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Renowned fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, celebrated for his best-selling works within the Cosmere universe, which includes series like “The Stormlight Archive” and “Mistborn,” is known for his active presence on platforms like YouTube and Reddit. Engaging with fans and fellow enthusiasts, Sanderson shares his candid perspectives on various fantasy series, sometimes expressing critique. Notably, he has voiced his discontent with certain aspects of “Harry Potter,” particularly deeming Voldemort as lacking depth. Conversely, Sanderson has expressed admiration for George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the inspiration behind HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” stating on Reddit that he holds “enormous respect for GRRM and his talent as a storyteller.”
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Despite his respect for Martin, Sanderson critiques the series for what he perceives as its overly pessimistic tone. He particularly found Daenerys’s storyline distressing. “I’m all for putting characters into terrible situations and letting horrible things happen. But her plot crossed the line for me,” Sanderson revealed in a Reddit discussion. While acknowledging the plot’s brilliance, he admitted feeling unsettled by its conclusion. Sanderson also attributes his discomfort with the series’ explicit content to his Mormon faith.
Besides his own literary creations, Sanderson gained acclaim for completing Robert Jordan’s “The Wheel of Time.” This achievement has led some fans to suggest he might be the one to finish Martin’s unfinished saga, “A Song of Ice and Fire.” Martin currently continues work on the sixth book, “The Winds of Winter,” with a seventh, “A Dream of Spring,” planned to conclude the series. Fans have been eagerly awaiting these final installments, especially since Martin hinted they will differ from HBO’s adaptation. Nevertheless, Sanderson firmly believes he is not the right person to conclude Martin’s epic.
“I wouldn’t be right for the job for many reasons,” Sanderson commented in a Reddit post, elaborating on the stark contrast between their writing styles, particularly in tone and magic use. He explained, “I write darkness into my books, but it is darkness as contrast to light, and there is always a spark of hope,” while noting that Martin’s approach to magic is more arcane and mysterious. Although Sanderson respects Martin’s writing, its divergence from his own style makes him averse to taking on the task. Thus, if the need arises, another writer may have to step in to finish “A Song of Ice and Fire,” but it won’t be him.
Brandon Sanderson has a different writing style
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In addition to his own series, Brandon Sanderson is well known for finishing “The Wheel of Time” by Robert Jordan, and some fans have called on him to finish George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire.” Martin is still working on the sixth book, “The Winds of Winter,” which will be followed by a seventh and final installment titled “A Dream of Spring.” Readers have been waiting for the final books (which Martin has teased will be different to HBO’s “Game of Thrones”) for many years and there are concerns that he will never get around to finishing them. However, even if that was the case, Sanderson insists that he’s not the right author to finish the epic tale.
“I wouldn’t be right for the job for many reasons,” Sanderson wrote in a Reddit reply. He discusses that they have incredibly different writing styles, particularly regarding their tone and use of magic. “I write darkness into my books, but it is darkness as contrast to light, and there is always a spark of hope,” he continued, adding that Martin “prefers his magic to be arcane, unknown, and dark — not a tool, but a force you can sometimes (with great danger) apply.” Sanderson respects Martin’s style of writing, but it’s very different from his own and he doesn’t always enjoy reading it. Perhaps someone else will have to step in and finish “A Song of Ice and Fire” at some point, but it won’t be him.
