Author Topic: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read  (Read 5750 times)

dawncawley

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Re: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2007, 07:27:07 AM »
Thank you Brandon :)

Swiggly

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Re: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2007, 09:42:22 PM »
Its probably one of those- you can overcome mountains if you just believe in yourself- things. And, of course- wasn't like the rest of the Elantrians. He was very special...I mean- hell, he Loved Sarene.
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Clovenhoof

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Re: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read
« Reply #17 on: November 23, 2007, 08:14:11 PM »
*Unholy thread necromancy!

Hello everyone. I just finished the book Elantris (in German) and something has struck me as very odd. I did look for an explanation on the website and did a forum search, but didn't find anything.

So here's the deal (spoiler warning still active):
- The Dor is broken because the Aons lack the chasm line to function.
- Elantris and the four outlying cities form the Aon Rao
- Raoden wants to add the chasm line with his stick

Right so far?
Good, then here's my question:
Why the doloken does he add the chasm line in the city of KAE???

My friend who gave me the book spontaneously answered that he did it in Elantris, but I found at least three references that Raoden did, in fact, run to Kae and scratch in the line there. I won't bother with the page numbers since I have the German edition anyway, but you'll find them in this very chapter.

According to the map, the chasm lies east of the lake. Thus, the Aons should be completed by a line between the dot and the right vertical line. Which in this case, would mean right inside Elantris, between the city centre and the wall.

So I repeat my question, why does he fix the line in Kae, way way outside the Elantris walls?
Besides, I'm kinda amazed nobody seems to have noticed this before.

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read
« Reply #18 on: December 04, 2007, 12:44:06 AM »
Clovenhoof, Brandon just put up a new page at his website talking about the progression of the map design: http://www.brandonsanderson.com/book/Elantris/page/50/Elantris-Map-Progression

A small quote from the end:
Quote
However, by zooming in, we heightened the problem with the mountains and the chasm not quite matching the shape they needed to in order to be spot on with the climax of the story.
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EUOL

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Re: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read
« Reply #19 on: December 04, 2007, 01:47:55 AM »
This is actually related to several problems.  The first is the one Ookla discussed--the map in the front of the book, because of errors on my part, just didn't end up looking like it needed in order to match the text.

If I ever get to do a re-issue version of Elantris, I'll try to get the lake moved over and the mountains shaped a little bit more like they need to.  The big problem is the Chasm, which is supposed to run at the bottom of the shape of Aon Aon and cut over across the steppes.  And, to make it easier to understand, I might change it so that the line drawn on the ground doesn't run into Kae--but into the other city BELOW Elantris. 

The real issue here is me being forced to stretch plausibility slightly in order to get Raoden into the position he needed to be in order to draw that line.  I wrote ELANTRIS early in my career, and I just wasn't as polished as I am now at making things fit together in my endings. 

Edit: Also, note.  The Chasm line happens at the bottom right corner of the original Aon, so by my figuring it would occur just outside of Elantris, to the southeast.  Not inside the city, but just beyond the walls.  However, by what the map reads right now, it should indeed be inside the city--so you're exactly right. 
« Last Edit: December 04, 2007, 01:51:40 AM by EUOL »
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Clovenhoof

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Re: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read
« Reply #20 on: December 08, 2007, 11:25:52 PM »
I understand.  ;) Thanks for the heads-up. And good luck with your new endeavours. =)

badmrpotatohead

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Re: Elantris question: big spoiler for those who have not read
« Reply #21 on: December 21, 2007, 01:34:52 AM »
On the lines of Elantris oddities...

Just finished the book, thoroughly enjoyed it, and my nitpicking in no way weakens said enjoyment, but one thing that stood out to me was how the Elantrians ate.  Without blood pumping through their body, how did they digest food?  Brandon mentions at some point that their digestive systems were working again, but that seems a rather difficult proposition to me.