Betwen The Stormlight Archive, Mistborn and much more, Brandon Sanderson is the most prolific fantasy author working today. The guy is a writing machine. And when he's not writing epic fantasy, he's talking about it, as when he spoke to El Mundo America during a visit to the Celsius 232 festival in Spain, which is dedicated to all things fantasy, horror and science fiction.
Sanderson mused on how the fantasy genre has evolved since J.R.R. Tolkien basically invented it with his Lord of the Rings books. A new generation of writers, including Sanderson, Joe Abercrombie, and N.K. Jemisin, have been rethinking that template. "I think my generation started to think: well, what else can fantasy do?" Sanderson said "For example, in Tolkien and his followers, magic was disappearing. There are very few wizards, very few people with magic. In my generation, the return of magic is very common. Both The Stormlight Archive and Elantris deal with the disappearance and return of magic to the world. And Mistborn is a deconstruction of the traditional epic hero. It's about what would happen if the Dark Lord of the time won, if the hero failed. Authors like N. K. Jemisin have also done this...we work on this idea of deconstructing what our literary predecessors were trying to decipher."
This new generation sells a lot of books, so apparently these new takes are catching on. Sanderson is very much in agreement when El Mundo America asks if we are experiencing "the triumph" of geek culture. "Certainly, and it was about time," he laughed.
"It must be emphasized that everyone loves the idea of exploring something new and different. And although not everyone has the time or desire to delve into these intimidating tomes we write, if those stories are adapted into another format, everyone enjoys them. Even my mother, who knows nothing about fantasy, was thrilled by the "Lord of the Rings" movies. Furthermore, I do not believe in that fictitious division from years ago that the world is divided into geeks and jocks. Deep down, everyone is a geek about something, for example, those American football fanatics who overwhelm you with statistics of their favorite players. Or those who build model trains, or craft beer lovers... That obsessive passion is part of human nature. The important thing is that fantasy is no longer a stigma; we are all fascinated by different things, and modern society seems to deal better with that reality."
Fantasy books sell pretty well on their own, but it's true that they reach a new level of notoriety when adapted for the screen, although that can be easier said than done. As for the triumph of nerd culture, I feel like we've been living in the thick of it for at a couple of decades now, at least since the Marvel Cinematic Universe took off and had everyone geeking out about what obscure comic book character was gonna show up in the next post-credits scene.
And if Sanderson has his way, that's just the beginning. He thinks that fantasy books are part of a well-balanced life. "I think all the great things that have happened in the world happened first because someone imagined them. Reading a fantasy novel that expands the imagination is as good for you as going to the gym and lifting weights. Simply taking a break and expanding the imagination renews and refreshes the mind," he said.
Is Brandon Sanderson worried about AI in publishing?
With generative artificial intelligence all the rage these days, a lot of businesses are being disrupted, including publishing. There are already books out there written entirely or mostly by AI. Where might that leave an author like Sanderson?
"I think it will affect new writers more, who may decide to take shortcuts," Sanderson said. "I worry that they will publish their first book too quickly. Any professional writer is usually glad that no one reads their first novels, but leaving that tough learning process in the hands of AI is as tempting as a bad decision. I have faith that people will want to read books written by humans. Machines already run better than us, and there are still Olympics. There is a connection between author and reader that people will continue to want, no matter how good AI becomes. But who knows, we are in the Wild West."
As ever, Sanderson has new books coming out in the near future. And the latest entry in his Stormlight Archive series, Wind and Truth, is still being absorbed by his fans.
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