Author Topic: **SPOILERS** Shards: Power and Character  (Read 6676 times)

happyman

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Re: **SPOILERS** Shards: Power and Character
« Reply #15 on: July 07, 2011, 11:26:29 PM »
I haven't read about anyone trying to explain N.K. Jemisin's religious beliefs based on how she writes about gods in the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. But people try it with Brandon all the time, although it really doesn't work very well.

Yeah, my guess is that it's the novelty (or at least, perceived novelty) factor.  Also, Mormons have a reputation for being unusually devoted to their religion, so people expect it to show up.  On top of that, a lot of the Cosmere stuff does have connections to religions that seem pretty obvious, especially with Sazed in Mistborn.  But for the most part, I see a bunch of nothing when you try to get down to brass tacks.  As usual, the religion comes through most strongly in the characters and values they espouse, not the deliberately constructed cosmology.  But that's true with absolutely every author in every genre.
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Guinevere

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Re: **SPOILERS** Shards: Power and Character
« Reply #16 on: July 08, 2011, 02:39:23 AM »
Wow.  I never would have caught that Nohadon/King Benjamin parallel.  That's interesting. 

I guess my feeling on the subject is that anything a person deeply believes will seep itself into what they create.  Though personally, I don't see a lot of the plot parallels that others do, specifically, the traits of the Shards the original author asked about.  I see (not only LDS or Christian, but) religious ideals peeking through in a more general sense. 

I think Brandon is interested in religion itself and its ability to influence and inspire fierce loyalty in its believers.  The fact that he can write an atheist character who is just as, if not more, developed than his religious characters says a lot about his ability to take himself out of the stories and just write the characters as they are.

zas678

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Re: **SPOILERS** Shards: Power and Character
« Reply #17 on: July 08, 2011, 06:39:30 AM »
He says that he likes to have characters present their religion (or lack thereof) in the best possible light-because that's what real people do, and because it gives us more respect for the character (and the religion).
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Chaos

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Re: **SPOILERS** Shards: Power and Character
« Reply #18 on: July 09, 2011, 02:04:21 AM »
That quote came from this thread:

http://www.timewastersguide.com/forum/index.php?topic=7878.0

Oh, I see.  In context, it had seemed like it was a quote from Brandon, but it was a paraphrasing. Thanks for clearing that up, Adrienne.
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