sigmaklimgrindset

Despite writing about dark topics - apocalyptic events, oppressed populations, the failures of heroes, etc. - he is missing the edge that you get from other authors who write similar stories.

You know what, I think you're onto something here. I don't need Scadrial/Cosmere to be the darkest and edgiest fantasy world ever, and a lot of fantasy readers read for escapism. But there is a certain friction you expect in the genre that just isn't there for me in the first Mistborn trilogy, or the Stormlight books I read. Again, I can't quantify it (and maybe I don't have to), but the best example of my feeling is when I recall reading The Magician's Nephew with my younger cousin around the same time that I started the Stormlight Archive, and man was I way more invested in Diggory and Polly's reactions to the dystopias they were visiting than who/whatever was screwing with Kal again (free my boy from suffering, Sanderson).

I had an English teacher that had us read The Prince along with the Life of Castruccio as a parody of the Medici/Italian ruling class, and how it made Italy worse as a kingdom. Much more enjoyable that way tbh. Fantastic teacher, I hope she's living the life in retirement.

Oh good! I just want everyone to know this fact because I want more people to commiserate with about how we got to where we are in 2025 :')

This is probably divisive here, but I just...do not care for Brandon Sanderson. As someone who has read a lot of fantasy before getting into him, he's always praised for having a coherent magic system, but that isn't really enough to make it an enjoyable fantasy story. There's just a lack of.... something in his writing (and I've tried to read Mistborn and his shorts) that I have a hard time quantifying to others.

Also I was really surprised that I found his writing weirdly bland in the same way I found Stephanie Meyer's writing bland, considering that they write completely different genres. Then I found out they were both had Mormon upbringings, and I can kind of see why I found the blandness similar.

but the writing is ass. the politics more so

You will not be surprised to learn that the author, Eliezer Yudkowsky, started a cult called LessWrong, which had members that would spin off into ANOTHER (more murder-y) cult, the Zizians.

I bought the illustrated version in high school because I was taking an art history class and liked looking at the pretty paintings. The story itself did not leave any impression on me lol

"Do as I say, not as I do" has been the motto of conservatives since like forever. It's not that surprising.

I will actually buy Verstappen merch if he runs number 69

The rumours are that Austrian HQ wanted more control over the F1 operations, and Marko tried to sign Alex Dunne from the McLaren Development Program without their approval, which sort of gave them an excuse to finally get rid of the last of the old F1 guard. Here's an article from The Race sort of hitting all the Marko bullet points.

Montreal's getting Palantir droned first, you think they'll let the socialists have any part of the St. Lawrence?

I use youtube in safari and adguard works, and I can listen to audio in the background/have PIP. Maybe it's my plebe eyes but since I watch mostly video essays, I don't even notice the 720p limit on a screen that small.

Wait I thought this was a joke, it's actually Toyota GAZOO Racing wtf