[OB] A Review, Analysis, and So Forth

[Modal Seoul he/him]

This is my official review for Oathbringer, which I just barely finished. And so first off......

Holy crap.

Brandon is a true artist of words. This most definitely one of the best books he has ever written. The plot is sound, and gives us new things to digest and think about all throughout the book. But looking at the number of pages now, I think it is safe to classify Oathbringer as a tome, not a novel. One of the things I deeply appreciate about Brandon's writing is the way he gets us to feel for his characters, even if they aren't major players. Now that may not be the case for his past novels, but Oathbringer definitely fits that mold. Every death wrenched at my heart.

I was excited for Oathbringer when it was titled Stones Unhallowed because we were finally going to see Szeth's backstory. But when that changed to focus on Dalinar, I have to admit I was slightly disappointed. I love Szeth's story arc, and felt a little despondent that I wouldn't be able to see what his past was about. But my feelings quickly dissipated as I began to read Oathbringer. Dalinar never really appealed to me as a character until now. We finally saw why he acted the way he did, and why he felt hindered. Before Oathbringer was released, I had talked with several people who had also voiced my opinion that Dalinar was not a very good character. Well, my opinion has changed. I feel that Brandon moved Dalinar's story forward not only to make his vision real, but also to put Dalinar in the spotlight. Kaladin and Shallan are very well developed, and Dalinar's chapters felt like politics in the first two books. It was when he started interacting with other main characters like Kaladin that he got interesting. Oathbringer helped my unbelief.

My favorite character in Oathbringer was actually Dalinar, which tells you how much he improved in this book. His arc shows us his emotional pain as he struggles with the returning memories. I love how Brandon makes you expect one thing, then switches it up. I thought his wife's name was going to be long, but it turned out to be a short, simple one. Evi. We feel for Dalinar as he sinks down into despair, but ultimately triumphs, Ascending and becoming a storming Shard.

Another thing I really liked was the Bridge Four chapters. We saw Skar, a member of Bridge Four we haven't really seen, work his way to use Stormlight himself. We see a side of Teft we never saw before, as he struggles with addiction. He doesn't want to be a Radiant, but accepts the inevitable.

One thing that really struck me was the parallel between Moash and Elhokar. Moash was a respectable soldier, Elhokar was a despised king. Moash chooses the path of destruction, ultimately choosing to serve Odium. Elhokar finally begins to become the king he should have been, rising to glory, but struck down at the last second, by Moash. That was the point where Moash could not leave the path he had chosen. He serves the Fused, kills Jezrien, and becomes Vyre.

As I don't want to ramble, here is a list of things I loved:

• Kaladin's return to Hearthstone
• Dalinar's first meeting with Odium
• Cultivation and the Nightwatcher
• Vivenna/Azure
• Riino (who might be one of the Ire?)
• Adolin learning his Blade's name
• Renarin being the catalyst of the Diagram, and also him cutting off the thunderclast's hand
• Szeth's oath to Dalinar
• Nightblood
• The way Mraize drew Shalash out into the open
• Taln recovering (sort of)
• Wit Awakening the doll

I could go on forever, but alas, not now. I'll post more things here later.

Also, I will be analyzing the Letters.

I love this book.

[Modal Seoul he/him]

One thing that intrigues me in Oathbringer is the apparent lack of lust that Szeth feels for Nightblood. Even when Vasher had Nightblood, there was a slight temptation that he learned to ignore. It seems as though Lift feels no temptation whatsoever as well. I don't know whether it's an effect of Szeth being reborn or whether it's just an emotion Szeth has learned to control. With Lift, it probably most certainly has to do with the Nightwatcher and Cultivation.

I must investigate further on this matter.

[Willow]

21 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

Moash was a respectable soldier

What makes you say that Moash was ever really a respectable soldier? Even in WoR he seemed very angry, constantly straining boundaries so even Kaladin (who isn't all that good at staying quiet either) had to call him back several times

[Modal Seoul he/him]

41 minutes ago, Willow said:

What makes you say that Moash was ever really a respectable soldier? Even in WoR he seemed very angry, constantly straining boundaries so even Kaladin (who isn't all that good at staying quiet either) had to call him back several times

A soldier has the right to question an order, but it is always the final decision of the commander. Moash was the voice of the men, speaking out opinions that no one else wanted to. Kaladin respected that. And even though Moash had a hatred of Elhokar, he held back for his commander's sake (and Dalinar's) until he decided to take action.

[Willow]

1 minute ago, Captains Domon said:

he held back for his commander's sake (and Dalinar's) until he decided to take action.

I think this was like three weeks after they were freed from the bridge crews, so he didn't manage to hold back too long. I also thought the few times I remember Moash 'stepping out of line', he mostly raged at the Lighteyes/Darkeyes divide instead of actually questioning orders (well, just before The Duel, but that was because Moash just didn't want to do it, and also after they started plotting the assassination). We've seen soldiers questioning their superiors in the form of Teleb and Adolin, and they went about it quite differently.

I'm mostly talking about WoR here though, since before that none of the men had any problem stating their opinion of Kaladin out loud (before he managed to get Bridge Four all pointed in the same direction). I'm not saying Moash was absolutely wrong to question, I'm just not sure 'respectable soldier' is in any way accurate.

Especially since I don't think Moash was ever a soldier. He escorted caravans, until he joined the army, and immediately got send to the bridge crews. Then they were suddenly elevated to bodyguards of the king, until Moash became a Shardbearer. Shortly after that he attempted to assassinate Elhokar and ran away.

[Patrick Star]

2 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

One thing that intrigues me in Oathbringer is the apparent lack of lust that Szeth feels for Nightblood. Even when Vasher had Nightblood, there was a slight temptation that he learned to ignore. It seems as though Lift feels no temptation whatsoever as well. I don't know whether it's an effect of Szeth being reborn or whether it's just an emotion Szeth has learned to control. With Lift, it probably most certainly has to do with the Nightwatcher and Cultivation.

I must investigate further on this matter.

I think it could also be Nightblood maturing a bit since we saw him in Warbreaker.  So he still destroys evil, but isn't quite as childish about it.  IIRC Brandon said something about Nightblood's mental age at some point, but I don't remember exactly what he said.

[Walin he/him]

The doll seemed like an odd action. Maybe Hoid was trying to get rid of Investiture so the Voidbringers wouldn’t find him, but that doesn’t make much sense. I guess the girl he told the doll to “take care of” (in either a protective way or a guiding way) will be super plot central in the Cosmere later on...