Sanderson's Cosmere

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Chipotlemonger
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Maximus_Meridius said:

I don't know why, but I always hear a "slightly inebriated Speedy Gonzalez" voice when I read Lopen's lines.


Ha, good way to put it. I get that.
HummingbirdSaltalamacchia
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Lathspell said:

I always felt the Alethi were presented int he books as more middle-eastern/Indian than east-asian. However, due to Shallan's descriptions in the books, I've understood the Vedens to be much more caucasian.

She is literally described as pale-skinned, freckled, and with red hair. But i'm supposed to think she looks Asian? I call BS on that.

I've also always gone back and forth on the people from Iri, Rira, and the Reshi Isles. So many of them are blonde with tan skin.

And the end of the day, the exact race of each people isn't the MOST important thing to me. I do hope any adaptation doesn't present roshar as a modern day American city. You're supposed to notice someone is specifically Makabaki or from Vedenar, or Thaylenah. That's such an important part to the worldbuilding, and I know Brandon has specifically mentioned that. You may see more mixed near certain borders, but the various cultures stay fairly segregated. That is, aside from Bridge 4, apparently.


I think people tend to imagine themselves /people that look like them in things they read unless it's explicitly notated. Especially main characters. BS didn't make any of the characters with specific analogs in his descriptions, so I can see why fan art and the like tends to lean Caucasian with big Hollywood name comparisons. I know I did when I first read WoK (which is still my absolute fave) I guess I read something about the characters having more Asian characteristics between that and WoR, so since then I've always imagined the characters that way. For example, I've always envisioned Adolin to be like Henry Golding. Ironically I also have envisioned Dalinar being a Bautista type.

I would also echo that my hope, is with Hollywood knowing this, it encourages them to eventually do a worthwhile adaptation, with an heavily minority cast. Especially in the heels of how well received Shogun(and others) was.
Definitely Not A Cop
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My mental picture of Kaladin in WoK is Aladdin.
Lathspell
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Bautista is an interesting choice, though I don't know if he has the range to pull off such a leading character. Dalinar is in my top 3 favorite characters in any book I've read. I would have very high expectations for anyone taking on that role.

Difficult to find an Asian actor between 45 and 60 who has the sheer size and presence described to Dalinar. That would be such an important casting for any adaptation, if you want it to truly impact an audience.

I was googling Asian actors in that age range, just to see if any passed the "eye test" for me, and I thought Takehiro Hira's look could pull it off. He's also 6" tall, and you could boost him a little more with boots and such.

I would also wonder if you focused on a specific Asian culture for each Rosharan country. It's harder for me to tell the difference between chinese, japanese, korean, etc, and wouldn't want to just lump anyone with epicanthal folds into a single group. Granted, then you may run into simple casting issues.

Fun to think about.
Saxsoon
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Lathspell said:

Bautista is an interesting choice, though I don't know if he has the range to pull off such a leading character. Dalinar is in my top 3 favorite characters in any book I've read. I would have very high expectations for anyone taking on that role.

Difficult to find an Asian actor between 45 and 60 who has the sheer size and presence described to Dalinar. That would be such an important casting for any adaptation, if you want it to truly impact an audience.

I was googling Asian actors in that age range, just to see if any passed the "eye test" for me, and I thought Takehiro Hira's look could pull it off. He's also 6" tall, and you could boost him a little more with boots and such.

I would also wonder if you focused on a specific Asian culture for each Rosharan country. It's harder for me to tell the difference between chinese, japanese, korean, etc, and wouldn't want to just lump anyone with epicanthal folds into a single group. Granted, then you may run into simple casting issues.

Fun to think about.


I could see Daniel Dae Kim
Orome
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I agree with Takehiro. Him or Tadanobu Asano would be good. Honestly, I'm just thinking of Shogun and the standout actors from that series ha
Lathspell
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Yeah, I was looking at him, but thought he was probably too good looking and not rough looking enough for Dalinar, but you can do wonders with makeup.

You would probably end up with some very new actors for Kaladin (19-20 in WoK), Shallan (17), and Adolin (21-24).
Chipotlemonger
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Agreed on Dalinar being a favorite character. Been a while since I read 1-4, but I think Oathbringer is my favorite of the bunch in no small part thanks to Dalinar.
Definitely Not A Cop
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Heads up to anyone perusing other Cosmere fandoms online.

A book store in the Boston airport put WAT on the shelves early. Watch out for spoilers.
Chipotlemonger
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Appreciate the warning
Lathspell
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Finally finished my read through, and ready for Wind and Truth.

This second read through of RoW wasn't as bad as the first. I definitely think he could have shaved 200 pages off this book very easily, but it still went by quicker. I think one of the biggest things that affected me in this book on the first read is similar to my first read of Order of the Phoenix. **Harry Potter Spoilers** I remember thinking Order of the Phoenix was a depressing book when Umbridge took over Hogwarts. Basically took all the fun away and changed everything you were used to. The same is true with the conquering of Urithiru, for me. Now that I know exactly how it's going to turn out, it was much easier to read.

Though I'm still pissed with Moash and what he did to Teft.

I may start some of the prereleased chapters of Wind and Truth as we wait the final 2 weeks. I already read the prologue... interesting...
Saxsoon
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I truly believe you could cut out 200 pages in each of the Stormlight books and they would be fine
Quad Dog
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Once I saw RoW compared to Die Hard it made me like it more.
Saxsoon
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I haven't read much but it seems most agree that this book moves very quickly and there is not a lot of fluff
hunter2012
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Quad Dog said:

Once I saw RoW compared to Die Hard it made me like it more.
AgLiving06
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Saxsoon said:

Lathspell said:

Bautista is an interesting choice, though I don't know if he has the range to pull off such a leading character. Dalinar is in my top 3 favorite characters in any book I've read. I would have very high expectations for anyone taking on that role.

Difficult to find an Asian actor between 45 and 60 who has the sheer size and presence described to Dalinar. That would be such an important casting for any adaptation, if you want it to truly impact an audience.

I was googling Asian actors in that age range, just to see if any passed the "eye test" for me, and I thought Takehiro Hira's look could pull it off. He's also 6" tall, and you could boost him a little more with boots and such.

I would also wonder if you focused on a specific Asian culture for each Rosharan country. It's harder for me to tell the difference between chinese, japanese, korean, etc, and wouldn't want to just lump anyone with epicanthal folds into a single group. Granted, then you may run into simple casting issues.

Fun to think about.


I could see Daniel Dae Kim

My mental image of Dalinar is that he's built like a linebacker.
hunter2012
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Now we're cooking, found our model:

MW03
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Definitely Not A Cop
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6 days!
boy09
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Just finished Words of Radiance. Wow. I've never really been a huge reader, but that's easily the best book I've ever read.

Kept wondering the whole time when the Warbreaker tie-in would come into play… It was 100% worth it for what turned out to be really just one single line in an 1100 page book.

Excited to jump into Edgedancer. I know it's a polarizing book, but I liked the Lyft interlude in WoR. So I guess we'll see how it goes.
Definitely Not A Cop
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It's a great one. Oathbringer is even better imo.
bangobango
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Edgedancer is polarizing?
Lathspell
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Agreed. Words of Radiance may be my favorite book, not just of the Stormlight Archive. Any I 100% agree about that simple thing at the end being worth reading Warbreaker first. The payoff for that reveal is so worth it.

However, there is another tie-in you missed. There's a character who uses "colorful" turns of phrase...

Oathbringer can be slow in some parts, but I love the book. The Sanderlanch is fantastic and the flashbacks are the best in the series, imo.
Lathspell
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bangobango said:

Edgedancer is polarizing?
Some people don't like Lift, I think is why.
boy09
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Lathspell said:

However, there is another tie-in you missed. There's a character who uses "colorful" turns of phrase...

I'm aware of it. I just didn't feel like you'd be missing out on much with that character if you hadn't read Warbreaker.

However, the bit at the end hits ridiculously hard if you have read it.
Saxsoon
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Lathspell said:

bangobango said:

Edgedancer is polarizing?
Some people don't like Lift, I think is why.


I just thought it was an incredibly boring novella
Chipotlemonger
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Guess I need to reread both or at least go back and see the tie in. I may have read Warbreaker after WoR.
Roll the Bones
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I'm in the middle of a reread of WOR and have never read Warbreaker. Should I pause and read it before continuing? I've read all of SA and doing a reread before the new book but I can't say i ever studied all of the details and cosmere crossovers. Just read for enjoyment...
Lathspell
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There's no requirement, it just allows you to have an appreciation of several cross-overs.

I personally don't like to miss things, and can't imagine others being okay with it. Totally up to you.
Saxsoon
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Zero relevance. Warbreaker was my last Sanderson book read

Yes cross overs but nothing that causes Stormlight to not make sense
bangobango
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Roll the Bones said:

I'm in the middle of a reread of WOR and have never read Warbreaker. Should I pause and read it before continuing? I've read all of SA and doing a reread before the new book but I can't say i ever studied all of the details and cosmere crossovers. Just read for enjoyment...
It makes no difference. I've read all the other stuff and I don't get why people geek out about it so much. I'd actually prefer it if he didn't have so much crossover in SA. Kind of makes the scale of the main plot line of SA seem smaller.
Saxsoon
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Of all the crossovers that have happened, I truly believe there is only one that has a fundamental impact on the cosmere as of this moment. No one who reads Stormlight but not Mistborn gives a flip that Iyatil is Scadrian. But you might be interested.
Lathspell
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Seeing as the Ghostbloods (RoW Spoilers) are an organization from Scadrial, I'd say it's going to play a factor. Why would Sanderson spend hundreds of pages writing about them if it wasn't important.

Also, you have no idea what other people enjoy about fantasy worlds. I guarantee you there are a very large number of readers who are interested in the greater Cosmere (I am one of them). Especially because Odium's future plans are not simply a Rosharon problem but part of his larger plans of a crusade across the Cosmere.

The fate of the entire Cosmere is LITERALLY part of the plot to the Stormlight archive. To say the other books will play no part other than a couple of interesting tie-ins when there is still over 5,000 pages left to be be written in the Stormlight Archive is fairly short-sighted.
Maveric
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I just checked my Amazon order. I ordered Wind and Truth early to have it delivered on Friday, but now the order is saying it will be delivered on Monday. Anyone else have this?
Saxsoon
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Lathspell said:

Seeing as the Ghostbloods (RoW Spoilers) are an organization from Scadrial, I'd say it's going to play a factor. Why would Sanderson spend hundreds of pages writing about them if it wasn't important.

Also, you have no idea what other people enjoy about fantasy worlds. I guarantee you there are a very large number of readers who are interested in the greater Cosmere (I am one of them). Especially because Odium's future plans are not simply a Rosharon problem but part of his larger plans of a crusade across the Cosmere.

The fate of the entire Cosmere is LITERALLY part of the plot to the Stormlight archive. To say the other books will play no part other than a couple of interesting tie-ins when there is still over 5,000 pages left to be be written in the Stormlight Archive is fairly short-sighted.


I am also one of those people. I went back and downloaded the 80 something episodes of 17th shard discussing the Words of Brandon. I dove in deep on Realmatic theory

What I was trying to say is that as of this moment there many times where a character is introduced and if you don't know they are from another world it has very little impact on the story. As of this moment ghostbloods are the one the rare situations it is nice to know but up to this point (I think WaT might change that) hasn't impacted Stormlight if you don't know their origins.

I have a friend who literally refuses to read Mistborn but loves Stormlight. Up to this point he is fine (though once again I think long term he will be disappointed)

At the end of the day I think as long as you don't read oathbreaker first then way of kings, you are generally fine to read the cosmere in any order. And I certainly would not stop reading Stormlight to read Warbreaker
 
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