Author Topic: The Gathering Storm Chapter One  (Read 19513 times)

Andrew the Great

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The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« on: September 05, 2009, 05:50:40 AM »
The Gathering Storm Chapter One is now available for free on Tor.com. The easiest way to get there is probably to go to Dragonmount's news section, where they provide a link, which I'm too lazy to do.

EDIT: Link: Dragonmount News Article with this and other WoT related announcements
« Last Edit: September 06, 2009, 03:40:21 AM by Andrew the Great »
Sign on wall: "We're doing everything we can to get you to the math lab and get you help."
Random girl: "That explains so much about the way my professors have been teaching..."

"Look! I can play Mary had a little lamb on my rape whistle!"

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GreenMonsta

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2009, 05:24:47 PM »
And now I begin hunting. Thanks Andrew.

EDIT: I read the first paragraph and decided to re-read Kinfe of Dreams before I went any further. You know, to refresh a little. I figured it would help me get back into the Wheel before the releas. Thanks though, I've been putting of the re-read and this is the motivation I've been looking for.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2009, 07:59:14 PM by GreenMonsta »
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readerMom

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2009, 01:32:29 AM »
It was too short.
Brandon's voice will take a little time to get used to. It was still the Wheel of Time, but it was definitely not RJ. I couldn't put my finger on what felt different, it just did.
I already have plans to do nothing but read the end of October, my family has been warned.

Andrew the Great

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2009, 03:15:04 AM »
Well for one thing, the wind was considerably more epic than usual....
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JCHancey

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2009, 09:31:35 AM »
..... WIN!!!! And I completely agree with Andrew, the wind was much more epic :D

You can tell a difference in writing styles, but ya know, I can't say I really care. Pre-Sanderson RJ was my favorite author, then I read Mistborn/Elantris/Alcatraz/Warbreaker and, well, Sanderson currently holds the trophy! As for a re-read... I've got a little over a month and I just started Shadow Rising. I'll be done!
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Ari54

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2009, 10:13:54 AM »
Go figure I skip by a new thread to post in the old thread...

But yeah, nice scene setting, it sounds epic, it sounds Wheel of Time, and while it's different, it still seems to belong.

I can totally see what all those "Brandon got a lot more descriptive to write the WoT" quotes come from. It's almost like reading a totally new author.

Publius

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2009, 02:11:35 PM »
I've read peoples reaction regarding this chapter on other sites, and do you know what amuses me?

 For years, I've been reading people complain about Robert Jordan's writing style, and now they complain because it's not Robert Jordan's writing style.  They're right, it isn't RJ's writing, but i kinda chock that up to the fact that he's dead. If he wasn't dead, they of course would be complaining about his writing style. Which just leaves me scratching my head wondering why some people still bother to read this series.

My opinion of this chapter is that Brandon Sanderson did  a great job, and I'm even more excited to finish this series than I was before. I easily got lost reading the chapter, so lost in fact, that I was surprised when it ended. I was almost expecting the  whole book!
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mccullough

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2009, 03:12:41 PM »
Ha! people expect Robert Jordan, but if Brandon tried to sound like RJ they would still be mad. Some people will naysay anything. I loved the Chapter. I am now officially drooling over the The Gathering Storm.

Like others who have posted, I noticed a difference at first, but once I got into the story, it went away. I know one chapter is not much to base this on, but I expected Brandon to hit a home run and he has.

Patriotic Kaz

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2009, 05:02:59 PM »
It was odd at first but when i finnally adjusted to the new voice it was a fantastic read... i'm not sure if it "belongs" in the classic sense but with everything in flux the voice change is just another small change to Randland.
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Kestrel

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2009, 03:35:10 AM »
Call me the voice of dissension, apparently, because I absolutely hated it. I read it through three times, and I couldn't stand it at all. I've never been a fan of Jordan, but I was hoping such a fantastic author as Sanderson could make the books actually interesting to read. I'd have read through all of the first Wheel books if these ended up half as promising as anything else Brandon's ever done.

But, no...This was just as boring as the writing that turned me off of Wheel of Time from the very first book. It didn't sound like Brandon's style at all. It's too descriptive...I love details, but not this much! Even when we finally do see the characters, they're barely there for a paragraph before it launches off into more melodramatic scenery. Part of what I love so much about Brandon's writing is the dry, witty dialogue, and so far I've seen none of it here.

Completely disappointed...The only good thing I can see from this is not having to read a bunch of boring books just to get to Brandon's greatness. Sigh. Will be eagerly awaiting the Stormlight Archive, I guess, and hope Brandon's style doesn't get infected by writing in this voice.

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2009, 03:52:30 AM »
The description of the wind is something that only happens in first chapters of Wheel of Time books. The rest of the chapters will be more character-focused.

But:
Quote
Even when we finally do see the characters, they're barely there for a paragraph before it launches off into more melodramatic scenery.
Surely you're exaggerating.
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Kestrel

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2009, 03:59:13 AM »
The description of the wind is something that only happens in first chapters of Wheel of Time books. The rest of the chapters will be more character-focused.

But:
Quote
Even when we finally do see the characters, they're barely there for a paragraph before it launches off into more melodramatic scenery.
Surely you're exaggerating.

Erm, no...? There was perhaps the equivalent of a single paragraph of dialogue, then more shoveling in of unnecessary details, then another small bit of dialogue, then still more shoveling. If you want to count characters' inner voice, then the amount of non-descriptive text in the chapter increases by only a miniscule amount. Like I said, I love description and detail in books--I myself have quite a bit of it in the novel I'm editing--but at some point it starts getting ridiculous.

Ari54

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2009, 04:08:32 AM »
The description of the wind is something that only happens in first chapters of Wheel of Time books. The rest of the chapters will be more character-focused.

But:
Quote
Even when we finally do see the characters, they're barely there for a paragraph before it launches off into more melodramatic scenery.
Surely you're exaggerating.

Erm, no...? There was perhaps the equivalent of a single paragraph of dialogue, then more shoveling in of unnecessary details, then another small bit of dialogue, then still more shoveling. If you want to count characters' inner voice, then the amount of non-descriptive text in the chapter increases by only a miniscule amount. Like I said, I love description and detail in books--I myself have quite a bit of it in the novel I'm editing--but at some point it starts getting ridiculous.

That really depends how you define "unnecessary". Things like the level of body contact between characters, their reactions and feelings to the unfolding of a conversation, etc... are all rightly intertwined with dialogue in any reasonably descriptive book. Brandon's style in previous books was light on this and conveyed these details in other ways. It's fine if you like that, but all of these details relate to character development in a series as long-spanning as Wheel of Time. We also come in on a pretty introspective chapter so it's not as if this is entirely normal- we're just being reminded about all the psychological baggage the central character has picked up recently.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2009, 04:11:18 AM by Ari54 »

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2009, 04:11:02 AM »
I count 23 paragraphs in a row where 20 of them have dialogue or are almost entirely dialogue.
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Kestrel

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Re: The Gathering Storm Chapter One
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2009, 04:37:45 AM »
I count 23 paragraphs in a row where 20 of them have dialogue or are almost entirely dialogue.

Alright, I'll give you that at the very end. I blocked it out already, though I will also admit that while I said I read it three times, I read it once fully then couldn't even finish it the next two times. It's that dull. Even what dialogue is there is dry and lifeless...it doesn't have any of the feeling and characterization that Brandon's own books have.

I know I sound like a fangirl, but there are other authors I enjoy just fine. Brandon's characters are just so memorable, and this only reads like some generic fantasy you'd pick up at a dollar store. For once, I think, as I've always thought about Wheel of Time, it is right to judge a book by a cover. Generic fantasy art begets generic fantasy story inside. I'm well aware I'm in the vast minority on this one, but I'm used to it. I didn't particularly like ASoIaF either, but I digress.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2009, 04:40:37 AM by Kestrel »