Timewaster's Guide Archive

Yes, that did help, thanks.

Both sule and kolo were pretty similar to what I thought they were. I was thinking that sule was 'friend', which Brandon did make reference to in the annotation. I was thinking that kolo was 'ok? ,used like a question at the end of the sentence. His description was similar in ',eh?' or ',understand?'  From how I read it, it doesn't necessarily translate to one word, but is that word that is the end of the sentence that confirms something by a question.  "This is the book, right?" or  "You wanted to leave at 10, correct?"  At least that's how I understand it.

Thanks for your input, Peter.

I also don't like a lot of information beat over my head, as long as it's pretty obvious in the story what it represents. But with the two words I have indicated (sule and kolo), it is not obvious (at least for me). So I am sitting there wondering what the heck he is saying. I believe 'sule' represents 'friend', but I am not positive.

As long as I find out eventually, that works for me. But if it is something that just isn't explained or made obvious in a plot device, I'll be a little annoyed. However, again, it would still be a minor complaint because as I said, I am enjoying the book a great deal.

About a month and a half ago, I started a thread asking everyone's opinion on which of Brandon's books should I start first, once I had finished another series I was working on.

Well, I finally finished up the series and decided to go with Brandon's first book, Elantris. I am only about 150 pages in, but I will say I am enjoying it, and is an easy read. Now to clarify, I don't mean 'easy' read as in simple. But easy as quick to get into, a fun read, and therefore stay interested.

I have found one of two things can happen with myself when  starting a book. I either find myself rereading several passages because I am saying "Wait, what they say again?" or "This is starting to drag a bit." and find I am forcing myself to continue reading, telling myself "Ok, I know this will improve if I just keep reading."

Or, I will begin a book and it will just 'flow', everything makes sense and becomes very 'easy' to read. It is where I am telling myself, "Ok, after this chapter I am done." However, when I finish, I look how many pages are for the next chapter and tell myself "Oh, this is only 10 more pages, I will read one more."

I have found Elantris to be the latter. I was hooked as soon as I started the Prologue. I had gone into Elantris, not knowing anything about the book, not even reading the back of it (which is an oddity for me). The description of the city of Elantris had me enthralled and was looking forward to the story dealing with this utopian of a city. And then the final line of "Eternity ended 10 years ago." I was immediately intrigued.

I will say, there have been a couple of things that have annoyed me, but they are small overall. But there have been a couple of times Brandon has introduced a word, a word for his world that has a different meaning, and really did not describe what it meant.

The two I can think of right now is ‘sule’ and ‘kolo’.  I think I finally was able to figure out ‘sule’ is a substitution for what I believe is ‘friend.’ But I’m not sure what ‘kolo’ is?  Does it just mean ‘ok’? It would have been nice if Brandon had put in (after using the words for the first time), some kind of indication what they meant. Or if he did, I just missed it.

But again, this complaint is minor, and as I said, I am enjoying the book a great deal.

Ahh, ok.

Well, I was joking when Miyabi must have some 'in' with Brandon, but apparently it's true. 

Well, I’ve only emailed him once, so I certainly do not have any kind of good basis to work off of. However, I know when I spoke with others at the TGS signing I went to last October (right after I sent him my email), I think the soonest one of them indicated they received a reply from Brandon was around 4-5 months.

I am sure it just really depends on how busy he is at the time. Especially on what Miyabi is indicating with the shorter responses times he has received. Unless he has some ‘in’ with Brandon we don’t know about.   

I really do not know who Paolini is, never read any of his books. And never heard of about any of them until I saw “Eragorn” mentioned. And that was only because I heard of the movie (never saw it).

I can’t say I have any plans of reading him, not with my backlog, and especially the not so nice comments I have heard. However, that being said, I don’t wish anything bad against the guy. If he truly published his first novel at 18 years old, I say all the more power to him.

Good luck with that, guys. However, I do have hope that over the long run Brandon will sell more books. He's not an overnight success—but he keeps getting more and more popular, as well as writing more and more.

As long as he doesn’t publish ‘too’ much at once. Not that I don’t want to see more of Brandon writing, of course I do. But the last thing I want to see is Brandon burn himself out and/or start putting works that is not his usual quality stuff.  Quality over quantity.

No, didn’t say that. Wasn’t trying to criticize how it is now in seeing advance chapters online. Happy for those who take advantage of it. I guess I just come from the old school where you didn’t see advance anything, except maybe what you saw in ads or what the author/publisher would tell you.

I like when I open to “Chapter 1” or “Prologue” it is completely fresh to me. But that is just my own personal preference.   

I just found Drizzt's constant moral dilemmas to be annoying.  By the end of the first book I read (not the first in the series mind you) I got it, he's a good guy.  A very good guy.  But every action he makes that might possibly be seen as 'not right,' he goes over and over in his head, trying to rationalize it.  What Drizzt really needs is some real flaws.

Of the forgotten realms, the books I really enjoyed were the War of the Spider Queen books.  I think true dark elves are really interesting, and several of the authors brought up some interesting dilemma's for the characters.  I particularily liked the friendship of Pharaun and Ryld.

But that's part of who Drizzt is, he is that 'Lawful Good dark elf Paladin'. Which is why he constantly questions motives and actions. If he gave him flaws, and I am assuming you mean flaws as in sometimes doing things that are questionable, in the gray, then that would no longer be Drizzt.

He does have his inner demons he goes through, and he actually does have one  big flaw that he keeps under wraps as he loses part of his 'Paladin' demeanor. He loses control.

But I realize these books are not for everyone, but I really love Salvatore as a writer and really enjoy his writing style and characterization. His DemonWars series is excellent, as well.