Jump to content
  • entries
    151
  • comments
    0
  • views
    8583

Chapter 43


ccstat

478 views

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

Chapter 43 (Men and Monsters)
Epigraph: That is a remarkably welcoming way to ask Hoid to stop sneaking into your house.

With the invasion becoming an occupation, Brandon has successfully parlayed the tension of imminent conflict with the Pursuer into suspense over when he will encounter Kaladin. This is an unusual emotional shift, since I’m more used to the clock ticking down to add tension instead of adding time to achieve a similar effect.

Quote

Even the exhaustionspren seemed tired.

That’s when you know it’s time for a nap.

I like that Hesina is the one to immediately see the logistical problems with singer occupation. It’s not a matter of pride--without fabrials to enable their modern living conditions, the human city cannot function in basic ways.

And Kaladin’s mind immediately goes to the strategy of the campaign. Control of the Oathgates is the crucial point for him.

Neat that he’s seeing the evolution of warfare tactics in real time, as small squads and formations adapt to aerial assaults.

I’m pleased that Kaladin also has his mental patients at the forefront of his mind. He’s claimed them in the ways that matter, not just spending time to try a career change.

Lirin calling out Kaladin for his rage against the system:

Quote

“How much misery would you have saved the world if you’d used your talents instead of your fists?”

That’s entirely fair, despite the fact that Kaladin’s chosen path had such an outsized impact on the course of the world. If the journey matters, you can’t use ends to justify the path taken to get there. Could Kaladin have spent his time healing instead of fighting? It’s a really cogent point in this world of oaths and honor.

Quote

“If you want to change the world, you have to stop being part of the problem!”

Yes! This is what I was wanting from Kal’s dad.

Quote

“We are what stands between the people of this tower and deathspren.”

Suddenly I’m desperate for comparative studies of human and singer theories of disease and alternate approaches to sanitation. How have their different interactions with spren directed the course of their pragmatic discoveries? We’ve already seen many examples of how human society advanced thanks to a visual indicator of infection/disease. What do singers do when they can see those spren coming even sooner--and not necessarily from close to the infectious material?

Kaladin’s assumption that the suppression field is less effective on WIndrunners feels way off base on the face of it, largely because I’m expecting it to be a bond strength issue (Raboniel even hinted at such). However, we know that there are other 3rd-oath Radiants out there including Teft. The idea that the Bondsmiths are less vulnerable has also been floated, and whether that is due to the nature of their spren being more powerful than the Sibling’s barrier or due to their main surge being purely of Honor is an unknown. That Honor-associated tenth surge is shared with the Windrunners, and the Windrunners are bound to honorspren, so it’s entirely possible that they are more resistant to the technique being implemented by Voidlight (i.e. an investiture incompatible with that surge and nature.)

The wind responding to his mood is a very cool indication that “badassery is on the way.”

Quote

“It was a nice dream, wasn’t it, Syl?” he asked. “That we could escape? Find peace at long last?”
“Such a wonderful dream,” she whispered.

Aww yeah! Pathos and decision making in one tight package. This is how you show a tipping point.

And the Regal basically says “I can take him.” I thought these people were smarter than that. At least the warform singer knows what’s up. Maybe it’s just the corrupting voidspren that is clouding the other’s judgement.

Yeah, the thunder strike probably means there’s no chance to keep this fight stealthy.

Quote

“Heralds above…. They really did kill my boy, didn’t they? What have they done to you?
[...] Storms, my son has become a monster.”

And that is what I was both expecting and dreading about the reunion with Lirin. Sad day for Kal :-(

Quote

“Don’t play the sixth fool”

I really don’t know which is which. Sixth would presumably line up with Shallash, herald of honesty, so maybe he’s saying “don’t lie to yourself” here? It sort of fits, but isn’t the most natural application in my opinion.

Nice contrast/conflict between Lirin’s oaths as a surgeon and Kaladin’s as a Windrunner. I thought Kaladin was going to leave without giving a rebuttal. I’m glad he didn’t argue the point, but that was the heart of any points he was going to make.

And, that’s a wrap for part 2. Interludes ahoy!

0 Comments


Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.

×
×
  • Create New...