tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post311226542029522241..comments2024-01-21T09:25:55.810+00:00Comments on Civilian Reader: “The Emperor’s Soul” by Brandon Sanderson (Tachyon)Civilian Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978134983999101494noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-23565845744148768862012-10-07T03:35:47.280+01:002012-10-07T03:35:47.280+01:00I don't mind Asian influences, just that somet...I don't mind Asian influences, just that sometimes the stuff that's drawn on isn't particularly inspired. Here, the magic system obviously is, but some of the societal bits & pieces felt a little "Seen that before."Civilian Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978134983999101494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-61811525489161967122012-10-07T03:30:03.369+01:002012-10-07T03:30:03.369+01:00The Emperor's Soul was my first Sanderson, and...The Emperor's Soul was my first Sanderson, and i thought it was an excellent introduction to his work. I'll probably give Elantris a try next, especially since it takes place in the same world. I loved the magic system in The Emperor's Soul, the stamping, the knowing everything about the item to be able to manipulate or recreate it, you can't just snap your fingers to have something magical happen, you've got to work for it. And for this magic system, I loved Sanderson's note at the end about it.<br /><br />I don't mind that some Asian inspired elements come up often in non-western fantasy, the same European elements come up over and over again too - royalty, knights, the Church, etc. So for me, that's OK. redheadhttp://littleredreviewer.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-56828741247578128262012-10-06T23:37:59.390+01:002012-10-06T23:37:59.390+01:00That's fair. Epic fantasy isn't for everyo...That's fair. Epic fantasy isn't for everyone. This, however, is a pretty narrow-focus on what would, I imagine, be just a small section of one of his larger books.<br /><br />It's an interesting story, and the magic system is pretty well done, especially if you know what influenced it (if you can't spot it, there's an author's note at the end).Civilian Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978134983999101494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-6412614258163019632012-10-06T19:37:04.614+01:002012-10-06T19:37:04.614+01:00It's strange. I listen to Brandon Sanderson e...It's strange. I listen to Brandon Sanderson every week on his Writing Excuses podcast, and he's very good at it, along with his partners. After so many hours of listening to him, I'd love to read something by him, but I can't get into magic systems and epic fantasy, and even if I did, I'd be hesitant to wade into a thousand-page book by anyone, except maybe Stephen King. This one sound like a great intro to his work, like you said, but I just can't get into the subject he writes about.<br /><br />RGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-69678056516013314102012-10-06T16:54:46.509+01:002012-10-06T16:54:46.509+01:00Tsk-Tsk. How could you forget Weeks? ;)Tsk-Tsk. How could you forget Weeks? ;)Civilian Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978134983999101494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-57200304351534257612012-10-06T16:53:52.966+01:002012-10-06T16:53:52.966+01:00That certainly seems to be the consensus - I'v...That certainly seems to be the consensus - I've picked almost all his books for Kindle, but either forget I have them (a real problem with eBooks), or get distracted by something new...Civilian Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978134983999101494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-405286285108632382012-10-06T16:52:19.648+01:002012-10-06T16:52:19.648+01:00I shall try to get Downbelow Station very soon, th...I shall try to get Downbelow Station very soon, then. :)<br />I loved Singapore. We weren't there for very long, but we visited a lot when we were in Malaysia, too. Probably my favorite Asian country, though Thailand will always have special place, given I was born there.Civilian Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978134983999101494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-69326846411820219252012-10-06T04:23:50.340+01:002012-10-06T04:23:50.340+01:00"Never read Cherryh!" Mimes shock, horro..."Never read Cherryh!" Mimes shock, horror ... honestly though, books like Downbelow Station , Cyteen & the "Morgaine" books are classic SFF, and for me, Downbelow Station would be a defining work in the SF oeuvre.<br /><br />I think if you've lived in those countries as an adult it would give you more perspective than say someone like me who lived in Singapore as a young kid (ie v much a "child's eye" view) and since then has only "passed through." Helen Lowehttp://helenlowe.info/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-65127808952204156622012-10-06T02:04:37.085+01:002012-10-06T02:04:37.085+01:00I've never read anything by Cherryh. I'll ...I've never read anything by Cherryh. I'll have to check it out.<br /><br />I could expand on the Westerners-borrowing-from-Asian-Cultures theme. I'm not sure I'm the best person to do it, but it's certainly something I've noticed after living in Asia and then coming back to the West (Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan). There are aesthetic themes and specific... 'elements', I guess, that have become slightly cliche. That's not to say they're interesting, just that they all seem to be rather standard. It's a reason I struggled with a novel idea I've been working on for years. I don't want it to be typical, but then I'm looking at a different time-period (18th-19th Century).Civilian Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978134983999101494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-5231257173082914062012-10-05T22:59:22.520+01:002012-10-05T22:59:22.520+01:00It does sound interesting... Although by far and a...It does sound interesting... Although by far and away my favorite of Brandon Sanderson's books so far is "The Way of Kings" (both 'parts', which I thought outstanding.) <br /><br />In terms of your observations about Asian culture & society as picked up through western SFF, I would be interested in a post expanding on that, ie what the commonly picked up elements are in your opinion and what is missed.<br /><br />One of my favorites with an 'eastern' flavor, although it is not obviously any one culture, is CJ Cherryh's "The Paladin" but am not sure if it is still available. (Fortunately though, I have a copy 'of my very own.' ;-) )Helen Lowehttp://helenlowe.info/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-88087755294686042632012-10-05T18:15:09.438+01:002012-10-05T18:15:09.438+01:00I recently read the Mistborn Trilogy and I can tho...I recently read the Mistborn Trilogy and I can thoroughly recommend it. It was my introduction to Mr Sanderson and I will now plough through the rest of his work. Warbreaker was almost as good, but not as richly detailed. He has a talent for writing interesting, believable characters and the most amazing magic systems. :)Looks-Mostly-Harmlesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00918651503213054373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-27495673429448651402012-10-05T16:49:35.673+01:002012-10-05T16:49:35.673+01:00Oops. Forgot to add Brent Weeks' Way of Shadow...Oops. Forgot to add Brent Weeks' Way of Shadows.Milo MJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05145862452794634877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675853.post-62694607878385695772012-10-05T16:48:50.088+01:002012-10-05T16:48:50.088+01:00Good to know that this is good, I'll pick it u...Good to know that this is good, I'll pick it up soon along with 'Legion' if I can. I've got the Mistborn Trilogy, and Elantris on my shelves and have read all of the above but Hero of Ages, and have loved them all. And The Final Empire is worth the effort - it's one of my top 5 favourite Fantasy Novels (Alongside A Game of Thrones, David Gemmell's Legend, and the last one is a tie between some of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files novels, the actual choice depending on what mood I'm in). Milo MJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05145862452794634877noreply@blogger.com