art by Jake Johnson

Theoryland Resources

WoT Interview Search

Search the most comprehensive database of interviews and book signings from Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson and the rest of Team Jordan.

Wheel of Time News

An Hour With Harriet

2012-04-30: I had the great pleasure of speaking with Harriet McDougal Rigney about her life. She's an amazing talent and person and it will take you less than an hour to agree.

The Bell Tolls

2012-04-24: Some thoughts I had during JordanCon4 and the upcoming conclusion of "The Wheel of Time."

Theoryland Community

Members: 7653

Logged In (0):

Newest Members:johnroserking, petermorris, johnadanbvv, AndrewHB, jofwu, Salemcat1, Dhakatimesnews, amazingz, Sasooner, Hasib123,

Theoryland Tweets

WoT Interview Database

Home | Interview Database

Interviews: Calamity-Austin

Summary:

Entries

80

Date

Feb 25th, 2016

Location

Austin, TX

TourCon

Calamity

Links

Calamity-Austin

  • 1

    Question

    I just wanted to say thank you. I'm in the last two months of my Emergency Medicine residency, so it was eight years of medical training, and you're the only fiction author I've read.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Wow. I feel impressed.

    Question

    I don't have time for fiction really.

    Brandon Sanderson

    When I was in grad school I didn't get much reading done either. I wasn't in your style of grad school, I was in easy grad school, but I still understand.

    Question

    Yeah, every time you release something, I make time for it. I'm very appreciative of being able to participate in your world.

    Tags

  • 2

    Question

    Thank you for writing Secret History. That was a definite love letter to Cosmere fans.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That was the point of it, yes.

    Tags

  • 3

    Question

    Are the Shardblade practice guards... Are they made of aluminum?

    Brandon Sanderson

    U-huh! *laughs* Good question! RAFO! But you have an excellent question, you're the first to ask that, and I think you're a very smart person.

    Tags

    ,
  • 4

    Question

    When you're writing, do you hear Michael Kramer in your head?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I do now. I asked for him by name because I liked how he and Kate Reading did the Wheel of Time books. Yeah, I get a big kick out of doing Wayne's voices and trying to figure out how Michael's going to try to read those.

    Tags

    ,
  • 5

    Question

    What were your inspiration when you wrote the [Mistborn] series, or for particular characters...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, Mistborn-- I passed, honestly, through a fog bank at 70 mph driving from my mom's house, and I'm like, "This looks cool, I've got to use this." That's the first thought I can think of. Feruchemy goes back to being in high school and being an insomniac, being really tired and wishing I could store up my sleep, so I'd be sleepy when I wanted to be sleepy. Kelsier's inspiration was a guy who had been only out for himself, who realized the greater import of doing something.

    Tags

  • 6

    Question

    What is your favorite Harry Potter book?

    Brandon Sanderson

    My favorite Harry Potter book is the Patronus one. Is that three? Yeah, that's three, isn't it.

    Tags

  • 7

    Question

    Can you share any abilities that Hoid has accrued so far in the books, has he-- I can't even pronounce the L-word...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, lerasium, he is indeed an Allomancer. That has happened. I haven't confirmed much else, but he does have that.

    Footnote

    confirmed

    Tags

    ,
  • 8

    Question

    How involved are you in that [audiobook] process?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So, I pick the reader, and then I read all the names in the book and send them an audio file of that, and they listen to it and they sometimes follow what I say.

    Tags

  • 9

    Question

    You've said that Shardblades can be made in other magic systems. So if it's not like a Shardblade from Roshar, what makes it a Shardblade?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The “shard” refers to the heavy investiture of a Shard of Adonalsium. Most of what you’ll see will be the Roshar ones, but it is technically possible to make them out of the other magic systems. It's going to be a heavily invested magical weapon is kind of how I would define it.

    Question

    So are the Bands one?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ummm... I would not call them one, but they are close, they're not Invested enough.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
    ,
  • 10

    Question

    I think the UK covers are really cool.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, the UK has this thing - the US likes to have different cover artists for different series, the UK likes to have a single cover artist for an author. So there's kind of a different style and philosophy.

    Tags

  • 11

    Question

    Is there any plan to revisit [Legion]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I plan to do one more.

    Tags

    ,
  • 12

    Question

    In Words of Radiance, there is a character named Iyatil... Is she a member of the race that we see in Bands of Mourning in the--

    Brandon Sanderson

    She is related to them in the same way that I am Danish.

    Question

    Okay, so not.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, I am, my heritage is Danish.

    Tags

    ,
  • 13

    Question

    How many words do you think you average a day?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I average about 2,000.

    Question

    [Laughing] That's actually a goal I could hit!

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, not too many - I'm just incredibly consistent.

    Tags

  • 14

    Question

    What is your favorite Beatle?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ringo Starr, because he lucked out. [...] I have never had anybody ask me my favorite Beatle, particularly not someone who looked like he was seven.

    Tags

  • 15

    Question

    I want you to know that our third graders think that our librarian is evil now.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh good, good, good. I'm very pleased to be corrupting your third graders.

    Question

    And they're very suspicious of anyone in horn-rimmed glasses.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Mmm. I need to get myself some, because it would be like, cognitive dissonance to the kids. [...] You tell them they're not allowed to have as bad handwriting as me. MY third-grade teacher thinks it's atrocious that I never learned how to have good handwriting. She'll never forgive me.

    Tags

    ,
  • 16

    Question

    That one right there [pointing to a book?] - he named his son Kelsier.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Wow.

    Question

    He was having a really tough time when he first came out, so he named him after the Survivor.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, give him the best. That means a lot to me.

    Tags

  • 17

    Question

    What is your favorite female A name, and it cannot be [?].

    Brandon Sanderson

    Uh, uhhh...Anastasia? I think it's a very pretty name. Arwen is good too. Very nerdy, so...

    Tags

  • 18

    Question

    On the scale of not-very to extremely... how confused should I still be about Investiture?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Pretty confused, it’s not-- I mean, I haven’t even dug into really what it is.

    Tags

  • 19

    Question

    You mentioned that the flakes of metal are catalysts to access the powers of Preservation. What do the birds from Patji use as catalysts?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You don't always have to have the exact same thing for catalysts, for that it’s kind of more of an innate connection, in the same way that the metals have an innate connection. They ARE the catalyst if that makes sense.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
    ,
  • 20

    Question

    If Hoid was on Scadrial during the original Mistborn trilogy, and had a bead of lerasium, and took it and gained Allomantic powers, could he go to Roshar during Stormlight and still have those Allomantic powers?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes… Most of the magics are not re-- area centric, though a few are.

    Tags

  • 21

    Question

    Lady taking photos: Best baby photo ever, huh?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m just glad you didn’t ask me to sign the baby, since that’s happened to me before. I feel very weird signing babies.

    Question

    You're definitely our favorite author. You're the first author [we recommended to each other?].

    Brandon Sanderson

    Wow, that's great. The first one I recommended to my wife was Robert Jordan.

    Tags

  • 22

    Question

    Because I'm an accountant, I'm curious - ebook vs. regular book: which do you make more off of?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So, when a hardcover is out, I make more off a hardcover. When the paperback is out, I make more off an ebook.

    Tags

  • 23

    Question

    As you were constructing the Allomantic powers revealed in the Wax and Wayne books, I was just curious why you chose cadmium and chromium to be metals.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well I picked them way back when I designed the magic system, and I wanted metals that would be easily recognizable but which wouldn't be commonly available in a medieval society, so that as society progressed it would make sense, they would have access to these new metals, if that makes sense. Aluminum was a little in that as well, but I like aluminum because they had it anciently, but very rarely. So it could be a more mythical metal.

    Tags

  • 24

    Question

    The magic system you wrote in the Wheel of Time, that seems like a non-constrained system, and then most of your worlds have a constrained system of magic. Which one was harder to write?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Wheel of Time was harder to write, because just my natural inclination is the other way.

    Tags

  • 25

    Question

    Which of your books do you think would be the best to adapt into a musical?

    Brandon Sanderson

    A musical? Uhh...I have not given that a whole lot of thought...um...Alcatraz, because it's silly, it's kind of a silly idea.

    Question

    Okay. I thought I might ask you one you haven't heard before.

    Brandon Sanderson

    You win a prize. That's one I haven't heard before.

    Tags

  • 26

    Question

    I heard somewhere that you were trying to find time to play Bloodborne?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I did play Bloodborne. I liked it.

    Question

    It was hard for me, man. [... just with the patch?]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Get the axe, the big axe, take it to its big thing, learn to use the [charge?] attack, spin around and hit things before they get to you. And then you'll be fine.

    Question

    Right on. I'll get back to it.

    Tags

  • 27

    Question

    How’s that Lift novella?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It has not been written yet but I’ve got good plans for it.

    Tags

    ,
  • 28

    Question

    I really admire how [prolifically?] you write, just like things that I'd be terrified to write, so I haven't [?]...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Did you hear my speech?

    Question

    I did! But whenever I write something it sounds really hollow...

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's okay, it happens to all of us. Everyone kind of starts that way. It doesn't have to be good until you've done revisions. Give yourself the permission to do a crappy first draft.

    Question

    The writing defies me if it's really crappy...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, yeah, but everybody fixes it, don't stress. You've got to learn how to do the crappy first draft. You've gotta trust me on this one!

    Tags

  • 29

    Question

    A lot of your books deal with dealing with mortality. Do you have a contingency author lined up?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I don't have one lined up, I just have good notes. And my assistant knows what authors I like and things like that, it would really just depend on how long I last. Like right now I'd probably ask Brian McClellan to do it, but who knows, he might be too big by...but hopefully I'd last until I'm like 90 and we just need someone to finish like one book.

    Tags

  • 30

    Question

    Oo, I'm signing a Magic box. Is this...

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's a peasant cube.

    Brandon Sanderson

    A peasant cube! So it includes uncommons, right? Pauper is common only, right?

    Question

    Yeah, yeah, it's not enough diversity with just commons.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, I made a common-only cube and it just felt like 4/4's hitting each other in the face.

    Question

    It's aggro, that's the thing. But with this you can get combo, you can get control, red range...

    Brandon Sanderson

    What's the combo? Is there like a storm deck in peasant?

    Question

    You can play [?] storm deck in peasant, all the pieces are common and uncommon, but what I most like is to draft [crystal shards?] and [? drifters]...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Okay, that's a combo after my own heart.

    Question

    And then I had a [Sphinx's Tutelage] in place, so I mill my opponents out, and they're like, Are you seriously going to do this? And I'm like, I seriously am.

    Brandon Sanderson

    [Laughing] Oh, that's brilliant. That's brilliant. No, you can't [scoop?], no.

    Tags

  • 31

    Question

    Favorite Magic card?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Doppelganger. It's one of the first rares that I pulled when I was young.

    Question

    That's the old-school one with the two girls like - yeah, such good art.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's one of the original art pieces that's just really good.

    Tags

    ,
  • 32

    Question

    Do we get to find out eventually where Calamity comes from?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Eventually, like the next trilogy I do will dig into that... You've got to remember, in the teen books I’m not going to dig into lore as much, they're written as action novels. So in the next series I'll get you some of your answers, but that's not what the point of these books-- like The Stormlight Archive, the point is the lore. In these books, the point is “have fun”. So you will, but it's going to take a little bit longer.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
  • 33

    Question

    What were some of first [Epic] powers you thought about but didn't do?

    Brandon Sanderson

    A lot of the early powers I thought of were ones that big superheroes already have and use too much, like electricity or some of these things. So I'm like, I want powers that I can do something new with, not something that I'll just repeat what Marvel and DC have done.

    Tags

  • 34

    Question

    Are you friends with James Dashner?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, Dashner and I go way, way back. I read Maze Runner before it was published, which was pretty cool, and then I gave him this cool quote about how good it is and he didn't even put it on the book when it was published. I was like, "Aw, come on, James!" But yeah, I met him in a middle school, when we were both brand-new writers. He was going in to talk to students, and I went in right after him.

    Tags

  • 35

    Question

    How long did it take you to come up with the bad metaphors in the Reckoners?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It was really hard. I thought it'd be easy, cause writing bad stuff you usually do on accident, and then it took me forever to come up with them. It was the hardest part of the books.

    Question

    Yeah, it wasn't that they were bad, they were just a different way of thinking...

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's right.

    Tags

  • 36

    Question

    What is your favorite power that the Epics have?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Like not for myself, just my favorite power?

    Question

    Yeah.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hmm...I think the vaporizing metal, the tensors, is pretty cool and kind of different.

    Tags

  • 37

    Question

    What was your inspiration for Wit, or who?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hmm. The closest thing I've been able to say is the court jester from King Lear, he's one of my favorite literary characters. But I'm not sure if I can point to anyone specific other than that.

    Tags

  • 38

    Question

    WOT pronunciation.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Finding out [how Robert Jordan pronounced things] is kind of hard sometimes, because his wife and his assistant disagree.

    Tags

  • 39

    Question

    Do you wish you had [?] any of your stories based on fan feedback?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, with the exception of a few things in the Wheel of Time, where there a few things I don't think I got quite right. With my books, I'm pretty confident...I mean, that doesn't mean everyone will love everything about them, but I'm confident that I told the story I wanted to tell, and sometimes that's not the story everybody wants, but it is the story I felt was the right story.

    Tags

  • 40

    Question

    You think you'll ever make a full novel of Legion?

    Brandon Sanderson

    If I could ever get the TV show off the ground, I would, but it depends on whether I can get someone to make a TV show of it.

    Tags

    ,
  • 41

    Question

    Have you ever considered writing nonfiction?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I briefly considered writing a writing book, but I don't think I know enough yet to write one.

    Tags

  • 42

    Question

    Next Reckoners books?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Reckoners semi-sequel will involve a parallel dimension, if there’s a direct sequel trilogy, then Mizzy will be the protag.

    Tags

    ,
  • 43

    Question

    Jasnah’s book, would an in world person consider that she is also advocating for gender equality for men?

    Brandon Sanderson

    In-world? Jasnah would, but I don’t think most people who read it would.

    Question

    Do they have a concept of alcoholism in Roshar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Does Dalinar’s family have it?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hmmmm… That will be answered in the next book, but you should definitely be asking that question.

    Question

    Is there an abolitionist movement in Roshar? In any culture there?

    Brandon Sanderson

    In ANY culture? Eh...yeees.

    Question

    Are we ever going to find out about all of Adolin’s failed relationships?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Probably a little bit more. Not a ton. But a little bit more.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
    ,
  • 44

    Question

    Find out more about the caesium, the exploding metal?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The super caesium? Well, the last Wax and Wayne book is called “The Lost Metal” so....you kinda got it...yeah.

    Tags

    ,
  • 45

    Question

    Do you have a background in biology or medicine, because you come up with so many creative worlds that seem like there's the...

    Brandon Sanderson

    I started as a biochemistry major. And then I jumped ship to English after the math kind of drove me out. Math is fun, but I didn't enjoy the busywork of math, I felt like I was jumping through too many hoops, once I got it I'm like, "I'm done." I mean, I got A's in Calculus, so I did do my math...but it's like, I didn't want to sit and solve equations for Avogadro's number every day all day. I felt like I was doing too much of that and not enough blowing stuff up, which is what I had learned chemistry really was when I was in high school.

    Tags

  • 46

    Question

    I have never signed any shark socks before. I can try to sign the stick, but my signature's kind of...not stick like.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's better than an ice cube.

    Brandon Sanderson

    And it's better than a baby. Someone at a signing asked me to sign a baby once. And a sword - it actually worked really well. I've signed a sword, I've signed license plates, I've refused to sign inappropriate body parts.

    Tags

  • 47

    Question

    Where'd you get the idea for burning metals getting different powers?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Metabolism. Researching metabolism. When I wrote it out, it works. It's weird, but it works.

    Tags

  • 48

    Question

    Wax and Wayne. Who did you base them on?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Wax is like a mix between Clint Eastwood and Sherlock Holmes in my head. Wayne - I'm not even sure. He just kinda came out of nowhere at me.

    Tags

  • 49

    Question

    What does a mistcloak/coat look like?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Mistcoat: Duster that’s been shredded into strips. But remember, there’s not like an industry that makes these. Each person commissions their own, and so they vary quite widely.

    Question

    Are they at the waist, or…?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It’s a little above the waist.

    Tags

  • 50

    Question

    How do you get to sleep until noon with three children?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have a very, very patient, loving and wonderful wife. And in recompense, we make sure that the company has an assistant for her who comes in at 9 o'clock and helps get the kids off to school and then watches the 3-year-old for a few hours so she can do work. She has some sanity lent in that way. She was a schoolteacher for years, so she can get up, right? It's a schoolteacher thing.

    Tags

  • 51

    Question

    Where do you go when you come home after your 105 days on tour, where do you go with your family to just like be quiet...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Just my house. Basically - my kids are still little, so it's come home and let them climb on me. That's what we do. Play whatever video game they're into at the moment.

    Tags

  • 52

    Question

    How do you make cultures so vibrant?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Dig deep rather than go wide. One or two cultures that play off of each other in an interesting way, where you've considered a lot of the ramifications, are going to be better than trying to create 30 different cultures. Try to keep focused on what's going to be important to the characters and the books, and try to spend your worldbuilding there. So like if the characters are going to have conflict over religion, spend time on religion. But if instead they're going to have different linguistics and that's a source of conflict, spend time on the linguistics.

    Tags

  • 53

    Question

    So in the Stormlight Archive, they have the two Surges, and they have a third power effect, right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They have kind of effects on each other, like a reverberation. Yes. I wouldn’t call it expressly a third power, I’d call it interactions.

    Question

    So, it seems like...you don’t have to confirm anything, but it seems like Kaladin is able to transfer his powers to his men following him…

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Windrunners are known for having lots of squires.

    Question

    And the Skybreakers seem like they’re really good at hunting people down.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m not going to answer any of those! But good questions!

    Tags

    ,
    ,
    ,
  • 54

    Question

    When Wax changes his weight, is that weight or mass?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He is...he is changing...so he is actually changing his mass, in a weird...It's kind of halfway in between, is really what it is. But it follows the laws of conservation of momentum, so it's not just weight. It's timidly half-stepping in between.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
  • 55

    Question

    What is the thing with Adolin's serial dating? Is it just...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He is bad with relationships, and that's just it. He's a little bit scared of being good at relationships, and so there's some kind of unconscious sabotaging going on. But yeah, he's young and he's bad at relationships.

    Question

    Do the Radiants have only one gender per [order], or you can have...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You have - yeah. There can be different genders.

    Question

    Why is Dalinar very restrictive of Adolin but not with Renarin and Elhokar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is a little bit - I would say a slight flaw on Dalinar's part, he's too hard on Adolin. But that's because Adolin is in line for the throne, and he's the eldest son, and the heir, and all of that stuff. I would say that Dalinar's a little too lax in some ways, a little too strict in others.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
  • 56

    taveren

    If someone goes to every planet and get Invested from every shard, if he was Invested enough would he become a new Shard?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s an excellent question that I’m not going to answer.

    taveren

    I guess you will not answer if anyone is trying to do that

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yup, I am not going to answer. Sorry. That's too deeply related to things that are happening in the cosmere and I don’t want to dig into for a little while yet.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
  • 57

    Question

    There is a metal used to charge in the last Mistborn book, is that lithium?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ah, nnnnn... [Sounds like he's going to say "no" but then changes his mind] I'll dig into that, that's another RAFO. But I'm glad you're thinking along those lines. Let's just say that.

    Tags

  • 58

    taveren

    Did the original Shardbearers know what Shard they were grabbing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Another RAFO. Sorry. You're asking really good questions. Really good questions.

    Tags

    ,
  • 59

    heridfel

    There are different kinds of spren that bond with people and it appears they’re based on a concept. Is it possible to have a concept which would make a Nahel bond that gives two Surges that don’t align to one of the Radiant orders?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um, uh...this is a theoretical possibility that has not happened.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
    ,
  • 60

    Question

    Did something happen to Demoux between Mistborn and Stormlight to turn him into a jerk, or am I misinterpreting his actions?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He is not a jerk, but he is not...

    Question

    As pure as he is in Mistborn?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. He's a little more idealistic than pure, how about that?

    Question

    Are we going to hear [his] story?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. [...] I'm toying with some stuff in Secret History too [two?], it'll get into some of this.

    Question

    Is there going to be more Secret History?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They have to go into the cracks between other books, but not...I am planning to do more right now, I'm not opposed to having more like that happen.

    Tags

  • 61

    Question

    The Cognitive and the Physical Realms...do they [?] to the Shardworld for the character they're related to, or can you go back and forth - like in Secret History, when he passes off of Scadrial and to the outskirts, within I guess the Cognitive Realm, is that something they could do with other Shardworlds?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Footnote

    the question seems incomplete

    Tags

  • 62

    Question

    What is the raw power of the most powerful [relationship?]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I would say that there isn't one.

    Footnote

    another incomplete question

    Tags

  • 63

    Question

    I was curious if the world of Sixth of the Dusk was going to make another appearance...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It will likely make another appearance, I am unlikely to do another story there just because I have too many things to do sequels too, but if you keep your eyes open, you can see...

    Question

    Is Hoid related?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will see some more.

    Tags

  • 64

    Question

    How long did you work on the signature?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's kind of interesting, since it started off being legible, kind of like that, that's "Brandon" and then a "Sanderson". And then it just over ten years turned into...This is the B and that's the rest of my name, and then that's the S.

    Question

    Speed, efficiency. Looks cool too.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, my handwriting's so sloppy anyway that I figure a symbol is better than trying to write it out.

    Question

    It makes you look like a doctor, too.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, that's right.

    Tags

  • 65

    Question

    When Wax's uncle gets blown up and [?] says "you will serve us in another realm", is that a [truth?]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Wait wait, who says that?

    Question

    With Suit, the end of Bands of Mourning? He gets blown up...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh right, right...So, yeah, that is not specifically answered on purpose. That is meant to be more ambiguous, it may not even be a true statement.

    Question

    So their deity doesn't pick which souls -

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm not saying yes or no, I'm just saying, don't take what they say as law, as the actual state of things. It may just be a belief on their part.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
  • 66

    Question

    The ten Surges on Roshar, I think you said are basically a different set of laws of physics.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah.

    Question

    Are those laws of physics consistent throughout the Cosmere?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um, yes, to an extent. You would consider, like - it's kind of weird because I based them on the idea of the fundamental forces, but this is kind of like a human construction. Like you could say that physics is pure and natural, but we're still putting things in boxes. And the scientists on Roshar would for instance consider being able to travel between the Cognitive and Physical Realms as a force, the thing that pulls people back and forth between that, as a fundamental force. I don't know if it would fit our definition of a fundamental force.

    Tags

  • 67

    Question

    Marvel or DC?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [big sigh] So Marvel makes better movies, generally, I classically am a fan of Batman and Superman, but I feel like Marvel's been knocking it out of the park and I did not like the Man of Steel movie. And so it's kind of like half and half. I'm going to say Marvel right now until DC redeems itself.

    Tags

  • 68

    Question

    Thoughts on Force Awakens?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I liked The Force Awakens. I thought it was a good film. I was a little disappointed in another Death Star, but I understand that the idea is to introduce a new generation to the concept of Star Wars, and in that case it fulfilled its role. I thought the characters were really good, and that's the most important part.

    Question

    Who was your favorite?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm going to say the Storm Trooper dude, what's his name, Finn.

    Question

    I liked Poe, he was precious.

    Brandon Sanderson

    He was, he was. But I really enjoyed Finn as a character.

    Tags

  • 69

    Question

    How do you decide that a magic system you're working on is done?

    Brandon Sanderson

    When I feel like the stories I'm telling are working, I go with it. That doesn't mean I have every little thing worked out - I'm a planner, so I have a lot of them, if I don't have something worked out I like to sort of let people know in the book - here's a hole that the characters have noticed, if that makes sense. But at some point you just have to write. So it's a more by instinct thing.

    Question

    I've created a couple magic systems and done worldbuilding, but whenever I think it's done, I come up with another facet that I think would be interesting.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I say, if you want to tell stories, write the story and write down all the facets in a separate file. Then in a revision, go foreshadow that these things could exist, but don't deal with them until you get to a future book. If you look at Mistborn, there's hints about how Feruchemy works, but we don't really deal with it in Mistborn since there's so much already piled onto you.

    Tags

  • 70

    Question

    The guards that are used on the Shardblades, are those made of aluminum?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [After commenting that 17th Shard must be talking about it] This is an excellent question that is well asked, and people are thinking along the right lines. I haven't answered 100%, but people are thinking the right way.

    Tags

    ,
  • 71

    Question

    [on David's bad metaphors]

    Brandon Sanderson

    It came from me writing a bad metaphor on accident, and then being like, "I'm going to run with this and see where it goes." I like it [as a character quirk] for David because his personality is that he's a little overzealous about things, and so trying so hard on the metaphors is a great way to express that.

    Tags

    ,
  • 72

    Question

    What era were you reading comics and what...

    Brandon Sanderson

    The first comic I got into was the original Eastman and Larry[?] TMNT, which I really really liked, and after that I read what people gave me, so like Sandman - I mean, I'm the kid of the 90's, right? The Gaiman stuff, and Watchmen of course, but that's my era, Kingdom Come. the good graphic novels that have a complete story were always my favorite, anytime I would get into something else, I would get into it and then they'd change writers or something like this and I'd get annoyed. Nowadays my favorite comic is actually a webcomic.

    Tags

  • 73

    Question

    Are you doing any video game work these days? I know you did some work with Infinity Blade stuff.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm actually going to LA to hear some pitches on video game stuff on Monday, so yes, but I haven't yet been able to get anything made. So we shall see if it ever happens. I've helped the Infinity Blade guys with their next game also, just as an advisory position thing. That's been fun. Their next game's going to be awesome.

    Tags

  • 74

    Question

    If you were a Leecher, could you destroy a Shardblade?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Umm...I'm going to RAFO that for now, let's just say that it would be incredibly difficult if it were possible, and I'm not going to even say if it is. The Investiture in a Shardblade is much greater than your average Allomancer, but...This type of thing is not unheard of in the cosmere. The larkin, the Leechers, and Nightblood all have a similar sort of thing going on. Destroying a Shardblade would be REALLY hard. And Investiture resists other forms of Investiture, so.

    Tags

    ,
  • 75

    Question

    We had a stray cat that we adopted a couple years ago, and we named it Lestibournes.

    Brandon Sanderson

    [Laughing] That's a great name for a cat.

    Tags

  • 76

    Question

    Can Hoid change how he looks?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He has...various methods of changing how he looks.

    Tags

  • 77

    Question

    Why does Nightblood need to eat Investiture?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So, Nightblood is… leaky, is how would say it.

    Question

    Does his sheath help with this somehow?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Tags

  • 78

    Question

    How did Regalia establish contact with Calamity?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I think I’ll save that for the next series I am doing.

    Tags

    ,
  • 79

    Question

    In Alloy of Law, I noticed that when Marsh is talking to Marasi, he says that Wax is doing his brother’s work, is that referring to Harmony or Kelsier?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s referring to Kelsier in that quote, in his opinion at the moment. I don’t know if I agree with it. He feels that Wax is protecting the people, the little people, which was Kelsier’s work. In his opinion, which is kind of lofty.

    Tags

    ,
    ,
    ,
    ,
  • 80

    Question

    Are the shadows, are the physical ghosts in Threnody, the same as Cognitive Shades?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They are a very, very similar breeds.

    Tags

    ,