It’s in the Details
I read Paul Morningstar’s review of “Warbreaker” by Brandon Sanderson. Paul liked it, but didn’t. His review intrigued me so I downloaded the book and read the prologue. I thought I’d read a few pages and if I liked it, I’d get the book and read it.
After reading the prologue, I understand what Paul Morningstar means.
It’s an easy read and sounds like an interesting story. Brandon has created a new world to explore. It’s probably even worth a read. But it lacks luster. Luster comes from the details. There a few interesting details in the prologue.
When the main character, Vasher receives power from Vahr, “everything became vibrant.” Then Brandon precedes to tell us how colors are more bright. Blues are bluere. Reds are reder. Ho, hum.
Jim Butcher, of the Dresden Files, takes a couple of paragraphs to describe, in great detail, the affects of magic. Magic affects his hair, his vision, it runs down his arm to his hand. Then he describes what the magic does when it leaves him. When he’s finished, the magic seems real. You get the feeling Jim has done his homework and understands the affects of magic, within his world anyway, in such away that it is believable to the reader.
From the very first, when Vasher is placed in dungeon cell, there’s nothing; no reaction to his situation. He’s not unhappy at his predicament nor pleased that all is going well. There’s nothing.He’s in the cell and it moves on from there.
When Dresden gets caught, he goes introspective. He berates himself for his stupidity. He analyzes the situation. Is his captive at the center off all the problems or is someone else pulling the strings?Sometimes the pieces fall in place and he finally understands what’s happening and why.
Branden has created a believable world with some creative ideas, but his character, at least in the prologue, doesn’t seem to be apart of that world. And there are no details to make the events intriguing. Too bad. It could have been great book.
Details are hard. If it were up to me, I’d skip them and just tell the story. I like plot and action. It would be nice if I had a partner who would write the details for me and we’d split the prophets. But I don’t, so I have to do it myself.
Details require thinking and imagination. I have to stretch myself and go beyond the lazy.
Which is why I pay attention to those who do it well.
I’ve been working on a fantasy novel. Jim shows me where I’m lacking. My magic is like Brandon’s, unimaginative. As I read, I pay attention and learn from Jim, so when I go back to my fantasy, I’ll rewrite the magic scenes, and hopefully make them more creative and interesting.
You can read Paul Morningstar’s review and download the book from his site, Infinite Tales.
Just make things clear, I like Brandon’s magic, it sounds interesting, complicated and well thought out. My complaint is the lack of detail. Its the details that makes the story interesting.
I cannot fully agree with You 🙂 Magic has it’s purpose in a novel. There are different ways to approach it But it is not the way the POV is describing it to us, what happens to him…rather, what’s the magic place in our novel. I don’t know if You’ve read Nancy Kress publications about writing. There is a quote that she had used, but I’m writing it from memory, so there might be some mistakes. “There is a magic frog in a normal garden, or there is a normal frog in a magic garden”. Hero uses the magic in a mundane world (like Dresden does – most of the world is mundane) or there are mundane characters in a magic world.
The second aspect is quite well written by Brandon Sanderson himself. He makes sense, so I will suggest reading his essay in here: http://www.brandonsanderson.com/article/40/Sandersons-First-Law
Also by following wikipedia I have found this:
http://blog.clwilson.com/2008/03/worldbuilding-101-making-magic.html
Take a look and see if You like what they have to say 🙂
My first controversy. Exciting! I’m easily amused. ;0)
My intent for the post was to agree with you, but you seem to be disagreeing with me. I’m confused. Maybe I didn’t make myself clear.
I like Brandon’s magic, it sounds interesting, complicated and well thought out. My complaint is the lack of detail. Its the details that makes the story interesting. (I added this to my post, so I am clear to all.)
I understand each POV is different, but the way it is distribution, or the lack there of, makes, or breaks, a story.
After reading Brandon’s essay on magic, I realize I need to create a magical system for my fantasy story. So thanks for the links.
I used to read Nance Kress when I got Writer’s Digest. I missed her when she left. I don’t get Writer’s Digest any more. I don’t know where Nance Kress is writing now.
Oh…I haven’t noticed the replay 🙂
What I meant was that the POV in Sanderson’s novels, especially those experienced with magic, don’t notice any special “feelings” because it is mundane to them. They are using it constantly, it is a state of being.
In a matter of Nancy Kress I was referring to her books about writing – “Dynamic Character”, “Beginnings, Middles & Ends” and “Character, Emotions & Viewpoints” 🙂
Not to worry about reply time; it happens to all of us.
I understand what you mean about magic being mundane. It’s like us driving. It’s so common, we think nothing of going fast and have trouble staying in the speed limit. But if a Bushman from Africa came here for a drive, going thirty miles and hour would be terrifying.
If that same Bushman read a novel about an American and that character went for a drive, the Bushman would not understand what driving a car is like unless the character explained it to him.
Even if the character of a book is familiar with the magic, the reader is reading for the adventure and new experience of the magic. It’s the details that make the story interesting to the read. I think that’s what you missed when you read in Brandon’s trilogy. His magic is new to the reader, we want to know hat it works and experience it with the characters.
You have inspired another post. Thanks.
I almost forgot to tell you I got Stormrider by by David Gemmell from the library. I’ll read it soon as I finish the Dresden book I’m reading now.