Stormlight Saga: Way of Kings
Dec. 18th, 2011 08:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackI have basically the same thing to say as I said about the Hero of Ages trilogy.
Again, the world-building, the exact rules of magic, and the events of legend, are incredibly, incredibly good. I find it hard to explain. Geeks often look at a book, and say "hang on, if the characters can do this, why can't they do..." Many books make it clear what you can expect the characters to be able to do, even if it's not really explained. Some explain everything satisfactorily. But only in Sanderson (and maybe one or two others) can I put my hand on my hard and say "I'm confident this is a clue to how the magic system works and will be important in the denouement". I'm so used to suspending my disbelief, it's hard not to, and to trust that every use of magic stems from the underlying rules which will be revealed later. I don't think that's the only way to write well -- but it's something that lots of people aspire to and only one or two seem to do well.
Again, the characters and plot are good, but not outstanding. I definitely enjoyed them, but they're not as innovative as the world-building.
And yet, again, there's something I can't quite put my finger on, which (naturally although I hope not necessarily) goes along with the first item, that things other than the magic also somehow seem too... mechanical. It's a lot more subtle than something like "the monster was 156m tall and very scary", but it vaguely evokes that feeling, although I expect most people to disagree with me.
PS. It passes the Bechdel test. Many of the characters are soldiers, who are mostly male, but the warriors from legend are gender-mixed, and there are at least two major female characters who are interesting and active and respected and DO things and talk to each about their own concerns.
Again, the world-building, the exact rules of magic, and the events of legend, are incredibly, incredibly good. I find it hard to explain. Geeks often look at a book, and say "hang on, if the characters can do this, why can't they do..." Many books make it clear what you can expect the characters to be able to do, even if it's not really explained. Some explain everything satisfactorily. But only in Sanderson (and maybe one or two others) can I put my hand on my hard and say "I'm confident this is a clue to how the magic system works and will be important in the denouement". I'm so used to suspending my disbelief, it's hard not to, and to trust that every use of magic stems from the underlying rules which will be revealed later. I don't think that's the only way to write well -- but it's something that lots of people aspire to and only one or two seem to do well.
Again, the characters and plot are good, but not outstanding. I definitely enjoyed them, but they're not as innovative as the world-building.
And yet, again, there's something I can't quite put my finger on, which (naturally although I hope not necessarily) goes along with the first item, that things other than the magic also somehow seem too... mechanical. It's a lot more subtle than something like "the monster was 156m tall and very scary", but it vaguely evokes that feeling, although I expect most people to disagree with me.
PS. It passes the Bechdel test. Many of the characters are soldiers, who are mostly male, but the warriors from legend are gender-mixed, and there are at least two major female characters who are interesting and active and respected and DO things and talk to each about their own concerns.
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Date: 2011-12-19 10:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 11:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 11:47 am (UTC)