When I got into Robert Jordan last year, and read all 15 books of the Wheel of Time in a few short months, I told myself I wouldn’t allow myself to get sucked in again. Binge reading is bad. It leads to Vitamin D deficiencies, and a bad case of oh-shit-what-now-itis when you finish the set. I thought the pale skin ala the pre-religion Anne Rice books was behind me, and my foundation would no longer be a shade too dark.
I was wrong. Since then, having also taken to twitter for book recs, I have found out that there are many more long epic series for me to read, across various genres, and I should just toss all my expensive, wrong-shade-for-my-lifestyle foundations and concealers.
When I finished Wheel of Time, I noted that the last three or four books had a second author, but didn’t make much of it, as I wasn’t really clued in to the whole fantasy sub-culture, and didn’t know what a big deal it was that Robert Jordan had passed away in the middle of the series, and Brandon Sanderson wrote the last few book based on his notes (I have since learned my lesson, thanks Twitterverse).
After a couple (of dozen) recommendations to check out Sanderson’s books, I started reading the Mistborn trilogy.
((If I knew how to gif, you’d see GOB clinging to the bars of his cell saying, “I’ve made a huge mistake” here. But I don’t.))
Unlike Wheel of Time, this wasn’t the only thing I was reading at the time, so I did manage to space it out over December and the first half of January. And I loved the books, so I downloaded the next one (Alloy of Law) and read that too. Shadows of Self is in my reading list.
I am a recent convert to fantasy – I have of course, drunk from the wells of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, but have always considered myself drawn more to Asimov and Dick than to the likes of George R R Martin. (I have also been drawn to dicks, but my romantic history has already been reviewed by my shrink, thanks.) However, converts make the best zealots. I love fantasy now, the literal escape from reality, the wars, the consequences and the overwhelming sense of hope that permeates these stories. And Brandon Sanderson does all of this well, along with the very intricate world building that makes good fiction great.
It isn’t just the world building though – it isn’t just that he shows you the world you will live in for a few hours a day; it is that he explains that world’s science to you. His magic has a strong structure to keep it real, and rules to make it difficult for the maverick protagonists.
The Mistborn world has mists. They cover the landscape at night, making it hard for people to go out at night, and instilling a sense of fear in them. The world is ruled by a Lord Ruler, a god-like figure who rules with an iron fist, and there is no velvet glove to cover it. Peasants are literal slaves, owned by the Lord Ruler, and loaned out to his Nobles. Nobles and their offspring also have powers, which they gain by digesting metals. The most powerful are Mistborn, vested with all the powers that the world holds.
And into every generation, a Slayer is born.
Almost, but not quite. There are prophecies that speak of the Warrior who will destroy the deepness and save the world. And while some believe the Warrior is a myth, others know that he is the Survivor of Hathsin, a common man tortured by the Lord Ruler in the metal mines of Hathsin, who escapes and returns to the world as Mistborn.
Or is he?
Holy crap do you read fast!
I read Jordan when I was a teen (nigh on 20 years ago) and never finished the series. As I got older and knew actual, real-world women, I found his to be intolerable.
I’ve read some of Sanderson’s other works, but haven’t tackled this series yet. You make it seem interesting.
Well, yes, his women are horrible. I don’t understand Rand’s relationship with Aviendha, Elayne and Min, and their own relationships with each other are pretty bizarre. That said, I enjoyed the story, unreal as it was. Suspension of disbelief I guess. Or lack of discernment :).
There is a real problem with women in fantasy. This genre is new to me. I have always tried not to apply litmus tests to books.
And yes, I read fast. And I read constantly.
Every woman, from what I remember, was some degree of harpy.
Ugh.
I haven’t read much fantasy as an adult. If the genre got over its woman problem, I might pick up more books.
Robert Jordan ended up on my mental hate list after I devoured the first six Wheel of Time books (although the first one was mostly a slog to get through – way to pick up on all the WRONG things to emulate about Tolkien – no one likes the tedious walking bits!) and then book seven was a complete turn-around of boring suck. The hours I spent reading that book, I am NEVER getting back. Hearing nothing good about later books, I gave up on the series, and Jordan died before he could write his way off my hate list. He’ll be on there forever. I have heard that Sanderson’s author-approved fan fic ending is very good, and that his books are a marked improvement, but I am never ever going back to those books.
I am very glad him being comissioned to write the final books brought his name to my attention, however, because his books are pretty much all excellent (as you’ve discovered for yourself). Not only is Sanderson that rare creature, an epic fantasy author who actually writes fast (seriously, he publishes 2-3 books a year), but he’s written books in a number of different genres (he has some YA paranormal stuff too) and he manages to keep several series going at once. Plus, he has several very good stand alone fantasy novels as well, almost unheard of in this day of trilogies (or longer). He came to Oslo for a signing (hardly any big authors come to Oslo for a signing) and he was amazingly humble and polite and nice and stayed for hours to sign everyone’s books. If you’re looking for good fantasy – he’s a good bet and you won’t have to wait half a decade or more between books like with some other prominent fantasy authors out there.
I made it through……Crossroads of Twilight, whichever one that is. They never improved. The only thing I remember with certainty is that –
*spoilers*
Rand is captured by the Red Ajah. (Isn’t that what they’re called?) In book 7. I remember nothing after that. Lots of travelling, vague memories of Rand going crazy, and terribly written women.
But Brandon Sanderson is pretty great.
I read all of wheel of time in one go, so honestly, they’re all one big book for me. The middle bits dragged a lot, but after GRRM, it seemed… Tame? Most of the characters didn’t see much growth beyond the first four books, but I did enjoy the strategy and war games of the last few. And I enjoyed Egwene.
What I did hate was the ready acceptance of slavery. And blaming victims of the seanchen for their victimhood. Not Cool.
Brandon Sanderson has been great so far. I have Patrick Rothfuss on the list next (keeping with the magic/fantasy theme) along with finishing the Temeraire books (have no.8 left).
Ooooh……I absolutely love Patrick Rothfuss. His writing is beautiful.
He’s a bit controversial around these parts, I think. I just like to think of the narrator as unreliable.
Patrick Rothfuss is very good. I can also very much recommend Jacqueline Carey, if you like strategy and intrigue – they’re nicely feminist with excellent world building. Jen K just reviewed the first one – Kushiel’s Dart, which happens to be one of my favourite fantasy books of all time.
If you’re looking for more fun fantasy series, Codex Alera by Jim Butcher (he is more famous for the Dresden Files, but those are set in contemporary Chicago, and focus on wizard detective so fantasy elements but straight up fantasy in the same way as these others you mentioned). Also, the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas is very good, though not complete yet. I have yet to read anything by Sanderson I didn’t like, and I really loved the Mistborn trilogy. I’m only holding off on his Stormlight Archives because it only has two books right now. There are so many more but of course I’m blanking now …
Yay!!! More book recos for my reading list.
I’ve read a few of the Dresden files. Will definitely be checking out the other authors.
I’m only going to read complete series though, so I am going to wait on Patrick Rothfuss and Sarah Mass, as they seem to be writing epics as opposed to one off stories.