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Words of Radiance (SPOILER THREAD)

#21 User is offline   Stormcat 

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Posted 14 March 2014 - 03:46 AM

I am really enjoying this book, a lot. I am a little more than halfway through and I can't find anything I dislike about it.
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#22 User is offline   A Demon Llama! 

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Posted 14 March 2014 - 04:35 AM

So I decided to read about how these worlds are interconnected and its pretty interesting.

Seems like there are entities or parts of one entity called Shards that either create worlds or migrate to them and then create life and their own magic systems based on their aspect. Some work together, Like in The Stormlight Archive and some seem not to, like in Elantris. Then there is one shard, Odium, that jumps to these different worlds seeking destroy, or "splinter", them.

It looks like Brandon Sanderson is planning another 43 books or so for everything to be clear so we only need about 20 years until we will see the resolution. I should probably do more exercising.


More info here -> http://coppermind.net/wiki/Shard
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#23 User is offline   Obdigore 

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 07:04 AM

We already have a thread on that, Demon Llama. Its called 'The Cosmere Conundruum' and in this very forum!
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#24 User is offline   Cause 

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Posted 17 March 2014 - 01:47 PM

View PostPossibly Brent Weeks, on 05 March 2014 - 09:19 AM, said:

So... just finished.

Initial Thoughts:

Epilogue made me mad. Nobody the reader likes can die, apparently.

I really liked Adolin losing his shit and killing Sadeas.

Now, I'll have to read it again but I'm absolutely bewildered at the byplay between the Ghostbloods, the Skybreakers (Who are Amaram's group as well as that god-guy at the end who kept Szeth from fully dying?) I'm still not sure what the Ghostbloods are all about. I believe the Skybreakers are another sect of ... whats-his-face's parents (the bridgeman who betrayed his family to the local brightlord)... that are pining for the return of the lost radiants? Then we have the supporters of the intellect-changing now-king of Jah Kaved, who are working against the others and for humanity, as they see it.


Are We Sure Amaram is a Skybreaker? I don't think so. I think he is a third party along with King Gavilar that wanted to bring back the heralds, not realizing or caring that it would start a desolation.

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What is Jasnah's power(s)? Is she a lightweaver as well, which is how she made everyone think she was killed?


I think she is an ElseCaller, Her powers I think reading between the lines and using the encyclopedia at the back of the book would be to soulcast and to be able to travel/teleport (herself and maybe others) through Shadesmar. Don't ask for a reference but I recall maybe shadesmar exists throughout the whole cosmere and is the way shards and gods travel between realms. This is how she escaped her kidnappers and how she returned.

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Sad that Dalinar became a radiant. I wanted him to remain a 'common' leader who would preside over the radiants to get them all to work together or something.

I dunno by not having a blade or plate he won't be at the front of things in that sense. Also Bondsmiths are somehow special. Apparently there was only ever 3 of them. It was also hinted at that he must be a radiant or possess the potential to be one (though maybe every human does). His wounds heal better than they should etc. Agreed that basically just demanding it was weak.

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I totally think that Shallan and Kaladin have 'feelings' for each other and it's going to cause issues in the future.

Def hinted at but I really hope this goes no where! Teenage love traigle bullshit! It felt forced more than anything. Als she clearly does like Adolin and he likes her.

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My favorite part in the this book was probably a 4v1 then 4v2 then 4v3 'duel' will Adolin, Kaladin, and Renarin. I thought it was some great action writing, especially when Pattern broke the one guys mind.

Nice section but also silly. He accidentally agreed to a full disadvantage duel, 4 vs 1. Suddenly though we learn that this also means 3 vs 4. I actually am pretty sure a half disadvantage duel of 2 vs 1 would be harder than 3 vs 4.

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So, will Rloin (The parshendi bridgeman) change once the Everstorm washes over him? What happened to the group of Parshendi that didn't want to go super-storm-style and fled? Do they change? Will they be found later? What about the Parshendi War Leader that got head/shoulder butted off the spire? Dead, or a recurring enemy?

My guess is some will manage to defy their gods who they obviously don't care for. Its sort of the whole Parshmen thing. A big dissapointment for me though was having shen be a Parshendi dull form. I actually thought he was a parshmen who was waking up because of circumstance and a little bit because of Kaladin treating him right. I thought he was gonna become something more special than he did, maybe he had an instinctual knowledge of the forms etc. I guess he will turn up again the future.

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What about the guys going around killing the possible-radiants (cobbler and attempting to kill the girl thief), are they Skybreakers as well (I use that term as underlings of a god of justice). If so, why are they just straight hunting them?

Def think they are skybreakers. They seem to need an excuse to kill radiants. They had to find out that the cobbler was a murderer from 40 years ago to move against him. Being Radiants is not illegal, the need an excuse. They obviously think killing radiants will keep the storm away.

As for Kaladin. His two powers are already revealed. Mastery of Gravity and Air pressure. He won't develop the power of Regrowth but it seems while only 2 orders of Knights can regrowth others all knights radiants can regrowrth themselves and this is not considered one of their powers. Will Be interesting to see what a skybreaker can do. I am guessing that at least one of the powers of a windrunner will be the same for a Skybreaker.

This post has been edited by Cause: 17 March 2014 - 01:50 PM

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#25 User is offline   QuickTidal 

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Posted 18 March 2014 - 02:16 AM

Way to suck all the fun out of it Cause. :p
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#26 User is offline   Cause 

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Posted 18 March 2014 - 08:01 AM

View PostQuickTidal, on 18 March 2014 - 02:16 AM, said:

Way to suck all the fun out of it Cause. :p


What did I do? Im innocent!
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#27 User is offline   QuickTidal 

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Posted 18 March 2014 - 11:03 AM

View PostCause, on 18 March 2014 - 08:01 AM, said:

View PostQuickTidal, on 18 March 2014 - 02:16 AM, said:

Way to suck all the fun out of it Cause. :p


What did I do? Im innocent!


LOL!
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#28 User is offline   Cause 

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Posted 18 March 2014 - 12:46 PM

I forgot to make a comment about the books pacing. I don't know how to put it in words exactly but it seems off to me. Not exactly slow, nothing particular jumps out as being a waste of time and yet everything takes so long to advance. I read this book on a kindle so I don't know the exact age count but it seems massive and so was the last book. They are part of a ten book series as well. Maybe very deliberate best describes the pacing? It strikes me that the pacing could be ramped out quite easily without any loss of information or exposition, which could just be a stylistic choice but I have seldom come across a book so large! Just curious what others think
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#29 User is offline   QuickTidal 

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Posted 19 March 2014 - 12:54 AM

View PostCause, on 18 March 2014 - 12:46 PM, said:

I forgot to make a comment about the books pacing. I don't know how to put it in words exactly but it seems off to me. Not exactly slow, nothing particular jumps out as being a waste of time and yet everything takes so long to advance. I read this book on a kindle so I don't know the exact age count but it seems massive and so was the last book. They are part of a ten book series as well. Maybe very deliberate best describes the pacing? It strikes me that the pacing could be ramped out quite easily without any loss of information or exposition, which could just be a stylistic choice but I have seldom come across a book so large! Just curious what others think


I agree about pacing. Book 1's pacing never got to me, even though it was the same kind of meander...but I think I noted it more in book 2.
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#30 User is offline   Blend 

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Posted 19 March 2014 - 03:58 PM

I'm a little over halfway through, now, and best line so far:

Shallan - "What if you need to poop?"

Followed very closely by

Adolin - "So yes, I, Adolin Kholin - cousin to the king, heir to the Kholin princedom - have shat myself in my Shardplate. Three times, all on pupose."

I read this on the bus, and got some strange looks when I was cackling like a crazy person.
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#31 User is offline   Baco Xtath 

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Posted 19 March 2014 - 10:19 PM

View PostBlend, on 19 March 2014 - 03:58 PM, said:

I'm a little over halfway through, now, and best line so far:

Shallan - "What if you need to poop?"

Followed very closely by

Adolin - "So yes, I, Adolin Kholin - cousin to the king, heir to the Kholin princedom - have shat myself in my Shardplate. Three times, all on pupose."

I read this on the bus, and got some strange looks when I was cackling like a crazy person.



This was a semi-redeemer for me. I didn't like a lot of Shallan's wit, but this conversation was gold.
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#32 User is offline   Illuyankas 

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Posted 19 March 2014 - 11:03 PM

I did like Pattern being Shallan's shardblade all along, but Shallan was so much better in this book - my attempt at rereading the first one stalled dead at her first chapter.

Also from the list of ten orders in the back it really seems like Sanderson's basing two surges on the strong and weak nuclear forces. The giant nerd.
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#33 User is offline   HoosierDaddy 

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Posted 21 March 2014 - 04:18 AM

Finished a few minutes ago. Took a couple days break after the duel where Kaladin was imprisoned. Just, fuck.

However, feel Sanderson pulled it out in the end, and Shallan's "witty" banter at dinner sold me on her. Rather than juvenile bullshit, pardon the pun, we got originality which actually makes sense as to why it would interest someone in such a regimented/repressed society.

Re Dalinar and being a radiant: We receive a clue earlier on that he had probably been sucking in stormlight unbeknownst to himself when we find out his shoulder is all sorts of fucked and yet still functions.

Jasnah should be dead. Szeth should be dead. I'll forever love Adolin for ramming a dagger into Sadeas.

Wit is the best ever.
Trouble arrives when the opponents to such a system institute its extreme opposite, where individualism becomes godlike and sacrosanct, and no greater service to any other ideal (including community) is possible. In such a system rapacious greed thrives behind the guise of freedom, and the worst aspects of human nature come to the fore....
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Posted 21 March 2014 - 10:58 AM

I think my favourite Wit moment, is also my fave Cosmere moment. When he's telling Kaladin an anecdote and says "A Chick and a Bunny..."...and Kaladin is like "A chick? Like a chicken? and a what?"....and Wit is like "Oh. Right. I forgot where I was for a second there."

Laughed myself silly.

So apparently baby chickens aren't called chicks, and there are no rabbit's on Roshar. I wonder where Wit was talking about?
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#35 User is offline   Werthead 

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Posted 22 March 2014 - 04:48 PM

I think Sanderson has said that the two closest planets in the Cosmere to Earth are Scadrial (the Mistborn planet, although obviously not during it's volcanic ash phase) and Yolen, which is the original human homeworld in his cosmology but we haven't visited it yet. Given that Yolen is Wit/Hoid's homeworld (and the homeworld of all of the original Shardholders), that's probably the best bet.
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#36 User is offline   Illuyankas 

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Posted 22 March 2014 - 06:40 PM

I'm rereading* Way of Kings and I hadn't remembered the guy Amaram is writing to at the end is also namedropped by Gavilar as a possible assassin-sender in the beginning.

*skipping all the Shallan and flashback Kaladin and mostly skipping the present day Kaladin chapters cause god damn
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
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#37 User is offline   Cause 

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 10:21 AM

I am worried about how much crossover there might be in this series. Nightblood showing up seems more significant than just an easter egg. If you end with too many shiny toys at once you don't know which one to play with. So if every significant character, tool or magic system suddenly appears on Roshar they will all become less special.
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#38 User is offline   HoosierDaddy 

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 10:26 AM

Hoid/Wit is the only one I remember passing through, and he's never really piqued my interest in the other novels. So, I think for casual fans there'll be no problems.

Nitpickers/Obsessers will always be problematic in these things. Hell, the DT Compendium proves that.
Trouble arrives when the opponents to such a system institute its extreme opposite, where individualism becomes godlike and sacrosanct, and no greater service to any other ideal (including community) is possible. In such a system rapacious greed thrives behind the guise of freedom, and the worst aspects of human nature come to the fore....
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#39 User is offline   Werthead 

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Posted 23 March 2014 - 11:24 AM

There's also three other characters from other Cosmere books (the guys hunting Hoid in Book 1, and another much more prominent character) on Roshar, one from the MISTBORN planet and the other from ELANTRIS. Sanderson is definitely ramping up the Cosmere connections with each book.

This post has been edited by Werthead: 23 March 2014 - 11:25 AM

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#40 User is offline   Blend 

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Posted 25 March 2014 - 06:56 PM

Just finished the book yesterday, and wow, what a great read!

To those questioning Jasnah's powers, it's stated early on that she shares Soulcasting with Shallan, but that she doesn't have the Lightweaving ability, so where Shallan is a Lightweaver, Jasnah is not. In the last chapter when she reappears, Wit says she was Elsecalling, so I'm assuming she's going to be an Elsecaller.

So far we've seen a Surgebinder (Kaladin), a Lightweaver (Shallan), an Elsecaller (Jasnah), a Bondsmith (Dalinar), and then whatever the cobbler and the little girl are - they have the overlapping regrowth ability, but I don't think we get official names for what kind of Radiants they are. There's also Renarin, but I'm worried about him because his ability apparently is to 'see,' which to me implies he's going to have visions of the future, and we've been told throughout the book that seeing the future is of the Voidbringers.

I'm excited to see what kind of Radiant Lopen is going to be, as well as the other Bridgemen who were hinted at having powers (someone mentioned offhand that they saw some bridgemen glowing during the big final battle).

Dalinar being a Radiant was hinted throughout the book, but for me, it was made very clear when he was in the hospital tent during the last battle and the person checking his cut comments on how many scars he has and how he should, by all rights, not be able to even use his arm anymore. Seems to me like that means that he's got something healing him, which must mean stormlight. I'm certainly interested to see what it means to be a Bondsmith.

Re: the Parshendi who did not want to take on Stormform - Thude basically took off with them, and they went down into the chasms. I think they're going to pop back up later, though whether they end up on the Alethi side or not is going to be interesting. I have a feeling that Rlain will end up bringing them into the fold to fight the Voidbringers. I certainly think the Voidbringers and the Everstorm are going to be a little more complex than 'all Parshmen/Parshendi will become Voidbringers as soon as an Everstorm passes.'

Re: Taravangian and the Diagram - I really enjoy the idea that they've become somewhat of a religious order. I get the impression that the Ghostbloods are part of this group, but I'm not sure whether I read that correctly or not. It's certainly piqued my interest, and I look forward to that story developing more.

Then there's Amaram's crew, which tied to Gavilar, and they were trying to bring on a Desolation (or something close to a Desolation) in order to bring the Heralds back. I'm interested to see where that's going, but their motives are still pretty murky to me. I mean, why risk a Desolation just to bring the Heralds back? What do they expect having the Heralds back will do?

Re: Szeth at the end - I haven't read Warbreaker, so I don't know about Szeth's sword, which you all seem to think is the sword from that novel. When I read that, what with the sword being black and glowing with dark energy, I assumed that this was an Odiumblade. It's been mentioned, I'm pretty sure from an interview with Brandon Sanderson, that there are Honorblades, Shardblades and Odiumblades, and that we had seen all three types in Way of Kings, though it wasn't spelled out for us. I did not get a good feeling from what was going on with the guy with the Crescent-shaped scar on his cheek that claims to be the Herald of Justice (Rin?). The guy spent the whole book going around and killing potential Radiants (the cobbler guy, and he tried to kill Lift too). I think that he's likely been corrupted by Odium, and that although he's going to have Szeth believing that what they're doing is good, it's going to turn out to be evil evil evil (poor Szeth)!

Another thing that I'm interested in are these Ancient Spren, like the Stormfather, the Nightwatcher, and the other two that Taravangian mentions (the one that makes people say things when they die, and the one that gives people the Thrill). It seems like Taravangian is interested in the two that seem most evil - both Dalinar and Adolin say they feel sickened by the Thrill eventually, and the death utterings seem similar to visions of the future, and seeing the future is of the Voidbringers.

That's all the commentary that I can think of right now!

This post has been edited by Blend: 25 March 2014 - 06:56 PM

There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived. ~ Anomander Rake
My sig comes from a game in which I didn't heed Blend's advice. So maybe this time I should. ~ Khellendros
I'm just going to have to come to terms with the fact that self-vote suiciding will forever be referred to as "pulling a JPK" now, aren't I? ~ JPK
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