Author Topic: I finally converted someone!  (Read 8997 times)

Natalie Perkins

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I finally converted someone!
« on: November 26, 2008, 04:11:41 AM »
After years and years of trying, I finally converted a Brandon Sanderson fan!

I know what you're probably thinking, how in the world was it so hard?
Well, I don't hang around a lot of readers.
And the one major reader I hang around converted me.

The first person I suggested a Sanderson book to was my best friend, and it was Mistborn, who had previously told me she loved reading.
That was a lie.
She loved reading Gossip Girl books. She got about five chapters into Mistborn and gave up  >:(

The second person I tried was my dad. Who made it farther into Mistborn, about nine chapters.
But he had to put it down for a while because of work and it's been more than a year now. It's safe to say, he's lost interest. Maybe when he retires he'll be able to read again. But currently he's not reading anything and after months of it sitting on his bedside table I got fed up and stole it back.

The third was when I was in my Consumer's Ed class for summer school going into sophomore year. I believe I was rereading Elantris when the girl next to me asked what I was reading. I showed her and explained to her what it was about and she showed up the next day with a paperback version of it. The class ended before she finished but she was giving good feedback. I don't know if she kept reading or not.

I was more successful the fourth time but then I completely messed it up. I suggested Mistborn to my (then) boyfriend but I didn't have a copy for him to borrow, so I lent him my copy of Elantris. He read that and loved it and was eager to read Mistborn but then I broke up with him and he didn't continue on. (I did have to beg him for Elantris back though, which was annoying. But, we're friends now and I know he still hasn't read Mistborn or any other Sanderson books yet.)

The fifth was a bitter failure. I was rereading Mistborn in my ACT Prep class and the kid next to me was hitting on me, as usual. He was trying to play to my interests so he started asking me about it and I, of course, expressed how much I loved the book, and the next week he shows up with a copy. He told me he read the whole thing but, once I let him know I wasn't interested, he suddenly realized that he wasn't interested in the books anymore. I texted him a while back and he didn't even remember the book. Which leads me to believe that he didn't read it.

I've also been stressing to my mom to read it, who for some godforsaken reason doesn't trust my opinion when it comes to books. And when she does decide to listen to my opinion on books she chooses the completely wrong ones that I like but I know she won't. She just read Twilight and hated it. I mean, I like it 'cause I’m a sappy teenage girl who can look past the ten year old writing and fall in love with Bella and Edward. My mom is much more practical.

But finally, and I mean FINALLY[/b] I successfully converted someone.
A few months ago my aunt and uncle came to me in desperation asking me to help my cousin Tina start reading. I have a bookcase the size of a dinosaur in my room, so they immediately thought of me.
I chose to give her Twilight, a book my friends who hated reading, fell in love with. And, consequently, so did my cousin and she read every book including the first 200 pages of the first book in a different view point online.
She gobbled them all up in a way that I had only heard of when I had done it with first the Harry Potter books and then the Mistborn books.
I was impressed so, two weekends ago, she came to my house for a sleepover saying how she needed a book to read because she always found herself bored. I flew to my bookcase and started from the top-down. From my small paperbacks, to my medium paperbacks and hardcovers, and it didn't even occur to me to look at my hardcover fantasy until I pulled out one of my Robert Jordan books and tossed it to her, joking that she should read that one (It's way above her current reading level; but someday I know she'd love them. Plus, she's never read fantasy, and that's a hunk of a book to get you into fantasy) When I paused and realized that I had completely ignored Mistborn and Elantris.
I was just so used to people shooting down my suggestion for the books and couldn't scare people as effectively with Mistborn or Elantris as I could with the monstrosities of some of the Jordan books, that I had just forgot. So, I paused, halfway turned to bring the previous pile I had assembled and thought, "Well, why not? Mistborn's my favorite book, and it started me off in fantasy, why not her?"
I dropped my stack causing the books to crash and scatter on the floor around me and slid out my copy of Mistborn. I held it up to her and turned, "You could read this." I told her.
"What is it?" She wasn't scared off by the cover and I took that as invitation enough.
I bounded over to my bed which she was sitting upon and plopped in front of her, immediately flipping to the inside cover and reading the description on the dustcover. (Which by the way, does a very poor interpretation of the book, in my own personal opinion. I'll have to see if it's mentioned somewhere else or start a new thread, I'm already making this one entirely too long)
After I finished reading, she looked a little confused, so I described the book in my own words and she paused, blinked at me, and then burst into a smile, "That sounds awesome!"
I gave it to her, after doing a little happy dance and the night went on. (The next morning, I double checked that the book was in her bag because, yes, I am that much of a psycho.)
She sent me a message on Facebook a couple days later:
Quote
This book you gave me is amazing.
Chapter 7, right now Kelsier is starting to train Vin. She is working on the tin metal at the moment.
I love reading the story through Vin's point of view more then Kelsier. I don't really know why. Maybe because more questions get answered with her. I love Vin; she is so tough and untrusting. Then Kelsier is so open and soothing. I love him too!!! So far I like Vin more.
That fight scene, when Kelsier was stealing the safe. That was down right awesome.
You gave me a great book!
Then a couple days later, I received this
Quote
I FINISHED THE BOOK TUESDAY
AMAZING!!!
I saw her that Saturday when we went to go see Twilight in theaters and, asides from talking about Mistborn all through the movie, I gave her the sequel AND (drum roll please):
HER MOM ASKED TO BORROW IT!
Which means, she'll read it and love it, then give it to my aunt who will read it and love it, who will give it to all her friends who will read it and love it and soon.
THE WHOLE WORLD WILL READ IT AND LOVE IT!!!!!

Hahah, this was much longer than I expected it to be.
I was just excited.
I am getting better with endings though, I must say. My first lengthy story ended with "So yeah...."
‘Never trust a teenage boy in a room of teenage girls to be on time.’ (Wievorann Ch.6)

Reaves

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2008, 04:14:23 AM »
Wow you are quite dedicated. I've tried converting a couple friends but I don't think I've managed to convince them its quite worth picking up. One of my friends only listens to books on tape, too...so that isn't going so well.

Continue on in your efforts and soon the world will be ours.
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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2008, 06:55:23 AM »
Hey, even a couple of the ones you didn't "convert" apparently bought a copy. That's good too. :)
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Loud_G

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2008, 03:09:13 PM »
Great work there! I love your enthusiasm :D

I managed to convert my wife. She devoured the books. I'm currently working on two of my friends. I lent one Elantris and the other I lent Mistborn. We shall see how it goes. :)
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Leon

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2008, 03:47:05 PM »
When sanderson anounced he was finishing WoT, like many in that fandom, i grabbed my keys and my wallet and sped to borders. After finishing all his books out at the time (except alctraz, took me almost 2 months to track that one down) i told all my WoT loving freinds to read it.

My bestfriend got it, loved it, and spread the love to a couple of his friends.

also one of my D&D buddies was so sick of hearing me talkabout the book and not knowing what i was talking about, he read it and loved it. (now i have to return the favor and try david eddings(SP?)).

im working on getting my fiance to read Elantris, i figure as a one shot i have a better chance as she is a teacher with no time to read for herself (and when she does she reads those crappy literary fic books *blech*)

p.s. your dedication in spreading the love of reading, and sanderson in particular, is amazing

darxbane

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2008, 03:58:20 PM »
Good job.  I have hooked my brother with Elantris, and now he is on FE.  He will be the one to get my second copy of HOA (yes, I am one of those who couldn't wait for Amazon to ship my copy, so I bought another one).  I am now working on my brother-n-law (who introduced me to WoT), and a friend of mine who is a major sci-fi fantasy geek, but can be very stubborn.  He insists on not starting another book until he has finished reading Wheel of Time again.   
I wanted to write something profound here, but I couldn't think of anything.

Leon

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2008, 06:03:48 PM »
Good job.  I have hooked my brother with Elantris, and now he is on FE.  He will be the one to get my second copy of HOA (yes, I am one of those who couldn't wait for Amazon to ship my copy, so I bought another one).  I am now working on my brother-n-law (who introduced me to WoT), and a friend of mine who is a major sci-fi fantasy geek, but can be very stubborn.  He insists on not starting another book until he has finished reading Wheel of Time again.   
I think for anyone who has read WoT, Mistborn should be required reading

melbatoast

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2008, 07:13:27 PM »
Good job converting someone! I tried to convert my little brother, but he totally one-upped me and told me that his roommates were in Brandon's inner circle or something so he got to go over to Brandon's house and meet him.  ::)  This is not what little brothers are for.
"She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain." - Louisa May Alcott

mtlhddoc2

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2008, 03:05:52 AM »

also one of my D&D buddies was so sick of hearing me talkabout the book and not knowing what i was talking about, he read it and loved it. (now i have to return the favor and try david eddings(SP?)).


If you are going to read Eddings, start with the Belgariad and Mallorean series, then the Prequels (Belgarath the Sorcerer; Polgara the Sorceress). 12 books total. The Will and the Word is the magic system in these books. Stick with them through the introductions (a few chapters) and you will be rewarded with a very dynamic cast and world.

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2008, 06:57:41 AM »
Eh... if by dynamic you mean cliche and stereotyped, then sure. :) (I enjoyed the Belgariad for what it was, but it should have ended there, and I didn't have any desire to read the rest.)
All Saiyuki fans should check out Dazzle! Emotionally wrenching action-adventure and quirky humor! (At least read chapter 6 and tell me if you're not hooked.) Volume 10 out now!

firstRainbowRose

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2008, 07:18:31 AM »
My advise is if you're going to read something by him read The redemtion of atheius (not sure on the spelling.  My grandma finally stole it back.)  It's a bit of a monster when compaired to his other books (over 1k pages) but it's so much better then the will and the word.
"The custom of royalty in referring to oneself is to naturally employ the royal 'we'.  We are very happy, we are very sad, we are bored and suffer from ennui.  For a royal prince there's no such word as 'me', It's always 'we'.  So rightfully I should be two or three, don't you agree?"

mtlhddoc2

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2008, 04:23:30 PM »
Eh... if by dynamic you mean cliche and stereotyped, then sure. :) (I enjoyed the Belgariad for what it was, but it should have ended there, and I didn't have any desire to read the rest.)

Actually, I found it to be quite dynamic. a little cliched, but who isnt?
some of the story can be a little...  how do i say it...   out there?
but that is only because Eddings is a big pothead lol.

CthulhuKefka

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2008, 04:38:55 PM »
I managed to get two of my friends to read Elantris. I was particularly proud to get one to read it, sice he doesn't really read fantasy books all that much. I had to poke him numerous times to finally convince him to pick it up. And by pick it up I mean lend him my copy.  ;D

Wielder

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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2008, 10:29:41 PM »
Nice job!  I've managed to get three of my friends to read Mistborn.  Two of them are finished, but one had to put HoA on hold due to the fact that she apparently has to pass her classes before her attachment to the book causes her to fail.

Good times.
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Re: I finally converted someone!
« Reply #14 on: December 09, 2008, 11:16:23 AM »
I too like to share my Sanderson books with my friends and make them love them. In my case, though, there is a selfish reason - I live in Spain, so I have to make sure Sanderson's books that arrive here are famous enough so the editorials will continue translating and publishing them, so I can talk about the books with my friends. I lent Elantris to my best friend and she absolutely loved it, making her immediately a big Sanderson fan. She then bought Mistborn I as soon as it went out in Spanish, read it and then let me borrow it, for I had bought the three books via Amazon, and had not gotten them yet. Right now, I've just lent her the second one, even though it is in English and she is not that good with it, just because she couldn't wait for it any more. Besides, I'm a member of a Spanish literature forums, and we have made a topic there about Brandon Sanderson too, as well as one for Elantris and one for Mistborn. Now we're both trying to get our friends to read the Sanderson books.