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Re: Sure Sidious Send a noteboard - 04/06/2010 04:55:23 AM
In every one of Sanderson's books that I've read (and I've read most of them), I've seen characters who are believable. Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker - they all had people who were complex and fully developed. Few characters were "static" or "two-dimensional"; they would act in ways that were unexpected yet entirely in keeping with who they were, intellectually and emotionally.

Jordan's characters, on the other hand, have largely been ersatz humans with two-dimensional personalities and little emotional, intellectual or spiritual growth. When they display emotion, it is often with stock phrases and cliches.

One of the very few instances in the entire series that has had any real depth has been Rand's "soul-searching" on Dragonmount at the end of The Gathering Storm. I'm not sure how much of that scene was Jordan and how much was Sanderson, but I'm willing to bet that it was more of the latter than the former. I never saw anything that real or immediate in Jordan's writing.

As for the other points, it's obvious Jordan's "Old Tongue" is a pile of crap, linguistically speaking. He would have been better not trying to write "in" it if he can't be like Tolkien. But he so desperately wanted to be like Tolkien.



Yeah, anyone whose read a little can immediately see that his characters are pretty shallow and undeveloped. If readers want to identify growth they have to pretty much imagine it for themselves. It's not unexpected really - he has over 1200 characters, and is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most detailed worldbuilders out there - though everything comes with a cost.

I'm halfway through another of Feist's books, and I think his characters are already more well developed spiritually than some of the main characters in WoT.
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Seanchan girls. Do they live in terror until 25? - 02/06/2010 12:32:14 AM 1487 Views
A few details to consider - 02/06/2010 01:11:12 AM 864 Views
Re: A few details to consider - 02/06/2010 02:31:08 AM 874 Views
Wasn't talking about breeding damane - 03/06/2010 03:32:44 AM 864 Views
Re: Wasn't talking about breeding damane - 04/06/2010 07:30:55 PM 729 Views
Well, it took centuries for most people to understand breeding/genetics - 02/06/2010 08:57:43 PM 708 Views
Nobody knows about Sul'dam because it takes them extra long to learn. - 03/06/2010 07:58:41 AM 1009 Views
Re: A few details to consider - 04/06/2010 07:33:39 AM 729 Views
I think it's seen as something that happens to other people. - 02/06/2010 02:20:09 AM 736 Views
I think they retest only the sul'dam - 02/06/2010 04:13:55 AM 909 Views
Re: I think they retest only the sul'dam - 04/06/2010 07:55:56 PM 700 Views
Point on the testing - 08/06/2010 02:15:26 AM 676 Views
Re: Point on the testing - 08/06/2010 02:46:06 PM 742 Views
Remember, Seancean have no idea channeling can be "learned" - 02/06/2010 07:04:11 AM 804 Views
This is how Damane and Sul'Dam are determined, straight from tGH - 03/06/2010 08:14:03 AM 1141 Views
That doesn't make sense. Are you sure they don't put the BRACELET on the girls, not the collar? - 04/06/2010 01:35:08 AM 695 Views
I am absolutely sure. Quote from book. - 04/06/2010 03:09:08 AM 764 Views
Re: I am absolutely sure. Quote from book. - 04/06/2010 11:54:25 AM 604 Views
Thanks Darius *NM* - 08/06/2010 01:48:28 AM 374 Views
Toun, though too young can be collared - 06/06/2010 03:29:29 AM 597 Views
I don't think Tuon will ever Channel - 06/06/2010 03:39:16 AM 746 Views
Everything points to a change in policy - 06/06/2010 04:04:33 AM 637 Views
Re: Everything points to a change in policy - 06/06/2010 04:18:21 AM 530 Views
Re: I don't think Tuon will ever Channel - 06/06/2010 05:07:40 AM 650 Views
Not at all - 02/06/2010 03:52:31 PM 617 Views
Re: Are the new damane actually tortured? - 02/06/2010 06:56:10 PM 772 Views
I think "tortured" is relative... - 03/06/2010 08:22:37 AM 706 Views
As with most things in Jordan's universe, I don't think it was thought through very seriously. - 03/06/2010 08:05:04 PM 652 Views
Huh? - 03/06/2010 08:44:35 PM 749 Views
Sure - 03/06/2010 09:00:40 PM 757 Views
Bah... - 03/06/2010 09:51:09 PM 704 Views
Jordan definitely made mistakes with the Ajahs. In particular, the Black Ajah ones who fled. - 03/06/2010 10:56:39 PM 694 Views
oh come now - 04/06/2010 12:58:44 AM 618 Views
Re: Sure - 04/06/2010 04:55:23 AM 796 Views
I don't know if that's totally true - 04/06/2010 12:09:29 PM 625 Views
Maybe you don't read that much serious literature? I just don't see why you are arguing this. - 04/06/2010 03:47:50 PM 660 Views
I actually don't read much fiction at all to be honest - 04/06/2010 04:00:03 PM 684 Views
You're right about the fact that I have mostly contempt for Jordan. - 04/06/2010 05:42:49 PM 650 Views
meh. I prefer non-fiction most of the time - 06/06/2010 03:44:38 AM 700 Views
I have read lots of fiction - 06/06/2010 03:57:07 AM 689 Views
Meh - 04/06/2010 05:03:41 PM 680 Views
LOL ... I hear ya on that - 06/06/2010 03:49:48 AM 680 Views
We've seen so little of the old tongue how can you tell? - 06/06/2010 03:33:46 AM 544 Views
This raises another question - 06/06/2010 04:13:25 AM 608 Views
Re: This raises another question - 06/06/2010 04:53:42 AM 654 Views

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