Savanorn

How so?

If everyone is Jasnah, I wouldn't complain.

If the next series was about Jasnah, I wouldn't complain.

Isn't that one more than Kaladin? 1. I will protect those who cannot protect themself. 2. I will protect even those I hate. Don't get me wrong, Shallan is definitely not at five.

Eh, could be better could be worse. I'm surprised about the twoish Heralds, and I'm excited to see a bit of them as well. I guess Renarin might make sense to be last if he's too spoiler-heavy, given his order. I'm a little annoyed we don't have a Dustbringer. But, then again, although Shallan was the main char in WoR I enjoyed Dally and Kally, so yeah, I suppose it's worth waiting for. I'm going to assume that Lift will be older when she is a PoV, or...at least I hope she will be. I don't really care for Eshonai, but the Parshendi are the closest to characters I don't like. So that's to be expected, I fully expect to be surprised.

Well, I think we know he's been alive longer than a normal human lives. Although we do know he hasn't lived all of the history he should have. ... Ghostblood'd

It's exactly misconceptions like this that make having mental disorders so hard for people, real or fictitious apparently, so I'm glad I could help. Good morning.

If Slenderman has figured out Grindr, Tanavast help us all. . . On a sidenote, I much enjoyed this lengthened version, if the next book has more Jasnah, it'll be something to look forward to.

You probably don't need a second thesis, the other was already good, but just a few things... Firstly, is it realistic? Yes. Secondly, is it common? No. Now, as a disclaimer I'm not a mental health professional, but I do have both experience and I've had a number of mentoring roles where we were given a basic overview of mental health. So; most people have a depressive episode as a result of something, bad breakups, loss, homesickness... but some people do have recurring issues as a general matter of course. Like, as a part of their personality if you will. Further, this usually is a reoccuring episodic form rather than a constant background hum, and as others have said, it can be matched by equally dizzying highs (something I think Kaladin has felt before, but less periods and more event-based)_ I think you have to realise that Kaladin is the second, clinical type. I think sorrow would find him regardless, but it is especially pronounced without Tien and with him taking responsibility for everything that goes wrong to anyone around him. Add to this the fact that his ideals were drawn through the mud and he's had some very bad stuff happen, and he's got plenty of fuel. I don't know, I like Kaladin. He's grumpy and biased and a bit of a mess, but he's a mess I understand. The Fleet story settled it for me. I get what Brandon was trying to say. Kaladin tries. He's lucky enough that he can succeed too, but he'll rip himself apart when he doesn't. Well, I think we have a WoB on this, which is enough to confirm what is supposed to be the case. Do correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't treatment a pretty individual thing Teccam? Like, in my experience the only reliable method is medication. Prescription mind you, I've known people who self-medicate but I've not seen that work. Sure, people can have treatment, counselling, new exercise plans, new hobbies, even a new book sometimes helps...but, how was it said to me? Sooner or later the colours that once were vivid become grey. Meditation grows stale. Mottos become tired. Friends grate on you. It's worse without any of these things, of course, but even trying your best to help people doesn't make them better. So yeah, not really disagreeing just sharing.

Sure, but that would make him a kandra and not a dragon.

Actually, at least once, Taln speaks perfect Alethi without an accent. Further, the Gift and the Words could refer to a shardblade. Gift = bond, words = once-ideal of a Knight Radiant. Don't get me wrong, I am in the fake Taln camp, but there ARE explanations.

Eh, I'd give him a shot. I mean, all Szeth has done has largely been at the command of others...he was, how do you say, 'just following orders?' Hrm.

I beg to differ. It made sense to me, once Szeth got over his shock, Kaladin did OK until he really felt and made use of his nature, something that Szeth cannot equal because he doesn't have. Szeth isn't a Herald or a Radiant and the big advantage he does have over Kaladin (being much better at Lashings) is rendered null by them fighting in the sky. Putting that aside, Kaladin has a truly immense advantage...a weapon that could change from sword, to shield, to spear to pretty much any other weapon instantly. On top of this, it's a magically teleporting weapon. If you've ever fought in a martial art or the like you can probably appreciate how game-breaking this is. But, if not, just remember what Zahel says, that different weapons have different strengths and weaknesses (paraphrase) Kaladin can effectively choose the best weapon in any situation with no penalty. For example... That is an immense advantage in any situation, and even further...Kaladin can and does heal Shardblade wounds whereas Szeth cannot. Szeth is a better sword, but that doesn't matter much. A good spear or polearm will make up for for a great deal of difference in skill, and putting that aside, Kaladin is a trained and seasoned solider. I'd argue he's a better spearman than Szeth is a swordsman, in all likelihood, considering the years of skirmishes and practice as well as his Windrunner bonuses. So, end of the day we have Szeth without his biggest asset facing off against Kaladin in a situation that hugely favours the Windrunner, even if all else was equal Kaladin has the advantage in arms...but he also enjoys a number of secondary benefits that make it pretty fruitguzzlingly likely Stormblessed takes it. It's actually a big credit to Szeth that he doesn't really lose until he really breaks down and gives up.

Unless...dragons are, like, different in different realms? Like, how cryptics and somewhat human like in the cognitive realm but at least in the physical he's just a blob of patterns. Maybe dragons are the reverse? Human in the real world, lizard-spren-things in the cognitive realm. Throwin' it out there.

That makes Szeth...strange?

Most of the rest of the troops were running, and Hel had already killed a few of them. I think they mob him and he cuts them down rapidly...all else aside it's actually quite an impressive display from him. I think it was a spearhead, doesn't Kal throw a knife and it misses but he grabs the spearhead?

Well, Kaladin's friends were soldiers and they did attack Helaran. Well, most of them.

Well, the problem with that logic is that we know that a Radiant's surges come from their spren. It's the reason Kaladin is a Windrunner, because he bonded Syl. Assuming this, to bond the Stormfather would be VERY different from bonding the Nightwatcher, because Stormdaddy is what remains of Honour and the Nightwatcher either is, or is very heavily related to, Cultivation.

Mraize is almost certainly a worldhopper...but I think it's Iyatil who tries to kill Taln? I think the Masked Man signifies mystery, or perhaps the 'bigger picture' beyond Roshar.

My take; I don't think he's someone we've seen yet. Aside from the fact he is big on hunting and gathering investiture, and the obvious wounds, we don't know enough yet.

Good afternoon, Oh yes, I was more arguing the technicals. Anything can really be a Mary Sue, because Mary Sue is a broad range of negative classification, I don't think either of us are of the opinion she is one. For me, as with you I think, this is because of writing, but should you care to make the argument again or in another place, I think it is important to address the issues I previously did. Basically, your overall argument is good, I just disputed some of the points. That said, if we rephrase it into what some people don't like rather than indicators of Mary Suism it can be a little more accurate. Thank you, well argued, and good afternoon.

Well, just throwing this out there, but joining Dalinar to fulfill the Vengeance Pact, with Sebarial and Roion with Dalinar, is different from outright joining Dalinar against Sadeas. Don't get me wrong, Aladar doesn't like Sadeas and I think by Sadeas' death he might be convinced...but I don't know how much of these things are certain. Also I think Sadeas still has Ruthar. Arguable since the man is a well-known coward and Dalinar does gain some vital political capital by finding Urithiru and defeating the Parshendi, but at the same time from what I saw the fighting was bloody and I'd warrant that Dalinar and his faction lost a lot of men, it depends how many people they can persuade to be active supporters of the crown. Basically, if his political capital can make up for real losses of men. Doesn't it? Sadeas' men don't seem to be paragons of loyalty to me. I'd be more inclined to think that if he died his men would tear themselves apart competing for the title of Highprince...which seems to be what you think would happen anyway? For a long time it was Dalinar V Sadeas and co, now Dalinar has allies which is a good thing...I'm not sure if he has enough allies though. I also don't think we'll be able to know until SA 3, if we find that Urithiru and the Vengeance pact has united the Highprinces, then that'll settle it. If it is just Dalinar and Aladar with an apathetic mob of highprinces...we'll know, if it is another scenario...we'll know. I don't know about the Skybreakers? Sadeas is a war criminal, and killing him would seem to be just. Even if not for the things we've seen, he's had a warlord's life to rack up some crimes. Basically, according to Nalan's logic with Ym, I'd disagree (as he could just walk in and kill a man for a crime decades old)...according to his conduct with Lift I might be inclined to agree (as he needed specific papers and authorities.) Just an aside, but Jakamav is of Roion, I think.

I'm just throwing this out here, but do we know why the Knights Radiant only bond the ten types of Spren? Like, are they the only ones that can or do bond? I don't recall the relevant WoB, if there is one. Just playing around with Voidbinding/Surgebinding/otherbinding thoughts... While I'm here Moogle, do we know the Shard thing is exclusive to Dalinar? I would think it would be more logical to assume it went the other way, that Bondsmiths didn't have blades in general and that Dal is representative of that...especially if in the past the Stormfather was bonded by many.

Good evening. First of all, pretty much exactly. The problem is that Sadeas is a bad guy, but he's also powerful, short of killing him there's not very many safe methods for dealing with him. Even if the end of WoR proves his support was not as solid as it could have been, even if there were neutral highprinces, as you say...he's just too powerful to try to deal with legally...well...by trial. 1. Exactly. Either the Alethi fall apart fighting each other (which is what I think Taravangian thought could happen) and thus can't resist the Desolation, or the Kholins outright lose and the Kingdom is broken. 2. Pretty much. I am of mixed feelings here...on one hand they wouldn't have won without Kaladin, on the other he blew their main goal. But this was realy the only legal approach available. 3. Even more exactly. Legal options were exhausted, and Sadeas needs to die. 4. Well, this is really the problem. Sadeas has thousands of soldiers and is capable, famous and powerful enough that as long as he is alive, he will be a threat. He can't be left to undermine what remains, or to provide a weakpont in the Alethi fortress. That is really the big problem, I feel like Adolin was certainly in the right, but he chose a dubious way to go about it. I just hope it isn't the cause of senseless drama, because... as we know...humanity can't afford it anymore. Good evening.

Good evening, I debated a little with myself on whether I'd answer this, but I felt that I should even ahead of a backlogue of excellent other posters I owe a reply to. Firstly, Mary Sue or not? Well, there's not really a hard and fast rule here...and I don't particularly think Shallan is one (as I said, I'm in the moderate camp) but the traditional line is that it depends on the writing, and this is where personal preference comes in. In her defence, it's hard to have a character who's actually good at a thing, especially many things or very good, without someone saying Mary Sue. That said, I don't think your points refute the Mary Sue argument. . . especially as a lot of people feel that WoR Shallan is worse than WoK Shallan, for precisely the reason that in WoK Shallan had to fight a lot for progress. Without further ado.... EDIT: PLEASE NOTE. I REPEAT A LOT OF WHAT ALEK SAYS, AS HE WROTE HIS POST WHILE I MAS REPLYING. As I said, I felt this needed to be replied to. Others may choose to as well, but I'm mainly trying to clarify the arguments against Shallan and note that they don't seem to be what you think they are...unless I'm mistaken which is always possible. Good evening.