David - proud Gleeman in Branwen's adventuring party’s Reviews > Rhythm of War > Status Update

Reports said there were about forty thousand here. That was a number she could comprehend. But her eyes didn't see forty thousand, they saw endless ranks. Numbers on a page became meaningless. She hadn't come to fight forty thousand. She'd come to fight a tide.

Talk about a one-sided battle!

The humans were good at judging the arrival of storms, though they were often wrong on the hour they were right on the day.

Good at predicting weather? This really is high fantasy!

Soon enough, she had an orderly room full of calming sounds. Papers shuffling, pens writing, people quietly discussing. Giving her people enough room to innovate, but also enough careful corralling to keep them innovating in the proper direction.

Sanderson makes even office work sound magical!

"Does it ruin our plans?"
"Absolutely."
"And... you don't mind?
"Of course not. This is going to be so interesting to crack open!"

I admire her ability to recover so gracefully in the face of defeat. That's hard to do, especially since sometimes things just go wrong in every possible way!

"It was war."
"Is that an excuse?"
"An explanation."
"One used to explain too much," Syl said. "It's war, you say. Nothing to be done about it. You act like it's as inevitable as the sun and storms. But it's not. You don't HAVE to kill each other!"

Me after Sanderson's writing destroys me again

As the starspren reclined on the cloud, it leaned over- as if looking straight at her. Then it threw its head back, arching its neck, and held the position.
"Storms!" Shallan said. "It's POSING! Vainglorious spren monster!"

So majestic! When I try to pose dramatically, it goes more like this...

"The squad is stronger than the individual," Kaladin said. "You simply need to get them pointed in the right direction. Get them to lift the bridge together..."

Bridge Four references destroy me every time! Sanderson really knows how to hit his readers in the feels!

The two of them stood facing one another, until finally Jasnah reached forward. What followed was the most awkward hug Navani had ever been part of, both of them making the proper motions, but unenthusiastic at the same time.

I can relate, I've fallen victim to the awkward hug as well!

Zu would run off ahead, her spren advising caution and as often ignored. Zu went to where people wouldn't, as she put it, "keep making rules about how I should live."

Zu is a rebel!

"I'll go," Lift said, then yawned. "I'm getting bored here."
The room fell silent, and Navani suspected that everyone was thinking along the same lines. They couldn't send Lift to lead an envoy representing them. She was... well... Lift!

Lift trying to make it through a diplomatic meeting: