So I posted a picture of my latest tattoo, a set of three glyphs stacked on top of each other representing journey before destination. I won’t post it again cause I got flagged for cross posting, but before the flag I had a bunch of responses of people posting yikes style gifs or one guy wrote “oh noooo” and I’m genuinely confused. They are the right glyphs they aren’t misaligned or rotated weirdly. They’re quite well made imo including some rather complex line work. So what was the reaction for? Is there a social faux pas I’m unaware of with the glyphs? Do we just have trolls trying to make people self conscious for no reason?

At the end of Wind and Truth, Sigzil has left Roshar with the dawnshard and 12124 and begun his journey to becoming Nomad. We know what happens after that from info in the Sunlit Man; Sigzil/Nomad bonds 12124/Aux and an incident causes him to burn most of Aux’s life/essence away using the dawnshard. He spends decades or longer on the run but doesn’t really age anymore due to the lingering effects of the dawnshard (unless I’m mistaken).

My main question is: do you think Sigzil will return to Roshar before/during/after the time dilation bubble around the planet breaks? Even without his full radiance and not being able/willing to bind another spren, he would be a huge asset. We saw how effective he is as a commander at the battle for Narak, holding until the last day despite the tremendous and numerous disadvantages. Seeing how he interacts with the remaining members of bridge 4 and Kaladin after having changed and aged so much compared to them would be interesting too, as well as the possible contact with Vienna he might have and how that might go

Shallan is an unreliable narrator and us as a community know that, however can y'all provide specific examples? I'm having a hard time remembering off the top of my head.

thanks in advance!.

“Journey before Destination”. And the third book in the Stormlight series has come to an end, I’ve learned that

!The Tranquil Halls are a distorted memory of the world that most Rosharan humans originated from, which is Ashyn, one of the two other planets in the system. And the Parshmen are the original inhabitants of Roshar!<

As above this has come as an surprise and also >!the reason that the Knights Radient abandoned their oaths when they found out about that fact!<

This books what quite a revelation and also >!That the black swords yielded by Szet was the same that Vasher yielded in Warbreaker on Nalthis!<

Now I’m reading Dawnshard before going back to Rhythm of War, then Mistborn for Era 2 and last but not least WaT. The I’ve complete the whole Cosmere series.

(Tagged as spoiler because if Brandon has given an answer it’s probably spoilery)

I have been reading Rhythm of War since November.

I crushed each Stormlight book within a month and a half, but this has taken significantly longer. I love this series, but it feels like 50 percent of the fourth book is like reading a college textbook. I get where Sanderson was coming from, having a battle of wits between Raboniel and Navani, but having the entire story arc chock full with boring ass academic sciences was a mistake.

I hated it so much that I relegated it to audiobook listening so I can focus on a book I enjoy(the first Expanse book), and I have 4 hours left. I am not happy that I am finishing the book; I am just glad it is almost over. Gonna be a bit before I get to Wind and Truth, as this book has Stormlight'd me out.

I think I said it all in the title. I didn’t even know you could make titles that long.

I bought this shirt off Amazon a long while back, but since I’m in Canada I had to use a third part parcel service to forward it to me and then got hit with duty. All in was north of $100CAD. Insane for a t shirt.

Which my idiot self shrunk on the first wash. I refused to get rid of it because it was so expensive. Well thankfully my mother in law offered to salvage the poor thing and now my office has the final touch it needed to destroy any evil discomfort I might have 🤺

The descriptions of the two of these seem to switch back and forth so much. Which one likes a good debate or verbal reasoning more? Which one is the more logically creative and good with problem solving. This is a fictional world so thier won't be any absolute answers, but what do you think. How would you divide them, and don't just say one is more ambitious and the other more curious. They can both be ambitious and curious, so what sets them apart the most. Where's the line?

I was just reading someone commenting about how Wind and Truth really brought home the theme of non-violence as a valid preference for approaching conflict.

Dalinar couldn’t smash his way through everything anymore. He used his memories to disarm his spiritual counterpart, then he quit and renounced the dual of champions and died. Szeth wanted to be with his sheep and ultimately retired to be with them. Sigzil had to renounce his oaths to save Vienna. Kaladin learned that Szeth, a skilled warrior, was more like Tien, a boy who aspired to peace and dancing rather than someone who aspired to fighting and protecting others. I’m sure there were more

Over and over it seems like this book was driving home what The Way of Kings (in world text) was trying to point us towards. Sometimes we can use our humanity and vulnerability to assert ourselves more powerfully than we can with force.

I would have loved more of that theme, but I’m curious what you all think.

When Szeth finally destroys the last honorbearer with Nightblood, and there's no Stormlight left, the sword continues to leech the life out of Szeth and Kaladin, with no obvious way of stopping it. I felt a bit like even Sanderson wasn't quite sure how to end that one, with the sword just kind of going "but I don't want to kill my friends actually" and turning itself off for the first time ever. Although obviously that at least fits with the general themes of the book.

What I thought was going to happen though is, earlier, Szeth skipped the Fourth Ideal straight to the Fifth. The Fourth Ideal which was "I will cleanse the Shin of their false leaders", which he's just completed at that very moment. And achieving an Ideal brings in a huge amount of Stormlight...

[Beware spoilers of WaT]

The text below is from Chapter 111 in Rhythm of War.

The Stormfather paused, then rumbled more softly. I never liked him. Though I was only a wind then—and not completely conscious—I remember him. Ishar was ambitious even before madness took him. He cannot bear sole blame for the destruction of Ashyn, humankind’s first home, but he was the one Odium first tricked into experimenting with the Surges.

You don’t particularly like anyone, Dalinar noted.

Not true. There was a human who made me laugh once, long ago. I was somewhat fond of him.

Any idea who the Stormfather was referring to here? Knowing what we do in WaT's flashbacks of the Stormfather and the Heralds, has it been revealed who the Stormfather's first friend was?

I picked up the series mid last year and i'm part-way through Rhythm of War. This has sort of been bothering me for a bit and I have looked through archived reddit posts about skin tone and Kaladin's attributes. One commenter mentioned that Sanderson wants the look of characters to be left up to the reader, but that seems off to me. Kaladin is described in great detail and his attributes are referenced often. Dark black hair and very dark tan skin. He's also described as relatively tall and particularly muscular - his entire mood intense and brooding (with the caveat that he's less brooding in some circumstances). Yet, though the cover art for Words of Radiance is supposed to be Kaladin (right?), it depicts a very light skinned, rather lanky boy. Could this have been a decision by the publisher or marketing team? To market to a particular audience who might be more likely to purchase something if it appears to represent them? It wouldn't be the first time a character's or historical figure's skin tone and hair had been substantially changed in depictions in order to fit the presumed preferences of consumers.

As a huge fan of the series since a couple of years after Words of Radiance came out, I was incredibly hyped for book 5. After finishing it, I'm feeling conflicted about the whole thing. There's some things I liked, and I LOVED the 70-80 last pages, but I think WaT is one of Sanderson's weakest books ever, the writing was particularly bad for any literary standards and the journey left me a feeling of disappointment. Since the destination was really good (sorry for that, Radiants), I'm okay with it being a weak book to me. I'm hopeful for the future.

This makes me wonder: for you guys that finished the book a while ago and have spent time both here and in other book discussions, what are your impressions on the general consensus on the book? Did the book disappoint people, or do you think I'm in the minority here?

Feel free to include spoilers about specific plots and characters people loved/hated about the book!

I've read the 5 stormlight archives books and the 2 novellas, but from what I understand, this and Sanderson's other works are in the same universe. Can anyone tell me what the other relevant books are, and in what order should they be consumed?

There is so much amazing artwork in the leatherbounds and it would be awesome to have them on the wall. I cant find anything on the Sanderson Store and I was hoping there is a way to get them from the artists or something? Hoping reddit may have the answers i seek.

First one going on a hook

https://preview.redd.it/tj44jqqpcbge1.jpg?width=576&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc75f7427c38e5e5255b6408a9a3dec3b3234609

I was talking to some friends about the magic in stormlight and how the healing was technically not just healing and more how it brings your physical form in closer line with how you more or less see yourself in simple terms, like with the Reshi King transitioning physically from female to male. One of them then asked me a very interesting question.

"If someone who is conventionally attractive but who has internalized a belief that they are hideous gets stormlight would they then become ugly? Or if a narcissist who thinks of themselves as beautiful but is conventionally average then become more physically in line with their mental self image?"

A question I didn't have a solid answer for but I thought was very intriguing so I turn it over to y'all.

How much is a mortal life worth?

What is this picture?

Also please no spoilers, if this is a spoiler then say so.

Cremlings have a sentient shape shifting hive mind?? Wtf is up with life on Roshar 😂

Im reading the way of kings but struggling to make sense and even remember what’s being said on those small paragraphs at the beginning of the chapter, how important are they? Currently on chapter 27 and I am understanding the main story but the small paragraphs at the beginning seem to make no sense and once I’ve read them I basically forget about them

I've finished WaT but I just can't figure out >!what Syl's reaction to Kaladin praising her in Chapter 72 means:!<

!"I need to help without being obsessed." He focused on Syl. "You truly are brilliant. Not with this alone, but with helping Szeth. You're incredible."!<

!There. She'd been waiting for that. She lifted a few inches off the ground.!<
!But don't do it just for him, she told herself. Do it because it's what you want.!<
!"We find our balance, then," Kaladin said. "Somehow." He took a deep breath, heaved out a sigh - and took to the air to follow the other two.!<

!First, what was Syl waiting for? Validation from Kaladin? A specific kind of compliment? Something else? Is this building toward a Syladin reveal in the next arc? !<

!Second, why does Syl "lift a few inches off the ground?" Because she's happy? Did something in their bond deepen? Is she manifesting some sort of new power?!<

!Third, what is Syl saying not to do just for Kaladin? Help him because she feels compelled to do so? !<

Any explanation is appreciated!

Hi everyone,

I started reading the Stormlight Archive series recently. I'm currently in the middle of Oathbringer, and I'm wondering if there is something either official or unofficial that covers common terminology and characters without spoilers?

I know the pocket companion exists but I'm looking for something more comprehensive. I want to be able to look up "recreance" for example and just get a one sentence blurb that it was the day the knights radiants betrayed mankind.

Similar to this post here but more complete:
https://www.17thshard.com/forums/topic/2257-compendium-of-key-terminology-for-the-way-of-kings/

I'm too afraid to google anything because when I was reading The Way of Kings, all I wanted to look up was Shallan's age and the first result had spoilers.

Thanks!

Just a thought after finishing Wind and Truth yesterday.

Szeth skips the 4th ideal and goes straight to the 5th, which surprises Kaladin.

We don't have much info on what the 5th ideal does exactly, other than, according to Ishar, makes someone practically immortal.

When Teft says his 3rd ideal, it's actually very similar to the 5th, and I do wonder if he actually swore the 5th ideal almost by mistake, skipping his 4th like Szeth.

Moash swears he sees Teft just before he's blinded. Could it be that 5th ideal's immortality had something to do with investature and staying alive in the spirital realm?

What if in the moment Navani blinds Moash, due to the intense investiture of Navani's oath, he sees into the spiritual realm where Teft is technically not dead?

Now that Moash has new eyes that can see investature, I think he might be the only person who can see the "ghost" of Teft. Teft will haunt the shit out of Moash, but due to his 3rd ideal, might also be sworn to protect him.

This is pure speculation, but it could lead to (controversially) a Moash redemption, being helped by the person he feels the most guilt killing. It's also poetic that Odium/Retribution might lose the loyalty of one of his top lieutenants by a proceedure he himself ordered.

To be honest I feel like every character is loosing "aura" points except adolin he's carrying the entire book on his back ... Thats what just hit me after completing the fifth day. I wanted to say more but tbh most of the things I want to say is already being said on the 'end of fifth day megathread' I think. But still loving this book somewhat and will finish it somehow.

I finally animated my favorite Way of Kings seen and am very proud of it. I would love to hear your opinion :)

https://youtu.be/fMUCsPwYrV8

Can anybody draw a cartoon of that scene where Lopen’s mom is nagging Elhokar to eat after being hungover and nearly assasinated? I’d love to see it. That scene was so funny!

When reading Way of Kings Words of Radiance I thought I noticed a mistake Sanderson made.

When Shallan and Kaladin are on their chasm bonding retreat, Shallan gives Kal her shard blade to help fight the chasm fiend. While Kal was fighting the fiend, Shallan then also used her lightweaving to create an image of herself moving to distract it. Shallan explains earlier in the book that this requires the use of Glyph Pattern being attached to the illusion. Kal would have said something if the shard he was holding vanished. From my perspective this showed Glyph Pattern in 2 places at once and didn't make sense.

I just finished Rhythm of War. It was revealed toward the end of the book that Shallan actually has two shard blades. One of them being Glyph Pattern and the other being her old bonded spren. So now, with that information, the scene makes sense!

Are there any other instances of things that appear to not make sense that are actually foreshadowing?