I posted this before, but I'll post it again:
The more I read Sanderson, the more I miss RJ's subtlety that Sanderson just utterly, completely lacks. He's a fine writer; he's doing a great job keeping up with characters, interweaving plotlines, and keeping the story moving forward. But what he is not fine at is giving us information: RJ was a master of telling us what was REALLY going on without actually saying it. He wrote for the intelligent reader, and left it to us to piece together the motives and actions of the players. We had to play the Game of Houses, and it adds fun, appeal, and depth to the story.
After reading Graendal's POV, I felt like I was reading a Dan Brown novel. Every last detail about the scene that anyone had questioned was directly addressed. Graendal had thoughts that were not realistic--they only existed to provide us with direct information (i.e. the rats and ravens have to report to the DO; that the TP acts differently, etc.).
I've noticed this throughout TGS, and it's an issue that has been steadily building. I can't really blame BS too much, but I wish he would spend a bit more effort not treating us like high-school readers. I'm really not looking forward to the scene where Graendal is doing dishes and thinks, "The rag she used to wipe the silver goblet reminded her of the cloth Asmodean wore around his neck when she killed him, after having waited for fifteen minutes in the storage room and using a tweeter to track his position."
The more I read Sanderson, the more I miss RJ's subtlety that Sanderson just utterly, completely lacks. He's a fine writer; he's doing a great job keeping up with characters, interweaving plotlines, and keeping the story moving forward. But what he is not fine at is giving us information: RJ was a master of telling us what was REALLY going on without actually saying it. He wrote for the intelligent reader, and left it to us to piece together the motives and actions of the players. We had to play the Game of Houses, and it adds fun, appeal, and depth to the story.
After reading Graendal's POV, I felt like I was reading a Dan Brown novel. Every last detail about the scene that anyone had questioned was directly addressed. Graendal had thoughts that were not realistic--they only existed to provide us with direct information (i.e. the rats and ravens have to report to the DO; that the TP acts differently, etc.).
I've noticed this throughout TGS, and it's an issue that has been steadily building. I can't really blame BS too much, but I wish he would spend a bit more effort not treating us like high-school readers. I'm really not looking forward to the scene where Graendal is doing dishes and thinks, "The rag she used to wipe the silver goblet reminded her of the cloth Asmodean wore around his neck when she killed him, after having waited for fifteen minutes in the storage room and using a tweeter to track his position."
mistakes sanderson makes that bug you
- 23/09/2010 05:38:52 PM
2030 Views
Bael mentioning the Aiel Waste; characters using words that are too sophisticated or techical
- 23/09/2010 06:11:34 PM
1245 Views
I completely agree...
- 23/09/2010 08:54:17 PM
1122 Views
Re: I completely agree...
- 24/09/2010 01:57:38 AM
1037 Views
Re: I completely agree...
- 24/09/2010 06:39:17 PM
977 Views
Oh, sh**, Moiraine! I never thought about that! The comments about her in tGS suggest you're right
- 26/09/2010 03:23:56 AM
1046 Views
The entire Graendal scene
- 23/09/2010 06:27:03 PM
1166 Views
I think this is the type of info that RJ never got around to revealing.
- 23/09/2010 08:46:51 PM
961 Views
Particularly the way he described sex. It reeked of Mormon discomfort with the topic.
- 24/09/2010 02:04:08 AM
1021 Views
Reeked? Great word. It seemed quite in line with RJ's own dealings with the topic. *NM*
- 24/09/2010 03:42:28 AM
434 Views
RJ had great sexual humor--he even went a little overboard sometimes IMO
- 24/09/2010 11:28:25 PM
878 Views
Re: RJ had great sexual humor--he even went a little overboard sometimes IMO
- 25/09/2010 08:56:47 PM
903 Views
RJ said breasts all the time, but in a more clinical manner - folding arms under breasts, etc
- 26/09/2010 03:33:09 AM
1050 Views
Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 24/09/2010 04:09:48 AM
953 Views
Re: Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 24/09/2010 05:36:23 PM
1089 Views
A lot of those are reasons why I always thought she was alive..
- 24/09/2010 06:10:35 PM
1090 Views
Re: A lot of those are reasons why I always thought she was alive..
- 24/09/2010 07:54:54 PM
958 Views
Re: Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 25/09/2010 10:02:02 AM
848 Views
Re: Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 25/09/2010 08:48:05 PM
941 Views
Not really a mistake, I guess
- 25/09/2010 09:45:54 PM
872 Views
Well...
- 26/09/2010 06:30:54 AM
967 Views
Thanks. I think I didn't notice it with RJ because
- 26/09/2010 06:35:47 AM
865 Views

*NM*