#shallan they could never make me hate you

[tintagliat]

Starting the Stormlight archive and getting into the fandom has truly been an experience. Like what do you mean some of y’all found Shallan annoying in the start and hated her chapters in Way of Kings?? I thought she was so endearing from the beginning 😭

[cosmerelists]

How Stormlight Characters Would Act With a Bad Cold

As requested by anon. :)

Of course, probably these days none of our main characters would ever have a cold, since they all can either heal with Stormlight or ask someone to do the healing for them.

But let's say they did, somehow, get a bad cold that they could not immediately heal from. How would they act?

1. Kaladin: Insists that he is not sick

Think of how he was with his injured leg in WOR, hobbling about everywhere.

Kaladin: I’m not sick--I feel fine! Teft: ...You have snot streaming down your face. Kaladin: Uh, no, those are just my...tears. Kaladin: Because of, uh, all of my...trauma. Kaladin: [thumbs up] Teft: GO TO BED

2. Dalinar: Insists that he can do his job despite being sick

Dalinar wouldn't lie about being sick. He would also not give up one iota of responsibility.

Dalinar: ..And that (cough) is why (sniff) we must (cough) band together (sniff) to beat (cough) Odium! Dalinar: ... Dalinar: (sniff) Is my gravitas taking a hit?

3. Jasnah: Takes time off

Controversial, but I think Jasnah would take the practical, actually-realistic-and-good attitude toward sickness: aka, stay home until you feel better.

Wit: Don't worry, my love, I have every immunity, so brought you some - Wit: ... Wit: Are you working? Jasnah: What? Don't be ridiculous. Jasnah: This is my recreational research. Jasnah: What?

4. Shallan: Lies in bed, bundled up, making herself feel better through terrible quips

Her hair is frazzled, her eyes red, and she is huddling in a blanket nest of her own design as she coughs and sniffles.

Adolin: Shallan are you, uh, okay? Adolin: You look a bit rough. Shallan: I'm great, thank you. Shallan: I'm practicing for my new position as Highlady of Snot, she who produces Snot for all of the Less Fortunate. Adolin: ...I love you, but what? Shallan: You can't expect me to be all that clever--I'm sick!

5. Navani: Gets through it with the help of her fabrials

Navani isn't going to just tough it out--she has science!

Dalinar: ...Do I want to ask? Navani: Ah, Dalinar! Navani: My snot-fabrial works! Navani: It is attracting all of the snot out of my sinuses, keeping them clear! Dalinar: ...Is that how that works? Navani: Honestly, I'm so feverish that I have no idea! Dalinar: Let's get you to bed!

6. Adolin & Renarin: Always make their mother's chicken soup

Canon or not, I believe that Evi had some sort of "my boys are sick" meal that she made for them, and that Adolin & Renarin always make it for each other if one of them is sick.

Renarin: Here, Adolin. You'll never feel better if you don't eat mother's chicken soup! Adolin: Oh, thank you! I always feel better the next day when I have this! Shallan: I can SMELL the spice from here! Adolin (fondly): Yeah, it's the best.

7. Elhokar: Gets grumpy & melodramatic

Not gonna lie, this is me when I'm sick (I'm so sorry to my loving wife).

Elhokar: I shall cut off my own nose! Elhokar: It is full of snot and I will cut it off of my face to be free! Elhokar: [throwing himself dramatically onto the bed when no one responds] Elhokar: I HATE being SICK

8. Szeth: Believes that his suffering will redeem mankind

My wife got very sick on our honeymoon (pre-covid). I woke up in the middle of the night and she was sitting on the couch. When I asked if she was okay, she said that she had reached enlightenment and that she had taken on the pain of humanity and that her suffering would redeem the world. I gave her Tylenol.

Anyway. That's Szeth.

Kaladin: Uh...Szeth? Why are you sitting in the darkness? Szeth: I have reached enlightenment. Szeth: I suffer for the world. Szeth: My suffering will redeem them all. Kaladin: ...I'm gonna get you something for that fever.

[thatboreddrake]

So a while back I finished the third book of the Stormlight Archives, Oathbringer. As I was thinking back over the characters and plotlines, it occurred to me, "It's all about pain, isn't it." Each of the major plot beats seem to focus on how characters deal with and cope with their own personal pains.

Adolin is dealing with the feeling that he has betrayed everything that he and his father stood for, but he can't bring himself to feel guilty about it. Shallan is dealing with everything that happened in her childhood and feeling as though it was all her fault. Dalinar has to deal with the pain of the fact that he killed his wife and put an entire city to the sword: men, women, and children. Venli is dealing with the fact that her sister, her people, and everyone that she's ever known has died, and it's all her fault. Teft is still struggling with the guilt of bringing death to his whole family. Kaladin is dealing with the same darkness that nearly led him to cast himself into the chasm and feels powerless to prevent the deaths of those he feels responsible for. Moash is wrestling with the fact that he betrayed Kaladin: the only person who he feels was ever worthy of his respect or loyalty.

And each of them deals with the pain in their own ways. Adolin puts on a brave face and desperately tries to pretend that he's the same person as he always has been, despite the turmoil that is eating him alive. Shallan retreats further into the protection of disguises, faces, new personas, in a bid to be anybody but herself, anyone but the person who feels her pain. In his flashbacks, Dalinar nearly drinks himself to death in a vain attempt to drown the memories of those he murdered. Venli throws herself into her work, determined that she is going to make her people's sacrifice mean something. Teft falls into a depression and isolates himself from Bridge Four to prevent them from seeing his pain and his shame. Kaladin tries desperately to push it all down and focus on the next mission to keep himself from having the time to dwell on everything that he has lost. And Moash tries to rationalize his actions, convincing himself that the whole world is broken. Just like him.

And in the end, none of these coping mechanisms help them to move forward or deal with their pain. So long as they hold onto them, they only prolong their suffering. Adolin's conflict is only resolved when he finally comes clean to Shallan and receives her confirmation that he did the right thing. Shallan comes inches away from completely losing herself to her illusions until Hoid confronts her and asserts that, no matter what has happened and what she has done, she must never believe that she deserves to hurt. Venli has to mentally break from the work of the Fused and, with the prompting of Timbre, instead take the next step to try and rebuild what she has lost. Teft is forced to confront his own self-loathing and affirm that he will protect those he hates, even if the one he hates the most is himself. Moash falls fully into his self-rationalization and refuses to accept the idea that he could still change for the better.

Kaladin... well, Kaladin doesn't overcome his pain here. When he comes to the critical moment, he knows what he has to do to move on and become a better man. But he can't. Instead, he is forced to reckon with the fact that, despite his best efforts, sometimes all he can do is to take a step back and let somebody else save him. But that doesn't mean that he's any closer to accepting and healing from the pain of losing the ones he swore to protect.

In this, Kaladin's character mirrors that of Amaram, in a way. In their fight, Kaladin forces Amaram to strip away his rationalizations. Despite all his talk of working for the greater good of Roshar, Amaram still has to deal with the pain of the damage which his actions have inflicted on others. But instead of learning from his pain, he gladly surrenders it to Odium's reassurance: "You didn't do this. I made you do this. It wasn't your fault."

And all of this is what makes the conclusion of Dalinar's arc so powerful in this book. Dalinar, who so recently had to come to terms with a crushing amount of pain. Who once more was faced with a truth that in the past had driven him to self-destruction and desperation. Dalinar, who, despite all his attempts to be a better person, has to reckon with the fact that he has wrought untold amounts of death and destruction on people whose only crime was being in his way. And when he is given Odium's same offer? The choice to surrender his pain, his choice, his responsibility? He gives but one response: "YOU CANNOT HAVE MY PAIN"

Because in the end, it's all about pain. How we deal with it. How we accept responsibility and move on with our lives. Because the pain will never truly leave us. All that is left for us, then, is to turn the pain into a spark. To let it light a fire beneath our feet, that we may be a better person tomorrow than we were today.

[scienter]

Wind and Truth Chapters 14 & 15

DAY 2

POV: Dalinar, Jasnah, Navani, Fen, Yanagawn, Adolin, Shallan, Szeth, Sigizil, Kaladin, Lift, Renarin, Rlain, Lopen

There are so many POVs in this section! I’m looking forward to this. This is what I love about epic fantasy. So many perspectives.

CHAPTER 14

Epigraph: As I approached the first crossroads, I met a family seeking a new life. – From The Way of Kings, fourth parable

So, why is the Way of The Kings relevant again? Is it because Kaladin becomes the King of Urithiru or King of the Heralds? Or is it related to Dalinar’s journey? (or both?)

How much better would all of this have gone if Dalinar had died in his brother’s place that fateful night? Perhaps this war would already have been won.

NO! No, Dalinar, it wouldn’t. Gavilar was a shit king.

Jasnah liked trying new things; this relationship itself was, in a way, such an experiment. She had enjoyed it for many reasons—the scheming together, the sharing of incredible plans, the chance to connect with someone so intellectually stimulating. Relationships were about compromise, she had read, and so she’d procured a new bed. And she hated it. She swam in stuffing, irritationspren—like pink motes almost invisible in the night—bobbing around her as she listened to Wit breathing. He didn’t snore, but he did occasionally whistle.

I’m not bothered by this ship like so many other people are. It makes sense to me (their relationship is mostly intellectual). But it's not going to last. This entire section screams DOOMED. Wit doesn’t have it in him to go the distance with anyone.

And storms. This was why it was best to avoid such entanglements. Eight days until Dalinar confronted Odium, and she was worrying about a relationship.

I love this about Jasnah. Yes, she’s intellectual, calculating, and cold. But she’s not as stoic as she appears. She cares deeply about the people around her.

What if, instead of hiding her powers, she’d told people what she could do and what she feared?

What powers is Jasnah hiding?

Her life and Dalinar’s seemed very different. He’d burned a city, and people forgave him. He’d proclaimed the Almighty to be dead, and half the ardents had joined him. Yet when Jasnah was honest about her atheism, her thoughts on government, or her displeasure with traditions like the safehand… well, condemnation and judgment had chased her like twin headsmen, each looking to get a whipping in before the execution.

THANK YOU FOR POINTING THIS OUT BRANDON.

Look, I LOVE Dalinar. He’s my second favorite Stormlight character after Kaladin. But I’ll admit Dalinar sometimes gets Draco in Leather Pants treatment.  Both in-verse and from the fandom.

It reminded her of the soft restraints they’d given her when she’d been young. When those who loved her had locked her away for a few terrible months that basically everyone else had forgotten about.

Longer than a mortal mind can track, so I store memories in something called Breath,

I just re-read Warbreaker, and I don’t think anyone in the book used Breathe that way. . .

I’m dying for a Warbreaker sequel btw.

Jasnah turned off her alarms, then pulled a chair over and sank down, feeling sick to her stomach. “I asked you, Wit,” she whispered. “I asked you to involve me in any dealings you had with him.” “I’m telling you now, Jasnah,” he said. “That is, technically, involving you.”

Hoid . . . you’re such a dum-dum sometimes.

She held his eyes and knew. There would never be a place for her inside his deepest self, would there? She’d always be on the outside, maintained as part of his collection. Enjoyed, perhaps even loved, but never confided in.

DOOMED. DOOMED. DOOMED.

“Fantastically wrong. Rayse is a megalomaniac, Jasnah. For all his craftiness, it would hurt him to let me walk away thinking I’d bested him. Yet this time he encouraged it.” Wit leaned forward and took her hand. “He’s grown. After ten thousand years, Rayse has actually learned something. That terrifies me. Because if I can’t anticipate what he will do…”

I wonder who’ll be the one to figure out it’s not Rayse. Renarin, perhaps?

“You’re right,” he said. He took a deep breath. “You’re… you’re right. We need an expert, beyond even my considerable knowledge.” “Do you know any?” “On your world?” he asked. “Only one, but she and I aren’t on speaking terms. I will instead see if I can contact an old friend…”

. . . I guess Hoid and Cultivation aren’t on speaking terms?

I wonder who this old friend he plans on contacting? Another Shard on another world? 🤔

It should be, the Sibling said in her mind. They rarely dared infiltrate me before. My Light not only knocks Fused unconscious, it makes the Radiants here virtually invincible. We need to learn how to send that Light with them, Navani thought back, trailing through the room, resting her fingers on each fabrial she could reach. Spren of a half dozen varieties followed like a cloak made of light. It cannot be done, the Sibling said. Humans cannot hold my Light; they are too full of holes.

Hm. How about the Heralds? They’re cognitive shadows.

Anyway, this is why I doubt Navani will die. I don’t think Brandon would get Towerlight working, just to reverse it in the next book.

No, the Sibling said. You’re part of me, and I am part of you. The tower doesn’t need sleep. You will not either.

Navani doesn’t need sleep anymore? Oh, I’d love that superpower.

She should have asked, but there was so much to learn. She’d discovered only yesterday that she couldn’t leave the tower for any extended period of time, or it would weaken the bond. A few weeks at most was all she could risk.

So, if Navani wants to use her Radiant powers she stuck there. That sucks.

“The queen would like advice from her most brilliant of advisors: Is she too old for quality time with her husband? Perhaps she is too distinguished for an occasional tumble in the surf?” “I wasn’t talking about that,” she replied. “Just the part where we snuck away from the guards and found a hammock. You’re almost seventy, you know.” “And the average age of your merchant council must be somewhere in the eighties,” Kmakl replied. “So by that comparison, we’re basically a new schooner. Now stop distracting me from distracting you.” She sighed, but relaxed into the swaying hammock, the rough canvas rubbing her bare skin. Waves rocked the ship, and her cares fled before warm perfection. Until a brilliant white light lit the cabin. Damnation.

It’s not explicit, but it’s definitely implied that Fen and her husband are having sex. Is this the first sex scene in Brandon’s books? Siri and Susesbron have fade-to-black and post-coital scenes, but I don’t recall any scenes with couples in the middle of the act.

CHAPTER 15

“Hakindar brought me six different soaps,” Adolin said. “And a rough sand mix from Marat to exfoliate! There’s this one soap out of Thaylenah—they use it on their eyebrows—that is fantastic for hair.”

Of course, Adolin is into exfoliation, soaps, and shampoos. It makes sense that Afolin's vanity extends to beauty products.

Also, we got another scene with a nude couple! 😊

I don’t need explicit sex scenes to enjoy epic fantasy, but I’m glad that Bradon's getting more comfortable including physical intimacy in the cosmere.

“I don’t blame you for wanting someone to prep my father for you. He can be… stern to those who disappoint him.” She perhaps sensed the bitterness in his tone, noticed how several joyspren winked away. It had been a year since Adolin had learned Dalinar killed his mother, and he couldn’t let go. As he set Shallan down, she took his face in her hands. “Would it help to talk?” she asked. “I don’t know, Shallan,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t want to think about him. Or talk to him. I don’t want to fix things between us. I just… I…” He’d thought waiting would let the pain fade. It had instead festered. He found himself more angry than he’d been when he’d first found out.

Oh good! Please give us more of this Brandon! One of my disappointments with ROW was the lack of follow-up to Dalinar’s story in Oathbringer. I’m dying to see Adolin confront Dalinar over what he did to Evi. I don't want Adolin to gloss over something SO BIG.

(I don’t think there was enough Dalinar in ROW in general, but that’s a whole other discussion.)

“I know,” she whispered, head to his chest once more. “I want to kiss you until you can’t breathe and spend a week never leaving our rooms. But we can’t. Not yet. Mraize will try to hurt me, love. Prove that I was foolish to cross him. To get to me, he’ll capture or kill you if he can. I have to act before he does.”

Possible Adolin death flag? Or am I so neurotic that one of the main characters is going to die in this book that I’m seeing death flags where there are none?

(I’m convinced SOMEONE major is dying. The question is who?)

She stepped back to him, went up on her toes, and kissed him, water falling around them like applause. The heat he’d been fighting off rose within him, outdoing that of the stream from above, and the passionspren fell more powerfully. It seemed that whether or not she had time to spare, they were going to find it.

Ok, Brandon, can we get a tasteful Dalinar and Navani (implicit) sex scene next? They’re my favorite Stormlight couple.

“It’s not just Azimir and Thaylen City—there’s a third offensive. A large number of Fused are marching on the Shattered Plains.”

Oh shit.

“Dalinar Kholin?” a voice asked. He spun, but found that Colot the guardsman had already stepped between him and the speaker. She was a shorter woman, Makabaki, in brown clothing. Black hair in tight curls, heavyset build. Dark brown eyes that shimmered with something he couldn’t define. “Do I know you?” Dalinar asked. “We’ve met,” she said, then turned and walked along the balcony railing. She waved for him to follow. “You give orders to the king of Urithiru?” Colot said. “What manner of—” “Stay back,” Dalinar said, waving to them all. Then he ran to catch up to the woman. Her air, attitude, and looks dredged up deep memories. Ones he’d once forgotten by her own hand. No. It couldn’t be. Could it? Cultivation. The third god.

THAT’S WHERE YOU’RE ENDING THIS, BRANDON!?

How very Charles Dickens. lol

Maybe Cultivation wants to warn Dalinar about Todium?

[cinnamontails-ff]

The incredible @kittenintheden tagged me for this, so I'll give it my best shot!

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

Four.

2) What’s your total AO3 word count?

224,051 - which, honestly, is insane because that means I've written (and edited) pretty much two entire novels over the course of last 12 months. The vampire elf is too powerful, guys.

3) What fandoms do you write for?

BG3

4) What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I'm a fandom newbie, so I don't even have 5, but here are my babies:

Accountant's Guide - Pre-Canon Astarion teams up with a human accountant to frame Cazador for tax fraud. It's exactly as whacky as it sounds.

Magistrate's Advocate - The Magistrate Astarion longfic someone had to write.

Vampire Stay-at-Home Trophy Husband - Reverse Isekai EA oneshot

An Empirical Science - My contribution to the Holy Rolan Empire

5) Do you respond to comments?

Always. Obsessively so. Love responding to comments and chatting with readers.

6) What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

My fics have a good bit of angst and tension and heartbreak, but I always strive for an overall "warm" feeling in my writing, so those moments tend to get resolved at some point. No angsty endings in my portfolio (yet).

7) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Accountant's Guide is where I gave Astarion everything I wish he could have. Zero regrets.

8) Do you get hate on fics?

Occasionally, but it's pretty rare. Not to make excuses for people hating on fics (because that is despicable; we're working for free here), but I don't think my fics are controversial enough to attract a lot of hate. They're cute. They're wholesome. They don't take themselves too seriously, so I think it's pretty difficult to hate on them.

Although someone once called Scarlett a b**** and sometimes I remember that and I become wrath.

9) Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Explicit smut is something I've really only started doing when I got into fanfiction this past year. I like incorporating it into my longfics to emphasize key moments for my characters and their development, so it's part porn, part plot.

It can get kinky, but it will always be consensual. Dubcon/noncon is a big no for me, personally.

10) Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

No crossovers, but An Empirical Science is where I have a lot of fun butchering adapting Pride & Prejudice lines. I mean, it's a Rolan fic. How could you not?

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know, but I have seen coincidences of very similar concepts and ideas popping up after I've introduced them in my fics.

12) Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, there's an ongoing Ukrainian translation for Accountant's Guide! I translate the comments every now and then and readers are really praising the language skills of the translator, so that's awesome!

13) Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but we chat a lot about my stories on my Discord server, so that's often a little like writing together.

14) What’s your all time favorite ship?

Shalladin (Kaladin x Shallan from Stormlight Archive). I love Brandon Sanderson with all my heart, but for this, I will never forgive him.

15) What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I get very hyperfocused on my stories and rarely work on more than 1 project at a time, so I tend to finish what I start.

16) What are your writing strengths?

Look, my social anxiety makes me a pretty rizzless person to talk to in real life, but my writing is funny. It's charming. I am great at character voice. I keep things real. My OCs don't need to be perfect flawless beauty goddesses to woo the guy; they recite a few paragraphs and swing their fountain pen and the guy is on. the. floor.

Sometimes literally.

17) What are your writing weaknesses?

According to a rather charming public bookmark on my fic, I struggle with "pacing issues" and "questionable narrative choices". Clearly, this person knows what they're talking about, so let's accept it as fact.

18) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I think this is generally really difficult to pull off without being confusing (check out "The Wee Free Men" by Sir Terry Pratchett for a really good example how to do it). So unless I had a very specific reason for it, I would prefer to write around it as I've done with Infernal in An Empirical Science.

19) First fandom you wrote for?

Still BG3. First and last? Who knows.

20) Favorite fic you’ve written?

Accountant's Guide. It's the story I wrote when I hit rock bottom and thought I couldn't write anymore. It's the story that made me believe again. My first story in English and by far the easiest thing I've ever written. It's the story I reread when I'm sad, when I'm happy, when I want a hug that reaches all the way into my soul. I am never happier than when people tell me this is a comfort read for them, just as it is for me.

I'm tagging @thedreamlessnights, @purdledooturt, @larvasmoon, @karinamay and @davenswitcher if they feel like sharing their answers!

[toothache-dyke]

shallan davar they could never make me hate you

[taurnachardhin]

Taylor Swift songs that get me in my feelings about cosmere characters

Mistborn Era 1

"Wonderland" (Mare) | didn't they tell us don't rush into things? / didn't you flash your green eyes at me? / haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?

"hoax" (Kelsier) | my best laid plan / your sleight of hand / my barren land / I am ash from your fire / stood on the cliffside screaming, 'give me a reason' / your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in

"Dear Reader" (Marsh) | dear reader, bend when you can / snap when you have to / dear reader, you don't have to answer / just 'cause they asked you / dear reader, the greatest of luxuries is your secrets / dear reader, when you aim at the devil, make sure you don't miss

"Dancing With Our Hands Tied" (Vin) | I, I loved you in spite of / deep fears that the world would divide us / so, baby, can we dance / oh, through an avalanche? / and say, say that we got it / I'm a mess, but I'm the mess that you wanted

"epiphany" (Sazed) | only twenty minutes to sleep / but you dream of some epiphany / just one single glimpse of relief / to make some sense of what you've seen

Warbreaker

"Would've, Could've, Should've" (Vivenna) | oh, all I used to do was pray / would've, could've, should've / if you'd never looked my way / I would have stayed on my knees / and I damn sure never would've danced with the devil

Stormlight

"tolerate it" (Navani) | I made you my temple, my mural, my sky / now I'm begging for footnotes in the story of your life / drawing hearts in the byline / always taking up too much space or time

"this is me trying" (Kaladin) | I've been having a hard time adjusting / I had the shiniest wheels, now they're rusting / I didn't know if you'd care if I came back / I have a lot of regrets about that

"The Archer" (Shallan) | I cut off my nose just to spite my face / then I hate my reflection for years and years / I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost / the room is on fire, invisible smoke

"I Did Something Bad" (Jasnah) | if a man talks shit / then I owe him nothing / I don't regret it one bit / 'cause he had it coming

Mistborn Era 2

"peace" (Steris/Wax) | all these people think love's for show / but I would die for you in secret / the devil's in the details, but you got a friend in me / would it be enough if I could never give you peace?

"cowboy like me" (Wayne) | with your boots beneath my bed / forever is the sweetest con / I've had some tricks up my sleeve / takes one to know one / you're a cowboy like me

"Hits Different" (MeLaan) | I find the artifacts, cried over a hat / cursed the space that I needed / I trace the evidence, make it make some sense / why the wound is still bleedin'

[nevertheless-moving]

Kaladin set down his cup with noticeably shaky hands, his face drained of color. "He killed my men, Shallan," he said, voice loud in the suddenly silent room.

Several heads slowly turned to look at Nan Balat, who had gone far paler than Kaladin could ever manage, with a few blotches of red on his cheeks for contrast. "What? What men? When? Where? I didn't kill any men! You mean people, right? I didn't kill any people!"

"He was my brother," Shallan said, tears in her eyes. "And you killed him to save Amaram."

"Sixteen of my men, Shallan. Sixteen."

"Of course you never talked about this," Adolin muttered. "Of course not." Why would they sit down and talk about things.

"What—" Dalinar started to say, but Navani shushed him, gently taking his elbow to indicate they should leave.

"Oh, I'm sure they died in glorious battle defending HIghmarshall Amaram. What a wonderful brightlord to defend. You must have been very proud."

"Cenn. Dallet. Cyn. Lyndel —" Kaladin was standing now.

"Yes, men die in war. You're telling me they have names too? Shocking, I tell you. Truly revolutionary information." Shallan stepped toward him, expression contemptuous.

Renarin opened the door with a slight creak, dragging Sigzil by the arm to force him to leave.

"They weren't even fighting Shallan. They were just in his path. We barely understood that a Shardbarer was there. Cenn was fifteen and already injured, and your brother trampled him with a horse."

Navani all but pushed Dalinar out the door, repeatedly hushing him as he tried to interject.

"Wait, what?" Jushu said. "This — this is about Helaran? Shallan, you knew about this? For how long?"

"Blood of my fathers," Adolin moaned. "Of course."

"I'm not leaving," Teft hissed. "Lad needs someone on his side."

"He was my brother Kaladin. My brother." Shallan was openly weeping now. Judging by the snot, it probably wasn't a lightweaving to make Kaladin feel worse.

"I know," Kaladin said, face twisting in guilt. "I know. I'm so sorry, Shallan." He reach one hand out but pulled it back immediately. "I — you have no idea how much I regret defending Amaram, but I did the only thing I could at the time."

Shallan let out a broken cry, then charged forward, knocking over a chair to reach Kaladin.

Adolin scrambled over the table, trying to reach them in time, but his wife was already there, throwing her arms around bridgeboy.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I hate you. I shouldn't have said any of that. I love you. I'm sorry."

"Oh thank the Heralds," Adolin said, slumping back. He didn't really know what his plan would be if they actually started attacking each other. Cry, probably.

"Kaladin Stormblessed killed Helaran?" Wikim whispered.

Adolin winced. Yeah. This was probably how this was always going to go.

At least Kaladin hadn't written a book about it.

Shallan and Kaladin never actually talk about him killing Helaran until well post Oathbringer, when, and it is important it happens in exactly this way, she and Balat are having a petty sibling fight in front of company and she yells "KALADIN CAN YOU KILL MY NEXT OLDEST BROTHER"

[lizziestudieshistory]

Books of 2021 - Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

It’s probably time to admit what is probably my most unpopular opinion about the Cosmere: I hate Words of Radiance. It’s the book I have to slog my way through to get to Oathbringer. Part of my dislike is heavily linked to my disillusionment about Shallan… However, I do think the big moments in this book – most notably the duel scene and final battle – cloud people to the genuine faults in it. It is a technical step up from The Way of Kings, but there are huge parts of this book that are unnecessarily slow to read and there is a huge thematic drop that starts in this book that I cannot forgive Sanderson for. I also dislike a lot of the individual plotlines, major characters are barely in this book, and a lot of the big reveals/developments feel unearned because they had to happen in this book so we could get on with the more important conflicts in the rest of the series.

This review has spoilers for The Stormlight Archive, you have been warned.

Structure and Plot

I don’t want to touch on the structure too much because a lot of my niggles for The Way of Kings continue into Words of Radiance. All of these books have too much fat around them – the interludes continue to feel irrelevant; the main bulk of the book is drawn out slightly too much; and the flashbacks are merely okay, they haven’t reached the level of Oathbringers’ flashback sequence yet. However, Sanderson does make some serious improvements in this book.

Shallan, our focus character, does have a much more interesting backstory and the flashbacks have slightly more bearing on the present-day plotline. However, for me, they lose interest on subsequent rereads and there are slightly too many of them that don’t add any new information once we’re aware of how terrible her family life is. They are an improvement on Kaladin’s, and I like them a lot more, however, considering how much we STILL don’t know about Shallan (as of Rhythm of War) Sanderson could have utilised them better in this book. Saying this, I do remember really liking the flashbacks on my first read, so I really do think my current negativity is a product of having read this book one too many times? I’m going to hold off on Sanderson for a couple of years after this reread so (if I remember) I’ll come back and reevaluate how I feel about Shallan’s flashbacks with a fresher eye.

Sanderson also gets us into this book a lot quicker than he did in The Way of Kings. Jasnah’s prologue is one of my favourites in the series so far, and part one does hit the ground running. It sucks the reader back into the world, refamiliarised with the essentials of the story, as well as introducing the next leg of the plot. It’s a fabulous introduction and it’s one of the strongest first parts in the series as a whole.

Unfortunately, the pacing doesn’t reflect this strong introduction – once Shallan loses Jasnah’s guidance, and Kaladin is established as Dalinar’s guard the book dramatically slows down. Kaladin’s chapters, while slow, have some differentiation to break them up with Bridge Four learning how to be guards. Shallan’s turns into an interminable slog across the countryside. One of the things I loathe in fantasy are the long journeys with nothing going on – sometimes they can be done beautifully. For example, I love Sam and Frodo’s section in The Two Towers, but Shallan’s is just painful. Sam and Frodo’s journey is so fascinating because of the internal struggle they are going through (together and separately), it’s atmospheric and powerful because of its character work. Yes they are trying to get to Mordor, but the goal isn’t what matters here – it’s whether Sam and Frodo can survive the journey, and what state they will be in when they get there.

Shallan’s journey is clearly a way to get her to the Shattered Plains in the right circumstances and it shows. We’re journeying from A to B, with a few obstacles thrown in. There is some development from Shallan as she learns the basics to being a conwoman from Tyn. However, again this is something thrown in to keep Shallan’s point of view interesting while she’s riding through the countryside. It’s not vital character growth that can only be done at this point in the journey. If we’re going to slog it through the wilderness there needs to be a point to it that can only be learnt from showing such a long journey – otherwise cut down Shallan’s chapters in this section and only show the necessary highlights, while hinting at the longer journey through her internal reflections.

I’m also just going to throw out that I was bored in part three – the end of this part is phenomenal, and contains the famous duel scene with Adolin and Kaladin, which is one of the highlights of the whole series. However, the build up to this scene is repetitive and a bit dull in places? It’s possibly because I’m not a huge fan of Shallan and Kaladins’ arcs in this book. I’ve never liked the Ghostbloods plotline (and it’s only gotten worse with the Thaidakar reveal in Rhythm of War), Shallan’s romance with Adolin is slightly cringey, and I’m going to have a rant about the Kaladin/Moash conflict when I get to writing about Kaladin’s character. The main plotlines in this book are a bit…painful? They scream filler for a lot of part three – I don’t necessarily mind it; I actually like the conflict between Adolin and Kaladin because it does make sense for both characters. It doesn’t do much except build a camaraderie between them and develop their characters, but there are a few too many scenes of it, along with the painful romance scenes. Sorry, romance isn’t Sanderson’s strong point…

Prose

Still painful, still don’t love it. I do think there is a slight improvement between The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance because there aren’t any egregious moments that stand out to me in this book. Some moments, such as Kaladin’s first flight through the chasms and then when he’s flying with Syl over the Shattered Plains, even stand out as highlights for Sanderson’s writing – I really feel Kaladin’s joy and sense of freedom. There are some lovely moments in this book, and it does mark an improvement in Sanderson’s writing style! However, I’m still not a fan of Sanderson’s prose as a whole, it still feels clunky in places, and I’d prefer it to be a little bit more refined. This is very much a personal preference complaint though, as I stressed in my The Way of Kings review.

Magic System

I should probably discuss Sanderson’s magic system in the Stormlight Archive at this point, especially as it’s becoming more and more relevant as we continue into the series.

So, for those of you who are reading this without having read the book (why?!), Stormlight is dominated by a hard magic system called Surgebinding. Human Surgebinders (I’ll probably discuss the Singer’s surgebinding abilities in a later review) are members of one of the ten orders of the Knight’s Radiant: Windrunners, Skybreakers, Dustbringers, Edgedancers, Truthwatchers, Lightweavers, Elsecallers, Willshapers, Stonewards, and Bondsmiths. Each order possess the ability to manipulate two of the ten surges using Stormlight to power their abilities:

Windrunners: adhesion and gravitation

Skybreakers: gravitation and division

Dustbringers: division and abrasion

Edgedancers: abrasion and progression

Truthwatchers: progression and illumination

Lightweavers: illimitation and transformation

Elsecallers: transformation and transportation

Willshapers: transportation and cohesion

Stonewards: cohesion and tension

Bondsmiths: tension and adhesion

They also gain magical armour and weapons known as Shardplate and Shardblades, although when each order gets their plate and plate depends on the order and spren/nahel bond. The order of the Radiant will depend on what oaths they swear and what type of spren they are bonded to:

Windrunners: honorspren

Skybreakers: highspren

Dustbringers: ashspren

Edgedancers: cultivationspren

Lightweavers: cryptics (“liespren”)

Elsecallers: inkspren

Willshapers: lightspren

Stonewards: peakspren

Bondsmiths: the Stormfather, Nightwatcher, or the Sibling (I don’t think we have a spren category for these three)

In Words of Radiance, we get the most insight into Windrunners and Lightweavers through Kaladin and Shallan, respectively, so I’m going to focus on these orders. This does actually work well because the Windrunners and Lightweavers can represent the two “styles” of orders quite well, each one being fairly structured or esoteric respectively.

Kaladin’s Windrunner powers are the most stereotypical magical ability – using gravitation Kaladin can fly, well technically fall in any direction, but the effect is the same. We see him using his powers to soar through the skies above the Shattered Plains, and run on walls. The effect is incredibly cinematic to read (although I suspect it would look ridiculous if poorly adapted into a visual medium) and enhances Kaladin’s status as an ‘action hero’. His other ability, adhesion, is slightly less dramatic – at least when it’s used straightforwardly. He can stick things together, or draw objects towards something else, including people, with magical superglue.

However, Kaladin’s, and the rest of the Knights Radiants’, powers are connected to the oaths he swears and his bond with Sylphrena (Syl). The Knights are granted the ability to surgebind and control their powers through 5 oaths, each order has different oaths but the first is universal: ‘Life before Death, Strength before Weakness, Journey before Destination’. In Kaladin’s case his oaths are connected to protecting others, which does slightly excuse Kaladin’s “saving people thing” and inability to let it go if people he cares about die. Whether Kaladin keeps his oath depends on whether Syl, his bonded Honorspren, best friend, and a tiny piece of divinity in her own right, agrees whether he is keeping them in spirit – something we explore at length with Kaladin’s plotline in this book.

Shallan’s Lightweaver powers are also incredibly visual, especially as she spends all of this book focusing on illumination, which gives her the ability to shape Stormlight into realistic illusions. Her abilities are particularly useful for subterfuge and lies as Shallan can use them on herself to change her appearance, or on their own to make it appear as if something is there when it’s not. Her other ability – soulcasting, the surge of transformation – still hasn’t been explored as of Rhythm of War. Soulcasting changes one substance into another, but exactly how it works and the extent of its power is still uncertain. However, from what we’ve seen through Jasnah, who also has the ability, it is overpowered and very cool.

Shallan’s oaths are less obvious than Kaladin’s and it’s hard to tell what oath she’s on by the end of the book – although this is also heavily linked to Shallan’s backstory and developments in her character in later books,Shallan is definitely a non-standard Radiant! Her oaths, after the initial oath, are made up of truths about herself. She speaks her truths to her spren, Pattern, in order to progress as a Radiant. Her oaths also force her to develop as a person, which has been a painful process because Shallan has been lying to herself since she was a child and doesn’t want to admit what she’s done.

The magic system is clearly very complicated, and we still don’t know everything about it, six of the ten orders haven’t been explored through their specific books, and even the orders we have seen a lot from through our viewpoint characters are shrouded in mystery – I’m still not entirely sure what Bondsmiths do despite having the Bondsmith book (Oathbringer) because the order is so esoteric. It’s well drawn and compelling, especially as Sanderson uses the progression of the Knights as a mystery throughout the books. Despite not being that interested in hard magic systems the magic in this book is interesting and I really like the structure around the Radiants – it also makes for interesting discussion, debates, and Harry Potter style quizzes in the fandom, which is fun!

Characters and Plotlines

Kaladin, Syl, and Moash – Unfortunately, my new found love of Kaladin was tried in this novel because Kaladin REALLY gets on my nerves in Words of Radiance. It’s not because I disagree with Kaladin per se… I actually agree with a lot of Kaladin’s anger, resentment, and sense of injustice with the social system in Vorin/Alethi society. Kaladin has a right to feel angry and seek retribution for what was done to him, and Bridge Four.

However, Kaladin walks around with a massive chip on his shoulder in this book, particularly in how he talks to and thinks about Dalinar and his immediate family. His motivation I can understand and sympathise with, but the impression of ‘I’m so hard done to, the world is against me’ that Kaladin radiates in this book feels completely at odds with the reality of his situation. Yes, Kaladin has a right to be angry. Yes, he has a right to seek justice. But there is no reason he should be so personally antagonistic towards everyone because of their social position. He is in a position of power, he’s outside the social hierarchy to a large extent, and in control of his own life (and the lives of the ex-Bridgecrews). Kaladin is angry at everyone and everything, but he’s losing the justification for a lot of his resentment, particularly when it’s expressed towards Dalinar and his sons.

In particular I have an issue with Kaladin’s main plotline around Moash and the attempt to assassinate Elhokar. Aside from the fact I hate Moash, to the extent where Moash could be dropped from the books without resolution and I wouldn’t bat an eye (sorry Moash fans - I’ve never liked him…), this plotline just doesn’t feel right for Kaladin’s character. It actually feels like a betrayal of the character we got to know in The Way of Kings and continue with in Oathbringer/Rhythm of War. I can’t see a world where Kaladin Stormblessed is okay with murder or assassination.

Kaladin’s whole deal is honour and justice - justice as in what’s morally right (legality is another thing entirely!) He also wants to protect everyone, including Syl - Syl perhaps above everyone else as Tien is dead - but this plot is something she explicitly isn’t comfortable with and is concerned about. I CAN see a world where Kaladin pursues a plan to see Elhokar removed from power, but not assassinated. The argument about Elhokar’s removal being like removing a gangrenous limb (or whatever the exact metaphor was) doesn’t hold up for his character.

What makes this whole plotline worse is it doesn’t really lead anywhere, other than placing Moash on the opposite side to Kaladin in the upcoming war. All that we really get from it is confirmation that Kaladin is a Windrunner to the core (which we already knew) and Moash is on whatever side Kaladin isn’t because they’re foils for each other. However, the only real outcome of this entire 1,000 page plotline is Moash is maneuvered into position for his arc in Oathbringer, and Kaladin gets to swear his third ideal. Yet Kaladin’s perspective doesn’t radically change and quite frankly working out the third ideal could have been done in another way, without betraying Kaladin’s character for two thirds of a book. It was there to conveniently get a few characters where they needed to be for the next book, and to let Kaladin have another superhero moment. I love Kaladin superhero moments as much as anyone else - I just wish it wasn’t prefaced with this plotline.

One thing I really don’t understand - and is why I dislike this plotline so much - is why we’re stressing so much on a Kaladin-Moash friendship anyway. They don’t feel like friends! Honestly, this is a larger problem with Bridge Four as a whole - their friendship with Kaladin doesn’t feel earnt. Well no, Rock, Teft, and Lopen do. But the larger part of Bridge Four feels like they’re just there? They definitely feel like they’re friends with each other, but not necessarily with Kaladin. 

I’ve already confessed that I’m not the biggest fan of Bridge Four at the best of times because they feel like a sports team underdog narrative, which is honestly my worst nightmare of a storyline. However, I DO want to see Sanderson actually show Kaladin being friends with them, especially as they are such a huge part of his motivation to protect. We have one scene - the bar scene - with a few of them acting like a genuine friendship group. Yet this doesn’t make for a genuine friendship, we need more little moments throughout the book, including Kaladin. 

Sanderson does improve on the Bridge Four dynamic, Oathbringer and Rhythm of War make me feel like Bridge Four are genuine mates a lot more than Words of Radiance does. However, for this book we do need to see Kaladin and Moash as real friends, maybe even as close as brothers, for the Elhokar assassination plotline to work. But we don’t! It’s easier for me to believe Adolin and Kaladin’s friendship than Moash and Kaladin! And Adolin and Kaladin spend most of this book bickering…

I think the real issue with this plotline is the execution. The way Kaladin’s character has been established, the lack of page time spent on Bridge Four as a whole and Moash in particular, and ultimately small outcomes for this plotline makes it feel tedious and slightly pointless. Sanderson needed to increase the REAL stakes - there was no way Kaladin was really going to lose his status as a radiant, just for narrative reasons - and work on the emotional impact. We need to believe Kaladin would really go through with the assassination, and his friendship with Moash before getting to this plotline. But as we don’t, or at least I don’t, feel this so Kaladin’s anger and it’s consequential plotline ends up frustrating me to the point where Kaladin is on thin ice for a lot of this novel.

Shallan - Okay, I’m going to address the elephant in the room later - the elephant is Shallan and the “Boots scene” if you weren’t aware. However, I do have a few other complaints about Shallan in this book. 

My main issue with Shallan, excluding the classism I’m addressing later, is that a lot of her character feels unearned (in this book specifically not as a general rule.) Not in the sense that her powers feel unearned, or her backstory isn’t believable (which I really love), but her achievements and relationships in Words of Radiance feel cheap. There are several moments that stick out to me as being particularly annoying.

Firstly, Shallan’s ability to control Tvlakv, Tyn, and the merchant caravans. Personally, I find this whole situation ridiculous when I think about it. I can go along with Shallan being able to get to the Shattered Plains miraculously meeting the slave trader who sold Kaladin. However, the fact Shallan is apparently capable of manipulating Tvlakv into taking her there with very little conflict is ludicrous. 

Shallan’s a shipwrecked, fairly middling noble with few resources at her immediate disposal, and a somewhat shy (if on later acquaintance bubbly) personality. It doesn’t make sense to me that she can have this influence over Tvlakv. Yes she’s been taught by Jasnah, and yes she does have some confidence/authority from her own position as a lighteyes. However, I’m really struggling to believe that, at this point in her story, she is a good enough actress to pull off an aloof lighteyed woman of significant enough rank to make Tvlakv do what she wants, especially when they’ve met in the middle of nowhere and Shallan has no other options. 

My second issue with this is with Adolin and Sabarial. Adolin also falls into my larger complaints about Sanderson’s romances, which are by far the weakest elements in any of his books. However, let’s start with Sabarial: 

So… Why the hell does Sabarial take her in? It makes ZERO sense. The ‘because it annoys Dalinar’ argument just doesn’t cut it, and neither does the ‘Sabarial is so weird’ perspective. As bonkers as he appears on the surface, we know Sabarial is a shrewd businessman. He’s lazy, but also a clever and manipulative leader, he doesn’t do anything without getting something in return. However, he doesn’t get anything from taking Shallan in except the satisfaction of getting one up on Dalinar? She doesn’t even do his accounts properly! It feels like an inconsistent character move that is only there to suit the storytelling and give Shallan more freedom, rather than demonstrate Sabarial's motivations. 

Okay Adolin is both better and worse than Sabarial. I can genuinely understand why Adolin likes Shallan so much and vice versa. I love the relationship they have once it’s been established - they’re good for each other (well I think Adolin is better for Shallan than she is for him, but the point stands.) However, it’s just so insta-lovey! They just meet and it’s like the heavens aligned, and a perfect relationship blossoms. It’s not quite that fast, but it’s pretty quick. And I just don’t buy that initial push into their bond.

I just find this initial meeting and first couple of dates unbelievable? It’s also very cringey… I can’t read some of their ‘banter’ because it’s painful for me at this point - I’m literally Kaladin whenever he has to watch them together. It’s the worst combination of Sanderson’s sense of humour, his poor romances, and annoyingly quirky characters. By Oathbringer I do think they have a good, settled relationship going on, but in this book I really dislike the way it’s sparked. (I’m also questioning why Adolin doesn’t seem to be mourning Jasnah and is going out on dates? It just seems off to me!)

Honestly, I could probably live with both of these aspects if it wasn’t for the final, most egregious issue I have with Shallan in Words of Radiance. Her discovering Urithiru.

I cannot stress enough how much I HATE that Shallan discovered the Oathgate on the Shattered Plains. The other successes feel unrealistic and unearnt but are ultimately small moments that would have to happen in some form - Shallan has to get to the Shattered Plains, and she has to meet/fall in love with Adolin. They’re irritating in how they’re executed but are ultimately okay instagatory moments.

On the other hand, finding Urithiru is one of the biggest moments in the whole series! It’s a significant part of the climax of the whole book! Without it we’d be reading a very different series in Oathbringer and beyond. But giving this huge moment to Shallan is completely out of proportion to the work she’s put in. Yes, Shallan has been looking for it for a few months, she wants to continue Jasnah’s work. However, Jasnah has been slaving away at this for YEARS, literally YEARS. Why does Shallan get this moment of triumph? It’s completely unwarranted for what she’s done, especially as she literally couldn’t have done it without Jasnah’s research. It just pisses me off that we seem to give all the credit to her when, in reality, she drew a map.

I think this annoys me so much because Sanderson went down the ‘kill the mentor’ trope for this book. There was actually very little reason to remove Jasnah in the way he did in Words of Radiance - Shallan could have easily been ignored by Jasnah once they reached Shattered Plains as she’s dealing with the high stakes politics/war effort with Dalinar, leaving Shallan to get embroiled with the Ghostbloods and Adolin. This would have left small amounts of time to see them working together on their scholarship, whilst also giving Shallan room to grow. Using ‘kill the mentor’ AND having Jasnah return from the ‘dead’ felt cheap the first time around (nevermind this one!) whilst achieving very little that couldn’t have been done in other ways.

Overall, I just think Sanderson overplays Shallan’s competence in this book. She’s still a 17/18 year old girl and he’s overdoing it with her abilities that aren’t related to her Radiant powers. The discoveries she makes don’t live up to her reality of character and I find it irritating.

I’ve said a lot that is negative about Shallan - I do get more positive after this book, so that’s something I guess? Nevertheless, I do want to say one thing I really love about Shallan and this book is her backstory. Apart from Dalinar, Shallan has the best backstory out of the main characters we’ve seen so far. The abuse from her father, casual cruelty and neglect within her family, and Shallan’s own darkness is fascinating to read about - if slightly distressing. I don’t have much to say about it as a whole because I think it’s very effective in adding a darker layer into Shallan’s character, as well as being a much more interesting story than Kaladin’s was in The Way of Kings.

Sanderson hasn’t quite mastered the interweaving of the flashbacks into the main storyline in Words of Radiance, then again Oathbringer was exceptionally good in comparison to all the other books for this aspect. However, the Words of Radiance flashbacks are a marked improvement and made for a great way to deepen Shallan’s character past the hints we’d seen in her chapters in the first book. I think it’s a very believable backstory. It’s probably the backstory that’s having the most ‘present day’ impact on the character in question (again Dalinar is a close second but Sanderson dropped the ball with his character growth in Rhythm of War.) Shallan’s past is fabulous and well utilised by Sanderson to make her grow - and I did want to say something positive about Shallan because, despite not liking her, I do think she is a very well written character.

Pattern - I want to say that, despite my apparent vendetta against Shallan, I REALLY love Pattern! He’s so annoyingly sweet, sincere, and genuine! Actually he reminds me a lot of one of my dogs, which might be a contributing factor to my enjoyment of him? Either way Pattern is one of the best spren characters we’ve met so far - he’s amazing!

Dalinar - I’m mainly here to complain there isn’t enough Dalinar in this book and I miss him… I understand why he isn’t as present in Words of Radiance as he is in The Way of Kings and Oathbringer. However, I do think the absence of both Dalinar and Jasnah - my two “problematic faves”, plus Kaladin feeling very off for most of this book, contributes to why I don’t like it very much. Their loss leaves a big hole for my personal enjoyment and attachment, especially on rereads. It’s a very personal problem and comes down to who you read the series for (and whether you like Shallan or not.)

Although, when we get one of the few Dalinar chapters I am ecstatic because they’re all particularly punchy in this book! Chapter 67 - Spit and Bile - when Wit and Dalinar discuss his nature as a ‘benevolent tyrant’ is one of my favourites in the whole series. It’s a real moment of character realisation for Dalinar and gives us some FANTASTIC food for thought before we get to the shocking revelations of Oathbringer.

Kaladin and Shallan, Class Status, and the Boots Scene

Okay, it’s time to address the elephant in the room – Sanderson dropping the ball on his discussion of class conflict. I loved Sanderson’s introduction of class conflict, it’s something I’m particularly interested in as a British person. However, he handles this theme badly in Words of Radiance and drops it completely in Oathbringer, and it was almost a deal breaker for me on this reread. I’m genuinely upset about it.

So, a lot of Kaladin’s arc in this book is centred around him learning to look past his (valid) anger over what was done to him by the lighteyes, and specifically Amaram. Of course, this can’t really be resolved in one book, and I do hope Sanderson listens to the very vocal criticism around his “resolving” of Kaladin’s anger by pressing Kaladin into siding with his oppressors without uncritically examining his choices in books 3 and 4 (as well as making him a de facto lighteyes himself). However, in Words of Radiance Kaladin is very much giving into his anger now he has the opportunity to live, rather than just survive, and Sanderson uses a lot of his interactions with Dalinar, Adolin, and Shallan to show him ‘not all lighteyes are bad’.

I do have issues with the way Sanderson handles this with Adolin and Dalinar - maybe Dalinar not so much because his character has A LOT of other issues going on and his interactions with Kaladin are very much structured by their positions in the army. Their relationship remains largely professional, especially in this book, and Kaladin is shown to trust and respect Dalinar and vice versa. Not to mention that Dalinar is actually prepared to listen to Kaladin’s version of events and do his best to get justice for Kaladin against Amaram - it’s just not an easy situation to prove or resolve, and it can’t be done in the way Kaladin wants.

As an aside for the rest of the series - I do have issues with Kaladin’s long term idolisation of Dalinar as a leader and ‘noble’ lighteyes. We haven’t really seen Kaladin’s reaction to the revelations from Oathbringer (the in-world version) which I do think would change the dynamic between them. After all, the revelations about Dalinar show him to be worse than Amaram in many respects! Kaladin should have a reaction to the morality around Dalinar’s actions in the past, even if he is trying to change, and not just continue as they did before. Although, this issue ties into the larger problems with the series structure and how Sanderson keeps all but dropping Dalinar’s character growth in every other book - we need to address the consequences for revealing his past to the world, particularly with his family and political allies, not just sweep them under the carpet as we did in Rhythm of War!

In contrast to Kaladin’s relationship with Dalinar, he and Adolin are on a slightly more (although not completely) equal level, as demonstrated by their bickering, banter, and eventual friendship. Their relationship begins with Adolin’s suspicions about Kaladin, Kaladin’s hatred for lighteyes, and a mutual grudge against each other, but their relationship grows into a very real friendship after the duel sequence. Their relationship is one that has never bothered me because they had that rocky start. They grow into a friendship of equals, their distrust turns into a genuine bond because they learn to trust each other as they prove to each other that they aren’t what they first assumed.

Most importantly, despite the rocky start, neither of them are actively dismissive of the other based on their social status - Adolin never demeens Kaladin for being darkeyed and once Kaladin gets to know Adolin better his hostility towards lighteyes in general vanishes as they established their personal bond. The only moment you can point to Adolin actively dismissing Kaladin due to his social status is in The Way of Kings when he asks him to take a message to someone in the prostitute scene (sorry I’m not looking up the page numbers.) Adolin never shows dislike of anyone because they are darkeyes and definitely does not toy with those of a lesser social status than himself. Yes, I do agree Sanderson could do a better job of using the relationships between Adolin, Kaladin, and Bridge Four to address some of the subconscious biases Adolin holds. But Adolin is never cruel or manipulative to those with less social status. 

This brings me to the big reason why I’ve come to loathe Shallan and the key reason I dislike Sanderson’s mishandling of the social class discussion. It’s not even necessarily Shallan herself that I dislike, it’s the way the narrative frames her character and Sanderson’s dismissal of Kaladin’s anger. I could look past most of the problems I’ve raised against Shallan if it wasn’t for the way Sanderson portrayed her in this book. I still don’t think she’d be my favourite character now but I wouldn’t feel the urge to close the book every time I have to read her chapters.

However, Shallan is probably the best example we have in a point of view character of the minor abuses of the lighteyes against anyone of a lower social class than themselves. I’m not talking about the major crimes committed by Sadeas or Amaram where they show a blatant disregard for life, but I am talking about the subtle abuses of those with wealth and rank against those less fortunate.

Throughout the series we see Shallan casually and absentmindedly manipulate, dismiss, and bully darkeyed individuals. She’s not maliciously cruel, but she is casually abusive. She treats people like Kaladin or the slaves she ends up owning as less than herself, especially when she first meets them. I’m not here to say this is Shallan’s fault per se. She has been taught to do so by her society, she’s been indoctrinated into a system that believes those with darkeyes are lesser than herself because the Almighty has deemed it to be this way. It’s an inbuilt, largely unconscious bias formed by the society she was brought up in. I’d actually like this character trait if Sanderson used it to challenge Shallan and make her grow as a character, like pretty much EVERYONE else has to do with aspects of their character! 

But Sanderson doesn’t. Shallan is given a free pass for toying with darkeyes or those of a lower dahn than herself and using them to amuse herself, or even for dismissing them. And it’s not just once she does it, it’s a systematic behaviour in this book. Now, I will admit most of the time this behaviour is used against...unsavoury characters - it’s usually people like Tvlakv, a slave trader, who often fall victim to Shallan’s manipulation. As an audience we don’t like Tvlakv and don’t really care if he’s manipulated and pushed around by Shallan because of his earlier treatment of Kaladin. We like Kaladin, we like Shallan, but Tvlakv? Not so much. But her casual dismissal of Tvlakv’s life and livelihood (putting my loathing of slavery aside for the moment) does show Shallan’s contempt of those beneath her in general.

The better case to demonstrate Shallan’s classism is in her scenes with Kaladin. There are two moments I could use to make my point: the infamous “Boots” scene in chapter 28 and the Chasm sequence in Part 4. In both these scenes we see Shallan, in a position of power, dismiss Kaladin - the “Boots” scene is by far the worst of these two, but the later sequence give us a better glimpse into the problems with Sanderson’s framing of Shallan’s and Kaladin’s past traumas. Shallan’s trauma is validated by this scene, but Kaladin’s very justified dislike and anger is dismissed by both Sanderson and Shallan. There is very little, leading up to the Chasm sequence, that suggests Shallan is a nice person to Kaladin and he has a lot of long-term trauma from mistreatment and abuse from lighteyes in general. Kaladin should be allowed to hold onto his resentment to some extent. Instead he is forced to get rid of it because of Sanderson’s inflexible belief that all anger, even righteous anger, is wrong.

I could elaborate on this scene but as this review is now ludicrously long, I’m going to stick to the Boots scene as it is simpler and I don’t really need to summarise the scene because it’s so well. The basics you need are: Shallan uses her gender, social position, and Kaladin’s relative lack of authority to humiliate him in front of his men and con him out of his boots. And it’s played for laughs.

There is a small hint later on that Shallan shouldn’t have done what she did when Kaladin confronts her about the incident outside the meeting of the Highprinces. Yet, a large part of this was Shallan saving face when she realised he is Captain of the Kholins’ guard and could pose a serious threat to her plans if he felt so inclined. She doesn’t express any remorse for her behaviour morally speaking, nor does she think that she shouldn’t mess around with people who can’t fight back. No, she’s remorseful because it’s convenient for her.

The 'Boots' scene isn’t funny. It’s a clear, if childish, display of the sheer amount of power lighteyes have over everyone socially below them. But Sanderson doesn’t depict it in that way. It’s just there as an amusing scene, and to get Shallan and Kaladin off on the wrong foot. Kaladin was just doing his job, grumpily, and didn’t deserve this treatment from Tyn or Shallan. Especially as Shallan very much knows that she ISN’T a conwoman and she really IS Adolin’s betrothed - she doesn’t need to impress Tyn, especially not this close to the Shattered Plains. So, she has little excuse for acting in the way that she did, and she really didn’t need to humiliate Kaladin in front of his men. As the audience, we know Kaladin’s command isn’t going to be affected because of his history with Bridge Four, and we know he can replace his boots. But Shallan doesn’t and it only shows how little she really considers the lives of those below her. It’s just casual cruelty that served no purpose except to entertain her and Tyn.

The fact that Shallan has never really been called out for this by the narrative/Sanderson, only by Kaladin and more socially aware fans, is outrageous. Anyone else would be - and everyone else has similar issues that narrative insists they work on and overcome. Yet Shallan is consistently let off for this behaviour. On the other end of this scene, Kaladin is forced into letting go of his anger and falling into line with the Kholins and other lighteyes, despite being systematically oppressed and mistreated by the lighteyes as a whole. Sanderson doesn’t allow Kaladin his anger and he’s punished for it throughout this book.

I will say that Kaladin isn’t completely in the right here, he did need to learn that not everyone is the embodiment of evil just because they are born into wealth and privilege. However, neither was it okay to dismiss the complex dilemma around Kaladin and class - where he needs to overcome his prejudice against everyone at the top of the social system, because there are good lighteyes, whilst still challenging that system - by making him a lighteyes. This doesn’t solve anything! His anger is valid and righteous. The Vorin social system does need a complete overhaul and Kaladin should be allowed to take the helm for that social movement - even if this arc isn’t at the forefront of the series (you know because we’re all slightly busy saving the world!) 

Sanderson shouldn’t keep allowing Shallan a free pass for deeply rooted and problematic behaviours and attitudes. It doesn’t need to be a major point of discussion, especially as the series has evolved and everyone is more concerned with staying alive. However, this is a huge series, there is space in it to address this issue every now and again in the background of the novel, particularly in non-combative plotlines. It would also help to change the perspective in moments like the “Boots” scene. Rather than showing these as just funny moments, take the time to show that they are symptoms of a serious problem in Vorin society and demonstrations of the casual abuses of power lighteyes can get away with on a daily basis.

At the end of the day, Kaladin is going to be fine - and he does drive me nuts with the huge chip on his shoulder that he has throughout Words of Radiance. His only real consequence from this scene is wounded pride, he’ll recover. However, Shallan shouldn’t be let off the hook for it either and Sanderson does need to pick up this plotline on the abuse of power and class in the series. He introduced a serious discussion on the dangers of a class-based society and it’s a shame (and irresponsible) to just drop it now. 

Conclusion

So I think we can all agree I don’t like a lot of this book. I’m in the minority here. There are some fantastic moments throughout Words of Radiance, but as a whole I struggle when rereading this particular entry into The Stormlight Archive. Sanderson drops the ball on one too many issues, and I really dislike Shallan here. I do get on with her slightly more in later novels - well in Rhythm of War - however, having such a heavy focus on her here makes it a slog for me to read.

Still, onward and upwards! Oathbringer is (probably) my favourite book in the whole series, although I’ve only read RoW once so that might change when I finish this reread. Hopefully I’ll have a lot more positive things to say in my next review - and I finally get to make my speech on why I love Dalinar and his backstory!

[cosmerelists]

If Cosmere Characters Had Real-World Jobs (But Not The Obvious Ones)

In this list, I wanted to try to give Cosmere characters jobs in our world while avoiding the jobs that would be the most obvious picks--like, for example, the real world equivalent of whatever their canon job is.

1. Kaladin: Professional Football Player

It's a dangerous job that Kaladin's dad would scoff at, but the other kids in town think it's really cool and also the recruiters are coming through town and, I mean, he's really good at football.

2. Lirin: Public Defender

If we avoid the obvious job (doctor), then Lirin still needs a job where he is doing good, but it's pretty thankless and the general public are suspicious and think he might actually be evil somehow. So I figure: public defender. He's highly educated, helping people who need it, and just getting nothing but grief as a result. Worst of all, his smart son wants to be a FOOTBALL player!

3. Marsh: Masseuse

I feel like people who are good at hemalurgy know about the body and its pressure points and things like that. And frankly, "acupuncturist" felt too on the nose.

4. Shallan: Park Ranger

Shallan HATES to be confined, so no way she's going into an office job. Plus, she likes nature and animals, but I'm trying to avoid the more obvious jobs (like botanist or ecologist). It's just too bad that Shallan is SO bad at staring a campfire, though.

5. Navani: Wedding Planner

Navani is VERY good at managing people and events, as seen when she had to manage everything while Gavilar was off plotting. She's also very organized and literally invented wristwatches. So I think she's be very good at this job.

6. Elend: Grad Student

This one may be too obvious, but I figure something like "politician" or "philosopher" are more obvious. But to me, Elend has major grad student energy.

7. Nale: Insurance Adjuster

Nale is a cop, of course, through and through. But if he wasn't a cop, then he'd need some other job where he uses the rules to screw people over. So I see him as, like, an evil insurance guy who's denying people medical coverage because the company wants him to.

8. Blackthorn-Era Dalinar: Debt Collector

If flashback Dalinar couldn't make a living mowing people down in battle and had to find a less obvious job, then I could see him being the guy to hunt down people and demand money they don't have. He doesn't really care about the money. He just likes the hunt.

9. Adolin: eSports Player

It's a job where you can head-to-head battle people and your dad is vaguely puzzled and thinks you should be doing something more important with your life.

10. Lightsong: Customer Service Agent

In canon, Lightsong's job is to face down a huge line of people and tell them "no" in response to them asking for something they want. So, I mean, I feel like that's equivalent to one of those shitty customer service jobs where you're not really allowed to help people (until, of course, Lightsong goes rogue and does start helping people, but that's another story...)

11. Stormfather: Bus Driver

He has his route, and he's not deviating from it. And if you miss the bus, he's not stopping. He's not going back. You can try to run, but you will not catch up to him.

12. Tress: Mechanic

As a Sprouter, Tress had to figure out how each of the spores worked and how to use them. I just feel like she'd be good at diagnosing issues in machinery and then fixing them.

13. Steris: Programmer

She's precise, she's smart, she likes rules. I think coding would suit her.

14. Yumi: Waitress

She could stack the plates SO high.

15. Marasi: Investigative Reporter

Which, honestly, is what I wish she had been rather than being a cop like in canon. I think it would suit her! She'd get to research, investigate, find the truth...

16. Kelsier: Motivational Speaker

He tells you about the power of smiling no matter what, so that you are never defeated. He tells you to carry something small, some memento or photo, to help you find your motivation. You tells you that no goal is out of reach--you just have to find the right people and the right steps to move forward. And he tells you that the most important thing is to survive.

[shiroxix]

Kaladin? for the character ask thing :)

Sexuality Headcanon: Kaladin is gay. I’m sorry but there’s so much textual evidence to support the fact that he is homosexual. He may be bi/panromantic, but there is a reason that he can’t date. For a long time I thought he was ace, but he does a lot of yearning/has thought about sex in-text as much as other sexually active/interested characters in the series, so I’ve shifted. Gender Headcanon: Kaladin’s got enough going on without having gender dysphoria on top of it. He’s cis. Bless him. A ship I have with said character: For a long time, I didn’t ship Kaladin with anyone, and most of the time I don’t really ‘do’ shipping, but as the series has gone on and Brandon Sanderson has written some truly amazing relationships and friendships and seems to actually know what it takes to form a real bond, my status on this for Stormlight has changed. The way the text is set up, Kaladin could have a meaningful relationship with Moash if things lined up. I know that’s a hot topic right now, and honestly I could write an essay about it. I also think that Kaladin would be happy as a secondary in a polycule with Shallan and Adolin. Of the two of them, I think he’s much closer to and has more feelings for Adolin (real talk, he’s had like... one meaningful moment with Shallan and it’s strange to me that people ship the two of them). I used to ship him and Renarin, but as the series has gone on, I think this would end up being a... detrimental relationship for both of them. A BROTP I have with said character: Adolin, obviously. It’s already canon. As much as part of me wants them to kiss/thinks that sexual intimacy between the two of them would be a) adorable, b) good for both of them, I really appreciate the platonic intimacy and nuance of the friendship Brandon has written here and I think it’s important that we celebrate male/male friendships in which platonic intimacy plays a heavy role. Male characters should be vulnerable with one another, should touch/hug one another more often in fiction to combat the strange standoffishness of toxic masculinity. A NOTP I have with said character: Jasnah. The first thing Jasnah ever does to Kaladin is insult his intellect and be, frankly, really racist and shitty toward him. I don’t understand this ship. If you glorify toxic relationships, I could see why you think they’d be a good match. /s A random headcanon: Kaladin is said multiple times to hate having a beard/hair on his face. I think he’s also fairly meticulous about hair elsewhere. He maintains fairly good hygiene when he’s in the mental state to do so, considering it’s canon that he Does Not when he’s depressed. General Opinion over said character: I genuinely find myself getting slightly offended when people say they don’t like Kaladin. I love Kaladin very much. He’s an incredibly important character, and Brandon Sanderson writes him very well. He doesn’t shy away from the fact that mental illness is ugly and that the effects of it can cause people to act in ways that are less than ideal and unattractive. I think a lot of people who don’t like Kaladin as a character are the same types of people who have never been close to someone who is suffering from mental illness. I’ll admit that there were scenes in Rhythm of War where even I was worn down by Kaladin’s mental state and didn’t enjoy reading several of his chapters, but it didn’t make me like Kaladin any less. 

[catcas22]

I think for me it's the fact that Brandon was narratively pushing so hard for the reader to hate Moash/believe that Elhokar is a good person deep down. If it were all presented neutrally and left up to the reader's judgement, I think I'd be a lot less irritated with Elhokar.

As it stands, it seems like Brandon was banking on everyone being super sad that Elhokar didn't have a chance to redeem himself. I don't doubt that he could have written a satisfying redemption arc for Elhokar (see Dalinar, Szeth), but given what we were shown of the man I didn't feel the least bit cheated when he was denied yet another second chance.

Also a lot of the points Brandon seems to count in Elhokar's favor (proof of his potential for goodness) just don't hold up for me. "He's Dalinar's Tien." No, a grown man being asked to do his damn job is not equivalent to a child being conscripted and thrown out to die on the front lines. "He was trying, storm it!" Bitch, where? He's spent the past two books framing his uncle for treason for attention, throwing parties that would make Louis XVI blush (in the middle of a war, mind you), and mismanaging his country to the point where fourteen-year-old boys are being conscripted to fight in a constant churn of low-level civil war. His supposed character development in Oathbringer consists of him Karening out on a couple of guards, failing to throw the expected hissy-fit when he has to disguise himself as a woman, and looking photogenic when Shallan sketches him.

The way he's written, it seems like Brandon initially planned for him to be younger. This would all be a bit more sympathetic if he'd been thrown onto the throne in his late teens/early twenties, or if he'd been a second son who was never supposed to inherit but had to step up with zero training when, say, his older brother dies alongside Gavilar. But instead we get this poor baby boy of thirty-seven who just can't be expected to know that you don't have people executed for bruising your ego, and we all have to be patient while he learns.

Sorry that got rant-y towards the end.

Hey Stormlight fans why are we so quick to forgive Dalinar for killing innocents- including his own wife, but when it comes to Elhokar, whose worst crimes were just being immature and incompetent- both of which come from not being ready to inherit the throne- he's unforgiveable?

Do yall actually think Elhokar is irredeemable because he let Moash's grandparents die?? If so then yall should really take a good long look at Dalinar's arc and compare it to where Elhokar is when he's swearing the First Ideal, because Dalinar at his lowest on the whole was far worse than Elhokar ever was

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Rhythm of War Liveblog - Interludes 1-3 and Chapters 20-25

Sylterlude

More evidence supporting my view that Windrunners can protect people in ways other than being warriors! Syl’s old knight went to little villages and used her as a Shardblade to make wells and aqueducts. I do think Kaladin working as a healer will be good for him in the medium term.

But both this chapter and Chapter 12 earlier suggest that Roshar also needs some equivalent to meds; both Adolin and Syl seem to recognize it. Maybe fabrial-related, maybe related to the Listerner rhythms, though I think the latter is more likely.

What’s a peakspren? A new type of intelligent spren! Maybe the Stoneward spren, as it sounds stone-related.

*blink* uh, is the Stormfather, like ... a black hole? My lack of understanding of physics is seeming like it could become a problem in this book. (I’d also never have connected logicspren-fabrials with computers if people on tor.com hadn’t pointed it out.)

Sja-anat

Oh, wow, an Unmade interlude! Now I get to find out what she’s really up to! My starting point: I don’t trust her. Raboniel’s line about “corrupting” the pillar at the heart of Urithiru feels too much like Sja-anat’s kind of thing.

Ah, interesting! Sounds like the midless Unmade like the Thrill and Ashertmarn don’t just create emotions (battle-lust, indulgence), they’re drawn into the physical realm by them. Which explains why the Thrill spent so much time in Alethkar.

The Sibling is the child of Honor and Cultivation! Well, that makes sense. One great spren connected to Honor, one to Cultuvation, and one to both.

So Rayse does not like being questioned, but the Shard of Odium does. Maybe it really is the Shard of Passion, and Rayse - a hateful person, from Wit’s description - has corrupted it in a way that emphasizes hatred?

So Sja-anat is not fully on Odium’s side, but that doesn’t mean she’s on the humans’ - or Singers’ - side either. She’s on her own side, and I still don’t fully trust her.

Taravangian (1)

Ugh.

Ugh, rationalizations.

Ugh, self-righteous self-aggrandizement.

Hmm, the Diagram thinks there are Unmade in Shinovar. Interesting, if true. I’m still hoping Dai-Gonarthis will show up in this book - the very little we know of it feels connected to the things Moash said to Kaladin in Part 1.

Chapter 20

Oh, that’s what the people on tor.com found edgy/cheesy. The “Unseen Court” of Lightweavers.

Still not a huge fan of Gaz bonding a spren, the little rat.

Oh, crap. This isn’t good, not good at all.

Chapter 21

Mmm, I can see why Pattern would like Wit. Such tasty lies... Alternatively, maybe he’s friends with Wit’s Cryptic.

Hahahahaha! Kal, you can be adorably clueless. Ha, Adolin thinks so too!

Aww!

Still very not good, I don’t trust any of Shallan’s people. Including the other people that she is.

Oh, good, this is finally being addressed in the narrative! Dalinar does not have anything remotely resembling the moral high ground in this conversation, and the first step towards a better relationship with Adolin is acknowledging it.

Ow, this is complicated. I’m so glad we’re tackling the complexity of Adolin’s feelings about Dalinar.

And Adolin is a good person. Perhaps the best person of all the main characters. He genuinely, instinctively cares about people, as people. Not just their survival; he’s kind, considerate, caring, empathetic.

Ow! Dalinar, stop!

Chapter 22

Ooh, that must be a peakspren! They do bond stonewards! And they look like volcanos!

And Truthwatchers bond mistspren!

Pattern, they’re married now! They can mate! Stopit! He’s very, very funny, though. Feet are befittingly perambulatory!

The geographical closeness of the Honorspren realm in Shadesmar to Tukar (ruled by Ishar) in the Physical Realm seems significant.

Maya! This is so cute! Adolin is lovely.

Chapter 23

Oh no! Covid made it to Roshar! (It’s probably that plague from the Purelake, but the commonality with real life is uncanny.)

Teft, your loyalty is heartwarming.

Chapter 24

New Shard: Invention! I’m guessing the person writing this letter is Harmony, i.e. wossface from Mistborn?

Oh no, what did Radiant do?

Veil is basically Shallan’s id, isn’t she?

In fairness, it was a stupid plan, all the more so from the POV of someone who knows Jasnah well.

Adolin, could you be more cheesy?

Chapter 25

More Shards! Whimsy, Mercy, and Valor.

I’ve never really thought of whimsy as being one of the characteristics of God. Sass, maybe, given some parts of the Bible, but not really whimsy. On the other hand, platypi and pangolins exist.

Oh, Noril is the poor man who lost his wife, back in Chapter 1! I hope he’s okay.

Oh, dear. Roshar does not treat the mentally ill well, from what we’ve seen. I hope Noril is all right and this doesn’t set Kal spiralling.

Yep, it’s bad, like I thought. Maybe this is the new calling Kal finds? Helping the mentally ill, properly, not like these ardents?

Kaladin’s lecturing then on the scientific method! Go Kaladin!

YES YES YES!

Death glare!

(Huh, I wonder if Kal can help Taln.)

Physically, I’m lying in bed, but mentally and emotionally, I’m doing a little dance!

Speaking of so-cute-I-could-die, have you seen the photo of Brandon’s puppy on his Twitter from a couple years back? It rendered me incoherent for a solid five minutes. It’s like concentrated essence of cute. It’s a cutespren!

Kaladin recommends group therapy!

Oh, I love this whole chapter so much. This is exactly what I wanted for Kaladin.

This is amazing. He’s not even yelling at them, he’s showing them a better way!

[velkynkarma]

Why Brandon Sanderson Is an Amazing Writer (and Why You Should Read His Novels)

Last week I was recommending some novels to @bosstoaster and was really struggling to not fan squeal all over the place about just how incredible Sanderson’s novels are. Usually, when this happens, I try to pick 1-2 things I like about his writing to talk about, so I don’t talk a person’s ear off...but that usually means so much gets left out.

But I’ve been thinking about it since, so you know what? I can do whatever I want on my blog. So here’s my full, unadulterated breakdown of all the things that are so damned incredible (and consistent) about Brandon Sanderson’s novels (as well as his writing methodology). 

Does contain minor spoilers, but not for anything huge, and I tried to keep even the minor spoilers vague.

PLOT

Incredible world-building—that isn’t generic medieval fantasy-land

I love fantasy as much as the next person, and I enjoy most generic medieval fantasy stories if the plot or characters are great. But Sanderson’s always exploring different kinds of worlds, and entering them is always engaging. Magical cowboy western? A world continually buffeted by enormous hurricanes on a regular basis, so everything evolved to survive them, including the flora and fauna? A world where ash constantly falls? A world that is literally the embodiment of thought and concept? There’s always something exciting to discover.

Incredible magic systems

Like the generic medieval fantasy world-building, I’m used to the D&D style magic systems with energies and fireballs. Sanderson doesn’t touch these kinds of magic systems, though, and I’m continually stunned at just how creative the ones he does use are. Ingest metal, and use it to activate a latent power of yours? Bonding with the literal living embodiment of a concept in order to gain abilities? Re-writing the history of an item so it believes it can be different, and it changes? Using color as payment for a system based entirely around souls and soul coding? The list is long and always entertaining. He’s even written a whole article about how to design magic systems, which is also worth a read.

Really good at the ‘good’ kind of plot twists that leave you genuinely satisfied

I know we’ve all been frustrated by the recent trend that media seems to have these days: viewers or readers guess the direction the plot is heading in, and creators, in a panic, throw in a completely unrelated plot twist (changing the whodunnit, killing off a character, adding a resolution that makes no sense). Those suck. Let’s be real.

Sanderson does the opposite. He leaves the clues in his stories—they’re always there, and you can figure it out with the context clues, if you’re clever. If you’re not, he’s real good at throwing in twists that are hinted at, but still feel incredibly impactful and really satisfying. The end of The Emperor’s Soul still gives me chills, and I still love the twists regarding the big bads in Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive.

Also? He genuinely will catch you by surprise, sometimes. I consider myself to be a pretty experienced reader, and a decent writer. I can usually tell where plots are going for most stories. That’s satisfying, of course. But Sanderson has a way of still managing to sucker-punch me with a plot twist or reveal that feels shocking in a good way. I don’t see a lot of these coming, but the result isn’t disappointment, it’s a “holy crap—wow, how cool!” followed by an intense desire to reread half the story to pick out the clues that were sitting in front of me the whole time, now that I know what they’re actually for. 

Really interesting meta-level stories 

Depending on how invested you want to get, there’s a meta-level of interconnected story with the Cosmere. All of Sanderson’s stories are enjoyable on their own, and you’re never required to go deeper. But if you want to, you can, and suddenly there’s a whole second layer of information and characters in the background that you never really noticed, because most of his stories are actually connected to each other too. You don’t have to know who Hoid is or how he contributes to each separate story, you don’t have to be able to find the crossover characters that have literally crossed over from other books, and you don’t have to understand the whole Shards angle, and you can still enjoy all those books on an individual basis. But when you do know how to spot them in the narratives, it’s really fun, and you feel like you’re in on a great secret.

CHARACTER

Only male author I’ve ever read that actually writes GOOD female characters 

Brandon Sanderson seems to have hit on the not-so-secret secret that most male authors—who dominate the fantasy genre—haven’t seemed to figure out yet: women are people too. 

Consequently, Sanderson writes incredible varieties of female characters, each with their own personalities and quirks, who don’t necessarily fall into the “damsel in distress” or “masculine-coded action lady” stereotypes. See the politically savvy Sarene, the scholarly Shallan, the clever and artistic Shai, rebellious and somewhat childish Siri, the formal and analytical Steris. (These are literally just the ladies with names that start with S). 

But it gets better. Because even with action-hero ladies, they still have characterizations outside of ‘being a lady that beats people up like a man and strives to be as unlady-like as possible to prove she can beat people up like a man.’ Vin might be an action heroine, but she’s also a young woman who’s learning how to have a family, who’s scared of opening up to people, and who’s insecure about her place in the world. Marasi wants to be part of law enforcement, but admits to another character that she also likes the make-up and dresses and looking pretty—and she hates that people expect her to be a masculine action-lady that wears pants and starts fights, because she feels like she won’t even be seen in her field if she doesn’t, and like she has to represent all women. 

But I think the biggest example of this comes from his short story Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell, which (despite its edge-tastic title), is about a mother trying to protect her daughter. Sanderson wrote it as a part of the anthology Dangerous Women, and in his post-script on the story in Arcanum Unbounded, he writes: 

“I thought for a long time about the nature of an anthology called Dangerous Women. I worried that the stories submitted to it might fall into the trope of making women dangerous all in the same way....I didn’t want to write just another cliched story about a femme fatale, or a woman soldier who was basically a man with breasts. 

What other ways could someone be dangerous? I knew early on that I wanted my protagonist to be a middle-aged mother.”

In short, Sanderson actually understands how women work and writes actual, believable, likable female characters, who are just people and not sexual objects or prizes for men to receive at the end of the novel. It’s something we need, and it’s refreshing to see.

But on that note—he’s not afraid to let his male characters be softer either

In the same way that most female characters in fantasy are forced to be masculine-like action ladies, most male characters are also forced into the same role. There’s this misunderstanding that male characters have to all be sword-swinging barbarians who can’t have emotions. 

Sanderson punts this misunderstanding out the window and will have none of it.

There are so many good male characters in this series too that don’t immediately make you want to cringe. Look at Elend, who’s an intellectual doing his best but genuinely screws up a lot, and is all but useless for the first half of the series as a combatant. Look at Wayne, and his heartbreaking moment at the end of Bands of Mourning, who grieves for a person who’d been family to him and isn’t afraid to show how much he cares. Look at Adolin, who seems like the quintessential sword-swinging action-oriented jock, but then completely subverts all expectations by patiently and carefully helping characters with mental illnesses deal with them on their bad days, and being unhesitatingly supportive of his autistic brother. Look at Gaotona, who spends the whole book trying to educate someone on how they’re wrong—only to learn from them instead, and realize he was wrong, and to admit to it. 

Men have their soft moments, written by a male author who’s not afraid to put those moments into his works. And that’s really good, too.

In general, just really good characterization

Sanderson’s characters feel like people. They have oddball quirks, realistic-sounding conversations, and occasionally do things that make no sense. Just like friends, family, coworkers, etc that you and I all no doubt know. Hammond’s philosophical rambling (and Breeze’s frustrated bickering over it), Lift making it her life goal to steal dinners, Wayne’s justification for his kleptomania since he ‘trades’ items instead, David’s weird speech patterns and idioms—these characters are just fun to read, and have extra layers that just make them feel more real.

His books have a strong non-romantic relationship focus

Media in general is inundated with romantic and sexual relationships, and doubly so for fantasy novels—especially when fantasy novels often have a ‘prize’ romance at the end of the epic journey. Save the girl, get the girl. It can be frustrating, especially for people who aren’t interested in romance as a genre (there is a reason a lot of us are reading fantasy novels, and not romance ones).

Sanderson loves focusing on all kinds of relationships though, not just romantic ones. Found family, real family, strong platonic friendships, mentorships, interesting rivals, bonds out of duty—they’re all in here, and Sanderson’s not shy about making it clear. Look at Kelsier openly telling Vin he wishes he and his wife had a daughter like her and admitting he sees her as one, or the way the rest of the team turns her into their little sister that they all teach and protect. Look at Wax taking in Wayne, a scared kid who’d gotten in over his head and didn’t know what to do. Look at Kaladin looking at an entire band of slaves and going, ‘yeah, you’re all mine now and I protect you all,’ and how he forms a whole family out of Bridge Four that ultimately turns around and takes care of him, too (and of course, a lot of Kaladin’s story is driven by his own relationship with his actual family, specifically his younger brother). Look at Shallan doing all that she does at the start of the series to protect her brothers. Look at Prof struggling so hard to protect his little band of Reckoners even as he struggles to protect them from himself. Look at Shai and Gaotona, how they’re set up as prisoner and jailer, and yet they grow to ultimately respect each other.

I could go on and on, but the point is, these non-romantic relationships are everywhere, and they are considered to be just as important as—and sometimes more important than—romantic relationships. 

But on the flip-side, his romantic relationships are very well handled

Anyone who knows me knows I’m not a big fan of romance or shipping. It generally doesn’t hold my interest. In most books, I skim or skip the romance parts, because I’m just not invested in those relationships. They feel flimsy. 

I don’t do that with Sanderson’s works. They’re the only books I’ve ever read where I genuinely feel invested in the characters’ romantic relationships. 

Because here’s the thing: all of these characters that are romantically involved, are also good friends, and that’s the basis of their entire relationship to begin with. And that means these relationships are accessible to everyone, regardless of romantic inclinations or interests. 

Adolin and Shallan just joking around and bantering, with him teaching her how to use swords, with her rattling off witty repartee to defend him in verbal spars? When they just genuinely enjoy each others’ company, without having to constantly make out or have sex to indicate why they like being around each other? That’s genuinely fun. It’s some lovely character interaction. Maybe I don’t “get” the parts where they want to do more romantically inclined things, but I can enjoy that they legitimately enjoy being around each other, that they’re good friends as well as romantic partners, and that they trust each other. And that means I can still be engaged in their relationship instead of yawning and skipping ahead a few pages.

Which brings me to:

He also takes common romantic tropes...and throws them in the garbage bin

Sanderson has other ways of handling romantic relationships that I (as a person who doesn’t like romance) finds so impressive it deserves its own section. Because he takes common romantic tropes, and subverts them, and makes the characters all the more healthy for it. 

On at least two occasions (in Stormlight Archive, and in the sequel Mistborn series), Sanderson has set up a classic love triangle...and then immediately broken it. In one novel, one of the male love interests graciously offers to back out if it will mean the female love interest is happy, because he really just wants her to be happy even if that means he’s not around, and she chooses him anyway...whereupon he makes it clear he’ll definitely help her with her mental health and he wants to be supportive of her. Holy shit, what a wild notion, an actual supportive character in a love triangle. In the second series, the love triangle gets set up, but ultimately broken when the man ultimately chooses the arranged marriage over the ‘true love’ angle, and then realizes he actually, legitimately enjoys the company of the lady in the arranged marriage, and the ‘true love’ love interest realizes that actually, that would have been a terrible idea and she wants to pursue her career. Again, a refreshing and ultimately all-around healthy take for all the characters on something that normally has some nasty fallout. 

In Mistborn, my first introduction to one of Sanderson’s series, I remember being genuinely floored and in awe of Elend’s and Vin’s relationship...because Vin is still really nervous about opening up to people and not comfortable with intimacy, and Elend is completely okay with that. He takes it slow with her, lets her set the pace, and doesn’t force her to do anything before she’s ready. Vin is most comfortable just being around/near him without doing anything inherently romantic, just being in his presence, and he is completely cool with that. And that’s such a healthy thing to see in a romantic story, because it’s really important for readers to see that yes, it’s totally OK to not rush into things, and yes, it’s totally OK for people to take it slower or easier for an uneasy partner. 

I could go on and on, but basically, romantic relationships in Sanderson’s novels are also engaging because a lot of the time? They’re healthy, and friendly, and toss most dramatic romantic subplots out on their ass.

While on that note?

He doesn’t do sex scenes

This one might be a loss for some, but it’s a win for me. Depending on how I feel on a given day, I’m either ‘irritated by’ to ‘really uncomfortable by’ sex scenes in novels...and unfortunately they’re prevalent, especially in fantasy novels. I usually end up uncomfortably flipping through these pages, trying to figure out where the scene ends so I can get back to the actual story. 

I honestly can’t think of a sex scene in any of his novels though. In fantasy, it’s stunningly refreshing, and I feel super safe and comfortable reading his novels because I don’t have to worry about uncomfortable surprises. Plus, circling back to the above points, it’s kind of nice to see characters having established relationships without it having to be solely reliant on them having a good or bad sex life.

Has LGBT+ relationships 

Yup, they’re there, and edge past ‘strongly implied’ to ‘blatantly stated’ in some cases too. Offhand, I can think of a pair of men in the Stormlight Archive who are noted to be in a relationship with each other, and a lesbian gunsmith in the second Mistborn series.

What I find important is not just the inclusion of these blatant relationships, but also how it’s treated as completely normal and not taboo in the context of these worlds, too. Non-straight relationships aren’t treated like a scourge or a difficulty these characters have to deal with; it’s just normal in these realities. 

Additionally, what I really like about them is the way other characters will get called out about it if they do cross a line (usually accidentally). In the above cases, Kaladin makes an ignorant off-hand remark about his gay Bridge Four soldier and is immediately called out about it by the rest of the Bridge Four gang, whereupon he realizes he’d crossed a line and apologizes right away. In the Mistborn series, Wayne repeatedly makes passes at lesbian gunsmith Ranette, who spurns his advances. But when he realizes she’s actually into girls, he backs off and respects that, rather than insisting on her dating him. These are some nice little lessons on how straight people actually should react regarding their non-straight friends and family, and normalizes non-straight people existing in society.

Sanderson has also been openly responsive to and cool about people interpreting his characters in non-straight relationships or reading “implied” relationships/romantic subtext, even if he hadn’t originally intended to put them there. Offhand, I can think of one situation where a reader told him he probably didn’t realize “just how bi” he’d written Shallan in regards to her interactions with Jasnah, to which Sanderson’s response was basically, “Well that wasn’t on purpose, but alright, cool, cool.” 

Also very good about inclusivity for mental illnesses and disabilities

While we’re on the topic of inclusivity, let’s talk mental illnesses and disabilities as well, because Sanderson is great about including these too. In Stormlight Archive alone, we have: 

Renarin, who in addition to having some physically disabilities (specifically, seizures and being physically weak), is confirmed by Word of God to be on the autistic spectrum. And he’s treated with respect and support by his family members and friends. His father shows up to meetings or events he wants to go to, just so he can feel comfortable going to them to show interest in things men typically aren’t supposed to. His brother protects him fiercely in combat but also does his best to give him space to grow, and understands that his brother is incredibly intelligent but sometimes just needs a little time to organize his thoughts or figure out how to communicate. Kaladin understands his physical disabilities immediately and is able to give advice on how to deal with them. The entirety of Bridge Four adopts him as another brother. Jasnah finds another way. I could go on, but basically, Renarin is great

Kaladin has clinical depression, and possibly some form of PTSD, even if they don’t have the technical words for this in-universe. He really struggles with this a lot in the series. Despite that, other characters look out for him a lot, and this creates some genuinely tender moments. 

Shallan rapidly developing some identity disorders. Actually breaks down and admits this to another character. The other character is fiercely supportive of her despite that and doesn’t give up on her so easily

Lopen doesn’t have an arm, but despite being physically disabled, Kaladin still immediately values him and he finds a place on the team. He’s also just...legitimately chill about being an amputee, makes missing arm jokes all the time, and doesn’t seem terribly bothered by it. I believe Sanderson even stated that there’s no real tragic story behind the missing arm...it’s just Lopen. That’s it. 

Teft struggles with substance abuse and insecurity, but the entirety of Bridge Four is super supportive in helping him break it

There’s a character who ends up paralyzed from the waist down over the course of the series. She thinks she’s done for and her life is over, but her mentor keeps encouraging her to try things anyway. 

Honestly, this series is enormous—there’s probably a ton more I’m not even remembering off-hand.

All of this is usually handled pretty tactfully and often brings in some really heartwarming character interactions when characters struggle with issues and other characters help them overcome them. Do you like hurt/comfort and whump in fanfiction? Sanderson does this in actual fiction. It’s great.

WRITING METHODOLOGY

He actually takes the time to write good stories

Sometimes a long-awaited book in a series coughDeathlyHallowscough comes out and you just know it was rushed. You can see it in the way the plot threads are resolved, in the way some threads are just never resolved and end up hanging there open-ended, in the way the epilogues are short and empty.

Sanderson doesn’t do this. He’s pretty transparent about it on his Twitter, where he’ll post updates on his writing progress percentages. Sometimes he apologizes for a delay on a book, because he wants to make sure it’s done right or he works out a plot point just so, or he needs to go back and re-read some old material to make sure there’s no hanging plot points. 

This is good. This is great. This means he genuinely cares about his work, and he wants to produce good content. I will happily wait an extra couple months if it means the book that’s going to sit on my shelf for years to come has a satisfactory start, middle and end.

He’s always ready to give advice to up-and-coming writers, and he’s great about fandoms

Sanderson has a whole segment on his blog devoted to answering questions about writing. He also has a whole series of lectures available for free online. I’ve even heard him in podcasts and blogs in other things. He’s not shy about giving advice and encouraging up and coming writers, and he’s always so encouraging about it too. He’s also totally cool with fanfiction, unlike some big name authors out there who get very elitist about fandoms and the comparative “worthlessness” of fanfiction. 

Some of his novels are available for free, right now, on his website

A bunch of his novels and novellas are available totally for free on his website, which means additional accessibility for people who don’t have the cash for books, ebooks, or audio books, and don’t have time to get to a library. 

Many of them are also available as audiobooks, which means you can probably snag them through your local library’s audio book checkout system as well. 

In conclusion

Brandon Sanderson rocks, his stories rock, and everyone who likes fantasy should really give them a shot, for all of the above reasons. 

[obsessedwithallthingsbooks]

The Most Important Words- Stormlight

My blog’s kind of become dedicated to Kaladin Stormblessed, so I’m making a few attempts to diversify it a bit by discussing some other characters.

The parts of the Stormlight Archive (and Brandon Sanderson books in general) I love the most are the parts that make me feel. Sometimes, it’s grander, and other times, it’s more subtle. A prime example of this is chapter 43 of The Way of Kings (i don’t have the whole book memorized what are you talking about) titled, The Wretch. I felt that chapter so much my first read through. That’s the one where Kaladin first ponders the words, “Life before death,” and applies them to his own life, and dAMMIT, I’m gonna cry because it’s sO GOOD but nO, wE GOTTA TALK ABOUT DALINAR. (Although i am SURE i’ll eventually return to discuss that part.)

So let us examine the statement, “Dalinar, you must find the most important words a man can say.”

I read The Way of Kings a few months after the Mistborn trilogy, so my first assumption, along with, i assume, many other readers’, was that this warning was plot related. “Find the most important words a man can say” sounds like a prophecy of sorts in the implied sense of, “Go and get this.” This was definitely intentional; Jasnah wondered about the words and what Gavilar could have meant as well.

It wasn’t until Oathbringer’s chapter about Gavilar’s death read through Dalinar’s eyes that we really got perspective on it, and goddamn. After reading about Rathalas and Dalinar’s descent into alcoholism and his broken familial relationship, we have a new and strange sort of sympathy for Dalinar. One that says, “You deserve it, but damn.” 

Dalinar’s arc is probably my second favorite, with Kaladin’s being my first. (My opinion on Shallan? I’m sure I’ll be making posts about her, but as stands: I think she’s very interesting, and I feel sorry for her. Some people hate her--I’m not one of them--but being annoyed with her is valid and I’m in that boat. More on that later. You can’t deny that she’s incredibly interesting, though, and I hope she gets her arc. One of my few complaints for Oathbringer is that I feel like her arc was put on the back burner, but I have faith that that’ll be redeemed.)

jesus christ i’ve derailed from Dalinar so much. (and I’m about to again) Brandon really has a thing for extending an audience’s emotions. Best possible example is Bridge Four. You feel this stretched out sense of anxiety, dread, and hopelessness, so much so that it makes you feel so connected to his characters. Following the every day routine of Bridge Four makes it feel exactly as he intends--like a journey. It threw me off a little to read WoK after Mistborn since Mistborn is arguably much faster paced. I love both series, and it’s incredible how the results vary and both achieve their desired effects in different ways. I was never not captivated by Kaladin’s perspective, but on my first read through, I remember wondering (mainly in Dalinar’s povs actually, LMAO) when it was going to pick up. The end, however, made me realize how much I’d come to treasure this book. I have never read an ending that felt so rewarding, so earned, and it’s because of this long, drawn out rollercoaster of hopeless emotion completely subverted by astonishing victory.

Tying this into Dalinar--though it isn’t done as meticulously as it was with Kaladin’s character, we associate this sense of despair with Dalinar’s past self. When Dalinar’s searching desperately, turning to sustenance to be saved, we feel it. So when instead, it’s salvation and redemption that finds him, we feel it. 

Gavilar’s kind of a dick with the Parshendi gods, and he may or may not have been responsible for a literal war, so his death was earned, but the sheer fact that as he was dying, he begged that Dalinar “must find the most important words a man can say” literally has me ,,,

I spent about three thousand pages assuming that line would tie into a plot twist. Instead, the sentence is as simple as it sounds, and believe it or not, because of that, it’s better. “You must find the most important words a man can say,” as we know, relates to The Way of Kings. The book that saves Dalinar's life.

What Gavilar is really saying is, “Dalinar, take back your life. Live, and find your purpose for it.” He says that--that’s on the forefront of his mind--as he is dying. 

And . . . yeah. It’s one of my favorite character moments in the entire series. 

(Also, the fact that Dalinar brings his copy of The Way of Kings to face the Thrill--UGH.)

[ilov3b00kss0much]

SHALLAN DAVAR PROTECTION SQUAD

THEY COULD NEVER MAKE ME HATE YOU SHALLAN

I love you unfairly hated female characters (Dawn Summers, Skyler White, Mabel Pines, Piper Mclean, Nymphadora Tonks, Katara, Korra, Heather Duke, Elle Greenaway, Katniss Everdeen, Lucy Gray Baird, Travis Martinez)