The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive #1)[August 16, 2024]

[Nirkatze]

Hm... the discussion on spren there--(view spoiler)[Especially with Axies... I'm sure spren have been separated into categories, right? There's the higher ones that are intelligent and bond, there's the emotion spren, and then natural ones, like windspren... but more categories? Seems like captivityspren are emotion-drawn, rather than nature drawn... (hide spoiler)]

[Quinn]

Chapters 29-32

(Reader beware, spoilers for the entire Stormlight Archive series/some Cosmere)
(view spoiler)[

Chapter 29 has Shalash and Pailiah in the header. While Pailiah is connected with scholarly pursuits, Shalash is connected to artistry with her complicated relationship with herself being depicted. It could be connected to Shallan trying to connect her artist and scholar selves.

Chapter 30 has Vedel and Talenel in the header. Once again, it’s the dichotomy of Kaladin being in a situation where he has to use both his surgeon and soldier skills to keep his bridge crew alive.

Chapter 31 has Chanarach and Vedel in the header. Chanarach is known as the Herald of the Common Man. While Vedel is here due to Kaladin’s pursuits as a surgeon, Chanarach is likely here because of Kaladin learning from Tirin how the common man views his family and specifically Tirin’s job.

Chapter 32 has Nale and Talenel in the header. Nale specifically is here because of how Kaladin messes with the status quo after attempting something new as a bridge crew. He is faced with a twisted justice from Sadeas and his camp and is sent to be executed by the highstorm.

At this point in the story I didn’t have much to add, I was mostly just trying to get through it. Don’t get me wrong, though, I was still enjoying it. I even think chapter 32 is one of the best chapters. (A lot of Kaladin’s chapters are one of the best chapters in the book.)

Concepts presented:
- Dawnshards: While the existence of Dawnshards are known in the history of Roshar, their exact purpose isn’t exactly known by most people. The Dawnshards are four Commands that Adonalsium used to create the Cosmere and the Realms. Unless someone is able to use investiture, Dawnshards are largely useless, as their primary ability seems to supercharge invested arts. Someone who has a Dawnshard also gains some other abilities, but other than Hoid’s/Sigzil’s Dawnshard “Exist”, we don’t know the specific powers that they give. The abbreviated history of Dawnshards goes as thus: After Adonalsium created all things, they seemed to have been cast out, being able to be found before Adonalsium’s death. After his death, the Dawnshards lost their form and were placed on different planets to keep them apart. Hoid separated from his Dawnshard, but would claim it back prior to the contest of champions in The Stormlight Archive series. The Change Dawnshard was not native to Roshar, as it was brought through a Perpendicularity during the Shadowdays. Honor believed the Dawnshards were crucial to defeating Odium when he created his visions. Eventually, Change traveled to an undersea cavern underneath Akinah, guarded by the lanceryn then the Sleepless. Eventually, Ryan would stumble upon Change and became the new Dawnshard. During the events of Wind and Truth, Hoid, trying to hide the Dawnshard from Odium, transferred it into Sigzil who would Skip across planets running from danger. He gave it back to Hoid after a time, but was still on the run from those trying to find Exist.
In 2022, Brandon Sanderson mentioned that one other person other than Rysn held a Dawnshard. At that point, I thought it was common knowledge that Hoid held his Dawnshard, but it seems the person Brandon was likely referring to was indeed Hoid himself. Shame, my theory about Axies was wrong.
- Sunmaker: Also known as Sadees, he was an ancient king of Alethkar. He was the first to unify the kingdom after the fall of the silver kingdom Alethela. After overthrowing the Hierocracy, he intended to conquer all of Roshar. After successfully conquering multiple kingdoms and killing many, he fell ill to an unknown disease and died. His empire would not last as infighting quickly begun. While in Alethkar he is seen as a mythical figure and cultural hero, in other parts of Roshar, the memories and stories of Sadees leaves other kingdoms hesitant to trust modern day Alethkar.

I’m ranking the Way of Kings chapters with a completely scientific system I’ve coined the W.I.T. Scale. You can find my rankings here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

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[Quinn]

Chapters 33-40

(Reader beware, spoilers for the entire Stormlight Archive series/some Cosmere)
(view spoiler)[

Halfway through this book, we’ve seen the majority of the headers that are associated with each character. Kaladin has Talenel and Vedel, with some Nale sprinkled in for good luck. Dalinar almost always has Jezrien, or Hoid if he appears in the chapter, with a secondary herald imbuing the chapter with a secondary characteristic. Shallan often has Pailiah with Shallash showing up when Shallan’s artistic pursuits are important. The need to list the headers has largely become redundant at this point, as we can see the major themes that the heralds are presenting us with at this point.

I wanted to point out the fact that chapter 34 and 35 are separated, which is interesting to me, since they depict the same event. I suppose Kaladin’s resolve to outlive the storm is significant in itself to leave in one chapter, but I just thought it was important to note. These two chapters are also quite iconic.

In chapter 36 we get a hint that Jasnah isn’t using a soulcaster as she soulcasts from a distance, which isn’t possible by normal means.

It’s incredibly important that Kaladin decided not to run to join the army, instead later joining in an attempt to protect Tien. If he had really run away through selfish pursuits, it would lead his character arc in this book to feel off and incomplete, since it would show that Kaladin wouldn’t have been protective at heart even as a kid. I also love his interaction with his father when he tells him when he came to that decision.

I was initially confused as to why Shallan wasn’t able to get the soulcaster to work, as I believe it truly is a fully functional fabrial. However, after research, I believe it’s due to the fact that A.) She didn’t understand how to push her mind into Shadesmar yet, and B.) She begged for an object to change rather than negotiating with it. I wonder if Sanderson had the idea for how Soulcasting worked this far in advance before it became important, since Shallan was told not to do it in WoR.

Concepts presented:
- Veristitalian: An order of scholars that seek to create unbiased, factual account of history. They will sometimes take up projects of little known or misunderstood parts of history in an attempt to find the truth. The only other scholar group we know of are Artifabrians, engineers who improve and create new fabrials.
- Dawnchant: A language that was attributed to being spoken by the Heralds. In reality, it originated from the Dawnsingers, the original inhabitants of Roshar and then was picked up by the humans from Ashyn. Dawnchant is the root language of the Shin, Listener, and Unkalaki languages. It’s possible that certain terms from the Dawnchant have made there way across the Cosmere, as parts of the language were seen in Tress chapter 31.
- Rainspren: Spren that take the form of blue, lit candles in puddles. Although they appear with melted parts, they don’t seem to shrink. Listeners see feet on them.
- War of Loss: The name of the war in which the Sunmaker, Sadees, ended the Hierocracy. The specific reason for the name itself is unknown, though it could just refer to the “loss” of the Hierocracy.
- Envisagers: A cult that awaited the return of the Radiants, even knowing the Immortal Words and Ideals of the Radiants. Members in the cult attempted to become Radiants themselves, leading to deaths and the eradication of the order. It’s possible they are a splinter sect of the Sons of Honor.
- Oathgates: Large fabrials that allow travel from one oathgate to another, as long as both are unlocked, through the surge of transportation. Oathgates can also be used to travel to the Cognitive Realm and vice versa. In the Cognitive Realm, they are guarded by two giant spren, one white, one black. They enable the oathgates to work and control who can travel and to where.
- Starspren: A spren that appear as stars that move and chase each other. In Shadesmar, it appears as a long, greatshell-like creature with clouds trailing it and small lights within itself.

I’m ranking the Way of Kings chapters with a completely scientific system I’ve coined the W.I.T. Scale. You can find my rankings here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

(hide spoiler)]

[Tabea]

I‘m quite a bit late to this party but I finally started on the weekend after my library hold came through. So far, 30% in and absolutely loving it. First time reading anything of Sanderson.
I really like the *ahem* uplifting because defying all odds and death story of Kaladin. He also feels not too overly polished by making everyone love him immediately and be loyal to him. King’s uncle and cousin are a little weird tonunderstand, especially with the time jumps in Dalinor’s episodes. Not quite sure where Shallan‘s plot is going though…

[Nirkatze]

Oh yay! Welcome to the world of Sanderson, Tabea. You're in for a ride.

[Tabea]

Will some more insights on the Parshendi come later in the series? I find them intriguing and would like to have a POV from them. Or at least more POV parts of Szeth.

[Nyssa]

Tabea wrote: "Will some more insights on the Parshendi come later in the series? I find them intriguing and would like to have a POV from them. Or at least more POV parts of Szeth."

Yes to both.

[Choko]

Quinn! Welcome to the discussion!!!