MGershone

Got it. I'm just saying that maybe (as you're saying) a normal unmade won't grant Bondsmith abilities, perhaps there's some thing that a SHard can add in to make it a Bondsmith spren, and since Sja-anat has been Odium's lieutenant kinda, she might fall into that category.

Good point ... Was this just a point about how the definitions of types of spren are unclear or am I missing something?

Gah, I always mix this up. Though writing this on a gravestone might be appropriate. It is someone's last words. Actually, I think it makes sense to call it an epitaph. I stand by my choices!

The problem is that there's no hard and fast definition for what makes a spren a "Bondsmith" spren. We've been told that there can only be three Bondsmiths - Nightwatcher (presumably), Stormfather, Sibling - but those three aren't exactly the same type of spren, like where all Windrunners bond honorspren. It could be that it has to do with some sort of selection by a Shard, since all three of these have some sort of unique, powerful position. IF anything, I'd bet that Sja-anat would be considered an Odium-selected spren, and would therefore be a Bondsmith of Odium. This also implies that it might be directly connected to individual shards. "HIstorically" is important here, since it implies there could be more. Not super related to my point, just relevant to the topic.

YKYASFW you and your two sanderfan friends spend all the time not spent discussing Sanderson trying to convince the fourth guy sitting behind you to read Sanderson.

This is just a guess about content: I bet the first three to four flashbacks will give us lore on Shinovar and why it's so different from the rest of the continent; then, the later ones will give us info on the Honor blades and Szeth becoming Truthless. Here's an idea: maybe we'll get some appearances of some Heralds when Szeth's family is introduced to the Honorblades.

Thanks

This is the Chapter 64 epitaph from Way of Kings, which I'm rereading right now. It's kind of a weird one, even vaguer than a lot of the others. This is my interpretation of it, and a theory about book 5. First of all, I don't think the word piteans s literal pit here. I guess it could just be predicting Kaladin and Shallan emerging from the chasm with the gem heart, but since it says two men, I don't think so. Instead, my guess is that "pit"means Damnation. It's common in the Bible to refer to hell that way, so Brandon could be using that same symbolism. This also fits with the phrase "two dead men" , since if they were on Braize they would be technically dead by Rosharan definition. Plus, seeing a pair of people simply walk out of hell would be pretty glorious. My theory is that in book 5, in order to restore the Oathpact or otherwise trap/kill Odium, two people -my bet would be Szeth and Kaladin- have to go to Braize and retrieve some sort of artifact. Looking back at it, the epitaph does describe Kaladin and Shallan in the chasms pretty well, but meh, theorizing about what will happen is more fun. Anyone have thoughts on this?

While listening to Lux, I noticed that the names of the Epics seemed to work as a metaphor or descriptor of the story itself. I posted a thread about it in the Lux spoiler board, but @Use the Falchion wondered if this applied to the other books as well. And so, like the Sanderson nerd I am, I went back through the original trilogy and listed every Epic mentioned. I've only finished Steelheart so far, so I'll start with those Epics, but I'll post the other 2 when I get through them. Here's all the Epics, along with my interpretation of their names: Deathpoint - This is the point at which David's dad dies Fortuity - Fortuity is David's good luck, since that's when he meets the Reckoners Nightwielder Curveball - The curveball that life throws the Reckoners Refractionary Conflux Firefight Absence - Never appears on screen Limelight - He's designed to be in the limelight Faultline - The fault (supposedly) in Steelheart's cover up of the bank Bastion - He kept Conflux safe at the beginning of his Epic-ness Anyone else have an idea for the ones I missed?

Thank you for that. My day has been improved by your mythological humor.

I like it. As vague as all prologues. One thing: why do the guards flee? Wouldn't it make sense for at least some of them to fight?

Welcome! By the way, "greetings and salutations" is also how i greet people. Glad someone else knows synonyms.

Me. I loved it. Reckoners has always been a favorite series of mine, and Lux only re-affirms that. Same. I literally spent the entire epilogue going, "Oh no, this is really bad, this is really bad, but I am so excited."

Now I'll have to go reread the first trilogy and figure out all the Epics. EDIT: Ok, so I've started searching through (read: reading) Steelheart and Firefight again to list all the Epics. I'll post the list, along with my thoughts, and then everyone else can come up with their own ideas. If I spoiler-box the first one, can we get this thread moved to the main Reckoners forum so those who've read the first 3 but not Lux?

Good, good. Lots of schooling and suchlike. How about you?

Ok, so I'm good. Cool. Hi everyone, I'm a non-adult and so I can now post things in this thread. That's exciting.

Is there, like, a list of terms and conditions I can read to see if I qualify for being a non-adult? It seems like it's pretty confusing. Will I need a lawyer? What are the penalties for non-adults on this forum? This is making me all nervous.

Isn't he able to watch the guard from his tube? I thought that was how he did it. Audiobooks make it harder to find specific passages. *sigh*

A declaration of war against the new religion worshipping Brandon because the scientists have begun sensationally fearmongering instead of being curious.

Probably Renarin. In TWoK, he was kinda a background character and I was kind of like, "So he's a sad guy in the background. Great." WoR improved him a bit, especially with his efforts to join Bridge 4, but in OB and RoW, I really liked him both as a person and in terms of character arc.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like the names of the Epics in Lux (some of them, anyway) were a metaphor for Jax's life. The theme of the book, as I see it, is revenge, and the way Jax's search for revenge hurts others. Lovestruck, who kills Dan, strikes someone that Jax loves, thus injuring him and igniting his desire for REVENGE. Lifeforce, who himself characterizes revneg in the way when Jax tries to hurt him he instead hurts those he loves, is the force in Jax's life. ok, so it was just those two, but still! Maybe i'm waxing too philosophical, but does anyone agree with me?

Not 3.14159265358979 years? (Sorry, couldn't resist) In terms of Deathrise in general, I think the reason Paige wakes up right after David defeats Calamity is because Deathrise was somehow dominated by Calamity - a sort of second, darker force that Calamity used to manifest the fears, which is why he's pictured as a dark demon by Lifeforce. In fact, I'm pretty sure the demon iconography has been used by other Epics in the first trilogy. Lifeforce does seem to be a different kind of gifter. The idea of him being a conduit makes a lot of sense, because not only does he give his powers to others, he has no power with no one to take from. He essentially drains life from one person and passes it to someone else. In fact, maybe he;s not really a gifter in the traditional sense - he's not giving an ability to others, just being-ness. Or perhaps alive-itude. (What was the term again?)

And with the containment tube, Jax puts the watch on the guard he knocks out and teleports him back. It seems like if you're using the tech, but don't jump back, you melt. Otherwise, you'll be fine.

The strong implication seemed to be that Deathsrise is a being similar to Calamity. @Player22, your interpretation sounds right to me, though it would be a bit of a retcon to say, "Just kidding, Calamity wasn't actually creating the fears of the epics, it was someone else." Maybe the answer will be that Calamity somehow killed Deathsrise and gifted him to the Epics to manifest the fears/weaknesses, but now Deathsrise has regained his consciousness or sentience. This would also fit with his name - he's risen from death.