Author Topic: Warbreaker: Free Ebook  (Read 234767 times)

Tjaeden

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #375 on: January 26, 2007, 03:48:06 PM »
I think Brandon said somewhere that Awakeners can't control how much breath goes into something, only guess and chose what to awaken based on that.

If items are more "human-like" then they require less breaths to activate.  Vashar's chapters tell us that a number of times.  I think there would be some kind of catalog in Hallendren listing the average amounts of breath something takes to awaken.  If there is an economy on selling breaths, then the higher ups will know how many breaths its takes to reach each Heightening / awaken / etc.


As for Vivena...  I think the Drab-state is kind of a cop out.  (Sorry Brandon!)  Her week of poverty still seemed rushed, and I - as a reader - did not experience it.  If I can't go through what she did, then I have no emotional investment in her character.  The way she just believes Vashar and then helps him meet with more people, does not sow how smart she is - just that she has given up trying, and is happy to be a tool to be used.  And that's all she has ever wanted, was to be useful. 

I agree that there should be some sword dialogue here.  Maybe a conversation that parallels the sword talking about the shirt - "I'm way better than a girl.  It looks like she couldn't kill anything."  Or something like that.

I like Vashar's descriptions of Denth - it outlines both characters nicely and in a simple believable way.  Nice work on that!

Once I dreamt of death /
now it dreams of me,
And only rats and rotting flesh /
can hear my silent plea...

EUOL

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #376 on: January 31, 2007, 11:00:44 AM »
New chapter is early.  Actually, this is TWO chapters, but the second one is really, really short, so I put it in this download.  In answer to the question--which has already been answered--there are indeed 59 chapters in the book, so that puts us as only fourteen weeks left.  I do have the book done, but I'd rather post them one a week because that gives me a lot better feedback.  If I posted the whole thing, the discussion would go too many directions at once, and I wouldn't be able to get the chapter-by-chapter suggestions that I like so much. 

Chapters Forty Four and Forty Five

Also, based on comments from the peanut gallery, I reworked chapter forty-three in this version, making Vivenna's motivations for working with Vasher more apparent.  If anyone wants to give it a look through and see if the changes made a difference, look here:

Forty-three 3.0

Let's see...other revisions.  Since this was a line edit, mostly, I didn't do a lot of big changes.  In chapter twenty-five, I mention that Siri listened at the wall, and thought she heard priests leaving after her 'act' was done, a way for me to explain why she can talk to Susebron so much and not arouse suspicions.   Can't remember any more at the moment--some small tweaks, with the biggest change coming in a chapter I haven't posted yet.  Also, sorry about the typos I let creep in when I did the 2.0 draft.  Whew!  I caught a lot when I did this revision.


I'm probably going to podcast an audio version of Warbreaker starting in the summer.  Again, completely free--though, I might stick an advertisement for an Elantris audiobook (which will be sold through my website for about five bucks) on the end of every chapter. 
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"Technically, I don't even have a brain."--Fellfrosch

Tjaeden

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #377 on: January 31, 2007, 07:32:33 PM »
Before I devour these wonderful early treats, I would like to officially protest at the term "peanut gallery" and instead would prefer the term: "endearing, thoughtful, intelligent fans; who love my work and offer insightful viewpoints."

Yeah.  I think that has a nice ring to it =)

                            ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Nice work.  Siri's chapters are hands down the best.  But did she call Susebron, "Seb" ?  Smooth ending, well timed and executed.

Chapter 45!?!  You can't do that!  It's... it's...  unfair! 
« Last Edit: January 31, 2007, 07:54:40 PM by Tjaeden »
Once I dreamt of death /
now it dreams of me,
And only rats and rotting flesh /
can hear my silent plea...

Goradel

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #378 on: January 31, 2007, 08:08:07 PM »
Romantic Times is going to love this :-*.

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firstRainbowRose

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #379 on: January 31, 2007, 11:20:59 PM »
Oh wow... I love this stuff!!!  I liked how you left everything off... let see how "Seb" reacts to having a new knowledge of what the act for the priests was actually for... lololol.  AND WHAT WAS WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER?!  SHORT is not the correct term... ULTIMATE CLIFFIE OF TORTURE would be more correct.  *pout*  Can't we have even a sneak peek?

And now I know that I can't even start the chapters at work anymore, because it's gotten to that point where it's going to be nothing but revelations after this point.  More torture...
"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?"

dreamking47

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #380 on: February 01, 2007, 01:13:11 AM »
So I have this hilarious picture in my head of "Seb" (that just doesn't work for me) pausing like every 30 seconds to scribble down something like "oh" and "yes," finally trailing off to a bunch of exclamation points.  :o

Seriously, the scene didn't necessarily feel unrealistic -- put two people together like Siri and Susebron have been and something will happen more often than not -- but it did feel a little...typical, I guess.  Unsurprising.  Plus Warbeaker seems to be undoing a lot of the good that Sarene did in Elantris, towards showing female characters who aren't the stereotypical "emotional woman."  Heck, even Jewels is now wishing she and Clod could just escape from this all.

(Of course, that's my feeling now; I reserve the right to change my mind by the end of the book.)

The more little bits we learn the more confused I get about some things.  In addition to the person/object distinction with Breath, there's the person/Returned distinction, too.  Although is there any reason the God King has to be a Returned?  Do we even really know (regardless of what we've been told) that Susebron is a Returned?  Maybe the Priests expect him to be able to father a child because he's not.

MattD
"It had blood in it.  That makes it a good metaphor." -- Tonk Fah, in EUOL's Warbreaker

amyface

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #381 on: February 01, 2007, 02:42:30 AM »
I'm glad that Euol isn't raunchy (is  that how you spell raunchy?). I got enough pictures in my head of this GIANT man and this little hair color changing girl doing it on the floor in a bunch of food. tee hee.

I also like the nick name Seb. I've never quite gotten how to say his name and nick names are fun.

I actually LOVED the second chapter... 45? I think it's a great way to state something quickly with a huge amount of emphasis! Every book needs these!

So, the lifeless are killing people in bright colors? Like the city guard? Maybe Allmother and Lightsong decide to fight against their side or something? This is gonna be good!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Dude, no no really, DUDE!

Pterath

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #382 on: February 01, 2007, 03:37:27 AM »
I don't mind Seb it seems natural coming from Siri.  Her full name is quite the mouthful too and she is the only one in her family with a nickname.  What else would she call him?  Sus... too weird, Bron... too neanderthal....  Anyway, i like Seb.

Yeah, raunchy is how you spell it.  And I can deal occasionally with Erotica in stuff but it doesn't fit in here and I like how tastefully that was handled.  Seemed very natural and while typical the eventuality was somewhat expected. 

I don't think Siri or Vivenna even as stereotypical in some aspects maybe but you need the emotion to drive some of these other characters too.  Susebron has not really been allowed to emote and Vasher is Mr. Self-contained, I don't play well with others.  Somehow I feel the more emotional females in a way offset that a bit.  Susebron would not be very interesting without Siri to react to...

Nice improvement on Chpt 43.  Vivenna seems a bit more real now and even Vasher is a little more flushed out.

Kel


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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #383 on: February 01, 2007, 06:26:02 AM »
You people all to seem to be making a big deal out of 'Seb,' but that nickname has been used before I'm pretty sure.

I don't think Susebron is Returned; that is why he will be able to use/pass on his Breath, and why he gains more from the people who give their Breath to him (a normal Returned doesn't gain more Breath, only energy to survive another week).  His priests have been giving him 2-4 Breaths a week, rather than the normal 1, both to grow his collection of Breaths and so that he doesn't get suspicious when he doesn't fade like a normal Returned would.  Also, the explanation that 'the God King is different' is used much too often for it to actually be true.

I like the way EUOL handled the end of 44; somehow raunchy just wouldn't work with 'Seb.'

So is Lightsong going to tell his priests about his dream, is he going to believe it is prophetic and, if so, what will he do about it?
I am not bragging.  I am understating.

dawncawley

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #384 on: February 01, 2007, 08:30:12 AM »
Nice work with that chapter, and the following one too if it must be known :) I kind of like the suspense.

I agree that the God King is different, and probably not Returned. As was stated, just too many clues point that way, and they do expect him to be able to create a child after all.

What I found interesting was the coinciding timeline between Susebron and Siri finally getting to the act, and Lightsong's dreams finally being specific in their violence. I have noticed that the closer Seb and Siri got the worse Lightsong's dreams became. Maybe I am reading too much into the timing, but it seems relevant to me. Has anyone else noticed the timing of the dreams, or am I imagining it?

U-Boat

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #385 on: February 01, 2007, 01:24:42 PM »
This is torture.

DragonFly

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #386 on: February 01, 2007, 03:23:28 PM »
I think the re-worked chapter 43 is better, but I would still like to hear more internal dialogue from Vivenna before she starts preaching to the Idrians about tolerance for the Hallendran ways. Maybe it will be different when I can read the whole book, but to me, she needs a few moments of putting her experiences together in her own mind before she voices her new-found ideas.

I agree with the others--the inevitable in chapter 44 was very well handled. And, it's exciting to see the plot advancing, and yes, it's torture! Although I do like having time to think about the chapter for a week before we get the next glimpse.

I'm not sure I agree about Susebron not being Returned.  He has all the physical characteristics of a Returned being. Besides, the scenario Siri described is more diabolical--right in line with the controlling methods of the priesthood.
Work is like fertilizer in that I'm very glad it exists--I just don't ever want to get stuck in it
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Master Bombadil

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #387 on: February 01, 2007, 05:13:28 PM »
I think Susebron may have the physical characteristics of a Returned because of his Breath.  We found out that enough BioCroma prevents disease and extends life, so enough may physically enhance someone.

Also, we don't know how Returning works or if a baby can Return.  I would think that Returning babies scattered throughout the empire would be difficult to cover; anyone with that much BioCroma will be difficult to cover up or move unnoticed.

I'd also like to know what the rumors Blushweaver mentioned when she said she didn't think the God King's children were all Returned are...
I am not bragging.  I am understating.

Tjaeden

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #388 on: February 01, 2007, 06:51:20 PM »
Also, we don't know how Returning works or if a baby can Return.  I would think that Returning babies scattered throughout the empire would be difficult to cover; anyone with that much BioCroma will be difficult to cover up or move unnoticed.

Maybe this was hinted at when Siri was thinking about how the priesthood was timing things.  They could have already found a returned baby (if they are that rare, say, 1 every 50 years, would make sense.)

I don't like "Seb"...  "Sus" works, makes more sense.  Or maybe, "Kingie-poo"? Heh heh.

One thing I would 110% love to see: the red painting!  Lightsong needs to have kept that painting (as previously mentioned), and after the dream in the last chapter, he should run back to it, see something...  This is the point in the Brandon-style that we would all stay up all night, ans 1 layer after another would be revealed.  But with this work, I feel a little more left in the dark about a lot of things (which may or may not be good).  But that could also be because of the 1 chapter a week format (but, I admittedly ready the first 30 chapters all at once, 2.0 version).

I agree with MattD about the comparison of the women in Warbreaker to the women in Elantris (or even Vin from Mistborn).  The main characters of this book seem to be the women, but only Siri's growth seems real to me, and even then, its not too much.  Her forced isolation really stunts what her character could do.  Technically, she could have almost unlimited viewpoints of the Court of the Gods - even the priest hood would have had its spies (or even the Pahn).

Speaking of comparing books...  the one common theme in Elantris, Mistborn, and Warbreaker seem to be a theocratic repressive government/military force bent on control.  Hathran and his forces, the Steel Ministry (the "bone-monks" are easy to compare to the Inquisitors), and now the God-Kings priests (although, we really don't know a lot about them, they could be "good").    Not to hijack this thread, but, EUOL, was this intentional in this book?  Or did the whole idea of the Returned-Gods/Priest religion kind of evolve? 

I want to say this subject is the most important in Warbreaker, but its underdeveloped (mainly because of the main characters limited viewpoints and access to information), at least, as a reader I feel it should be the most important.
Once I dreamt of death /
now it dreams of me,
And only rats and rotting flesh /
can hear my silent plea...

EUOL

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Re: Warbreaker: Free Ebook
« Reply #389 on: February 01, 2007, 08:16:58 PM »
Tjaeden,

It's intentional, and it's not intentional.  In a way, Warbreaker was a response against Mistborn.  I wanted to write a book where the heroes tried to do the OPPOSITE of what happened in Mistborn--in other words, where they tried to keep a government from being overthrown and where the 'dark lord' turned out to be a good guy. 

However, since I stuck mainly to the viewpoints of the sisters, it took a little bit longer to get to this theme than originally intended. 

Something to remember, also, is that while you're reading these Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker, there are two Mistborn books in the middle that will come out between Mistborn and Warbreaker--and in both of those, the main characters ARE the government/military force. 
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