#cosmere drama

[murderousjelliebean]

Sanderson characters are such drama queens. (I'm using "drama queen" to mean any person of any gender as long as they're super dramatic.) Hoid is the obvious one, he's so dramatic that Siri noticed it in Warbreaker. But we also have people like Kelsier, who have this entire monologue to the Lord Ruler in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of people, starting his own religion as a result. We have Hrathen, who makes himself into a spectacle to advertise his religion. And then... Kaladin. He's the king of drama queens. "Honor is dead. But I'll see what I can do." And then he jumps into an arena with FOUR SHARDBEARERS. AND WINS.

Hoid knows he's a drama queen. He's a Lightweaver, they're all pretty dramatic. Kelsier probably knows how dramatic he is. That's probably half the reason he did that monologue. Hrathen's entire reason for the poison was drama. But Kaladin doesn't even try. He just gets these dramatic moments going about his daily life. He doesn't care about causing drama, he cares about helping people. If that means drama, then so be it.

[humanfox030]

"This story is about a flower...

A marewill, to be exact!

I am sure you are familiar with how this tale goes... and how it ends."

[shining-dawn]

I feel like Hraethen the antihero antagonist from Elantris has just the right mix of unconventional sex appeal and deeply problematic nature to be controversial fandom icon for the Cosmere. Maybe even a Tumblr sexyman.

For starters he's a middle aged man with inner turmoil, so he's do numbers on Tumblr right off the bat, even if he wasn't also over 6 feet tall and buff enough to wear full plate armor whenever he's in public. He canonically respects and admires women who intellectually challenge him, so he's got good taste. And literally everything about his actions and personality is the perfect breeding ground for Discourse™️, he's a manipulative bastard who serves a fascist theocracy because he genuinely believes he is saving people's lives and wants to make up for past mistakes.

I think this man could give Vriska Serkhet a run for her money.

[crookedkingdom]

as an act of self care i am choosing to believe the epigraphs are kaladin telling his story post-wind and truth. which means he's gonna be completely totally 100% fine at the end of the book. i am not accepting criticism or alternative theories at this time

[sedgewicke]

I like to think that a lot of undertext in Vorin books are just fangirl ramblings.

I also wonder if new editions come out with new undertext to the both the text and undertext. And do they have a hard time finding the edition with the undertext they want, like when you have a work with multiple translations in your language?

Or is it boring, and the undertext is only ever written by the original scribe? I refuse this notion.

I'm going to self-publish some public domain work with my own nonsense undertext added as if I have any authority to do so.

[ahhfear]

Adolin has been practicing fashion design, Kal said he would wear whatever Adolin made him, as long as it was comfortable.

Adolin may have been a bit excited.

ID in reblogs

[vibingat3am]

El

He's such a diva

[inolienkiki]

OH MY FUCKING GOD DARK ONE FORGOTTEN im fuckingf sobbing what was that. why arent people talking about that. it was so good and im gonna have a headache tonight because i cried but i don't care because i heard this story. go listen to it now

and I had it in my notes! I had this idea in my notes!! (went and checked and it's not in my notes) ok but at some point I wrote down a character who uses a curse to their advantage, and then I read alcatraz and was like oh that's not what I meant but I guess it's fun, but THIS. THIS DOES IT. SO WELL. and at some other point I wrote a short story about a functionally invisible character and that was before i read the schwa was here and this is actually one of my favorite tropes but this is the best one. this is absolutely the best one. endorsing dark one forgotten as the best functionally invisible story

went on coppermind to find the actors and coppermind forgot about them tooooo chris and sophie don't even have coppermind pages wtaf why did no one listen to this

i think its rachel jacobs and sophie oda and i can't find much info about either of them but they were boht fucking amazing. dear god thank you rachel jacobs. the number of times you said the other actors were really good and then you completely blew them out of the water. you made me tear up at least twice and the other time it was sophie oda so points to all of you

the story. can't even explain waht thsi is. true crime horror mystery fantasy? and I don't even like the first half of that sentence but I don't care because the story punched me in the gut and I didn't even need to understand the worldbuilding. chris asked questions and consulted experts and ran experiments and she got my heart. skeptical about sophie but she was there the entire time. not her project, not her obsession, not her responsibility, but she stayed, and she helped. chris and sophie said they weren't a couple and I was immediately like "yeah if they weren't both women(, bitch) that would be foreshadowing" and IT WAS FUCKIGN FORESHADOWING istg. This. This is also the best romance. And I hate romance I'm arospec lmao but dear god this got me. the sheer dedication to stare at somebody for eight god damn hours straight and then the music box scene. the music box scene. I got to it and I knew it was going to happen as soon as sophie asked but it still blew my mind and broke my heart that she did. because sophie is the best person in the world.

I have not been making sanderson reread update posts, and I read rithmatist and all of reckoners, but I'd already read most of those and there's nothing notable about lux except the plot holes and they didn't hit me hard like fucking dark one forgotten did. i barely knew this existed. It came out during the year of sanderson and yet nobody includes it in the book count. (There were 8 books/stories released, cowards, not 5.) but also I feel the need to mention that I thought dark one was quite good as well, but also that it feels like only the first chapter of a story so I can't say much else as of yet, I guess? I need more dark one. now. anything mirandus. why is nobody talking about this thing

also I feel the need to mention that there were she-ra references? like, references to the reboot, which is hands down my #2 favorite show (can't compete with dark but nothing can lol). and they were good references and they made sense. I started laughing hysterically when sophie said "hey adora". has brandon sanderson watched she-ra and the princesses of power? is this canon? I mean he definitely needs to

[eternally-tired-cryptid]

Hi in case it wasn't clear I stand with the victims in Palestine and if you think that the Genocide currently happening is in any way okay or justifiable I want you nowhere near me. I fundamentally disagree with you and dislike you and I will never see eye to eye with you. I will not tolerate it around me and I will block.

[titsthedamnseason]

REEN IS HERE I KNEW REEN WOULD RETURN IM SO EXCITED

[phoet]

WAIT THERE IS AN OVERLAP?? IN TMA/AUDIO DRAMA AND COSMERE FANS?????!?!?! i'll cry. i will. this is a threat.

[bloodswaxe]

Alright now I'm certain I'm not the first person to say this, especially because I only started thinking about it because of something I saw on the Internet somewhere, but Moash is 100% gonna get a redemption arc.

Like, considering Dalinar's whole deal, even though the story starts after all his atrocities, he's still in the middle of his redemption arc, and like.. the knights radiant as a whole are about that.

Granted, it's gonna be messy, and we're not gonna like it in the slightest, but that's the point, yeah? Moash committing all these horrible things and then clawing his way back into being better is what the knights radiant are all about.

Again, not an original concept but I thought I'd just blurb it anyway.

[koravelliumavast]

The number one rule of the cosmere: if it’s dramatic it’s gotta be Kelsier

[tbookblurbs]

Tress of the Emerald Sea - Brandon Sanderson

5/5 - refreshing main character; well worn, familiar, comfortable plot beats; more fun worldbuilding!

Tress of the Emerald Sea is easily my favorite of the Cosmere secret projects. Much as I felt watching later MCU projects, having a book that stands largely on its own, with minimal references to other lore, and a wonderful sense of whimsy is not only a fun and approachable new entrance to Sanderson's writing, but also a nice change of pace from his other works.

The plot beats feel quite familiar because they feel somewhat like a fairy tale and the book actually benefits from this. The journey that characters are undergoing, the dogged attempts to be better and to grow and to understand how they're changing is something that is so sweet and reliable to watch.

Tress is also just a breath of fresh air among Sanderson's protagonists. Not that the others can't be kind or inspiring or protective of those they love, but Tress is all of these things to a fault. She cares for those who she's never met. She's practically overflowing with empathy for everyone around her, abhors lying, and finds herself comfortable with herself as she's changed. I do feel that Sanderson is relying a little heavily on romance at times, but having the romance be something secondary to Tress as the plot progresses was something very dear to my heart.

I know that some people dislike Hoid's narration style, but I personally find him funny. I think he also functions as a bit of a mouthpiece for Sanderson's own ideologies at times, and while I could see how that would be something to critique as a monologue or as preaching, it feels very appropriate for the character. Plus, many of the things he says poke fun at the tropes of the epic hero dramas that Sanderson is so good at - it's important to me that he's able to laugh at himself a little here.

Finally, I must profess I am obsessed with the idea of a sea of spores. And not one sea of spores, but twelve, all of which have different growth patterns and effects. Turning water, something to vital to life, into something dangerous here adds a really delicious sense of tension to the novel. The fear is also something that's easily based on something people are familiar with - if you've ever seen a documentary on ant zombies or watched The Last of Us, you'll have lasting worries about fungal infection.

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters’ Favorite Tumblr Post

While writing my “if Cosmere characters were on tumblr” post, I started thinking not just about how they’d blog, but also what type of content they’d like to see. So I figured--let’s do a sort-of sequel! So if Cosmere characters were somehow on tumblr despite existing in their own worlds, here is what I think their favorite post would be. 

1. Siri: Do You Love The Color of the Sky (x)

She only wishes it could be longer.

Vivenna (in the notes): SIRI PLEASE

Vasher (in the notes): With respect, if you post this one more time, I will kill you.

Susebron (in the notes): So beautiful! Just like you! #reblogged

2. Pattern: Infinite Chocolate Glitch (x)

The one that purports to show how you can cut a chocolate bar to generate infinite chocolate forever.

Pattern: Mmmm...such a delicious, chocolately lie.

3. VenDell: Bone-Stealing Witch Drama (x)

Not that he likes it, but he does find it interesting.

VenDell: I am no stranger to wanting very specific bones for my...collection.

VenDell: But you offer to buy them! Not steal them!

VenDell: Some people give bone collecting a bad name.

4. Rlain: Tumblr Code (x)

As requested, he always reblogs tumblr code.

Rlain: As a trained spy, it is always important for me to know the code.

Renarin: R-Rlain, I don’t think...

Renarin: ...

Renarin: Wait, was that a joke?

Rlain: You’re getting better at hearing the rhythms!

5. Syl: Imagine How Is Touch The Sky (x)

She posts it with full sincerity...maybe.

Kaladin (in the notes): Am I losing my mind? What does this mean?

Shallan (in the notes): Yes <3

Syl (in the notes): Real spren understand.

Kaladin (in the notes): Do they??????

6. Marasi: Fucking Chocolate Guy (x)

Do you all remember how excited Marasi was by hot chocolate?

Marasi (in the tags): #HOLY SHIT IT CAN BE SOLID

Marasi (in the tags): #THIS GUY IS AMAZING I WANT TO EAT IT ALL

7. Yumi: #not to be a lesbian (x)

If there’s a post with those tags, Yumi is likely to be a big fan. 

Yumi: Tumblr is full of goddesses!

Nikaro: You know that’s right.

8. Kaladin: Horse plinko (x)

And all of its many, many variations.

Kaladin: It just...soothes me.

Adolin: HORSES ARE OUR FRIENDS, KALADIN

9. Shallan: Flat Fuck Friday (x)

I just think she’d be sincerely delighted by all of the flat fucks.

Shallan: Adolin, look! Isn’t he beautiful?

Adolin: ...yes?

Shallan: Correct answer!

10. Dalinar: Gandalf Big Naturals (x)

For some reason...

Dalinar: I cannot explain it, but I feel a kinship with this man.

[prototypelq]

Some thoughts just after finishing Warbreaker.

I liked this book a lot and it’s unnervingly overlooked by the cosmere fandom in my opinion. Brandon Sanderson is, as always, a master craftsman of magic worlds, religions and integration of all these things into very believable, you could even say ‘realistic’, settings. Colour magic made equal to soul magic is an exceptionally interesting concept to me, and, again, the world BrandoSando made of it is captivating and inspiring, and just for that Warbreaker is very much worth reading.

Personally, I also find myself quite fond of political intrigues as a drama subgenre, and I guarantee the book will masterfully pull the rug right under you, exactly when you least expect it. I assure you, there is reward in paying attention to details, though don’t get too carried away with the detective work.

Now, even I know the book has it’s weakpoints, however

I don’t care, cause by Colours, how well does Sando work with perspective and points of view!

The way BrandoSando made the three protagonists New to this world works P e r f e c t l y with the intrigue and conspiracy plot. We have a lazy amnesiac, who does a lot of work to Not pay attention to anything around him, an ignorant princess that was thrown violently to the shore out of the familiar waters, and an ignorant prick of a princess who is so confident she doesn’t notice anything until it’s too late. These three are literally perfect for a political intrigue – none of them know what to do, where even are they or how anything works, and this means Each and Every one of them is forced to rely on Someone to tell them what’s going on.

In a way, this feels almost like a fourth wall... look-in? BrandoSando never breaks it, but just as the reader is forced to rely upon the author to convey them the rules of this brand new world, so in the same manner the protagonists have no choice, but to trust the information they receive from people of this world.

And trust, is exactly what all the political drama and conspiracy plots are all about.

The same way the characters show the protagonists carefully crafted halls of mirrors, so does the author show the reader only what he wants you to see. If you’re attentive – you can get a sneak peak, but not much else, the reader is just as blind to what’s behind the curtains as the main characters. And I think that is just masterful storytelling, it really impressed me.

I also really liked the characters of the book – there’s surprisingly much of them, but BrandoSando makes it work, and it never really feels like anyone is forgotten or lacks some spotlight.