Aleksiel

I've read all books so far and most deaths there were satisfying after a fashion, causing emotional impact and so on. I'm not asking for a neat moment, I am sharing my opinion it was a poor moment in the book.

If he was to die in a very unsatisfying manner and have about 0 character growth, it could have at least happened sooner.

Wit talking to Shallan while she was fighting the Unmade was too much. Having a character randomly appear and push things in the necessary direction so often is borderline cheating even if explained. Also, Elhokar's death was incredibly underwhelming. Despite my dislike for fake deaths, I'd rather have that than this after all but confirming he was seeing Cryptics, the painting and almost saying the first ideal. Well, stormlight is supposed to work even before that, but his Blade lingered and it would be odd that he somehow broke the bond to fake his death. Still, his arch went nowhere. It feels like wasted potential. While there were some good moment, this has to be my least favorite part of all books so far.

Yeah, I noticed that, too. I'm sure they thought it was the right thing as all tyrants ever. And Cryptics, who keeps to themselves and stay in their city from what we know, are the ones with bad reputation... I bet they kicked honorspren asses and that's why Syl and her kind are so sore when it comes to the Cryptics

I think it was unfair of Dalinar and the others to be angry with the Heralds. They ran until they no longer could. First lasting for centuries, they slowly being broken until they couldn't hold for more than an year, which is still an inhuman accomplishment. No wonder Taln is so broken, I wonder is Cultivation could help heal them? And mentioning her, I'm reminded Odium said Dalinar met her and she took that memory, but the Nightwatcher isn't supposed to be Cultivation.

Hm, I am rushing through the book and didn't think about the lashing. He could be a weird contrast to Nale, no? He gave his family to the authorities after all. Regardless, even if it's an honorspren (I agree it's unlikely one can be surgebinder and squire) I expect someone else to bond honorspren since they showed up. No point in introducing us to a bunch of honorspren observing practice if there won't be new Windrunners.

He has, which I honestly didn't see coming, however is it an honorspren? I couldn't decide from the description and shouldn't Syl have noticed? She's supposed to be the only one defying the SF, I don't recall any hints there was someone before her. Lyn feels to be set for something more than a squire, which would be radiant. After all, new honorspren came looking for people to bond, so we should see it happen.

Does anyone else have the feeling Lyn might be our next Windrunner? And be the one who shows oaths can be worded differently.

I just finished part 2 and couldn't resist visiting the forum, I need a moment to catch my breath and gather my thoughts I can't believe how much we learned! I thought we'd get an interlude from Moash, I didn't expect various Bridge Four povs, that surprised me in a good way. Also, Lift undermining the Stormfather and sneaking on Odium Truly the most awesome of them all, Rock should prepare a feast for her

I can't believe part one is done and we still don't know who wrote Oathbringer I read the scene with Syl and the gloryspren as her taking one for herself, because she had complained she couldn't attract spren, yet totally deserved gloryspren for her brilliance.

Kaladin

Every country has several accents and I don't see why each person would hear the Heralds speaking in their local dialect. Well, I could be wrong, I just find it reasonable Taln would speak in one alethi dialect, regardless of who he is speaking in alethi to. Otherwise if it depended on the other person, I would have expected Shallan to hear him speak in her native veden, which wasn't the case. No idea how it's decided which dialect he speaks though. Also, Hoid too described Taln as speaking without a hint of an accent, so you might have noticed something I just don't count as discrepancy, because I don't think he or Shallan have paid any attention to the number of alethi dialects in Alethkar to describe any of them as something other than 'perfect alethi'. About Dalinar barely understanding Taln, he was murmuring instead of speaking loud and clear like when he entered through the gates, so I would say it was the volume and not the accent that was the problem:

When Shallan said she could imitate rural veden accent, Tyn told her no one out of Jah Keved would get the difference. I think it's the same here.

@Fifth of Daybreak I understand, but I do not see Adolin saying this. If he confesses, he will also take responsibility without trying to absolve himself. Navani or Shallan might use the justification you describe, but not Adolin. That's just not way I read his character.

If Adolin confesses, I doubt he will lie and saying he considers it the duel granted by the king's boon is a lie.

Good luck trying to not talk about it until the official release

Here's the WoB: However (Edgedancer spoiler)

We don't know if 90% of humanity died during Desolations unless I've missed a WoB. The exact quote is: Emphasis mine. Nohadon didn't rule all of humanity and he never claimed there were 90% casualties for the whole world each time. Also, 'nine out of ten' for his people might not have been accurate estimate. I think we are taking the quote too.

Gaz Vivenna Adonalsium Cenn's future autobiography, he's actually alive. He will become Honor's champion, but sadly fail.

I find it interesting dead Blades have a level of awereness on their own Not sure what that oath is, though, and it's interesting the spren feels hate. However, I take it as foreshadowing one that doesn't hate and its bearer has kept their oaths might be revived, as we have again the question if it's possible to do so.

I wonder why Glyss knew the Midnight mother, but Pattern didn't - is Glyss one of those who weren't bonded during Recreanse and thus survived and has experience from previous Desolations?

I bet in-world OB is one of the books in that library, partially ruined, but with some readable sections.

I can sense a new niche for apothecary's charms and wards

Shallan handled the alethi court a little too well or they simply weren't what they were set to be. I didn't get the feeling it's full of these super clever people, who craft all sorts of secret plots and you need to always be alert. I was expecting more of a predatory environment and what I saw was a bunch of grouchy old men. So here I'm leaning towards the alethi court not living up to what we were lead to believe. I didn't feel there was actual danger for Shallan once she pushed through Mraize's initial statement of torturing her. It would have been a poor place to end her arch, so I never expected GB to kill her and I don't associate this arch with high stakes. Something was missing for me. Something I would change is have Navani figure out the Oathgate is a fabrial, that would have felt more natural. Oh, no. No, no, no. Just no. Brandon doesn't get to use all those fake death only to have Adolin die for real, that would be cheating at this point. Which somehow reminds me I forgot to address what @king of nowhere said about Kaladin always thinking he could do better than the actual surgeons. Kaladin never criticize Lirin's work, who himself recognized he's good enough to be an assistant to a Kholinar surgeon, but not a full surgeon himself. Kal is letting his arrogance and childhood assumptions that he and his father are the best at this leak through his pov. You are not the only one rolling eyes at Kaladin pretending he was the one who taught Vedel healing

I don't completely agree on Bondsmiths with you. SF told Dalinar he won't become Blade, that doesn't mean no BS ever had one. If radiants' children inherit their eyecolor, the existence of grey lighteyes doesn't go against the theory SB kept their oaths. Even if you consider bonding a dead Blade to change eyes to color matching that of the order (I'm skeptical, but there isn't enough to argue), then note we haven't seen a grey eyed Shardbearer in WoK: Vargo's description: I didn't find any grey eyed Shardbearers in WoR either, but I think not all of them had their respective colors mentioned. However I still think the whole eye color thing isn't clear, if Ash and LW are with violet eyes, what's the eyecolor for WS, where's the pale red for DB?