[OB] Full Book Reactions / Full Spoilers Thread

[maxal]

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

When kaladin saves Dalinar on the tower, he hadn't sworn to protect him, so by the version of honour we see in SA he shouldnt of been able kill the parshendi then.

He doesnt decide he should protect everyone, he ends up unable to act because he sees friends on both sides, that is not the same.

He still fought to defend the people he felt needed protection. His motto is rather simple, as long as he sees "us" and "them", he is able to fight "them", but when he realizes "them" could also become "us", he loses his mojo.

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

I don't see this as remembering someone who was forgotten, it was just an honourable act.

An act no one else saw fit to do but himself. He is a Prince, given how segregated Alehtkar is, rescuing a low born isn't seen as an act of honor, it isn't seen as an obligation, it most definitely isn't something most people, even the most honorable individuals, would do. It might not even have been something Dalinar would have done.

Yet he does it. The reason it is significant is because it goes against everything we were told Alethkar stands for in terms of morality and order. Princes do not talk nor rescue prostitute. They do not mingle with the lowborn. They. Just. Don't. I also find it significant Kaladin, having had many bad experiences with ligtheyes finds it significant Adolin does save the prostitute.

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

This applies to most survivors, its constantly remarked on by kaladin as well so i don't think this falls under "i will remember those who were forgotten" either

Kaladin mentions the men Dalinar lost once, which is pretty much inline with his duties as a Windrunner, to muse on the ones he couldn't protect. Dalinar never mentions anyone dying, he isn't affected by the deaths, merely annoyed. It is Adolin who wants retribution for his men, Adolin who recites their names, in anger at having been powerless to stop the carnage. It is also Adolin who cared about the 50 men they fighting the chasmfiend. No one else but him have expressed similar level of care.

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

I think this is just natural, a son remembering a mother.

We do not see Renarin spend so much time thinking about his mother. It is Adolin who had the memento of her, who yearns for her to be back, who takes on to Navani babying him because it makes him feel as if "mother" was back. Evi is a sore subject: no one speaks of her because she died horribly. The handful who knows the truth are lip tied. Evi became a topic never to be addressed except by her son.

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

First one is honourable second one i guess fits, but kaladin wasnt ignored....

He was ignored. Kaladin felt he was being ignored, forgotten. Adolin staying in prison for him was a turning point in Kaladin's character because, for the first time in his life, someone genuinely did something for him, someone believed him and someone refused to allow him to take the punishment for having done the right thing. So while not everyone living forgot about Kaladin, Bridge 4 sure didn't forget, Kaladin felt utterly alone in there. Left out. Abandoned. And it was Adolin who gave him back hope. It was an act of genuine kindness and open defiance no one else would have done. No one else did it and Dalinar certainly didn't approve of Adolin doing it.

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

Again this seems just a natural thing anyone would do.

And yet he is the only one, out of party of seven, who thought to do it. If it were so natural, then why didn't anyone else say anything? That's the catch, everyone always says "Anyone would have done it", but truth is Adolin is the only one who cares enough to do it.

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

Again this is natural and shallan wasnt forgotten/ignored

No one listened to her either. Ever. Adolin allowed her to speak her jest, to voice out the truths she wanted to voice out. He also listened to her speaking of her theories earlier in WoR even if they went against popular beliefs. Obviously, Shallan isn't a street urchin, but what is more admirable, a street urchin who listens to another street urchin or a Prince who manages to think of other people but himself and to actually listen to them as opposed to want them to listen to him?  That's the catch too... Edgedancer are about helping other people and I haven't found one single evidence Adolin would fail at maintaining those oaths.

1 hour ago, IronBars said:

Again this is honourable, but doesnt showcase any ideals related to edgedancers in my opinion fits more with "protect those who cant protect themselves"

It is not something most people would have done. Adolin saw someone in need and he helped them. The Edgedancers are about being "Good Samaritans", helpers. Sure, helping and protecting can be similar, at times, just like Kaladin wanting to protect others sometimes seem more like "loving" than "protecting". Orders are not mutually exclusive, but by his behavior, Adolin has shown he had the capacity to grow into the right individual to fit within the order of the Edgedancer even if he hadn't have this growth yet.

3 minutes ago, IronBars said:

Honouring your oaths regardless of a moral filter or no moral filter is the same thing, so the skybreakers honour and windrunners honour are the same thing, thats besides the point though, 

What i was saying was kaladin should of been able kill amaram, because since he killed kaladins friends, honour would demand that kaladin seek vengence. (I am not on about the shard honour, im on about what honour actually is and the different variations of it)

Protecting people is honourable

Seeking vengence against someone who killed your friends is honourable.

Killing someone to prevent mass murder is honourable.

Killing someone to stop a cataclysmic event is honourable, 

but all we see from honourspren is the "protection" aspect. Thats what i mean by there being a narrow view.

Vengeance is never honorable. It is satiating a desire to fulfill a negative emotion: it isn't something Windrunners agree is honorable. The entire purpose of Moash are was to show what happens when someone gives way to vengeance and anger: he becomes over-ruled by them and turns into a villain, thinking everyone who slighted him deserved death. Had Kaladin kill Amaram, would his vengeance be over? Nope. He'd then proceed to kill the men who allowed Amaram to be in charge and so on. That's why vengeance is never honorable, it has no end, no justice to it, just self-serving satisfaction.

 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2018 by maxal

[Calderis]

@IronBars ah, yes that makes sense. Each individual spren type is a narrow scope of what honor entails.

I agree with that, thank you for clarifying. 

[IronBars]

@maxal we will just need to agree to disagree, 

[platy21]

On 11/15/2017 at 4:45 PM, Marethyu316 said:

Is it confirmed that Sazed wrote that letter? I thought it might have been, but is there a WoB or something obvious in the text that I should have noticed.

I'm still not through the whole thread, but in case nobody has added this - the audiobook is read in Sazed's voice

[thorongil]

This book is like red wine. During reading, it was the first Stormlight book that felt a bit tedious to me. It felt like stuff was happening all over again. Dalinar thinking he knows a lot, while in reality he knows nothing. Kaladin being depressed. Shallan being Shallan³. (The flashbacks and Szeth-parts were excellent from the get-to, though.)

Then: the Sanderson-avalanche. Which did not feel like an avalanche to me while reading it. I had trouble grasping the significance of some of the events. (I might have to add that I am not among the more observant readers, especially when reading a book the first time around. I did, for example, not realize that Dalinar and Shallan had uttered oaths during Oathbringer, until I was made aware by various forum threads.)

Suddenly, I'm finished with the book. It left me feeling ambivalent, as I did not know how to judge all of what I read. And I start exploring the forums a bit and start listening to Shardcast and Cosmere Conversations (huge props to both these podcasts, by the way). And the more I delve into the conversation surrounding the book, the more I feel like I am the one who has ascended and I can see the perpendicularity into the cosmere right in front of my eyes. Plus, some awareness-explosion.

I read certain segments again and find myself aghast at how I could have failed to grasp the utter grandeur of what has been happening throughout this book. I find myself nearly weeping at Evi's death. I find myself brimming with excitement because I have realized what Dalinar has done during the confrontation with Odium. I find myself amazed at how intricately Cultivation has spun her webs and planted her seeds.

So, in the end, I really admire what Sanderson has done with this book. What I also realized is that to get through this and stick with Sanderson's masterplan requires a huge amount of mutual trust between author and reader. This is not a book (or a series, for that matter) for everyone. But boy is it a book for me!

 

[Yvainnie]

Book is genius and perfect. I had a few problems with some characters but it has nothing to do with writing. It was just about me not liking people who were described so realistic.

So Shallan part was interesting. Firstly I am amazed at how much accuretly Sanderson can desribe insane mind and development. It was very interestin to see how she was progressing deeper to spliting her mind but I kind of did not like her and Adolin but I like how she decided for herself even if it does not have to make sense to anyone else.

Adolin was good and I hope he will bring Maya somehow back to be living spren.

Kaladin was so much depressed but that was just his way. I do hope he will be better in next book and I was a little disappointed about him not saying 4th Ideal. And I so hope that he will end up having serious relationship with Syl! That would be awesome.

And I was also diaspointed a little not to see any KR wearing  true Plate. Humankind not being from Roshar was very good plot but I expected it but still awesome. And I also want to see what happens when someone  will say 5th Ideal if 4th means that you get Plate.

Dalinar and Odium were awesome. And: "I am unity." was my favorite part. Just perfect. I hope there will be more of that.

I missed more Jasnah.

I cried when Dalinar took that book and went to stand up to Odium.

Edited April 19, 2018 by Yvainnie

[supersmith]

 I’m not going to lie, this is definitely my new favorite book. I would go into it more but every opinion I have has already been expressed 

Also I’ve reread this book 4 times since December. I’m not crazy I promise 

[Gray to]

I almost cried when Elhokar died. Not because I liked his character, but because it was so brutal. storm Moash

[ljósmóður]

Finally got a break from life in general to read it. I definitely need to re-read it as, like all Sanderson's books, it sucked me in and I couldn't put it down so I read it quickly - knowing that I would probably miss some significant foreshadowing / Cosmere stuff (although that's what this forum is for, isn't it!? )

For me, I'm pretty sure its a book that I will love more when I re-read it. That's not to say that I didn't really enjoy it first time through but, having glanced through this thread, I don't seem unique in the things I found dissatisfying. However, firstly, the things I really liked about the book:

I did love a LOT. The set pieces, as always. Those moments that make you air punch as you read - there were plenty of those. Kaladin returning home and Dalinor's awesome third oath bookended several others for me. Loved Lift and Szeth/Nightblood (especially when they were together at the end). Loved Lift with Dalinor too!  And Taln - I'm really looking forward to seeing more of him in future books. I didn't mind the 'Avengers Assemble' feel to the final battle because I'd been looking forward to seeing all the main characters get their Radiant on together - and I wasn't disappointed at all by that. It was touch and go as to whether following so many characters would become unfathomable but I think, overall, the constant shifting of between muliple POV during the battle worked as it echoed the utter chaos being experienced by the characters.

I didn't love the Shadesmar section but I didn't hate it either. I enjoyed it as a stand-alone piece of world building around the Cognitive Realm - and a chance to get some back story on Syl (and Maya, sort of) - but wasn't sure that it advanced the plot much? It felt like there needed to be some tension about whether Shallan, Kaladin and Adolin would make it to the final KR jamboree and they couldn't be left in Fused occupied Kholinar so popping them into Shadesmar was a handy thing to do for plot expediency.

I wasn't especially bothered by the love triangle - I just sort of got on with the book, despite it rally! I've always thought that writing romantic entanglements is probably one of Brandon's weaker areas - I don't generally find the romances in any of his novels to be wholly convincing although I think SA has, overall, been more mature in its approach. I like the way he writes Dalinor and Navani, for example. I like Kaladin, I like Adolin, I blow hot and cold on Shallan as a character. I didn't like her in tWoK, she grew on me in WoR and I couldn't quite decide what I made of her (or her, or her) in OB - I suspect that's something I'll decide on re-reading but it meant that I wasn't especially invested in who she ended up with.

Overall, I think the reason I would probably place WoR over OB in my current assessment, based on one reading, is that OB felt less cohesive as a reading experience. It did feel, at times, that the material lost crispness so that threads which should have had more prominence (Sadeas' murder, the Everstorm, more actual nitty-gritty about the Radiant orders) didn't get it - I'm sure they will in future books but I felt those things should have been in *this* book. Some of the material felt extraneous and I felt that some of the political machinations could have been edited to make space for things which were set up in WoR. However, I did enjoy reading it and will, I'm sure, enjoy re-reading it and spotting loads more stuff I missed on the first pass.

[gandalfgreyheme]

I picked up a new fantasy universe about a month back. So incredibly happy that it was stormlight archive. Tore through WoTK, WoR and OB and will now start the task of properly reading this again. But before I do, I just wanted to add my thoughts to the flow:

The Yays!:

1. Jasnah Kholin going on the OP rampage in Thyleneh
2. The unexpectedly tight connection to Warbreaker
3. DESTROY EVIL!
4. Rock the archer - there will be a price to pay
5. The deeply satisfying resolution of Dalinar's inner struggles
6. Pai's rebellion
7. Maya!

The Nays:

1. The redemption of Szeth was too easy
2. I felt that the deep personal struggles of Shallan were boiled down to boy troubles. This could have been far more interesting
3. Amaram was lost as a set-piece. He could have been Kaladin's big bad

The questions:

1. Honour's Perpendicularity lives, does that mean unity has a deeper meaning?
2. Spoiler

   1. Specifically given the kind of role Sazed played in Mistborn
3. Moash is going to be a very interesting character. I think he will turn eventually, he's far too self aware to not do so otherwise
4. WTF is going on in Shinovar. I'd love to explore the place given the importance it has on the Human occupation of Roshar

[Angsos]

That's probably why we haven't seen Shinovar given that's where this, in every sense of the word, all started

[Honor's Radiance]

On 3/28/2018 at 6:27 PM, platy21 said:

I'm still not through the whole thread, but in case nobody has added this - the audiobook is read in Sazed's voice

o.O The number of details Sanderson has orchestrated in these books blows my mind every time.

On 3/29/2018 at 7:57 AM, thorongil said:

I read certain segments again and find myself aghast at how I could have failed to grasp the utter grandeur of what has been happening throughout this book. I find myself nearly weeping at Evi's death. I find myself brimming with excitement because I have realized what Dalinar has done during the confrontation with Odium. I find myself amazed at how intricately Cultivation has spun her webs and planted her seeds.

On 4/8/2018 at 11:00 AM, Yvainnie said:

Dalinar and Odium were awesome. And: "I am unity." was my favorite part. Just perfect. I hope there will be more of that.

...

I cried when Dalinar took that book and went to stand up to Odium.

Me. Too. God, that whole Odium plotline was just...so many feels. I think I hyperventilated through the entire scene where he appears for the first time. It was such an eerie description to read because I tend to think of passion as one of my more prominent attributes, and so I found myself resonating uncomfortably deeply with one line he would say or one description, and then in a moment it would be twisted into something so incredibly manipulative. It was a strange sort of whiplash. He's a delightful character, and I'm fascinated by the different sides of himself he shows to Dalinar, Venli, and Taravangian. My skin crawls every time he speaks or appears, so he must be written well...

On 5/22/2018 at 9:48 AM, gandalfgreyheme said:

WTF is going on in Shinovar. I'd love to explore the place given the importance it has on the Human occupation of Roshar

YES. Shinovar is such a mystery! I want to know how much they knew all along about the origin of humans and their relationships with Odium, Honor, and the singers. And I want to know what world the humans left destroyed--was it Braize itself? Or Yolen? Or something else? How many times has this happened before they reached Roshar? Plus, the parallel between the breaking of the Oathpact, the Recreance, and the Shattering of Adonalsium fascinates me. I want to know if the Shattering was for a similar genre of reason to the first two: the Heralds take a gamble that Taln will be able to hold and so vanish, the KR find out about the origins of humans and walk away from the wars--what about Adonalsium? What was happening with the humans, with Rayse perhaps, with whoever was opposing Adonalsium, that Shattering was the strategic decision that seems now to have been a tragic or at least unfortunate event?

Other responses to the book:

- Dalinar's confrontation with the Nightwatcher & Cultivation was perfect.
- I've been waiting for mysterious Renarin to become interesting, and this was excellent.
- I cried my eyes out during Dalinar's entire confrontation with Odium. I'm a little more Windrunner than Bondsmith, but ahhh that one got me on a deep, deep level.
- I want to kill Moash myself. And I am so angry at how much of a doormat Taravangian lets himself be (to the authority of his own self) when he thinks he can get something out of it at the end (which never seems to succeed, and he never seems to notice).
- Jezriennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn *insert numerous crying emojis*
- I missed more Jasnah as well, but I'm thrilled they gave her the throne.
- And spren in their own realm!!

[Juanaton]

So I didn't catch this on my first time through, or even second, but for whatever reason, I just noticed something I find problematic and thought I'd come here to see if anybody can help reconcile this for me.

During the destruction at the Rift, as Dalinar is headed for the secret chamber with his barrels of oil, he specifically complains about all the fighting and killing with nothing to feed the Thrill. Everything about the Thrill seems to me to indicate that it demands a struggle, danger, a serious threat, in order to be "satisfied" and make Dalinar feel "alive". Moments later he cuts the door from its hinges and, rather than seeking for a fight by searching the rooms inside, he rolls the burning barrels of oil in and just sits watching. If the results of this weren't so fundamental to the plot it wouldn't be a big problem, but they are. To set up the conflict Dalinar has had to deal with through the whole series, and will continue to deal with I expect, he had to diverge from the natural tendencies he has shown, has to fail to engage hand-to-hand, or even to seek to engage that way, and commit an atrocity because he didn't find out information that would have been obvious if he had followed through on the established aspects of his character.

I don't want this to be what I think of this scene. I want it to be what it was to me the first few times, so someone, please, give me a good (meaning founded in the character he has been revealed to be leading up to this event) reason that Dalinar wouldn't have gone into that room and tried to kill whoever was in there with Oathbringer or his bare hands.

[Calderis]

@Juanaton because from Dalinar's viewpoint, anyone hiding in that room, barred in, wouldn't have been a challenge.

What he needed from the thrill was something that would push him, and risk him. Something to make him struggle. But a coward hiding away from the battle in a room only big enough for a few? He'd have walked in slaughtered them, and been left wanting. 

Better to just burn it out, move on and hopefully find someone who isn't cowering. 

Edited June 24, 2018 by Calderis

[Juanaton]

1 minute ago, Calderis said:

@Juanaton because from Dalinar's viewpoint, anyone hiding in that room, barred in wouldn't have been a challenge.

What he needed from the thrill was something that would push him, and risk him. Something to make him struggle. But a coward hiding away from the battle in a room only big enough for a few? He'd have walked in slaughtered them, and been left wanting. 

Better to just burn it out, move on and hopefully find someone who isn't cowering. 

Thank you. That really does resolve my problem with the whole thing because I can think of plenty of references to how the slaughter had been unsatisfying because it was too easy.

Edited June 24, 2018 by Juanaton

[Lord Anomander Rake]

Hello everyone.

I've been lurking on this forum for some time so I thought it was finally time to introduce myself by sharing my reaction to "Oathbringer" and asking some questions. I know this comes super late in relation to when the book came out (it's also been two months since I finished it), but here goes.

General Thoughts - Observations: 

• Structurally this is Brandon's best book imo. I was honestly surprised at how much was revealed so soon and that's a really good thing. That only means there's so much more to come. 
• Perhaps I don't overanalyze clues on purpose in order to experience plot twists fully, but storms it wasn't obvious to me that humans are the Voidbringers. Holy hell.
• That "divide by zero" joke by Pattern really had me rolling.
• I'm assuming Hoid had put aluminum around the Soulcaster during the Kholinar siege in order to make it invisible to Odium's army? 
• Any Diagram part is supremely interesting.
• Wait a second. Jezrien is DEAD? Just like that?
• Godammit Moash. You piece of trash.
• As the sole negative I'd say I wanted more chit-chat between the leads, but that's not easy to cram in.

Questions: 

I haven't read every single reaction/post here so bear with me if these have been answered before.

• Do we have something like a compilation of all the different Soulcaster forms?
• Does Szeth have a highspren?
• What exactly is the relation between Nightblood and the Nightwatcher (if there is one)?
• Is there a relationship between the paintings in the lighthouse they visited in Shadesmar and Wit's story (the wall and the little girl)?
• During a Dalinar flashback, he saw a light when he went outside during a highstorm. That was never explained. Any theories?
• I don't understand why Moelach is helping the humans with the Deathrattles. Isn't he an Unmade?

Thank you for reading.

 

[CrazyRioter]

Szeth does have a highspren now, it seems like he or she is just not very interactive. Hopefully we will get to see Szeth interact with his spren more in the next book because those relationships are always interesting.

Hoid did use aluminium to insulate the soulcaster from the voidspren.

Nightblood was apparently in the Nightwatcher's possession at some point. We have no idea how that happened. Other then that there's no particular connection  between them.

The other questions I have no insight on.

[Lord Anomander Rake]

Aha, good to have some confirmation.

On the Nightwatcher stuff, I'm guessing Vasher asked for something that resulted in him losing Nightblood.

 

[TousenShadowForged]

So how about those constant screw overs on the parshendi

 

Just wow they can't get a break 

[StrikerEZ]

On July 3, 2018 at 3:41 AM, TousenShadowForged said:

So how about those constant screw overs on the parshendi

 

Just wow they can't get a break 

Honestly though. The Singers (NOT Parshendi) have it so rough. 

What I really want to see happen is a large portion of the Singer population turn against Odium and the humans and Singers band together to beat Odium. Probably not until like book 10 though. 

[cantabile21]

Not sure if it has been said elsewhere, but when Adolin summons Maya during the final battle and expects to hear her screaming but instead gets silence... My first thought was that now that they're out of Shadesmar, the relationship between Adolin and Maya has been reverted to the usual one between a human Shardbearer and the dead spren who had been bonded to someone else. But in my second reading of OB - i'm about halfway through - i noticed that Dalinar still hears the sword Oathbringer screaming, though not as loudly as expected. And the Stormfather explains that it's because Oathbringer remembers his former bond with Dalinar and does not hate him as much as he hates other people. 

And that brings to my mind, what if Maya's silence when being summoned is not because Adolin can't hear her outside of Shadesmar, but is because she simply isn't screaming? She has already come out of her zombie state - for lack of a better term - to protect him on her own, she has tried to communicate with him even though she can't speak, and she has somehow managed to tell him her name. i would think that for a high spren looking to bond with a human, telling the human his or her name is a significant moment. 

So i'm thinking, perhaps Maya has already started the bonding process with Adolin, and therefore has no reason to scream when summoned now. After all she has already been with Adolin for several years as his Shardblade, and presumably can sense his respect for her as a being and partner in his calling as a duelist and not a tool, his dependence on her as a part of himself - he teaches Shallan that the Blade is a part of yourself - and also his attempts to look into her wellbeing even in Shadesmar and his discomfort at seeing her locked up even if it was for her own safety. She has already come to care for him, to look out for him, to partner with him.

So yup, i'm totally looking forward to watching their progress as they continue to cement their bond with each other. And perhaps Adolin reviving a 'veteran' spren who had actually fought and died and been through the Recreance would open up totally new possibilities for us to discover and explore. Whee! 

Edited July 16, 2018 by cantabile21

[PlanetReelo]

I've never actually given a detailed opinion of this book, so I thought better late than never! My overall opinion of the book is that it is inferior to the other two SA books. There were times when it was so tedious to get through that I couldn't believe that I was reading something by BS. I've made two brief(ish) lists of some of the things I liked and disliked. It's just what I can remember at the moment, I'll almost certainly be adding to the lists constantly.

The Good

-Kaladin's reunion with his parents and meeting Oroden - I found this scene so emotional, and even teared up when Kaladin cried on meeting the little guy. To me, it signified his grief over the loss of Tien, intermingled with the new hope of a brother he could still protect. Happy and sad tears. Hit me right in the feels because my own little brothers are the most important people in my life.

-Every flashback scene with Evi and Dalinar - I just found their story so fascinating, and I have to say that I'm a sucker for having my heart broken. Evi was too precious for this world.

-The scene where little Renarin offers his father a drink. There aren't enough words to describe how heart-wrenchingly beautiful I found this scene to be.

-'I AM UNITY!' - Need I say more?

-The Girl Who Stood Up. This was a wonderful chapter and a step towards the right direction for Shallan. I also love the relationship that Wit and Shallan have, especially the fact that he still actively looks out for her even though he has his own far greater burdens to bear.

-Jasnah being Jasnah. Move aside Shallan.

The Bad

-Lack of consequences for Adolin killing Sadeas - I personally would love to see an 'Adolin going dark' arc, because as he is currently, I find him to be terribly boring. If not that, then I had at least hoped for some kind of tension to arise from this plotline.

-Shadesmar - The image of mystery and danger I associated with shadesmar from the previous books has forever been ruined by beaded trees and tinned food.

-Shallan's mental state in general.
To sum it up - 'Girl, what is you doing?' (but in all seriousness, her character took several steps backward IMO. I miss WoR Shallan)

-Szeth's return - I love the guy, but the impact from his demise in WoR is diminished.

-Kaladin taking a back seat - I think that his character really suffered due to this. Previously a multi-dimensional, complex character, I felt he was relegated to a flanderised version of himself to make room for other characters. P̶l̶u̶s̶ ̶I̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶n̶e̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶h̶i̶m̶.̶

-The 'twist' that the humans are the voidbringers. I more or less suspected this, but it was confirmed from Venli's passage during the Kholinar siege where she states that Kholinar rightfully belonged to them (or something to that effect).

-Shallan's decision to marry - Oh boy, do I find this problematic to say the least. In her current state, she shouldn't be marrying ANYONE. Yes, I am a shalladin shipper before anyone asks, but I would still think it was wrong even if the marriage was to Kaladin at this stage. Maybe this is my medical background talking, but it's debatable whether she even possesses the capacity to make an informed decision at present (and such an important and life-altering one at that)! More on this in the SKA thread.

-The aftermath of Elhokar' death - To put it bluntly, there wasn't one. We saw some grief on Navani's part and that was it.

-Not enough Kadolin bromance. Seriously, it was a definite step down from WoR.

-The chapter about Tarah. Yes, I understand that it was important to reiterate Kaladin's inability to let go of the dead and live for the present. But when I think that I could have got another chapter of hoid hurling insults at people, I get sad. Or even bridge 4 bants. The possibilities are endless.

Edited August 2, 2018 by PlanetReelo

[TousenShadowForged]

nah sadeas was a threat aside from dalinar no one got uptight about him dying. Loved the chat when lady said good riddance. besides sadeas would have ended up like amaram but before all that constantly getting in dalinars way.

 

call me cruel but I was glad and relieved elk died him  joining the club was just too cliched. im probably the only one who doesn't hate Moash and understands him.

 

glad there will be no kaladin and laurel and wish he did more of a beatdown on roshone lol

Edited August 2, 2018 by TousenShadowForged

[DashHC]

I finally managed to finish Oathbringer. After taking nearly two years to finish the first two books, it felt good to finish OB in just over a month (yes I'm a slow reader and homework takes precedence). And now I can participate in the forums without fear of spoilers. I think this is definitely the best book in the series so far. Though it was long and there were times when my head kind of hurt after hours of reading and trying to keep track of all the moving parts. I figured I'd drop some of my favorite and least favorite moments here just for giggles.

Favorite moments:

- The reveal about what happened to the Heralds (I know we saw this in the prologue of WoK but now it makes more sense). I thought this was more moving that the reveal of why the Recreance occurred. To find out that they were humans who gave themselves to the greater good in an effort to trap the Listeners souls from returning was really cool. It was even better when the human element was factored in, the human weakness that even though they were noble their souls were still tortured and the reason for each Desolation was that one after another, the Hearalds failed to uphold their Oath (even Talenel'Elin...though he held the longest). I hope we get a lot more plot from the perspective of the Heralds. Which I'm sure will happen now that Moash is apparently the new "assassin in white" with regards to the Heralds.

- Dalinar's back story was probably the most interesting of the three we've seen so far. Though I'm a Kaladin fan, getting to know Dalinar a bit better really made his ascension that much more dramatic and moving. Though a part of me wished he had become Odium's champion and then redeemed in a later book, that would have been quite the twist. But this is a Heroic Epic after all.

- Every scene with Wit...

- Moash, as much as I want to hate this guy and call him a crybaby, he is the perfect antagonist to Kaladin. Their eventual showdown is going to be epic.

- Dalinar's religious/philosophical debates with Kadash...these were very interesting and I though they were well articulated.

- Shallan's mental state is a mess...and that makes her a good character. Constantly struggling with the personalities in her head and still trying to be a good person.

 

Least favorite:

- Shallan's encounter with Re-Shephir. It felt way too easy that she "figured out" how to push her back. Though I bet we'll see more of that Unmade. 

- Szeth swearing allegiance to Dalinar and not much fuss coming of it. I do understand the lead up to Szeth choosing Dalinar, hell I'd swear allegiance to him too if I could. But, there didn't seem to be much tension on the issue. Why did Dalinar accept Szeth so easily? Szeth attempted to murder Dalinar multiple times, he killed Gavilar and Taravangian confessed that Szeth was the instrument of all the chaos going on in Roshar with respect to the succession war in Jah-Keved. It just feels too easy that Dalinar has accepted Szeth. Maybe we'll see more develop from this.

- Adolin constantly averting death just in the nick of time. I do like him as a character and I hope he develops more over the next few books but for someone that isn't Radiant, he sure manages to avoid death fairly easily. I also feel that if a main character were to die...Adolin should be it.

- The seeming reconciliation of Shallan's mental state. Adolin is real and sees her for who she is, and that's enough to deal with the voices in here head? The love conquers the demons...a little cliche...but I bet it's going to get more complex as the next books come out.

Anyway, these are just a few of the things I liked/disliked. They're just my opinions and I am in no way a professional literary critic. I loved this book as a whole and the series is so captivating. I'm excited for the 4th book as well as exploring other books in the Cosmere. 

 

 

 

[DashHC]

On 3/18/2018 at 4:32 PM, IronBars said:

 

Seeking vengence against someone who killed your friends is honourable.

~ I have to disagree with this assertion. I think the point is that vengeance isn't honorable. Vengeance for the sake of vengeance has nothing to do with honor anymore. If he had killed Amaram as his friends were threatened, then that's honorable. But, since the act is already over, Kaladin is no longer protecting anyone by seeking vengeance. He may try to justify it as preventing future deaths in the same way he originally justifies that Moash and Graves are right in wanting Elhokar dead, but deep down that's just not the right thing. Killing Amrarm in combat or in the act of actively defending someone is how the Windrunners operate. They kill to defend, an active defense, not a preemptive "defense". Just my opinion.