Mistborn Liveblog 27

Chapter 26

There's a lot that I've read and heard about making sure to include a variety of senses in your writing. We experience life through all the senses available to us, and the more that are included in a scene, the more drawn in the reader can become. I agree with that point. But I think there's also something to be said for truly powerful visuals. When I think of some of my favorite stories, I think of the vision I had as I read it. Only rarely do I think of the sounds or scents that were portrayed in the story. Most of the time it's about the visuals. Certainly, the visual aspects of a scene should not be so encompassing as to overtake the other senses-- they should be there, too, as long as they build the scene and do not hamper its effect.

While the smell of rotting flesh or the sounds of vultures on a battlefield may be an important aspect when surveying the scene afterward, in the heat of the fighting, a brief whiff of death or the crack of a skull may actually detract from the scene. Of course, those things could also enhance the scene-- it all depends on what the purpose of the scene is. It seems having a point to each scene is pretty important to help weed out or add in other senses as needed.

On to the spoilers:

Up until this point, there hasn't been much to show the true brutality of the Lord Ruler. Sure, the skaa are oppressed and can be raped and killed on a whim-- but that's the nobility doing it. Obviously the Lord Ruler doesn't object to that kind of treatment, and may even encourage it. But we'd not seen the reality of his own actions. Now we have.

For all the arguments to be made for a well-timed plot device to re-kindle reader and character fervor for the cause, I bought into it. There was no question in my mind as I read that the Lord Ruler had to be stopped. The image of fountains stained by the blood of the executed was certainly powerful.

Concerning my above remarks, I don't recall many other senses used in this scene. Either they were minute enough that I did not notice them, or they simply did not exist. I think the scene is better without them. It's a purely visual scene, as would be the Lord Ruler's point-- the crowd would have been too large for any other of the senses to impact all of them. Only the sight of the red fountains would impact the skaa. And Brandon matched that in his writing, relying heavily on visuals to impact the reader.

Likely when I think back on this book, I'll remember two things: the pseudo-flying Mistborn and this execution scene.

See you tomorrow. Happy reading.

Jameson