Rhythm of War Spoiler Review

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Rhythm of War: amzn.to/3lsW4Wd
Stormlight Archives Playlist: • Playlist

[@brianreck5971]

I’ll admit...when moash showed up...I’m glad Navani speaks faster than Elhokar lol

[@AmadinOgbewe]

Lmfao same!

[@ThanatoselNyx]

I know you are joking but the fact that she made her own light is what saved her. And the freezing effects of Anti-Voidlight.

[@MasacoteSenpai]

_Journey before destination, you bastard_

[@goodisgood153]

lmao yeah i didn't notice the parallel between Navani's swearing and her son's almost swearing

[@valecastrejon6571]

PLS IM SCREAMING 💀💀💀💀

[@jessetuttle9287]

I really liked the chapter with Wit and Kaladin. It cheered me up.

[@Melancholy_Scholar]

I know I needed Eshonai's last flashback. I cried a lot.

[@MissMokate]

gods yes. she was my favourite and I was very happy we got to see those bits with her in this book, and had a closure.

[@henrywayne5724]

I was so happy she got closure. By far, my favorite flashback of the entire series,

[@Pi_Kappa22]

Me too. I was disappointed in oathbringer when she basically had no ending, she just fell into a chasm and died. So i was very glad when brandon gave her a real send off, and it made me tear up a little.

[@DanielDangerous]

She got to see the world ;-;

[@AyazHB]

For me...when the Stormfather said he showed mercy once and it cut back to Eshonai, I was hoping against hope, even though I knew deep down that it couldn't be true, that he had saved Eshonai somehow. Still very happy for her and her closure. She got travel the world at last, albeit briefly.

[@Antonia-hp5gg]

I almost cried when Kaladin spoke his fourth ideal and he finally accepted that he can'r save everyone. Such a powerful moment for me.

[@Brainwave20241]

Me too, 😢

[@areeshaj2585]

Same

[@koefifa]

I was in tears especially after just visiting Tien.

[@karissaomer2820]

"Boom, boom, boom. One thing after another and just...frickin Moash." This was my favorite line. It's so understated but perfectly sums up that part of the story.

[@UdyKumra]

"I'm gonna have to edit this video, I can't let Korey see me saying that" 😂

[@shannonvermeulen9111]

I absolutely loved Navani’s chapters. Her and Rabonial’s discovery’s were so incredibly awesome pair that with their mutual respect and twisted comradery and I was up all night just power reading through those chapters instead of getting a good nights rest for the constant tests

[@ShirleyTimple]

Yeah, too bad she's responsible for Teft's death

[@sebbarker3085]

It took me 3 weeks of waiting to watch this. Wanted to watch so bad but I was consuming in audiobook form and had to wait.. Gotta say. I LOVED Raboniel. Her interactions with Navani were *chefs kiss*

[@DryBooks]

I did not notice kelsier🤦🏽‍♀️! I know, bad fan. And now I need to reread that part!

[@ibrahimmansoor5286]

lol same Im soo confused

[@elizabethdavis5661]

I missed it too. I need to reread everything now because I feel like I missed a lot.

[@15nicinho]

I think Merphy misspoke. He didn’t actually show up, he was just mentioned at the very end as the leader of the ghostbloods. “Lord of Scars”

[@DryBooks]

@@15nicinho yeah, but I didn't make the Lord of Scars conection until someone told me about it

[@bobbyhero123]

I didn’t make the connection either until Murphy mentioned it. She said that and I scrambled to google it. Never expected Kelsie to be the leader of the Ghostbloods

[@Melancholy_Scholar]

Shallan nearly succeeding in convincing herself that Formless the perfect Ghostblood assassin was the best version of herself was horrifying for me. The internal conflict worked for me, but it was certainly structured in a way where I can totally understand it not landing.

[@henrywayne5724]

True

[@jenniferhicks1711]

The real question no one is focusing on.... what in the world is up with Whit and Jasnah 😁😁

[@thomasray]

Right?!?

[@AJShiningThreads]

Oh yes we are!!! Lol

[@Mikus011]

IMO Wit is Brandon Sanderson's avatar in the Cosmere... He read so often in reddit how his thirsty fans wanted to be crushed by Jasnah's thighs that he put his avatar in the sexiest position a true vorin man could be... Kissing Jasnah's uncovered safehand.

[@Kk-fj5tn]

#WitNa...Shipping HARD!!!

[@joaofarias9986]

Lady, if things don't go as they expect it to go, just because It's obvious, we have GoT seasons 7 and 8.

[@SnapDragon128]

Definitely! You can "subvert my expectations" in a clever way (cough Taravangian cough) without kicking me in the teeth. Like, sure, Kal was not going to die in this book. Still really enjoyed his fight.

[@matthewdennis1739]

@@SnapDragon128 I think Kal's transformation would have been perfect if he was characterized just a little differently afterwards.

[@TylerAldrich]

I feel like he could have trimmed 100-200 pages but then there would be riots in the streets if he released a Stormlight book under 1,000 pages.

[@gortniteasdfafds]

I honestly feel that the book could have been better if certain viewpoints were extended (like venli/adolin/dalinar)

[@Abunchaponys]

I feel like the high stakes isn’t always the actual thing being discussed. Such as Aldolins trial. To me it was more of what was being argued and getting into the fortress in the first place. Compared to knowing he would win. And that ink Spren that taught him and then crossed him and the. She crossed again lol was epic.

[@Arezoo298195]

I actually think the whole book felt very tightly paced except some of the flashbacks. Those slowed me down some. But I felt like I experienced multiple Sanderlanches in this book.

[@thomasray]

With each new Stormlight book, I'm reminded of how I like each installment for completely different reasons. WoK is a perfect introduction to everything. WoR is a thrilling, conflicting adventure. Oathbringer is devastatingly beautiful. Rhythm of War was twenty steps forward in the dark, with higher stakes than ever before and more secrets and revelations than I ever expected. I mean, Oathbringer is my fave, but none of these books are objectively worse or better than the others

[@coren216]

I want to thank you for putting into words what I've been trying to figure out - why I wasn't as big a fan of this book as everyone else seems to be. The odium twist was by far one of the greatest plot moments in the cosmere, but outside of that, I agree 100% on the character-driven lack in this book. You said that, and it just clicked. I've said other places, overall this book felt more like a setup for book 5 than anything else, and perhaps in retrospect I'll enjoy RoW more, but for now, not my favorite.

[@carissanorris5399]

I feel the same.

[@angelamccollister]

OMG! How did I not figure out Kelsier is Thaidakar? I just finished RoW two days ago. I knew I probably missed many of the Cosmere connections but I can't believe I missed this one!

[@9Flatline]

I feel like we need so much more of Shallan and Adolin (separately not as a couple) to have the emotional impact those chapters are supposed to be giving us. I was constantly wanting to see more of what was happening and seeing how they were developing. I also felt like how long it was between their sections was a real disservice to their plot line in this book. He left us on cliff hangers but it took so long to get back to their perspective that it really drained away the anxiety that you are supposed to be feeling for them because the stakes for Kal and Navani are whats on your mind 90% of the book.

[@henrywayne5724]

I think that’s what you’re supposed to be feeling. I don’t understand why people were bothered by it so much yet Sanderson literally used the same tactic in TWOK where we focused on Kaladin 90% of the time because his plot had the most stakes while Shallan’s, though it was low stake, was still at the back of our minds, and when that plot line came to a close in the book, we ended up getting a new unexpected plot line that was a lot more interesting, . ROW follows this same formula, where the expedition to Shadesmar is more low stake than the Urithiru plot line, and so it takes a back seat for a couple of pages before coming back stronger than before and then we end the plot line with the introduction of a new, far more interesting one, with Shallan and Adolin hunting the Ghostbloods and finding out what the deal is with Ba Ado Mishram and Kalak. The structure of this book really reminded me of TWOK. And also, I feel like this book solidified why Shallan and Adolin are good for each other. If you think about it, in the other books, they didn’t hang out as much and so were just seeing as this cute couple. But this book makes sure we see that they are ride or die for each other, not just a couple that likes one another for being hot. I’d be fine if we see them individually in the next book, but I’d also be fine if they were together. Personally, I feel like for all the three books of buildup, I’m pretty satisfied with the way things played out, but hey, that is just my take.

[@sarafina1263]

Haha three weeks later and I can finally watch and comment!! I agree with pretty much all of your pro and cons EXCEPT the emotional stakes. Every single moment you mentioned i had such a strong reaction to and I love seeing how people responded differently. I feel like I would not have responded the same way I did if Kaladin's suicidal thoughts (and tien) were not explored ALL the way in WOK, so it all coming to a head here was very satisfying. Also, while Adolin's trial did not have quite the same impact, at least his bond with Maya was once again set up before ROW so I was satisfied with it. Of course, not saying you are wrong, but I place ROW as second in the series so it is always interesting to listen to other perspectives :)

[@sarafina1263]

But I also COMPLETELY agree with what you said about Shallan. I do not care about her as a character that much so I suppose that is why it did not disappoint me that much, but her resolution was lame.

[@Valiguss]

After this book kaladin and navani are the best The scariest thing in this book wasn’t taravangian becoming odium to me, it was the reveal that roshar was odiums training ground and the fact that cultivation got taravangian to become odium. Roshar is in my opinion the scariest and most dangerous world we have seen in the cosmere. Imagine a rosharan army rampaging across scadriel or nalthis would be scary, the armies of roshar especially the alethi are on a broad scale battle hardened from 7000 years of near endless war, the fused and radiant are far stronger then any other magic systems we have seen. Taravangian isn’t the main villain, cultivation is who we need to be worried about, I think rn based on what happened to taravangian dalinar will become honor and what about lift?

[@JPK314]

I'm pretty sure that scadrial is way higher tech than roshar is and the disparity will only continue to grow. Roshar has the numbers and battle tactics, but can they stand up to actual aerial mobility, guns, etc.? I don't think so

[@pranjanarahangdale9629]

Cultivation ? Yes i want to see more of lift and how the old magic might affect her also i really really want Kaladin to play a part in the plot

[@jenniferhicks1711]

I love reading a book where I know good is going to triumph over evil. It doesn't bother me that you know they are going to make it. It's how we get there that's the fun.... It's the journey not the destination 😉 It's just not how you would have written it and that's fair everyone is different and like different things. This is my favorite of the 4 I loved the Venli and Eshoni backstory, Navani was amazing how she came to the front and the fact she is a bond Smith now holy cow can't wait to explore that, Kaladin was amazing as always I cried so many times through his journey and I lived when he swore the fourth ideal I mean yeah you knew it was coming but man that was awesome how it was delivered. It probably helps too that Adolin and Shallan are my least favorite characters I tolerate them apart but together I just don't really care for them lol I find them annoying. My favorite thing about that whole section was Pattern and not knowing if we could trust him.

[@aneonfoxtribute]

Technically Kelsier doesn't actually know up in person in this book. He is mentioned but he doesn't SHOW UP

[@ahemlol]

Maybe in next book..

[@ShirleyTimple]

Semantics are fun, huh?

[@jaysemitchells497]

I think some Navani flashbacks would've been really helpful. Especially on the whole marrying people for the throne thing, like seeing her choose Gavilar would be great. Just a chapter or two

[@Liesmith424]

I think people were annoyed by the Venli/Eshonai flashbacks because there was a *lot* of shit going on in the "present day", so every flashback chapter wound up being a bit frustrating. Either way, I was glad for them--we had to know the depth of Venli's mistakes and betrayal in order for her own path and ideals to have any weight.

[@DoggyP00]

Part one made me think this would be by far my favorite book

[@mikesbookreviews]

Some of the most over the top negative comments I've ever received are in my spoiler talk vids for RoW. It's wild.

[@Hisdudeliness0330]

I feel like the most notable think to take from the part when Kal said his forth ideal is the fact that he actually jumped. Looking back at WoK and remembering him on that edge, and he made it through all of that. Did so many incredible things then he arrives back at that edge and he doesn’t walk away from it, he actually jumped. It was chilling and so heartbreaking. I agree with what you’re saying, I wasn’t necessarily surprised when he got out of it, but just the fact that he jumped this time. Straight chills. Love your vids! 🤙🏼

[@Dethseye]

That moment when keladin is calling the pursuer. The defeated one that was so cool. MAya testimony got me. Terravangian. Is now odium, that was freaking crazy. I for the most part. Agree with you about shalons plot in this book. . Vinley. Flashbacks, where all right, in my opinion but. The way it all came together was awesome. It really did make me like vinley a lot more. To me nevani. Became a standout surprise amazing character in this book. Don't get me wrong. I like turning other ones. Put this one. Really did an amazing job spotlighting her. Not as much as other spotlighted characters, but still got quite a bit of focus that I appreciated a lot. I don't know how well my Voice to text is doing on the names. I am blind. So sorry for that, but I did enjoy Adeline's stuff but i wanted more. But that fight to save the honor sprin. What's awesome, especially when Maya, went into The Fray to help him. Honor is not dead. It lives in the hearts of men Honor is not dead. It lives in the hearts of men. I really want more lift and more Zeph. And we now have a blind character, but it turns out it has to be an evil character. I loved it. I knew a blind character had to be coming into the story. Cause it seemed like Sanderson doesn't leave any point of view out. But wow, did it surprise me when it was moash❤

[@adamahoonie]

I think Brandon would have made this Navani’s book, but she’s not a Willshaper, she’s a Bondsmith, and we already got our Bondsmith book. I really liked Venli’s flashbacks but I think Brandon was determined to stick to the structure he set, and I’m ok with that. I also think that we’ll be more character focused in books 6-7 after the big plot-focused finale of book 5. I think those who loved Way of Kings and Words of Radiance will really like the books that come out after the long break, and like Oathbringer-Book 5 the series will become more plot focused for books 8-10.

[@0reo2]

This is the kind of review that makes me appreciate this book even more. A book that I just read myself. Amazing review

[@EricBentleyEB5minus2]

I really liked this book. Kaladin finally accepting that he can't save everyone gives such a satisfying culmination to what they've been building for the entire series

[@sophiagough-solar3969]

HOLD THE FRICKIN PHONE. Kelsier was in this book? Where, what chapter? I need to see this for myself!

[@trevorfultz]

Just got to Part 5 last night...so I’ll be back shortly. Wish me luck!

[@storieswithc]

Emotional points that I wasn't expecting: Raboniel and her daughter. Raboniel and Navani, at the end. How tf you can introduce a totally new character in Book 4 of a monster series and get me to cry like a baby food then, is mind-blowing. I liked Kaladin swearing his 4th ideal, i think I would have preferred it happen without him being in the middle of falling though, somehow. That's the only part that made it cheesy ish for me. But I'm trash for Kaladin so I'll love him any way I can get him. I actually rather enjoyed a lot of the flashbacks about Venli. It was interesting to see how it all actually happened...and it made Venli seeing Eshonai dead really impactful. Considering I didn't really care much for the Parthenon bits in previous books, I was surprised how much I liked the present events and flashbacks with them in this one!

[@randolfgarard]

I cried with Kaledon’s transformation. The scene with his brother just hit that spot.

[@guiyerod444]

That Taravangian plotwist was so good, I really thought he was just going to die, even the set up of him telling Szeth about Nightblood that seemed like it was being set up for book 5 and didn't think about that and then poof super quick Rayse is dead and I was shocked.

[@jodijones2862]

8:30 to 11:30: Amazing insight, and I totally agree. He's definitely an amazing author and for those who want to mega-geek out this will probably be the best book so far. As for the rest of us, when he indulges in worldbuilding to this degree, and loses focus on the characters we love, it is a lot less engaging. It reminds me of "grinding" in a video game so you can get whatever reward you're striving for. Also, I've heard a lot of people say they couldn't really get emotionally invested in Eshonai and Venli. I couldn't either. It's not that there's anything wrong with the characters. Sanderson somehow just missed a step in the formula for making people care about them.

[@Spacenugget9]

Taravangian ascending felt like a very Malazan moment, but as Odium was a meh villain I still love it.

[@azdajajeanne]

when you're excited for merphy's review but you can't watch it because you haven't read the book yet and if you spoil yourself your adhd will cancel your motivation plan

[@vampocalpyse]

So I think on the stakes point that these sections weren't actually setup to be high stakes moments but more world building... at least for the trial, and a turning point for Kaladin with him finally accepting he can't save everyone. Both were well done and amazing but the first really hit me. Showing the distrust of the honor spren offset by the connection with adalin and Mia. Culminating in the what i hope will be a potential revival of or perhaps not fully but more with Mia. I love the bond Adalin has with Mia and could deff use more of it. I was excited for shadesmare specifically for this reason and it did not dissapoint.

[@rriggs6547]

I get that the character study in this book was on Navani who was not a main before this. I honestly thought this was the best character study from any of the books. I was disappointed that we had so little Jasnah and Dalinar. I also thought the Shallan stuff was overly predictable and there was not enough time spent on Adolin. But as for a character study, I think the Navani/Rabonial interplay was the best of any of the series.

[@areeshaj2585]

Idk but kaladin fourth ideal made me too emotional. I don't cry reading novels but it is one of those rare moments. Everyone knows kaladin will not die by jumping off. It's about his mental health which I was worry about

[@Itharl]

...I didn't make the Kelsier connection and I have read Mistborn: secret history. My mind is blown. I clearly need to re-read that (it was a couple years ago, to be fair).

[@DilvishW]

Those two moments you mention as not emotionally connecting are literally the two moments that made me cry while reading. So I would certainly disagree with you there. But, still, fair review. I'm still high on it after just finishing, so I have very few criticisms at this point anyway.

[@hockeyhalod]

In the moment of that fall, I was super close to thinking Kal was out of the series... I knew he wouldn't be, but I almost thought that fall was the end.

[@jonathankelly4222]

I’d totally agree on the idea that the spotlight was too unfocused. If this was supposed to be the “parshendi” book, then why didn’t we have our first chapter with them as POV until over 100 pages into said book.

[@ryanvance1020]

*RoW Spoilers* for me the shallan ending did have tension because i was worried that she’d kill another herald/slip to the ghost bloods

[@nanotyrannus5435]

The thing with the flashbacks is that they are always tied to a specific order and how these characters backstory connects to the ideals of their order. Flashback wise Dalinar is the highpoint of the first arc and while Szeths flashbacks next book are gonna be more important than Venli/Eshonai they are not gonna reach Dalinar. A lot of the characters could have a flashback book and benefit from it, but that is not the concept of this series and I guess you will disagree with the flashback choice for characters in the future too.

[@tylerhoffman2271]

Could you imagine if Sanderson just allowed Kaladin to succumb to the darkness and fell to his death rather than saying his fourth ideal? I think people would've lost their minds.

[@henrywayne5724]

I don't think I would've continued with the series after that...I honestly don't know what I'd have done with that book after that, but my whole year would probably be ruined and I only started the series this year! Imagine those who've been following the series from 2010

[@cmcgreevy92]

"It's too slow.... it's too fast actually." Figure it out

[@shrewnaldo]

Agree with you re the stakes. I real much of this book thinking that it was building up to Kaladin dying at the end. It seemed like a natural progression of his arc and it seemed like there was some foreshadowing throughout - even down to him wearing the Bridge Four uniform "one last time". Getting to the end and him not dying, whilst a relief as he's my favourite character, left me kind of deflated and perhaps a little cheated? Particularly with every other major character surviving too. Can't agree with you on Navani, though. I really can't take to her at all

[@chrisisbookinit]

I agree about loving Navani and wanting a little bit more of her backstory, fingers crossed we still get that later on! spoiler . . . . I’ve only read TFE for Mistborn but I said early on “I bet Kelsier winds up on Roshar, some way, somehow.” and I got to that reveal and SCREAMED.

[@observemedia423]

I also agree, this should have been Navani's book. I started skipping the Venli and Ishonai chapters partly through Act 3 because I just wasn't getting anything out of them. They didn't offer anything new

[@Merlijn1994]

Spoiler . . . . . . . . . . . So, I get it, we all knew Kaladin wasn't going to just fall to his death. But we're not even going to mention his reversed flashback/vision/idk with Tien? That's cold man. That scene absolutely totally broke me

[@josk6675]

I agree completely with the stakes, especially the trial. It felt likw such a given to me and the fact that ut would involve Maya. Urutheru wasn't as clear cut to me, but it felt like it would have to go the way it dis but mostly because I couldn't see another way. For me ive binged too much cosmere recently and I always have his lectures in the back of my mind and he is predictably unpredictable. Ie when things are going bad it will almost always go even worse before bouncing back. He just has a rhythm for it. But in this book even thou its a great ending it wasn't that satisfying release as usual for me. If the war is ending in the next book I would have loved if he took his formula and stretched it. It was fairly clear that the fourth ideal had to so with acceptance but even if we lost Teft it would have been so so much more climatic if things had really gone bad at the tower and Kaladin swearing the ideal while evacuating and saving what could have been saved or being faced with something more of a choice between who to save.

[@deeluve22]

Now that you mention it, I would have LOVED RoW to have been Navani's book.

[@rcp7]

Such passion. Such knowledge. I may need to read Cosmere.

[@getitvic]

To me, the lack of stakes has always been the biggest flaw of this series.

[@legendsfantastical]

I feel like RoW is suffering from the same kind of dissatisfied feel I be that Empire Strikes Back has upon release. I hope that, after book 5, people appreciate it a lot more

[@chromaticcaos]

I think the reason we got venli's backstory instead of Navani is because of the structure of the series. Each book has the backstory from a different order of radiant, Navani would've been a second bondsmith and then we wouldn't get a willshaper backstory.

[@CancelledPhilosopher]

Great point that the execution and outcome of some character arcs are totally predictable, such as Aidilyn's trial with the Spren.

[@jonathanechevers6265]

I strongly disagree that "it was always gonna end up like that" in regards to the trial and Kaladin saving the day, and hence the stakes being lower. Need i remind you what happened at Kholinar.

[@Redthecatalyst]

2:32 I literally picked up mistborn hours after finishing row and youre telling me kelsier shows up in roshar?! Huh? Im scared to continue watching the vid now cause mistborn spoils but i will be back lol

[@NemisCassander]

I had a very different response to Shallan and Formless. All throughout the books, Shallan tells people--flat out tells them--that 'Shallan' is just as much a created identity as Veil or Radiant. So the trick here is that 'Shallan' isn't Shallan; Formless is Shallan. So, yes, I believe you can have 'Shallan' beating on metaphorical walls to be let out because Formless is keeping her down. It's just that we don't have our own name for 'Shallan'. And that's why Formless is called Formless. 'Shallan' has taken her name (which is a recurring theme in the book).

[@rahilmoodley2505]

Early once again SOOOOO EXCITED.I’ve never clicked so fast!

[@rahilmoodley2505]

BTW Have you read The City We Became by NK Jemison. If not I really recommend it to you.

[@carissanorris5399]

You didn't do anything wrong. You're entitled to have an opinion that others don't have on a book. One of my pet peeves is when people who disagree with someone's opinion on a book insist that they are wrong and that the only true opinion and way to see the book is their way. If things didn't work for you, they didn't work. As it happens, most of this review hits exactly my own thoughts about the book, so you're not alone. I feel the same about all your pros. As for the cons, I felt the same about the pacing. I also didn't need the flashbacks for Venli and Eshonai, though I liked Eshonai's better than Venli's. I was open to Sanderson making me care more about Venli, but I never really did. I still really don't. I also had enjoyed Navani in previous books, but she disappointed me in this book, and I think that's because, like you, I would have liked way more insight into her character from flashbacks. I would really have liked what you mentioned--seeing how her marriage affected her (the one chapter we got of that was great! I wanted more), the expectations of her society on her, etc. As it was, her chapters bored me. I didn't need lots of discussion about fabrial science and if she said one more time, "I'm not a scholar"... And I think her saying she wasn't a scholar would have meant more to me if there had been character building background sections to go with it. I kept feeling with Navani like I do in a movie--that certain scenes were cut for time and some good character development must have been left on the editing floor. I cry in books. I cried in the last three Stormlight books. I cried only at one point in this book--spoiler--when Wit told the story to Kaladin. I didn't feel very much at the same scenes you mentioned, so the emotional beats just didn't hit for me either. Like you, I thought they were well written, well mostly, and I just felt very little. And maybe it's because of the reason you mentioned. Sanderson in the Stormlight Archive has gotten a bit formulaic. Or it may be that since I have read every Cosmere book, I just kind of expect or know certain things will go a certain way so it doesn't affect me as things did in the books when I first started reading them. Thank you for your review! I didn't assume you hated the book. I thought you had a balanced approach. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@cmcgreevy92]

"People came out of my review thinking i hated the book idk why." Uhhh you just complained about it for almost the entirety of the review?

[@shinovar5465]

The spoiler at 2:25 is the most unexpected spoiler i recived in so many years, my fault for clicking this tbh 😭

[@GreeneyedApe]

You knew full well what would happen. Don't play innocent!

[@hugofelix7103]

Im so pissed at myself. When Wit said "dont make me come over and slap you around again" i imediately thought of him whoooping Kelsier but just figured it was some sort of coincidence. How didnt i connect it !

[@aarondavis8068]

Hey about your point about kaladin saying the 4th ideal there were so many points in the book that I could've happened like when the fused raid the tower and when he's fighting the pursuer that when he did finally say it I felt it was a huge emotional payoff

[@henrywayne5724]

Exactly, I mean, we KNEW he’d probably swear the Ideal, the stakes came from how we got there. I mean, as an Avatar fan, I always knew the gaang would win, but I still watched it anyway to see how they got there.

[@timmytv7554]

3 years already😮

[@pika4668]

WAIT KELSIER SHOWS UP HOW DID I MISS THAT I read secret history and everything :(

[@SnakeInTheMailbox3]

She kinda misspoke, he doesn't show up physically, but he's indirectly mentioned as Thaidakar. His title is the "Lord of Scars", plus Wit mentioned having "slapped him around" in the past.

[@pika4668]

@@SnakeInTheMailbox3 ohhhhh tysm

[@elizabethdavis5661]

Maybe I was just naive, but I felt the stakes were a lot higher in this book since I knew we are near the end of this arc and the next arc will be focused on the next generation. I felt like Sanderson could kill off main characters in this to make the next arc more impactful. Kal's death would break me, but I think this book in particular would have been a good place to do it. His descent was set up perfectly. I do agree that this should have been Navani's book. I loved the representation of imposter's syndrome, but it could have been better with more backstory. To me, the Venli/Eshonai story could have been handled in some earlier interludes or in a novella between TWoK and WoR and maybe we would relate to them better now. I honestly cared more about Raboniel in one book than I did about Venli and Eshonai is 4 books.

[@henrywayne5724]

The thing with Sanderson is that he has a very rigid outline and going against it would mess the whole series up! Think about it, if we had Navani flashbacks, that would mean back to back Bondsmiths, with both Dalinar and Navani books, and that isn’t the structure of the series at all, where we focus on one order, per book. There are so many characters who deserve to get flashbacks, but satisfying that desire would mean messing up a structure he’s worked SEVENTEEN YEARS developing which would lead to more problems in the series as a whole. So while we could all use more Navani, she was never going to have a flashback/backstory book. Sanderson is very intentional and things that may not make sense now will make sense later.

[@elizabethdavis5661]

@@henrywayne5724 His outline isn't that rigid. He's moved things around a few times, especially if you are going all the way back to TWoK Prime. For example, book three was going to be focused on Szeth. www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/3dlncy/oathbringer_spoilers_stormlight_three_update/?

[@henrywayne5724]

@@elizabethdavis5661 I’m aware about all that, but at the penultimate book of the first arc? He can’t afford to make any more changes in his outline. Back in TWOK prime was when changing things began and when he was comfortable with how things turned out, he started writing the series. When I say his outline is rigid, I mean it would be detrimental for him to change something as big as the Order to focus on this late into the series. I mean, what’s the point of having two Bondsmith books and like it or not, Navani’s backstory simply wouldn’t compare to Dalinar’s. It is clear that each book stands for one order and he can’t stray from that just to satisfy people. Look at the WOR tweak, where he decided to put some of Eshonai’s scenes in WOR as the main interlude viewpoint, it ended up working great for the tension and vicarious suspense of WOR, but also ended up diminishing the impact of the ROW flashbacks. He strayed from his outline once and it ended up weakening another book’s flashbacks. What I’m saying is that something as crucial to the structure of the series such as the Order to focus on can’t be changed such as two characters from one order get flashbacks. I love Navani, I really do. But what we got from her was still impactful, even without the flashbacks. That is why this book had a Navani prologue in the first place.

[@JC-ev2ns]

Yeah the Kelsier thing I was like wait what? Okay cool.

[@nothing23145]

I've read 2 of 3 mistborn and all of Stormlight. Did I totally miss something here? When Merphy said that I lost my mind. Any background would be nice. I'm surprised fewer comments are about that reveal.

[@connorshepler132]

I think I’m the minority on this one, but one of my favorite parts of the 4th book is seeing Lift slowly mature and accept what is happening. Too many people write her off as just comic relief but there’s a lot of depth to her and I feel what was explored in this one

[@jujubean9063]

I love his world building and characters, but he needs to take a lesson from George RR Martin and learn to kill off main characters. I love Sanderson a lot, but I feel like he loses a bit of believability in tense like moments when he hasn’t established himself as someone who could do anything at any time. I mean, Teft is a decent choice to kill off but While I’ve always liked him, I also knew he was a disposable character, so the impact is lessened. If he killed off Rock instead, I would have lost it. I love rock and I want to see more from him. I thought the venli plot line was necessary because the story is using this book to shift focus from Roshar and their planetary politics to the overall cosmere and to do that, he needed to give us reason to believe such a shift. The venli chapters did this and they were completely necessary. This book, in my opinion, is a transitional book and that is why people have complaints. The book is meant to take focus off of the racial conflict on Roshar and direct the focus to the cosmere and gods themselves. He had to create a transitional book to accomplish this. The venli chapters also give us more reason to like the parchendi people and to understand them in a more intimate way. A lot of people are unhappy that Kaladin is still mopey and Shalan is still unstable, but neither has sworn a fourth ideal at that time so neither one of their character arcs had completed. Kaladins story arc is nearly closed though after ROW so I wouldn’t be surprised if Kaladin dies protecting someone soon. No sense keeping around a perfect character when you could kill them off. I liked the book a lot and I’m sad that I’m out of Sanderson books to read. I’m going to reread the entire cosmere when the next book comes out. For now, I’m reading Wheel of Time and Dresdin Files.

[@henrywayne5724]

The thing with Sanderson about killing off characters is that he kills them off when he's done with what he set out to do with their character arcs. Martin's killings were less about character arcs and more about subverting expectations which worked tremendously to his favour in creating that tension you'd expect. But personally, I believe in powerful character arcs that stay with me forever more than subverting expectations to drive forward a certain theme that could always be driven forward in another way. Both authors should learn from one another, if you ask me. Brandon should learn that it's fine to have a tragic character every now and again(I keep saying it, if he kills Adolin, he could unravel everything because Adolin is the connective tissue of all our main cast, aside from Szeth) and George should learn to first and foremost, WRITE, and second, to not waste potential on a good character just to create an additional shock factor in his books.

[@BookBuds]

Love Sanderson ! Great video!

[@Fieryxjoe]

This should be labeled as Cosmere spoilers, not just RoW spoilers, someone who read only the stormlight books and nothing else would have no reason to think you're going to drop Mistborn Era2 & Secret History spoilers on them

[@DaneofHalves]

I dunno why. I didn't like this book. I like the 1rst three books. Not this one. It feels like the busch league archive instead of stormlight archive. Like an assistant writer was hired to write a story about the 2nd string characters. The ending had me going real good though. I loved the conclusion. There is that. But I don't care too much about the antagonists. They are neither scary nor capable. Sure they successfully took over the ivory tower but no luck dragon to be seen. I dunno where I was going with this....😕 Oh, yeah. I hope the next book is better!😀

[@evelynbasham1673]

Secret History does not explain why Kelsier is the Leader of the Ghostblood. Secret History contains the scene where Wit slaps Kelsier around. Yes, Cognitive Shadow Kelsier and Wit got into a fistfight and Wit won. It is an awesome scene that will refrain from spoiling further. That is the only reason that reading Secret History gives the clue that Kelsier is the leader of the Ghostbloods. Secret History is awesome. Read it or listen to it when you have a chance.

[@apoorvajangale9667]

I have always hated taravangian - he just gives the worst vibes I have ever gotten from a fictional character and he proved me right in this book and honestly am scared for book 5 and who will die in it... I love szeth though since his being the prologue PoV for WoK hopefully the next book is his book!!!

[@MetalGildarts]

It will be. Sanderson confirmed it.

[@destro6971]

Oh no, DO NOT GET IN TO WATCHES 💸💸💸😆

[@brechtgeers]

Not even book one is translated yet, if ever, so let me watch you get excited about a book so I get excited to read some more too xD

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

Wait... this Sanderson guy writes books?

[@Nasser851000]

is this Greene Daniel speaking? XD

[@rahilmoodley2505]

Whaat? I did not know who this guy is

[@MrLGDUK]

Yes, he writes books, if by 'writes' you mean 'pen's with a magic quill that moves faster than thought'. Seriously, how does he write so fast??

[@CamReeds]

No, he blinks and they appear lol

[@MrLGDUK]

@@CamReeds Hahaha! I'd love to believe it! However, knowing how much work goes into writing a book, it would be doing Sanderson a disservice to understate the time, effort and skill that he brings to bear on each one of his creations 😁

[@Arezoo298195]

I think that this is the book where you understand journey before destination. Yes we all knew that Kal would swear his fourth ideal and save the day when needed. Yes we all knew that there was no way that Adolin was gonna end up forever imprisoned by the honour spren. The destination doesn’t matter though. It’s the journey that counts. It really is the how and not the what. Kal could’ve accepted his fourth ideal already at the end of Oathbringer. It could’ve happened that way but it didn’t. Sanderson took us back to the honour chasm moment except this time he jumped. He had to be saved, he didn’t do the saving in that moment. Adolin could’ve won by Shallan impersonating Kelek or like these trials usually goes in these stories by coming up with some last minute argument or something. But instead it wasn’t about him, he won by being there for his friend and lending his strength when it was needed. He didn’t get to be the hero that saves the day, Maya did. It’s in the details of their journeys that they grow. Journey before destination.

[@kobbyquayson]

You're good. I appreciate Sanderson's brilliance soo much more now

[@sciencystuff2106]

I like your perspective of all this 😀

[@YouJGSousa]

Wits story

[@tennesseedime407]

So accurate

[@notthis9586]

Yeah... been having trouble getting into stories where the destination is foregone but I still have to go through the same old narrative steps to get there. I Like Sanderson and the book but I might have had a better experience reading just the last 3rd, cutting out the listener viewpoints and reading a summery of the journey... though that's probably just out of fatigue for classic story telling

[@alexsantos-hc4io]

Book 4 basically: Kaladin is fantasy John McClane Navani is just the coolest now Shallan does her Tyler Durden impression Dalinar is kinda there Adolin does Adolin things Moash still's the worst Jaxlim the only reason to not hate Venli Lift has a chicken Taravangian is scary

[@CamReeds]

Best summary ever! Lol

[@deepdave123]

There was always a comforting hand watching over us but then epilogue proved that we are fked...

[@DanielDangerous]

Red Chicken is the key to all this.

[@rockybalboa2835]

@@deepdave123 I was kind of lost with what happened to Wit, BUT BOI AM I SCARED!

[@Hoid1990]

Lift has a chicken 😂😂😂

[@RubenRodriguez-co9jx]

"This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. I promise you, Kaladin: You will be warm again.” ♥️♥️♥️

[@keyamazed1038]

Why you gotta make me cry again?

[@LinkingYellow]

I knew Adolin was gonna win the trial, but I was afraid it might be by Shallan after killing Kalak.

[@riley8385]

Yeah, he really baited us with that epigraph lmao.

[@KevinHorecka]

Yeah it wasn't the outcome in question, it was if they'd keep their best natures intact.

[@skylersimpson8736]

@@KevinHorecka journey before destination

[@Dalenthas]

Maya's testimony killed me. I'm crying just thinking about that scene.

[@Kk-fj5tn]

"You cannot have MY SACRIFICE"

[@YouJGSousa]

Men do cry, trust us!

[@c0barsm]

My favorite chapter is one of the last ones. Eshonai rejects the Void Spren and becomes a Radiant. Then sees the entire world. So wonderful.

[@justagirl...]

That moment almost made me cry...

[@crimsondemon6668]

I teared up at that part, not gonna lie.

[@EE12345]

That made me like the Stormfather a lot more

[@pranjanarahangdale9629]

I was so glad to get more about the parshendi and the fused and seeing their different views on everything that is happening. I felt for them do much in this book. The ending scene with Eshonai really really got me!!

[@DanielSClouser]

The spy whodunit is a little more interesting than one may at first realize(at least in what it tells you--if you weren't interested in how it was told, then you weren't interested). Pattern spoke with Hoid through the seon, but Mraize was not simply listening in--that's not how seon communication works. The spy, however, was on Hoid's end. In the one Jasnah POV, Hoid talks about how there was a cremling disguised as a pen among his things. So there was a Sleepless spying on Hoid for the Ghostbloods, giving that information to Mraize. Unless, that is, Mraize himself is the Sleepless. We are repeatedly told how his severe scarring is at odds with his refined demeanor. Maybe those scars are actually seams.

[@riley8385]

Oh damn, that's true! I didn't realized that when I read it (I really should stop reading until I can barely stay awake, because of that I ended up missing a lot of details lol)

[@NoTLucas]

Damm Oo

[@Haxerous]

We couldn't have gotten Navani flashbacks though. If we did we would end up with two Bondsmith books back to back and would wreck the structure of the series as a whole. I think the problem is that we got too much Eshonai and Venli in the previous books and so their flashbacks didn't have a lot of new information and we already knew where the characters came from. I feel this is why we aren't getting much from Jasnah, Renarin etc in this book because we need to keep their mysteries unsolved or relatively untouched for the next arc.

[@ansalem12]

The biggest problem for me is that it made me want Eshonai to not be dead even more than I already did. Ever since she was confirmed dead, I was disappointed that Venli was gonna be the Willshaper and not Eshonai. Don't get me wrong, Venli has grown on me a *lot* since then, but so has Eshonai. But one thing I will say is no one has ever managed to make me care more about a character after they're already dead until RoW so that's pretty impressive.

[@Jay-kx4jf]

@@ansalem12 same, i loved eshonai a ton. so sad she left. the last chapter with her was so cathartic

[@Enndorii]

@@Jay-kx4jf I didn’t realize until I checked the wiki that Eshonai had bonded Timbre, but maybe I missed that detail while reading.

[@riley8385]

Fun fact, RoW was actually going to be the first time we saw Eshonai's POV, but Sanderson decided that we needed to know more about the Listeners in book 2 in a later draft.

[@evergreen035]

I like how adolin trial reinforces his own confidence issues, that he doesnt matter. I hope brandon takes that someplace cool.

[@YouJGSousa]

How doesn’t he matter? Adolin being Adolin is what saves the day, no one else had ever cared about deadeyes. It was adolin that brought back maya to the point she could speak

[@Edward-W]

Adolin saved the whole world by literally just being a good friend and caring about people and spren. Kaladin probably wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Adolin. Adolin connected with Maya and gave her strength and believed in her so she could speak up and stand up for herself (thus winning Honorspren to their side instead of joining Odium) Adolin is just so GOOD and it disappoints me that people take his insecurity at face value and believe that he is useless when he's anything but that

[@hrbacon]

By someplace cool, i'm afraid this means Taravodium's champion.

[@DoggyP00]

I didn't really feel like Kaladin saved the day though. Everybody that needed saving kinda already had their own arcs and became their own heroes. Kaladin was just a finishing touch

[@ryanratchford2530]

Spoilers for Rythme of War & Mistborn Well of ascension Vin: one of my friends is a spy for the enemy!! Who could it be Tensoon:...idk, not me!...maybe go talk to them & try catch them out? Shallan: one of my friends is a spy for the enemy!! Who could it be? Pattern:...idk not me!...maybe go talk to them & try catch them out?

[@tedddenzel6769]

I'm sorry I know this is from 3 years ago but wtf?! Sigh...guess I'm going to reread all those books as I wait for Winds of Truth this year

[@bradenhazle4378]

Soooo we just gonna skip over Ishar being a monumental psychopath doing experiments on spren? Oh and being able to take another person's bonds at will? k....KAY

[@bzbzib]

Yeah he seem so OP. Didn't the Storm father basically say that he was responsible for burning the human planet( forgot the name sry )?

[@robertcoronado3085]

Yeah! I was like WTH!!! I feel like that scene is only hinting at something that will be a huge part in the upcoming books.

[@matthewdennis1739]

@@bzbzib Ashyn

[@jacksonfurlong3757]

I mean Sanderson pretty much skipped over it so...

[@vallano8970]

@@jacksonfurlong3757 No he didn't lmaooo he can't fit EVERYTHING into one book. It's going to be a significant plot point in book 5 for sure

[@ahri3887]

The ending of this book was ridiculous (in a good way). The Taravangian twist completely shocked me

[@ThanatoselNyx]

There is no real "good" way to ridicule something!

[@henriquelopesdonascimeto625]

There's many ways to ridiculous be good

[@EE12345]

The most crazy plot twist I've ever read. I never liked Odium as a villain and it all makes so much sense now that he was never intended as the main villain of the Cosmere. Taravangian on the other hand is the perfect villain as he's a foil to Dalinar and has the craftiness that Sazed and even Hoid are afraid of.

[@vinceelreytolledo555]

I agree with you about Shallan. But the “I’m your veil, Shallan.”, moment with Veil was so great.

[@mariairigoyen2639]

I don't usually cry a lot, but I cried every time we got Kaladin's POVs. I /love/ how Brandon wrote Kaladin in this book and because I am so emotionally attached to Kaladin, I think Rhythm of War is my second favourite-though I also think Venli's flashbacks were not really necessary