Technically, Mistborn, was written as a standalone too. Sound confusing? For those of you who may not know how the publishing industry works with this:
Authors are encouraged strongly to make their first book a standalone. Then if it sells well they are allowed to do the next in the intended series and then the next and so forth. Unless the book is such a blockbuster that the publisher contracts up front for the next several volumes of the series. Or if the author is already a well-known and successful brand name so there is no need to make the first book in a series a standalone because the publisher already knows it will sell well based on who the author is.
Sanderson's Elantris was a very strong first novel. Stronger than most debut novels. But when reading Mistborn you can see that all the loose ends are neatly tied up by the conclusion of the book. (Maybe his first book didn't make all the sales they hoped for initially so he still had to follow the writing axiom of the standalone.) There is just a whisper of a possible loose thread in regards to the Deepening. While I understand the economic reasons for publishers encouraging this sort of thing, as a reader I get frustrated.
I'm trying to plow through the second book in the series, The Well of Ascension and am finding it not as compelling because so much was resolved in the first book. The most charismactic character, Kelsier, is not in the second book. The romantic suspense between Vin and Elend had a resolution at the end of Mistborn so anything after that is like warming up leftovers. I'm having a difficult time getting into the conflict or finding a lead character to really root for. Not that Sanderson's writing isn't good in this one, it's that "well here's some more of the story" attitude that comes with writing a sequel to an essential standalone. Frustrating.
It's kind of like watching Pirates of the Caribbean. The first movie was a standalone, and was a huge success so Disney decided to tack on two more continuations. The last two films stand by each other and lead into each other well, but in reality, you could get away with watching just the first film and being satisfied with not having seen the other two. Does that make sense?
I'm also reading Dust by Elizabeth Bear (for those moments when I want to read but just can't get into The Well of Ascension). What an evocatively descriptive writer! A bit confusing at times when trying to visualize the setting, but this woman can write! Breezing through this book pretty quickly and can't wait to dive into Watermind by M.M. Buckner. This was one of the topic books from the last round but I had to request my library to buy it and it just came in. Lamentation should be arriving soon so hopefully I'll be able to participate in that discussion next month.
Sorry about the Papercut LOL!! Well I gave you a Laurel for the info so thanks and hopefully that will help you get a free trip to Disney or something LOL!!
