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eshu

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Everything posted by eshu

  1. Okay, first off not American, I'm Nigerian so slavery is not a thing that I need to be educated about (and the great nations argument, not really as strong an excuse as you think it is). Secondly I'm not picking a fight, all my points are focused on themes I'd like to see explored (declaring any particular side morally superior holds no interest to me).Third point, they knew the Parshendi were cogent and from the few times they talked and brought up the Parshmen it became clear that they weren't just horses. Again my interest lies in what makes the story more interesting, the more ambiguity the better in my book, and like you inferred in the end just because a nation has sinned doesn't mean it can't become better.
  2. In OB Kal was talking with a Parshmen who asked a question I feel and hope will be explored for the remainder of the series, just because they couldn't disagree was it okay for them to be made slaves?
  3. Reading this put a smile on my face as I've always been far more interested in the culture/fate of the Parshendi. Alethkar being analogous to middle-age/colonial western cultures likely aids in it being a relatable POV for most of the readership (which either come from said cultures or have a strong understanding of it via indoctrination through global media) but it just bores me. The lighteyes' role as traditional leads and the primacy of the Kholin story (though Jasnah is a personal fav) have almost been a turn off. Which is why I appreciate a character like Moash whose "villainy" allows for a more severe exploration of the moral failings of the Alethi and Knights Radiant. OB has already begun examining the objective morality of the radiants, with Kal and Szeth in-particularly coming to the conclusion that the ideals are inherently subjective. I wouldn't be surprised to see Moash found his own version of bridge 4 with his parshmen colleagues to further drive home the role of perspective in warfare (i.e. Moash maybe a villain to our protagonists and readers in the main but he's also seen as a rebel hero for those the Alethi have wronged and the radiants have failed to protect).
  4. Interesting, I do agree that Moash acts as a mirror to Kal and because of that I have to disagree with this: If Moash's literary function is to provide contrast to Kal's assent into heroism then his descent into "villainy" needs to be as equally involved. Moash's lack of fulfillment and self-loathing at his betrayal of bridge 4 echoes Kal's bouts of depression and provide an explanation for his increasing sense of nihilism. To quote a meme this is not Moash's "final form", as I hope Mr Sanderson plans to give him an inverse hero's journey. SA has killed off a fair amount of its antagonists and I wouldn't be surprised to see Moash be the beginning of a new trend were the true enemies of the series are built up over several installments. Besides his literary function I just like Moash's story. Your criticisms of him are valid and morally correct but are unrealistic, all the same. "Letting" the past rule you, is a quizzical way of looking at the effects of trauma and general life experiences on a person. What Kalladin is doing is exceptional, a fact that I feel gets lost by his story being a classic heroes narrative. We are so familiar with the concept of a protagonist rising above hate and circumstance that we lose the ability to relate to characters who are so fundamentally scarred by their experience they can't do the same - which is the truer experience. Moash can't move past his pain because the loss of his family is the psychological equivalent to the loss of a limb. A part of him is permanently gone and what is left now has to navigate life with one less appendage (psychically speaking). It takes a special person to push through such pain but it doesn't take a bad/weak one to succumb to it.
  5. I would be very disappointed if she isn't a major POV character in the next book for this very reason. She's an intellectual queen of an androcentric, war-focused nation. If that doesn't provide some political conflict - were she battles to establish her unique vision for Alethkar while combating the normal highprince shenanigans (as well as the less explored espionage tactics of high ranking female adversaries) - then I'd have to question the direction her story is going. I also kinda hope that her "pragmatic" take on justice lead to some interesting scenarios/frictions during her reign (long may it last). Also, she's totally gay in my mind but that's neither here nor there since I'm not a shipper.
  6. Epic fantasy needs a sweeping symphonic score. Good fantasy, in particularly, needs unique music on to itself. I find it kinda distracting listening to known songs or signature scores from other well known properties (I can't even listen to the LOTR OST when reading the Silmarillion). So what I do is find a fitting symphonic/classical album as a adhoc unique score for my reading experience. For OB I went with Audiomachine's Magnus:
  7. People think Kalladin gets too much attention but this character... it's like there are three new topics a day about her on these boards. Readers who love her really love her and those who don't... well you get the picture. Unfortunately for my reading experience of OB I'm in the latter. She's a very subjective character in that one's ability to enjoy her seems dependent on whether one finds her "charming/precocious" or "obnoxious/annoying" (guess which one I think she is). Which is a shame because I do like how her inner conflict - which plays out like a cognitive maelstrom of trauma, repression and dissociation - compliments her powerset. However, everything else about her does my head in; from the banal melodrama of her love triangle, to her taking prominence in other peoples POVs and the forced adoration she receives from other characters (as if the author is saying love her cause they do - she may be self loathing but isn't she a grand actor that's why she's a lightweaver *wink*). Funnily enough (and poignant to the topic at hand), to me she's the character most representative of Mr Sanderson's writing. In that the contributing factors behind her characterisation have been meticulously put together (backstory, motivations etc. which equate to his near flawless worldbuilding and thematic investure). But, this all culminates in, to me, dramatically unfulfilling interactions and development as her story resolution (and that of her world at large) play out like a CW/Marvel movie cross over i.e. entertaining but disposable. That last paragraph sounds harsh but it really isn't. Marvel is a blockbuster monolith and CW shows have some of the most dedicated fanbases going, but for those who don't love those things the very reasons why the fans love it are the same things which turn others off. An apt metaphor for a marmite (either love her or hate her) character like Shallan.
  8. I'm a Dustbringer, my intentions are often misunderstood which can lead to conflict and as a consequence a negative reputation in some parts. That being said, once they get to know me people come to realise that their assumptions don't line up and I'm not a complete wanker.
  9. Hahahaha, charitable slavery! The mundane nature of the reasoning makes it seem like a realistic explanation. That scenario can also lead to further elaboration on a point a Parshmen made to Kaladin early in OB: just because they couldn't speak did that make it okay to enslave them? Whatever Mr Sanderson decides I just hope the next installment really does focus on the Parshendi and other non-Alethi cultures. He's created a big world with Roshar, I'd like us to explore it more.
  10. You had me till this part, though I get what you're going/hoping for with this. Having them sacrifice there freedom as a type of self-imposed act of reparations which hopefully leads to a greater examination about post-war reconciliation. Chances are such a thematic exploration would focus on the importance of forgiveness in breaking cycles of hate, since we are looking at how the ramifications of such a pact has led to the current strife. However, the parshendi taking that burden would piss me off as I'd fear it would be written as some form of objective justice.
  11. Hi everyone, longtime intermittent lurker (I peruse the boards after reading a stormlight book for insights) and first time poster. I know it may come off as dickish making this my first post but I couldn't help myself as Shallan is a critical character in my relationship with the series. You see, I have a love hate relationship with the Stormlight Archive and Shallan encapsulates why that is. The writing of her has very strong elements; her tragic backstory and how those wounds manifest in her pathology and actions are well done. Yet, her chapters are a constant source of annoyance which decrease my general enjoyment of the books. Shallan's chapters tend to have strong elements of narrative coercion. Every time I read a chapter of hers it feels like the author is telling me constantly how amazing she is, which leads me to resent her. He does this via everyone's reaction to her, which I understand acts as a foil to her own self loathing but comes off as pandering due to the elements she is praised for being subjective aspects e.g. charm, sense of humour etc.. There's a very thin line between precocious and obnoxious and to me Shallan is very much the later. Dad jokes besides, her "cheeky" interactions with the larger world are constantly interpreted as universally charming. Now, I don't want the whole of Roshar to hate her, I just need a few dissenting views to provide contrast. Then there's her inherent classist/racial insensitivity. Stormlight Archive is a good series, with one of it's strongest elements being it's immersive world which demands reader investment with it's themes and politics. However, this personally can be a negative experience as the narrative is still taken from a primarily light eyes perspective. Their outlook, concerns and sympathies take primacy by default and as such their criticisms of other groups need to be challenged to avoid being read as tone def. Shallan's interactions with Kalladin (especially in WoR) better illustrates what I mean as she constantly dismisses his anger towards light eyes and the prevailing social paradigm as petty. Now I don't mind her attitude as it fits her history - she's from aristocracy and she doesn't socialise with dark eyes. My problem is with Kaladin's complete agreement with her appraisal and reverence for her strength of spirit which validates the opinion that his issues (and those of his class/race) are indeed petty (my first point rearing its ugly head again). Now, I know that long form series like these operate as a journey as I doubt the current social attitudes will remain prevalent by the end. I mean, I expect Shallan to use her powers to go undercover as a dark eyes for an extended period at some point. That doesn't dim the irritation experienced reading her in the moment.
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