Tress of the Emerald Sea

Ephrem Elpidius · Jan 1, 2023

So, I received my ebook of Tress today, from the Brandon Sanderson kickstarter. Just wondering if anyone else is reading it, or if you do read it, post your thoughts here, remember to use spoiler tags!

I am reading my copy now!

Arella Mathara · Jan 3, 2023

I'm on chapter 18. I love it so much. This is exactly the type of narration, characters, quest, everything, I absolutely adore so I'm beyond happy

Ephrem Elpidius · Jan 3, 2023

Arella Mathara said:
I'm on chapter 18. I love it so much. This is exactly the type of narration, characters, quest, everything, I absolutely adore so I'm beyond happy

Same, it is so great! Honestly the one I was most excited for was Secret Project 2, hopefully I love that one too, but I am genuinely surprised how much I am enjoying Tress! :bye:

Arella Mathara · Jan 3, 2023

I don't think I even read the blurbs, I want to be completely surprised :pleased-1:

Ephrem Elpidius · Jan 3, 2023

Arella Mathara said:
I don't think I even read the blurbs, I want to be completely surprised

I think this is the best way to do things, but since I was spending $200 on the kickstarter... I wanted to be extra sure... because that was a lot of money. I didn't just get the ebooks (I got the hardbacks too). I probably won't ever in my life spend that much on a Kickstarter again though. I just got drawn into the hype a bit

Next time I will just get the ebooks.

Arella Mathara · Jan 5, 2023

I went for the audiobooks. I'd love the hardbacks but shipping *sigh*

Finished it today. I got nothing but praise. Like I mentioned above it has tone, characters, plot, humour, POV, basically everything, just to my liking. It was a genuinely interesting story with the perfect mix of lightness and depth. I absolutely adored Tress. And Hoid. Reading a book in his voice was an amazing treat. And like I've mentioned (somewhere) it's I love that we see the Cosmere more and more openly in the books. The Cosmere is becoming more integrated and in the two last books it's no longer been even semi-hidden. Love it.

Ephrem Elpidius · Jan 5, 2023

Arella Mathara said:
I went for the audiobooks. I'd love the hardbacks but shipping *sigh*

Finished it today. I got nothing but praise. Like I mentioned above it has tone, characters, plot, humour, POV, basically everything, just to my liking. It was a genuinely interesting story with the perfect mix of lightness and depth. I absolutely adored Tress. And Hoid. Reading a book in his voice was an amazing treat. And like I've mentioned (somewhere) it's I love that we see the Cosmere more and more openly in the books. The Cosmere is becoming more integrated and in the two last books it's no longer been even semi-hidden. Love it.

Do you have any tips on how one who struggles to enjoy audio books, might train their ears to enjoy them? I listened to a autobiography once on Audible, and I actually did enjoy it, but for some reason I really struggle to listen to fantasy/sci-fi books on Audible. Do you have any tips on how to try again and enjoy it? For example, how do you focus? Do you lay down and close your eyes and listen? Do you clean/work/commute and listen, but focus on the words intently while doing those activities?

Any advice welcome, because I really would love to develop that ability of listening better.

Arella Mathara · Jan 5, 2023

I've done audiobooks since I was a kid so it comes naturally to me. I listen while I game, play with my phone, do crafts, etc.

I definitely prefer to listen to audiobiographies as they're often read by the writer. Gives the whole experience a new dimension.

As for tips I'd recommend starting with a book you've already read, at least a book without too many side characters as getting names can be difficult in the beginning. Short, light books are easier in the beginning to train your concentration.
Podcasts could also be a help as a step to learn to focus on the words.

And having a 15/30 sec rewind option handy is a must for me

Ephrem Elpidius · Jan 5, 2023

Arella Mathara said:
I've done audiobooks since I was a kid so it comes naturally to me. I listen while I game, play with my phone, do crafts, etc.

I definitely prefer to listen to audiobiographies as they're often read by the writer. Gives the whole experience a new dimension.

As for tips I'd recommend starting with a book you've already read, at least a book without too many side characters as getting names can be difficult in the beginning. Short, light books are easier in the beginning to train your concentration.
Podcasts could also be a help as a step to learn to focus on the words.

And having a 15/30 sec rewind option handy is a must for me

That is actually a really good idea! Starting with short books... I will do that. I haven't listened to podcasts in about 8 months, but I used to listen to them all the time. So, yeah I think I will start with some short book audibles and build my way up. Thank you for the advice.

Arella Mathara · Jan 5, 2023

Good luck

Braedan Fearghal · Jan 31, 2023

Just wanted to chime in and say I got my Tress package the other day too! I'm so excited!

This is probably weird...but I'm considering just listening to the e-book and keeping my hardback copy in the shrink wrap it came in...

Ephrem Elpidius · Jan 31, 2023

Braedan Fearghal said:
Just wanted to chime in and say I got my Tress package the other day too! I'm so excited!

This is probably weird...but I'm considering just listening to the e-book and keeping my hardback copy in the shrink wrap it came in...

I am doing just the opposite, going to keep my copy of Tress in a gallon ziploc bag though for safekeeping and wash my hands before I read it.

I don't like owning fancy books, but even a $40 book is fancy to me and I want to take care of it. I may give them as gifts someday, so I want to keep them in mint condition.

Megana Vallentin · Feb 1, 2023

I finished the book the other day and I loved it so much! The story by itself was great but the way it was narrated was such a bonus fun layer...I just started rereading other Cosmere books that I barely remember and queuing up ones I haven't read yet, so I feel like I had *just enough* Cosmere knowledge that some of the tidbits mentioned weren't a complete foreign language to me. :giggle

I kind of regret not getting the physical book now because the art in the ebook was gorgeous!

Vealdan Annalin · Feb 16, 2023

I opted for the audiobooks.
I was really skeptical that I would like it. Lately I've over-saturated myself with new fantasy and it's getting harder to like a new fantasy books

But I really loved the story from the start. It immediately reminded me of the Princess Bride (which apparently was the intention) and I find it fascinating to see the gender reversal where Buttercup goes and try to save her prince.
The fact that this was from Hoid POV was very interesting and only enahced the experience, for careful listeners I think Brandon left a few hints about Hoid's past in his narration. Initially, I didn't realize it was Hoid and I was rolling my eyes a bit in the narration until I realized that Hoid was the narrator and of course, he'd narrate it in such whimsical way.

Vealdan Annalin · Feb 16, 2023

Ephrem Elpidius said:
Do you have any tips on how one who struggles to enjoy audio books, might train their ears to enjoy them? I listened to a autobiography once on Audible, and I actually did enjoy it, but for some reason I really struggle to listen to fantasy/sci-fi books on Audible. Do you have any tips on how to try again and enjoy it? For example, how do you focus? Do you lay down and close your eyes and listen? Do you clean/work/commute and listen, but focus on the words intently while doing those activities?

Any advice welcome, because I really would love to develop that ability of listening better.

I started listening ot audiobooks just a few years ago. I also had problem understanding a lot of the text without losing focus.
So I started listening to some of my favorite books that I've read multiple times. The experience to listening a book is very different to reading so it was fun. So I listened to all of Harry Potter, Wheel of Time, A Song of Ice and Fire books. Now listening to Tress of the Emerald Sea was a lot easier . I was able to listen while driving, cooking, walking, etc.

Ephrem Elpidius · Feb 16, 2023

Vealdan Annalin said:
I started listening ot audiobooks just a few years ago. I also had problem understanding a lot of the text without losing focus.
So I started listening to some of my favorite books that I've read multiple times. The experience to listening a book is very different to reading so it was fun. So I listened to all of Harry Potter, Wheel of Time, A Song of Ice and Fire books. Now listening to Tress of the Emerald Sea was a lot easier . I was able to listen while driving, cooking, walking, etc.

this is a great idea! thanks for the advice!

Braedan Fearghal · Feb 16, 2023

I've enjoyed audiobooks for years and listen on my commute to and from work each day. I really enjoyed the narrator of Tress when he did the Way of Kings books and he didn't disappoint this time either. I've got roughly an hour left to finish Tress so I'm a little sad that I've sped through it so quickly and have to wait a while for the next surprise book, lol

Kallarn Lo'Vosh · Feb 16, 2023

Vealdan Annalin said:
I started listening ot audiobooks just a few years ago. I also had problem understanding a lot of the text without losing focus.
So I started listening to some of my favorite books that I've read multiple times. The experience to listening a book is very different to reading so it was fun. So I listened to all of Harry Potter, Wheel of Time, A Song of Ice and Fire books. Now listening to Tress of the Emerald Sea was a lot easier . I was able to listen while driving, cooking, walking, etc.

This is what I do. I find I don't focus on new stuff properly if I try and listen while doing other things. So I keep new stuff for car drives and old faves for when working etc

Adina al'Mari · Mar 5, 2023

Ephrem Elpidius said:
Do you have any tips on how one who struggles to enjoy audio books, might train their ears to enjoy them? I listened to a autobiography once on Audible, and I actually did enjoy it, but for some reason I really struggle to listen to fantasy/sci-fi books on Audible. Do you have any tips on how to try again and enjoy it? For example, how do you focus? Do you lay down and close your eyes and listen? Do you clean/work/commute and listen, but focus on the words intently while doing those activities?

Any advice welcome, because I really would love to develop that ability of listening better.

Speed and narrators matter. I generally bump up the speed by quite a lot depending on the reader, and it actually helps me pay attention better. Also, there are simply some readers I cannot abide. Unfortunately, Michael Kramer is one of them. Not that he's bad, he's not at all, but his tone just doesn't hold my attention, even if sped up.

Question- would this book be okay for a 13 yo to read? They've read the Alcatraz series, and Elantris, but thats as far as we've gone into Sanderson's work.

Ephrem Elpidius · Mar 5, 2023

Adina al'Mari said:
Speed and narrators matter. I generally bump up the speed by quite a lot depending on the reader, and it actually helps me pay attention better. Also, there are simply some readers I cannot abide. Unfortunately, Michael Kramer is one of them. Not that he's bad, he's not at all, but his tone just doesn't hold my attention, even if sped up.

Question- would this book be okay for a 13 yo to read? They've read the Alcatraz series, and Elantris, but thats as far as we've gone into Sanderson's work.

I have not finished yet, but based on what I have read and know about Tress, I would say yes it is probably ok.

I do the same thing with speed changes when I watch YouTubers, and it is similar, with some I go faster, etc.

I know Brandon's Skyward series is targeted to that age range. He just finished the 4th and last canon book of the Skyward series too.

Tress of the Emerald Sea

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Ephrem Elpidius

Arella Mathara

Ephrem Elpidius

Arella Mathara

Ephrem Elpidius

Arella Mathara

Ephrem Elpidius

Arella Mathara

Ephrem Elpidius

Arella Mathara

Braedan Fearghal

Ephrem Elpidius

Megana Vallentin

Vealdan Annalin

Vealdan Annalin

Ephrem Elpidius

Braedan Fearghal

Kallarn Lo'Vosh

Adina al'Mari

Ephrem Elpidius

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