The way of kings cover.

[bdoble97]

Anyone els see this. If not Dalinar then who is it 

[Spren of Kindness]

If it's not Dalinar, who is it?  Random Shardbearer?

[Honorless]

Brandon thought that was Dalinar

Quote

Brandon Sanderson

[Eshonai] I believe is one that Michael Whelan intended to be one figures on the covers, one's Dalinar, and one's Eshonai. But that scene is not 100% accurate from the book. Usually with book covers we are looking for a poster for the book, like a movie poster, which isn't necessarily an exact scene from the book. But I believe it's who it was intended to be.

West Jordan signing 2012 (Dec. 6, 2012)

Quote

Himenss

Do you choose cover arts for your books yourself or you give your artist to choose. As for Oathbringer, why that particular moment with Jasnah was chosen? I like the cover, but I guess I wanted the see Dalinar , who would be more appropriate for this book.

Brandon Sanderson

With most books these days, I suggest scenes and take a more hands-on approach. Michael Whelan, however, is one of those that I generally step back from and let him do his thing and try not to meddle too much. I DID note to him, though, that we've so far not matched the book to the character. (Kaladin's book got Dalinar and Eshonai on the cover, while Shallan's book got Kaladin.) So it made sense, actually, to have Jasnah here.

Skyward Pre-Release AMA (Oct. 27, 2018)

if not then Gavilar, maybe

[Mat]

I think it's confirmed to be Eshonai. I'll try to figure out where I remember seeing that.

[bdoble97]

3 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

I think it's confirmed to be Eshonai. I'll try to figure out where I remember seeing that.

Ok cool thank you. 

[Nymeros]

Thats clearly Eshonai. I know Whelan is indicating that he didnt intend to draw her specifically but the description matches too closely for me to not consider that figure as her.

[Honorless]

On 8/18/2020 at 11:26 PM, Matrim's Dice said:

I think it's confirmed to be Eshonai. I'll try to figure out where I remember seeing that.

 

9 hours ago, Nymeros said:

Thats clearly Eshonai. I know Whelan is indicating that he didnt intend to draw her specifically but the description matches too closely for me to not consider that figure as her.

 

There are two figures on the cover, a human with a crab flag, and another at the back, below the Highstorm, on the opposite side of the cliff- that one's Eshonai, but the human figure was thought to be Dalinar, but the artist is saying otherwise. 

[+Child of Hodor]

19 hours ago, Nymeros said:

Thats clearly Eshonai. I know Whelan is indicating that he didnt intend to draw her specifically but the description matches too closely for me to not consider that figure as her.

10 hours ago, Honorless said:

There are two figures on the cover, a human with a crab flag, and another at the back, below the Highstorm, on the opposite side of the cliff- that one's Eshonai, but the human figure was thought to be Dalinar, but the artist is saying otherwise. 

I was never clear who was supposed to be who on the cover. it makes a lot more sense to me and I feel dumb for thinking it was Dalinar in the foreground. The person in the foreground is Eshonai, and the person in the distance has a spear and looks like they are wearing tattered rags for clothing and maybe a black shield in their other hand in front of the body. Kaladin or other Bridge 4. They were all there when she did the salute. 

@Nymeros You're right it only fits Eshonai. Very few people in Shardplate with a Shardblade do a dramatic salute across a chasm in Way of Kings. Dalinar to Kaladin and co. after saving them from arrows, Eshonai and Dalinar to each other after the Tower batte. 

I thought for the longest time it was supposed to be Dalinar in the foreground and Eshonai in the background. I thought they just got his cloak color wrong. I didn't think too much about the flag since it's obscured by Brandon's name on the cover. I figured they didn't change it because the cloak being blue would wreck the way the colors flow in the painting. Everything around the cloak is orange or orangish-brown. He'd have to redesign the whole thing or live his coloring being disrupted. 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by Child of Hodor

[Wyndleblade]

I have also always thought it was Dalinar. What makes me excited about this revelation is it opens up the possibility of having Dalinar be the center piece of book five where I feel like he belongs. I always wanted him on it but I never thought it was a possibility since I thought he was on book one. Now I can hold onto my hope of an awesome Wheelan cover with Dalinar on the front and Navani on the back. 

[rjl]

Here's a string of tweets with more info.