cvamoca

Ok, womanizer really isn't what I meant- as once he's with Shallon he's committed to her. But he still likes to look. So does my husband and looking is fine, just nothing more than that. We make it a joke, I'll point out a jogger and say she's pretty Ger. Naw, don't care for her hair, he'd say. Or words to that effect. I know it's objectifying a woman he doesn't know and won't ever meet, and that is wrong but we are also humans, and my husband and I joke about his enjoyment of "Loopers" women who ran a loop around our town. His ex girlfriend would get mad if he even liked a woman on TV, so I wasn't going to be like that. 26 yrs together thus far. My Mom might have said Adolin's an old rip or letch, except he isn't old or particularly lecherous.

Oh dear...if anything I wrote was considered in bad taste or hurtful in ANY way, I do apologize. It was not meant to be hurtful to anyone. I'd honestly never considered people having relationships with different species/life forms before, and I do find it interesting how open most folks are to that possibility. (I'm old, old like I got to see Star Trek when it was a brand new series as a kid. )

I'm trying to make points that I think are germane, while not being argumentative.

Perhaps what people don't like is the "Equal-Non equal" potential of a Singer/Human relationship? By that I mean- 5-7 years ago- "Parshmen" were slaves. Not 100 or 200 yrs ago- 7 yrs ago. That's still the present, not even the past. The Parchendi were barely seen as people by Rosharans, they were beasts of burden. They were bred like cattle. That's puts them firmly in the Non-equal camp, where they can't be seen as fully realized people, they were more of a commodity. (To humans on Roshar) It also makes it very unusual for someone to want to have a relationship with the other- one holds all the power, one doesn't. Like a teacher having a relationship with their much younger student- which is the best example of Equal-Non Equal relationships that my tired brain can come up with. Is it right? No it isn't. Turns out they have incredible abilities and cities and culture galore- but only because WE the audience can see it- the Rosharans don't see it that way. Maybe they will, maybe they never will. I'm in the love is love camp, iow- whatever turns your crank, but they wouldn't be my type because I like dark haired men with mustaches. In all my years I never dated a blond man- they didn't attract me, and women don't attract me...same deal. But that's only my interests, if yours are different, "fill yer boots".

This is true.

That's absolutely a great way of summarizing their relationship. As they both felt like outsiders, the attraction to each other is perfectly right. Romeo and Juliet also tore their 2 houses to pieces and died, if I'm remembering my Shakespeare. We don't want that to happen here. Kirk would sleep with virtually anything IIRC?

I am not sure how I feel about a Singer/Human pairing, same sex or not. We've been told that when not in mateform, they are basically asexual. And Venli specifically mentioned that being in mateform was kinda gross, and she thought why do they even want to do that, other than for reproduction? Sex for Singers is much different than for us, Venli thought it awful that Humans go around in our version of Mateform, all the time. Then along comes a storyline of Rlain and Renarin as budding lovers. A couple books ago the Singers were the Big Bad (Though in reality, humans were) and now Rlain, who pretty much hated humans, has fallen for one? That strained my credulousness (Is that a word? If not, it should be!) Credulity or whatever. Because I'm an audiobook listener by necessity, any sex scene in any book kinda grosses me out, because I don't want to be read to. But fast forward 30 seconds at a time fixes that. I appreciate Brandon Sanderson for not writing explicit sex scenes. However it really doesn't make sense that Singers, who take mateform to reproduce and then generally take another form, would get anything out of a relationship with a same sex human. Would I want to date a singer? Naw, too spiky, and no mustache. They don't come in French Canadian.

So if Kaladin's now a Herald, does that make him a spren, too?

Adolin became one of my favourite characters- because, he is kind. I think about how he became Kaladin's friend, by being kind and treating him honourably. He loved his Ryshadium Sureblood, he talked to his blade, outside of being a womanizer and justifyingly slaying Sadeas, he has always had a good moral compass. Better than his father's. When he did wrong he admitted to himself at least that he'd done wrong. (I think Sadeas killing, while brutal was absolutely justified given how many times he tried to kill a Kholin family member) One of my favourite things about him was his fashion sense. It tickled me constantly. I think why he became a favourite is Brandon gave him WAY more personality than say Jasnah or Renarin. I didn't know anything about Jasnah's personal life until she had a relationship with Hoid. I knew much more about Adolin...I'm glad he survived this first 5 novels.

Project Hail Mary is one of my favourite books- the audio version is so well done by the narrator, he brought Rocky's musical language to life. Just finished a reread recently.

I'm talking about Stormlight. Are Highstorms coming back in the back half? If not- it's moot. Why do people take it as a personal affront either to them personally or to BS if we dislike where a series is going, or question Brandon? We excoriate GRRM, but let Sanderson off the hook when he's being messy. I hated Rhythm of War- loathed it, but still like Sanderson and the SA.

This is also me. Elantris, Warbreaker, Dawnshard, 2 Mistborn, 2 Cytoverse books and a few short stories but I really don't understand the shards- how sometimes they are called Rayse or Taravangian (I know Rayse was the previous vessel of Odium, yes) but what absolutely charmed me with The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance was the incredibly interesting yet hostile world of Roshar- the animals, the chasms and rocks and Highstorms and most importantly- the people. The subterfuge and politicking. I love Adolin, Kaladin, Shallon most of the time. I adored Bridge 4. Rock made me laugh. The Lopen's my spirit animal. Never cared for Dalinar past Oathbringer, or Navani, or psycho Jasnah, but part of that is because I'm an audiobook listener and the annoying breathy voice of Navani when read by the male narrator made my hair curl. This is a fine place to leave the Cosmere for me- I'm 61, 20 yrs from now will 81 yr old me still want to know this world? I gave up on ASOIAF because GRRM will never finish his magnum opus and because the last seasons of the show were so, so bad. I think this series in it's attempt to be even more grand has made it so complicated and messy it doesn't hold the interest like the first 2 books did. Wind and Truth was 62 hours of book- that's about 10 hrs longer than needed, IMO. He needs an editor. One who'll question "Do people really, really need to know in such detail how to create a light they can't use anymore? I did, but it turns out it's moot now. Don't get me wrong- I enjoyed this book more than the last 1, but given what I know, now's a good place to stop.

Maybe it's telling that my favourites of this series are 2,1,3,5, and 4. I pretty much HATED 4. Most of Navani's stuff bored me, and all of depressed Kaladin. Adolin and Maya were my highpoints. I'm here for the people and the planets, not the shards. i've never gone further than book 2 of Mistborn. Though I love Elantris, Warbreaker. I did know that, Urithuru is cut off from the rest of Roshar though aren't they? I'm sorry I have barnwork but will be back...

Their entire PLANET has been changed- maybe in 1600 years or 16000 years they will have advanced again- but 16? They will still be shivering in the dark. Think about Shinovar- it's green and verdant because it didn't get the highstorms but now gets the Everstorm, right? Think about The Weeping- people ran short of light and were miserable til the next Highstorm. They were depressed (Kaladin for one) and now they'll never have the Highstorms to replenish anything. No crem. No light. No spren, no fabrials- everything ran on fabrials. TBO, I'm an audiobook listener and towards the end I'd completely zoned out, so I'm fuzzy on a lot of details. I'll relisten, but needed to cleanse my palate with some Stephen King...

Yes! Thank you! I liked the book, but also was terribly disappointed with it. Dalinar annoys me since Oathkeeper, and dropping Honour didn't flip the board, it just gave Todium more power. I loved the backstory of Szeth, but I'm a small farmer and would totally be incensed if someone killed MY pet sheep. During Covid, my gun was loaded for just such a possibility. But going back to the book and series. I discovered BS and bought his first three immediately a few years ago (5-6?). I hated this book for killing most of Roshar- taking away the Highstorm and leaving people to become almost Stone age people again- no fabrials, no Stormlight means you're in the dark unless you're in Urithuru. Broke my heart to think of the creatures and people who relied on the Highstorms, how will Roshar survive- how will Shinovar and it's greenery survive? . As someone who despised ROW, this one was better, but I'm old and think I'm done with the series here. It's now Shards against Shards and people are just bugs- ants to be crushed, and not important.

Can I piggyback on this and ask does anyone know why Vasher and Nightblood parted- is that in a book or short story or was in in Dawnshard or a WOB? I enjoyed Warbreaker so much, he's one of my favourite cranky characters.

I just want one thing for Kaladin. I want him to get a big Horneater hug, and I want to believe they will meet again. But I think all the "unimportant" tier characters are going to just go away, Lopen's gone, Rock's gone, Teft's gone and Moash is...Moash. It might be written about his life after his death. I think he's for whatever reason, being written out of the story. Michael Kramer's Rock was a delight.

I really, REALLY love Nightblood's voice, as done by Michael i SA. "You really should DRAW me..." As a visually impaired listener, we need some change in character's voices, or things end up droning, and Nightblood's such a seriously dangerous sword, yet with a somewhat goofy voice. IMO it works so well. He pulls off a few funny lines in an otherwise gloomy book (RoW). Listening to all 4 SA books over the last month, it's stayed pretty consistent. (RoW twice, just done second time last night...phew) I listened to the first 3 Stormlight Archive first, and didn't know Nightblood OR Vasher/Zahel's story until recently, when I finally listened to Warbreaker. I'm listening to Warbreaker right now, Nightblood hasn't spoken yet. ETA- Doh- I'm in a Warbreaker thread...pardon my wandering.

Nooooooooooo!!! I don't cry during books usually (The Dark Tower, Oy's death being an exception) but early in RoW, it said Rock "walked out of Kaladin's life, forever". or words to that effect. Which dragged a strangled sob from me. Then in the end, I took note of the above quote, and wondered whether he'd been executed, exiled or made king. Still not sure but I want to believe he's king.

Oh, is that what happened to Rothfuss? I didn't know... I just wondered where the last book was in that trilogy. I think this is a very good book, I just didn't adore it like I did for The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance. If you add those two to To Kill a Mockingbird, you probably have my three favourite books in almost 6 decades of reading. I actually am quite enjoying the back half of this book the second go around, whereas when I finished it the first time, I kinda hated it, it completely exhausted me. So, my thoughts on it have already changed.

Do you think Brandon would be that childish, to walk away from a series because people had some grumbles about a book? I don't believe he would, and I do believe he would completely understand when people bring up things they didn't love in a book. Doesn't mean we don't love his writing or this series, just that we didn't love this book or certain aspects in a book. You can't get better at something and grow as a writer, nurse, or president if you cannot accept constructive criticism. Is he that fragile? Are the readers here also that fragile? I don't know him personally, but he's a writer, writers know people criticize books, and that it's unlikely that 100% of people will love something they write, it's just a case of numbers.

Thanks for the welcome. I pre-ordered it too. And Skyward- which I absolutely loved because Dad was a lifelong pilot, and the love of aviation is in our blood. I just felt like he wrote that book for me. But, I didn't love Starsight. Normally I like Kate Reading and Michael Sullivan's narration, but you could hear Kate's boredom in parts of this book. I missed the humour of Rock and Lopen, and wish we'd have had a few funny parts in such a serious book. You need that sometimes. I hope this wasn't directed towards me, also a brand new poster. I love Brandon's work in general. I just didn't LOVE Rhythm of War, for many reasons. There's no reason why people can't discuss what they liked and what they didn't like in a book, is there? On a forum created about the universe called the Cosmere? We're not ragging on the author, just because we maybe don't love a book as much as you did. You are correct, he doesn't make us wait for...20 years like GRRM does, or never finish a trilogy like Patrick Rothfuss did. (I'm still cross about that, Patrick!) Brandon is a really good, well rounded author who has created an incredible universe we all love. I don't consider what I wrote was crap. it's my opinion, and we all have them, including you. Your opinion is different, that doesn't make me wrong, OR you wrong. I had to edit and add this. Brandon Sanderson IMO is far and away the best world builder. His magic systems, the shards, the characters and worlds are mild blowing. I'm listening to audio books, and they are a different thing from the printed word. ALL the info. I get is via the narrators, and thankfully through places like here and Coppermind, etc. As a mature (old) reader, I know when I read words on a page, I absorbed it better than I do now being read to, but for someone who loves all kinds of fiction, don't want to live without these wonderful stories brightening my life. Even if I don't think this was his best book in the Stormlight Archive or in and out of the Cosmere, it's still better than most I'm not a writer, and don't believe I could do better...there are too many poor writers out there right now, try parsing all the SHTF, post apocalyptic sections. Not pretty. Hard to get a non Zombie book unless you go back 20 years. I'm visually impaired so I don't know how to quote clip very well. so my posts are a mess. (also I'm old) Can I stick around and ask questions? (Not snarky ones.)

I'll just note, that was my first post to this forum...I came to see if I was completely out to lunch and if anyone else felt deflated after reading this. I won't live long enough to see the end of the Cosmere, or even to see the end of this entire series, but at this point I'm not that disappointed. My favourite writer just goofed and dropped a lead balloon that was supposed to be a book.