Who wrote the back cover synopsys of The Way of Kings book?

[rtfirefly]

I finally took notice of the writing on the back cover of the WOK book and I realized that a character of the world wrote it. Only I have no idea who it is! It almost sounds like it's a spren who wrote it. Can any of you enlighten me on who's suppose to be writing this?

[Chaos he/him]

I asked Brandon to write this in my copy of Words of Radiance at the release party. He almost always can do such requests for signings, but not this time. He seemed legitimately pained that he couldn't do that.

So I have no idea, but clearly: this question is extremely, extremely important.

[kari-no-sugata]

I've wondered if it might be Taravangian. Sounds like something out of The Diagram sometimes... though I remember looking at it closely and being less certain (possibly because it was 'tuned' a bit to be suitable for back cover blurb)

[The Honor Spren she/her]

Here it is for reference:

"I long for the days before the Last Desolation.

The age before the Heralds abandoned us and the Knights Radiant turned against us.

A time where there was still magic in the world and honor in the hearts of men.

The world became ours, and we lost it.

Nothing, it appears, is more challenging to the souls of men than victory itself.

Or was that victory an illusion all along?

Did our enemies realize that the harder they fought, the stronger we resisted?

Perhaps they saw that the heat and the hammer made for a better grade of sword.

But ignore the steel for long enough, and it begins to rust away.

There are four whom we watch.

The first is the surgeon, forced to put aside healing, to become a soldier in the most brutal war of our time.

The second is the assassin, a murderer who weeps as he kills.

The third is the liar, a young women who wears a scholars mantle over the heart of a thief.

The last is a highprince, a warlord whose eyes have been opened to the past and whose thirst for battle wanes.

The world can change.

Surgebinding and Shardweilding can return; the magic of the ancient days can become ours again.

These four people are key.

One of them may redeem us,

And one of them will destroy us."

It is most definatly a spren. I would guess it is the one in charge of sending these spren to bond with humans. (Which makes Storm Father unlikely, but still possible).

Another thing to add concerning the "One of them may redeem us, And one of them will destroy us." part. I think the one that could redeem them is Dalinar, and the one that will destroy them. . . One of the other three, still can't decide who. Thoughts?

Edited June 20, 2015 by The Honor Spren

[DreamEternal]

Dalinar. He is a tyrant, isn't he?

[Guest]

I think it could be written by one of the Heralds, otherwise probably Pattern's or Wyndle's people (though in the latter case, why isn't Lift mentioned)

[IAmTheBeard]

Clearly written by whoever is "archiving" the Stormlight Archives. I feel like there's a very good chance these people haven't been introduced yet.

[Guest]

I think it could be written by one of the Heralds, otherwise probably Pattern's or Wyndle's people (though in the latter case, why isn't Lift mentioned)

 

I think it only speaks of the beginning... and in the beginning, only Dalinar, Kaladin and Shallan mattered, brought together by Szeth the assassin (kind of). The first three will hardly be the only Radiants... and there was Jasnah as well which is not mentioned. My guess is the event in the early days of the Desolation revolved around those people, so the message talks about them.

 

Lift, Renarin, Jasnah and the others whom will join them may be become relevant until a later time.

 

Personally, I hate nothing more than prophecies in fantasy, so I hope this is just mumbo jumbo because to state early on only these four people matters just does not make sense. I doubt they are the only one which will make a difference in the end. I don't believe in stories where one hero saves them all. Already, we have plenty of other significant character, so I'd hate to think the fate of the world resides on Kaladin's sole shoulders. It would be a bad plot twist.

 

I believe some will be heroes, some will not be heroes, some will fail, some will get back on their feet... I do not think Kaladin will always remain the hero: he'll mess up at some point because he doesn't have the power to remove threats. Shallan will also mess up because she thinks too much of herself and she will make a mistake. Dalinar will mess up because he is too rigid and he is not able to allow leeways. Kaladin understands the need for dire actions in order to protect/save a greater number, but he can't do it. Dalinar does not want to entertain the possibilities such actions may be needed and demands of his followers to behave perfectly without offering them the guidance they need to understand his reasons.

 

They will all doom themselves at some point. The question should therefore be: will they rise again?

 

And I don't believe the other characters won't have a role to play. 

[ljósmóður she/her]

We don't have this on the back of the UK WoK (well not the paperback edition which I have anyway), just a traditional editor's blurb so that's the first time I've read that.

 

Is it repeated on the back of WoR or does the second book have a different blurb? Just wondering if we're meant to read as referring specifically to WoK or whether its a statement that is supposed to span the whole archive. If so, I agree with Maxal that it's odd to only reference the four characters who are bought to the forefront in book 1 and not the other characters who will (presumably) become more prominent as the books progress.

 

Initially, I wondered if it might have been written by one of the Sons of Honor (so, Amaram?) because it references wanting the return of the Heralds and "honor in the hearts of men" but then, they're trying to bring the Desolation, not prevent it so that theory is probably not a valid one.

[Guest]

We don't have this on the back of the UK WoK (well not the paperback edition which I have anyway), just a traditional editor's blurb so that's the first time I've read that.

 

Is it repeated on the back of WoR or does the second book have a different blurb? Just wondering if we're meant to read as referring specifically to WoK or whether its a statement that is supposed to span the whole archive. If so, I agree with Maxal that it's odd to only reference the four characters who are bought to the forefront in book 1 and not the other characters who will (presumably) become more prominent as the books progress.

 

Initially, I wondered if it might have been written by one of the Sons of Honor (so, Amaram?) because it references wanting the return of the Heralds and "honor in the hearts of men" but then, they're trying to bring the Desolation, not prevent it so that theory is probably not a valid one.

 

There's different. I do not have my book on me, but the back cover of WoR speaks of the Windrunner (Kaladin), the Lightweaver (Shallan), the Bondsmith (Dalinar) and the Explorer (Eshonai). 

 

I tend to not put too much faith into the back cover. I would hate if it became significant. I see them as a resume of who will play a role inside the book, though I do not believe Szeth is mentioned on the back cover of WoR (correct me someone if I am wrong, my copy of WoR is quite far away home) and Adolin is never mentioned.

 

Other known Radiants are not mentioned either.

[WeiryWriter he/him]

Here is the WoR blurb (which is on the wiki):
 

The Knights Radiant must stand again.

The ancient oaths have at last been spoken; the spren return. Men seek that which was lost. I fear the struggle will destroy them.

It is the nature of the magic. A broken soul has cracks into which something else can be fit. Surgebindings, the powers of creation themselves. They can brace a broken soul; but they can also widen its fissures.

The Windrunner, lost in a shattered land, balanced upon the boundary between vengeance and honor. The Lightweaver, slowly being consumed by her past, searching for the lie that she must become. The Bondsmith, born in blood and death, striving to rebuild what was destroyed. The Explorer, straddling the fates of two peoples, forced to choose between slow death and a terrible betrayal of all she believes.

It is past time for them to awaken, for the Everstorm looms.

And the Assassin has arrived.

 

And I would frankly be surprised if these didn't end up being important in some way.  Brandon has confirmed they are an in-world thing, and Brandon doesn't write things like that for no reason.

[Guest]

Here is the WoR blurb (which is on the wiki):

 

 

And I would frankly be surprised if these didn't end up being important in some way.  Brandon has confirmed they are an in-world thing, and Brandon doesn't write things like that for no reason.

 

Thanks.

 

I agree Brandon does not tend to write anything for nothing, but prophecies is just the lamest plot device ever... I would hate if SA could be resume by a stupid prophecy, thus depriving individuals of all free will. 

 

And I don't want Kaladin to end up being the Savior. If it turns out this way, then I seriously misjudged SA as I didn't think it was one of those stories.

[DreamEternal]

Prophecies don't deserve so much hatred . I mean, if one assumes everything that happens is either a consequence of something else or random, so what exactly is free will? Not saying I don't believe in free will, but that IS a worthy question.

And prophecies are analogue to time travel, in that they let future events influence the present, wich allows for interesting character motivations and the question of what happens if life is pre-scripted, and how rigid that script is. Of course, the problem is when a prophecy is used as an instant hero ticket.

[ljósmóður she/her]

I can't decide if this needs spoilering or not. But, to be on the safe side:

 

I wonder if it could be Glys speaking. He's bonded to a Truthwatcher who "sees". and that would fit with the prophetic feel of the two passages.

Plus, it's interesting that the WoR synopsis talks of three revealed Knight Radiants but not the fourth, referencing Eshonai instead. Could it be because the fourth is the observer and commentator?

[natc]

Prophecies don't deserve so much hatred . I mean, if one assumes everything that happens is either a consequence of something else or random, so what exactly is free will? Not saying I don't believe in free will, but that IS a worthy question.

And prophecies are analogue to time travel, in that they let future events influence the present, wich allows for interesting character motivations and the question of what happens if life is pre-scripted, and how rigid that script is. Of course, the problem is when a prophecy is used as an instant hero ticket.

Cue the prophecy becoming an instant hero ticket for the wrong people.

Gotta love Sanderson prophecies.

[DreamEternal]

Cue the prophecy becoming an instant hero ticket for the wrong people.

Gotta love Sanderson prophecies.

Mistborn?

[Guest]

Prophecies don't deserve so much hatred . I mean, if one assumes everything that happens is either a consequence of something else or random, so what exactly is free will? Not saying I don't believe in free will, but that IS a worthy question.

And prophecies are analogue to time travel, in that they let future events influence the present, wich allows for interesting character motivations and the question of what happens if life is pre-scripted, and how rigid that script is. Of course, the problem is when a prophecy is used as an instant hero ticket.

 

Oh I hate prophecies because they give spoil the readers as to how the story will end. The worst have to be Min's visions in WoT: everything she sees come true. I nearly thrown my book when I realized the Rand and his three women was going to remain canon.

 

In any advent, the reason I hate the idea these writings may be prophecies is because it launches the idea that the only significant characters we are bond to see are Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar, Szeth and Eshonai: everyone else being less relevant. It removes me, as a reader, from the possibility to root for other characters as the stupid prophecy just told me it is useless as anyone else will not have a large role to play. 

 

Also, these prophecies can be read as an instant hero ticket for Kaladin, which I hate, not because I dislike Kaladin, but because I dislike pure heroes. Kaladin currently has flaws and I would hate to see future him shine with the holy light of rightfulness. The same goes for Dalinar. These two currently hold the morality high point and I tend to disagree with their black and white vision of the world. 

 

All in all, I believe prophecies, unless averted, impair a reader's experience and have the tendency to create more cardboard characters.

 

 

I can't decide if this needs spoilering or not. But, to be on the safe side:

 

I wonder if it could be Glys speaking. He's bonded to a Truthwatcher who "sees". and that would fit with the prophetic feel of the two passages.

Plus, it's interesting that the WoR synopsis talks of three revealed Knight Radiants but not the fourth, referencing Eshonai instead. Could it be because the fourth is the observer and commentator?

 

I like this idea... From WoR, we have seen Renarin's visions are not prophecies at all, but possible futures. The poor kid failed to realized seeing something did not mean it would happen or it would happen just as he saw it.

 

Eshonai is not a Radiant and the only proof we have she may be becoming one are:

 

1) She has a flashback book

2) A comet-like spren linked to an order flew from her

3) WoR back cover named her as the Explorer

 

If you ask me, these are very thin evidences, as most evidences brought forward to uproot future Radiants tend to be.

[DreamEternal]

Saying that a prophecy spoils the readers is like saying that it is impossible for a prophecy to be wrong or badly interpreted, wich is where all the fun of using prophecies comes from: they are right often enough to not be ignored, but aren't to be trusted either. Also, were did you take the idea that Kaladin is the "savior" from? For me he seems the least likely to be either savior or destroyer, since he just protects people, but doens't try to change the world and doens't hold or seek any secret worldchanging knowledge.

EDIT: typos. Typing on mobile.

Edited June 19, 2015 by CognitivePulsePattern

[Guest]

Saying that a prophecy spoils the readers is like saying that it is impossible for a prophecy to be wrong or badly interpreted, wich is where all the fun of using prophecies comes from: they are right often enough to not be ignored, but aren't to be trusted either. Also, were did you take the idea that Kaladin is the "savior" from? For me he seems the least likely to be either savior or destroyer, since he just protects people, but doens't try to change the world and doens't hold or seek any secret worldchanging knowledge.

EDIT: typos. Typing on mobile.

 

Oh just assuming. Kaladin has the hero vibe. Dalinar is a tyrant: I doubt he will be saving the world unless he learns flexibility, which I think he can't. Shallan is not going to save the world either or I doubt she would. I just do not see her into this role. 

 

Just that in between the named characters on the back cover, Kaladin seems like the most probable choice. 

 

Twist of events: Szeth saves the world. Maybe it would make an interesting story. 

 

I still don't like prophecies. I don't want to know in advance how the book will end.

[DreamEternal]

But it doens't say how it will end. Just that one of this characters may be a savior and one will be a destroyer. Kaladin just doesn't seem ambicious, visionary, or at least active enough to change the world in a large scale. Shallan is involved with a powerful conspiracy, Dalinar is the most powerful man in the world and Szeth is... Szeth.

Edited June 19, 2015 by CognitivePulsePattern

[Guest]

But it doens't say how it will end. Just that one of this characters may be a savior and one will be a destroyer. Kaladin just doesn't seem ambicious, visionary, or at least active enough to change the world in a large scale. Shallan is involved with a powerful conspiracy, Dalinar is the most powerful man in the world and Szeth is... Szeth.

 

Well if it turns being a prophecy, I think Szeth has the advantage... Think about it, the guy clearly knows more than he lets on. He self-sacrificed himself to deny his greatest truth and ended up betraying every country laws thus condemning himself to become a pathetic villain, but he still knows stuff others don't. What if Szeth detained the key in the end? 

 

I agree about Kaladin, but he has been set up so strong to be the hero, I would not be surprised it turns out this way. However, I am not comfortable with Kaladin saving humanity: it seems like too much. 

 

Shallan deals in conspiracy: she won't save the world but she may doom it.

 

Dalinar may be the most powerful man in the world, but he is a tyrant. His way is the only way and he won't compromise. For these reasons alone, Dalinar will not save the world, though his task is now to unite. He won't succeed until he realize people will never want to follow his rigid code of life and he can't impose it on them because, soon or later, they will trash it down. To change mentalities, you need to make concessions. Yes, you wear uniforms at all times, but let's design a few fashionable versions of it for events and parties so the men could be happier (just a random example). The problem with Dalinar is his "rule" is asserted by the fact people both fear and respect him, but they do not love him. He is not the leader people follow because they want to: they do because they have no one else to follow. So Dalinar saving the world? Let's just say I am keen on reading next book. Maybe he can still grow enough to become THAT man, but so far, he isn't.

[DreamEternal]

Uh, Szeth sacrified his life as a punishment for his own crimes, not to deny the truth. Unless you are speaking about how he sacrified his sanity. And he isn't pathetic, just... weak willed? Yeah, he is kinda pathetic sometimes, but I like characters who I can pity from time to time, makes them more human.

Actualy, I believe Szeth isn't either the savior or the destroyer, because he is just a tool. He obeyed the stone shamanate without questioning, he obeyed the parshendi without questioning, he obeyed Taravangian without questioning, he just won't be anything other than a miserable weapon until he learns to storming question his storming orders.

Edited June 20, 2015 by CognitivePulsePattern

[HK-42]

Maybe he can still grow enough to become THAT man, but so far, he isn't.

Well, he potentially has eight more books to achieve that character growth. 

As to these descriptions limiting the number of characters who are important, they can always add more. Eshonai wasn't included in the first book's description, but was added in the second. Characters like Renarin, Jasnah, Lift, Adolin, or even Lopin could be added as we get more books. 

I don't think these are true prophesies. The only insight into the future provided is "One of them may redeem us,

And one of them will destroy us." I don't think this is foretelling, just an opinion based on known knowledge. If this is a spren talking, we have already seen that they speak as if other outcomes are not possible. Both the Stormfather and Pattern spoke in absolutes. "You will kill her", etc. 

The other insight into the future is "the everstorm looms." This too could just be speculation based on current events. Whoever is speaking seems to be well informed and would know that the Parshendi were close to discovering the Storm spren. However, we have seen some future-knowing with Renarin's scratches on the wall. Another tie to Glys potentially being the speaker. 

 

Edited June 20, 2015 by NavySealsGuy

[Guest]

Well, he potentially has eight more books to achieve that character growth. 

 

Potentially, yes, but Dalinar is an older man. As they say, the older you get, the harder it is to change your ways. Besides, people never change completely. Dalinar still is the Blackthorn, but he has taken control of his fury and reign his emotions in such as to prevent himself from harming others again. To achieve this, he required a strict life code. The problem is he wants to impose it on most people, but fails to see what works for him may not work for others. He also is used to get his way and reacts very badly when contradicted. He has to learn to let others speak and he has to learn to compromise. You do not change mentalities in a fortnight or even a lifetime. It takes time, a great deal lot of time.

 

 

As to these descriptions limiting the number of characters who are important, they can always add more. Eshonai wasn't included in the first book's description, but was added in the second. Characters like Renarin, Jasnah, Lift, Adolin, or even Lopin could be added as we get more books. 

 

True enough.

 

I don't think these are true prophesies. The only insight into the future provided is "One of them may redeem us,

And one of them will destroy us." I don't think this is foretelling, just an opinion based on known knowledge. If this is a spren talking, we have already seen that they speak as if other outcomes are not possible. Both the Stormfather and Pattern spoke in absolutes. "You will kill her", etc. 

The other insight into the future is "the everstorm looms." This too could just be speculation based on current events. Whoever is speaking seems to be well informed and would know that the Parshendi were close to discovering the Storm spren. However, we have seen some future-knowing with Renarin's scratches on the wall. Another tie to Glys potentially being the speaker. 

 

 

I like the idea it is Glys speaking... mostly because we have good reason to believe Truthwatchers visions are nor false proof prophecies.

[The Honor Spren she/her]

In my opinion the only thing that ISN'T debatable is that it is a spren speaking.

"The age before the Heralds abandoned us and the Knights Radiant turned against US." (Emphasis added)

From the feel of it, it also sounds like an older spren. . . If spren have age?