I Just Shard Myself!

Is there such a thing as a "Bland-Smith?" I feel like maybe that's where Lirin's oaths will take him.

I appreciate bluntness. Don't apologize. Disagreement is the spice of life. I disagree with you. The posts above I am referencing were, from where I stand, anger (or resentment or bitterness) at an author not writing a character to fit the specific preconceived archetype some wanted - aka turn them into a mascot for that archetype. I maintain that is missing the point of literature. It's the same impulse that demands movies/television about 18th century British aristocracy include multi-ethnic/multi-racial casts to represent a time that had no diversity at all. It's a demand for one's perception of diversity for the sake of diversity and it is the death of literature (and film). Life happens organically. Good literature mirrors life and lets us each step into the life of someone else. To demand an author adjust his vision to include your vision ventures into the territory of authorship by committee. Never underestimate the disasters that committees create....a Rhino is a Unicorn designed by committee....a camel is a racehorse designed by committee. To quote BS on this point: "One person I chatted with about this warned me not to send the 'wrong message that queer characters are like representation tokens that we can exchange for each other for equal credit.' I found that a very astute piece of advice." He's saying "representation token"...I'm saying mascot. We are saying the same thing. Identity doesn't matter. I can (and have) identify with the struggles of female characters, gay characters...even quadrupeds from time to time (thanks Orwell). I can identify with characters who have never left their home town and with those who have lived in as many countries as I have. I can identify with childless characters and with the old lady who lives in the shoe. I can do all this (and so can you) because identity doesn't matter in literature. BS is a good writer because he isn't ham-handedly attempting to foist his personal views onto others or battering us all about the neck and shoulders with his personal views on morality or sexuality or even disability. He's kind of transparently and allegorically selling the Mormon version of divinity, but that's a world building technique more than anything. If he doesn't find a place for the specific mascot you want in his world, that's fine. Just enjoy the lives of the others and see what you can get out of their struggles and successes. Or enjoy the escape that living an entirely different life than your own for a few hours provides you. Fly with Kaladin. Spy with Shallan. Lie with Pattern. Don't get upset because when BS said Jasnah is 'asexual' he probably meant she could take it or leave it and was consumed with other interests, rather than espousing a firm sexual identity. To quote BS, “Jasnah would prefer you focus on other aspects of her identity, rather than her sexuality.” I suspect we will merely need to agree to disagree. And that's ok.

Gavilar had anti-voidlight (or anti-stormlight) near concurrently with the real life final killing of one of the Heralds- Jezrian. This took place before Navani’s discovery. I suspect that Gavilar may be linked to that knife and the stone that powered in some way. “Hnanan sent Leshwi to bring him to her rooms. She met him on the balcony, hovering over the edge looking at the city. She gave Moash a yellow-white knifeand sent him to murder Jezrien in the Beggars' Porch.” “The man trembled for a moment more, then jerked once, going motionless. When Moash pulled the yellow-white knife free, it trailed dark smoke and left a blackened wound. The large sapphire at the pommel took on a subdued glow.”

May I recommend a lovely page 355 vintage, sir. It’s got a lovely bouquet of fresh innuendo and a mouth feel of the strongest flippancy.

No one NEEDS to be sarcastic. It’s just so much fun and such better style than open faced earnestness.

Eshonai was warned by Dalinar not to trust Gavilar. Navani characterized him negatively as well, putting 2 and 2 together and seeing something pretty twisted. In addition to the people who knew him best being circumspect of his motivations, his own words are pretty damning. They demonstrate a hubris that is pretty poisonous. Unless he was secretly trying to save the world and intentionally driving loved ones away to protect them, my money is on him being a bad actor who probably triggered something that set the current events into motion.

To be fair, they have now personally encountered religious figures from Vorinism worship (Heralds), Dalinar has spoken directly to what’s left of God and the current ‘devil’, and they have Radiants again. Their religion has kind of come to life in front of their eyes. Why pray when you can chat directly with the stormfather, get visions straight from honor and hop on over to a different realm to chat with his kids....assuming they are not perched on your shoulder? Their religion is kind of defunct due to recent events. Except the safe hand. We still need the safe hand.

I appreciate Kaladin because he’s a blindly loyal super-warrior. Yet, I can’t fly or use a spear and I wouldn’t carry a bridge if I could avoid it. He’s not my mascot, but he’s a great character. I appreciate Jasnah because she’s a cunning, rational genius who makes decisions based more on data than emotions. Yet, I can’t soulcast or travel to shadesmar or summon shard plate if I’m in a scrum with singers. She’s not my mascot. As it turns out, no character is my mascot. I’m different from them all in some way and I share something with all of them (particularly Odium). Looking for mascots in literature based on your perceived sexuality (or love of liver and onions, or your fascination with jogging, etc) is missing the point of reading to understand the character and live life through their eyes and emotions for a while. Good literature let’s you understand yourself a bit better by stepping into the shoes of someone else. It also usually speaks to the masses about struggles everyone faces. The presence of 7.8 billion people on earth suggests asexuality (or non-procreative sex) isn’t one of those general struggles. But Loyalty is. Sacrifice. Leadership. Friendship. Depression. Fear. Bravery. Redemption. Growth. Read to identify not for identity. You are more than one facet and so are good characters. Enjoy the journey.

What’s that? You had two separate posts about two different things and you separated them. HOW DARE YOU!!!! Didn’t you know disparate posts should be lumped together because...ummm...Vorinism?

“Half-Wit” Thanks a LOT Taravangian!

I’m a bit confused by the anger directed at BS (or expressed about the character development) for how Jasnah is growing. Humans grow and develop and change and stumble into new loves and out of old ones and spend a season more an extrovert, only to take comfort in introversion a short time later....and so on. If you are the same person you were five years ago, with no growth, you’re doing life wrong, in my opinion. Going a bit further, the debate about consent between consenting (fictional) adults and consternation about a character expressing heterosexuality (or sexuality at all) is also a bit baffling. Novels go where they will to weave the complete tapestry of the story. This one is epic in scope and pretty remarkable in detail. Getting upset that a character isn’t fitting the bill as a mascot for one group or another seems kind of pointless. Journey before destination, right? Enjoy the journey folks.

I’m just super glad someone was there to reign in my funny posts. It would be a real nightmare if separate jokes were in separate posts.

I’m going with Walk of Shame (WoS) or Seven of Nine (SoN)....ok ok, maybe Five of Ten (FoT)

ADD/ADHD isn’t really a disorder, in my opinion, as someone diagnosed with ADD. It’s a curse in some settings and a HUUUUUGE blessing in others. I have a hard time concentrating in quiet subdued settings and adderall worked great for the higher level studying I did in university and grad schools. Straterra was absolutely useless. I also started using the ‘speak’ function when reading online text. I found listening to it and reading it together keeps my attention a bit better. Audiobooks work well for me too since I can fidget and keep my brain engaged ...and rewind. Flip side: Your mind running a 1000mph can help you see conversational gambits others miss. I run through several iterations of arguments in my head while speaking and pick the best one. I suspect a normie would be more inclined to be one-tracked. It makes ADD folks great at sales and business development. im a huge proponent of meds for high level academics, but would advise you stop them in regular daily life. That’s my 2 broams.

Ahhh, but I’m an old soul...