Kered

Gave it a 9/10. The only reason it's not a 10 for me personally is the Shallan's arc past Part 2. I know the debate rages between liking and not liking Shallan as a character, and I'm somewhere in the middle. Shallan was a big part of this book, and I just found myself irritated whenever I read her POV. Her inner monologue was tedious for the most part(conversation with Wit not included), and the splitting of her personalities and what it did for her story was kinda obnoxious. I understand the trauma she's been through, I just don't like how it's being handled. That's literally my only complaint, though. This book is the darkest book so far in the series, and is up there as on of the darkest book in the cosmere(next to Shadows for Silence) and I love it. Dalinar's storyline was perfect. How he handled the burdens on his shoulders and is interactions with Odium. His fight against Odium and summoning Honor's perpendicularity is one of my favorite climaxes thus far. The Bridge Four POV's were also excellent, turning the average slave/solider into a being with god like powers. Bradon wrote it beautifully. Kaladin's turmoil of fighting the parshmen was also skillfully done. It gave us pity and understanding of the "enemy", something not often done in fantasy. The Shadesmar arc was epic. Simply epic. There's more, but the biggest thing for me that made this book awesome(not including character development and plot twists) was the sheer amount of information we got and finally seeing things we've been waiting for. Odium on screen and being every bit the villain we hoped for. The Unmade and their dealings. More from the Heralds. Awesome Interludes and epigraphs. The secret that broke the KR. Nightwatcher and Cultivation on screen. Great Hoid scenes(arguably his best thus far). Awesome Szeth and Nightblood scenes. Vivenna. Favorites scenes. Dalinar trumping Odium. First Odium appearance and the second glimpse of seeing a Shards true power. Lopen swearing the 2nd Ideal. I was literally in tears in my patrol car. Kaladin watching the Wall Guard and his parsh friends fight and kill each other. Totally gutted me.

So, Adonalsium's name was used a record three times in this book. On of those I think is significant and raises some interesting question. When Ash feels Jezrien die, she utters the prayer "Oh. Oh, Adonalsium". We know that humans existed pre-shattering in the Roshar system. We also know the Heralds were mortal and most likely human before Honor gave them their powers and immortality. All that being said, Ash knowing of Adonalsium means one of two things. Either the Heralds knew off Adonalsium before they were named Heralds and Honor didn't technically exist, or Honor told the Heralds of Adonalsium. I think the former is most likely, reason being she utters the name as if she's praying to him/it. Which could suggest that she once viewed or still does view Adonalsium as a god. What do you guys think?

Someone did this a while back, asking what everyone pictured when they thought of the Nightwatcher. I was thinking of Odium's prison and thought it would be cool to hear what everyone else imagined. I know it probably isn't an actual physical prison, but I picture (nerd alert) a sealing jujitsu from Naruto. Odium trapped by just raw power and energy. What do you guys think?

Well, now I feel dumb.

So, we know who the main interlude character is now, Eshonai's sister. Any thoughts on the spoiler Brandon refers to? I've been thinking, but haven't come up with anything solid.

Part 3 Spoilers ahead? As I was finishing part three, I noticed something odd that Vivenna said. Located on page 1155 of the eBook Fortune. It is capitalized and used in a way some others in the cosmere have referred to Shards. I'll come back and edit examples, i just want to get this out before I forget. If I'm guessing right and it's not a title used for some Nalthis religious context, then it could be the name of Shard. In her hunt for Nightblood and Vasher it's safe to assume Vivenna has become more cosmere-aware on her path from Nalthis to Roshar. Thus leading her to learn more of Shards and the history and the cosmere. A lot of assuming for something that could be typo or something altogether different. But on the off chance that Fortune is a shard, what do you think it would be like and how it plays in to being a divine attribute?

Wow. The Kaladin scene absolutely gutted me. By far the saddest scene in the series for me so far. The helplessness and chaos was just crazy. So crazy that I can't articulate my feels right now. The salute by Moash...If ya liked him before that, you should definitely hate him now. Part 3 I think was the "darkest" feeling sequence in any cosmere book so far. Kholinar just felt wicked, everything about it. From Shallan getting stabbed upon entrance, to the insane stories about the queen. Dark, but good. The fall of Kholinar is probably going to go down as one of the best written cosmere events. And this is all without mentioning the total emotion fest that was the Shallan-Wit encounter lol. Part 4, please don't let Kaladin suffer.

Edited OP, my b.

EDIT: A much more detailed topic on the subject. Full Epigraphs of Part !! Dearest Cephandrius, I received your communication, of course. I noticed its arrival immediately, just as I noticed your many intrusions into my land. You think yourself so clever, but my eyes are not those of some petty noble, to be clouded by a false nose and some dirt on the cheeks. You mustn’t worry yourself about Rayse. It is a pity about Aona and Skai, but they were foolish—violating our pact from the very beginning. Your skills are admirable, but you are merely a man. You had your chance to be more, and refused it. No good can come of two Shards settling in one location. It was agreed that we would not interfere with one another, and it disappoints me that so few of the Shards have kept to this original agreement. As for Uli Da, it was obvious from the outset that she was going to be a problem. Good riddance. Regardless, this is not your concern. You turned your back on divinity. If Rayse becomes an issue, he will be dealt with. And so will you. Cephandrius, bearer of the First Gem, You must know better than to approach us by relying upon presumption of past relationship. You have spoken to one who cannot respond. We, instead, will take your communication to us—though we know not how you located us upon this world. We are indeed intrigued, for we thought it well hidden. Insignificant among our many realms. As the waves of the sea must continue to surge, so must our will continue resolute. Alone. Did you expect anything else from us? We need not suffer the interference of another. Rayse is contained, and we care not for his prison. Indeed, we admire his initiative. Perhaps if you had approached the correct one of us with your plea, it would have found favorable audience. But we stand in the sea, pleased with our domains. Leave us alone. We also instruct that you should not return to Obrodai. We have claimed that world, and a new avatar of our being is beginning to manifest there. She is young yet, and—as a precaution—she has been instilled with an intense and overpowering dislike of you. This is all we will say at this time. If you wish more, seek these waters in person and overcome the tests we have created. Only in this will you earn our respect. Friend, Your letter is most intriguing, even revelatory. I would have thought, before attaining my current station, that a deity could not be surprised. Obviously, this is not true. I can be surprised. I can perhaps even be naive, I think. I am the least equipped, of all, to aid you in this endeavor. I am finding that the powers I hold are in such conflict that the most simple of actions can be difficult. I am also made uncertain by your subterfuge. Why have you not made yourself known to me before this? How is it you can hide? Who are you truly, and how do you know so much about Adonalsium? If you would speak to me further, I request open honesty. Return to my lands, approach my servants, and I will see what I can do for your quest. The recipient of the first one is obviously Hoid, maybe Autonomy is the writer? The second one was written by Sazed, and maybe the recipient is Hoid again? Thoughts?

I don't think we could've asked for a better introduction to Odium. Many of us had the notion that while he may not be incoherently angry, he would at least appear to sometimes have sudden mood shifts. Nope. Just a kind old man, lulling Dalinar out of his preconceived notions and sounding rational, then BOOM. Eternal hate fire. Then he basically says "Ops, my b D-man, accidentally let the tiger off the leash". Odium is going to be the villain we all hoped for. Cool, calm, collected and absolutely to the core, evil.

The time of the holy scripture is nigh. Off days switched. Check. Redbull. Check. My body weight in Cheeze It's and Chex Mix. Check. Notepad. Check. Fiance on a work trip. Check. Open tabs for Coppermind and 17th Shard. Check. My dog for minor and sporadic cuddles due to the inevitable emotional trauma. Check. I'll see you all tomorrow, pals. It's finally here.

Do we know if they're so different? I can't find any detailed WoB's on Odiums prison, so are there clues in the text?

Sorry, pals. The creation of the wonderful Acranum has caused me to have more, probably obviously answered, questions. I've been reading the WoB's about the Cosmere timeline when a question popped into my head. It could also go with Steeldancers thread about the Unmade, Heralds, and Oathpact. We know from this WoB that Odium is bound by things greater than the Oathpact. So that got me thinking about the things that we know that pack enough to bind a Shard. So far the only effective means we've seen is Preservation using his mind to trap Ruin. So before I go down that rabbit hole, I was wondering if it's been stated some where(blog post, master timeline, etc) what happened first, Odium killing Honor or Preservation trapping Ruin? The obvious follow up theory would be that Honor took a few tips from ole' Leras and sacrificed himself to trap Odium and give the people of Roshar a chance. Or maybe it happened vice versa and Preservation took some pointers to what Honor did? That got more convoluted than I intended and led me to another question as I'm typing this lol. Has it ever been discussed if Ruins "prison" was similar to Odiums?

Out of all the authors I read, I feel I'm the most informed when it comes to Brandon's books. Which is awesome in my opinion. Most authors communicate to their audience through their blog, which isn't that dynamic of a relationship. With Brandon and the Cosmere fandom, we have sooo many ways to communicate with Brandon and his team and vice versa. Coppermind, the forums, Discord, his website, in-depth Q&A's at signings, reddit, State of Sanderson. It's really unprecedented the amount of access we as fans have. My favorite part about all the updates, interviews and chapter releases is that it feels like you've already been on this big journey before you've even read the book. I think that's something that only Sanderson fans can boast.

So I was browsing Arcanum, like I have been since yesterday, and I came across this question from Oversleep. Oversleep Could you steal from a spren? Brandon Sanderson Yes, you could steal the Investiture of a spren. Any Investiture can be used in a spike if you know what you’re doing. It’s actually not that hard to use one on a spren. Stealing investiture from a spren. Not through spikes, but isn't that kinda what the people of Roshar are doing when they trap spren in gemstones and use them by way of a fabrial?

I don't know if this or the Stickadin post unnerved me more. It was defiantly Stickadin.

One-Who-Connects, shooting me down one post at a time.

Pagerunner would probably be better at finding them, but I'm almost positive we have a few WoB's that confirm Odium is the architect of the Desolations. Though the Shattered Plains could be an option for the Shattering of Adonlsium, but I think it's safer bet that it's the location of Honors splintering.

If they do end up having a level of sapience, it'll create an interesting dynamic with Syl.

I think is disdain towards Amaram is just like his disdain for Sadeas. Hoid being Hoid, always knows more than he lets on. I think he new what Amaram did to Kaladin's unit or at least had an inkling. Same with Sadeas. What bugs me about SA, one of my only issues, is how when Hoid says important things to characters like Kaladin and Dalinar, and neither ask any follow ups or else act like Hoid hadn't said anything. I feel that if someone told me they would watch my world burn with tears, I would question them a little further. That might just be me though and I'm being irrational lol.

As an aside, I wonder if "live" Shardplate will be as flexible to change as live Shardblade. Would be pretty sweet to see new KR's change from light to heavy armor on the fly.

3 scenes. Secret History and Hero of Ages Spoilers. WoR Spoilers Warbreaker Spoilers. Oh and, "Then he punched God in the face".

I know, the rent rates must have plummeted. Ba dum tiss.

Soooooooooo, Braize was heaven until Odium and his spren took over. Peeps on Roshar think that Heaven and Hell are two different places but in reality Odium turned heaven into hell?

I got the feeling that this gives you the better odds of being right. Usually when he gives an ambiguous answer like that, there's a catch. I haven't found any WoB's that confirm the other planet. If it isn't Nalthis, my best educated guest would be a shardworld we haven't seen yet and that's why Brandon didn't commit to an outright answer.