Brandon Sanderson’s epic Stormlight Archive fantasy series will continue with Wind and Truth, the concluding volume of the first major arc of this ten-book series. A defining pillar of Sanderson’s “Cosmere” fantasy book universe, this newest installment of The Stormlight Archive promises huge developments for the world of Roshar, the struggles of the Knights Radiant (and friends!), and for the Cosmere at large.
Reactor is serializing the new book from now until its release date on December 6, 2024. A new installment will go live every Monday at 11 AM ET, along with read-along commentary from Stormlight beta readers and Cosmere experts Lyndsey Luther, Drew McCaffrey, and Paige Vest. You can find every chapter and commentary post published so far in the Wind and Truth index.
We’re thrilled to also include chapters from the audiobook edition of Wind and Truth, read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. Click here to jump straight to the audio excerpt!
Note: Title art is not final and will be updated as soon as the final cover is revealed.
Chapter 10: Book-Quartermaster
The second moment had happened already, when Szeth himself decided to take upon him this quest. The one that would shape all of our futures.
—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 8
Kaladin followed Syl into a section of the tower with lower ceilings. They had to stop flying and walk, and soon entered the scribes’… uh, supply depot?
That wasn’t what they called it, but Kaladin of course couldn’t read the sign. Scribes didn’t have a quartermaster. Storms, what did they call the place? A long, low-ceilinged room full of bookcases and puttering ardents, bald heads reflecting the glowing lights embedded into the stone. The scents of paper and hogshide leather filled the air.
He drew more than a few stares from the women and ardents they passed, but Syl strode straight through with her chin high, fully visible. She led him through a maze of tall bookcases toward a counter along the back.
A woman stood here, arms folded. Stark red lipstick on an otherwise pale face, like blood on a corpse. Wrinkles running from her nose and along her cheeks made it appear she could frown twice at the same time. When she saw Syl, both frowns became more pronounced.
Syl bobbed right up to the counter. “Do you have my things?” She waved at Kaladin. “I brought a pack human.”
“A what?” Kaladin said.
“You can carry things. I cannot. Ergo…”
The aging woman behind the counter looked him bottom to top, then sniffed. “I suppose I must acquiesce.”
“Yes, you must,” Syl said. “Queen Navani says so. I know you checked.”
The woman’s sigh could have rippled a battle standard, but she reached beneath the counter and brought out a book, setting it on the table with a thump. “I found you a disposable copy.”
Syl waved eagerly, so Kaladin picked it up for her. He flipped through it, but there weren’t any pictures or glyphs. Just line after line of women’s script.
“The words are all broken up!” Syl said. “Not written with smooth lines at all.”
“Made with movable type, out of Jah Keved,” said the woman. “I wasn’t going to give you a handwritten one to take into the field.” She squinted at Kaladin. “You’re not going to teach him to read it, are you?”
“What if I did?” Syl said, going up on her tiptoes and projecting confidence. “Dalinar reads.”
“Brightlord Dalinar is a holy man.”
“Kaladin’s holy,” Syl said. “Tell her.”
“I’m bonded to a piece of a god,” he said. “And she won’t let me forget it.”
“See?” Syl said.
The woman sighed again. “Still doesn’t justify taking my books into the field…”
“What is it?” Kaladin said, flipping through the pages.
“The Way of Kings,” Syl said. “Your own copy! I got it for you, since I’m your scribe.”
He opened his mouth to complain about the weight, that his rucksack was already packed. Then caught sight of the enthusiasm in her expression. She’d had this idea—of scribing for him—since before the attack on Urithiru. Confronted by her excited smile, his thoughts spun on their heel and did an about-face.
“That’s wonderful,” he said. “Thank you.”
“The other things too,” Syl said to the woman behind the counter. “Come on.”
The woman sent a runner girl. That left the three of them standing there, in the back of a room full of shuffling and whispering people and floating logicspren, like little storms. It wasn’t quiet, but had an air of quietude. Odd, how this place—with all those leather book covers—could smell so much like the quartermaster shop with its armor.
A woman came to the counter and received prompt service, even deferential. Kaladin watched with annoyance. They treated Syl differently because she was a spren? Another woman strode past, wearing a long pleated skirt with a military jacket over the top. Kaladin didn’t recognize her, but that was an Alethi uniform jacket, tailored more snugly than the women of Bridge Four tended to prefer.
Syl’s eyes went wide, and she let out a soft “Ooooo…”
“New style,” the woman behind the counter said. “Based on an old ko-takama.” To their confused looks, she continued, “Female warrior clothing, very old, from our more savage times. That didn’t use the uniform coat, of course—and those had a higher waist, and sometimes a bow. I might have a picture somewhere…”
She trailed off as Syl’s clothing fuzzed and she was immediately wearing something similar. Syl rose up a little, her skirt—which was longer than the one she had worn in the past—rippling faintly. Thin, pleated, with the fitted jacket above. She continued to wear her hair loose, though she was one of the only ones in the room to do so.
“Nice,” Kaladin said. “It suits you.”
Syl grinned.
“I’d suggest,” the woman said, “a nice pair of leggings or trousers under the ko-takama for a Windrunner—or whatever you are—so that…”
“What?” Syl said innocently.
“When you’re flying,” the woman said. “So that, you know…”
Syl cocked her head, then gasped. “Oh! Or everyone will see my chull.”
“Your… chull?” the woman asked.
Syl leaned forward conspiratorially across the counter. “I could never figure out why these humans were so shy about the spot between their legs! Strange to my uncultured spren mind. Then I figured it out! Must be something pretty ugly down there, for everyone to be so afraid to show it! The ugliest thing I know of is a chull head. So when I made this body, I put one there.”
The woman stared at Syl, and seemed to be trying very hard not to look.
“… Chull head,” the woman finally said.
“Chull head,” Syl replied.
“Down… there.”
“Down there.”
Syl held the woman’s eyes with an unblinking stare, before adding, “I feed it grass sometimes.”
The woman released a shockspren and made a sound not unlike one Kaladin had heard from men being strangled. “I’ll go and check on your supplies,” she said, and scrambled away, blushing and appearing maybe a little nauseated.
Syl glanced at him and smiled sweetly.
“Chull head?” he asked.
“You know us spren!” she said. “So flighty and strange. Can’t even be trusted with a storming book! We might, I don’t know, read it and damage one of the precious pages.”
He snorted. “You didn’t… actually… you know…”
“Kaladin, don’t be stupid,” she said, hovering a foot off the ground, her new skirt rippling. “Think how uncomfortable that would be.”
“Do you even exist?” he said, saying it before he thought through the words. “Under the clothing? I mean, are the clothes your skin, or…”
She leaned toward him. “Wanna see?”
“Oh, storms no,” he said, imagining her vanishing her clothing right there in the middle of the book-quartermaster depot-place, fully visible to everyone. Or perhaps worse, just to him—to make him blush. Storms, she could do that at any time, in the middle of a meeting with Dalinar. She’d probably find it as funny as sticking his feet to the floor. One would think, after all this time, he’d have learned to keep his storming mouth shut.
“This,” she said, gesturing to the clothing, “is part of me, like your hair maybe, or your fingernails. Except you can’t control yours, and I can.”
“That doesn’t explain it,” Kaladin said. “I mean, let’s be honest: if it were me, I wouldn’t finish the parts that nobody could see. Why put in the effort?”
“It’s not effort,” she said. “Changing is what takes the effort.” She gestured to herself. “This is me, my shape, my face—it’s who I am. I can change to be other things—bits of nature are easier. But eventually I will snap back to this shape. The same one I have in Shadesmar. That changes only in exceptional circumstances.”
Huh. It didn’t answer his question completely, but it was interesting.
“Still wondering how much detail I have, aren’t you?” she said, leaning up against him.
“No,” he said forcefully. “You’re going to find a way to embarrass me. So no.”
She rolled her eyes. “We are as we were imagined, Kaladin,” she said. “Basically human—but with certain enviable improvements. You can assume that if a human has it, I do too—unless it’s icky.”
Which again really didn’t explain anything, considering how erratically Syl could define the word “icky.” But she fortunately let the matter drop—as the scribe finally returned with a small box. She set out paper, some ink, and several very thin, light pens—exotic ones that he’d heard were somehow made from parts of chickens.
Syl bounced up and down eagerly, ignoring the book-quartermaster and her severe gaze. Timid at first, Syl reached and—with effort—picked up one of the pens. Before that moment, the heaviest thing Kaladin had seen Syl carry on her own was one solitary leaf. Today, full sized, she scrunched up her face and concentrated—then deliberately heaved the pen into the air, like she was lifting a training weight.
Storms, Kaladin thought, impressed as she raised the pen and dipped it, each motion slow and careful. She placed it onto the page and crafted a single letter. Then she set the pen back down.
“Very good,” the book-quartermaster said. “You now display the skill of a four-year-old.”
Syl wilted, and Kaladin immediately felt a jolt. His annoyance at this woman simmered into something hotter. He opened his mouth, a dozen different options springing to mind. She wanted a scene? Oh, he could make a scene.
He checked those words; he didn’t want to spoil his day because of a bully. Instead he sighed, resting his arms on the counter. “What are you afraid of?” he asked her.
“Brightlord?” she asked him.
“I knew another bully once,” he said. “Short man. One eye. Treated everyone around him like crem—pushed us hard, too hard. Got people killed, and didn’t have an ounce of empathy. Turns out he was hugely in debt. Always terrified it would catch up to him, so he punished everyone around him. Makes me wonder if you’re the same, and have some reason you’re so angry and unpleasant.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Brightlord,” she said.
“I hope you are lying,” Kaladin said. “Because if there isn’t a reason—if you’re insufferable with no cause—then I feel even more sorry for you. So I’ll go with the assumption that deep down inside you, there’s a person capable of understanding what I’m going to say next.
“This attitude you put on? You think it makes you appear strong, but it doesn’t. Instead it makes very clear that something is wrong with you. Look at Syl’s effort. You should be thrilled! Who berates a person for bettering herself? Who sells books and stationery, yet feels the need to undercut someone overcoming enormous physical limitations to use them?”
Kaladin held the woman’s eyes, and thought he saw something there. A spark of shame. And she drew a single shamespren, a white petal fluttering down behind her.
“Look,” Kaladin said, “you need to talk to someone about your problems. Not me; I’m just some stranger. But find someone. Talk. Grow. It’s worth the effort, all right?”
She glanced away, but then gave the faintest hint of a nod.
Kaladin took the paper Syl had written on and folded it, then tucked it in his jacket pocket. “I’m keeping this,” he said. “It’s wonderful.”
“Now,” Syl said, “I can actually be your scribe.” She glanced at the paper. “So long as you carry the materials…”
He smiled, packing them—and her book—into his ruck. He slung it over both shoulders onto his back, then the two headed out. “I assume,” Kaladin said under his breath, “most book-quartermasters aren’t so terrible.”
“Wait, what did you call her?”
“Um… book-quartermaster? Who works at the scribes’ supply depot?”
“The head librarian,” she said, “at the library?”
“Oh, right. Yeah, that’s the word.”
“You are absolutely adorable sometimes.”
They stepped out into Urithiru’s labyrinth of narrow corridors again. Kaladin nodded to the right, toward where he saw natural light down a hallway. It had a skylight, with some open-air windows at the sides.
“Tired of hallways?” he asked.
“Exhausted of them.”
Grinning, together they sought the sky.
Chapter 11: Musicspren
For while the contest of champions was to happen in the East, a different contest was to happen in Shinovar. And one that the Wind swore was equally vital. Perhaps more so.
—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 8
Abidi the Fused loomed over Shallan, gaping at the sword through his chest. Radiant pulled it free, then swung for his head. Despite the wound, he had the presence of mind to duck forward and tumble over Shallan, then skidded to a stop and spun as his wound resealed. Unfortunately, Radiant hadn’t managed to hit him in the gemheart or sever his spine—the two cleanest ways to kill a Fused.
He took her in, then glanced at Radiant—made physical—his eyes narrowing as he hummed to a discordant rhythm. “You have learned substantiation? I thought your kind had forbidden that skill. Odium will need to know.” He dove through the bead wall, vanishing.
The cavern immediately collapsed, a deluge of beads consuming Shallan, and the illusion of Radiant puffed away into Stormlight. Shallan held tightly to the satchel around her arm, drawing in more Stormlight, and quested out with her ungloved freehand. Searching the beads.
She needed one as a blueprint. She’d done this before, and had practiced on this trip. In this case, she searched for a room. A bead that was the soul of a room…
She found one almost immediately. An empty room. A part of her mind acknowledged that it was incredibly—even supernaturally—convenient to find the exact bead she needed so quickly.
Shallan! a voice said in her mind. She had the distinct impression of Adolin beneath her and to the left. She followed that impression, using Stormlight to make the beads nudge her that way. She held on to her blueprint and hit the bottom of the ocean, smooth obsidian. There she commanded the beads back, forming a large, empty square room. The beads pulled away to reveal Adolin on the ground, curled in on himself, hands cupped around his mouth to make space so he could breathe.
He blinked at the sudden light—all of it coming from her—and sat up. A few swords were scattered nearby, having fallen with Adolin. Feeling overwhelmed, Shallan walked to him, still clutching the bead. It seemed… eager to be helpful.
What?
She’d never felt such a sensation from a bead before. And what was that voice that had led her toward Adolin? Frowning, she reached Adolin, but staggered. The room spun, and a second later she found herself on the ground, everything a jumble.
“Shallan?” Adolin said, cradling her.
“Are you… real?” she asked.
“What? Of course I am.”
“I created Radiant,” Shallan whispered. “I could have created you… Maybe that’s why you’re so wonderful. I said reality could be what I imagine it to be, but I don’t actually want that. That would be… terrifying…”
He squeezed her hand and helped her sit. The world stopped spinning, and… that was him, wasn’t it? Not an illusion? It had felt wonderful to manifest Radiant—a part of her stepping out and becoming real—but the idea that she could touch her illusions… How would she ever know what to trust?
Trust him. You can trust him.
“I’m sorry,” she said, taking a deep breath and putting her hand to his face. “I’ve been pushing myself hard these last few days, what with Formless and all…”
“We’ve all been pushing too hard,” he said, poking her shoulder where she’d been stabbed and clicking his tongue. Likely at the damage to the coat, as he could see that she’d already healed. “We need a long, uneventful rest after this.”
“Sounds enchanting,” Shallan said, waving for him to help her stand. It felt mortifying to go from a moment of such strength—attacking one of the Fused—to this. She kept hold of that bead in her freehand, because there was something very strange about it.
Adolin checked to see that she was steady on her feet, then grabbed a one-handed sword from the ground. “Drehy and his squires are still fighting up there. Can you help me get to them? I know you need rest, but we can’t leave them.”
She walked to the side of the cavern and felt at the beads there. They’d clicked into place, perfectly aligned in a smoothish surface. “I’ll need something that can make a platform and raise us up. Or maybe I can just lift this room? Pretend that…”
Her vision started to spin again. Briefly. The beads trembled. Adolin jumped back, and a face formed from beads in the wall—in the shape of a crowned femalen singer. The one Shallan had sketched, which Ketek had identified as Ba-Ado-Mishram. Shallan’s sight began to blacken at the edges, and she heard a rushing sound, accompanied by…
In her mind, a woman’s voice speaking to the rhythms.
I will kill you. I will burn everything you love. I will exact vengeance in a river of blood!
Adolin’s voice was a panicked but distant sound. Darkness tunneled around Shallan.
I will rampage across this world until not a single human remains drawing breath. Betrayers, thieves, monsters! I will send you back to the flames from whence you—
Adolin slammed an oversized, massive greatsword into the face. An eruption of beads burst from it, like a wellspring of water. The entire cavern disintegrated.
She needed a dome. No, a sphere. Like Navani’s traveling sphere. She should have been able to create one without a blueprint, but she couldn’t yet—but she did reach out and find a bead that represented such a room. That was an even more ridiculous coincidence, but she used it, enclosing Adolin and her, sending the sphere flying up until—
They emerged from the ocean of beads, the door of her improvised vehicle opening at her command. They bobbed there, and Adolin put a hand on her shoulder. “Shallan? What in Damnation is going on?”
She shook her head and pointed to where the Windrunners were engaging the Heavenly Ones. As she did, one of Drehy’s squires—the woman who had been stabbed earlier—came flying down. She seemed to be angling for Shallan’s half-sphere vehicle, but crashed hard into the beads nearby, her Stormlight winking out.
Adolin, bless him, moved as if to jump out and grab her, but swimming in the beads was next to impossible. Shallan always felt it should have been easy, considering how solid they were—but the way they shifted and moved sucked a person down or flung them about. Shallan put a hand on his leg to stop him, then took in a long, deep breath of Stormlight, thankful for what the Windrunners had given her.
She had no idea what was going on, and she was scared. In her core, she was still terrified. That, however, Veil whispered, is a step forward.
For years, Shallan had hated herself. Now she merely feared herself. That was progress.
She managed to solidify the beads around her vehicle, forming a stable ring some twenty feet in diameter. That raised the wounded Windrunner up, and Adolin, oversized sword in hand, ran to check on her. Above, the attack was relentless—and Shallan saw one of the Fused in particular leading the others: Abidi the Monarch, with his mostly white patterned face. He saw her, and dove to attack.
Shallan had begun thinking of the Heavenly Ones as the least dogmatic of the Fused, but—like everyone else—they were individuals. She should have realized her mistake in generalizing an entire group.
As Abidi landed on her platform, she tried to form Radiant again, but the effort left her so dizzy she fell to her knees. Fortunately, Abidi made a huge tactical error: he discounted Adolin. He absently shoved Adolin aside and raised a sword to finish off the fallen Windrunner. Adolin leaped in and deflected the blow with his oversized sword, which he held in a strange grip: one hand on the hilt, one hand on the unsharpened section right above the crossguard.
With obvious surprise at being challenged, Abidi swept for Adolin—who ducked, stepping in close, and expertly rammed the tip of his sword between two pieces of carapace on the Fused’s side. It crunched as Adolin shoved it in deep.
The Fused gasped, and the red light in his eyes flickered. Abidi ripped himself back off the sword, managed to dodge Adolin’s follow-up attack, then tried to flee into the sky. He made it ten feet before his Voidlight gave out and he crashed into the beads and was sucked beneath the surface.
Another Fused flew to his aid—and a few more came in from above.
“Storms, Adolin is good,” Radiant said, having at last formed out of Stormlight beside Shallan. She turned her gaze upward, then raised a massive Shardbow and—in a single fluid motion—loosed an arrow almost as thick as a spear. Then another. The Fused above them scattered.
Shallan sat and breathed deeply, concentrating on her Lightweaving and on staying conscious. Drehy and his squires regrouped on the platform in a defensive formation around their fallen comrade—spears up. Doing a quick count—and finding everyone there save for the spren—Shallan used the bead that represented a room to build a large box around them all. Before the Fused could come for them, she lowered them beneath the surface.
Drehy pulled out a sapphire for light and knelt by his squire. Judging by how she immediately absorbed the Stormlight—plunging them into darkness again—she was going to be fine. The next gemstones that came out didn’t get consumed.
Shallan flopped backward, almost completely out of Light. A moment later Drehy stepped over. “This your doing, Shallan?” he asked, rapping on the wall of the room.
“Yes.”
“Those Fused saw where we went down. They’ll come for us.”
Damnation. It was a good point. Well, Jasnah had mastery over her objects made of beads—she had demonstrated it for Shallan, floating along on a platform. Shallan had been stretching these muscles more and more lately. So maybe…
With more Stormlight from Drehy in hand, she managed to sink the room to the bottom of the bead ocean. Then she sent it traveling along like a little boat under the water.
Now to find the spren. She could feel Pattern if she concentrated. Sense his emotions. So she could tell when the under-bead room moved close to him.
“A little help?” she said, her head pounding. “Search through that wall for me…”
Drehy and his squires reached into the beads and pulled Pattern, then Testament, Maya, and finally Drehy’s spren into the boat from the bottom of the sea. After that, Shallan moved them all away. She didn’t think she actually moved the ship-room-thing. More that the beads outside moved it for her, like in a current. Once they’d traveled far enough that the enemy wouldn’t find them without a lot of luck, she stopped it and let herself rest. Breathing deeply, Adolin feeding her spheres of Light from Drehy’s mostly depleted sack.
“That was something, wasn’t it?” Drehy asked, flopping down beside her.
“What about Gallant?” Adolin asked, his voice pained. “Will his Lashing still be working?”
“Should be…” Drehy pulled out his little fabrial. “That’s the correct direction, toward Azimir. I… think.”
“You think?” Shallan asked.
“This device points to something far in the distance. Something the Sibling called ‘the Grand Knell, source of the Current, the death of a god.’ ”
“Not at all ominous,” Shallan said, sitting up.
“It gives us a bearing,” Drehy explained. “This always points to the Knell. I know the angle from Lasting Integrity we were to take, and I don’t think we’ve strayed too far…”
Adolin started to pace. He got like his father when he was anxious. “Can we go up and send someone to look?”
Shallan glanced at Drehy, who nodded. She took them up and opened a little section in the ceiling. Drehy went himself, streaking out with a Lashing, though he left the compass device with them just in case.
He was back less than five minutes later, landing on the top of the improvised boat and peering in through the hole she’d made in the roof. “You two are going to want to see this…”
* * *
An island was nearby, made by a small lake in the real world. There, Shallan was ecstatic to find Gallant trotting along, perfectly safe, exactly as Drehy had said.
He was surrounded by an entire herd of glowing horses.
Shallan had seen one before—Notum had used it as a mount. Not truly a horse, but something that evoked the same impression: with a long, smooth neck and flowing strands of hair. Glowing, lithe, ethereal. As Gallant saw Adolin approaching—flown by Drehy—he let out a whinny of delight, then charged, joined by the herd.
When the horses—Gallant included—reached the sea, they simply kept running, galloping through the air, hooves making glowing marks and throwing off sparks. As before, Gallant seemed completely unfazed by flying. In fact, it was as if he’d expected his Lashing to work like this. It was like… like he often went galloping through the sky in a ghostly herd.
Adolin met him with a cry of delight, grabbing hold of his neck. The ethereal horses—musicspren, she’d been told, though she didn’t see the resemblance—galloped around them in the air. And Shallan noticed something she perhaps should have figured out long ago. She’d remarked, upon first entering Shadesmar, how Gallant had a strange afterimage glow. An outline that followed him, moved with him…
Was there a musicspren bonded to him? Overlapping him?
Eventually the herd moved off, giving Gallant nuzzles before going. All except one, who lingered, looking over its shoulder at Adolin.
In a strangely intimate moment, this horselike spren trotted back and put its muzzle out to Adolin—who lifted his hand to touch it. The interaction lasted barely a moment, then the spren was off again, galloping through the air after the others.
“What was that?” Shallan asked.
“That spren…” Adolin said. “It was familiar somehow. Its eyes… I’ve seen it somewhere before…” He was interrupted as Gallant started to drift downward. The Lashing—or whatever—that the musicspren had provided was running out. Drehy had to swoop in and Lash Gallant once more, who took it remarkably calmly.
“Well, I’m glad the animal is well,” Drehy said. “But this isn’t the only thing you need to see.” Drehy pointed the other direction. “I spotted the horses here and came this way. Then I saw something else.”
“Lights,” Shallan said, following his gesture toward something in the distance. “I saw them earlier.”
“Those Fused weren’t on a random patrol,” Drehy said. “They were guarding something. It’s dangerous to be this close, but I think we need to investigate.”
“Hold on,” Shallan said, then did a Lightweaving. Even without a sketch first. Sure, she’d just seen the spren, but she felt proud of projecting musicspren illusions around herself and the others. If they lay down lengthwise as they flew, they’d mostly be obscured. Maybe from a distance it would be convincing. Merely a strange herd of spren galloping through the air, not spies.
“Let’s go,” she said.
As they drew close, she could make out better what the lights represented. Ships. Hundreds of ships bearing singer warriors, sailing the bead ocean pulled by flying mandras, trailed by emotion spren of many varieties churning the waves like camp followers. Shallan gaped.
“That’s thousands of assault troops,” Adolin whispered from inside his illusion. He righted Gallant’s saddle after handing off his greatsword to one of Drehy’s squires. The scabbard was gone, and the equipment boxes had been knocked free—Adolin grimaced as his hand lingered on the now vacant saddle hooks.
“They have patrols watching to make sure no one spots them,” Shallan said. “It’s a secret strike force.”
“They’re sailing straight for Azimir,” Drehy said. “Storms… they probably came all the way from the Horneater Peaks, and the perpendicularity there. They must have been planning this for months.”
“Agreed,” Adolin said. “Drehy, you have to get us to Azimir as quickly as possible.”
Excerpted from Wind and Truth, copyright © 2024 Dragonsteel Entertainment.
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Wind and Truth
Well, so much for hoping Mishram would be nice and understanding.
Sureblood you beautiful wonder, we’ve missed you.
Yeah I had ZERO faith she might be the wind/somewhat benevolent haha. Even if time has barely passed for her she’s still a major enemy. And it wouldn’t be a sacrifice to restore the deadeyes if she wouldnt be a major threat released, at least at first. Well see how she reacts to tOdium though haha, though we’ve seen with El he doesn’t keep grudges held by Rayse.
Was so stoked to see Surebloods musicspren though, that was really sweet. Funny how the one regular human is able to form these complex bonds with spren
Right? Like, if they find her, are they sure they want to free her? She scary.
Sureblood! I am tearing up. 😭
Adolin getting to interact with Sureblood’s spren! And I always suspected that there was some kind of connection between Shallan’s family and BAM, and now it seems that there is something more with Shallan personally.
Rayse was cooking some interesting schemes. This attack would have happened regardless of the Vessel swap.
More Syladin fodder, sigh. Didn’t think that people would become so comfortable with Radiant spren as to treat them with contempt … And didn’t Kaladin save the whole Urithiru just a couple of days ago?
You think that will stop people from being asses?
Maybe if Syl didn’t sexually harass everyone people would respect her more. As is I’d want her the fuck out of MY library.
Sexually harass everyone?
Drove a fellow patron out of the library with her unwanted sexual comments. If Syl wants to be treated like an adult human, then she should be treated the same way as if a man had walked up to a lady at the library counter and started talking to her about his junk.
Dude what???
Everyone deserves a safe workplace; it is clear that in Urithiru management considers it acceptable for high ranking employees to make service workers uncomfortable with unwanted sexual comments. This ought to be unacceptable, but it is evident that Sylphrena’s misbehavior gets a pass from top level management (under the typical “haha it was funny don’t be so stuck up” justification that plagues toxic workplaces today).
Username definitely checks out.
If it happened as publicly as it did? Absolutely. For a time at least.
Sureblood! Or at least his companion spren! These are not tears in my eyes for that sweet moment, these are not …
I actually wrote a comment last week, referencing a WoB and a possible “Sunlit Man” spoiler regarding why I think Kaladin might ascend but why I do not believe he will die in this book, but for some reason, the page did not publish my comment, even though I tried three times. In it, I also voiced a wish to know more about the Rhyshadium’s connection with the musicspren. Ask and ye shall receive!
Should also have known that the flight to Azimir cannot go so smoothly.
Syl is amazing! To be able to actually pick up a pen and physically write … that is a serious achievement for a spren. But I guess you must be awesome if you are a piece of a god :)
And now I am of course simply dying of curiosity about that second contest, it cannot be just the cleansing of Shinovar, that would be too generic. So what on Roshar …
I’ve also had trouble posting comments (I think since the new Reactor site vs tor.com). My current theory is that if I’m quoting some text from the original post that includes fancy Unicode characters like quotes, dashes, or an ellipsis, the backend silently rejects that content. So I’m re-typing quoted material and that seems to help, though not 100%.
Here’s a Unicode ellipsis so if this post goes through I’ll have to come up with a new theory…
Book-Quartermaster lol. You can take the Kaladin out of Alethkar, but you can’t take the Alethi out of Kaladin
I’m sorry but in actually disagree with this. It feels cheap. Kaladin had been shown multiple times to have a larger than average vocabulary. He uses the word “idiopathic” when discussing Renarin’s epilepsy. He was in charge of guarding the Kholins at least two of whom would have frequented the library in the *year* they lived in Urithiru. He has had at least some parts of Oathbringer read to him – where did he get that from – did he buy a copy of his own? Even if he never used it himself, even if he never happened to guard Navani or Jasnah ( and possibly Renarin) when they certainly visited it (and we know they used the word library themselves) he should have known what it is through the virtue of having a mental map of Urithiru in his head. He would need to have this when drawing up efficient and effective guard rotations that he was responsible for – if only so that he could communicate where specific guards needed to be at specific times.
He also can read glyphs – he’s not completely averse to reading – despite it being a trait that’s pushed in the latter stormlight books, it’s actually notable how much he can read from glyphs. Why is that being forgotten?
The way the epigraphs are written.. I think the author is a listener. I think is Venli.
I think it could be Syl
So the clues we have is they were a philosopher and historian, and are old enough to remember way back in the day when the Wind was still active..I figured it had to be a Herald, but absolutely after this chapter? Syl fits perfectly. Being privvy to ancient knowledge but also knowing Kal well
Venli is a willshaper, not sure why she’d be writing a windrunner book. She’s neither historian or philosopher.
What if it is Venli’s mother. She’s definitely a historian and it is not a huge stretch to consider her a philosopher.
I just looked it up and her mom’s name is Jaxlim. I don’t know how to edit my comment so this will have to do.
I like the idea of the epigraphs author being a listener. I think that might be the best contender right now. Not sure if it is Venli, but I think it’s definitely possible
could it be syl as this chapter establishes she is learning how to scribe?
In the ch 6 epigraph the author suggest they were no present for the events in Shinovar as they had to rely on the 2 witnesses. So probably not Syl?
Agreed that it can’t be Syl. She’s not exactly a historian or philosopher, either.
I feel like this is the most likely answer
Brandon’s continued contempt for librarians amuses me
Well, they are nothing more than book-quartermasters , ,🤣
Well they are Evil lol
lol the best
same here
So much to talk about. Chullussy speaks for itself, but Kaladin reading the Way of Kings and being called holy by Syl. The entire series has been hinting at him becoming honor and taking control of urithiru, but these chapters are laying it on thick. Makes me wonder if Brandon has reached the point where he longer feels the need to hide and is setting up checkovs firing squad for the sanderlanch or if this is somehow a big mislead. But he’s reading the Way of Kings. I don’t know if that can be a mislead.
The epigraph’s called call Kaladin Stormblessed and Szeth only Szeth. Perhaps denotatating respect for Kal and a familiarity with Szeth? Or maybe Kaladin Stormblessed just worked better because it was referring to a important moment, idk. I think jasnah or sig looks likely but I like the idea that it could be a grown lift. Also, the place where the contest is being held is going to change?
Shallan still going crazy with her powers. Is she also hearing the Wind, or perhaps two different versions of BAM?
I’ll believe the theory of Kaladin becoming Honor when it actually happens and not before. It just seems too out there for me right now
Agreed. I’m of 2 minds. Either Kaladin will take the place of Jezrian in the oath pact and become a Herald. Or he will,”… pick it up, the fallen title! The tower, the crown, and the spear!”, and become Dalinar’s heir.
Glad someone else noticed the Szeth vs Kaladin Stormblessed thing. I agree it suggests familiarity. I wonder if it’s his sister, or at least a Shin author. I think it’ll be a character we see a lot more of later in the book.
Chullussy 😂😆 I live in fear that after this book is released, I won’t be able to web search “Stormlight Archive fan art” without seeing things that will cause me to require Kaladin’s trauma healing therapy services for years to come.
What an odd chapter (10)!! I like when the Spren troll their human counterparts. It’s sort of a callback to “NO MATING….” although that was somehow a lot funnier than Syl offering to, ah, show Kaladin things… Hmm. I’m not sure how to feel about that hahaha.
Kaladin has to become Honor or something. He’s sort of embodying the idea of honor through his actions.
And what on earth is going on with Shallan?! And BAM?
Adolin and the horse music Spren 🥹🥹🥹
Chullussy, lol! Even I cringed a little when it went on longer than a sentence or two…and I am generally beyond cringing.
Nvm Szeth himself. Definitely reverent
I suspect “Szeth himself” is actually his eventual name. As in, he sheds “son-son-Vallano”, ceasing to be defined by his familial history, and taking “Himself” as a sort of surname.
AND THE KNELL! THE PLACE WHERE HONOR DIED
Wouldn’t it be the place where Adonalsium was shattered? It’s a Shadesmar compass not Roshar compass IMO
I think you’re right :
The compass was retrieved from Urithiru storage.
Urithiru was abandoned before the recreance and Honor splintering.
Ergo the compass was not made to find Honor death place.
(but it can be if the signature signal of one divine death is similar to another)
Would make sense if the Knell was much farther away than another place around Roshar
Maybe it even points to Yolen’s location.
In Arcanum, we can find this quote :
JordanCon 2021
Pagerunner[..]Does Yolen have a perpendicularity?
Brandon SandersonYolen has something very similar.
Syl is the author of wind and truth
I don’t think it could be Syl. The epigraphs aren’t written in her voice at all. Someone mentioned it might be Venli or another listener and I think that’s the best guess I’ve seen so far
I think so too
Chapter 11 is intriguing, for sure. It’s always exciting to see radiants discover more about their powers. And I liked the craziness of how BAM’s anger at the humans was shown. But, chapter 10 doesn’t even sound like Brandon Sanderson. It’s so strange. Brandon Sanderson has become one of my very favorite authors, so I say this reluctantly… It sounds very immature and amateur. Which is shocking to me. Like he’s trying so hard to push a message that he leaves the great writing behind.
I agree that it is a bit off, if you’ve only read Stormlight Archives so far.
However, it is totally on par for him. The second Mistorn series is full of innuendo and *inserts eggplant emoji*-jokes.
But it can be startling when you’re mostly used to the tone of the SA books.
I have only read Stormlight series and Elantris, but I find that many passages have that same simplistic style. He weaves a good story and has a great sense of humor, so I get into what he’s saying and don’t think about it much – until I read something else. Chapter 10 did read like fan fiction. I think listening to Michael and Kate read it in December will add that “je ne sais quoi” that gives the words a bit more maturity and impact.
The audio files for these released chapters are included, if you want to listen now.
i didn’t get that impression at all. i was cracking up during that chapter which was maybe the most un-sanderson thing about it but i thought it was some very intriguing storytelling!
Agreed – it feels like his writing style has completely changed since Book 4.
His writing was similarly weird in RoW too, especially early on.
Sureblood!☺️🥹
Kal reigning in his temper? Am I reading the same guy? Don’t get me wrong, I do not mind it at all but the shift from books 1 & 2 moody Kal is almost weird if the other small transitions didn’t take place in between. A good weird.
The title of chapter 11 makes me smile! That was a crazy chapter.
Kaladin did level up, and he was working with therapy before the tower fell. So I think he’s maturing a bit.
It did seem like a different guy.
From laughing over a Syl to crying over Sureblood’s Music Spren—fabulous chapters!!!
There are definitely implications of romance with Kal and Syl. Kal wondering if she has “female body parts” and trying not to blush. Hysterical! And can I ever think of anything else to call parts but chull again? Geez. And I love that Kal was empathetic to the evil librarian. Or should I say evil book quartermaster?
I have ALWAYS thought the Ryshadium were bonded to Music spren, and we finally know! Hurray! Makes too much sense with horses’ gaits making music rhythms—walk, 4 single beats, trot, 2/2 beat, canter 3/4 beat. I cried so hard when Sureblood’s spren nuzzled Adolin!
I was thinking Sigzil wrote the book, but if Syl is learning to write……
I wouldn’t read too much into Kal’s and Syl’s interaction. He’s a young, relatively inexperienced guy, who was raised in a pretty conservative society.
Even in today’s day and age a guy (or girl), like Kaladin, would totally get embarrassed if their friend acted that way.
As a European, it’s kind of is like the way people from cultures were nudity is less accepted get all embarrassed when they see women tan topless on the beach. Or a woman breastfeeding.
I’m honestly so dissapointed in Brandon for giving in to Syladin
Are you sure that he has? Might need to just RAFO.
Not only that. There seems to be a strong suggestion that Musicspren were imagined by horses!
How did the Herald Palah/Battar get to Urithiru? And Kal has already started getting through to one of the Heralds even before leaving for his quest. So, the question is, what exactly is going on with Kal? He seems to have some special connections to emotions. It has been there from the first book and has become pronounced through the series. Especially considering the beast mode he demonstrated shortly after Teft’s death, and his account of his emotions during that period. I think the old magic is an emotion-based magic distinct from Odium and whatever form of emotions he currently controls. The child of Tanavast thingy is also probably linked to Kal’s special connection to this emotion-based magic.
This book-quartermaster is an attempt by Brandon to hide things in plain sight again. Well, since Shallan met an old woman amongst the books in Khabranth in TWOK, who she described as glowing as one of the Heralds, I have been waiting for an old woman to turn up amongst the books again. I personally believe this to be Palah because I think that she is wearing an illusion as she was when Shallan previously met her. The blood red lipstick and the specific description also lends credence to this theory. Plus, she was probably the one that started the “men should not read chulldung” because she was trying to hide something and that something is probably written in the Way of Kings, the something that Gavilar could not figure out, the something that is related to the nature of the Heralds that Melishi being hurried did not write down before imprisoning Ba-Ado Mishram.
My only reasoning for thinking that this could be Battar is the fact logicspren were referenced and I have always attributed those spren as the lesser spren to Battar’s corresponding order of Radiants (i.e. elsecallers).
There it is. There’s my answer.
I shotgunned this entire series at the end of 2020, sprinkling in Era 1 Mistborn, and something that stood out to me when I got to Rhythm of War was repeated phrases about Adolin “having that effect” on people. It stuck out again on my second read through, and I thought… is there some kind of Rosharan emotional allomancy? Like how there’s Selish and Yolish lightweaving? I finished my third read through a couple days ago and scoured the last Ars Arcanum and came to the same conclusion as you – the Old Magic is a manifestation of something that every planet and every people have access to. We have emotional manipulation on one planet, there’s no reason it can’t pop up on another planet. Every culture and every language will eventually have a Doug. Why can’t Roshar have a form of emotional allomancy, and why can’t Adolin have access to it? You picked it up on Kaladin, which isn’t something I’d thought about, but I will from now on.
Man, I’m so scared of Sylladin. That’s the sort of thing I want to see in fan-fics, not the actual book.
I was feeling iffy on Shallan doing the stuff with the spheres last week, but I think I can get behind it with the Fused’s comment. There’s something important going on there.
I realize that it would be all kinds of weird, but syl and kal are just so cute together i can’t help but want it anyway. its hard to imagine either of them finding love elsewhere, and they both deserve it.
Anyone else think the epigraphs are written by Renarin Kholin? He’s a Truthwatcher, related to scholars and still an outsider in every sense so he knows about all the events and has the ability to approach it objectively. And his father’s writing would’ve prompted him to write down his own thoughts and visions.
It’s so definitely Sureblood that I was mildly annoyed that Adolin and Shallan didn’t realize it.
My new theory for the author of the epigraphs is a Shin scholar, possibly related to Szeth. The author refers to Szeth without a surname or anything, refers to The East as opposed to Shinovar, and just in tone and word choice seems consistent with a Shin voice. Would be interesting if the reference to the importance of Szeth’s mission to “all of us” (or whatever that wording was) just meant Shinovar.
I’m not sure what I think is going to happen with Mishram anymore. I thought maybe the Wind was helping Shallan with finding beads and so on, and that maybe it is tightly related to Mishram. I was wondering if the Wind turned into Mishram when it was Unmade, and freeing Mishram would somehow remake it. But Mishram screaming about destroying humanity doesn’t sound super compatible with helping Shallan find beads… Unless there are sort of two minds involved and the singer/unmade part was extra angry about the Wind part helping.
Yeah I was extremely annoyed at Adolin not calling back to Sureblood too!! Dude doesn’t seem the type to forget things precious to him, only the girls he went out with. 😅
Shallan’s Armorspren is helping her. Remember that they are creation spren and was described as coming alive in the last chapters.
I don’t know what folks are complaining about. Chapter 10 is the best. 😂
@Moderator the “Join the Read-Along Here” link at the end of the article points to the read-along for chapters 5 and 6 (same as it did for last week’s chapter). Can we get the link updated for future weeks? (I have found the current read-along article already, it just seems worthwhile to keep the links tidy.)
The links have been updated in last week’s post as well as this one. Thanks for letting us know!
Sureblood meet up was sweet – but I feel like he should have recognized her before us, lol.
Honestly, Shallan’s mind is a confusing place. I hope that her storyline does not get head-bangingly complicated. How often does that wind up as “I guess we’ll never really know or understand everything”. Here’s hoping for the best.
There appears to be a typo in chapter 11, “ketek” described BAM to shallan?
That has been corrected in the final version.
I had the thought: the epigraphs remind me of the blurb on the back of The Way of Kings…could the Sleepless be writing Knights of Wind and Truth?
I don’t have much evidence to back this theory, but it could be possible.
…If Syladin wasn’t a thing before I think it might be now.
The thing is he’s writing it in a way that if it is heading in that direction, I’m actually not opposed to it. It fits.
I guess we’ll see what happens.
More evidence that Ba-Ado-Mishram was on Roshar before the arrival of the Ashynites. Maybe even before the arrival of Honor and Cultivation. Her words make me think she was the god of the singers long before anything or anyone else arrived. Maybe Adonalsium made her to govern Roshar after forming the planet?
Also, apparently Shadesmar compasses point to the Yolen subastral. I don’t know what else the ‘Grand Knell’ would be referring to.
…But if that’s the case, then what the heck is the ‘Current’ supposed to be?
Yeah if syl and Kaladin become romantically involved I’m going to QUIT the series and ask for my money back. I can already tell that like RoW I’m going to be skipping all the Kaladin chapters since they’re just disgusting fanfic or ultra depressive episodes.
Just, what? You did see the opening of Kaladin’s chapters that said he felt good, right? You didn’t miss that? Kind of implies that he’s doing better since starting therapy with those who have battle shock.
And fanfic? How is an author’s original words “fanfic”?
Did RoW have disgusting fanfic?
It was definitely veering in that direction. RoW was 90% “Hi I’m Kaladin and I’m suicidal” when it comes to Kaladin chapters and then 10% “Hi I’m Syl and I’m randomly acting weird now after 3 novels where I was totally fine….human/spren betraying bond issues aside”.
Chapter 10 doesn’t even read like any of Sanderson’s prior work nor does it sound coherent. Just random fanfic quickly approaching soft core you know what….
Sorry to say, but that is a ‘You’-problem, not an issue of the author.
It sounds like you are uncomfortable with the reality of mental health issues. Which is understandable, many people are.
However, I do not understand why you would continue reading the books as the vast majority of main characters struggle with it.
It honestly just sounds like Sanderson isn’t the author for you.
There are many authors that stay away from approaching (sometimes difficult) subjects like mental health disorders, sexuality, personal and religious identity, etc. .
If you want to read books that offer a total escape from reality, Sanderson’s work is not it.
There comes a point where enough is enough. I disagree with John, I like the books and this can’t be fanfic, but I also will be severely disappointed if Sanderson veers from the storyline just for the sake of including more mental health problem situations. And guys, let’s keep this polite. This is a commentary, not a court room
Wow, I don’t think we read the same book. RoW was NOT what you’re saying it was.
And soft-core porn? Seriously. You know that’s ridiculous, right?
Right?
We’re talking bout Syl’s chulls in place of…we know what.
Yeah I think it’s already become odd /strange and quickly veering into weird sexual soft core porn territory. I’m not the only reader saying that. Plenty of people on YouTube are reacting the same way….
cant wait for more.
So let me get this straight, Kaladin is heading to Ishar, with The Way of Kings, the book that Gavilar believed had the Words to make him a Herald… 🤔
Abidi, a Heavenly-One, called themself “The Monarch”
Jezrien, a Windrunner, was the King of the Heralds.
Dalinar wants Kaladin, another Windrunner, to become the Ruler of Urithiru.
It’s all stacking up that people with Flight are destined to be Leaders. And also Jez is dead, they probably need a replacement.
“Gavilar believed” are the key words here. I rather felt like the Stormfather was waiting for him to speak the First Ideal.
I think the author of Knights of Wind and Truth is Sylphrena now.
The illustration makes me think of something Terry Pratchett said…
*spends twenty minutes flipping through A Hat Full of Sky looking for the right quote*
” ‘Not what a horse looks like, but what a horse be…’ It had been carved in the turf back before history began, by people who had managed to convey in a few flowing lines everything a horse was: strength, grace, beauty and speed, straining to break free of the hill.”
Anyway, that’s exactly the vibe I get from the musicspren. What a horse be, indeed.
Is anyone else worried by the quality of these chapters? I always found the humour in the series offputting, but it seems every book is a significant decline from Way of Kings.
I think when you read 2-3 chapters at a time, put it down, and overthink everything as your first time through, that probably impacts how people perceive the quality. Also, with a book / series this long with so many characters, people are going to have a difference of opinion/expectations of where they would like the story to go and where Sanderson actually takes it.
So I can see how people might have that perception.
I do not see a drop in quality in his writing or story telling. Do I like everything he has put to paper? No (I found Yumi to be a very low point in his output), but overall I am satisfied where these stories are leading (Stormlight and other Cosmere books) and how everything is starting to become increasingly interconnected.
Way of Kings is probably one of the what, 50 best books i have ever read? I maintain that the For the bridgemen line/scene where dalinar keeps his honor is one of the greatest ever written in fantasy.
To set up both extremes where one thing has so much value and the other thing has no value and then at the end slam them together in a paradigm shifting crescendo is the most effective and emotionally satisfying slow promise/burn i have ever seen or at least can remember.
I could not agree more that i have been repeatedly disappointed with every new release.
I am not worried about the quality of these chapters. I don’t think there’s been any decline whatsoever.
Shattering glass! It’s an evil librarian, on Roshar of all places!!!
So, chapter 11 shows Shallan suddenly seeming to be exhibiting a lot of new abilities. We see:
-substantiation
-hearing a voice, maybe somehow hearing Adolin in context
-beads reacting to her and helping her
This all seems to have started immediately after the big ending we got last week where Shallan reiterated and expanded her prior truth “I’m terrified”. Many have said this may be reswearing but to Testament and I agree to that. But I noticed something else.
The last line of chapter 9:
Quote
“Reality,” Shallan hissed, “is what I decide it to be.”
That sounds a bit like what could be a Lightweaver 5th Ideal/truth to me. It would fit a bit with the “I am the law” example format we have of a 5th ideal. And then we see all these new abilities.
Now, maybe it’s unlikely that she has already sworn 5th ideal with at least one of her spren here – but this could be a hint to 5th ideal?
I agree that there’s a lot of new abilities coming in for Shallan but am not convinced that this is a 5th Ideal level yet. I think it feels more like the ups and downs that she regularly experiences, compounded by the double bond and (presumably) needing to swear Ideals to both spren separately.
We knew bondsmiths had severe limitations and nerfs in the past to restrict what they can do, likely dustbrngers too but hadn’t even considered light weavers.. Making things have substance could definitely be a can of worms since they might gain sentience being active long enough and if they’re invested enough.
Love that everyone kept guessing the wind might be BAM when like.. She’s a pissed off Unmade, THIS is how she would react even if time has passed differently for her.
Curious why Shallan is able to draw on SO much fortune here, besides the dual bond. It happened in the past with grabbing Kholinar castle too
Maybe just connecting with the spiritual realm.
I love how he subverts the Planet of Hats trope by clarifying not all of the heavenly ones are chill and reasonable haha, they all left to live with the listeners.
Okay holy CRAP. We had a hint of Shallans potential in oathbringer..with her summoning an army
But if she can summon tangible troops with ranged attacks to protect her, like goddamn that’s OP
Aww Surebloods musicspren remembered Adolin!
Hmm..so this assault must have been planned before Rayse was killed? tOdium is still going through with it though. They only just made the 10 day deal, so since the deal is keeping any places already held, makes sense he’d want to conquer everything he could before.
They were able to resist Thaylens siege but if it’s more like the assault on Kholinar I don’t know how they’d be able to resist, just have to oathgate armies over there ASAP
What’s cool about her using the spheres like a raft is in oathbringer when she has to keep making platforms over and over to escape Kholinars oathgate, she attempted to make it move like a raft but it resisted haha.. So he already hinted at that two books ago. I’ve read them and listened to the graphic audio a bunch otherwise wouldn’t have remembered that
Could substantiation, which according to the words of Abidi the Monarch seems to have been banished by the ancient order of Lightweavers, be one of the powers that could lead to the destruction of Roshar, and the knowledge of which caused the ancient Radiants to decide for the Recreance?
We know the powers they feared were the Dawnshards, but could the ability to create new reality at will (given enough Investiture) be another of those powers, as well?
Who knows, maybe every Order could possess powers that could be really dangerous on a planetary scale if stretched to the limit of their possibilities, not just the Bondsmiths…
Sureblood’s spren… I’m not crying! That’s allergies Q_Q
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-the concept of the taboo against men reading is interesting to me when Brandon lets it play out (plus I feel like it’s a sneaky commentary on denying education based on sex). Stuff like Kaladin not having a general concept of libraries at his disposal, for example. Or even Gavilar in the prologue teaching himself how to read secretly so he could not have to go through his wife (he of course had sinister motives but he’s not wrong there).
-I mentioned in a previous read that I’m not a fan of the Syladin ship. I actually had to take a break after reading this chapter because I found it unpleasant in a way I couldn’t articulate and had to think about. At first I thought part of it is my general dislike for Syl and Brandon’s ‘quirky’ voice. I just find that those characters/their humor falls totally flat for me (not just in this book) in a way that just feels awkward. I also think the idea of Kaladin/Syl is just a bit weird to me because even though Syl is ancient, she’s child like in certain ways. She is growing/learning, but Kal has watched that growth happen so it just gives me a bit of ick.
But also it just seems weird to be romantically involved with your own spren? Maybe we’ll learn that this dynamic was not unheard of given the closeness, but it also kinda feels like…falling in love with a sapient version of a dog. Like, this is a being that is basically devoted to you and bound to you and maybe is a little bit of a mirror to you? So of course they are going to be your ‘type’ but it’s a little bit like Loki falling in love with another variant of himself to me. That said, I know we see that the spren have their own personalities and agency and there is an element of ‘choosing’ involved, so they are picking people they are drawn to for whatever reason but something about it just feels unequal. Maybe I’m overestimating how much influence the human has on the bond and the way the spren manifests in the physical realm.
But as for the rest – I will say, I did chuckle at Syl trolling the librarian and deadpanning the line about grass (although I agree it’s also a bit on the border of inappropriate behavior) but man that passage went on for too long, in a way that felt a bit untoward. I get making a joke/statement about why we consider certain parts taboo and others not, and why we can’t normalize words for body parts, why we’re weird about nudity in this context but not that – especially coming from an ‘outsider’s’ perspective. Syl is in that state where she’s ‘growing up’ but still also kind of naive and figuring stuff out, and that can be fertile ground for that kind of humor! She’s kind of like a tween who’s just figured out dirty jokes. And Kal’s wondering about how much Syl actually bothered to ‘make’ is interesting from a realmatic perspective and how spren perceive themselves, how they are imagined, etc.
But when I read Yumi (which was a book I really liked) I recall there were multiple times I felt a little off put by how long the narrative was focusing on the body switching and nudity, almost like a lingering gaze. I felt that same thing here…like the narrative is spending just a bit too long having us think about a young (presenting) girl’s private parts and just…no thank you. Like, maybe the intent was just to focus on Kal’s embarrassment here but…I don’t want to think about Syl’s parts and I don’t want to read about Kal thinking about them either.
THAT SAID, I audibly sucked in my breath when the librarian made her comment about how Syl basically had the skill of a 4 year old! OH NO YOU DID NOT! I think Kaladin’s response was thematically right on the money (especially given his own character journey) although it is another one of those moments where the dialogue did feel just a tad ‘stilted’, a bit like one of those ‘and everybody clapped’ stories. It also feels like a weirdly antagonistic response on the part of the librarian. Wouldn’t spren/Radiants be a little more revered? Unless Syl has been hanging around annoying people and talking about how she’s basically divine royalty… ;) It just goes to show, though, that you don’t ever know what a person is going through to attain a particular accomplishment. Writing may not seem a lot to her, but for Syl to be able to do it, it’s huge!
-I want to say more about 11 but I’ll just read on! I do really like that they are exploring what it means to be able to ‘define reality’ and how that is not all it’s cracked up to be!