Words of Radiance reread suggestions

[Nuatoma]

I've just started a reread of Words of Radiance and looking for some pros/cons at different reading styles.  I've probably read WofR about 5 times already, and each time I always read the chapters in numerical order.  I'm not sure I want to do that this time because I typically find Shallan chapters boring and rushing through them.  I've been debating if I should just skip the Shallan chapters, and then go back and read them on their own once I finish with the Kaladin/Dalinar storyline (understanding of course that they will be mixing a lot more at the end).

Has anybody done readings this way and found it more enjoyable?  Will I become more dumb reading a book out of order?  How big of a sin is this? Help!

[Chalke219]

I couldn't imagine reading it in anything other than the published order! 

 

Not that im implicitly against such things! But even though they are individual character view points, they definitely intertwine

I'd be interested to see how coherent the book would be by cutting out what will probably be close to a third of the book! 

[Frustration]

11 minutes ago, Rock's Stew said:

I've just started a reread of Words of Radiance and looking for some pros/cons at different reading styles.  I've probably read WofR about 5 times already, and each time I always read the chapters in numerical order.  I'm not sure I want to do that this time because I typically find Shallan chapters boring and rushing through them.  I've been debating if I should just skip the Shallan chapters, and then go back and read them on their own once I finish with the Kaladin/Dalinar storyline (understanding of course that they will be mixing a lot more at the end).

Has anybody done readings this way and found it more enjoyable?  Will I become more dumb reading a book out of order?  How big of a sin is this? Help!

I just did my first WoK reread and I skipped Shallan entirely, until I went back looking for a quote about Dawnshards, personally I almost felt I was looking at a dead-eyes, the hook was beautiful, but had lost its charm after the first run so if rereads work for you to ahead skip Shallan I didn't miss much, if at all, but if your like me, just go through to find greater Cosmere references and Szeth, always Szeth.

[Chalke219]

3 minutes ago, Booknerd said:

I just did my first WoK reread and I skipped Shallan entirely, until I went back looking for a quote about Dawnshards, personally I almost felt I was looking at a dead-eyes, the hook was beautiful, but had lost its charm after the first run so if rereads work for you to ahead skip Shallan I didn't miss much, if at all, but if your like me, just go through to find greater Cosmere references and Szeth, always Szeth.

I do find it strange the anmount of hate Shallan gets, i can see the problem people have in that she's not particularly action packed but she's such a fascinating character! 

[Nuatoma]

13 minutes ago, Chalke219 said:

I do find it strange the amount of hate Shallan gets, i can see the problem people have in that she's not particularly action packed but she's such a fascinating character! 

This is kind of my problem.  I know that there are some interesting things in the Shallan viewpoints, but I just find myself craving the awesome action sequences that I feel I rush Shallan too much and miss details. 

 

Another reason perhaps, is that her family history and current situation is so sad I just don't want to go on that ride.  But if I read all of her viewpoints consecutively like I guess I'm planning maybe it will be worse.

[+Harrycrapper]

Don't tell anyone. I can't say it. I must whisper. I usually skip the Kaladin and Shallan flashbacks in rereads.

Drawer 30-20, a particularly small emerald

[Chalke219]

7 minutes ago, Rock's Stew said:

This is kind of my problem.  I know that there are some interesting things in the Shallan viewpoints, but I just find myself craving the awesome action sequences that I feel I rush Shallan too much and miss details. 

 

Another reason perhaps, is that her family history and current situation is so sad I just don't want to go on that ride.  But if I read all of her viewpoints consecutively like I guess I'm planning maybe it will be worse.

Very possibly it will! 

 

I'm hoping that Shallans arc will  be similar to Kaladin in book one, just over a longer period so with a hopefully even bigger pay off! 

 

I hope

[+Child of Hodor]

25 minutes ago, Harrycrapper said:

Don't tell anyone. I can't say it. I must whisper. I usually skip the Kaladin and Shallan flashbacks in rereads.

Drawer 30-20, a particularly small emerald

Yeah, I skip Kaladin's now. They were the weakest part of tWoK for me. Shallan's in WoR are better, I don't know why since they are both about a young person's awful adolescence. Her's don't drag as much for me. 

I skip some of Dalinar's as well, the two or three flashbacks leading up to Evi's death and her death.   

 

[Frustration]

Shallan doesn't interest me at all, one I don't, overly care for character, two I have this residual hate from WoK and how she just stole Kaladins screen time. I also would like if she would act like someone who "hates conflict" and has never been in a social situation.

[Chalke219]

19 minutes ago, Booknerd said:

Shallan doesn't interest me at all, one I don't, overly care for character, two I have this residual hate from WoK and how she just stole Kaladins screen time. I also would like if she would act like someone who "hates conflict" and has never been in a social situation.

Fair! 

 

Let's hope book four changes your mind! 

[+Harrycrapper]

1 hour ago, Child of Hodor said:

Yeah, I skip Kaladin's now. They were the weakest part of tWoK for me. Shallan's in WoR are better, I don't know why since they are both about a young person's awful adolescence. Her's don't drag as much for me. 

I skip some of Dalinar's as well, the two or three flashbacks leading up to Evi's death and her death.   

 

All the characters have such mysterious backstories before they get their flashbacks, but once you've gotten the back story it just becomes background and feels very disconnected from the main story. I do find Dalinar's easier to stomach on rereads because it isn't adolescent or very depressing(at least until the last few). I will say, Kaladin's final flashback is much better than Shallan's and Dalinar's is better than both, I mean that Cultivation reveal was nuts. 

[+robardin]

2 hours ago, Child of Hodor said:

Yeah, I skip Kaladin's now. They were the weakest part of tWoK for me. Shallan's in WoR are better, I don't know why since they are both about a young person's awful adolescence. Her's don't drag as much for me. 

I skip some of Dalinar's as well, the two or three flashbacks leading up to Evi's death and her death.   

Well, let's see, when *I* re-read TWoK and WoR, I skip POVs from Kaladin AND from Shallan AND from Dalinar!

And Eshonai too, she just dies anyway. And Lift is annoying. She visited the Nightwatcher and doesn't know what a true spren is?

Teft and Rock are just Kaladin's lackeys. Taravangian creeps me out. I'd read about Adolin but inevitably he's entwined with a Shallan or Dalinar plot thread that I'm skipping.

Basically, I just re-read Szeth's POVs and the part where Adolin kills Sadeas. And half the interludes. I like Ishikk's POV but skip Ym. Another dead man walking. BORING!

 

(/JK of course)

[Frustration]

9 minutes ago, robardin said:

Well, let's see, when *I* re-read TWoK and WoR, I skip POVs from Kaladin AND from Shallan AND from Dalinar!

And Eshonai too, she just dies anyway. And Lift is annoying. She visited the Nightwatcher and doesn't know what a true spren is?

Teft and Rock are just Kaladin's lackeys. Taravangian creeps me out. I'd read about Adolin but inevitably he's entwined with a Shallan or Dalinar plot thread that I'm skipping.

Basically, I just re-read Szeth's POVs and the part where Adolin kills Sadeas. And half the interludes. I like Ishikk's POV but skip Ym. Another dead man walking. BORING!

 

(/JK of course)

What are you talking about, with the exception of Lift I can get behind you. Interludes are half the fun.

[+robardin]

Just now, Booknerd said:

What are you talking about, with the exception of Lift I can get behind you. Interludes are half the fun.

Heheheh just having fun. Once everybody started chiming in on what they skipped on re-reads (which is of course your prerogative), it started to feel like that Monty Python sketch with the "Four Yorkshiremen" who feel compelled to one-up each other in multiple passes.

[Frustration]

Just now, robardin said:

Heheheh just having fun. Once everybody started chiming in on what they skipped on re-reads (which is of course your prerogative), it started to feel like that Monty Python sketch with the "Four Yorkshiremen" who feel compelled to one-up each other in multiple passes.

I haven't seen that yet brb.

[fammann]

If you disliked the shallan chapters I would read those first so you can look forward to the other ones. 

In TWOK I found Shallan kind of boring. But as soon as I read her flashback chapters in WOR she became the character I identified with the most. Apart from Dalinar shes my favorite character in Oathbringer and her Wit chapter is my favorite chapter in that book. 

Edited February 9, 2020 by fammann

[Use the Falchion]

On 2/3/2020 at 9:32 AM, Chalke219 said:

I do find it strange the anmount of hate Shallan gets, i can see the problem people have in that she's not particularly action packed but she's such a fascinating character! 

 

27 minutes ago, fammann said:

If you disliked the shallan chapters I would read those first so you can look forward to the other ones. 

In TWOK I found Shallan kind of boring. But as soon as I read her flashback chapters in WOR she became the character I identified with the most. Apart from Dalinar shes my favorite character in Oathbringer and her Wit chapter is my favorite chapter in that book. 

I think it's a symptom of people wanting more, but they want more of their favorite characters doing important things. Shallan in WoK doesn't fit that just yet, as most people see anything "important" in that book happening on the Shattered Plains. That's also what makes WoR so laser-focused and one of the reasons its so well loved. Everyone is in the "important" place doing important things. 

When people go back and reread, they can...relax, for a better word, and enjoy the ride. Shallan becomes more interesting because of all the background clues to her past and the lore her side of the story gives. 

[Naurock]

On 2/3/2020 at 1:30 PM, Child of Hodor said:

I skip some of Dalinar's as well, the two or three flashbacks leading up to Evi's death and her death.

Color me shocked. That's the best look at the Thrill we've had with Dalinar fighting for his life and nearly dying.

[SwordNimiForPresident]

On 2/3/2020 at 0:58 PM, Harrycrapper said:

Don't tell anyone. I can't say it. I must whisper. I usually skip the Kaladin and Shallan flashbacks in rereads.

Drawer 30-20, a particularly small emerald

I do the same. I read the ones that have interesting stuff (like Shallan’s Hoid flashback) but otherwise skip them. I feel like their purpose is to help us learn the character, but that isn’t necessary on a reread.

[Aon Tia]

On 2/3/2020 at 11:28 PM, Harrycrapper said:

Don't tell anyone. I can't say it. I must whisper. I usually skip the Kaladin and Shallan flashbacks in rereads.

Drawer 30-20, a particularly small emerald

Hush hush.. but I opened your drawer when I should not have. Was forced to leave this tiny gem there. It says “ I do the same”

But I find that I can reread Dalinar’s flashbacks especially once Evi arrives on the scene and departs. 
 

I do have to confess that aside from Flashbacks, I do skip (or more like read very very fast) Shallan’s chapters sometimes when I am rereading OB. 
I also skip interludes and many times read them later in one go!

Edited February 10, 2020 by The Traveller

[fammann]

On 9.2.2020 at 7:04 PM, Use the Falchion said:

 

When people go back and reread, they can...relax, for a better word, and enjoy the ride. Shallan becomes more interesting because of all the background clues to her past and the lore her side of the story gives. 

Now that I have Shallans backstory I would love to go back and read her chapters TWOK again. I’m sure there are many hints at her backstory in there that you miss if you don’t know it. 

By the way I love Shallan especially because she isn’t an actionhero. But I’m not very much into action generally. My favorite part (the entire part as a whole not favorite moment) in Oathbringer is part two. 

[fammann]

On 10.2.2020 at 5:41 AM, The Traveller said:

I also skip interludes and many times read them later in one go!

I love the interludes especially in Way of Kings. Those got me through the book. I never read a book that long before. I normaly prefere short novels or even short stories (Brandon is just that good that I can’t help it in spite.). The interludes gave me the necessary breathing space before I could dive back into the big epic. The purelake interlude is probably one of my favorite chapters of any Sanderson book. 

Does anybody else love the interludes?

[Aon Tia]

I love many of the interludes especially the purelake one, Kaza one, rysn ones, Axies the collector ones etc 

I just prefer to read them in one go.

[agrabes]

On 2/3/2020 at 11:58 AM, Harrycrapper said:

Don't tell anyone. I can't say it. I must whisper. I usually skip the Kaladin and Shallan flashbacks in rereads.

Drawer 30-20, a particularly small emerald

I'm with you on Kaladin's flashbacks.  Love the character, bored by the flashbacks after the initial read.  For whatever reason, I like Shallan's better.  I expect I'll skip most of Dalinar's flashbacks when I reread OB this summer.  I know a lot of people loved those, but they never had that emotional punch for me.  If you know real world stories of war, what Dalinar did is pretty tame.  I mean, the Mongols were famous for systematically killing every living person by hand in the cities they conquered.  Each soldier would be assigned a certain number of people to kill and had to prove they'd done it.  Then, they would leave a small party behind for a few days to kill anyone who escaped and then came back when they thought it was safe, just to make sure they thoroughly destroyed the city.  Dalinar's crimes are nothing compared to that.

So summary for me:

Main Timeline: Read all

Flashbacks: Skim/Skip Kaladin and Dalinar, Read Shallan

Interludes: Selectively skim/skip if too unrelated to main story or not interesting.  Depends how I'm feeling at the time if I read them or not.

[+Harrycrapper]

1 hour ago, agrabes said:

I'm with you on Kaladin's flashbacks.  Love the character, bored by the flashbacks after the initial read.  For whatever reason, I like Shallan's better.  I expect I'll skip most of Dalinar's flashbacks when I reread OB this summer.  I know a lot of people loved those, but they never had that emotional punch for me.  If you know real world stories of war, what Dalinar did is pretty tame.  I mean, the Mongols were famous for systematically killing every living person by hand in the cities they conquered.  Each soldier would be assigned a certain number of people to kill and had to prove they'd done it.  Then, they would leave a small party behind for a few days to kill anyone who escaped and then came back when they thought it was safe, just to make sure they thoroughly destroyed the city.  Dalinar's crimes are nothing compared to that.

So summary for me:

Main Timeline: Read all

Flashbacks: Skim/Skip Kaladin and Dalinar, Read Shallan

Interludes: Selectively skim/skip if too unrelated to main story or not interesting.  Depends how I'm feeling at the time if I read them or not.

As much as I'm ashamed to admit this, I'm more inclined to read Dalinar's flashbacks than Kaladin and Shallans' because Dalinar's have action sequences. Instead of being directed away from the main story to a depressing introspective story about Kaladin/Shallan's past, you're (usually) put into an action sequence from the POV of a brutal, talented warrior. 

You're definitely right on how Dalinar's war crimes are tame compared to historical examples, but his real crime was killing his own wife. When juxtaposed with the honorable Dalinar we've experienced outside the flashbacks, this revelation hits pretty hard and I definitely didn't see it coming. I also think his flashbacks work along the main story a lot better in rereads than the others because he's actually remembering these things as we go along. 

Sidenote; That bit about the Mongols sounds eerily similar to what Sadees the Sunmaker did in Azir.