Aleksiel

I'm wondering something different about Renarin. Why is he a Truthwatcher? He is one of the bravest characters in the series, I expected him to be a Dustbringer. Sorry, Releaser. I suppose he's learned for a man and he's giving in a way, but he is also so obedient and did I mention brave?

It will be kind of funny if she plays with both Kal and Adolin for a while only to marry Renarin. Though I honestly don't want any love triangles, let alone.. ummm.. squares. And I certainly hope this doesn't go some wierd WoT style with Shallan having more than one guy.

I've been wondering the same. Syl said she was as dead as his oaths, so something Kaladin did at that moment must have broken another oath. He broke the first ideal when he agreed to Moash's plan - choosing the destination before the journey and death before life. I'm still trying to figure it out. So, probably something he did at that exact moment before Syl's scream broke the second ideal, though he really attempt to protect Dalinar from an assassination. Perhaps Kaladin's reasons for protection were no longer acceptable?

Renarin was the one who wrote the countdown on the walls.

Only once actually and it was his arm that was cut, not a vital organ. Stormlight can not heal a fatal wound.

Um, Jasnah had a blade pierce her heart. I do think that's a serious condition Kaladin never experienced.

What was unexpected however, was that her father hadn't always been an abusive, bitter man. He was a father, protecting his child and taking all the blame for his wife's death which broke him. But he kept protecting her from everything, even from himself when he was at his worst. I felt sick when she killed him. In a way, Shallan destroyed her family. Now, I do not blame a child for what happened, but it was what she did that lead to the destruction of her family. And she is still in denial. She told Kaladin her father killed her mother. To me, it felt like cheating. Instead, she confessed it in a normal chapter and didn't feel dramatic or new. I was disappointed we didn't learn what Shallan said to make Pattern into a Blade and what broke her soul so a Nahel bond could appear. It felt to me that we didn't learn really important pieces of information.

I really don't think he resolved all his trust issues, just those with Dalinar.

It's not like Dalinar ever gave him much chance. Even when he finally got him a Shardplate and allowed him on the battlefield as Renarin has long wanted, Dalinar never quite trusts Renarin's abilities. Renarin doesn't have the confidence of taking such a role - reforming the KR and I personally don't think Dalinar would have given him the cape anyway. He was willing to see Radiant anywhere, but in his son. Also, we have the epigraph saying that Renarin's Order isn't famous for speaking their mind and plots, but rather keep to themselves and stay away from most people, being secretive, not explaining themselves. Which is why I definitely chose wisely their glyph as my profile picture, I'll fit right in. And Renarin as well. You obviously can not expect a Truthwatcher to spell it out for you. Renarin has a long way to go to be as effective as Kaladin, but that doesn't make him any less than others. He had just bonded apparently, stormlight healing his sight somewhere in the middle of the book. He is still finding out what he can do, he just needs more time to learn how to use his powers. Kaladin couldn't walk on walls until recently, remember? Renarin is very brave. He ran unarmed against a chasmfiend to help his father. He entered a duel where he might have been easily killed to help his brother when all odds were against him. He tried to help the attacked bridgemen on that plateau, but he couldn't bear the Shardblade's screaming. Remember, he doesn't share much with anyone and keeps to himself. He has been put down by everyone, even his father had treated him as more of a liability. He is used to the line of thinking that something is wrong with him, that he isn't as he should be, everyone ignoring him. Of course he didn't share his problems with the Shardblade, what if Dalinar took away his shards, the possibility to fight? He couldn't risk that. And he is so very used to being treated like the problem is in him that he had started to believe it. But he will learn that he is perfect the way he is. Renarin doesn't have Adolin's confidence or Kaladin's experience. But he is eager to learn, to help, to progress. I believe he will amaze us in future books.

Yet she said he killed her when he forsake his oaths and didn't mention stormlight at all.

Shallan demanding Kal's boots was hilarious! Kaladin and Adolin's moments: on the training ground when Adolin was so certain Shallan went there only for him and how Kal mocked him; the 'playing on of the ten fools' and 'welcome to the party' arena scene. Hoid and Jasnah in the epilogue Lopen regrowing his arm back Kal realizing Elhokar was Dalinar's Tien

I certainly hope it doesn't, but don't forget she also reminded him of his mom. They could be bros, though even this feels weird. I expected them to not really get along, but it works for now. Their interactions were overall really funny. I think that was the exact moment Syl dies, because he doesn't see her from then until the third Ideal. So, I really need more to this, what exactly happened in that moment that damaged their bond so badly? Why then and not before?

Unless she was prepared and the one checking her pulse was actually working for her. Remember Jasnah was suddenly terrified of something that wasn't of the Voidbringers mare hours before the assassination attempt.

I liked Kal's story. Though it felt wrong for him to agree with the plan against Elhokar. I like how he handled being in prison, I was afraid that would destroy everything he had with Dalinar. I am really confused by one thing and will be grateful if someone can explain it to me. How did Kaladin kill Syl in that moment when he fell into the chasm? He was actually protecting (or at leat trying to prevent an assassination attempt), yet she screamed in pain and died. Yeah, he has some selfish motives for protecting Dalinar, but what, he can't protect someone when that benefits him in a way? His... hmm... feeling towards Shallan however felt somewhat out of place. Yes, he needs love and I hope he finds a girl in future books, but the whole episode of seeing Shallan suddenly beautiful was not really enjoyable for me. I hope this doesn't turn into a love triangle.

Huh... I thought #5 would be the Willshapers since they posses the Illumination surge that could will an illusion to life.

I was under the impression Brandon had no intention to make such Cosmere crossovers, but I was thrilled by Nightblood's appearance.

It bothered me that it wasn't stated which order are those Truthwatchers. What surges do they posses exactly?

I didn't like much Shallan's flashbacks. It felt like cheating that nothing in the first book indicated she was that close to a Radiant. And her character's growth seemed too rushed considering her past. There were many thing that were missing in her story or I didn't read it carefully enough. Such as: What broke Shallan's soul and made her capable of Nahel bond? How did she learn the First Ideal? What truths did she say to Pattern to make him into a Shardblade? Since Lightweavers apparently don't say any Ideal after the first, only truths, how come Shallan hadn't this figured out until Pattern said it? How come she never soulcasted before meeting Jasnah? Why did she think in WoK she needed 10 heartbeats to get the Shardblade?

Shallan's soul had to be broken before she was able to bond with Pattern and I am really disappointed we didn't learn how this happened. Also, what powerful truths did she say to her spren to get to the third Words that apparently allow sprens to become Shardblades? I find the way her story was handled to be unsatisfying because too many important parts were missing.

I believe Jasnas was stabbed with that sword, caught off guard. However, Shallan knocked off a goblet of spheres on the floor of her cabin when she woke up and some of them could have easily rolled out of the door to Jasnah. That way she gained enough stormlight to heal anything fatal and transported herself to Shadesmar. None of this requires Jasnah to be fully conscious, though she'd had to be able to breathe in the stormlight, but an assassin checked upon her. So could that one be someone she had hired to help her fake her death? She was expecting something horrible that night as she was utterly terrified and I think even Jasnah's tranquility can be broken by the fear of unsuccessfully faked death. However, I can't imagine Jasnah putting Shallan in such danger and she couldn't have relied on the possibility of Shallan accidentally throwing stormlight at her. Note that Jasnah is at least on her third Words as she can form a Shardblade, which means stormlight is far more potent for her and a few sphere's could have been all she needed to survive.

It could be another one of Lopen's jokes, just entirely without context.

GHM, I would share your joy. If I had my copy of WoR! I have a box of jealousy and envy to send to anyone having their copy of WoR before me.

We really don't know about Jasnah, but we had plenty of Shallan's PoV in WoK. Wouldn't she know her abilities better if she has gotten to the fifth ideal? And have a spren earlier? I kind of assumed one can only progress with Ideals after they have bonded to a spren.

Why doesn't Kaladin have one if that's the case? I think we can safely assume Shallan got her Shardblade the normal way - bonding with one already existing. She hasn't said any of the Ideals yet, so she's far from a KR.

Why would Jasnah have a Shardblade?