Winds Alight

I find most of this very cool and would like a lot of what happens there, though I think I'd hate part one and two for not having Kaladin POVs, but that's my personal obsession with him.

It was a big revelation for me when I learned about this WoB. I had pictured the Alethi more Arab looking before because of the Tan and didn't get at all what "the Shin have weirdly big eyes" actually implied.

I like the title very much and wouldn't mind if it stays. I'm also excited about more listener culture and more Venli. I like her more than I liked Eshonai. Eshonai started off likeable and more "typical" for a fantasy protagonist, but she wasn't special in any way, at least I didn't get any such vibes during WoR. I didn't like Venli at all in WoR, but in OB, she quickly grew on me and now I'm looking forward to see more of her and Timbre and her role in the coming books.

I agree with this. You can't possibly tell me that no Shardbearer in mortal danger ever was like "OMG why can't this come faster than within ten heartbeats pl-" and then be cut down by their enemy at the seventh heartbeat or so. Mortal danger alone is not enough.

That's a question we'll have to wait for book 4 to be answered. I'd say the summoning time didn't revert back to ten beats.

But it was during the process of summoning, right? Not before Adolin started it? Well, I still think that Dalinar's Bondsmithing might've helped, but it's certainly not the only reason. Meaning: Adolin was the only Shardbearer during the battle at Thaylen City to experience something like this, because his bond with Maya already was special and different from what's considered "normal".

I'm pretty certain he learned her name after summoning her in under ten beats. Considering Maya's reaction in Shadesmare when Adolin was hurt, I don't think Dalinar's perpendicularity shenanigans was the main reason. There was just too much from book one to now about how Adolin regarded his blade for me to possibly believe that there's not something more to their bond than between most other shardbearer and blade. Regardless, something is going on between them, and we can't possibly know what will be the end of it, so RAFO that.

Mental illness does not necessarily mean emotional instability. Judging from what we know about Jasnah she most likely has a history of mental illness from back when she was a child. We don't know nearly enough to judge exactly how that happened and which influences had a part in it. From what was in the books we can also assume she has been sexually assaulted at one point in her life, maybe raped. At the time of OB when we first get actual POVs from her, that definitely shapes her character and the way she views herself and the world. But she shows no instability whatsoever. Just because she isn't always in 100% control like she seemed to be in book 1 when Shallan first met her doesn't make her unstable. The closest she comes to losing control is when Amaram enters the stage, and my personal theory on that is that he might've been the one to have assaulted her. It would fit him well. I actually believe Jasnah is one of the most stable characters we have right now. Because she had been dealing with her issues for years, likely decades, and she knows how to deal.

Alright then ...

Jasnah is emotionally unstable? Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

... when people think you are super Christian because you always talk about the Almighty when in truth you're just really into Stormlight.

I'd love to see someone suggesting Jasnah she should marry Mr. T. Should be fun.

That makes for some very interesting philosophical and theological debate. Was exactly is a god? How do you define deity? Depending on religion? Can an entity be a god because of sheer power? Or knowledge? Or is there, by belief of monotheistic religions, only one God, defined by their properties as creator of all life and ever-watching Lord over all things human? I'm not very Cosmere-savvy. Is there any reliable info about Adonalsium? What were they before shattering? Creator of life or "simply" something very, very powerful? Depending on which definition, humans could never become a god, or anyone could. Was Dalinar a god during the OB climax? He sure was very powerful, yeah, but is that enough to call yourself god/God? Does a god need to set up some rules for human/humanoid life to follow by to be their true god? Or doesn't that matter all? I myself don't have any answers for all these questions, I don't believe in, uh, following any god or religion, because I don't know whether there actually is something worth following and I'm not a fan of (organized) religion. But I sure love thinking about these kinds of things. I guess you could show Jasnah any godlike being currently known in the Cosmere and she would be like "yeah well, good for you, I'm not praying to you." (I like her a lot for that.)

I will gleefully take Jasnah ascending to be the new Honor in book ten. I then want to have several novellas about ardents losing their crem about it.

I personally am a big fan of the "Kaladin is too good and too pure to be affected by Nergaoul" theory.

I believe I read a WOB about this that was along the lines of Brandon being a fan of scenarios like this: Toss a person into the worst possible situation and let them become the best they can be by overcoming the odds. I agree that it's done better with Kaladin, though I like Raoden a lot as well and I do like the trope in itself. Kinda like a "not all that is gold glitters (at first)"

I am so sorry, I completely understand what you wanted to say with this and I am inclined to agree with you, but my first thought was Kaladin/Vathah and I'm wheezing right now. I personally have grown rather tired of the Kaladin-Shallan-Adolin discussion so I'll just sit back and see how it turns out, save reading the occasional OT3 or Kadolin fic.

I'm not sure it's even possible for the man to run out of worldbuilding. Like CrazyRioter said, there's lots of stuff about Roshar we don't know yet. There'll likely be stuff left we don't know until (or after?) book ten.

Metals/Stormlight running out aside, I'd say Kaladin could win. He has the big advantage of healing powers while he'd only have to land one good hit to incapacitate Vin. Of course, Vin would still win because she wouldn't hesitate to hurt Kaladin while he'd have a very hard time fighting a young girl I bet. Poor fool.

I just finished Brotherhood and it's so wholesome and great that I don't need another series right now. I might watch the first anime one day, though I'd much rather have the money to buy the manga Great show, I cried a lot and the characters were so great I loved all of them. Will definitely watch again.

@Retsam I decided which of the series to watch on the info that Brotherhood is closer to the manga. I am thinking about watching the original anime as well, but I guess I'll wait until I'm through with Brotherhood (ten episodes to go) and see what I think of it (read: whether I survive it or am crushed by sadness). I've become quite soft however and I don't know whether I want it darker. I cried enough times already as it is.

!!!

I'm currently binging my way through Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I never read the manga or saw any of the two anime, so I'm a late bloomer. I love it. So. Storming. Much. I wish I had know sooner. I'm at episoden 40-something, will definitely finish it within the next few days. And though the anime has been around for quite some years, I am utterly unspoilered about the ending. It's been a long time since I didn't (accidentally or deliberately) get spoilered before the finale. I love Ed and Al (especially Al!), as well as Mustang, Hawkeye, Major Armstrong, Ling (his subplot with Greed is getting real good), Winry and almost every one.

To Kaladin: "Stay closer to Elhokar during the battle for the palace!"

I'm rereading much slower than I intended because I spend most of my free time binge watching anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood right now.