Welcome to my liveblog of Rhythm of War! Index post here. Beware of spoilers.

Chapter 117 (One Final Gift)
Icons: Kalak and Jez, mirrored.

Okay, I’m a little conflicted here. I need to admit that I read this chapter twice, since I mostly neglected to take notes on it the first time through. The strange thing is, the first read-through I was annoyed at the placement of the chapter. I thought, “why wait until now to show us Eshonai’s death? Wouldn’t it have been better at the end of Words of Radiance, so that it’s a continuation/conclusion of her story there, and then we know ahead of time to expect Venli’s protagonist?” It seemed odd to wait two books to give us this scene.

However, on my second read through I distinctly thought, “I like this framing. Eshonai survives the fall, but we know Venli finds her corpse, so there’s a tension and anticipation about how she’ll meet her demise.” 

I think I mostly agree with my second opinion, especially as this whole book of Rhythm of War has given us a look into Eshonai and Venli’s past, so this intersection between the flashbacks and the on-screen events of the books is an appropriate ending. It’s also a good way to tie it together, given it’s also the Stormfather’s answer to Dalinar about mercy.

At the same time, though, the triumphant feeling of Eshonai finding the Rhythm of War and freeing herself from her servitude to Odium is undercut by the knowledge that it will be two years in-world before that feat is repeated, and Eshonai’s success won’t contribute to that at all. Her escape is personal and sadly divorced from any direct impact on events.The overt contrast between her fight for survival and her fight for her freedom is well done, and that she finds it a victory to win one but not the other is touching.

Quote

 

YOU WERE HIGHLY INVESTED WHEN YOU DIED, SO YOU PERSIST. FOR A SHORT TIME.
YOU WERE A RADIANT WHEN YOU DIED. YOU COULDN’T SAY THE WORDS, UNDER THE WATER, BUT I ACCEPTED THEM ANYWAY.

 

I’m not clear on whether this is something that could be the case for all Radiants or if Eshonai’s transition to Radianthood is important. We see a burst of investiture each time Kaladin progresses to a new oath or ideal, so it’s certainly plausible that if Eshonai had died twenty minutes later she wouldn’t have lingered as much. On the other hand, simply being connected to a nahel bond is fairly investiture intensive, so the transition points might not matter so much for this.

Eshonai and the Stormfather have a nice Life Before Death sort of discussion, though the flip-flop of their positions in this philosophical dialectic is a little odd. Stormfather doesn’t take the same perspective for the whole thing, almost arguing in a devil’s advocate sort of way.

Eshonai, as the first listener Willshaper, getting to ride the storm and explore the whole of Roshar is definitely a fitting a merciful gift. Good job, Stormfather!

And tying the movement Beyond to her exploratory nature gives the ending an even more hopeful tone. Nicely done.