Now see, here I don't fully agree, or at least think it's a matter of taste.
Nate Send a noteboard - 28/09/2012 07:21:09 PM
"What if we let him do as he wishes", Elayne asked with a hint of defiance in her voice. Since Egwene had chastised her over what she's done with the Kinswomen, that hint of defiance was more and more present in Elayne's tone with her. She still didn't know how she'd present that to the Hall. It was worrying - she needed to be able to trust Elayne but she made that more and more difficult.
"Let him break the seals, you mean?" she replied more harshly than she had wished. Was this just one of her mood swings, or was the woman's resolve vanishing? She was totally smithen with Rand. Or was this ta'veren at work? She rubbed her temples.
"Let him break the seals, you mean?" she replied more harshly than she had wished. Was this just one of her mood swings, or was the woman's resolve vanishing? She was totally smithen with Rand. Or was this ta'veren at work? She rubbed her temples.
It is absolutely true that the above is much closer to what Jordan would have written, but I for one don't believe that giving less than that is some sort of fundamental writing flaw. In fact, that over-detailed, tangent-ridden POV style that Jordan wrote—full of repetition, reinforcement, sideways thoughts, explanations for every action or potential action, and observations of every little detail—was one of the things I personally enjoyed the least about his books. From my perspective, they slowed the story down and essentially took their slow time beating me over the head with every little thought that fluttered through the characters' minds.
Now that's obviously the way Jordan wanted it, and a valid writing choice for a POV-oriented story, but there were many, many times where it bored me half to tears. Personally I enjoy getting to put more of my own interpretations and speech inflections into dialogue and narrative when I read it. I can't be the only one who feels that way.
Saying that Sanderson is not writing it the way Jordan would have is completely fair and a valid criticism. But saying that it's "pathetic" and that he's "not doing his job as a novelist" is, I believe, taking it too far by applying your own personal tastes to the art of writing in general. You obviously prefer to read the more detail-oriented style, and that's fine, but I don't believe there's anything inherently superior about it in general. A good novel doesn't have to bludgeon you with a character's every stray observation and thought in order to be effective. An author doesn't need to have complete control over how his or her characters' actions and words are interpreted and viewed in order to write a good story, and I for one prefer writing that leans a little in the other direction and gives room for the reader's voice to take part in the story. I find it more engaging and immersive.
Warder to starry_nite
Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
If you have to call someone "my friend" three times in a couple of minutes, he isn't.
28/09/2012 11:59:13 AM
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The only people I've ever heard say "my friend" are foreign street vendors
28/09/2012 01:19:00 PM
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Sanderson's handling of character interractions is pathetic....
28/09/2012 06:43:48 PM
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Now see, here I don't fully agree, or at least think it's a matter of taste.
28/09/2012 07:21:09 PM
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Sorry, that's just not true...
28/09/2012 11:33:59 PM
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I posted something very similar at DM. Reposting...
28/09/2012 11:46:07 PM
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I complained about this regarding the Forsaken chapter
28/09/2012 07:34:25 PM
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I've long since accepted that Sanderson uses inaccurate terms like "powerful"
29/09/2012 05:44:11 AM
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To be fair, the last Moghedian PoV by RJ might have changed her a bit.
29/09/2012 03:27:31 PM
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Yes. The last time it happened to me it ended with the taxi driver fined by the NYPD.
29/09/2012 07:05:26 AM
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The burning question to me, after reading all of the comments above, is this...
29/09/2012 08:50:50 AM
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Piggybacking on someone else's established characters and near-climax-point plot?
29/09/2012 03:04:03 PM
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Both of you disgust me
29/09/2012 04:13:16 PM
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To be fair...
29/09/2012 04:36:52 PM
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True ... He may not be perfect, and he certainly made some strange choices
29/09/2012 05:37:29 PM
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B-Sand is not a ghost writer
29/09/2012 06:35:16 PM
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Didn't say he should.
29/09/2012 09:07:45 PM
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What is it you want?
29/09/2012 09:39:36 PM
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We want to bitch about an inferior product. Duh.
29/09/2012 10:00:09 PM
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Hmm that's true I guess. Sad though *NM*
29/09/2012 10:07:25 PM
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It is what it is
30/09/2012 12:52:20 AM
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You do know this isn't his series, right?
29/09/2012 04:19:00 PM
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Do you see us going to Mistborn boards to rip his series? Part of the problem is what you say.
29/09/2012 09:57:54 PM
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Apologies for not being clear: I'm only referring to WoT. Haven't read any of his other work...
30/09/2012 06:56:08 PM
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I'd agree that I like his original works more than his WoT books
01/10/2012 06:17:33 PM
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It's fairly simple....
30/09/2012 09:55:52 PM
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Thanks for that insightful response...
30/09/2012 10:37:27 PM
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Try reading something instead of judging. I recommend the Mistborn trilogy *NM*
01/10/2012 01:14:24 AM
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It's more...
01/10/2012 01:05:18 PM
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Re: The burning question to me, after reading all of the comments above, is this...
11/10/2012 08:22:27 PM
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I have an acquaintance who uses "my friend" as punctuation of every sentence.
05/10/2012 02:47:40 PM
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