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Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: SamuelR on January 05, 2011, 03:47:52 AM

Title: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: SamuelR on January 05, 2011, 03:47:52 AM
Surfing Brandon's site, I came across this

http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/29/Tor-Proposal-Part-Four

It's a very old description of the first version of the Way Of Kings (the version he wrote after Elantris and before Mistborn). It's very interesting to see how he first envisioned the series, and contains clues about what's to come in future installments.

Here's some excerpts:


The OATHSHARDS is a massive war epic centering around ten angelic beings who have been driven insane—each in a slightly different way—by millennia spent protecting, fighting for, and dying for mankind. The first book, THE WAY OF KINGS, follows six separate viewpoint characters (one of them an immortal) during a time when the three peninsulas are thrown into a massive war. It is an intensive character piece coming in at over 300,000 words, and can be quite brutal with its characters.

It still does the things I do well—it has several original magic systems (though magic isn't a focus in the first book.) It has a very interesting setting (which is one of its strong points) and has an array of interesting characters from all walks of life. (One a young peasant soldier, one a middle-aged sister to the king, one a battle-hardened nobleman general, one an honor-bound assassin serving an evil master, one a young lady-in-waiting, and the final one being an immortal protector of mankind who is slowly breaking beneath the pressure of his station.) The central theme of the book is that of leadership, and each of the six viewpoint characters are defined in one way or another by how they lead others.


Heh. So we know that the original six viewpoint characters were Kaladin, Jasnah, Dalinar, Szeth, Shallan and Talenal (suppose we know for sure that, yes, he's alive, now). I wonder how different the original plots were. I suppose he combined some viewpoints, to get it down to just three/four.

I think "The OATHSHARDS is a massive war epic centering around ten angelic beings who have been driven insane—each in a slightly different way might clue us in as to what's in store in future volumes. And suggests the Heralds apart from Taln are still alive and kicking in Roshar, and will pop up later.

Also, note the " It is an intensive character piece coming in at over 300,000 words, and can be quite brutal with its characters.". Can be quite brutal with its characters eh? That should be interesting.

I wonder what "during a time when the three peninsulas are thrown into a massive war" refers to. What war? And what are the three peninsulas?

What does everybody else think of this?
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: Inkthinker on January 05, 2011, 12:01:26 PM
I think that's some clever digging. Not sure how much of that still applies.
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: Tasslehoof on January 05, 2011, 02:54:54 PM
Most of it seems relevant, but the 3 peninsula part seems like it might be dated.  I'm guessing he originally had a certain map layout planned, and then totally scrapped it for the current Roshar layout.  Its very interesting nonetheless, I'm excited to see how much of it will end up being true at the end, assuming I can remember this information even exists in the 10+ years it will take him to finish the series.
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: Ipood on January 05, 2011, 05:58:17 PM
I've been waiting for someone to start a post about this!
I don't think the young lady in waiting is Shallan, because in interviews he has stated that she is a relativly new character, from the latest version.
Especially the part about ten protectors of mankind (Each driven mad in a slightly different way) excited me when I read this the summer of 2009.
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 05, 2011, 07:43:41 PM
Her name was Shinri Davar. Shallan is quite different from her, rather like Kaladin is different from Merin.

Szeth's name was Jek, but he was basically the same person.

The map is indeed quite different. There is a reason for this.
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: SamuelR on January 06, 2011, 03:59:33 AM
I'm sure glad Szeth's name got changed from Jek  :P

That's interesting about Shinri and Shallan. Both Davar though; evidently that's pretty important.

I wonder when (if, if) we will start seeing the other nine Heralds in the series. I wonder if they will be more protagonists or antagonists...the latter might be fascinating. They are meant to have been driven slightly insane after all.
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: jjb on January 06, 2011, 02:35:45 PM
So who are these 3 armies? The Parshendia, the Kaladins (I forget if there was a name for the "normal" people) and who else?
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: Ipood on January 06, 2011, 05:00:27 PM
The Voidbringers? (Assuming that last piece of information in ´WOK was a red herring.)
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 06, 2011, 06:45:58 PM
A lot has changed. I wouldn't pay much attention to that stuff.
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: Cheese Ninja on January 06, 2011, 08:25:22 PM
I'm sure glad Szeth's name got changed from Jek  :P

That's interesting about Shinri and Shallan. Both Davar though; evidently that's pretty important.

I wonder when (if, if) we will start seeing the other nine Heralds in the series. I wonder if they will be more protagonists or antagonists...the latter might be fascinating. They are meant to have been driven slightly insane after all.

Shalash with her destruction of art portraying herself kinda fits the bill.  If you're like me and don't buy into the theory that she has some very good mystical reason for doing it.
Title: Re: The OATHSHARD Series-Hints at future Stormlight Archive books
Post by: CabbyHat on January 07, 2011, 04:19:37 PM

That's interesting about Shinri and Shallan. Both Davar though; evidently that's pretty important.


Not necessarily. It's pretty common for authors to recycle names and other chunks of character information from abandoned characters even when the new incarnation has almost nothing to do with the old version. (I've had about twenty completely different characters named Talon, for example...)