribers. :)
Thanks! Any assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated.
They sound like a lot of fun. Have been wanting to read some of Sanderson's nonadult books. These will be the ones
They are a lot of fun. I enjoyed the Alcatraz series more than I did his Reckoners series (although they target different audiences; Alcatraz is aimed at a middle grade students and Reckoners at high schoolers).
I just finished the Way of Kings,I need a palate cleanser, so I can't imagine how much Sanderson needed a palate cleanser.
I don't read Brandon Sanderson, but this sounds great! I might try it!
It's a kids' book that adults can read guilt-free. Much of the humor in it seems aimed at adults.
@@AnacondaChessYT Thank you! That's really good to hear. I pretty much have to read now, don't I? 😉
As the son of librarians I will say this series will likely push the limits of their anti book banning mentality
I've had to keep a low profile around my librarian friends in recent months, due to the unwanted attention I've drawn to them. :)
Is this about Florida? It feels like a Florida thing. Omg it iiis a Adolf Desantes thing.
Please tell me that this is about the florida thing please Mr LibrarianLadder!!
HOLYYY SHIT WHAT 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 THIS ISA CRAZY STORY! Altho I haven't Brando yet but I binge booktube but have never heard of this series!
Crazy is the right word, but it's also a lot of fun. And if you have kids, they'll enjoy it too. Thanks for watching!
Bro your voice is incredible
Thanks! I hope you enjoyed the other parts of the video too. :)
definately have been puitting off this series as too YA without actually reading it, can't wait to check it out
It's really aimed at kids age 10-13, but it has plenty of fun elements for adults too.
These are some of the only Sanderson books I haven’t read. Have you read his Reckoners series? I found those enjoyable, and I’m surprised they don’t get talked about more.
I have read Sanderson's Reckoners series, which seemed to be aimed at the YA market. I enjoyed it, but was a little frustrated by some of the plot and character elements. Like you, I find it curious that it seems to be an overlooked series. I wonder if Sanderson's prolific output as a writer is actually oversaturating the market for his books.
@@thelibraryladder A certain recent kickstarter suggests otherwise.... :D
I found you the other day, I have just liked and subscribed. I have tried to read Sanderson`s books, i don`t really like him, but i think i will try these books. I am interested what is your background or are you just a book lover.
Thanks! I've had mixed experiences with Sanderson's books. The Alcatraz books don't take themselves too seriously and are intended for kids (although there's plenty for adults to enjoy in them as well), so they'll probably seem very different from his other books.
Have you tried reading Warbreaker? It's a standalone and it might be Sanderson's most accessible novel in my opinion.
I'm primarily just a book lover, and I've been one for more than 50 years. I've been an avid book collector for more than 40 years. I trained as a writer (journalism), and I spent several years as a college professor where, among other things, I tried to help students develop good writing skills. In recent years, I've led a book club for middle grade students (5th and 6th graders) at a local school. I'm an omnivorous reader, and I enjoy most genres, although what I read often depends on my mood.
This is my first foray into social media and video production. It's been quite a learning experience so far.
Thanks again for watching and commenting (and subscribing)!
I like the series a lot (the not quite slapstick isn't exactly my taste, but it's great for the demographic, and if kids can get over how long the book "looks," they usually like it), but i think the most overlooked is The Rithmatist. Sanderson has said that he wished he had a bit more courage to not leave that book open-ended, but I'm one of the people who've been dreaming of sequels. Such unique world building, and enough Harry Potter vibes that kids would dig it if they have it a chance.
Shoot, I never quite noticed how much the Hush Lands and Free Kingdoms are thematically The Matrix and Zion. Or rather dipping into the same thematic well.
Only now I noticed.
The Gathering Storm, A Memory of Light
Stormlight.
He knew what he was doing back then.
Oh I really like Alcatraz. I am listening to them as graphic audio and they are really good. still have the Dark Talent open. your voice is amazing!! great video 🤗
Thank you! The Alcatraz books are favorites of my kids, and really enjoyed them as well. I had a lot of fun making this video.
This was a really good review thank you. you have a nice voice do you every thank about doing auto books?
Thanks! I had a lot of fun making this video. Also, I've recorded a few classic short stories for fun here on my channel, and I might do more in the future. They can be found in my channel's Audiobooks playlist.
I love this book series so much it’s so entertaining
I agree. I read it with my kids several years ago. I was delighted and surprised by how much I enjoyed it as an adult.
I had the audio books as a child and i always loved it. It inspires me to write as well
Sounds a lot like The City of Dreaming Books (at least in zaney meta breaking whimsy) by Walter Moers. I never got into Sanderson's other series (maybe too weighty?) but I'll defintely give these a try!
Great comparison! There's certainly a degree of absurd zaniness in both series. I love Moers' The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, and I'm still making my way through the rest of his Zamonia series. Thanks!
Thanks much
I am cracking up. This is the best promotional video I have seen of a series I never heard of. So good! I need to buy the collection and get going. I think I have read 5 books from Sanderson. The Final Empire is the best fantasy stand-alone book I have read other than Fantasy Magnus Opus The Lord of the Rings. I did not like Well Ascension or Hero of Ages, but I appreciated the worlds, the set-up and payoff, and the work/cleverness put into it. Warbreaker had potential but it was too short. The Way of Kings was phenomenal and it took me a while to digest. I finished it in 2019 and until 2022 I got the energy to listen to Words of Radiance. BTW, Words of Radiance was as good of a follow-up as I could have expected and I had high expectations. I do have Oathbringer and Rythm of War but don't know if I am ready to go back to Roshar yet.
Thanks! I was surprised how much I enjoyed the Alcatraz series. My kids loved it too.
Indeed implying to the young imaginative readers that Alcatraz fantasy may be an actual reality,🤯 this series is perhaps little known because of ... You guessed it : the🤫😏🧐🥸😠 evil librarians.😱
Barakha 🙌🏾 Shalom 🌾🙏🏾
Quite the dastardly plot! :)
I plan to look them up!
I started te first book of the Wheel of Time. (Was I on Audible or Chirp?) I lost interest in the book. It was taking to long to get started.
I think it a perfect series of fantasy books for boys. But, I'm not 100% sure about for girls, hence I'm debating myself to get the signed hardcovers or not.
In case it's helpful to you, I read the first five books in the series with my daughters when they were age 10 and 12, respectively, and they loved it. It was one of the most entertaining reading experiences they had at that age.
Hey, it's me, your new Swedish fan, Solo! Hope your'e doing well, the parasocial thing is a super weird phenomenon these days, but i feel less weird writing here since there's only 66 comments so far.
First of all, i tried Mistborn, got through rhe first and almost half the second book, without spoiling anything, i gave up when the main char got involved with the giants. It was well written, main character was interesting, but i really got tired of the "invading part" and the magic, jumping on coins is something i my self wouldnt say no to and the characters find pretty advanced "chess style" ways to use even the simpler abilities,, but it wasn't for me....maybe because i had just finished Alistair Reynolds Revelation space series and had justr re-read RR Martins last book to prepare for what i thought was the next book "coming VERY soon" because of course i did, and of course it didn't.
Maybe i'm just impatient, i liked Vin and the charactrers around her (most of them at least) though i have to admit that my class-war driven heart sometimes translates into me being VERY impatient with nobility, royalists and royalists even if the story kinda has to lean into some portion of Hapsburgian characters because of the ruling system set in this world...but, i mean, i didn't have this much problem with it in GRRM's books, and countless other stories, and it's not sexism, i honestly feel that the main character was one of the few things holding the book up for as long as i did read it. I mean, sne is a bit of an underdog proto-punkrocker who does everything she can to escape wearing fanct dresses and DOES NOT see the point of acting like some werid socialite.
That said, i have a question for you Mr Ladder.
Am i missing out on something good here? Should i pick up the second book and push through until the story kicks off again?
Also, you make great videos, and i mean GREAT, But are you keeping your voice down because your'e in a library?:)
Thank you for your fantastic job on this one,
Your new fan from Sweden - Solo (and no, it's not a nick name, It's a cool name, or it would have been if it wasn't based on the worst character from Star wars)
Thanks, Solo! You're not alone in feeling a little strange about the parasocial aspect of UA-cam. :)
Regarding Mistborn, I happen to enjoy the first trilogy, but if it hasn't grabbed you after the first book, there's a good chance the second and third books won't either. I'm not a fan of the later, 'Second Era' Mistborn books.
If you want to give Sanderson another try without committing to a lengthy series, I suggest reading his standalone novel Warbreaker. I think it's one of his best works.
P.S. Perhaps you could say that your name was inspired by Napoleon Solo (the James Bond-like super spy from The Man from U.N.C.L.E.).
I know it. I know that librarians hide a secret. (ahahah)
Seriously.
I won't read this book because it's for young readers and I look for other stories but I like this idea. It's very brilliant !
You might give it a try anyway. Although it's written primarily for kids between the ages of 10 and 14, Sanderson includes a lot of inside jokes and commentary aimed at adult readers, particularly in books 2-5. I really enjoyed the series a lot more than I thought I might.
In my opinion this series is timeless. I was already an adult by the time I read it and I probably had more fun than if I read it when I was younger
Seriously though, have you considered doing audio books?
Thanks for the suggestion! As a matter of fact, I’m going to try recording a few classic short stories later this week for upload to YT.
Nice, that’s something to look forward to. Meanwhile I’m going to give this book series a try, thanks for the recommendation
Oh I was thinking a lot of getting these books, but wasn't sure, thought they were like a Harry Potter rip off based on the illustrations 😅
They're definitely very different from the Harry Potter books. I hope you enjoy them as much as my kids and I do.
@@thelibraryladder Thanks a lot, I'll get them asap 👌👌
I read the series and I laughed out loud many times! I loved it when Sanderson says that chapters are actually intended for the characters to go to the toilet 😅🤣
Thanks for sharing!
I don't like Brandon but I trust you so hear we go.
I hope you enjoy the series!
I can’t enjoy his writings for some reason. But I am also having that problem with most contemporary authors that are supposed to be great. Although I like the story and the setting when described to me.
Thanks for sharing. I can empathize with you. Sanderson is very hit-or-miss for me. I've enjoyed some of his books, while others left me underwhelmed.
Part of the problem, I'm discovering, is that the hype many newer authors receive from publishers and from the online community often is grossly out of proportion to the actual merits of their books. Some of the hype can be attributed simply to the self-interested motives of authors, publishers and influencers who are all trying to attract attention. I think some of it, though, stems from a lack of exposure to other (often older and better) works. I've lost count of the number of book reviews I've seen claiming a book is one of the best the reviewer has ever read. Those kinds of claims might say more about the reviewer's limited reading experience than about the books themselves.
Similarly, I'm skeptical of reviewers that routinely give out five-star ratings to books. Either they're rating books based on very different criteria than I use, or they lack a sufficient frame of reference to meaningfully compare books (i.e., everything they read seems new and fresh to them, which can introduce a positive bias in their reviews).
I read Elantris and found it so cringy that I did not want to read any of his other books. Why do people always say that he is one of the best, I don’t know
Elantris was his first book that he wrote 20 years ago. He improved considerably from there, and his regular output and scope are fantastic.
I am very surprised you are enjoying the work of Sanderson. Oh well ...
I've enjoyed some of his books, but not all of them.