The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Amazon usually updates books that you have bought and since Amazon is Sanderson's bigger reseller, I'd imagine his team makes sure that Amazon always has the latest revision. If you take a look at the US covers for his books, the Mistborn books were updated with the most recent covers.

Yes Amazon does have the latest version. But when you have eBooks with hi-res graphics, you can end up with the graphics being reduced in size. There is a thread on here about that with a Sanderson book.

So to be sure you get the full resolution graphics, the ePub is what should be purchased. Heck, I've even seen covers come through in a smaller size with D&T.

Read from here and you'll see that Amazon does play games with hi-res graphics even went the eBook is send to a 300DPI screen such as the Oasis.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...79#post4283779

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

In the book, Sanderson goes to great lengths to explain the details of his world. If he doesn't instantly explain a "thing," rest assured that in another few chapters he will. At first I didn't notice or mind, but it's gotten a little tiring, since he's constantly doing this the way a parent explains things to a child. .

I hate this. Not in Sanderson whom I've never read, but in any author. All I want to understand as I read is that the author has a coherent and consistent world in mind and then I'm willing (I prefer) to wait and let it reveal itself.

[Hollow Man]

I think Sanderson was torn in this book with how to present his material. You can see from rantanplan's response earlier, that some struggle to know what's going on. And I submit it's because while he is downright pedantic when it comes to explaining the details of his world, he is much slower about the higher level "what's going on." It, isn't, for example, as obvious as The Hobbit's, "We quest to reclaim our homeland and treasure from Smaug the dragon!"

I'm fine with this, but for others, this obfuscation manifests itself as being "complex."

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

I'm fine with this, but for others, this obfuscation manifests itself as being "complex."

In most of his books, Sanderson uses his characters as POV for the reader, so that it is clear why we don't know what's going on. E.g. in Mistborn, Vin is just a girl from the streets that doesn't know much about the world, in Warbreaker, the book starts by explaining how the kingdom of the main characters is working, but they travel for spoiler reasons to another kingdom and don't know much about it. In one of his books, the main character simply has amnesia (I think it's in two books, IIRC). And it makes sense.

But in Stormlight, all the different characters already know a lot about the world. Sure, there are a few specifics that they don't know about (e.g. Kaladin), but overall it leaves a different feeling than is other books. It's the only book where I was really frustrated by the storytelling, especially since it is such a long book.

[rantanplan]

What's interesting is, it was frustrating reading the book, but the last quarter of the book is quite rewarding. So after finishing it, my opinion of the book was rather high. But now, with some distance, I found that it's a bit overrated. I think that Warbreaker and the original Mistborn trilogy are much better than Way of Kings.

[Hollow Man]

So is your issue that you didn't like that Sanderson, as a stylistic tool, kept some information hidden and obfuscated, or more that it made the book difficult to follow?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

I think Sanderson was torn in this book with how to present his material. You can see from rantanplan's response earlier, that some struggle to know what's going on. And I submit it's because while he is downright pedantic when it comes to explaining the details of his world, he is much slower about the higher level "what's going on." It, isn't, for example, as obvious as The Hobbit's, "We quest to reclaim our homeland and treasure from Smaug the dragon!"

I'm fine with this, but for others, this obfuscation manifests itself as being "complex."

One thing that's not mentioned is this book is not the first book in the Cosmere world. It's not even recommended as the first book to read. So there could be info from the other books that you'd get by reading other books first.

[Hollow Man]

I've done excessive research on this, and Sanderson has made it very clear it does not matter which one you start with, as long as it's the beginning of a self contained series. And specifically says starting with "Kings" is fine.

https://www.brandonsanderson.com/pages/where-do-i-start

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

So is your issue that you didn't like that Sanderson, as a stylistic tool, kept some information hidden and obfuscated, or more that it made the book difficult to follow?

I'd say that it made it a frustrating read.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

I've done excessive research on this, and Sanderson has made it very clear it does not matter which one you start with, as long as it's the beginning of a self contained series. And specifically says starting with "Kings" is fine.

https://www.brandonsanderson.com/pages/where-do-i-start

Yes you can start anywhere. But, from what I've read, there are orders that make reading the Cosmere books easier.

[rantanplan]

You can always use the reading order that Sanderson himself suggests

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

You can always use the reading order that Sanderson himself suggests

I'm going to do a read of some of the books I've read and a read of the ones I have not. I'm starting with Mistborn which is a reread. It was the first free eBook that Tor gave away. It's a shame that Tor has stopped giving away eBooks monthly.

[Hollow Man]

If I had all the time in the world, and felt he'd become my new favorite author, I'd read his Cosmere stuff in order by the year he released them. But since neither of those things are true, I went to The Way of Kings, since it's considered by fans to be his best, and Sanderson himself has no issue with people starting there (see my post #23 above). I'm about 40% in so far, and it is not a complex nor confusing read.