Use the Falchion

I enjoyed Firefight. Maybe not as much as Steelheart (my first Sanderson novel ever, so it has a special place in my heart), but I think it's written better than the first one. Now Calamity, I don't think is that great of a novel. On the bright side it shows that Sanderson still has some skills to improve on when it comes to fully ending a series - good for us because we can see the improvement in future series, good for him because we can hopefully give him that feedback.

I don't think I hate Moash (in reality I probably dislike Venli just as much), but I agree with the sentiment earlier that since most of our antagonists are dead now, it's easier to funnel all that hate onto him - especially when his latest actions have been so shocking. It's also frustrating because I guess we see Kaladin and Dalinar (YMMV on Dalinar though) live through more or less the same things Moash is doing and become better people for it.

I restarted my BL playthrough because I wanted to ship Belle* (my female Byleth) with Dimitri (although now I'm wondering about Belle and Claude...but I really like the idea of Petra and Claude...). Overall, my team isn't too bad! Belle and Dimtri are overpowered as all get-out. Belle has mastered far too many Advanced classes - and not all of them were the ones I had planned on her mastering - as well as Falcon Rider and Mortal Savant. Next are Priest and Gremory (guys, NG+ and the Knowledge Gem are NO JOKE). Dimitri's mastered Paladin, Assassin, and is almost done with Bow Knight. Then I'll work on mastering his Lord classes. Dorothea is my dancer, and she's great (it is her personal class after all), but she's also my second best offensive magic user and primary secondary long distance healer (primary if I'm not using Mercedes). I might try Annette next time, as she doesn't have any long range magic spells or healing, and Authority is right up her ally. But she's also my rally-bot, so...maybe I'll just go back to Marianne. Speaking of Marianne, I had tried her out as a Holy Knight before, and it really didn't work out for her, so I'm trying to get her to become a Falcon Knight pretty late in the game. She can't use magic, but she'll have mobility. Lysithea just unlocked Dark Knight. She hasn't been as much in the forefront as my GD run, if only because I had her longer there and I hadn't recruited everyone, so everyone overall was stronger. But she'll great as always. Ashe is doing very well as a Wyvern Lord who uses a bow! I'm finally on the Petra train too! Felix is phenomenal as always, although Sylvain isn't shaping up to be what he was on the original BL run. He's far too slow this time around. I'm trying to make Ingrid a Holy Knight. She's unlocked Falcon Knight, but with her strength growth has been equal to her magic growth (resulting in times where she had more magic than strength), so I'm trying something new. Flayn isn't a dancer anymore! Yay! She's a great healer, but I wish she had learned Physic... Linhardt will be my Dark Bishop...eventually Shamir isn't getting as much use this playthrough, but she always holds her own. Leonie's fine as she is (just maxed out Paladin and is now working on Sniper). I'll turn Hilda into a Great Knight this time, as I found her to be too inconsistent as a Wyvern Lord during GD run. Caspar is good too, but Felix covers the same ground much better. My ships: Dimtri x Belle (double proposal) or Dimitri x Flayn (their C and B supports are some of the best for each) Claude x Petra (each person gets what they want) or Claude x Belle Byleth x Marianne Sylvain x Ingrid (it's not the best for either, but it's nearly canon IMO) Felix x Annette (one of the few supports Felix isn't a jerk in, although in Part 2 Felix actually does tone down his behavior) Ashe x Mercedes (Ashe's house goes from being politically reviled to crest owning and connected, Mercedes ending up with a good man) Bernadetta x Seteth (their C and B supports are super cute) Caspar x HIlda (their A support...) Dorothea x Ferdinand Linhardt x Lysithea *I chose Belle not only for the Beauty and the Beast reference, but because if Byleth comes from the demon ruler Beleth, I though Belle would be a nice shout out to Belial and Baal.

Maybe it's a leak? Or it's getting close to the time where they release a chapter or two a week like last year? I just read it, and I think it'll either be messages for help that were never sent (or worse, ignored), or show how the war effort went before the planet was destroyed. At the very least, I think that we'll find out the platform is named Starsight or something like that, if the map is any indication. That's just speculation though, and I honestly have no real idea how it'll turn out. ...and now all of my hype just fled straight from The Burning White to Starsight...

Morningtide! Quirk is a close second.

I'm on the Jasnadin ship, but I'd happy accept Tarah, Rysn, or Syl. Laral would be acceptable, but less so at the moment. For Skyward it was more of a crush that might lead into more (Sanderson mentioned that he originally tried to make it a romance and it just didn't work). And I think the slow-burn approach is perfect, especially for young adults and teens. It actually starts with Bim, where Spensa realizes that people can have a romantic interest with her. Then respect for Jerkface, and soon romantic feelings. Also calling Book 1 Starsight really freaked me out for while; I thought y'all had read it early or something!

*dodges all three, but is hit by Shamir* Joking aside, I thought Dorothea would be a far different character than she is. I mean, I assumed fanservice, but it's very different from most FE characters (barring Charlotte). Petra is a solid choice. My best friend romanced her nearly every time. I can't complain. Bernadetta almost had me with her A support (her little crush on Byleth is super cute), and I love her and all, but her S support - despite seeming (if not being) realistic in regards to trauma and recovery - wasn't as heart-warmingly cute as Marianne's. Ergo, Marianne wins (Petra is a very close second for best S support though).

Awakening doesn't have the strongest narrative. All things considered it's a pretty basic one. But a simple story is very rarely a divisive one. Awakening has strong characters, strong designs (that IMO balance right on the edge of fantasy and super anime-y very well), and fun - if a little broken and easy to use - gameplay. Overall, it does what it does well. MARIANNE IS BEST GIRL. FIGHT ME If you recruited Marianne and have at least a B support with her during Part 2, it should unlock automatically...at least for Golden Deer and Blue Lions... I fought with Raphael (oof. Big Oof), and I joined their house. Defeat means friendship after all. FEAR THE DEER! Made her a dancer on my GD run and I'm sad that I didn't on my BL run (I made Flayn the dancer because she asked so nicely. I regret it. I regret it so much).

That's awesome then! I'm sure it might feel weird to people on a first readthrough because the POVs are split. Like the flashbacks are both too short and too long at the same time. But they'll meld better on subsequent readthroughs. Either way that's a solid length for the flashbacks and I'm excited. Ohh good idea!

RShara already mentioned the timeline problem for Kel using Spook's body, but I like the idea that Spook might be Thaidikar! I'm not sure I'll subscribe to that theory (I'm a fan of the "Thaidikar is Sebarial" theory), but I like it!

The ultimate "do-over" for life right there.

Looks like the Flashbacks have started in earnest (assuming Sanderson is still working on them like he tweeted).

Dead moms in the Cosmere, dead dads in the YA stuff. vin and lift This also works for Spensa, given her outsider status and rat-hunting. For the YA books...all three start with the main character obsessed with a group that they've spent their whole lives around yet aren't allowed to join (Rithamitsts for Joel, pilots for Spensa, both Epics and Reckoners for David). They end up joining the group - or at least a fringe aspect of that group - and by the end of the book are the best in their skill group. Their social status has also changed by the end of the book (Spensa and David more dramatically than Joel). Alcatraz is just weird. Awesome, but weird.

Where's Jasnadin!?!

Bittersweet about the tour. I expected it wouldn't happen, but I theorize he'll tour for books 3 (since the series will have taken a year or two hiatus and might need the extra push) and book 4 (the finale). On the bright side, it's nice to see Sanderson truly dedicated to sticking that Christmas 2020 goal.

New Stormlight Archive anthem in my head (I thought it might work as one of the theme songs for RoW, but it works too well with too many characters...at least for now): Partial lyric and character analysis:

So I just read the theory about the story of Tsa and the moons being about Cultivation...now I'm wondering if Honor and Tanavast play a role in that lol! Would the resonances and abilities apply to those who simply use an Honorblade of a different order, rather than bonding an entirely different spren? Also, potential multiple bonded Radiants: Kaladin (between his leadership and ability to bring people together (although those are also Windrunner qualities) as well as the little moment with Syl fighting off Gloryspren, I could see him either bonding a Godspren (I hope not!) or using Ishar's Honorblade eventually); Szeth (depending on how Nightblood factors in the future, as well as what happened to that singular voice he used to hear); Shallan (I could see her trying to bond Sja-Anat, if only to make herself invaluable to both the Ghostbloods and the heroes); Adolin (IF he goes the path of Radiants, then I think it might be possible. But I doubt it); Rock (he was a squire of Kaladin IIRC, but the end of OB hinted that he might be joining a different order, so...).

Stormlight School for Radiants and Voidbringers (or Stormligh School for Oaths and Surgebinding) Motto: The path to becoming better starts with your next step.

I'm torn. On one hand, I like Eshonai and want to see more of her. On the other hand Venli has secrets. But Venli is a divisive character for some, and learning about her shady past before you even learn to really like her as a character/person might keep her divisive forever. I do like the compromises the best; if Venli gets the book, then Eshonai gets a novella. Or they both share flashbacks (making RoW even longer hehehe)! Yeah, I think I'm more of a fan of that. Overall, I just want Eshonai's story out there.

Series: ...that's a tough one. I'm partial to Mistborn because there's so much possibility. But SA is amazing too... Book: The Final Empire. It's one of my - if not my - favorite books of all time. Oathbringer comes in second as a very personal book.

The reddit comments were pretty positive, all things considered (although from our fanbase I'm not sure I should have expected more!). I think the general consensus is "do what's best for the story, but if it's Venli can we have a Eshonai novella please?" And that's a perfectly acceptable request. And whatever Brandon answers (ie he will or he won't) is also perfectly acceptable.

That and the Rock novella...and hopefully the Lopen novella...and maybe even the same release year we can have The Lost Metal (and if he really pushes, Skyward 3. But I wouldn't count on it).

Just as a tip, make an extra save file before Chapter...11, I believe it was. And make sure you have up to a C support with Edelgard. Just as an aside, unless Shamir's S Support is heartwarmingly beautiful, Marianne has won the battle of Best Girl in my book. Her supports and dialogue demonstrate the one thing I like seeing in characters - tangible growth. Over the course of the game, Marianne: Not to mention she's an outstanding unit, and potentially one of the better - if not one of the best - Dancers in the game. She may not have the sheer Death Knight killing power of Lysithea, nor the long range Meteor skill like Dorothea, but she does gain Silence and is a comfy middle ground between the two. Add on the Dance skill and Marianne's always got a role to play.

AFAIK, you can't, really. If/when you meet former students in battle and you recruited them pre-timeskip, you have to option of sparing them (or at least that's how it worked for me on my GD run). In terms of Ferdinand, it was weird. I got to a B support level with him, but the game wouldn't allow me to read it, so I guess it's a post-timeskip support. But since I couldn't get that support, and I didn't level up the skills he wanted, I missed my chance of recruiting him. I'm hoping this is not the case and the support level I do have with Ferdinand will let me recruit him when I face him in battle; but if not, I'll just focus on Heavy Armor in my next playthroughs - which will be my BE runs - so that the next time I'm doing GD or BL, I'll be able to recruit him.