Tag: brandon sanderson

Sanderson and Apple

Interesting to see that Brandon Sanderson and Apple have signed a deal to bring some of his works to screen. It’s even more interesting to see that Sanderson has secured the right to control the process, from writing scripts, controlling creative approvals, casting, etc. That’s a relief, as Hollywood is incredibly adept at ruining book adaptations.

Sanderson is probably one of the few authors alive on the planet with the power to get that kind of deal. I suppose JK Rowling is also in that tiny demographic, along with… that’s about it.

Mistborn and the rest of the Cosmere books are unique, creative stories. Sanderson, whether you like his writing or not, has a very distinct vision; it’s a very comprehensive vision, given the complexity and integration of his stories within the massive framework of the Cosmere world he’s created. I enjoy his writing quite a lot, though I had some trouble getting through the Stormlight Archives.

The thought of turning that body of work over to the shiny suits in Hollywood-land is disturbing. I’m still shuddering over what Amazon did to Tolkien’s legacy with their Rings of Power series (I began shuddering over a year ago). Though, to be fair, my teenage boys enjoy the series and have watched it at least three times now. They claim it stays faithful to Tolkien, which means we have recurring arguments about this every now and then (I think I always win the arguments, but the boys think they always win–my wife stays out of the fray).

Another fantasy coming to screen is Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven. Angel Studios secured that property and apparently is in pre-production. My middle son loves this series–so, for his sake, please don’t mess it up, Angel Studios.

Sanderson and Stormlight

I finally got around to reading The Way of Kings, the first book in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archives series. I have a vague memory of picking it up about ten years ago, reading a few chapters and then not finishing it for some reason. Maybe got called to jury duty?

Anyway, I’m glad I opened the book again. Clear and engaging plot, fascinating (though slightly confusing) magic system, great world-building, intriguing mysteries built into the story that pulled me along, several compelling characters spread throughout the different threads, and a strong command of the English language.

All in all, that equates to a good book. As opposed to a tedious, dreary, poorly written book–of which there are many. Many, as in scads of ’em.

The other thing I appreciate about Sanderson is that he doesn’t present you with hero characters that are virtually indistinguishable from villains. Stories like that are dreary. Stories should not dip us into psychological middens due to the detestability of their heroes.

Don’t Get Me Wrong…

Yes, don’t get me wrong–I have no patience with perfect Mary Sue characters. Heroes need flaws, just as the flaw-filled life is inescapable for all of us. A hero with flaws is relatable and honest in terms of genuinely representing reality. But a so-called hero who is so overwhelmingly flawed that, after a few dozen pages, you realize, “Wait a second… this hero is actually Heinrich Himmler.” Or similar.

Sanderson doesn’t engage in that post-modern, nihilist nonsense with his heroes. Thank God for that. Otherwise, cats everywhere would be distressed. If they read books. If they are not fans of nihilism. And I don’t think cats are. Discuss further with your cat.

Kaladin, Dalinar and Shallan are the three characters that propel the threads through the overall weave of the story. All three of them are flawed, all three of them are admirable in different ways, all three of them compel empathy.

Obviously, as probably a lot of you know, Sanderson has a bit of a habit of killing off main characters (see: Mistborn). This makes me nervous, as there are still four more books in the Stormlight Archives series that I haven’t read. Four huge books. Do it if you must, but you better have a really good reason for doing so, and you had better have some other characters weaving in that command just as much empathy and respect from your reader. Which is me. And countless others.

The Legacy of Light

Son #2 just finished a new song called Legacy. It’s available at most of the usual places. In terms of light and darkness, his music is full of light and shadows. You can’t avoid the shadows down here on Earth if you really want to see how bright the light is.

Contrasts are necessary for context.

In writing news, I’m about 90% done with a new epic fantasy. It’s currently around 170,000 words. Once the draft is finished, I’ll go back through it to adjust things–(probably) mostly character arcs and sub plots.

I find the revision process more enjoyable than the first draft process. Polishing, nudging, refining, deepening, adding in narrator perspective, all that sort of thing. The danger for me in the revision process is allowing perfection and good to get in a protracted battle. Those can be lengthy battles, kind of similar to the Hundred Years War between England and France in the Middle Ages. Edward III should not be allowed a hand in any writing.

The new fantasy is about halfway in between the Tormay trilogy and the Fury Clock in terms of the mix of seriousness versus humor. Maybe an inch or two closer to the South Pole of humor. It contains all of the necessary characters: a semi-delusional farmboy, a dwarf (see photo–yes, I took a photo of him), a wizard, a bad-tempered (but pretty) elf girl, a unflappable swordsman, a stolen map to an Ancient Place You Should Not Visit Unless You’re Fine With a Horrible Death, an extravagant amount of treasure, the Darkness (definitely with a capital D), several psychotic aristocrats, cold ale, and lots of roast boar (in honor of Asterix and Obelix–if you have not read Asterix and Obelix books, you need to get some immediately, as they are pretty much the pinnacle of comic literature).

Speaking of Darkness, the world seems a darker place these days. All the more reason to curl up on the sofa with a good book and an endless supply of snacks. And hopefully not a psycho cat strolling by at random moments to sink her claws into your leg. We just acquired a new kitten who still has not learned when it is appropriate to use claws and when it is not to appropriate to use those same claws. Her name is Pepper and she’s proving to be in the Ghost Pepper-Carolina Reaper category for now. We assume she will mature and make wiser choices sooner than later.