Dalakaar

I don't find it too peculiar; I'd liken it to the difference between a duelist and a soldier. A soldier is a profession of the many, a duelist is a singular spectacle. (And the Alethi love their duels.)

lol Now I have a conspiracy theory of high-profile authors holding silent auctions to give the axe to a character running through my head. 1,000 hardcovers for Shallan getting eaten by a chasmfiend, going once, going twice, SOLD!

Granted! Your Shardplate recharges off your life-force. Bout a year's worth for an hours use. (Not a bad deal all things considered.) I would like to go on an adventure with Rick and Morty and walk away with nothing worse than a hangover.

Here's a home for those ideas that start with: Am I The Only One That... Feel free to finish the sentence. Who knows, maybe you aren't the only one! (Or maybe you are but it's good to find these things out early. I think...) I'll start. [OB Spoilery goodness]

Interesting as I've felt his characterization wasn't quite up to par with the rest of his capacities. I wouldn't say he can improve a lot on it, but he has more room for improvement in that region than others. (Meaning he's good, not great.) For my part instead of Lynch/Gentlemen Bastards, my model for comparison is James S A Corey (Daniel Abraham/Ty Frank) which most would know as the writers/producers/creators of The Expanse. Although I came into their books much earlier on reading The Long Price Quartet. (Interesting books, nother interesting magic system.) They have some of the best characterization in the industry, but I find them lacking in a few other departments. They have some amazing grey characters and I love their line, "no heroes." They understand shades of grey but they also write compelling human nature. Then in the same vein looking at another model, my personal favourite since back in 2003, Scott R Bakker and his Prince of Nothing series. His characters had some sharp edges, they cut. Yet his writing on a technical level doesn't match Sanderson's. If I had to pinpoint something specific that could be better, and I find this hard to do, I'd say it's that when he tries to write effed up characters he's too technical about it. He's exploring a single facet and while that facet makes the character grey it's still only once facet. For example... (getting into OB spoiler territory now so cease and desist readers who aren't caught up) ... Teft in OB. He's basically only his addiction in the entire book, and that's his arc. The addiction is presented as Teft. But Teft isn't just a walking addiction plot-line that needs to be resolved. Teft is Teft. I get there's limited screen time but if you want characterization you need to accommodate a wide range of characteristics, flaws and all. (Stressing the "all" part here.) Also, thanks for those WoBs @Vissy.

Relevant↓?

Random thought along these lines, Shardwhip? It's significantly longer than a blade but in the theme of previously seen weaponry. ...sort of.

[OB Spoiler tag, but it's not that big a spoiler]

Maybe we're all lucky the spren haven't figured this hamster ball thing out yet. I foresee unforeseen consequences. "Syl, I swear it wasn't me laughing when that Highspren said that dress made you look fat. Look... This isn't funny anymore... Let me out. Please, let me out? ... LET ME OUT!"

I like em all but WoR takes the spot for me. It's been the precipice, everything before and after (so far) wouldn't have had as far ranging an impact as the potential denial of the Everstorm. If the Listeners hadn't listened to Venli, if Dalinar had won, if whatever-reason the Everstorm was cancelled or even delayed significantly then everything would change. It's been the linchpin moment in the entire series so far. No backwards storm carving up the land, no Fused, no Desolation. Until we see a major major player defeated, and I mean Odium, Cultivation, or someone on that level, we haven't seen anything that can match the potential the Everstorm represents. WoK had a good intro ending, fairly low consequences (in comparison) but with more feeling. Betrayal, all the characters were new and shiny, it tugged on empathy and quickly yet well written viewer attachment to the characters. OB almost felt over the top. I started to get a disconnect from the situation with all the magic going on. I still liked it ultimately, but it lacked the passion of the first ending and the signal-event of the second. Important events yes, but important events layered atop important events in a bit of a tangled mess. I don't want to have to have a saiyan scouter telling me the 7 digit power-levels of everyone by the end of this.

*Proceeds to quote you on it* Actually what I mean is Lopen was a squire so that might be the, er, "in" you are looking for in the first place. In the right area at the right time.

Damnation, I was hoping for a joke topic about water-cooler jokes around the Knights Radiant breakroom. The awkward Truthwatcher finishes his therapy session with the immaculate Edgedancer-lady who just says, "be yourself" cheerfully. Naturally he heads to the water-cooler fabrial. The site of many of his social snafus. Hopeful, he attempts to reclaim some status with the time honoured tradition of levity! A jocular moment to help ease the tension. He walks up to the group of Knights who are all intently listening to the strapping and particularly large Stoneward telling a tale of eating the heart of a chasmfiend (not the gemheart) after losing a bet about the Edgedancer therapist's sexual proclivities. (Turns out he *is* her type and he's happy to lose the bet.) The Truthwatcher steps forward, and afraid of never getting a chance to put a word in edgewise (this happens a lot) he just blurts out... "So what do you call a Windrunner that can't fly?" The Stoneward closes his mouth and stares blankly at the little Truthwatcher. The rest of the Knights start to edge away a bit and get that look in their eyes like cornered animals at an oasis. The Truthwatcher quickly thinks to himself, "oh noes, I'm losing em!" He finishes the joke with a flourishing gesticulation. "A Skybreaker!" Everyone makes a graceful exit and the Truthwatcher finds himself alone at the water-cooler. Again. Anyways, oooon topic... Jasnah you already know a lot of my thoughts on her from the other topic. Whatever put her in that theorized dark room would do it methinks. Renarin, possibly something to do with his being on the spectrum. Although it wouldn't surprise me if he already knew what happened to Dalinar and Evi and had broken something. Then never said anything about it. Lopen. He's the Lopen. Nothing breaks the Lopen. Lift. Something to do with her parents, been brought up in the books a few too many times for it to be random. (IIRC) lol, just read up and I'm basically saying the same thing in a different way as... /agree Although just thinking about it; in Lopens case he's a squire so he might not need much of a reason/break at all? Besides. He's the Lopen.

I did know. I was raised in a very christian family myself and know the stigma of even just reading things like Fantasy or watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Let alone being in a leadership position and writing these things. I have been curious if he's ever come under fire from his fellow Mormons. Not something that would be made public record so I doubt I'll ever have the truth of it. Albeit I know how things work behind the scenes in organized religions... I guess the simple fact is, I don't doubt he could have been under scrutiny very similar to what Jasnah has been through. Not exactly the same, but enough to want to write about it. I'm not saying he has, I'm just saying it wouldn't surprise me. There's a lot of stuff that gets swept under the rug. (I have personal experience with this, a lot actually.) The difference could simply be he chose to stick with his religion as opposed to not. (Likely because he strikes me the same way as you. He probably questioned it and came to satisfactory answers for himself.)

I agree, her having a problem with the ardents has to be handled delicately as I believe her receiving abuse from them could cheapen her stance against the church. It can't be too much of a cop-out for her beliefs. They still could technically abuse her, but with the best of intentions.(Ie. locking her in a dark room yet under the full and honest belief that it is helping her.) Giving her a legitimate reason for an initial break from the church but not cheapening her questioning as a victim. The plot-line of her atheism (for lack of a better word) and Dalinar's heresies has interested me quite a bit. I wonder how close to home it is for Brandon.

Turns out the Nightwatcher gets a bit confused and you become pretty fly for a white guy. (Yup, that means if you're not a white guy you just became one.) Vanilla Ice Cruising in your pinto 31 tattoo You're livin' the dream I want to make sweet beautiful sleep to my many pillows whenever I want and I want it to be socially acceptable to do so even if I should be at work.

The ardents were probably the ones treating her.* They were also probably the ones she had to fake out to get free. Dunno if there was any sort of abuse was involved, not really necessary in terms of her dismissal of the ardentia. Her own brain was capable of that. Being imprisoned for her own good would suffice to have her start questioning. *Adding: Or definitely treating her not probably treating her, now I think about it. My reasoning is that Brandon has already written about the incarceration of Taln and the current belief/mode of operation to treat mental illness with dim lighting. I was wondering why he kept bringing that up. Having it be a sore-spot with Jasnah and related to her past turns it into all the foreshadowy goodness (heh foreshadowy, bad pun) that we crave. I wonder how well Jasnah would do in a small dark room alone for a while. She was in the cabin before her near-death in WoR on the ship but it was, funny thing, mentioned that it was the largest cabin given over by the captain.

I don't think she was assaulted as a child and that that's the reason for her earlier breakdown. I believe they are two separate issues. The "who hurt you" line, my guess, is in reference to Amaram. Possibly trying to force the issue with her, but not when she was young. Before Gavilar tries to hook them up at the feast for instance. Jasnah's early 20's perhaps? The mental instability I am unsure of still. If I had to guess, it was her starting to see things that didn't make sense, bringing those things to an adult who didn't understand and/or was worried, and subsequently locked her away as crazypants until she learned that she had to hide these things and project confidence. (Fake it, basically.)

I'd say Lift is likely to gain maturity. But in order to get it she has things to work through. Trauma related to her view on her age. (Which is a symptom of this trauma.) She'll probably get quite a bit of it all at once or in a very short sequence of time.

Maybe it was Wit.

Granted, dogs start writing sad books about dogs dying in the end. (They're really bad at it too.) My boon this time is simple.

Granted! You work in the Fulfillment Department for Depend Mens Underwear. I want a spren. Any spren. I'll even leave it open ended for the following person to be even extra terrible. I just want one.

I don't have theories myself, but I am curious about the moment when Kaladin creates a pocket in the highstorm to save the humans captured by the parshmen. Even Syl is surprised, except she tried(or succeeded?) to do the same thing in WoK when Kaladin is left in the highstorm himself. That always stuck out in my mind as one of the most beautiful moments in the book. Syl standing in front of Kaladin protectively, arms upraised against the storm. I'd love to have a massive wall painting of that moment. Anyways, I know the theory of plate and windspren but that doesn't seem to explain his ability to direct the storm itself. (Or if it does I missed that entirely.) Did a quick search but didn't come up with anything. Anyone have some offhand knowledge/links?

For my part I'm holding my breath about Kaladin until we see how the fallout from Tarah. I wouldn't be surprised if he wound up with no romance though. On his 4th oath, I don't believe it has anything to do with protecting people this time nor do I think it has anything to do with letting some go/not saving everyone. The Windrunners are leaders, it's part of their characteristics. Yet there hasn't been anything to do with leadership in his oaths. I'm guessing that'll change in 4.

Yeah you're right, we'll probably get a 1000 page Stick Redemption Arc.