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I'm reading The Stormlight Archive for the first time


Amira

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48 minutes ago, Amira said:

Interesting. How far did you get on that first try? I haven't felt disoriented yet. I just don't understand the thing with this forum chasing Hoid (lol), though I liked the part where he says they wouldn't know what to do with him if they caught him. I hope they catch him now!

 

Chapter 25:

Gosh, Roshar seems so harsh. Also, I'm seeing a parallel between Adolin's relationship with his father and Kaladin's relationship with his father. In both cases, the son is worried about what people are saying about his father, while the father doesn't seem concerned.

The first try I only lasted a few chapters. I jumped right into it after finishing another series and it was difficult shaking the other world from my mind while trying to acclimate to Roshar. But getting accustomed to the Cosmere before going back to Way of Kings was incredibly helpful. 

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14 hours ago, Amira said:

. I just don't understand the thing with this forum chasing Hoid (lol), though I liked the part where he says they wouldn't know what to do with him if they caught him. I hope they catch him now!

 

You had read the whole letter to Frost?

Spoiler

I think that letter imply they are chasing him because they believe in non intervention and all he does in the books is intervention so they want to stop him.

 

Of course, there could be other interpretation, like maybe the forum is chasing Hoid because they want his signature on their leatherbounds..

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Chapter 26:

Gosh, what's wrong with Sadeas? He insisted to tag along specifically so he could mock Dalinar?! I didn't realize that at the end of the day he's just a petty bully. By the way, on the first Dalinar/Adolin chapter I wrote that I thought Adolin should focus on becoming a great man himself rather than fixating on his father, but now that I've read more, I understand why he's fixated on his father, since Dalinar is the head of their house. I actually do suspect that the voice, in the visions and out of them, is Hoid, considering his talk of intervention. I was sad that Dalinar started questioning the visions. He can believe in them and still go on plateau assaults. His newfound repulsion is what's really going to stop him. Before, I saw a way forward - go on assaults, earn the others' respect again, then try to lead them like he wanted. Now, with the repulsion, he's in trouble. Poor Dalinar :/

One last thing I want to say is that the way they're always able to fit entire conversations within the span of ten heartbeats is very unrealistic.

So far, my favorite character ranking goes:

1) Szeth

2) Wit

3) Kaladin

4) Dalinar

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6 hours ago, Amira said:

One last thing I want to say is that the way they're always able to fit entire conversations within the span of ten heartbeats is very unrealistic.

The resting heart rate of an “athletic”, middle-aged human male (on earth, anyway) can dip down to 47 BPM or so. For well-trained, battle-ready soldiers 10 heart beats could work out to as much as 12-13 seconds, which is a lot longer than it sounds if people talk fast (and they don’t need to stop & think about what they’re going to say). That said, you aren’t wrong…

The first time Sanderson does the “10 heat beats [a bunch of stuff happens]” thing, back when the chasmfiend attacks, I thought the “time stretching” effect was a great way to pull you into the scene (IIRC, people in suddenly dangerous situations have reported feeling like time slowed down), even if the timing was a bit long. I remember at least one other occurrence where Sanderson clearly didn’t keep track of time correctly. Unless, of course, Rosharans have lower heart rates than humans do IRL. Or maybe he doesn’t care and is just doing it for dramatic effect… having a countdown started like that does tend to add a sense of urgency to the situation.

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1 hour ago, TheOtherDave said:

The resting heart rate of an “athletic”, middle-aged human male (on earth, anyway) can dip down to 47 BPM or so. For well-trained, battle-ready soldiers 10 heart beats could work out to as much as 12-13 seconds, which is a lot longer than it sounds if people talk fast (and they don’t need to stop & think about what they’re going to say). That said, you aren’t wrong…

The first time Sanderson does the “10 heat beats [a bunch of stuff happens]” thing, back when the chasmfiend attacks, I thought the “time stretching” effect was a great way to pull you into the scene (IIRC, people in suddenly dangerous situations have reported feeling like time slowed down), even if the timing was a bit long. I remember at least one other occurrence where Sanderson clearly didn’t keep track of time correctly. Unless, of course, Rosharans have lower heart rates than humans do IRL. Or maybe he doesn’t care and is just doing it for dramatic effect… having a countdown started like that does tend to add a sense of urgency to the situation.

The slow down of time really is an unique feeling. Where you see everything and can think in such a way that you almost wish you could always be “in the zone” 

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Not a chapter update, but I had many doubts about my choice of starting the cosmere with the Stormlight Archive, and after hearing Brandon's explanation this evening during the live stream about where you should start based on what kind of reader you are, I am so happy I decided to start with SA, it sounds like the perfect option for me!

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16 hours ago, Amira said:

One last thing I want to say is that the way they're always able to fit entire conversations within the span of ten heartbeats is very unrealistic.

I noticed that too! Yeah, they must talk fast.

Although I feel like I've heard that Roshar has lower gravity than Earth, so that might make heartbeats sllooweerrr...? Maybe? I don't know science well enough to say...

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13 hours ago, Amira said:

Not a chapter update, but I had many doubts about my choice of starting the cosmere with the Stormlight Archive, and after hearing Brandon's explanation this evening during the live stream about where you should start based on what kind of reader you are, I am so happy I decided to start with SA, it sounds like the perfect option for me!

I started with Stormlight as my first Cosmere book and I was fine. Honestly, there is so much content woven through all of the different books that I don't think there is a reading order that will be totally satisfying until all (or nearly all) of the books are written. It takes a lot of effort to appreciate all of the connections that are there, and there are definitely many that we don't understand yet because the key information to do so just hasn't been published.

I'm glad you're liking Way of Kings as your first Cosmere book. I loved it, and moving from it to Mistborn pulled me into everything permanently.

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Chapter 27

That was a beautiful chapter. Now that the bridgemen listen to Kaladin, I wonder how he's going to use their help to improve life for everyone / rebel / escape. It would be awesome if somehow Bridge Four gets handed off to Dalinar, since he told his man he could train one bridge crew, but I don't see how that could happen; I assume men aren't usually handed off from one brightlord to another.

I feel like I'm Kaladin in my life, trying to lead people who've fallen through the cracks out of a bad situation while none of us have many resources.

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2 hours ago, Amira said:

Chapter 27

That was a beautiful chapter. Now that the bridgemen listen to Kaladin, I wonder how he's going to use their help to improve life for everyone / rebel / escape. It would be awesome if somehow Bridge Four gets handed off to Dalinar, since he told his man he could train one bridge crew, but I don't see how that could happen; I assume men aren't usually handed off from one brightlord to another.

I feel like I'm Kaladin in my life, trying to lead people who've fallen through the cracks out of a bad situation while none of us have many resources.

Glad you enjoyed the chapter. . .

TWoK Ch 27:

Quote

You were not shocked when a child knew how to breathe. You were not shocked when a skyeel took flight for the first time. You should not be shocked when you hand Kaladin Stormblessed a spear and he knows how to use it.

This quote really does sum up so much of Kal's arc.

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2 hours ago, Amira said:

I was wondering, how does one earn the title "Stormblessed"? Is this something I'll find out later?

 

2 hours ago, offer said:

It is a comon term for "lucky" or "blessed" on Roshar. There is not much more to it.

As Offer said, but to answer your other question, yes you will find out why/when/how each time Kaladin gets the moniker "Stormblessed."

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On 7/10/2022 at 1:51 PM, offer said:

It is a comon term for "lucky" or "blessed" on Roshar. There is not much more to it.

Yeah, at this point I’m more curious about what Kaladin’s “real” family name is… I don’t remember anyone mentioning it in the books, and I didn’t seen it in his or either of his parents’ coppermind entries (which I won’t link to here because everything there is full spoilers).

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7 hours ago, TheOtherDave said:

Yeah, at this point I’m more curious about what Kaladin’s “real” family name is… I don’t remember anyone mentioning it in the books, and I didn’t seen it in his or either of his parents’ coppermind entries (which I won’t link to here because everything there is full spoilers).

 Spoilers for the series - Books 2-4 (especially as this question is only tangentially related to the thread):

Spoiler

It is implied in the books that Darkeyes only have given names:

In Words of Radiance (Ch 66):

Quote

Adolin looked into the room, then skeptically back at Kaladin. “You are crazy, you realize.”

“I’ll accept that.”

“Fine,” Adolin said, striding back into the room. “You. Moash, was it? I guess those Shards are yours, now. Congratulations. You now outrank ninety percent of Alethkar. Pick yourself a family name and ask to join one of the houses under Dalinar’s banner, or start your own if you are inclined.”

In Rhythm of War (Ch 3) 

Quote

“Sir,” Kaladin said to Dalinar. “My father, the surgeon.”

Dalinar nodded his head. “Lirin Stormblessed. It is my honor.”

“… Stormblessed?” Lirin asked. He didn’t bow, which Navani found undiplomatic, considering whom he was meeting.

“I assumed you would take your son’s house name,” Dalinar said.

Lirin glanced at his son, who evidently hadn’t told him about his elevation.

 

 

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On 7/10/2022 at 4:43 PM, Treamayne said:

TWoK Ch 27:

Quote

You were not shocked when a child knew how to breathe. You were not shocked when a skyeel took flight for the first time. You should not be shocked when you hand Kaladin Stormblessed a spear and he knows how to use it.

This quote really does sum up so much of Kal's arc.

Fighting is Kaladin's Smedry Talent! It even sounds like one! (FYI that was an Alcatraz reference.)

Thank you everyone for answering my questions!

Chapter 28:

Gosh, Dalinar is so stupid. He could use getting some leadership advice from Kaladin. I hope something happens last minute to change his mind about stepping down. Maybe Adolin will convince him not to do it. On another note, interludes are next and we get Szeth again!! Can't wait!

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19 minutes ago, Amira said:

Chapter 28:

Gosh, Dalinar is so stupid. He could use getting some leadership advice from Kaladin.

dalinar is not stupid. he is absolutely right in questioning himself. I dare say it's a required quality of a good leader.

Ok, he's a major character, so you know his visions are right. You know that, because if dalinar was a random madman we would not be following hi pow. but dalinar does not know that. in fact, dalinar has every reason to think he's going mad, and he's taking rational decisions.

Would you want to be ruled by a religious fanatic claiming to receive visions from god and making policies according to them?

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4 minutes ago, king of nowhere said:

dalinar is not stupid. he is absolutely right in questioning himself. I dare say it's a required quality of a good leader.

Ok, he's a major character, so you know his visions are right. You know that, because if dalinar was a random madman we would not be following hi pow. but dalinar does not know that. in fact, dalinar has every reason to think he's going mad, and he's taking rational decisions.

Would you want to be ruled by a religious fanatic claiming to receive visions from god and making policies according to them?

I feel like Dalinar is stupid. Whether or not his visions are real, he is able to see clearly on some matters that others can't. It feels like he's throwing away his ideals because others are disagreeing with him. It seems like he's buckling under pressure and failing to recognize that.

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On 7/7/2022 at 0:44 PM, TheOtherDave said:

The resting heart rate of an “athletic”, middle-aged human male (on earth, anyway) can dip down to 47 BPM or so. For well-trained, battle-ready soldiers 10 heart beats could work out to as much as 12-13 seconds, which is a lot longer than it sounds if people talk fast (and they don’t need to stop & think about what they’re going to say). That said, you aren’t wrong…

The first time Sanderson does the “10 heat beats [a bunch of stuff happens]” thing, back when the chasmfiend attacks, I thought the “time stretching” effect was a great way to pull you into the scene (IIRC, people in suddenly dangerous situations have reported feeling like time slowed down), even if the timing was a bit long. I remember at least one other occurrence where Sanderson clearly didn’t keep track of time correctly. Unless, of course, Rosharans have lower heart rates than humans do IRL. Or maybe he doesn’t care and is just doing it for dramatic effect… having a countdown started like that does tend to add a sense of urgency to the situation.

Actually, there may be something to Rosharans having slower heart rates. Roshar is at about 70% gravity and has a highly oxygenated atmosphere, though this doesn't really come up in-world. Their hearts may not need to circulate blood as quickly as earthlings to provide sufficient oxygen to the body. Veins below the chest have to force blood up back towards the heart, combatting gravity, so with reduced gravity, blood pressure and heart rates decrease. They've discovered this to be the case on the space station.

Yup, dramatic tension, and yup, their hearts may actually beat slower.

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23 hours ago, Duxredux said:

Actually, there may be something to Rosharans having slower heart rates. Roshar is at about 70% gravity and has a highly oxygenated atmosphere, though this doesn't really come up in-world. Their hearts may not need to circulate blood as quickly as earthlings to provide sufficient oxygen to the body. Veins below the chest have to force blood up back towards the heart, combatting gravity, so with reduced gravity, blood pressure and heart rates decrease. They've discovered this to be the case on the space station.

Yup, dramatic tension, and yup, their hearts may actually beat slower.

Huh, pretty cool.

Interlude 4:

Turns out Roshar does have Earth-like areas, and that's where the horses and chickens come from. We also learned a bit about Szeth's history. So wait, are Shin and Parshendi the same? I thought the point of sending Szeth to kill Gavilar was to make it clear that the Parshendi killed him, but Szeth is Shin... I feel like I missed something.

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4 hours ago, Amira said:

Huh, pretty cool.

Interlude 4:

Turns out Roshar does have Earth-like areas, and that's where the horses and chickens come from. We also learned a bit about Szeth's history. So wait, are Shin and Parshendi the same? I thought the point of sending Szeth to kill Gavilar was to make it clear that the Parshendi killed him, but Szeth is Shin... I feel like I missed something.

Shin and Parshendi are not the same. They're actually from opposite sides of the continent. Shin are from Shinovar which is far to the West, while the Parshendi are from the Shattered Plains which is the far East, though not the farthest east.

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10 hours ago, Amira said:

I thought the point of sending Szeth to kill Gavilar was to make it clear that the Parshendi killed him, but Szeth is Shin... I feel like I missed something.

The White Outfit is what indicates the Parshendi sent Szeth (there is a cultural reason). I don't think it's a spoiler to tell you that the second Prologue in The Way of Kings ( as opposed to the First Prologue in the Way of Kings which was a Prologue to the whole Stomlight Archive) showing Szeth kill Gavilar is the Prologue to each of the first five books. Each version is that night from a different character's PoV. Slight Spoilers - hidden in case you want to avoid them:

  • Spoiler

     

    • Words of Radiance - Jasnah POV - only shows the end of the fight
    • Oathbringer - Eshonai POV - shows why the Parshendi sent Szeth, but not the battle
    • Rhythm of War - Navani POV - shows before and after the event

     

    You will get much more detail on this in Oathbringer and Rhythm of War; and a bit more detail in Words of Radiance.

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Thanks for clarifying that!

Interlude 5:

Not sure what the purpose of this interlude was except for world building, introducing us to two new peoples on Roshar. Aimians sound very interesting and cool and I'd like to hear more about them! And now I get to use a spoiler box, look at that! SP1 sample:

Spoiler

I thought it was only a handful of characters who could world hop. How did the Iriali people get from Lumar to Roshar (or vice versa)??? Where did they originally come from? Why did they all up and leave Lumar? I want answers!

 

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14 minutes ago, Amira said:

Thanks for clarifying that!

Interlude 5:

Not sure what the purpose of this interlude was except for world building, introducing us to two new peoples on Roshar. Aimians sound very interesting and cool and I'd like to hear more about them! And now I get to use a spoiler box, look at that! SP1 sample:

  Hide contents

I thought it was only a handful of characters who could world hop. How did the Iriali people get from Lumar to Roshar (or vice versa)??? Where did they originally come from? Why did they all up and leave Lumar? I want answers!

 

some of those interludes are purely for worldbuilding. interludes are there for stuff that doesn't fit into the story proper.

regarding the spoilered question, we don't know.

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