Just read ToM: Sanderson doesn't know High Chant, only common
newyorkersedai Send a noteboard - 23/01/2011 08:03:17 PM
Or silly. Many others have chimed in before to say that they were disappointed with this or that appearance of "new language" from the new writer. "Investigation," "homicide..." there are many.
But really, I'm astounded by how bald his writing is. One thing I get annoyed by is when people use "like" instead of "is." "It's like I've been betrayed" is a dumb thing to say if your spouse cheats on you. You've been betrayed. There's no "like" there.
Sanderson, my first real taste of his writing, comes off as someone who drops comparisons every single time, even when a simile or metaphor might actually be the way to go. We don't understand that someone feels like an insect that's just broken through its shell to discover that it and its place in the world is new. Sanderson just writes "He looked around him and he discovered that he was different and his place in the world also was."
By the light, this writing gets ham-fisted right quick. It's little moments, like an Ashaman saying to Ituralde "My lord! I sense channeling!" Wow. That's an amazing bit of dialog. And so natural coming from a battle-trained channeler.
Then you get someone else describing Rand as a storm, adding "a storm of light and streams of power." Really? Aren't the streams actual streams of the One Power? Is Rand a stream of lower-case "power" or upper-case "Power?" Why was this line not edited out?
It feels weird to complain about Mat feeling slightly off. Everything is at least a little off - it's like finding someone tilted all your furniture 10 degrees to the right. It just gets shocking to suddenly read passages that are clearly written by RJ. Or to find the occasional moment where BS' brevity and directness actually work pretty well. It's not like RJ didn't ever do it; I just want to give the new guy some credit...
I can see all the critiques that DoMA (and others) made. The division of the novel, and its jumping around the timeline, is a bit messy. It also did break up the emotional impact of Rand's collapse, and being timed with the "darkest hour" for so many characters (like Perrin and Aviendha).
I'm just still amazed that I read a Wheel of Time novel that contained the non-word "sweated." Thanks, BS
But really, I'm astounded by how bald his writing is. One thing I get annoyed by is when people use "like" instead of "is." "It's like I've been betrayed" is a dumb thing to say if your spouse cheats on you. You've been betrayed. There's no "like" there.
Sanderson, my first real taste of his writing, comes off as someone who drops comparisons every single time, even when a simile or metaphor might actually be the way to go. We don't understand that someone feels like an insect that's just broken through its shell to discover that it and its place in the world is new. Sanderson just writes "He looked around him and he discovered that he was different and his place in the world also was."
By the light, this writing gets ham-fisted right quick. It's little moments, like an Ashaman saying to Ituralde "My lord! I sense channeling!" Wow. That's an amazing bit of dialog. And so natural coming from a battle-trained channeler.
Then you get someone else describing Rand as a storm, adding "a storm of light and streams of power." Really? Aren't the streams actual streams of the One Power? Is Rand a stream of lower-case "power" or upper-case "Power?" Why was this line not edited out?
It feels weird to complain about Mat feeling slightly off. Everything is at least a little off - it's like finding someone tilted all your furniture 10 degrees to the right. It just gets shocking to suddenly read passages that are clearly written by RJ. Or to find the occasional moment where BS' brevity and directness actually work pretty well. It's not like RJ didn't ever do it; I just want to give the new guy some credit...
I can see all the critiques that DoMA (and others) made. The division of the novel, and its jumping around the timeline, is a bit messy. It also did break up the emotional impact of Rand's collapse, and being timed with the "darkest hour" for so many characters (like Perrin and Aviendha).
I'm just still amazed that I read a Wheel of Time novel that contained the non-word "sweated." Thanks, BS
This message last edited by newyorkersedai on 23/01/2011 at 08:04:51 PM
Just read ToM: Sanderson doesn't know High Chant, only common
- 23/01/2011 08:03:17 PM
1809 Views
As someone who's broadly anti-Sanderson
- 23/01/2011 08:53:52 PM
1235 Views
LoL - that discredits greatly the main post *NM*
- 24/01/2011 04:27:45 PM
384 Views
No, it doesn't. It "discredits greatly" one of his points, not the main argument. *NM* *NM*
- 24/01/2011 06:57:38 PM
382 Views
Disagree...
- 25/01/2011 12:36:25 AM
810 Views
Or it could be that I read every book 5 times, but like 10 years ago
- 26/01/2011 05:35:46 AM
702 Views
Huh?
- 23/01/2011 11:51:02 PM
927 Views
No, the "misused simile" thing is just a pet peeve
- 24/01/2011 12:47:04 AM
953 Views
Sweated is a word. *NM*
- 24/01/2011 02:45:57 AM
380 Views
Is it? Would you ever write "I had sweated" or "having sweated for an hour?" *NM*
- 24/01/2011 11:17:04 PM
361 Views
Re: Just read ToM: Sanderson doesn't know High Chant, only common
- 25/01/2011 11:06:24 PM
829 Views
I really don't want to come off as a jerk, but really? WoT has never had good writing. 
- 26/01/2011 07:18:03 AM
696 Views
- 26/01/2011 07:18:03 AM
696 Views
If you hate his writing so much then don't read the final book. *NM*
- 07/02/2011 03:39:43 AM
466 Views