Series: Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson ("Way of Kings")

[Gabi]

CBRetriever wrote: "OK, I'm 15% into Oathbringer and where's [spoilers removed]"

I can't remember when, but the chara appears somewhen in the book.

I'm about 60% into WoR and I'm looking forward to Edgedancer. I wasn't a particular fan of Lift but I'm only hearing good things about her book.

[Pat the Book Goblin]

I know Lift is Sanderson's favorite character. He's going to bring her into the story more. She might get her own book soon, like how the Way of Kings was more Kaladin, Words of Radiance was more Shallon, etc.

I thought she was fun. I'd like to see more of her.

[CBRetriever]

Patrick wrote: "I know Lift is Sanderson's favorite character. He's going to bring her into the story more. She might get her own book soon, like how the Way of Kings was more Kaladin, Words of Radiance was more S..."

Edgedancer is all about her

[Pat the Book Goblin]

Yeah, true, but I meant as in the mainstream Stormlight Archive series we have so far haha. Not just a side story.

[CBRetriever]

on the Amazon site it's listed as part of the

The Stormlight Archive:

The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer

and Sanderson, in the preface to Oathbringer tells you to read it first. There does seem to be some information in it relevant to the continuing story that's not mentioned until later in Oathbringer

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Yes, Chessie, Patrick is saying he thinks there will be a full novel, not a novella, with Lift as the main character, like WoK features Kaladin prominently, WoR features Shallan prominently etc.

I do think there was a bit of info that made Oathbringer more profound!

[Gabi]

somewhere on the wiki I saw a list of all the planned backstories for the 10 novels, but of course I can't find it now ^^'. Lift was among them.

[CBRetriever]

@ 51% into Oathbringer, I'm getting bored. It's approaching Wheel of Time territory with too many characters, too many places and too much "oh, wow, look at what we can do now!" moments.

[Gabi]

Yes, the third book is harder to get through. I wanted to take it slowly this time, cause I got confused with so many names the first time around. But I have to wait, since I want to put in Edgedancer first which I have as eye-read and there my list of the 'must-reads is quite long.

[CBRetriever]

OK, I finished Oathbringer and i think I'm done with the series. it's getting to be a bit much:

(view spoiler)[
insertion of romantic triangle
too many characters/locations though I don't have a problem with other books with the same, for some reason, in this book, it bothers me more.
(hide spoiler)]

[Gabi]

CBRetriever wrote: "OK, I finished Oathbringer and i think I'm done with the series. it's getting to be a bit much:
.."

It's a pity, but understandable. The same happened to me with Song of Ice and Fire.

[Pat the Book Goblin]

Same with me Gabi

[CBRetriever]

Gabi wrote: "CBRetriever wrote: "OK, I finished Oathbringer and i think I'm done with the series. it's getting to be a bit much:
.."

It's a pity, but understandable. The same happened to me wit..."

To me the ASOIAF had a more interesting storyline and characters. Parts of Oathbringer just bogged down (the equivalent of umpteen Brienne or Bran POV chapters in a row. It didn't pick up until the end

[Bonnie]

Allison wrote: "Yay!!

That connection, Gabi, is explored more fully in Edgedancer. It's a cute story, but the few revelations it offers really make Oathbringer more devastating I think."

I was going to skip "Edgedancer" right up until I read this. I want to be devastated, I guess.

(I trust it will not be like "The Slow Regard of Silent Things," a short book about a character from the Kingkiller Chronicles, which I LOATHED. Actually I merely disliked it for its deadening boredom, but I loathed the way the author wrote about it in the foreword /afterward.)

Well, off to check the library.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Haha! A happy devastation to you, Bonnie! It is a *lot* of Lift, so buckle up if you don't like her, but it does move the plot forward, unlike Slow Regard.

[Gabi]

It did indeed! "Edgedancer" adds some lovely details and understanding to parts of "Oathbringer".

[Bonnie]

Allison wrote: "I am on chapter 19, and if I lived in Roshar, I would be lost in a sea of joyspren.

ETA I am enamored of Pattern."

Mmm, yes. {buzzes}

[Bonnie]

Lowell wrote: "Gabi wrote: "Will it somewhen be explained, why grown-up women have to cover one of their hands?"

It hasn't yet. It appears to just be a cultural practice. I've personally written it off as a modesty/religious practice based on something in the past that we may (or may not) get a hint of in future novels."

Assuming they are humans like us, which I do, I wish the practice had the safehand as the woman's non-dominant hand, rather than always the left hand. That would make more sense to me: something that is (for most) weaker and less capable, not arbitrary and ends up being unfair to left-handed people.

It is interesting how women of different classes/ nationalities/ jobs/ cover their safehand in different ways.

[Bonnie]

End of Words of Radiance:
(view spoiler)[
I was less immersed in this book than in Way of the Kings.

-i like how some of the illustrations are actually from the book, drawn by Shallan, etc. But they are good illustrations for readers, unlike the map from The Traitor Baru Cormorant!

-i feel I still don't know for sure (but in a good way) who is Good and who is Bad. We still have three or more factions in the world, and all think they are doing the right thing for the world, not just greedy or power-hungry.

-Thanks to occasional Parshani POV (Interludes with Eshonai?) I don't see the Parshani merely as enemies in the Alethki war, but as people too. Dalinar now sees their Stormform as evil Voidbringers, and the glowing red eyes certainly seem lurid... but there is still a lot I don't know, like why they agreed to accept blame for the old king's assassination, and whether they're more like Aboriginal people being herded (to the Shattered Plains) and hunted, than oppressive tyrannical invading enemies.

-If the new storms DO convert the slave Parshmen into Parshani in Stormform, how will they communicate? Will they know what they are supposed to do?!

-What is the deal with Prince Renarin, Adolin's little bro? Why does he want to be a soldier so bad when he could do something else, does he really have epilepsy, and why is he so odd?

-What is the deal with the queen in I-12 "Lhan" interlude, Elohard's wife back in the Alethki capital? I didn't even remember (or know?) that he was married. Sounds like she is definitely screwing stuff up back at home. Are too many of the food- and resource- producing Soulcasters at the Front, being used for Highprince wargames for Gemstones, and not enough being used for regular citizens?

(hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Fantastic, insightful questions, Bonnie!! I hope you'll do the same at the end of the next two books, too, I'd love to hear if you get answers.

[Bonnie]

End of Words of Radiance
(view spoiler)[
Bits I liked:
-Pattern. Mmm, buzzing.
-Tyn? the con-man lady who believed that Shallan's true story was also a con; then took Shallan under her wing and taught her more about disguises and accents; I wish Tyn could have lived longer.
-Big duel scene in the arena.
-Parshani -- behind the curtain. Their ability to change songs and sing in a big storm, even out of season (clever way to attack their enemy!).
-Shallan hiding her memory & drawing abilities.
-King T's intelligence level testing.
-Highprince Sebarial, kind of a great-uncle who's a business whiz before MBAs became popular. Saw the wargames for what they were and will tell anybody (if they ask) how he's raking in money hand over fist. Shallan goes to live with him instead of Dalinar to stay independent, and improves his bookkeeping. His mistress (Paloma?) takes a pile of novels along on the big trip to the Shattered Plains, because those two are so organized she will have time to read!

Didn't care for:
-Banter and cheerful dialogue and bad puns.
-Preludes at beginning of chapters -- admit to skimming after a while. Got to feeling too "Scripture" like.
(hide spoiler)]

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Release date for book 4 just announced!

November 17, 2020

Who's freaking out with me??

[Lowell]

I am pretty happy with the series thus far, and my only complaint is that its still 11 months away till the next one. I gotta say, I find Sanderson's writing method and discipline to be amazing.

[Gabi]

Allison wrote: "Release date for book 4 just announced!

November 17, 2020

Who's freaking out with me??"

Me! Me! Me! <3

[Eva]

I'm very happy even though I'm not through with book 3 yet: I fell into a reading slump after the first third and haven't picked it up since. Even though Sanderson's finales/last 150 pages are always amazeballs, I do often find myself doubting and waiting around the 30 percent mark, when all the pieces necessary for that finale are slowly being moved into the right positions. But I'll definitely finish it (and then I will think "how could I EVER be bored with this earlier?! blasphemy! I must be misremembering") before the next comes out.

Now I also know what I want the BotM to be next November! So excited! :-)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Lowell, I agree, I cannot imagine how he possibly keeps up with all these series!

Gabi, at least we had Doomslug to tide us over!!

Eva, I loled at your description. He really does set the line and then reel you in right when you think you're safe!!

[Anna]

Eva wrote: "Now I also know what I want the BotM to be next November!"

Not gonna happen, mwahahahaha! We have a 24 month rule, and WoK was forced onto us in August 2019 :P

[Gabi]

Eva, the second read of the Stormlight Archives makes everything join together much smoother. ;) I stumbled through Oathbringer the first time (listening perhaps isn't the most intelligent approach to this complex worldbuilding), the second time I enjoyed it much more, cause then I got the nuances better. And I will certainly have to re-read shortly before the release of the fourth book again.

Allison, aw .. Doomslug, Syl, Pattern ... Sanderson certainly knows how to get me into a totally undignified girlie squealing.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Anna wrote: "Eva wrote: "Now I also know what I want the BotM to be next November!"

Not gonna happen, mwahahahaha! We have a 24 month rule, and WoK was forced onto us in August 2019 :P"

Forced?! Forced????

Well. WELL. So I get one book that is my true and dear delight and you have like what 87 jillion?? Do *I* complain?? No!

New rule. Every Stormlight Archive book MUST be on the bookshelf before anyone is allowed to read anything else

=P

[Eva]

Anna wrote: "Eva wrote: "Now I also know what I want the BotM to be next November!"

Not gonna happen, mwahahahaha! We have a 24 month rule, and WoK was forced onto us in August 2019 :P"

Oh no, how evil!! This is the kind of group my mommy used to warn me about!

I adore Doomslug, Syl and Pattern, as well - Sanderson creates the most adorable non-human companions ever. I have absolutely no idea why not more SFF authors have adorable, cute non-human companions. Well, David Weber's Honor Harrington has Nimitz, the empathic alien treecat crazy about celery (which is bad for him and you shouldn't indulge him, it's irresponsible, stop it). When he got his own cute treecat spacesuit I also squeed in a very undignified manner. But I can't think of a single other example at the moment! If anyone know more books featuring adorable non-human companions, please let me know - I want to read them all. :-)

[Anna]

Allison wrote: "New rule. Every Stormlight Archive book MUST be on the bookshelf before anyone is allowed to read anything else"

That's my exit cue, buh bye, 'twas nice knowing y'all!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

haha

[Eva]

Anna wrote: "Allison wrote: "New rule. Every Stormlight Archive book MUST be on the bookshelf before anyone is allowed to read anything else"

That's my exit cue, buh bye, 'twas nice knowing y'all!"

Lol, how about becoming a hypocrite and simply claiming that you've read and loved them all? You will be living a lie, of course, but at least you won't be ostracized forever! You could continue to live among us and we will never know.
(Why does this remind me of the ending of Body-Snatchers when they just pretend to have been body-snatched, as well, living in this creepy new society, forever fearing to be found out?)

[CBRetriever]

I think I'll opt out

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Cool, anyone not interested can leave their spheres in a neat little pile to be distributed among all soon-to-be emigrating Rosharians, please and thank you! Wild speculation will continue here.

Do we know who the main POV will be? I think Renarin will be on the cover.

[Gabi]

I thought it was Eshonai? (Hence the title)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Gabi wrote: "I thought it was Eshonai? (Hence the title)"

What's the title?? My sources say it's still TBD.

Now that you mention her, that does ring a bell and would be cool.

ETA it looks like Rhythm of War was a suggested title but not fixed yet.

[Tyler]

...I have absolutely no idea why not more SFF authors have adorable, cute non-human companions...."

In the Chronicles of Old Guy, Old Guy adopts an enormous heavily armored cat-like alien called Mondocat. I wouldn't exactly call her cute, as she is described as being strong enough to tear a hole in the armor of a 20th century main battle tank. She's as dangerous to Old Guy as a house cat is to a human, she's been known to sleep in his cargo hold, and she purrs, so relatively cute. Also ferocious in battle, like a friendly wolf.

[Gabi]

Allison wrote: "Gabi wrote: "I thought it was Eshonai? (Hence the title)"

What's the title?? My sources say it's still TBD.

Now that you mention her, that does ring a bell and would be cool.

ETA it looks like R..."

Ah, okay, I thought Rhythm of War was a fixed title. I try to remember where I read the POVs. There was a list for at least 8 of the books where the POV was stated, and it sounded like it came from Sanderson. But for the love of it I can't find it anymore.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Friends, start a thread for the non-human companions books, so we can all find the thread later!

[Gabi]

Here "Stones Unhallowed" is a suggested title and they say it is Szeth's POV with Eshonai's flasbacks: https://stormlightarchive.fandom.com/...

[Leonie]

I am sooooo looking forward to this next Stormlight book! Love this series.

[Leonie]

Allison wrote: "Friends, start a thread for the non-human companions books, so we can all find the thread later!"

Here we go!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Eva]

I can't read it yet because I have yet to read Oathbringer (shame on me!!), but I didn't want to keep this news to myself:

Brandon Sanderson is posting Rhythm of War online chapter by chapter (not the whole book, but already up to chapter 11) here:

https://www.tor.com/series/rhythm-of-...

😍🤩😲

[Lowell]

I have thus far resisted reading the pre release chapters.

Right now, I think I’m about ready to change my kindle pre-order of it into a physical pre-order. Because damnit, I’m divorced and that no longer means having to manage keeping my physical books collection small.

[Gabi]

@Lowell: always look on the bright side ...
I'll be waiting for the audio edition (and therefore not read the free cgapters). It is always quite a challenge with this format cause of the many names and locations, but I'm so used to it now. And even though I know that many ppl hate on Michael Kramer, for me he is the voice of Roshar and listening to him brings me right back into this world.

[Eva]

Lowell wrote: "I have thus far resisted reading the pre release chapters.

Right now, I think I’m about ready to change my kindle pre-order of it into a physical pre-order. Because damnit, I’m divorced and that n..."

The hardcover editions also have beautiful illustrations and maps on the inside, some of which are missing in the kindle/paperback versions. E.g. these are some of the illustrations in Oathbringer:

[Eva]

They look like hagiographic images because this is in-world art mentioned in the book - paintings of the saints of old.

[Lowell]

yeah - I had the first two in HC and (reluctantly) replaced them with kindle versions...

and I do regret that. I love the feeling of giant epic fantasy hardcover tomes in my hands, and the art, and all the goodness of them.

Yup, that's it, I'm going back to buying physical books.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

you deserve it!!