Aleksiel

Lift stole from the rich, so she wasn't really harming anyone as these people could live just as well with a little bit less food, thus it's acceptable. If she was stealing from poor people, who struggle to survive, I would have agreed with you. My point is it's fine to be somewhat selfish, to commit some crimes even so long as the Radiant doesn't actively harm any innocent people in the process. What Relis planned to do to Adolin is very different from what Lift was doing. And Lift is a surgebinder, not a Radiant, so that probably helps, too.

I do believe 'journey before destination' implies one won't be a selfish jerk, gaining things while purposely hurting others. Merely taking advantage of Adolin's less than perfect challenge seems like something some Radiants would do, however not letting Adolin forfeit and threatening Renarin is indeed a solid point against Relis being anywhere near Radiant material. While I agree with you not all Radiants were or will be the same kind of good selfless individuals, what Relis and his friends did in the arena definitely doesn't fit any Orders criteria so far as I'm concerned.

Somehow I can't imagine Jasnah asking. (“You will change.” anyone? ) And she certainly won't marry a man to get political or other power. If she was that type, she would have done so long ago. Besides, as Moogle said, Kal is currently as tied to the Kholins as he can get.

May be Shallan was without a certain type of spheres, hence why nine and not ten colors.

Kaladin's PoV on the plateau after defeating Szeth. May be only living things and what they touch get transported through a gate.

Traveling, adventurous, loving novelty/oddity - Willshaper it is. Plus this is the order that is most varied and inconsistent in temperament and personality types, it's perfect. We can count the TARDIS as advanced Transportation.

It's a good theory, although you focus on Parshmen becoming all sorts of Voidbringers and I meant there probably will be some non-Parshenmen related Voidbringers.

I find it suspicious that there are no Voidbringers in Dalinar's visions and no mention of Parshendi/Parshmen, but as was said before - corrupted Parshmen are probably one form. I think in the end it will depend on what definition of Voidbringers becomes canon. Pre-WoR I was thinking about such a potential plot-twist of the plot-twist, but Brandon doesn't do anything for the shock value and Long story short, I think there are a few (if not many) type of Voidbringers and Parshmen can become one (or more) kind of Voidbringers. Like how Windrunners are KR, but not all KR are Windrunners.

Regarding the Lightweaver-blood relations, I think it's worth noting Shallan soulcasted that bowl into blood without thinking about it, so may be it's just transforming something into blood is the easiest option. I like the swapped Edgedancers-Truthwatchers essence and soulcasting properties. I imagine the Stoneward spren (tension and cohesion) to be a cousin to riverspren because of the surges and to appear to be a ball of liquid, though this has nothing to do with stones. The comet like spren fits what is reasonable to expect a highspren to look like, however if Skybreakers didn't break their oaths, then how come Eshonai has a highspren for a Blade?

Shallan herself might be leaking stormlight, but her illusions aren't, thus when she's hiding inside one there aren't any visible signs of stormlight involvement. If this wasn't the case, illusions would have been terribly useless since it'd have been obvious to anyone. As it was mentioned, Shallan illusions feed on stormlight, therefor they likely absorb all the stormlight that she breaths out or loses through her skin.

Shallan also had a vision during the highstorm in the chasms. She and Kaladin both saw the Stormfather and I'm more inclined to believe Kaladin has visions during highstorms because the Stormfather chose to speak to him or some Windrunner/Honor's sliver dynamics. Shallan sees distant places, Dalinar sees the past and Renarin - the future. Kaladin's visions don't seem to be of the same nature - something that has, is or will happen on physic realm Roshar. (Even if Dalinar's visions originate from the Spiritual realm, they still show events that originally occurred in the physical.)

I'd prefer to read Rysn and Vargo's flashbacks instead of the two Heralds. I like Ren, but I think Jezrien or Nalan would be more interesting as flashbacks characters. Or any other not-Taln Herald, so we get to see the breaking of the Oathpact and its effects. Well, Ash would do nicely for this, but for now I'd prefer Rysn over her so we get to explore Roshar more.

I used that phrasing because I wasn't addressing you personally, but the general argument of Shallan and Kaladin 'bonding deeply' in the chasms (or formed a deeper connection than she and Adolin as you say), which is something I disagree with. They certainly went beyond the initial hostility, that doesn't mean they have something special. Any two half decent people should learn to respect each enough to not throw public insults like Shallan and Kaladin did. I for one was unimpressed by this part, but everyone's reading experience is different. If they had a connection (let alone something special going on), they would have found a few minutes to interact afterwards despite the circumstances. There were several days between coming back from the chasms and the expedition, more than enough time to find a way to spare a few minutes on someone who's important to you. Shallan could have checked on Kaladin before departing to the Shattered Plains to see how he was. Or at least ask someone about his health. There was time for Kaladin and Shallan to talk to each other in Urithiru, for her to wish him luck or at least say anything nice to him before he went to race the everstorm. I think Shallan would have said something to Kaladin if she indeed cared for him, she's not that shy and the moment was socially appropriate. But she didn't.

Did Sadeas have any allies left? He depended on Aladar, who joined Dalinar in the end. So dealing with Sadeas in a trial doesn't seem impossible to accomplish. Well, it is impossible now that Sadeas is dead, but you get whet I meant hopefully. I thought it was doable to isolate Sadeas politically now that he had noone left on his side and the Kholins were proven right and rehabilitated in alethi society. I don't think the Kholins gain any immediate advantage now that Sadeas is gone. He would have been a problem in the long run or not depending on how they chose to handle the current situation, but now they won't get the chance to outsmart him. Killing Sadeas doesn't crush him. His reputation remains, his men are loyal, he could be turned into a martyr. The correct way would have been to do the same he tried to pull on Dalinar: undermine his authority, ruin his reputation, humiliate him until he's politically crippled. That way others might have found a way to take advantage of his weakness and seize the power of his Highprince title for themselves.

What deep connection between Kaladin and Shallan? They basically didn't say a word to each other after the chasms it's really too soon to declare them deeply bonded.

1.Oh, but she can Lightweave sound when convenient – see the deserters scene for reference. Then she became again incapable of creating sound. It felt like cheating. I agree she was trying to imitate Jasnah, but she did it too well for someone who was trying for the first time such a thing. She got quintuple win in a roll: the slavers, the deserters, Tyn (idk why you don’t count it as accomplishment, it was for me), Sebarial and the Ghostbloods. She even accomplished all assignments she was given by the latter. 2.All those bad things are in her past. Present day Shalan had several minor failures (like Vathah and Tyn not completely convinced by her) that caused her only inconveniences and some fright. 3.Shallan has no major fails in the present, she succeeds in all her main tasks. 4.I can’t speak for everyone else, but I think you misunderstood this argument. At least for me it’s not that people like her, she’s likable enough. It’s all the undeserved praise her quips get. This comes to personal preferences and I speak only for myself when I say I found the scenes like when she was buying books in Kharbranth to be extremely annoying because of her behavior. Since such word games and the likes make a big deal of Shallan’s interactions and I do not enjoy them for the most part, naturally this reflects in a negative way on my overall opinion on her character. I'd like to add two more things that aren't really on Shallan, but add to my opinion on her nonetheless: I didn't like we didn't see the real beginning of her story before her mother's death. I understand this fits her character, but that doesn't mean I liked it. I felt an important part of her past wasn't revealed in her own book and that was a let down for me. And I was disappointed she didn't reveal the truth of her mother's death in the chasms with Kaladin. By the time she remembered, it no longer triggered much of an emotional response from me - it was already obvious and my interest was focused on other things. The scene felt anti-climatic.

You are looking for a YA friendly, but not YA fantasy, correct? This is kind of tricky, because I don't pay much attention to such scenes and that isn't what I remember about a book. I won't recommend all the books on my mind because I can't guarantee that they all meet your requirements, so here's what I'm currently sure of: Terry Pratchett - either the Discworld series or any other books. Everything Discworld is awesome and hilarious imo. I haven't read the entire 'Arcane Society', but those I have, had no sex scenes. I wouldn't call them great books, but I enjoyed them, so take a look and decide for yourself. 'Tales of Dunk and Egg' by George R R Martin has no sex scenes, however there is graphic violence. But nothing else Martin has written, though you probably know it already. I also don't think 'The Wheel of Time' has any graphic sex. There's cursing and violence, but no sex on screen, however this recommendation needs a second opinion just in case.

I actually there's something within these lines (the passive abilities like Memory and Jasnah's sense of orientation). But there was no bond when Kal became a master spearman after Tien's death, wasn't it? I was so focused on Kal complaining he couldn't do a simple routine, I completely forgot he fought a chasmfiend without the bond. That actually makes it even stranger to me how Kal afterwards couldn't even properly hold his weapon. I see your point and swimmingly's too, however I guess I just need to think about some more, because right now I'm in some 'yeah, but' mind set. I felt the same way in WoK when the bridgemen held their bridge during the Tower. They did too well for two dozens barely trained men (imo), but then I read about the squire-bond and that solved my issue on the matter.

Why would the attention of any spren boost someone? The bond has started forming before the words are spoken, but I see no reason to obtain skill just because an honorspren is zipping around you waiting for you to swear an Oath.

I thought she used friction, but because she is partly in the Cognitive realm she sees Wyndle as a vine and a not-so-awesome Edgedancer would do the same without realizing they were using their spren and just call if friction. Like surgebinders actually always use their spren when they surgebinding and only Lift can see it. I admit it this is against the Occam's razor and not textually supported either, however it was what I originally thought the first time I read it. The best explanation is she used Wyndle without any surgebinding (she didn't become awesome when climbing as moogle pointed out) and Wyndle wouldn't have commented on her strange ability to touch him otherwise. edit: spelling

This is something I have trouble explaining to myself - stormlight is supposed to perfect skills that are already there, but when Kal broke his oaths he lost most of his abilities with the spear. Why? Shouldn't he still had been a skillful spearman instead of struggling to do a simple routine?

Read this any way you want. It happened on several occasions and I thought she deserved none in all of them, so any praise of her wit was too much. I’m curious why you start your responds to my post with ‘this reads to me’. It's not a 'strawman argument', because I wasn't arguing, so there was no misinterpreting anyone's arguments. I'd appreciate it if you don't label my statements in future, because it's completely unnecessary. Shallan is supposed to represent the divine attribute of honesty as a Lightweaver according to the Ars Arcanum, but this isn't a word I’d pick for her. Moogle made a good point the AA might be incorrect, which is something I haven't considered. Admittedly, the AA not being credible will annoy me even more. edit: adding the spoiler tag

He gave the shards to his best friend, who had promised him to not be involved in an assassination plot anymore. I personally don't fault Kal for giving Moash shards. Yes, it was stupid, no I don't think Kal deserves a punishment over it. He gave Moash the Shards as part of the assassination plot he involved himself in, so it adds to that. I understand why Kal is more loyal to his fellow bridgemen and frankly I don't blame him for that. Dalinar had already told him he was 'plain wrong' about Amaram and Elhokar is not exactly a person inspiring loyalty, whereas Moash saved his life, was with him during one of the worst of Kal's life and became his best friend.

I never saw it as vengeance, because Kal went for all legal means available to him - telling Dalinar so he can investigate and challenging Amaram to a duel. It is true he had thought about just going to Amaram and killing him, but I believe most people would have had the same thoughts and thinking about a crime isn't the same as committing it. I actually expect there to be consequences for Kal about being involved in the plot of Ehokar's assassination. He left before the subject was brought up and currently nobody in Urithiru knows, but Kal will have to explain it sooner or later. He might be a Radiant now, but so is Dalinar. I wonder if Kal will be sentenced. He swore to never let anyone imprison him ever again, but he did commit a crime. But he also stopped the same crime. The crime that wouldn't have been possible without his help. Hmmm.... We need Nin over here.

That's what Moash told Kaladin, but not what Dalinar said. Elhokar had them arrested based on Roshone's accusations, so far so good. He was supposed to sign some documents so a trial could start, but the paperwork never came, so Moash's grandparents died in prison. While Elhokar could be blamed for not remembering there were people waiting for trial, a ruler has advisers and other people who are supposed to assist him and bring such matters to his attention. I personally do not think it was reasonable to expect Elhokar to keep a track on everything that was going on in Kholinar (especially since men can't read, so he had to rely on scribes who can be bribed easily). There were many people who should have brought up again the case of the Moash's grandparents to Elhokar before it was too late, but noone did.