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njdarkish's review
4.0
I read an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review on NetGalley.
I'm a huge Brandon Sanderson fan, so when I saw that I could read an ARC of White Sand Vol. 1, I jumped on it. I've long heard online and at conventions and the like that White Sand is Sanderson's best unpublished book, so naturally I've been wanting to pick it up. Especially since it's part of his larger Cosmere universe. And, having read volume one of the graphic novel version, I can see why the hardcore fan community thinks so highly of it. It's a really cool story with an interesting magic system in a well-developed world. So, what Sanderson does best.
This time the magic system is based around sand. It's not his most complex system, and the graphic novel didn't really explain all of the details of its intricacies yet, but I feel like I have a fairly decent understanding of it. It doesn't excite me quite as much as some of his other systems, like allomancy or binding, but it's still pretty solid.
The world is a big gem here-- a planet that does not spin, so one side is in eternal light and the other in eternal darkness. The story (so far) is set on the sun side (a desert, as you may expect from the book's title), but we get to catch glimpses of how radically different the dark side of the world is through characters from there. There are different cultures, socioeconomic systems, religions, and more that feel very fleshed-out and real here.
The characters also feel quite fleshed out. I am invested in their different goals and motivations.
So, overall, a very solid story. I'm really eager for volume 2!
I'm a huge Brandon Sanderson fan, so when I saw that I could read an ARC of White Sand Vol. 1, I jumped on it. I've long heard online and at conventions and the like that White Sand is Sanderson's best unpublished book, so naturally I've been wanting to pick it up. Especially since it's part of his larger Cosmere universe. And, having read volume one of the graphic novel version, I can see why the hardcore fan community thinks so highly of it. It's a really cool story with an interesting magic system in a well-developed world. So, what Sanderson does best.
This time the magic system is based around sand. It's not his most complex system, and the graphic novel didn't really explain all of the details of its intricacies yet, but I feel like I have a fairly decent understanding of it. It doesn't excite me quite as much as some of his other systems, like allomancy or binding, but it's still pretty solid.
The world is a big gem here-- a planet that does not spin, so one side is in eternal light and the other in eternal darkness. The story (so far) is set on the sun side (a desert, as you may expect from the book's title), but we get to catch glimpses of how radically different the dark side of the world is through characters from there. There are different cultures, socioeconomic systems, religions, and more that feel very fleshed-out and real here.
The characters also feel quite fleshed out. I am invested in their different goals and motivations.
So, overall, a very solid story. I'm really eager for volume 2!
eesh25's review
4.0
3.5 Stars
From all the mixed reviews I'd seen, I had pretty low expectations. And maybe because of that, I found this to be a decent read. The magic system was good, Kenton's an okay protagonist, and I found the world we were introduced to interesting. I also liked the various plot threads that were set up. The art style is great, but it doesn't always work because the expressions and movements come off as either stiff or not matching the dialogue. But overall, I had a good time.
From all the mixed reviews I'd seen, I had pretty low expectations. And maybe because of that, I found this to be a decent read. The magic system was good, Kenton's an okay protagonist, and I found the world we were introduced to interesting. I also liked the various plot threads that were set up. The art style is great, but it doesn't always work because the expressions and movements come off as either stiff or not matching the dialogue. But overall, I had a good time.
eliathereader's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Brandon Sanderson’un en sevdiğim yazarlar arasında olduğunu söylememe artık gerek yoktur diye düşünüyorum. Beyaz Kum yazarlığa başlarken yazdığı ufak bir hikayeymiş ve yıllar içinde değişime uğrayıp çizgi roman teklifi gelince bu kitap ortaya çıkmış. Ben çok sevdim kitabı. Dune’dan ilham alarak yazdığını zaten kendisi de belirtiyor ancak ortaya oldukça enteresan bir iş çıkmış. Çizimlere tek kelimeyle bayıldım! Hem detaylı hem orijinal hem de okuması keyifliydi. Bir sayfadaki çizimleri ne kadar incelersem o kadar detay gözüme çarptı o yüzden çizerl ayrıca tebrik etmek gerek. Kumların suya dönüştürülebilmesi, kumdan şeritler yapıp kuma hükmedebilmek fikri çok hoşuma gitti. Sadece ana karakterin gelişimi bir yerde fazla hızlı geldi bir de o kadar çok konu araya karıştı ki dikkatli okumasam detayları kaçırabilirdim. Araya fazla vakit koymadan devam kitapları da okuyacağım.
sappix's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
3.0
sartman's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
mightyjor's review
5.0
Ok so I’ve had to revise my review. I REALLY love this book. The story is fantastic. There is a huge problem with it though, and that is the presentation. If you are reading the graphic novel, you’re in for a bumpy ride. I can barely tell what’s going on in most of the art and it’s just too overwhelming. Some key things that happen can be completely missed because they’re just not clearly presented in the panels. That’s why I have to say that if you intend to read this, get the Graphic Audio version. I know it’s expensive, but trust me, it’s worth it. You can get the prose from Sandersons website as well I think, but I’ve been told that’s not canon so better just to use the graphic audio.
The first book in this is pretty good, but the second 2 are much better.
The first book in this is pretty good, but the second 2 are much better.
mattstephen's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
melaniearchercat's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wophy's review
4.0
Me lo he leído de una sentada y me ha gustado mucho el sistema de magia. Al día con el Cosmere. Me he leído los 3 volúmenes pero no los voy a registrar
galexywitch's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0