Author Topic: Warbreaker: Free Ebook  (Read 234712 times)

Daen

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #645 on: February 13, 2008, 06:14:05 PM »
Yeah, I think that cleared it up a bit.  Any idea on how Denth would think of Shasharra as his sister, though?

Makes a bit more sense now, with knowing a bit more about the timeline with how the five scholars started up and were initially doing their work in relation to the start of the manywar and Vasher as Peacegiver starting his reign.

Thanks!

Seradan

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #646 on: February 14, 2008, 12:34:50 AM »
I enjoyed the story closer to the end, but found in v. 3 that the beginning took a while to hook me and make me really care about things. I hope that subsequent versions have more interest capturing things to go with the implications of the color based system that you have developed.

I will likely pick up the book just to support an author I enjoy, but I don't think I cared for the story quite as much as I did Mistborn or Elantris. That said, once it hit halfway or so, and things started really happening, I was very impressed, and really enjoyed the story.

dawncawley

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #647 on: February 14, 2008, 04:55:04 PM »
It is possible that I am wrong about Shasharra being Returned, but I am not sure...but in order for Denth to have been around as long as he has been, he has to be. The reason I thought of Shasharra as Returned was because she was one of the Five Scholars, and my understanding as I read it was that they were all Returned. It could be that the current ban on knowing who you were before you became Returned is due to past events, and they could possibly be actual brother and sister. I felt that the woman Lightsong saw in his painting, the one with Nightblood in it, was Shasharra, since she helped create him, and that the murder came in a more recent time, but now that I think about it I could be totally wrong about that. I know that really doesn't help much, but I am a just a fan :)

Vasher not only stopped the Manywar as Peacegiver, he started it as well, as Klad.

Clio

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #648 on: February 16, 2008, 11:42:37 PM »
I have finished the Warbreaker and i really liked the book. However, I have to agree with rtm1981 post and some of the points he raises:
I also found Siri's and Suse's relation a bit lacking; in fact the book opens with Siri and by the end of it i feel that her storyline has been sent to much to background. I feel there is some continuity missing to her and Suse revealing to each other that they are in love and altogether I found Suse's character a bit disapointing: he's sudden transformation in the end not totally compensating for it (for example, if he never had spoken in his life, how could he suddenly now how to awaken things? were did he learn to do it?
Also, i found the ending a bit rushed, again missing a closure scene with the 2 above mentioned characters.
In regards to the returned and so on... some questions - if they can not have children, how can the royal familly be descendent of one? Also, if they can shape-change, as Vasher refers in the end, and the royal family can change their hair color because of their ascendents, then why are the Gods not aware of this? and why does Siri's arrival among the Gods and her control of her hair growth, etc, is something no one else can do? Also, the change of hair colour is something the real family loose control of when to excited, etc. If the Gods' body reflects how they think of them selves, why does it seem imutable? At least Lightsong personality changes would suggest some kind of change to his perception of him self! I don't know, it just seemed that some explanations were introduced in the end that don't really match what went on.
Also, what happens to Jewells and Tonk Fah? they simply disappear!
To conclude - I really liked Vivenna's character growth but felt that Siri's character went the other way (shrinking), and was a bit disappointed by the God King's character. I really liked Lightsong, the bad guys (Denth and company), and Vasher. Their world and powers are quite fascinating and interesting, but some things are a bit off (in my opinion) and could be better shapped.
I hope i have raised some new questions has i did not read through all the other posts.
 P.S. - I really liked the book ;D

Felastizairu

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #649 on: February 17, 2008, 07:27:40 AM »
I have finished the Warbreaker and i really liked the book. However, I have to agree with rtm1981 post and some of the points he raises:
I also found Siri's and Suse's relation a bit lacking; in fact the book opens with Siri and by the end of it i feel that her storyline has been sent to much to background. I feel there is some continuity missing to her and Suse revealing to each other that they are in love and altogether I found Suse's character a bit disapointing: he's sudden transformation in the end not totally compensating for it (for example, if he never had spoken in his life, how could he suddenly now how to awaken things? were did he learn to do it?

Susebron is waaaaaay past the 6th heightening and can therefore instinctively awaken objects.  See the Ars Arcanum at the end where it says:

"Instinctive Awakening:  All persons of the Sixth Heightening and above immediately understand and can use basic Awakening Commands without training or practice.  More difficult Commands are easier for them to master and to discover."
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~Thomas

Cosmic_AC

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #650 on: February 22, 2008, 02:53:11 AM »
Minor, but not obvious, consistency error:

On page 49, it says that Returned are of the Eighth Heightening.  However, throughout the rest of the book, it says they are of the Fifth, and only the God-King's Breath is worth an Eighth Heightening.  Of course, with all his extra Breath, he is of the Tenth.

Also, it seems to me that the Heightenings that affect one's Awakening skills actually require much more Breath to be useful.  That is, if one has enough Breath to Awaken instinctively, he/she must still have more Breath to keep the ability, else he/she Awakens something and "forgets" how to un-Awaken or control it.  Is this the case, or is the instant knowledge of Awakening granted by the Sixth Heightening permanent?  i.e. is it like "I want to Awaken that cloth over there, hey, I know how!" or "Hey, I'm at the Sixth Heightening!  So, like, now I totally know how to go about Awakening thingies forEVAR!  Yippee!"

Just wondering.

Craysh

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #651 on: February 22, 2008, 11:34:44 AM »
A question about Vasher.
How can Vasher use all his breath and become a drab? Doesn't using all their breath extinguish their life?

Also, is this a stand alone book? It seems like it could spin off into another beautiful trilogy :)

dawncawley

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #652 on: February 22, 2008, 06:06:15 PM »
My understanding is that this is not a stand alone, but I am not sure about how many other books will be with it. I thought I heard just one other, but I am not certain.

As for Vasher's divine breath....I have no idea really. I have been hazy on that part, but I always assumed that kind of thing would be covered more in the next book.

Felastizairu

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #653 on: February 22, 2008, 10:09:03 PM »
A question about Vasher.
How can Vasher use all his breath and become a drab? Doesn't using all their breath extinguish their life?


We know that Vasher has more information and experience with how to use Breath than pretty much anyone else currently living.  Vasher has some way of Returning and un-Returning himself.  My guess would be that as long as he's in un-Returned form, he can use up Breath just like anyone else, even to the point of becoming a drab.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
~Thomas

Craysh

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #654 on: February 22, 2008, 11:50:55 PM »

We know that Vasher has more information and experience with how to use Breath than pretty much anyone else currently living.  Vasher has some way of Returning and un-Returning himself.  My guess would be that as long as he's in un-Returned form, he can use up Breath just like anyone else, even to the point of becoming a drab.
He wasn't un-Returned, he simply changed his body (which according to Vasher anyone could do)
I thought maybe it was along the same lines of why Vivienna could do it since she's a descendant of Returned.

Cosmic_AC

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #655 on: February 23, 2008, 01:13:40 AM »
And that's another weird thing:

How can the Idrian Nobility be descended from Returned if Returned are unable to reproduce?

White

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #656 on: February 23, 2008, 09:18:22 AM »
I don't know... that is a big question isn't it? because supposedly that's why they have the 'hair of a different colour' (or whatever like in the wizard of oz...).

... Kind of confusing, yes.
Clyde Bruckman: You know, there are worse ways to go, but I can't think of a more undignified way than auto-erotic asphyxiation.
Mulder: Why are you telling *me* that?
Clyde Bruckman: Look, forget I mentioned it. It's none of my business.

Kingston

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #657 on: February 24, 2008, 12:13:19 AM »
Brandon I just finished version 4.2 on my Kindle and can't tell you how much I loved it.

Wait, maybe I can:  I had not read fiction for over 40 years and mainly read non-fiction, biographies, etc.  With the Kindle I took the plunge and started Garth Nix' Abhorsen series. Liked that and read Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy, followed by Gaiman's Coraline and Neverwhere.

I am not being untruthful when I say your book was by far the best. In none of the other fantasy books did the characters seem more than cardboard figures put in place to move the story along. They were not living breathing human beings as your main characters were--people we came to know and care about. The main characters in the other books, indeed ALL the characters in the other books were distant, unknowable, two dimensional, somewhat colorless and interchangeable, like your lesser priests, slum lords and Idrians Vasher & Vivenna met with.

But you managed to bring some real people into the pages and you've accomplished what you set out to do--I'm a lifelong fan of yours.

I hope all your work is put in ebook format as that is now my preferred method of reading. As an aging Baby Boomer I can change the font size to meet my diminishing visual needs and it will be hard to go back to a tree book.

One small quibble: the name 'Lightsong' did not seem to fit the character. Perhaps I'm a bit biased because I dabbled in gospel music and 'Windsong' is one of the record label names, that and I remember Paul Rubens screaming 'lightspeed' in the StarWars ride in Disney MGM Kingdom.   As well as the name of the CT scanner where I work "Lightspeed".

So to me it's a bit of a corny name with some juvenile like connotations. You other names are spot on. I've read reviewers who have mentioned (and I agree) that Pullman is very poor with names. You are not.

The magic element was wonderfully done, easily surpassing Pullman and equalling Nix.

Does Tor plan to release the trilogy in digital format? I have Mistborn but will wait to read it until subsequent volumes can be read on my Kindle. I asked about this on a Kindle blog and J. Scott Savage said he would ask you about it after the Life of the Universe panel you two shared.

You are blessed with a great talent!

bamnptow

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #658 on: February 26, 2008, 04:26:32 AM »
I am new to Brandon Sanderson's work, having heard of him because of the recent WoT announcement.  I decided to try Warbreaker as an introduction to his work prior to the release of AMoL, and I am glad I did.

I love the fact that he decided to release this as an e-book, particularly the opportunity for his fans to participate in the writing of the novel in some small, but significant ways.  I assure you, Brandon, that I will buy a copy of Warbreaker when it is released in print, even if I have read a final, edited draft online, if only to show support for your efforts.

Overall, I liked Warbreaker.  There are certainly a few typos, missing words, and minor holes, but it is very good, particularly given that it is perhaps 4 drafts away from a final release (I read the PDF, version 4.2). 

I disagree with some of what I have read in this forum -- I found that I was hooked at the start of the book.  The opening line in the Prologue is outstanding.  I wanted to know, after just 1 sentence, all about Vasher.

A few of the other things I liked about the book:
  • I liked the humor, particularly where Lightsong was concerned.  It got a little thick at times, but it was fun and contrasted well with the seriousness of the overall situation.
  • I liked the fact that the "reluctant hero called to save the world" was a girl.  I also like that it turned out that she really wasn't special.  Siri wasn't the magician/wizard/hero, she was just a normal girl who matured and did the best she could with what she had.  She actually made things worse is some ways, but she did her best and grew along the way.
  •   Similarly, I liked seeing Siri's growth contrasted with Vivenna's almost complete collapse.  Honestly, I thought the contrast between the sisters was the strongest part of the characters in the book.

There were a few things that I think could use some work.  Please take these in the spirit they are intended -- suggestions for making a good draft just a little better.
  • First, I think the title is off.  The title suggests that this is Vasher's story, but I thought for 90% of the book that I was reading Siri's story.  As I was nearing the end, I kept wondering who the heck Warbreaker was going to be.  I certainly considered Vasher, but I also considered Lightsong and Denth.  Perhaps this was intentional, but it strikes me as a bit strange.
  • Second, chapter 45 is only 4 sentences long.  They are strong (Lightsong's dream of the sacking of T'Telir), but I was surprised to see a chapter of that length.  Again, perhaps this was intentional.
  • Third, I agree with what some others have said about the apostrophe's in the names of people and places.  I think it is vastly overdone.  T'Telir is the only one I can recall from Warbreaker, but I gather from other posts that there were more in earlier drafts.  Good idea to get rid of them.  I know part of the idea is to make the names seem more foreign to English speakers by including sounds that we do not normally hear, but I think there are better ways of making the reader feel that a character, a city, or a world are alien to him.
  • I thought the end had a few cliched moments -- Denth stabbing everybody in the left shoulder to prolong his duels, Vasher and Vivenna walking away into the sunset together, etc.   I almost would have preferred to have the book end right after the rescue of Siri.  I think the moment was stronger.  Perhaps this reveals my Robert Jordan fandom -- he is notorious for not giving you the whole story at the end of his WoT books.

Again, thank you Brandon for your work on this, and for releasing it to the public this way.  It has been a fun exercise.  I look forward to reading future drafts, and eventually buying Warbreaker in hardcover.


charity

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #659 on: February 26, 2008, 05:15:00 AM »
I finished it... finally. and once again I found myself saying to my husband "I just don't know how he's gonna tie this all up in 100 pages" and then I'm left reading 100 pages in one sitting, refusing to eat until I'm done.

I saw a ton of questions while scanning through the last 5 pages or so, but I'm gonna ask a different one.... Is there a page on this thread where EUOL answers some?

hehe, that way I wouldn't have to read all 44 pages to find my answers. :)