Recent entries

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12802 Copy

    drabgod

    In Words of Radiance we find that Pattern is very literal-minded (at least until Shallan corrupted him), and mathematically-inclined. Even his real name is just a mathematical construct. And his head is a fractal. When I think of Pattern, I think "logic" and "truth", not "art" and "lies".

    If all Cryptics are like this, then I wonder why they (and not artistic spren like Wyndle) are the ones attracted to the artistic Lightweavers. Is this just a matter of "opposites attract"? Are spren naturally drawn to people with personal qualities they themselves do not have? I am reminded of the Divine Attributes, and it seems like Shallan has the "Creative" side while Pattern has the "Honest" side. Is that a coincidence?

    Brandon Sanderson

    These things are not coincidences.

    I have some very interesting rationals why certain spren are involved with certain orders. I never wanted it to be so straightforward as, "Oh, you control pressure? Here's a spren dedicated to that power." I feel there is more intricacy, and honesty, to a system that isn't so "on the nose" as we say in writing.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12803 Copy

    Phantine

    So you said how stuff is stuffed into the soul changes what a bond can give. Is that like the difference between a Spren bonding a Person and and maybe Hemalurgy forcing a bond or is it more like the difference with how Parshendi form bonds with Spren?

    I guess a better way to say that is would the bond be different if a human created the bond with a Spren not a Spren Bonding with a human?

    Brandon Sanderson

    These things are all important parts of the system, and I'm curious to see where fans go in exploring the possibilities and theories related to it.

    ...

    RAFO

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12805 Copy

    Argent

    Some of the most engaging and fun discussions we've had over at the 17th Shard were the decoding, or decrypting, or deciphering of those puzzles you sometimes hide in The Stormlight Archive epigraphs - the Alethi women script, the Thaylen writing, the excerpts from the Diagram, etc.

    1. Do you always try to make sure those puzzles are solvable, presumably so we don't grow insane?
    2. Will you keep adding things like that, assuming time allows?

    Brandon Sanderson

    1. Not all the puzzels are solvable with the information you have, but they will all eventually be solvable as the books progress.
    2. Yes, one of my main goals with the Stormlight books is to make them multi-genre. Visuals, different types of storytelling, flashbacks, ephemera. Puzzles (so long as they're in world, and relevant to the plot) are part of this for me.

     

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12807 Copy

    Thadamin

    How important are bonds like the Nahel Bond and a seon bond in the Cosmere?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'd say very important.

    Thadamin

    Is this kind of bond relatively common or is what seons, spren, and Nightblood do little more rare among Splinters. I'm specifically talking about the act of making bonds not a giving of magic powers really, that appearing to be function of Roshar. Also regarding your post about Stormlight 3 I am personally okay with 2000 pages if need be so make the chapters as long as you want.:)

    Brandon Sanderson

    The bonding is basically the same mechanic, regardless of the world, just with different flavoring. Roshar isn't the only place where the bond gives powers; it's a matter of what's stuffed into the soul, and how.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12808 Copy

    vorpal_username

    I've been rereading alloy of law and I was wondering about a few things related to speed bubbles.

    1. Speed bubbles can't move once they're put up, but what happens if you put one up while you're in a moving train or something? Does it move with the train? What if the train stops/turns while the bubble is up? (This might have happened and I'm forgetting in which case just ignore me...)

    2. Can an allomancer leave their bubble while it is still up (meaning it stays up with them outside of it)?

    3. What happens to things and or people partially inside of the bubble? Like, if I swing a pole through the time bubble, do I feel extra resistance or acceleration on it? If I stick my hand through it does it get all messed up like in that episode of TNG(S6E25)?

    4. Is the magnitude effect that causes bullets to go off course when entering a speed bubble proportional to the slowing/speeding of time in the bubble? For example, could I put up a very slight speed bubble (gaining me an extra second every few minutes) and get the same deflection as the ones used by Wane in the books?

    5. If you change your weight with feruchemy, is momentum conserved? For example, if I am moving while I decrease my weight, do I start going faster?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You'd be surprised by how many of these questions I answer in the next two Mistborn books. I think I might have addressed every one except number four. (In that case, the deflection is indeed proportional.) This is a RAFO, but more a "I took all this time to explain it in the text, so let's let you read it there." :)

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12810 Copy

    link6112

    Where would you place Hoid on this scale: http://i.imgur.com/z9fwRP2.jpg

    If you have time, where would you place the other characters of your books on this?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Though I do like the D&D system conceptually--I think it leads to interesting discussions--one of the problems is that by putting a character into it, I would be making a value judgement upon their actions. Here's what I can say: If you asked Hoid himself, he'd probably say he was Neutral Good. The Sixteenth shard would argue that he's Chaotic Neutral. Frost would rationally argue him to be Chaotic Good, but there are those who even claim his motives far too selfish to be anywhere near "good," and probably deem him something akin to Neutral Evil.

    WeiryWriter

    Sixteenth Shard? Is this just a typo or a really stealthy dispensation of information?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Sorry. Just a typo.

    Footnote: The scale linked is the Dungeons and Dragons alignment chart.
    #hoid
    Sources: Reddit
    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12811 Copy

    mooglefrooglian

    I was re-reading the prologues of WoK and WoR... and it seems like there's something wonky going on with the timelines.

    Szeth claims Gavilar left the feast hours before he started doing his work.

    Jasnah leaves the feast and finds Gavilar and Tearim. Gavilar mentions he's going to head back into the feast. Jasnah then has an adventure. She sees Ivory(?), speaks with Liss and two strange men, and then, what seems like a very short time later in her PoV hears the results of Szeth starting his job.

    There's no way it took her hours to walk down two flights of stairs, briefly "drown", and have two short conversations!

    Am I completely off base, or is there something going on here with Jasnah's perception of time?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's less that, and more me (as the author) glossing over time passing with quick phrases like "after walking a short time" and the like.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12813 Copy

    zotsandcrambles

    Mr.T has his emotional intelligence inversely attached to his logical intelligence. in the physical realm, this means that on his emotional days, he is functionally a blithering idiot. The physical realm is more logic oriented, so that makes sense.

    However, would this inverted intelligence express itself DIFFERENTLY perhaps in the cognitive or spiritual realm? In the world of forms, emotion, and identity, could weepy/drooly Mr.T express some unique insight inside of Shadesmaar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    This is a theory with merit.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12815 Copy

    Argent

    When Sazed picked up the Shards of Preservation and Ruin, did he actively choose to be known as Harmony (instead of, for example, Balance, or Equilibrium, or Stability), or is there some Cosmeric law that says Preservation + Ruin = Harmony?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He chose the name, but in part because it FELT right to him.

    Argent

    Is this similar to how a Shard's "personality" overwrites the Shardholder's over time?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Similar, yes.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12818 Copy

    mooglefrooglian

    You've previously mentioned that someone bonded to a Seon would get some benefits if they went to Roshar , basically that it would be treated sort of like a Nahel bond. This implies to me that something about Roshar likes to give powers from bonds. (Hi there, Honor...)

    Should this be taken to mean that spren-bond based Surgebinding won't work off-world, as it's a benefit Roshar gives from having a bond? Or would it be more specific, and mean that some of the passive benefits Radiants get (visions, Windrunner squire strengths) would be lost, but Surgebinding retained?

    Mainly I'm interested in whether or not we can reach maximum Jasnah levels and have the possibility of her appearing in non-SA books. I don't think she'd be much into worldhopping if she couldn't get back with the Travel Surge...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Surgebinding will work off-world.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12819 Copy

    GenericMastermindAnt

    Do both 'The Path' and Kelsier's religion have actual gods? I remember Sazed talking about Kelsier and Vin in whatever afterlife exists, but are Kel and Vin also proper gods or just dead hero mistborn?

    Brandon Sanderson

    This is discussed in the next books.

    Basically, you can look at it like Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism has gods, and many Buddhists don't deny those gods exist, but they follow a different path. Obviously, the doctrines and practices are not the same as those two religions, but the relationship is somewhat similar.

    It does get complicated in that Harmony doesn't particularly want to be worshiped, but people want to worship him anyway, and find ways to sidestep into religion. Survivorists worship the Survivor, but don't QUITE treat him like God.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12820 Copy

    Nazrax

    Are seasons on Roshar truly unpredictable, or have the storm wardens just not figured out how to predict them yet?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, if you consider the planet to be a closed system, then nothing about the natural processes are TRULY unpredictable.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12821 Copy

    Nazrax

    Can Forgery rewrite someone's gender (after all, it's just swapping out an X for a Y ...)?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Forgery could do this, but it is a tad bigger a change than you imply. Think of it this way: It's much easier for the magic to pretend that a table was cleaned up and polished than it is for the magic to pretend the wood used to make the table instead was used to make a chair.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12823 Copy

    gossypiboma

    When communicating over spanreed, do you have to compensate for the curvature of the planet? For example, would communicating with someone on the other side of the planet result in upside down writing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Spanreeds auto-compensate when you activate them. Meaning, once you tap them on, they will follow the same pattern in relation to the writing board as the other one.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12826 Copy

    Jericho5589

    In regards to the time period each series takes place in. What time period is it during Mistborn whilst the other series are going on?(More specifically. Is it Wax during Stormlight? Or still Vin?)

    Brandon Sanderson

    Stormlight is closer to Wax than Vin, but takes place between the two.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12828 Copy

    focoma

    Are the Essences strictly just a Roshar thing, or are they also connected to the manifestations of Investiture on other Shardworlds? For example, is the Essence of Foil in any way connected to the Metallic Arts of Scadrial?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The idea that things exist on three realms is not unique to Roshar.

    That those things are self-aware is a Rosharan thing, though other places in the cosmere have similar beliefs.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12829 Copy

    wackyHair

    What's the population of the shardworld's we've seen so far (even in very general terms, like one's much bigger than the others or something)?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Scadrial is certainly the least populated of the major shard worlds. Then Nalthis, I'd guess, followed by Roshar, and finally Sel--which likely has the largest population. I would have to look closely to see which is bigger between those last two.

    Phantine

    Does a population of about 100 million during The Final Empire (with 1-2 million in Luthadel), and around 15 million during Alloy of Law (with about 5 million in Elendel) seem right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Have to RAFO this for now, for reasons I can't explain without giving spoilers.

    Phantine

    How about as far as Elend/Wax knows, at the beginning of their respective series?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Then those numbers, if they're off, are at least close.

    faragorn

    Interesting that Sel has such a large population, given that the actual numbers of soldiers shown seem to be quite small.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Let's just say that Opelon has an inflated opinion of its own size in relation to the rest of the world.

    Footnote: The RAFO about the Scadrian population may be due to the existence of the Southerners, which had not been revealed as of this time.
    #elendel #luthadel #scadrial #sel
    Sources: Reddit
    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12830 Copy

    Sharadee

    I am going to shamelessly take advantage of the fact that you are still answering questions here (and wow ! thanks for that). It's about the sprens. Isn't it inconvenient in some social situations if sprens can give away people's emotions? For example, if someone is working hard to hide their anger and angersprens appear... Can people have any kind of control over them appearing ?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, it can be inconvenient. And you'll see more about this in future books.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12832 Copy

    vandar10

    Will we see in Nightblood why the Returned base Breath cannot be given away in the same way the other Breath are given?? I'm referring to the fact that when a Returned gives his Breath the person who receive it don't reach any Heightening but use it to heal instead of reaching the Fifth Heightening and healing anyway.

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12833 Copy

    vandar10

    Could someone with enough Breaths use part of them to heal himself without the help of a Returned?? Could the God King have healed himself without Lightsong with enough knowledge?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The nature of the Warbreaker magic is tied to the shard of Endowment, which is about giving. There are, therefore, things you cannot do for yourself.

    RobotAztec

    For healing can Big Breaths heal only one person at a time or can you heal a bunch of people at once?(as long as they are not yourself)?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Legends say you can heal many.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12835 Copy

    Argent

    Are the glyphs on The Way of Kings front sheet the Alethi glyphs for the Radiant orders and the Surges? If so, can you tell us the name (i.e. the pronunciation) of the Windrunners glyph? Or, if you don't have this one, maybe another one?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. I'll see if we can get all of the pronunciations into the appendix of the third book.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12836 Copy

    KingSloth

    Does a Spinner Ferring have to be actively doing something to 'lose' fortune, while storing? Slightly worried that they'd end up giving themselves cancer or something if they were sat storing fortune, without doing something like playing cards to 'drain' the luck away from..

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12842 Copy

    yafeshan

    Scadrial will get to space age sometime in future, what about other worlds. Will we see space tech based on other magic systems, shiny space battles etc.? Did we see space age tech of a world in another main (roshar, sel, scadrial) world(conveniently excluding Sixth of Dusk world)?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The cosmere is heading this way eventually.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12843 Copy

    Argent

    How old would you say somebody has to be in order to attract a spren (with bonding intentions)? I can't imagine infants performing anything remarkable enough, but what about, say, 5-6 year olds? I could easily imagine them being selfless and protecting in their own little way - does this mean we can have children who can barely speak well Lashing their breakfast to the ceiling?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Someone like Lift is near the lower threshold, though it does depend on the spren in question.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12844 Copy

    minefieldpotato

    So, it's mentioned throughout the Mistborn books that Allomancers can 'see' their metal reserves to determine how much they have left. What allows them to do this? I really have no theories, except the boring one: 'It's an innate property of Allomancy and its interaction with Preservation.'

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's just an innate part of the magic. Not really because of Preservation. A Surgebinder will know when their stormlight is running out. It's more similar to how you might know your strength is running out when you're holding something heavy, though obviously more delineated.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12847 Copy

    psychomanexe

    I think that in the Spiritual realm a person's spiritweb sort of manifests as a collection of "nodes" which are the Forms of their body/mind/subconscious, and these nodes are connected by "lines" which are interactions between the pure Forms. These lines are what actually make up the person's character, how the body is "supposed" to be (barring accidents/disease, basically what magical healing attempts to restore the body to), as well as what interactions with investiture the person can use (what magic systems they have access to)

    Am I completely off base here or should I keep thinking about this?

    Brandon Sanderson

    This is a good line to be thinking along.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12849 Copy

    uchoo786

    Has Vasher met Hoid, and are they BFFs?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Not BFFs by a long shot.

    KingSloth

    Has Hoid seriously offended someone on EVERY planet he's been to? Kelsier, Shai, the Alethi nobility, who knows how many shards from Yolen, AND Vasher are all out for his blood..? :o

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's only a small fraction of the total list.

    /r/books AMA 2015 ()
    #12850 Copy

    WeiryWriter

    To what extent are Cognitive shadows the same as the individuals they are shadows of? Do you count them as the same person or are they just a "copy" so to speak? Or is this a discussion for philosophers (which you've said is the case with the cosmere's "far afterlife")?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I've considered answering this a few times, and have decided I just have to RAFO it. This is a discussion for philosophers, as you've said. It may become a plot point in future books.