Questioner
I struggle because I go through books so quick, and so I've gone through a lot of your recommendations, and a lot of other recommendations from other people on reddit, on your reddit page, but where do you find books that you read?
Brandon Sanderson
These days normally it is people ask me for cover quotes. And so what people send in, I read the first few pages, or my wife, she reads voraciously and what she finds-- Like The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks, I got that from her, if you haven't read that it's really good. It's like half non-fiction book, well it's all non-fiction but half like science writing and half biography, it's really cool. Definitely check out Uprooted when it comes out, that's very good. You've read the Hyperion books?
Questioner
Yes.
Brandon Sanderson
Ok, what else is good that you may not have really read? My recommendations right, if you've read Guy Gavriel Kay...
Bystander
Yeah...the student of yours who wrote a book?
Brandon Sanderson
Ah yeah Brian McClellan's. You've read Brain McClellan's? You've read everything! Something old and long...Elric [by Michael Moorcock]. Elric's pretty decent. It depends on if you like heroic fantasy, you know more of-- that, and David Gemmel, both of those heroic fantasy, try one, see if you like that style there's a ton of them out there.
Questioner
The Nahel bond, what determines whether you get a Cryptic or an honorspren?
Brandon Sanderson
The spren themselves.
Questioner
So it doesn't have to do with the Orders of the Knights Radiant?
Brandon Sanderson
If you match, you have to attract the spren, the same way you attract emotionspren, you have to attract the right spren for the Order.
Questioner
Since Hoid is the Horneater god, are there, or at least implied, would other Shards--
Brandon Sanderson
Hoid is not a Shard.
Questioner
Or other Shards that are related to Hoid, since they are in the same time period. Would they also be Horneater gods?
Brandon Sanderson
I think that the Horneaters might interpret things very differently from their reality, as they are viewing certain things happening--
Questioner
So would they originally be from Roshar, or would they have travelled from somewhere else?
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO, it depends on the person. Hoid is not originally from Roshar.
Questioner
Is there a way to tell between different Investitures?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
For each Shard.
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, for each Shard? Each Shard-- Most of the magics have built into them that ability, but I wouldn't say that everyone does. I am trying to remember if they all do... I lot of them have a power that would allow you to do that, but I don't know if every one of them does.
Questioner
No, I mean that, in the ones that do have [this ability], they can tell the difference between each one.
Brandon Sanderson
If you were really good at burning bronze, you could use bronze to distinguish between different types of Investiture from different planets even. And that sort of skill does exist in other magic systems.
Argent
Is it like a wavelength kind of thing?
Brandon Sanderson
Yea, that's exactly what it is.
Questioner
Is it possible to become a Sliver if you burn enough atium?
Brandon Sanderson
I don't think so.
Questioner
Is there a limit to how many Shardblades you can have? Be bonded to?
Brandon Sanderson
Theoretically, not really. There are some things that can limit bound that.. I can imagine people have a lot. In the original draft of The Way of Kings (2002) Amaram had two. And so, it's definitely possible to have multiples, and I had not thought of someone trying to bond every Shardblade.
Questioner
So that means you can be bonded to more than one spren.
Brandon Sanderson
Well, those Shardblades... Can you be bonded to more than one spren? That question's answer is also yes. Potentially. But there is a much harder limit on that.
Questioner
Can you tell us which Shard is with the new story?
Brandon Sanderson
This is a world that does not currently have a Shard.
Questioner
If you were to use Allomancy to fly faster than light, would it be like the Navigators in Dune, where you pick out the best possible route through the stars?
Brandon Sanderson
No, good question though! That's not quite the way, I haven't really given you the tools to figure it out, because I feel that the tools to figure it out, I couldn't give to the characters early enough. I wanted it to progress with the technological development, so hints are only just really brief in the story.
Questioner
May I ask you what your revision process is?
Brandon Sanderson
My revision process is very goal-oriented. I decide what I want to change about the book, I write it all in a big notes file, and I organize them by how important it is and how far-reaching the changes are. And then I start revising with <the file> open beside me, always watching to make tweaks to fit the goals I have established.
Questioner
Oh, okay. And do you find yourself able to remember everything you've written when you go back and--
Brandon Sanderson
No, that's why-- you got your document here and you've got your revision file here and watching [the revisions file] while revising I'm trying to clear things off this list, and then things near the bottom will move up. And I'll sometimes need to do two or three drafts to clear everything off the list, but being goal-based in it helps me a lot.
Questioner
The prevailing theory on the 17th Shard is that [Hoid] worldhops using Shadesmar. I was wondering if you were willing to confirm or deny that?
Brandon Sanderson
Hoid has indeed gotten between worlds before through Shadesmar.
Questioner
And would you be willing to give us a hint as to how he does that?
Brandon Sanderson
There are hints in the books. There is a hint in the very first cosmere book I released [Elantris]. [...] Which I thought was a huge hint, but so far I haven't seen anyone talking about it.
Argent
Really?
Brandon Sanderson
Mmhmm. [...] I thought that once people started figuring the Cosmere, they would see the massive in-your-face hint I put in that book, but so far, as far as I know, no one has. *brief conversation about Brandon's tendency to drop sneaky hints and how he likes doing that* Now, the one [hint] about the map [of Roshar], that one I don't think is obvious. I know people have been trying to figure it out. It's something fun once you figure it out, but it's not something huge and obvious. The Elantris once was, like, enormously "HIIINT!"
Questioner
In Shadesmar you describe the beads, they are like little beads, this big, BB size...
Brandon Sanderson
They are bigger than BB size.
Questioner
Okay, and everything melts into beads. But when people pick them them up, do they form into the thing they are supposed to be, or just one bead represents the stick, and--
Brandon Sanderson
One bead represents the item that is seen and views itself as a cohesive thing.
Questioner
Is there a picture inside it, or...?
Brandon Sanderson
We will get more into this as time progresses.
Questioner
In the future Mistborn trilogies, is there going to be any spectator sports revolved around the magic system?
Brandon Sanderson
That is very likely. In fact, one of the reasons I wrote The Rithmatist was to play around with a magic system that's used as a sport, as a game.
Questioner
Why can Stormlight heal Lopen's arm, but can't heal Kaladin's scars?
Brandon Sanderson
Because *photo pause* a lot of the healing in the Cosmere works on principles of expectation and how you envision yourself.
Questioner
So Kaladin has accepted the scars.
Brandon Sanderson
Kaladin has accepted the scars, and Lopen never accepted the one arm. It's a good question, it's one I am hoping people will ask. [...] It's one of these ties when I built the magic systems that I wanted certain threads to run through them, so when I eventually have them being used in the same books, that there will be consistency among them, that so they won't feel like everything's just thrown together. So, for instance, the intention and expectation, for instance, in Warbreaker-- What you want to have happened influences what does happen, the expectation, the way you are thinking about things. Very important for most of the Cosmere magics.
Questioner
Elhokar's assassination attempt, the drained spheres [from his Plate] - was that <him> Surgebinding?
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO. Good question. [...] Let me say this. Drawing the Stormlight from an active set of Shards is very difficult to do.
Brandon Sanderson
I'm actually writing a-- I planned, I don't know if I'll get to it, but I planned an in-between [Stormlight] books short story called King Lopen the First of Alethkar. And I'm hoping I'll get a chance to write that and stick it up there for you guys, but yes. Because if you see at the end he is claiming to have been a king for a while. You will find out why he claims that.
Questioner
Will Jasnah be one of the characters that gets her own book?
Brandon Sanderson
She will be.
Dragon13
Have we seen any characters who is a part of multiple [secret] organizations, for example the Ghostbloods and the Sons of Honor?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes you have. *photo pause* I've a big cop out there, because you of know of one who is in the Ghostbloods and the Lightweavers. You give me opportunities, and I will answer truthfully.
Dragon13
I was wondering, the point of views for the prologues *photo pause* will we ever see one from Gavilar's point of view?
Brandon Sanderson
That's a big ol' RAFO. Because I want it to be surprising to see who you get each book.
Eric
If Adonalsium Shattered with intent, would he always Shatter with the same Shards?
Brandon Sanderson
It is plausible that it could've gone a different way.
Eric
So it could've been different Shards?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, that's plausible.
Eric
The gemstone [Gavilar] gives to Szeth in the beginning of the book [The Way of Kings], is that the gemstone that's spoken of in the epigraphs?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
[I noticed] Nazh's name at the bottom of the illustrations a lot - is that a character that's going to come in in the future?
Brandon Sanderson
He's already appeared in the books. Very very cameo-ish tangential things, you have to be really looking to spot him.
*brief conversation about space age Mistborn*
Argent
Books, plural?
Brandon Sanderson
He wasn't in The Way of Kings, no. Not on screen, I don't think.
Questioner
I was kind of curious, is Nightblood gonna be able to drain Stormlight or is it going to drain--
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood will drain any Investiture it can get its hands on, so yes.
Questioner
Will main characters from books 1-5 [of Stormlight] also show up [in books 6-10]?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. They will be about as prevalent, maybe a little bit more than ones from 6-10 are in these [Stormlight 1-5].
Questioner
Is it possible - not will there be, but is it possible - for a Parshendi to become a Knight Radiant?
Brandon Sanderson
In the past, they would've said [no]. How about this, in-world everybody would tell you no. It's never happened.
Questioner
I'm assuming there's going be be ten opposite orders to the Knights Radiant? Yes? No?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO! That's big ol' RAFO!
Questioner
That spren that are of Odium, that are in the Everstorm - are there more of those and will they pair directly as opposites of the <Nahel spren>?
Brandon Sanderson
There are more of them. There is not an exact one-to-one correlation?
Questioner
Are gemhearts, the gems in those chemically identical to mined [gem] stones?
Brandon Sanderson
*clarification* They are very similar. Not 100% chemically identical, they are far more pure for one thing. You would call them the same substance, but you would say, "Wow, this gem has no impurities." They may have flaws, but no impurities. Meaning, in a lot of gemstones the colors waver and vary as they different minerals come in, and things like that, and so what makes a--
Questioner
So it's just a pure ionic bond?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah.
Questioner
Is Jasnah still alive at the end of the book, since the whole scene where she kind of appears...
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, she is.
Argent
*photo pause* Why does she take so long to come back?
Brandon Sanderson
Because Elsecalling is not precise even if you know what you are doing, which she doesn't.
Questioner
Can I ask about the wrong decision in the beginning of the original The Way of Kings?
Brandon Sanderson
In the original [The] Way of Kings Kaladin wins and Shardblade and Plate and keeps it.
ladyknightradiant
Have we seen all four of the genders for the Parshendi?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
ladyknightradiant
So it's more than just malen and femalen?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, male and female. So, basically, in my original notes I was trying to decide if I should call them [something else?] but they-- eventually we ended up-- It's basically, they have a male neuter and female neuter, and then a male and a female. So yes, there are four genders. [...] And, if you can't tell, the malen and femalen are both asexual, completely.
Questioner
In regards to the one-armed Lopen - which arm is missing?
Brandon Sanderson
*photo pause* I have always imagined it as his left, but I don't know if I ever said or canonized it.
SpringWarmCold
Has Hoid been on Roshar before The Way of Kings?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Brandon Sanderson
[brandon spoke about how he planned all of The Stormlight Archive books to be named after in-world books - that's where the "archive" part comes from. Book #3 will be pretty... unique. He said we'll know what he is talking about when we see it (so I guess it won't be a normal book format or something. Maybe the Shin write their books on stone tablets or something...).]
Argent
(paraphrased)
Brandon talked about something he called "Honor's purposes" or maybe "Honor's Purposes," and how they are the reason 10 is such a holy and dominant number - I assumed it meant Honor has (had) 10 of those Purposes. It was heavily implied in the conversation that Odium, if he has similar Purposes, does not have 10 of them.
Questioner
In the last part of the book [Words of Radiance], Wit is talking to <the songling>, and says "If you think hard, this sentence is really clever." Are there any implications beyond this, or was that him just talking?
Brandon Sanderson
Go compare to another sentence he used earlier in the book. He is making a pun off of the sentence he used before. [...] It's not as clever as he thinks he is, I'll just warn you that.
Questioner
Are the people from Dalinar's visions, the ones he has the vision through, related to one another?
Brandon Sanderson
No. It's not a Wheel of Time thing where you are going through generations. Good question.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Is Hoid human?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Hoid was human a long time ago. Now... it's complicated. We would call him human, and so will pretty much everyone else, but he is not exactly that.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
What spren types are Glys, Ivory, and Wyndle?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO, because I haven't decided yet. I know generally what they are, but I don't know how I am going to call them in the books. It happens with other things in my writing, Shards for example - Odium was originally Hatred; the idea was the same, but I decided to change the actual word.
Argent
(paraphrased)
Is the number of Unmade fixed?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes.
Argent
(paraphrased)
Is it ten, is it ten, is it ten, is it ten, is it ten?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Is it ten? No, it's not ten.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
[Why did Syl use the word "thy" after Kaladin spoke the words of the Third Ideal?]
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Because in their language she was using a more antiquated version of their language, and so that's the best English translation.
Brandon Sanderson
The glyphs on the cover of the [US hardcover Stormlight] books do represent the Order of the Knights Radiant that is being investigated in that book, as is the color of the book. If you look, it represents the color [of the] them in their, sort of, periodic table of Surgebindings in the first book's front endpages.
Brandon Sanderson
Now, I will say there is one thing I've been wanting to do for a long time that will probably never happen so don't get too excited. But I had this awesome idea once, and these come to me, where I would write a book with Pat Rothfuss where *audience gets too excited*-- wait, wait, you've gotta hear this pitch - where we both have a set of characters who're competing for misaligned goals, like one wants to save somebody and one wants to assassinate somebody-- they've cross purposes. And we write them, and exchange chapters, and have try to assassinate each other and fiddle with each other's plots. And we get it to, like, 80% of the way done and then we send it to George Martin, and we say "read this and decide the ending and then we'll write it *audience laughter and applause*. And so the reason I want to this is so we can write on the cover, it's not "Brandon Sanderson and Pat Rothfuss", it's "Brandon Sanderson vs. Pat Rothfuss". And see who wins at the end if we can convince George not to kill all of our characters. It's never going to happen, but wouldn't that be fun?
Brandon Sanderson
Is it possible to have both an Honorblade and a spren? Yes it is.
Argent
In The Stormlight Archive there have been multiple writing systems, [which] as a part of a community effort we've translated, for the most part, the Alethi [Vorin women's script], the Thaylen. Can you talk about the technical details of the glyphs writing system?
Brandon Sanderson
The glyphs were designed by Isaac Steward. He is my scribe, artist, and cartographer. He is also the art director at my company. We sat down and I wanted something symmetrical, so actually half of the glyph is repeated. When you read into it, it's symmetrical, and you can read them by the points where they slant, but you will have to go talk to him about exactly how to do it, because I say "I want a glyph for this" and he designs it. So they are readable, but-- The thing that I used as a model is, I got Arabic art; if you guys haven't read Arabic word art it's gorgeous, it's really cool. And sometimes when it gets really distorted you have to know already what it says, and that's how some of the glyphs are.
Questioner
I've always wondered, was there actually a plan for [Sazed] to bring Vin and Kelsier back?
Brandon Sanderson
No. In fact I wrote that epilogue after initial test reads from the audience all thought "we need more closure, we need more closure" so I actually wrote a mention from him of them just because I wanted give you indication "they're okay" but that is it, Vin and Elend are not returning.
Questioner
What do you have to do with the 17th Shard? I was always curious.
Brandon Sanderson
They wanted to start a fansite and so I gave them my blessing, gave them a name that would mean something once they started it. But otherwise I don’t have anything to do with them.
Questioner
How do the timelines line up? So they're all in the same universe. But how does Stormlight and--
Brandon Sanderson
They are mostly been chronological, yet Alloy-era is after Stormlight book 5.
Questioner
Okay.
Brandon Sanderson
Otherwise, mostly chronological. White Sand is before most of this happens. So if you ever read that one, it’s a pretty early book.
Questioner
There is a Mistborn pen & paper RPG, Dungeons & Dragons style RPG does it give more information on the world?
Brandon Sanderson
It does.
Though I oversaw that I let them go-- They wanted to do more than I felt comfortable doing myself for my timing, so I let them go pretty crazy. So I say that it is canon until I contradict it. And some of it I will end up contradicting because they needed to be able to make the game the best way they could and I didn’t feel comfortable telling them all the stuff that was coming up because I didn’t want that to sneak into there.
For those who don’t know the Mistborn books, I’m going to do across the period of many centuries of writing—no, of in-world time.
*laughter*
The initial pitch to my editor was past, present, future. So the Mistborn books, we still haven’t hit present yet. We will eventually hit-- Present for these is going to be 1980’s level spy thriller, Tom Clancy-esque Mistborn with Allomancy. Yeah, it’s going to be really cool. The main character, she’s a code monkey who gets involved in all of this. It is really cool. And then we are going to go forward from there to the point where we get to a space opera and epic-- science-fiction space opera where Allomancy and Feruchemy have become the means by which space travel is possible. So that’s coming [...] I’m six books into what's going to be many, many. So just anticipate that with excitement.
Questioner
How do you hint at something, like you hinted at some characters in Shadows of Self without making it feel forced?
Brandon Sanderson
This is all the sort of thing that you judge using early readers. You put in what you feel is right, you have them read it and give you responses to it, and then you back off if they're feeling like it's too heavy handed, and you add more if they're not noticing at all. And that is the best way to learn this, just by getting test readers. Because your own instincts are kind of hard to trust on things like foreshadowing and things like this. So yeah, just get some good early readers and see what they do.
Questioner
Are there going to be any more stories set in The Emperor’s Soul time?
Brandon Sanderson
You will probably see Shai again but I can’t promise that I will do another story just about her. That’s in part because The Emperor’s Soul turned out so well, that it feels like one of those things that feels like it should be left alone. It just-- Not everything needs a sequel. And in some ways it was so successful that it’s better not to do one, if that makes sense.
