iamstick

Here's mine: Listeners and "Humans" were able to interbreed (Herdazian, Rockeaters) because of Cultivation, which means that somehow there's a cross between an axehound and a pony waiting for me to adopt it. (Actually, now that I think about it, does Rock have a gemheart? Does a Ryshadian?)

Thanks for the affirmation on the theory. I appreciate it!

Nicely done. (These things usually aren't). And Edgedancer.

Are the ideals canonically identical for all members of an order? Could an Edgedancer go with "I will reach out to those who have been abandoned" so long as each successive ideal progresses along the idea of connecting to those with little voice and power?

I want to see Rock and Mrs. Rock together.

Or that her own life matters and is worth saving?

I'm going with a computer science explanation for Shalash. I think she thinks if she destroys all references to herself, she can deallocate.

I actually have Powder Mage sitting here on my to-read pile. Currently reading the First Year/Black Mage (which is honestly a bit crap) but based on your encouragement, I might try Powder Mage next (Update: The First Year/Black Mage got a lot better the further in I read, so I take back the "a bit crap" early evaluation of it.)

If the Parshmen were kept inside, they'd probably not change. Pushing them into the storm probably created a much larger and widespread issue of voidbringers at a single point in time. Not good.

If you don't mind reading an unfinished trilogy that probably won't ever get finished, you might try Name of the Wind. Otherwise, I recommend everything Diana Wynne Jones ever wrote.

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Mike TwoMcmillion, I just recently read this and loved it. Thank you so much for summarizing why being human has its own dignity and can be its own superpower. Not only does the Rithmatist have Magic Turtle Graphics (and who cannot love like that), it really is the Anti-Hogwarts. However those Rithmatists are chosen, most have little skill or interest in fundamental geometry, the basis of their magic system. Classes are long, tedious, and boring taught by teachers whose primary qualification is not love of the subject or ability to teach but desire for the status and position that tenure provides. There's 10 years of indentured servitude once students graduate. Their society knows about them and their magic but doesn't trust them and resents them. There's no "boy who survived" hero and magic fart candy. The Rithmatist offers an unusually gritty magic world despite details that sparkle in the background: the applied magic of chalking-driven steampunk engines and a wonderful North American continent made up of islands and Sweet and Sour Lo Mein as Italian cuisine. The hero is a muggle with a gift of mathematical ability and (this is the really best bit), he has to work really hard to master his subject. I loved when he looked self-critically at his early attempts at the 9-point defense and was able to critically analyze it, to see how he's improved since then. He's constantly reading and studying and improving his knowledge and understanding, even as the class system keeps him walled off from that enticing library just a few steps away from his normal life. I loved the uncomplaining efforts of his mom, who with her husband, had a dream, took a gamble, lost, and accepted the consequences of making adult choices with adult risks. That is so unbelievably rare in fiction. Yes, his father's work and efforts paid off but only after eight years of both sadness and her self sacrifice. I love how Joel is bad at being a hero. He's reckless, he can be a bully, and he often picks the worst approach counter to his best interests. And I love how the professor and the head of school both call him out on this, using the maturity and wisdom they've earned with age to teach him to be a better person. How many SF/Fantasy books can you think of where people actually talk through their problems, apologize, try to make amends, and work towards becoming better people? Joel's relationship with Melody is perfect because she too has a lot of growing up to do and plenty of sharp edges and frustration inherent to her character. Rithmatist is my favorite Sanderson novel to date. And it's the heart and growth that makes it that way for me.

I don't see there being too many possible radiants, not because there aren't enough broken humans with gaps in their spirit webs but because too many spren who have experience and knowledge of what it means to be radiant got sworded and aren't around now to train new ones. The best human candidates have been systematically annihilated by Nin son God (that still makes me laugh) & his pals but I think it's the stuck spren who got recreanced who are the vital factor in making this desolation so critical. Syl went against orders. Wyndle was reluctantly chosen by a committee. Even if Adolin resurrects his sword, I'm guessing it will be hard process and he'll be torn between radiating and using that knowledge to train others. Narratively, I also really like Joel in Rithmatist, and it's mostly because he doesn't have magic or powers. Navani, the engineer, is best at what she's doing. Making her magic won't help her fabrialize better. But more and better fabrials could change the way the everwar proceeds. I'd like to see Sanderson change the narrative for this desolation, so that there's a paradigm shift: child radiants, listener radiants, etc, but not too many of them that we lose the character-driven story. Things got Too Big™ in Wheel of Time. I'm trusting that Sanderson will be able to reign in the number of magic people so that we can continue to care about the core characters like Lift, Rysn, Eshonai, Gaz, and Adolin.