Awakened Cremling

How about Keeper of Worlds. The real world book would be an autobiography by an Elsecaller. The story related theme would be that similar to what happened to bring the first humans to Roshar, Roshar is devastated to the point to be uninhabitable (or at least large parts of it) and humanity is driven to the other words to seek refuge. In other words book 5 will end as a Pyrrhic victory for the heroes.

Sort of odd since it is actually a positive for the heroes but "You cannot have my pain" really hit me hard. The realization that all of the mistakes of the past and the pain that comes with it being an integral part of who we are and that the bad can't/shouldn't be separated from the good without changing who we are. It was almost a triumphant sadness if that makes any sense.

I know this was mostly a joke but I am cautiously optimistic Doors will come in all due time. Pat talks fairly openly about how he really struggled with mental health issues for some time but it has improved. Not perfect but better. He also has talked about how his writing speed hasn't really changed much. He is a compulsive rewriter. He worked on Name of the Wind for something like a decade before it got published. TLDR Pat will finish Doors. He will do so soon(ish). I will then enjoy it thoroughly and go back to recommending it highly once someone can read it start to finish.

Great thread, only had a chance to skim so far but will try to go back to get some ideas. I'll break down my favorites as by formative years then as an adult: Piers Anthony, Tolkien, LE Modesitt Jr, Tracy Hickman & Margaret Weis, David Eddings, Tad Williams, Guy Gavriel Kay, Robert Jordan, Joel Roserberg (the Guardians of the Flames one since there is more than one author by that name), Asimov, Stephen R Lawhead. I liked Terry Goodkind at first, but then sorry for those who are fans, but having a female character get violated every book got old fast. Later favorites or authors I still love on reread: Brandon Sanderson, Guy Gavriel Kay, Tad Williams, Robert Jordan, Scott Lynch, Brent Weeks, Pat Rothfuss, Vernor Vinge, Orson Scott Card, John Scalzi

I can't remember who mentioned it in another post and couldn't find it after a brief search to give them credit but I think Hoid has a backup for his memories. Namely he somehow got access to feruchemy copper and the coins are where he stores them. This wouldn't stop Todium from messing with short term memories that Hoid seems to store in breath but I think Hoid is crafty enough to have a backup for his most important long term memories. Good theory. Hoid is experienced and crafty enough that is he knew manipulating or stealing someone's breath were possible it would make sense to keep the amount in his person just above a threshhold to be able to detect it. Now, he won't want to be without perfect pitch for long so he'd have some excess breaths stored somewhere. That leads to an interesting question, can an object store two different kinds of investiture at once? Such as memories and breath?

I generally agree with your point that Adolin's character arc is to forge his own path, not finish Dalinar's. I don't think a Bondsmith is his path. I agree this is his main purpose in the narrative and if a Radiant order is in his future I think Edgedancer makes the most sense. Who is more forgotten than the DeadEye spren that most humans don't even see as living entities. He also has shown a history of caring about anyone, not just those who he knows personally. The girl in the market he saved from the aggressive lighteyes is the main big example but also the little things like remembering and being friends with seemingly every person he comes in contact with. He also seems much more greater good > the law. is the clear example. It is also no coincidence that Maya is a cultivationspren While I don't think Adolin is likely who will receive the bond, I think Kaladin, who is more honorable than any other character and is referred to as Son of Honor by the Stormfather is the most likely candidate to receive the bond. I believe Brandon has stated it isn't impossible to have more than one spren bond, but it would be difficult.

One item I haven't seen mentioned is that when asked if the Sons of Honor were an offshoot of the Envisagers (sp?) Brandon said no but then clarified that the question had the relationship reversed.

The question in the Q&A last night about an in world language that would be closest to speaking to the Rhythms got me thinking. Would something like Shakespeare's common use of Iambic Pentameter be a simpler version of speaking to a Rhythm? It has been far to long since I studied literature but does this strike anyone else as a possible simple Rhythm example? I imagine there are much more complicated examples in spoken word performance but I know next to nothing about that so can't speak to it. Would rap music also be a possible source of inspiration? Brandon seemed to have something in mind as he alluded to they would have to come up with something before a TV show ever happens but he hasn't found a good example yet. I wonder if instead of a full language he is thinking of niche examples within languages.

My take was that since he is holding two opposing shards their equal but opposite pulls stalemate each other so he finds it hard to make a decision to do anything. I find it ironic that he is referred to as Harmony as his current state seems to be more Stasis. If he learned to take parts of each half and get them to work together then he would be Harmony. edit: Just realized I misread your question. My answer was about why he finds it hard to take major actions in general which Harmony mentions in a different section of the letter. To answer your questions, I don't think his two powers prevent him from reaching the other two shards as much as they don't wish to be found so are using their powers to be hard to find/reach.

I think there are two things tying Odium to the Rosharan system. 1st and most obvious, whatever Honor did to bind him. As you say, that can be overcome if he can get a Bondsmith to release him or can splinter/take up the shard. The 2nd way he is bound is less easy to overcome. Odiums has investiture throughout Roshar, the Unmade and Fused to name two obvious examples. If Taravangian took up Honor as well he'd add all of that investiture that is tied to Roshar as well, more strongly tying him to the system. As I said, maybe there is a way to withdraw/reintegrate the investiture but I imagine that would cause wide spread devastation. Maybe Taravangian could justify it for the "greater good" but I think he is less likely to be willing to do so than Rayse would have been.

I agree that 4th Ideal Radiant vs Mistborn would be not be a close contest. A fullborn would be quite the battle. A third options I'd like to consider, though we have very little information about them and they are basically tied to Elantris due to the nature of the magic, is fully trained Elantrian. I think it would take very creative use of Aons to stand up to the raw power of the Radiant I think AonDor seems like a very versatile magic. Awakening would be interesting as well. Both of them might be better suited to utility support though. Radiants and Mistborn/Fullborn do seem very focused on combat abilities.

I assumed the same. As one of Dalinar's swordmaster ardents it would make the most sense for him to be where most of the soldiers are.

Adolin and Dalinar were a close race for #1 until RoW, that put Adolin on top for me. I honestly can't think of anything Adolin did in RoW that could have gone better. His caring of Kaladin and Shallan (Kaladin early, Shallan throughout but especially the Starspren scene). His selfless save of Nodom with very real risk to his own life. His interactions with Maya and the trial. He was almost too good to be "real".....what are you planning to spring on us next book Brandon to overturn our expectations!?!

My theory is he is trying to determine how to get a physical body to move his soul to since he is a cognitive shadow. Possibly to try to leave Roshar. Although I don't get the vibe he is that interested in leaving but possibly he is trying to figure out how to be able to tell someone else, possibly Kalak.

Largely agreed. Unless Odium can somehow unravel his investiture from the Rosharan system he is pretty much locked there with or without whatever Honor did to bind him there. Maybe that is exactly his plan, if he doesn't care how much havoc doing so would cause then maybe it is possible. I could see Rayse doing so but Todium less so.

Agree with pretty my all the posts in the topic. Just to throw out some of my favorites: "We Chose!" "Honor is not dead as long as he lives in the hearts of men!" The dog and the dragon and Hoids words to Kaladin afterwards, there will be darkness but there will also be light again. Raboniel best antagonist of the series so far. 4 new Shard names! Just so much goodness throughout.

This scene really touched me as well for similar reasons. Of all the lines from the book it was not the "wow" moments like, "We chose" (although that scene was completely awesome as well) that keep coming to mind but Hoid's promise to Kaladin about he cannot promise there will not be darkness but there will be light again as well.

I agree that Ba-Ado-Mishram needs to be released to allow Deadeyes to heal. I don't think it will happen automatically upon their release, as they'll need to find a new bond, but it will make it possible to fully heal. I also predict the release will also "unlock" other spren that were "harmed" by the capture. Things like the Sibling no longer being able to produce light on their own. Maybe Cudacesh (sp?) purpose will be revealed.

I think all of the Unmade were prominent spren of varying powers that Odium Unmade as Raboniel tried with the Sibilings. Some were more important than others, such as Mishram, as her capture had wide ranging implications. Sja-anat also seems to think that they can be "Unmade" again which would wipe her memories/identity.

My prediction is that Rock thinks what he did is grounds for punishment but that others will see a budding radiant and try to make him their leader/king. I think Rock will push for punishment/death but by the end of his novella he will be "forced" into assuming leadership of the peaks.

It was not hitting home at all why the Sleepless would have accepted the deal as they are all to aware of those shortness of human lives but then as Rysn began manifesting signed of those with heavy investiture it struck home that they knew they were dealing with an immortal. They weren't just dealing with her for the rest of a human lifetime but in effect gaining a human member of their order.

In regards to the anticlimactic ending, didn't Sanderson state that this part 1 was reversed from its normal format? That the "climax" happened at the beginning instead of the end? I'll try to find a quote. edit: found it in the annotations: So, for a little commentary on these chapters, you might find it interesting that I plotted this opening sequence as if it were a climax section of a book. In the Stormlight novels, I generally limit myself to one viewpoint a chapter. This is to give a stronger identity to the chapters and characters--we usually get big chunks from a person's viewpoint (with chapters that average two or three times as long as chapters from something like Wax and Wayne or Skyward.) This gives each chapter a kind of short-story feel with their own arcs and themes. However, as I approach climactic sections of books, I bleed the viewpoints across one another, adding to the frantic feel of a building crescendo. Viewpoints alternate in quick succession, with bite-sized chunks, hooks and payoffs, like one might plot closer to what you'd see in a thriller novel. The goal here is to evoke quick scene changes, lots of twists and turns, and a general sense that viewpoints are piling up on top of one another to enhance the feeling of an impending climax. In a normal stormlight book, I generally start slow and build to such a climax near the end of part one. (Though I usually don't start the full viewpoint bleeds until the end of the book.) Here, I wanted to give the feeling that the year that passed had its own narrative arc, and some of those threads were culminating here. So we're beginning the book at the end of the "previous book" (imagining the in-between year as a "book." That led to some confusion and consternation among alpha and beta readers, since this isn't how a Stormlight book generally begins--but in this case, I decided I was all right with that feeling, as this truly was the tone I wanted starting out.

I was thinking something very similar. Not sure of how the words will be conveyed but something along the lines of thinking everything is his fault is actually being selfish. That others have agency. I think we got a small preview of that in the scene where Laral made clear she didn't want or need to be "saved" from her marriage.

None of them, they aren't in our Universe If they were, still none of them, at least until ERA 4. We have sadly through lots of use and resources spent gotten way more efficient at killing each other than even their magical powers can do. Thanks. I think I have it figured out.

You are correct that taking up their power would change him but there are WoBs that Odium intentionally splinters shards rather than try to absorb their powers because he does not want to change his intent. It would be interesting to speculate what would happen but it has been made clear that Odium want to stay "pure hatred". Although I think "pure hatred" is too narrow as I think it would be more "pure emotion". For instance I think pain is pretty clearly part of his intent.