2020 Cosmere BR (Currently reading: Edgedancer)

[Paula]

Wow, Beena, I also thought you had finished already

Chapter 27 (view spoiler)[ I love how kaladin insists on bridge four being united (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 28 (view spoiler)[ dalinar abdicates. I hope he changes his mind. (hide spoiler)]

Interludes after part 2 (view spoiler)[ I like seeing Shinovar withs it's grass that doesn't move. Axies is fun and I would like to know more about him. Szeth is going to cause such changes...I hope he doesn't try to kill dalinar or adolin (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 29 (view spoiler)[ what would be the drawing? The voidbringers or something that has to do with the heralds? I'm curious (hide spoiler)]

[Beena]

Haha, no! Sorry for confusing you guys!

Part 3, Chapters 37-43

(view spoiler)[ I wonder when Teft is going to tell Kaladin about the stormlight... clearly he knows something more about it as well and it's somehow tied up with the Knights Radiant...

Kaladin is a damn fool for thinking that if he can't save them then it's all useless. He's returned their humanity back to them, given them a purpose, helped them to live again and cared when nobody else did. I can understand that he's scared of the same thing happening again, where he's tried to save others before and they've all ended up dying; I feel sorry for the pain it would cause him but he's missing the point, if he chooses not to feel or to fight at all, then there's nothing left of him- the need to save others and the ability to feel so deeply about it are what make him.

I'm glad he's decided to try one last time, to escape, I hated when he dipped back into his melancholy, I'd prefer that he try to stand and fight. It'll be dangerous but what other options are available to them?

And Shallan- I have a feeling something will keep her in Kharbranth and she won't end up leaving after all.

Also, I forgot to mention, I loved the part where Kaladin was still seriously ill and Syl was standing guard on his chest wielding a sword against the deathspren. I loved her for that. (hide spoiler)]

[Beena]

@Paula

RE Chapter 28 (view spoiler)[ I don't think so, he's made up his mind and I don't think anything's going to stop him. (hide spoiler)]

RE Chapter 29 (view spoiler)[ I don't think it's either of them, seems like some other dark and sinister creature... Though we don't know much about the voidbringers yet, I'm getting the impression that they'd be far more fearsome than that.. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Beena wrote: "Many of the Interludes are just opportunities to explore the larger world, outside the scope of the story... others are relevant, like Szeth, but characters far removed from the story... others are..."

There's another Aimian in Edgedancer, and I think there's been talk of an Aimian in the Mistborn sci-fi trilogy, could be wrong... the sci-fi trilogy is going to be packed with long-lived characters, from everything I've heard... between an Aimian, Hoid (12k+), and another character that'll probably be at least 500-600+ years old, by then (SPOILERS) (view spoiler)[I'm talking about Kelsier (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

Chapter 28: well, one can hope Beena

Chapter 29: yes, it's unlikely but im exited to find out

[Beena]

@Ian, ah that's good then, sounds interesting!

@Paula, agreed!

[Lucija]

I read quite a lot in the last couple of days, I'm currently reading chapter 56. It's amazing what 2 days without distractions (Internet, PS) can do for me and being on vacation certainly helps too haha

@Paula, yes I keep hoping he changes his mind too, but he seems like the kind of guy who sticks with his decisions once he makes them, but we'll see

@Beena, ah that makes sense haha, I totally forgot that some editions are split in two

Part 3 ending Shallan: (view spoiler)[That part with symbolheads was interesting. I wish she told Jasnah about it.
About Kabsal: Why didn't he at least put jam on his bread? or maybe he didn't know the poison would act so quickly.
And Shallan is a shardbearer am I right? There was a line early in the book when she was remembering something about her father that suggested she might have one, but I wasn't sure about it at that time. (hide spoiler)]
Syl: (view spoiler)[Yes, I liked that scene as well. She's like Kaladins own personal guardian angel. And I like the way Rock treats her (hide spoiler)]
Part 4 up to chapter 56: (view spoiler)[Ok, first of all, I definitely didn't expect to see so much of Hoid. I though he would be subtly referenced like in other books
There is a scene early in part 4 when Dalinar is fighting the Parshendi and he goes like this:
"He wouldn't fall here. He didn't yet know if he was mad or not. He couldn't die until he knew!"
That got me laughing so hard haha (hide spoiler)]

I think I wanted to comment something else too but I keep forgetting what haha

[Lucija]

Chapter 56: (view spoiler)[Is Elokhar seeing the same things as Shallan? (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Lucija wrote: "Chapter 56: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[nice catch!!!... I can't really say much about Elokhar, because spoilers... even the small thing I want to say is a spoiler, I think... (view spoiler)[just that he's a tragic character (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Lucija wrote: "Chapter 56: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Well, I'll just have to find out by myself :D

[Lucija]

Chapter 65: (view spoiler)[Nooo! Man, the whole relationship between Dalinar and Sadeas felt like it was changing a bit too fast and too easy, but I wasn't expecting this. (hide spoiler)]

On a side note, about Parshendi and something Shallan said somewhere in part 3: (view spoiler)[When she was trying to make the soulcaster work she mentioned that soulcasting could be stronger when humming. I wonder if it's somehow connected with Parshendi and their singing (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Just finished part 4 and I have no words to describe how amazing that was. I just couldn't stop reading.

(view spoiler)[I loved every part of it! There were so many epic moments. Kaladin deciding to go back and give Dalinar's army a chance. Dalinar seeing the bridgmen come back and than seeing them fight to hold the bridge. Kalading fighting, commanding and just generally being awesome. Dalinar and Kaladin finally meeting (been waiting for this the whole book haha). Dalinar getting all the bridgeman to his camp. Dalinar being like: Hell no, nobody is messing with me anymore, I'm taking over. Ahhh love it. (hide spoiler)]

[Beena]

Jealous you've got extra time to read Lucija! Wow, you've steamed ahead!

Chapter 45 (view spoiler)[ How the hell is Shallan seeing those things?! They're so strange too. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 46 (view spoiler)[ Kaladin was travelling a highstorm, I wonder who/what is trying to contact him..

He's making trouble for himself ignoring Adolin's order to him, I would've thought he wouldn't be so foolish.. Glad Adolin stepped in the help that woman though.

Also, I don't understand why the left hand has to be kept modest so much lol, surely it's the as looking at the right hand? Doesn't that defeat the object? (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Lucija wrote: "Chapter 65: [spoilers removed]

On a side note, about Parshendi and something Shallan said somewhere in part 3: [spoilers removed]"

I've read the book 3 times, and never noticed (view spoiler)[that Shallan comment on humming, or attached it to Parshendi... I like it... (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Lucija wrote: "Chapter 65: [spoilers removed]

On a side note, about Parshendi and something Shallan said somewhere in part 3: [spoilers removed]"

I've read the book 3 times, and never noticed [sp..."

(view spoiler)[Ah sorry, I think I expressed myself wrong here. Shallan never makes that connection, it was just my take on things. I just found where it happens. It's early in chapter 42 while Shallan is trying to make her stolen Soulcaster work. It goes like this: "However, she'd found a book the day before that had offered what seemed like a useful tip. It claimed that humming, of all things, could make a Soulcasting more effective."
Made me think about Parshendi and their war song (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Beena wrote: "Jealous you've got extra time to read Lucija! Wow, you've steamed ahead!

Chapter 45 [spoilers removed]

Chapter 46 Kaladin was travelling a highstorm, I wonder who/what is trying to contact him....."

Free time does wonders!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Lucija wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Lucija wrote: "Chapter 65: [spoilers removed]

On a side note, about Parshendi and something Shallan said somewhere in part 3: [spoilers removed]"

I've read the book 3 times,..."

(view spoiler)[I know... downside to audio, sometimes... don't do as much parsing and theorycrafting... with ebooks, I could do word searches on my Kindle, when something reminded me of something... I know, if Shallan was making the connection, it would have stood out more... but Shallan hasn't even met a Parshendi...

There are other connections I could make, but everything is a spoiler, since books 2-3 do so much to explain the world a bit more than this first book... (hide spoiler)]

[Beena]

Chapter 51 (view spoiler)[ Can't believe Amaram betrayed him for the bloody Shardblade! What a bastard!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Lucija, I know! Those parts are very powerful and moving!!!

[Choko]

Beena, I think the thing about why every appropriate woman has to have her left hand always covered, as weird as it is, is just something cultural, but I haven't found explanation for it yet either. I always think how it was inappropriate for a woman to show her ankles in Western society for a long while. That doesn't make any sense to me either, but it was done because it was assumed that the site of bare ankles would throw the men in unbridled lust and they will be helpless against it, raping the woman against their own will... It is just a thing that by making it off limits becomes something unproportionate to its original worth... But I can't imagine having to do most everything with one hand. In a way, it cripples the females, helping to once again put them in a subordinate position to males...

[Lucija]

So I finished the book today and I absolutely loved it.

(view spoiler)[I was not surprised about Shallan and her father, it was expected I think. I was surprised about the whole soulcasting situation with Jasnah, though. Some questions I had after that poisoning attempt were answered.
And man I knew, I knew, parshmen were going to be important. I remember I had this theory erarly on that parshmen are going to be playing a big role in the future, maybe not in this book, but surely later on. I thought they were going to be turned against the Alethi somehow and I guess I wasn't that far of haha. They were too ignored to be inconsequential. I feel like Sanderson has this tendency to hide his surprise reveals in common, but largely ignored, story elements. First thing that comes to my mind is Warbreaker (view spoiler)[and those statues (hide spoiler)]
I love seeing seeing Dalinar and Kaladin together, I can't wait to see more of them in the future.
Oh right, and the Almighty stuff is so surreal. I can only imagine Dalinar standing there and some dude basically tells him: Hi, I'm God. I have no idea how you can see all this but you're all doomed and I'm dead. Deal with it.
Poor Dalinar is going to have lots of work to deal with.
So many things happened in the end, I'm already forgetting haha (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Forgot to comment on something haha

(view spoiler)[I can't believe Taravangian (the king of Karbaranth... I'm pretty sure I'm butchering the spelling here) is behind the assassinations. And I liked him.
Also, Wit/Hoid reminds me so much of Fool from Robin Hobb's the Real of the Elderlings which, I guess, is not surprising since they have the same job haha but they're also so much more in the grander scheme of things and they have this mysterious aura about themselves (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Lucija wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Lucija wrote: "Chapter 65: [spoilers removed]

On a side note, about Parshendi and something Shallan said somewhere in part 3: [spoilers removed]"

I've read th..."

Ah, yeah, I get that

[Choko]

Lucija, yay! It is awesome, isn't it! The old King... (view spoiler)[ It broke my heart too! I liked the elderly nice man he seemed to be and then boom, Sanderson just broke our expectations! It made me sad and very distrustful at the same time. So he is the one who has been recording those last moment statements, of course killing the people slowly to get to record those last seconds... And all the people who work for him, how are they all justifying all they are doing??? I hate that type of villainy, because it makes you doubt even the most likable characters... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Lucija wrote: "So I finished the book today and I absolutely loved it...."

Sanderson is good at hiding twists in innocuous locations... but also twists within twists... at the end of book 1, you basically know nothing you think you know... soo many good reveals in book 2 & 3...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Lucija wrote: "So I finished the book today and I absolutely loved it...."

Taravangian (view spoiler)[is SUCH an interesting character... I mean... he sucks, for what he's doing... but the WHY and the HOW are so interesting... especially once you learn a bit more about Roshar... (hide spoiler)]

Hoid: (view spoiler)[is the OG worldhopper... he's in every book/series... he was there when Adonalsium was broken into the 16 Shards that create magic systems in the Cosmere... most Vessels don't seem to get along with him (people like the bearer of Honor, Ambition, etc... Sazed from Mistborn is an example, after the first trilogy

Kelsier got info from Hoid in the first Mistborn book... Waxillium ran into him as a beggar and a soldier in the 2nd trilogy... he's seen on the last pages of Elantris... he tells a story in Warbreaker, similar to how he tells Kaladin a story in this book... Sigzil was his apprentice for a time... etc etc etc... Hoid gets around, when he's not playing Wit... before you know Hoid's identity, you can see Wit making weird comments alot... worldhoppers are pretty bad at keeping a low profile... most nonsensical statements in the Cosmere tend to reveal worldhoppers in hiding... there will be more to find in future books... (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Lucija wrote: "So I finished the book today and I absolutely loved it...."

Sanderson is good at hiding twists in innocuous locations... but also twists within twists... at the end of book 1, you b..."

Aah, I can't wait to read them!

[Lucija]

Taravangian (view spoiler)[Yes Choko! He seemed like such a nice guy. And yes, I didn't even think about all the other people there, but you're right, what they're doing is terrible. From what I've seen so far and what Iain said I feel like he could be very persuasive. I mean, we already know that he's a good actor. (hide spoiler)]

Hoid: (view spoiler)[It always amazes me how much you know about Cosmere, it's amazing.
The only one I remember noticing is Hoid as a beggar tossing that coin to Wax. Actually, I think I didn't even know about Cosmere until I've already read most of the books. I want to read them all again at some point and try to find the easter eggs, so to speak, and to pay attention to that earring in era 1 for example. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Lucija wrote: "Taravangian [spoilers removed] ..."

Layered writing is fun... and I discuss it alot around here...

I enjoy the October Daye series for similar reasons... so many hidden Fae machinations to try and uncover...

A dozen books and I still have a couple lingering questions/theories... and I love the characters...

Read Cosmere and October Daye 3+ times, now...

[Lucija]

Cool, I didn't know about it, I'll have to check it out

[Paula]

Wow lucija, you've already finished. I'm just taking my time because I love this and don't want it to end

[Beena]

Chapter 57 (view spoiler)[ Loved that whole story section with Wit/Hoid, really brilliantly done. Definitely get a sense that he possesses some form of magic or something, plus he also knew who Kaladin was. I think he secretly knows more about the grander scheme of things, reminds me a bit of the Fool from The Farseer Trilogy.

Kaladin finally finds out about the stormlight, it's interesting that he immediately views his powers as a curse, whereas most would see it as a gift... you'd think the ability to do all those things would excite him. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 59(view spoiler)[ He's going to wear the Parshendi armour in a bridge run to stop them shooting at Bridge 4 isn't he, so that none of them die..

I wonder, now that Dalinar's agreed to use Sadeas' bridgemen, if Kaladin will somehow cross paths with them now, I think something's going to happen..

I'm excited about him slowly figuring out how to use his stormlight too- it's always exciting when characters discover a hidden power and what they can do with it- undoubtedly that's going to lead to some great scenes.

I'm really liking Lopen too, he's such a character!

Also, Syl not being a windspren, I wonder what she is then? (hide spoiler)]

[Beena]

Beena, I think the thing about why every appropriate woman has to have her left hand always covered, as weird as it is, is just something cultural, but I haven't found explanation for it yet either. I always think how it was inappropriate for a woman to show her ankles in Western society for a long while. That doesn't make any sense to me either, but it was done because it was assumed that the site of bare ankles would throw the men in unbridled lust and they will be helpless against it, raping the woman against their own will... It is just a thing that by making it off limits becomes something unproportionate to its original worth... But I can't imagine having to do most everything with one hand. In a way, it cripples the females, helping to once again put them in a subordinate position to males...

Yeah, I think you're totally right Choko, it did cross my mind that it is sort of like how breasts are supposed to be hidden away and therefore are sexualised once revealed when actually, they're just breasts lol. Yeah, the Alethi culture is a very patriachal one, so I guess it's a way of showing their stations.

[Beena]

@Lucija RE Chapter 56 (view spoiler)[ I think he is seeing the same things! Turns out he might not be so paranoid as we first thought. (hide spoiler)]

[Lucija]

Paula wrote: "Wow lucija, you've already finished. I'm just taking my time because I love this and don't want it to end"

I know what you mean! I just don't have that kind of restraint haha

[Lucija]

Beena wrote: "Chapter 57 Loved that whole story section with Wit/Hoid, really brilliantly done. Definitely get a sense that he possesses some form of magic or something, plus he also knew who Kaladin was. I thi..."

(view spoiler)[Yees, I was commenting in one of the spoiler sections above how he reminds me of Fool
And I like Lopen too (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Lopen is awesome!!! I love him, so BS had better not have him killed - ever!!!!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Hope I didn't oversell October Daye... I love Seanan McGuire (read basically everything by her), but October Daye has a bit of a rough start... book 1 is kinda depressing, cause OD starts in a bad place, book 2 is kinda simple, since I figured out some of the big secrets/twists in the story early on on my first read-through, but the story gets a kickstart of awesome starting with book 3, and never really lets up after that... and I love the Luideag (Lu-shack)

[Beena]

Chapter 62 (view spoiler)[ That was amazing! It didn't occur to me that Kaladin would draw the Parshendi fire to him, but of course it makes sense! Yess! I can't believe he drew all the fire to him!! So clever of him to have come up with it (and naturally the corrupt lighteyes take credit for it *rolls eyes*). Honestly loved that chapter! My heart was in my mouth for a second when that group of Parshendi came to shoot them down whilst the battle was raging and then Dalinar saved them!! I loved that he saluted Kaladin too. Ah, so good! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 61(view spoiler)[ Well, finally. I'm surprised Dalinar actually caved to Navani but at least it will put the rest of us out of our misery lol. Clearly they belong together. Though I do find that Navani toys with him unnecessarily.

It'll be interesting to learn what the desolations and the voidbringers and all this part of their history is.. Sanderson's keeping it so mysterious so far yet mentions it all the time... that vision has probably revealed the most yet... (hide spoiler)]

I know I posted those backward but it's going from most important order lol

[Beena]

Lopen is awesome!!! I love him, so BS had better not have him killed - ever!!!!

I was really confused trying to figure out which character is BS for a second, then realised you meant Sanderson! Haha!! Yesss, totally agree!

[Choko]

Haha! I tend to go with the initials of the authors when discussing in the thread. I am sorry I didn't make it clearer◉‿◉

[Choko]

I love Navani and her daughter! They are both such strong ladies. I always look forward to their chapters...

[Beena]

Lol, that's ok Choko!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Brando Sando

[Choko]

(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧(◔‿◔)(◠‿◕)

[Lucija]

Me too Choko, I like Jasnah and Navani. As you say, they are both strong and just do their own thing no matter what others say

[Lucija]

I’ll keep that in mind Iain :) I don’t think I’ll get to it any time soon, got too much I want to read already, but it’s definitely going on my TBR

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Jasnah's getting a flashback book towards the end of the series... I think book 8... along with Renarin & 3 characters you don't really know yet... (flashbacks aren't guarantees of character survival, they're a vehicle for revealing important details about the world, and character motivations)...

Books 1-5 are (view spoiler)[Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar, Eshonai/Venli, and Szeth (hide spoiler)]

Books 6-10 are (view spoiler)[Lift, Renarin, Jasnah, Shalash or "Ash", and Taln (the last 2 are Heralds)... all but Lift appeared in the first book, the Heralds barely (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Lucija wrote: "I’ll keep that in mind Iain :) I don’t think I’ll get to it any time soon, got too much I want to read already, but it’s definitely going on my TBR"

I figured... when you read 30-90 books a month, you have more time to read everything :)

[Beena]

Chapter 64 to end of Part 4

(view spoiler)[ Freaking loved that!!! Sanderson's so good at timing the big reveals/ most important events! Alternating between Kaladin, Dalinar and Adolin within chapters was the best!

I loved, loved, loved the part where Kaladin got up to fight for them all again, despite being so weak,-after Bridge 4 returned to save Dalinar's men- running across the bridge to fight them all and then getting that massive infusion of stormlight. And automatically knowing the second ideal of the knights radiant!!! Honestly awesome. The pacing, the way it was written in that whole section was perfect. What do you want to bet that the Parshendi are were calling him a knight radiant or something similar/connected... Plus taking control of all the light-eyed officers in Dalinar's army and giving them orders- made me laugh but also happy because he's living up to all he could he be.

And I LOVED Dalinar for giving up his Shardblade for them! It's excatly what Kaladin needed! I had hoped/anticipated that Bridge 4 would somehow end up with Dalinar instead, so glad that they are!

And who's surprised at Sadeas... not me the man's as low as they go.

And Syl being an honorspren! That speaks volumes if she was attracted to Kaladin.

Honestly loved the whole end of part 4, freaking amazing! (hide spoiler)]