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I'm reading The Stormlight Archive for the first time


Amira

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SA2, ch14: Adolin wins his first Blade, very nice. I didn't fully understand why everyone was so upset and what he did that was so different than standard dueling style except... attack quickly and violently, which seems like a fair move. I like how Adolin is so loyal to his father at this point, and it's a little funny how he doesn't trust Kaladin.

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56 minutes ago, Amira said:

SA2, ch14: Adolin wins his first Blade, very nice. I didn't fully understand why everyone was so upset and what he did that was so different than standard dueling style except... attack quickly and violently, which seems like a fair move. I like how Adolin is so loyal to his father at this point, and it's a little funny how he doesn't trust Kaladin.

Think of it a bit like snooty aristocracy. . . there is a "proper way" to duel (and battlefield tactics aren't "proper"). Plus, the Lighteyes need a "show" and turn their noses up at "bar room brutality." The picture becomes more clear with subsequent duels (minor spoiler)

Spoiler

He fights each one with a very different style - they still find cause to complain each time. . .

 

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3 hours ago, Amira said:

SA2, ch14: Adolin wins his first Blade, very nice. I didn't fully understand why everyone was so upset and what he did that was so different than standard dueling style except... attack quickly and violently, which seems like a fair move

There are lots of rules to it (it's not really a spoiler, but Adolin mentions down the line how formalized dueling is in Alethi culture). But the broader issue is that Alethi nobles, like many people ensconced in wealth, privilege, and social scheming, like things to be representative of how they think things should be. Adolin's house is in an odd spot, tarnished and nearly disgraced despite its remaining strength, so he almost kind of should lose just on principle. And if he does win somehow, that "somehow" should involve his fulfilling their expectations exactly and satisfying them fully. They don't want to be forced to acknowledge his victory without Adolin needing to kowtow to them along the way, and having to do so is offensive to them. This is a dueling arena, not a battlefield, after all! We, the readers, may feel that the reaction is ridiculous, but Adolin's victory and the manner in which he achieved it are (at the margins) difficult and unpleasant in the context of what the Alethi nobility view as the pageantry of their lives and the symbols of their social positions.

There is also some subtext regarding the semi-sacred, central nature of Shardblades and Plate to Alethi culture and the way in which the princedoms were unified, as well as hints of certain Radiant ideals juxtaposed against Alethi society and the values they claim compared with those they actually live. It's a pretty rich sequence (one of my favorites, as that plotline unfolds) that gets developed further but gives a lot to think about along the way. I think it's one of the more subtly expressed conflicts in the book, but you're thinking about things in the right way to get at those elements.

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I don't really know how much to say without giving stuff away for later in the book, but the Rosharian political system is one of the biggest, strictest, and most confusing in the Cosmere (at least in my opinion)! As you read more and more you really can see how the "formal" or "noble" thing to do plays a very big role in how the plot is developed. I won't say more for fear I'll give something away....

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SA2, ch15, Shallan: Pattern proves to be even more awesome, with his mimicking abilities. I wonder what happened near the fire that scared Tvlakv so much. Did Shallan use one of her surgebinder abilities? Shallan continues to aspire to be Jasnah, lol.

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34 minutes ago, Amira said:

I wonder what happened near the fire that scared Tvlakv so much.

I'm guessing you mean this part:

Spoiler

Tvlakv didn’t know she was timid. He didn’t know she had been raised in rural isolation. To him, she was a woman of the court, accomplished at argument and accustomed to being obeyed.

Standing before him, feeling radiant in the glow of the flames—towering above him and his grubby machinations—she saw. Expectation wasn’t just about what people expected of you.

It was about what you expected of yourself.

Tvlakv leaned away from her like a man before a raging bonfire. He shrank back, eyes wide, raising an arm. Shallan realized that she was glowing faintly with the light of spheres. Her dress no longer bore the tears and smudges it had before. It was majestic.

Instinctively, she let the glow from her skin fade, hoping Tvlakv would think it a trick of the firelight. She spun and left him shaking beside the fire as she walked back to the wagon. 

I won't spoil anything, I'll just remind you of some of your previous posts. . . and let you ponder possible similarities.

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SA2, ch16: Kaladin is the one I'm most eager to hear about, but I feel like not much happened in this chapter. I look forward to seeing Syl and Pattern get into whatever the spren equivalent of a fist fight is.

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SA2, ch17, Shallan: I really like Pattern. I hope we get lots more of him. So I wonder, are healing abilities something all surgebinders have in common? Well, it sounds like our group is going to meet someone soon. I can't say I'd mind if Tvlakv and the others get killed and Shallan survives on her own again.

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52 minutes ago, Amira said:

SA2, ch17, Shallan: I really like Pattern. I hope we get lots more of him. So I wonder, are healing abilities something all surgebinders have in common?

Yes, Stormlight heals a surgebinder.

Quote

I can't say I'd mind if Tvlakv and the others get killed and Shallan survives on her own again.

You may like the next pair of Shallan chapters

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To Amira, on Szeth. 

What is going on isn't magical, according to WoB. But rather due to abuse, gaslighting, and a lot of other things to make him feel worthless and penitent to the extreme. We do not fully understand what is going on or why it was treated as so extreme, yet. Won't say what we know, yet, as I forgot how much you know at the moment. 

Quote


Orem Signing (March 16, 2019)

T.T

What did Szeth do to become a Truthless, and is there anything else involved in being a Truthless that we haven't seen?

Brandon Sanderson

Szeth was perceived as betraying his people in a fundamental way, and you will learn more about that when his book comes along.

We are still learning exactly why, but basically, he just feels like a traitor on a very fundamental level. 

There is also a thematic reason, IMO, displaying someone with a very, very strong sense of honor to his code. Due to the importance of the concept of honor in the books.

 

I will say, though, you do still begin to learn more in Words of Radiance. So you don't have to wait until SA5 to learn more. He goes through some interesting development. 

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21 hours ago, Amira said:

 So I wonder, are healing abilities something all surgebinders have in common?

the passive abilities of stormlight - regeneration, mild physical enhancement - are common to everyone who can use stormlight. the specialized uses - kaladin's gravity manipulation, shallan's illusions - are specific for orders.

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On 11/4/2022 at 11:54 PM, Firesong said:

To Amira, on Szeth.

Well, fingers crossed that I don't lose my love for Szeth as I find out more about him.

SA2, ch18: That was a fun chapter; I like seeing Kaladin fight. The part where the Stormlight failed him was a bit disturbing though. Does Stormlight not support certain attitudes? I hope there's a better explanation.

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On 11/4/2022 at 7:29 PM, Amira said:

SA2, ch17, Shallan: I really like Pattern. I hope we get lots more of him.

Pattern is probably my favorite of the spren characters. Don't you worry, he'll be around for a while to provide many hilarious moments. 

1 hour ago, Amira said:

Well, fingers crossed that I don't lose my love for Szeth as I find out more about him.

SA2, ch18: That was a fun chapter; I like seeing Kaladin fight. The part where the Stormlight failed him was a bit disturbing though. Does Stormlight not support certain attitudes? I hope there's a better explanation.

I predict that you'll grow to love Szeth even more.

And yes there will be better explanation on the Stormlight restrictions. 

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1 hour ago, Amira said:

Well, fingers crossed that I don't lose my love for Szeth as I find out more about him.

SA2, ch18: That was a fun chapter; I like seeing Kaladin fight. The part where the Stormlight failed him was a bit disturbing though. Does Stormlight not support certain attitudes? I hope there's a better explanation.

it's not stormlight itself. do you remember the stuff about radiants and oaths?

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1 hour ago, Amira said:

Well, fingers crossed that I don't lose my love for Szeth as I find out more about him.

SA2, ch18: That was a fun chapter; I like seeing Kaladin fight. The part where the Stormlight failed him was a bit disturbing though. Does Stormlight not support certain attitudes? I hope there's a better explanation.

As Ninth said, I doubt you will. I personally came to love him a lot more through SA3 and 4. 

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2 hours ago, Amira said:

Does Stormlight not support certain attitudes? I hope there's a better explanation.

What Syl asks at the end of the chapter is your clue. . .

Spoiler

 

“What happened?” Kaladin asked. “The Stormlight drained from me. I felt it go.”

Who were you protecting?” Syl asked.

“I . . . I was practicing how to fight, like when I practiced with Skar and Rock down in the chasms.”

Is that really what you were doing?” Syl asked.

Spoiler

Now think about what Kaladin's Oath was: I will protect those who cannot protect themselves.

 

No spoilers - just used the boxes in case you wanted to nug it out yourself

Edited by Treamayne
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I don’t think you need to worry about loosing your love for Szeth. 

The next couple of Shallan chapters should definitely keep you very entertained. 

I also just have to say, good job writing these after every chapter. When I read them, I just got through them as fast as possible. 

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On 11/6/2022 at 5:03 PM, Ninth of the Night said:

Pattern is probably my favorite of the spren characters. Don't you worry, he'll be around for a while to provide many hilarious moments.

Yay :)

On 11/6/2022 at 5:03 PM, Ninth of the Night said:

I predict that you'll grow to love Szeth even more.

Yay, I hope so!

SA2, chapter 19, Shallan's past: Does Nan mean eldest? So after Helaran dies, Balat gets the title? I wonder if Shallan gets Helaran's Shardblade. Seeing Shallan's father wreck the chairs was a little comical. Can't wait to find out what secret project Helaran was involved in.

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3 hours ago, Amira said:

Does Nan mean eldest?

Kind-of. . . presumably, it's more about inheritance order:

Quote

Coppermind - In Veden families, the sons have two-part names, with the latter part being their given name, while the former references their order or birth. The first four sons are called Nan, Tet, Asha and Van. Should one of the sons die or be disinherited, his younger brothers all move up a level .

 

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SA2, chapter 20, Shallan: Oh, hello there Gaz. Yes, Shallan, I also can't believe that worked, but I'll take it. That was a fun little chapter. Looking forward to what Shallan cooks up next. I wonder who took her drawing... I'm going to guess... Bluth? As Shallan rounds up all the villains from Kaladin's past, her eventual arrival on the Shattered Plains promises to be ever more exciting.

My favorite SA characters, updated list:
1) Szeth
2) Kaladin
3) Pattern

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On 10/24/2022 at 8:05 PM, Amira said:

SA2, ch14: Adolin wins his first Blade, very nice. I didn't fully understand why everyone was so upset and what he did that was so different than standard dueling style except... attack quickly and violently, which seems like a fair move. I like how Adolin is so loyal to his father at this point, and it's a little funny how he doesn't trust Kaladin.

I actually loved the detail that people were upset, b/c stupid unspoken rules still exist in sports today.  So many silly things in baseball like frowning upon batters for hitting a homerun when the lead is already great - like, I know we're probably gonna win, but is this not what you payed me to do?  Same thing but different here.

I liked seeing some disgruntled fans lol, Adloin's desire to just win and skip the propensities was fun.

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On 11/15/2022 at 7:57 PM, Amira said:

SA2, chapter 20, Shallan: Oh, hello there Gaz. Yes, Shallan, I also can't believe that worked, but I'll take it. That was a fun little chapter. Looking forward to what Shallan cooks up next. I wonder who took her drawing... I'm going to guess... Bluth? As Shallan rounds up all the villains from Kaladin's past, her eventual arrival on the Shattered Plains promises to be ever more exciting.

10 hours ago, Anomander Rake said:

I actually loved the detail that people were upset, b/c stupid unspoken rules still exist in sports today.  So many silly things in baseball like frowning upon batters for hitting a homerun when the lead is already great - like, I know we're probably gonna win, but is this not what you payed me to do?  Same thing but different here.

I liked seeing some disgruntled fans lol, Adloin's desire to just win and skip the propensities was fun.

I always felt that the duel scenes were more about who they were "booing" not what they were "booing."

On 11/15/2022 at 7:57 PM, Amira said:

My favorite SA characters, updated list:
1) Szeth
2) Kaladin
3) Pattern

And you still have some of Pattern's Top HitsTM to look forward to. . . such as Oathbringer Ch 13.

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On 11/17/2022 at 9:13 PM, Treamayne said:

And you still have some of Pattern's Top HitsTM to look forward to. . . such as Oathbringer Ch 13.

Can't wait!

On 11/15/2022 at 7:57 PM, Amira said:

I wonder who took her drawing... I'm going to guess... Bluth?

I was right!

SA2, chapter 21, Shallan: That was a very nice chapter. Shallan is getting good at maneuvering people. I loved the part where Pattern helped!! That was great!! I was a little disappointed with the part where she decided to do away with Tvlakv. It's not like he liked her before, but now she's downright made an enemy of him. I feel like there could have been a way for her to free the slaves without doing what she did. If Dalinar bought them, he would have set them free (not that Shallan knew that). Though I understand if Shallan didn't want them to be sold in the first place, something that would only encourage Tvlakv to keep on slaving. Either way, my theory is that we'll see more of Tvlakv in the future, perhaps he'll come back for revenge in book 3?

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