/sffg/ - Science Fiction and Fantasy General

[Anonymous No.20076610]

Symbelmyne Edition

Previous Thread:>>20067176

>Recommended reading charts (Look here before asking for vague recs)
https://mega.nz/folder/kj5hWI6J#0cyw0-ZdvZKOJW3fPI6RfQ

>Archive
>>>>>>/lit/?task=search2&search_subject=sffg

>Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1029811-sffg

>A link to the ultimate colossal science fiction and fantasy collection torrent
>>>/t/1023504

>Discord
Never going to be created.

[None !SFFG.n1h7M No.20076616]

Edgedancer, The Stormlight Archive #2.5 - Brandon Sanderson (2017)

This was very interesting on a meta level. More so how others have reacted to it than the work itself, which is somewhat lacking on its own. Oftentimes when I read Sanderson I'm unable to discern whether it's what I think it is or if it's me projecting. I feel that he regularly obscures his intent. People are drawn more to superficial flashy stuff than to notice what underlies it. Of course, it could all just be apophenia. When I was reading this I felt more strongly that way than from anything else I've read from him.

The rest of this is speculation about what I think is obscured, which is only my personal opinion and me having fun. I'm interested to see how it all goes by the end. It'll likely remain obscured, which is disappointing, but if Sanderson think it's necessary, then that's just how it is. This is a story where Lift is the only viewpoint character and she does stuff. There isn't really much I want to say otherwise, because I don't find it worthwhile to write about. These are only very surface level thoughts due to self-imposed strictures, mostly that of length. Mild spoilers follow.

At face value, Lift is a zany preteen constantly engaged in nonstop antics, much to the dismay of those around her and even the readers. If you look past that though, she's an entirely different character. She seeks to fool others, and perhaps especially the reader. I don't know that it's well-suited for entertainment though. I assume at least an ambient level of religiosity in Sanderson's works which is sometimes obscured so that it isn't overt and obvious. A more dubious example of this would be the alleged relationship between Insane Clown Posse and religion.

Lift is a character who is in the world, but not of the world. What do I mean by that common Christian statement? Search the phrase for a more in-depth explanation if you need it. In her case this is shown by her rejection of basically anything worldly, though various exceptions are allowed to maintain her plausibility. She forgoes all material wealth, aids the poor and downtrodden, and embraces even those who would seek to destroy her and everything she holds dear with compassion. What an idealistic view, though congruent with prescribed behavior. Of course, she's only human and has her own traumas that influence her actions as well. Do note that this is about ideals rather than a 1:1 correspondence with the real world. While this is all very nice to speculate about, I'd prefer either a more forthright character or at least less misunderstood, though that may be intentional.

To contrast with her the antagonist is utterly of the world, her opposite in many ways. He has placed all that he is in the law and its institutions. Forsworn has he his self entire, thus replaced by external rule. His is the inflexible ritual of legalism without heart. In the end, to what gain? Naught but the ashes of a life.

Rating: 3/5

[Anonymous No.20076619]

What fucking trash is this?

[Anonymous No.20076651]

Do you people ever talk about series from early 1900s to 1950s? I heard that there are tons of books like Sword and Planet that mirror Conan, and that some of them are actually really deep - only forgotten by time.

Any series worth giving a try from that era?

[Anonymous No.20076656]

>>20076616
>This was very interesting on a meta level

[Anonymous No.20076661]

>>20076616
Edgedancer's a weird one, because it mostly isn't really 'about' much. Lift goes to a place, fights the guy who was chasing her until he has a mental breakdown and then hugs him. Also bug-man. I think it's better to view it as a long interlude chapter like the main Stormlight books have, because it just feels wrong otherwise.

[Anonymous No.20076678]

Ignore this thead, some reddit tranny just had to make a thead with female in the op, you will never be a woman.

Real /sffg/
>>20076603

[Anonymous No.20076685]

>>20076678
fuck off american shitposter

[Anonymous No.20076694]

>>20076656
I'd only be speculating as to what you meant by this

>>20076661
It really isn't about much at all indeed. I agree it's basically a long interlude chapter and considering that Sanderson said it was meant to be 14k instead of almost 40k, that was probably what it was intended to be.

[Anonymous No.20076703]

>>20076694
For what it's worth, I think the second Stormlight novella is much better, as it's far more detached and a more solo adventure of proper proportions. But Edgedancer feels like Sanderson went "Oh shit in book 3 a character is just inexplicably less of an ass now" and had to backfill in with Edgedancer.

[Anonymous No.20076709]

>>20076610
Kek, pozzed.

[Anonymous No.20076726]

>>20076703
Well, part of the postscript says:
>In working on Stormlight Three, I also noticed a small continuity issue. By the time we see him again in that book, theHerald Nale will have accepted that his work of many centuries (watching and making sure the Radiants don’t return) is no longer relevant. This is a major shift in who he is and in his goals as an individual—and it felt wrong to have him undergo this realization offscreen. Edgedancer, then, was an opportunity to fix both of these problems—and to give Lift her own showcase.

So, yeah.

[Anonymous No.20076741]

>>20076726
Bit of an oddity to have, really. I don't hate Edgedancer, it just feels like a filler arc, which you don't really want in an epic fantasy (Wheel of Time showed what happens when you get those going), all it really does is give a bit more insight to Lift but not TOO much because she's being saved for SOMETHING in a later book (probably the second half of the series to be honest) so she just gets to slide around and make plants and eat food.

[Anonymous No.20076749]

[Anonymous No.20076769]

>>20076741
Yeah, well, I don't think it's that different overall from how filler-ish the books are in general. I wrote similarly about Words of Radiance in two threads or so ago.

As for whether it's for the second part of the series, I think I saw something about it being a huge tineskip, but I may be misremembering. Otherwise, yeah.

[Anonymous No.20076775]

>>20076769
I think he's said it's a ten year jump between books 5 and 6, and he's laid out (tentatively) who'll be the focal character for each book. I think Jasnah, Renarin, Taln and Lift are among them.

[Anonymous No.20076790]

>>20076775
Ah, just checked, it's (in no clear order), Lift, Renarin, Shalash, Taln, Jasnah.

[Anonymous No.20076794]

Started Camouflage by Joe Haldeman and I'm in, it's very funny. Not a comedy, just funny. I like this guy, going to look at his other novels in the future even though I'm not interested in Forever War right now.

[Anonymous No.20076804]

>>20076794
I like when non-comedic novels just suddenly have great comedic beats. Shows a good variation of tone. What's funny about it?

[Anonymous No.20076819]

>>20076804
There's two storylines that switch back and forth. One is the alien coming out of the ocean and pretending to be human. The other is like 80 years later and they're trying to get the alien vessel out of the ocean except it weighs 5000 tonnes and they're having problems.

[Anonymous No.20076825]

I don't like reading fantasy books when the world feels very small and only exists for the story to move along like on rail tracks

[Anonymous No.20076844]

>>20076790
I guess I was thinking more like Mistborn eras. I see.

[Anonymous No.20076853]

>>20076844
Yeah, no, the Mistborn eras are more separate stories at different periods in the same world, Stormlight is a grand epic fantasy story. That's his plans, at least, because this man just does not stop.

[Anonymous No.20076860]

>>20076794
>gender-bending
>One juror, Ursula K. Le Guin, wrote in her decision, "An ageless, sexless entity who can take any form is at first indifferent to gender; as it grows more human, the choice becomes more important to it; it ends up a woman by preference. If gender isn't the central concern of this novel, it's near the center.
but, anon, this is pozzed, why did you mention this book here? It has nothing to do with science fiction, it is political left wing agenda

[Anonymous No.20076863]

The first book wasn't as dark or edgy as I thought it would be, but I can see now why people call Fletcher THE SFF edgelord after this one.

[Anonymous No.20076874]

>>20076860
If you think that's a convincing parody of a right wing person you understand less than you imagine.

[Anonymous No.20076876]

>>20076863
God that cover seems incredibly pulpy in the best way. Just some Tom Selleck-looking fuck with an axe and no shirt in the rain, it's great.