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
1989 Views
Bael mentioning the Aiel Waste; characters using words that are too sophisticated or techical
- 23/09/2010 06:11:34 PM
1209 Views
I completely agree...
- 23/09/2010 08:54:17 PM
1074 Views
Re: I completely agree...
- 24/09/2010 01:57:38 AM
996 Views
Re: I completely agree...
- 24/09/2010 06:39:17 PM
946 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
1010 Views
The entire Graendal scene
- 23/09/2010 06:27:03 PM
1116 Views
I think this is the type of info that RJ never got around to revealing.
- 23/09/2010 08:46:51 PM
934 Views
Particularly the way he described sex. It reeked of Mormon discomfort with the topic.
- 24/09/2010 02:04:08 AM
978 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
416 Views
RJ had great sexual humor--he even went a little overboard sometimes IMO
- 24/09/2010 11:28:25 PM
841 Views
Re: RJ had great sexual humor--he even went a little overboard sometimes IMO
- 25/09/2010 08:56:47 PM
860 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
1005 Views
Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 24/09/2010 04:09:48 AM
921 Views
Re: Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 24/09/2010 05:36:23 PM
1047 Views
A lot of those are reasons why I always thought she was alive..
- 24/09/2010 06:10:35 PM
1060 Views
Re: A lot of those are reasons why I always thought she was alive..
- 24/09/2010 07:54:54 PM
922 Views
Re: Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 25/09/2010 10:02:02 AM
820 Views
Re: Actually, didn't RJ do the Forsaken infodump thing too?
- 25/09/2010 08:48:05 PM
908 Views
Not really a mistake, I guess
- 25/09/2010 09:45:54 PM
837 Views
Well...
- 26/09/2010 06:30:54 AM
929 Views
Thanks. I think I didn't notice it with RJ because
- 26/09/2010 06:35:47 AM
828 Views

*NM*