[OB] POLL: Which storylines did you love?

[ccstat he/him]

I've seen a huge range of reactions to each of the main characters' arcs in Oathbringer. I'm curious where the fandom falls on this. Polls are limited to 3 questions, so if you want to comment on character arcs outside the "big three" please squee or vent in the comments.

It has become obvious in reading others' reactions that my opinion does not match the majority. Personally, I loved the Shallan sections and couldn't get enough of her fracturing psyche. Dalinar was awesome, of course, but solidly second place for me. Lord brooding eyes was sort of meh, and I was glad he didn't get more screentime. 

Edited November 22, 2017 by ccstat

[Leyrann]

Dalinar's storyline was absolutely amazing for me, mostly in the finale.

[Beggar she/her]

When reading about Dalinar's past it scared me. He was an awful person. It amazes me he was able to overcome it.

Shallan's problems frustrated me and I wanted her to just get over it. After I finished reading I realized it would be hard to get over her personality splitting and I should given her more time and not have gotten so frustrated at her. It made me a better person.

[The Sovereign]

I think I'm in the minority here but I actually really enjoyed Moash's PoVs. 

[Bacon]

I honestly never expected Dalinar to have so much character development. His whole thing was amazing. Kaladin was kinda shunted to the side in this one. He did finally fight Amaram, but that whole sequence was less interesting than the rest of the crazy stuff happening in that battlefield. It really lacked gravitas and felt more than anything else in the series so far, like a video game boss fight. Except the part where Rock used a weapon in combat to save Kaladin. Shalan had serious progression, but the multiple personalities thing was driven to the ground for the sheer number of times she had the same inner monologue about who she really was. Also nobody got their armor. Except Jasnah, but I'm pretty sure she had that before book 1. 

Edited November 22, 2017 by Bacon

[Bacon]

13 minutes ago, The Sovereign said:

I think I'm in the minority here but I actually really enjoyed Moash's PoVs. 

Moash was really the dark horse of this book. He only appeared for 1-2% of it, but impacted the story more than probably anyone else besides Dalinar, and even then not by a very wide margin

[Kal's Gal]

I cringed reading Moash's storyline on the first read through, and outright skip them in my rereads. I will say that I was meh on the other Bridge Four PoVS but I think I was so anxious to get major advances in the storyline. I haven't reread any of Part II yet so perhaps I'll like them more then.

[Matt Snow he/him]

Dalinar: Voted "Stunning!". I really liked where Dalinar's story went, especially learning about past him. I loved that he actually did things in his flashbacks, I don't know if anyone else got felt this way but I always dreaded reading the flashbacks in WoK and WoR, I normally even skipped them on re-reads, but I looked forward to them in this book. I loved how Dalinar ended the book, and I got chills when he said "You can't have my pain".

Kaladin: Voted "Stunning" again. Kaladin is my favorite character, so I was kinda bummed that he didn't have more to do, but I still loved the scenes he was in. I especially loved that he actually failed in this book. In WoK and WoR Kaladin comes out on top and pushes through whatever has been bugging him that whole book. In this book he looks at himself and realizes what he has to do, and that he can't bring himself to do it, which I loved. Kaladin was starting to seem a bit too competent I guess? I wouldn't have complained if he hadn't failed but I feel like it's something I would have need eventually and I'd rather have it now than wait on it till the final battle. 

Shallan: I voted "About what I expect" and "Go to another character" (for some reason I can pick more than one). I don't really like Shallan but she is involved with a characters I do like (Adolin and Kaladin), which makes her something I have to put up with. I found her struggle with her fragmenting personalities cool, though I feel like she ends the book deluding herself instead of actually resolving her issues. I don't necessarily have a problem with that, but I do hope I'm right since I found her "solution" to the problem terrible. 

Love triangle: I posted enough in other threads but basically I think that Shallan is deluding herself, and that Adolin is going to end up hurt because she can't stop lying to herslef. Kaladin is basically out, but he'll probably cause problems for the new marraige without meanign to.

 

Moash: I was rooting for him until he killed Elhokar. It was a real gut punch when he did, since I kept seeing shades of how Kaladin was in how he interacted with the new Parshendi. I'm pretty sure he's story is meant to be the opposite of Kaladin's and that he's going to end up as Odium's Champion (with Kaladin as Honor's).

[Blacksmithki]

I'm pretty sure that the first two options are both "amazing" (about what I expect from Brandon) and the third one is a pretty low bar considering how absolutely stunning Dalinar's is. 

On a scale from one to ten might be a better marker for rating the plot lines.

[Ailvara]

It depends if you ask, whether I appreciate writing or enjoyed reading about the character. For example, I've never been a huge Shallan fan, so no surprise that these were the worst for me, but I really like how Brandon put her on a tough road to eventual recovery and the new level of powers she showed here. 

[Goatbringer he/him]

Loved Dalinar's storyline. His entire arc in this book is nothing short of magnificent. He really shone in this book. Kal's storyline is solidly second place for me, whereas he was far and away #1 for me in WoK and WoR, so I'm a bit disappointed with his diminished presence, but if it comes at the expense of Dalinar's storyline taking the limelight I have  no problem. Shallan was third for me, mainly because we didn't get to see a nice completed arc for her split personalities nor did we get to see her being as.... for lack of a better word: cute. She injects some much needed lightheartedness into the series dominated by brooding males like Dalinar and Kal and her antics keep us nice and level. I suppose it's just her growing up that has made her storyline a little more adult, but I really wished there were more instances of her being genuine, like her reaction to Jasnah telling off Amaram or reveling in Windrunning. Then again, that's kind of her story, in that she doesn't know who is the real Shallan. Anyways I'm just waxing lyrical now!

[Aleksiel]

Odd options - either loved it, liked it or prefer to read about somebody else. Why isn't there a 'didn't like it' option?

[Oberyn he/him]

I found Dalinar's story very interesting, so much happened around him. The flashbacks were the strongest from the series so far. It was a very nicely transition from a very brutal character from seeing that he wasn't just brutal to him opening his eyes and his depression. I particularly liked evi in general and the scene with Jasnah, where he listened to tWoK for the first time.

His present arc was also super good with the waow moment in the book being AMAZING. I loved the perpendicularity's creation and that although he had and absurd power boost he is still mostly Dalinar, not something that I expect anymore with this amount of power. I just hope he isn't Dalinar still because Kal ends up ascending somewhere along the line.

Kal's storyline was also superb but because of very different reasons. His inner struggles, which are not all solved, really shone for me. He has to understand you have to be more of a teamplayer and not expect himself to save the day everytime. I didn't like the way that the love triangle went but not because he didn't end with Shallan, but because I think the development was bad, but I just didn't let the romance get in the way of a VERY nice story. Kal's Odium spren was also super interesting, was hoping to see more. I loved hearthstone overall and his moral dilemma. I also loved that Kal is the char from which we get to meet Vivenna again, couldn't have hoped for a better choice.

Shallan for me was still good but the weakest of characters blaming a lot on her other personalities, which for me made for a lesser read. Even so, she had some absolutely delightful moments with hoid and the multiple personalities wasn't all bad, presenting some interesting scenes. Her part I with Adolin was solid and the unmade made for some real badass moment.

[autopilot_off]

Being brief Dalinar's and Kaladin's stories were great. For Dalinar I liked seeing how much he has changed and grown from being the Blackthorn. He had some emotional moments. 

Kaladin's arc was good like always but I really liked in this book how BS changed up the formula. Kaladin did not swear new oaths and did not almost single handily save the day. Kaladin failed a lot, but he is growing from these failures. 

Shallans was mixed. Her personalities became tiring to me after awhile. Her best parts though were with Hoid. I am fine with her choosing Adolin, but the marraige felt really rushed though.