Well, but he is a "fluff" writer from a literary standpoint
Tom Send a noteboard - 20/02/2012 02:16:11 AM
I think Sanderson himself would agree that his writing is not meant to be considered serious literature. No fantasy or sci-fi writer alive today, other than Goodkind (who is perhaps one of the worst writers alive), has actually tried to claim that their books are meant to be serious literature.
Generally, storytelling is only one facet of good literature. Style, pacing, tone, meaning and significance are all important when we talk about a book as an artistic achievement.
Sanderson's stories are very entertaining, but his style definitely needs work. There are tired cliches in his writing, overdescription, awkward sentences, etc. I don't happen to care about the style as much (which is getting better, in all fairness) because I don't judge his books by the same standard that I would judge, say, Dickens or Dostoevsky. It does grate on some people, though, and I think it's a valid criticism to make.
Generally, storytelling is only one facet of good literature. Style, pacing, tone, meaning and significance are all important when we talk about a book as an artistic achievement.
Sanderson's stories are very entertaining, but his style definitely needs work. There are tired cliches in his writing, overdescription, awkward sentences, etc. I don't happen to care about the style as much (which is getting better, in all fairness) because I don't judge his books by the same standard that I would judge, say, Dickens or Dostoevsky. It does grate on some people, though, and I think it's a valid criticism to make.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Brandon Sanderson plans 36 books in his 'Cosmere' setting
- 19/02/2012 11:45:24 AM
4944 Views
Was Sanderson created by the Writng Gods to counter balance GRRM?
- 19/02/2012 05:13:07 PM
1715 Views
I just wish he'd be done with the RJ shit and go back to writing his own books.
- 19/02/2012 05:40:59 PM
1633 Views
well, the publication date for that book is set somewhere a year from now..
- 19/02/2012 07:48:58 PM
1508 Views
Agreed on both points.....
- 19/02/2012 08:00:41 PM
1610 Views
Well, but he is a "fluff" writer from a literary standpoint
- 20/02/2012 02:16:11 AM
1640 Views
Not a fluff writer in my mind.....
- 20/02/2012 03:12:46 AM
1621 Views
You don't seem to want to hear what I'm saying
- 20/02/2012 03:51:13 AM
1576 Views
And I am saying that storytelling is more important.....
- 20/02/2012 04:52:39 AM
1704 Views
Storytelling is crucial...
- 20/02/2012 05:59:57 AM
1730 Views
A few comments/replies about your post.....
- 20/02/2012 02:57:16 PM
1629 Views
You are correct in one respect: all of this is opinion.
- 20/02/2012 07:01:11 PM
1616 Views
You sound like one of those nasty "literary elites"!
- 20/02/2012 08:07:13 PM
1550 Views
Literature is subjective
- 21/02/2012 12:26:35 AM
1647 Views
I agree with your point about reading Shakespeare from textbooks.
- 21/02/2012 03:18:37 AM
1704 Views
Never heard of Thomas Mann and the real Mona Lisa.....
- 21/02/2012 03:34:12 AM
1496 Views
Conversely, why should I trust the likes of you?
- 21/02/2012 06:19:18 AM
1807 Views
Oh, come now...
- 21/02/2012 10:35:18 AM
1783 Views
When it comes to evaluating schema, I'm not going to trust someone who only had English 101
- 21/02/2012 11:26:03 AM
1537 Views
Larry = snob
- 21/02/2012 05:34:22 PM
1585 Views
Amusing
- 21/02/2012 07:49:20 PM
1574 Views
Wow, you lack basic reading comprehension skills.....
- 21/02/2012 08:29:24 PM
1568 Views
No, I read that and didn't disagree that there couldn't be works that had both (read other comments)
- 21/02/2012 09:23:31 PM
1674 Views
Uh...Faust is a play. Doctor Faustus is a novel. The former is Goethe, the latter is Mann. *NM*
- 22/02/2012 12:00:22 AM
756 Views
I suppose fame is relative, but the most famous Doctor Faustus, to me personally, is indeed a play.
- 22/02/2012 07:29:59 PM
1465 Views
Wait, let's look at the gross disconnect between two statements.
- 21/02/2012 01:59:34 PM
1627 Views
So true about the Mona Lisa.
- 21/02/2012 07:57:41 PM
1672 Views
Yes, I was at the Louvre and you are right.....
- 21/02/2012 08:32:40 PM
1581 Views
This is where your own rethoric defeats you...
- 23/02/2012 06:38:54 AM
1629 Views
Slow down - it may not be the current elites that are hyping it.....
- 23/02/2012 05:12:47 PM
1382 Views
Re: Slow down - it may not be the current elites that are hyping it.....
- 13/03/2012 03:10:12 AM
1649 Views
Seems like an awful lot.
- 19/02/2012 08:11:22 PM
1826 Views
Sanderson is a machine. Also, the books (so far) have been wildly different
- 20/02/2012 12:50:41 AM
1676 Views
Re: Sanderson is a machine. Also, the books (so far) have been wildly different
- 20/02/2012 03:00:17 AM
1816 Views
Same here- I didn't know about the Cosmere at all until I started poking around online
- 21/02/2012 03:25:36 AM
1597 Views
Likewise. After reading Mistborn and Warbreaker I started looking into him more
- 21/02/2012 06:20:09 PM
1636 Views
It's likely to stay that way...
- 20/02/2012 06:22:50 AM
1692 Views
Confirmation on the Mistborn trilogies. I am so happy. *NM*
- 20/02/2012 05:38:23 AM
716 Views
I am thrilled to see that there will be more stories about Wax and Wayne.....
- 20/02/2012 03:46:37 PM
1436 Views
The one issue I had with that book...
- 21/02/2012 06:21:29 PM
1543 Views
