Recent entries

    Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing ()
    #6752 Copy

    Questioner

    If someone—Vasher says that Nightblood would kill him, is that just because he has this one deific Breath? Would it kill an ordinary person, like a drab?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It would suck the Breath from anybody, and if they were unable to feed it he would feed on their soul.

    Questioner

    So they would die?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. Anyone wielding Nightblood, he will suck their soul. If for too long, he will eventually—if you draw him—will suck your soul.

    Warsaw signing ()
    #6754 Copy

    Questioner

    How many bridge runs did Kaladin make in the Way of Kings?

    Brandon Sanderson

    How many what? Bridge runs, oh boy. Fewer than he thought, but still a lot. Several dozen. He would have said hundreds but it wasn’t hundreds.

    Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing ()
    #6755 Copy

    Questioner

    The letter in the epigraphs in Way of Kings, the recipient—is he or she—are they in Words of Radiance?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They are not in Words of Radiance in person.

    Questioner

    Will they be in the next book?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a RAFO. But they have not appeared in person in the series yet.

    Footnote: The letter in The Way of Kings was written from Hoid to Frost.
    Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing ()
    #6758 Copy

    Questioner

    Which of your characters do you think would win in a fight?

    Brandon Sanderson

    At what stage in their career?

    Questioner

    Not the Slivers.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Okay, so they don't count, the Shards of Adonalsium don't count… Does Kelsier have atium?

    Questioner

    Yes, atium exists.

    Brandon Sanderson

    A Mistborn burning atium is really hard to beat in any other way.

    Questioner

    So you think that Kelsier would beat Vin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, Kelsier would beat Vin if he had atium and she didn't. If they both did? Vin has more raw talent, Kelsier has a lot more experience. So if you can pick Vin after she's had more experience she will give him a fair fight, but before that she will not.

    Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing ()
    #6760 Copy

    Questioner

    Szeth a lot of the time throughout Words of Radiance is referring to the fact that he's hearing his victims screaming in his head. Is that actually just his conscience screaming at him or has he possibly already bonded to a spren in some way, that is displeased with his actions?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That is not his spren, good question... It is not the spren—it is not a spren that is for one of the orders.

    Questioner

    Okay, but it is related to—

    Brandon Sanderson

    I didn't say that. I just said it is not a spren—it is not a Blade. It is not one of those.

    Email to Nepene - Re: Population of the Final Empire ()
    #6761 Copy

    Brandon Sanderson

    Blast. I've got that in my records somewhere. It's been a while, now. Off the top of my head, I believe Luthadel was the biggest city with around two million. (Peter might have a better read on this.) I was shooting for 1920 London, but with a slightly better flow of food in because of the imperial structure an absolute monarch offers. It was the biggest city by a long shot, though. Others would have trouble topping 100k. Probably a 25%/75% split urban rural, weighted on rural, through the entire empire. Scope is relatively small. Smaller than the US. Bigger than Korea. If you email [email protected], he might have the actual scale.

    Brandon

    Warsaw signing ()
    #6763 Copy

    Questioner

    *Inaudible* How long will we have to wait for Arcanum 2?

    Brandon Sanderson

    A long time, I'm afraid. I don't want to write it until I have Stormlight 10 done, so it's a long ways off.

    Questioner

    *Inaudible*.

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will. And you'll definitely get some bits and pieces.

    Footnote: Based on Oversleep's notes, it's possible the question was about the Conflux book.
    #needs attention
    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6764 Copy

    Kythis

    How did Pattern actually become a Shardblade even though he hadn't been fully pulled into the Physical Realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He had been pulled into the Physical Realm before when Shallan was younger, and she almost broke her bond.  And in so doing . . . 

    Kythis

    But he didn't go mad.

    Brandon Sanderson

    She didn't completely break the bond.  She didn't reject him completely.  But it was dangerous there for a while.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6768 Copy

    Brandon Sanderson

    So, since I was doing other things.  Hemalurgy-when you spike, you place the spike in a place that determines which charge the spike gets.  

    Kythis

    Through the heart seems to pick up universally.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It depends on where in the heart. It's like acupuncture. This was designed from acupuncture and you get very specific on which nerve you're hitting and things like that

    Kythis

    So the spike will never pick up more than one power.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, the way they know how to do it.

    Footnote: This clarifies two previous questions.
    #hemalurgy
    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6769 Copy

    Kythis

    Would the spike that has all four charges, could you actually reuse it and give a different person a different power, or even the same person a different power?  

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.  When you first spike. . .

    Kythis

    It loses all the other ones?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.  Where you place the spike.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6770 Copy

    Kythis

    When you spike somebody, say a full Mistborn, with a steel spike, it could end up with four different charges.  Does it get all four of them it just depends on where you place it?  

    Brandon Sanderson

    Where you place it it can get all four.  Spiking a full Mistborn wastes a lot of power and the way that it's known, I mean, it doesn't have to, but the way that it's known to do it right now.

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6771 Copy

    Kythis

    Does Khriss owe Nazh a new coat?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Is what?

    Kythis

    Is Khriss owe Nazh a new coat?  That little picture in there where it says 'you owe me a new coat'.  I'm wondering if that's Khriss who owes the coat.  Not going to tell me on that one either?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm gonna stay closed mouthed on Khriss.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6772 Copy

    Kythis

    So a couple days ago you mentioned this person called Khriss.  Has he actually appeared or been referenced in any. . . 

    Brandon Sanderson

    She has appeared, and . . . 

    Kythis

    She.  I guessed as much because one of the pictures said 'Dear Woman' toward the end of the book.  So she has appeared or been referenced.  

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, she has appeared in. . . if you ask around about Khriss, she has appeared in unpublished books.

    Kythis

    Is Khriss the author of some of those Ars [Arcana] perhaps?  

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh I don't know.  That's very interesting.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6773 Copy

    Kythis

    The Annotations is actually what got me started.  And I was wondering do we have any Stormlight ones in the pipeline?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes I have finished Part I of The Way of Kings.  That's not a ton, but I eventually intend to do the entire book.  The problem I've run into is that I reference Way of Kings Prime a whole ton while writing them, because it's what is in my head. 

    Kythis

    And it's a lot a mixed content.  

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, and so it might be better when I can release Way of Kings Prime to accompany them, but I will be doing that.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6775 Copy

    Questioner

    Soulcasters that use the fabrial.  Do they visit Shadesmar?  Or do we see more about them?  Because they are hidden and there is something about them that they get the stone face.  

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.  The actual Soulcasters.  The use of of the Soulcasters is affecting them on one of the realms other than physical.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6776 Copy

    Questioner

    What do you make of, like you were talking about earlier, you're hoping to be nicer, whereas someone like George R. R. Martin or, what's his name?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Abercrombie? 

    Questioner

    Yeah.  They tend to be very graphic.  

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm glad there is diversity in the genre.  And I am glad that there is a lot for different people to find and enjoy.  I personally feel that I want my books. . . I find that writing as I said to someone else  *inaudible* and for John?  I find writing about good people put in bad situations is important for me.  And I want to read books about people that have admirable qualities that I want to--People that I want to hang out with.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6777 Copy

    Questioner

    What heightening is Hoid?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I don't know what you are talking about.  Heightening?  He's just the king's Wit.  

    Questioner 2

    With perfect pitch.

    Brandon Sanderson

    With perfect pitch.  Yeah he does have perfect pitch.  

    Questioner 2

    Now that he has it.  I noticed it now.  

    Brandon Sanderson

    You're just obviously misconstruing that.  

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6779 Copy

    Questioner

    How many books are there going to be and how long is it going to take?  I only have so long to wait.  

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's two five book series: a five book arc which will come to an end, and then there will be a break, and then another five book arc.  

    Questioner

    In what time span?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm going to try to do them fast.  It won't be as long between the first and second.  Probably every eighteen months.  

    Interview with Isaac Stewart ()
    #6781 Copy

    Trevor Green

    I believe you create merchandise for The Way of Kings and Mistborn. How's that going? Do you ever see people wearing your stuff out in the wild?

    Isaac Stewart

    InkWing Arts (link here) is the business my wife Kara and I have put together to showcase the artwork I've created for Brandon's worlds. Right now we primarily sell bookmarks and t-shirts, but watch in the future as we add patches, art prints, and games. The goal there is to make cool things based on cool worlds. It's been a lot of fun to interact with fans in this way.

    I mostly see the shirts at Brandon's signing events. But my eleven year old son came to me the other day and said he saw someone wearing one of our shirts at the grocery store. He thought that was pretty cool. So did I!

    Interview with Isaac Stewart ()
    #6782 Copy

    Trevor Green

    What are some of the books you've been a part of, and what exactly were you in charge of?

    Isaac Stewart

    I’m responsible for all the maps and symbols in the four (so far) Mistborn novels as well as all the symbols, chapter headings, maps, color end pages, and Navani's notebook pages in Brandon's Way of Kings. (The other artwork in the book was done by Michael Whelan, Ben McSweeney, and Ben Call. I'm thrilled to be showcased in the same book with these amazing artists.)

    On the design side of things, I've been designing self-published books—covers and interiors—for a while, but recently had the luck to get into the business professionally with the book design for Bryce Moore's YA novel, Vodnik. I've also done covers for some ebook re-releases of some science fiction and fantasy classics from the 80s.

    In addition to Brandon's maps, I've also worked on maps in the re-release of Robert Silverberg's Nebula-winning novel A Time of Changes and the upcoming reprint of his very-enjoyable Downward to the Earth.

    Interview with Isaac Stewart ()
    #6783 Copy

    Trevor Green

    On a similar note, The Way of Kings has a lot of symbols associated with different aspects of the book. Were you involved with creating those, and if so, how did you design them?

    Isaac Stewart

    I created forty-plus symbols for The Way of Kings. Many of these are found in the color charts in the hardcover version of the book (link here). My absolute favorites are used at the beginning of each Part (one of them is debossed on the book's hardcase beneath the dust jacket). I used Arabic word art and the shard blades as inspiration for these. Many of the originals were drawn on an iPod Touch and later brought into Photoshop for clean up.

    Interview with Isaac Stewart ()
    #6784 Copy
    mb01_SYMBOLS-webres.jpg

    Trevor Green

    I know some of us have heard the story of how you came up with the symbols for Mistborn, but tell those of us who haven't how they came about.

    Isaac Stewart

    I'd drawn about a half dozen pages of symbols inspired by my first reading of the book. Pages with dozens and dozens of tiny, intricate symbols—maybe someday I'll write a post about the process: Failed Allomantic Symbol Designs. But nothing was really working for me or Brandon.

    I'd collected a lot of reference material for the steel inquisitors—nails, railroad spikes, those sorts of things—and one day when I was looking at a picture of a rusty pile of bent up nails, I saw the symbol for iron. It was a Beautiful Mind experience. The symbol just jumped out at me. Glowing and everything.

    After that initial experience with the symbol for iron, it was easy to come up with the others. The bent nail part eventually became the crescent shapes used in the final book.

    Interview with Isaac Stewart ()
    #6785 Copy

    Trevor Green

    You've been involved with some pretty big projects over the last few years. Tell us what it's been like working on the art for novels such as the Mistborn trilogy and The Way of Kings.

    Isaac Stewart

    Writing, art, and book publishing have always been my biggest interests, so working on these great books has been very fulfilling.

    I get the manuscript early on in the process, print it out, and go through the whole thing with a pencil, marking it up with notes about artistic details and tiny maps marking places in relationship to each other. Then comes my favorite part of the process: working with Brandon and his assistant Peter to make sure that my vision melds with Brandon's vision for the book. We usually do a lot of revisions and emails to get to the point where we're all happy with the results. I cannot say enough good about Brandon and Peter; they are both gentlemen to the core.

    Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing ()
    #6789 Copy

    Questioner

    What Jasnah did, in the first book, with Shallan in the alleyway and what happened at the end of this book... between Adolin and the other character [Sadeas]. Would you put them on the same level? Or would you say that what Adolin did was maybe a little bit darker?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I would say that what Adolin did was less dark, personally... It just depends on your perspective, but personally I say what Adolin did was something that needed to be done and no one else was capable of doing.

    Questioner

    Would you say that it's going to have any ramifications for him down the line? With how it was handled?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh it's definitely—how it's handled, definitely there are ramifications, lots of ramifications. And there are certain characters who would think that what he did is totally, totally, totally wrong.

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6792 Copy

    Questioner

    So, Sigzil is Hoid's apprentice.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Sigzil claims that Hoid is his master.

    Questioner

    Cool, very cool.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, you didn't ask me any questions.  You just made a statement.

    Questioner

    Is there anything you can tell us about that?

    Questioner 2

    Is Sigzil a worldhopper?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Sigzil is not a worldhopper. Sigzil spent some time with Hoid during one of Hoid's visits.

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6794 Copy

    Questioner

    Can you tell me anything about Tension or Cohesion?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I haven't truly written these magics in yet, so they might change as I actually write the scenes. But they are... Tension is the ability to take something flexible and make it rigid. Which you think sounds simple, but there are so many cool things you could do with that.

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6796 Copy

    Brandon Sanderson

    Syl's inspiration came from a lot of different places. I'm not sure if I can point to one thing.  The spren are inspired by Japanese mythology, that everything has a soul. That is the original inspiration for it.  But Syl as a character, I'd been toying with forever, and I think she came about as a counterpoint to Kaladin's darkness; a figure of light that I knew that the story would need.

    Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing ()
    #6798 Copy

    Questioner

    One of the things I love so much about your books are the illustrations and the maps, even though I'm really bad with maps. So I guess I was wondering, do you have a really clear vision in your head for what you want them to be or...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It depends on the book. In some cases I do. In some cases I'm more vague and I work with my illustrator through several iterations then decide what we want.

    Words of Radiance Omaha signing ()
    #6800 Copy

    Questioner

    I was thinking about the Shardplate in Dalinar's first vision and how it looks different than any other plate now.  Would that be like how Syl could only transform after he said that second round... or was it third round of oaths, so is the Shardplate just like the next set, or would that be a totally different set of...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm totally going to RAFO you.  Look you've got a RAFO.  You are asking good questions.