Happy reread Thursday, Cosmere Chickens. We’re so close to the end now that we can almost taste it, and I can’t speak for Paige, but I have mixed feelings about that. I love these rereads, I love delving deeper into Sanderson’s works (despite my awful memory) and I’m going to dearly miss writing these and reading your comments when we’re done… especially since we’re going to have quite a long wait until the next one begins. On the other hand, renaissance faire season is looming on the horizon and I’m about to be absolutely swamped with work, so… maybe for the best?
On the plus side, we do have the four Secret Projects to read while we’re waiting for Stormlight Five! How many of you have read Secret Project 1, aka Tress of the Emerald Sea? (Since it’s released everywhere now I think it’s safe to finally name it.) If you haven’t, you’re really missing out—especially if you’re a Cosmere Scholar! Check out the review I wrote on it here if you’re still on the fence.
As for missing the reread, I’m so bummed that we’re almost done. And so long to wait for SA5!
Reminder: We’ll be discussing spoilers for the entirety of the series up until now. If you haven’t read ALL of the published entries of The Stormlight Archive (this includes Edgedancer and Dawnshard as well as the entirety of Rhythm of War), best to wait to join us until you’re done.
In this week’s post we also discuss some things from Sixth of the Dusk in the Cosmere Connections section, so if you haven’t read it, best to give that section a pass.
Heralds:
2x Ishi (Ishar), Herald of Luck. Bondsmiths (Tension, Adhesion). Pious/Guiding. Role: Priest.
Shalash (Ash), Herald of Beauty. Lightweavers (Illumination, Transformation). Creative/Honest. Role: Artist.
Jezrien (Jezerezeh, Yaezir, Ahu), Herald of Kings. Windrunners (Adhesion, Gravitation). Protecting/Leading. Role: King.
Icon: Double Eye (multiple POVs)
Epigraph:
Nearly as much as I look forward to serving you, newest Odium. Who was so recently one of them. You understand. And you are the one I’ve been waiting to worship.
—Musings of El, on the first of the Final Ten Days
L: Dude what the HECK. Anyone who wants to worship Taravangian has a screw loose. We’ll see more of this person in this chapter, finally, and they definitely don’t seem to be all there.
P: Yeah, I’m increasingly uncomfortable with El’s Musings.
Chapter Recap
WHO: Kaladin, The Defeated One
WHEN: 1175.4.10.5 (Note: For the “when” notations, we are using this wonderful timeline provided by the folks at The 17th Shard.)
WHERE: Urithiru and ???
RECAP: In a chat with Dalinar, Kaladin admits that he doesn’t think he’s healed enough to retake command. Dalinar agrees and gives him a new mission, to go to Shinovar and try to heal Ishar’s broken mind. Meanwhile, the Defeated One awakes in a room with El, the one without a title. El proceeds to stab the Defeated One with an infused knife, and the Defeated One feels his soul shatter. Kaladin heads off to the merchant who found Wit’s flute, and finds Tien’s carved wooden horse there. Dalinar and Navani have a nice chat on the top of the tower.
Chapter Chat—Champions and Heralds
“I know, son,” Dalinar said quietly. “You weren’t right for the champion job anyway. This is the sort of thing a man must do himself.”
L: Something gives me the feeling that he’s not going to be the one to do it in the end, no matter how much he thinks he is.
P: I’ve had similar thoughts. More worries, really. But not knowing what exactly the contest entails has me nervous, too.
“The fight won’t simply be a swordfight— I can’t explain what it will be. I don’t know that I understand yet either, but I’m increasingly confident I need to master what I can of my powers.”
L: I wonder if he knows this, or only suspects it…
P: Yeah, I wonder how he knows, too. especially since Odium seemed to think he was going to get him the second time around.
Buy the Book
The Lies of the Ajungo
“…there is one who can help me. Unfortunately, he’s insane. And so, Kaladin, I do not need you as a soldier right now. I need you as a surgeon. You are of the few who personally understand what it means to have your own mind betray you. Would you be willing to go on a mission to recover this individual and find a way to help him, so he can help me?”
“Who is it?”
“The Herald Ishi,” Dalinar said. “Creator of the Oathpact, Herald of Truth, and original binder of the Fused.”
L: That’s certainly going to be an interesting mission. I’m very curious as to how it goes down.
P: And with so little time to “heal” Ishar, I don’t know that Kaladin can do it. How Kaladin would do it. Because Ishar would need to be willing to accept help, and as evidenced by Dalinar’s talk with him, boy’s super suspicious and more than a bit cray-cray.
Bruised and Broken
“Sir, you were right. I have a lot of healing to do before I should be in command again.”
L: I’m glad to see Kaladin admitting this, and doing so without guilt or overt depression. Acceptance is, of course, the first step towards true healing.
P: It’s HUGE that he realizes this and can admit it to Dalinar.
“The Ideals don’t fix us, sir,” Kaladin said. “You know that. We have to fix ourselves. Perhaps with a little help.”
L: Truer words were never spoken… and ones that we could all stand to be reminded of, from time to time.
P: I think that the Ideals help them fix themselves. Kaladin couldn’t accept that his brands needed to go until he attained the Fourth Ideal. And then immediately wasn’t even aware that they’d healed right away.
I have work to do, helping men like me and Dabbid.
L: I am so happy to see him continuing this work.
P: Kaladin’s therapy is awesome! I knew in the early stages of the beta read that he would start to heal illnesses of the mind. I knew it!
…even if he were in peak fighting shape, I don’t think [Kaladin would] be our best warrior. Or our best killer.
L: I mean, he’s not wrong. Dalinar always was the best killer of them all.
P: Dalinar was a pretty damn good killer. When he was in the grip of the Thrill. Would he be now?
“You are incredible. You’ve always been incredible.”
She breathed out a long, contented sigh.
“What?” he said.
“It’s good to hear someone say that.”
L: Oh, poor, poor Navani. I’m so glad that she’s got someone who appreciates her, finally.
P: So am I! She and Dalinar are so good for each other.
Oaths Spoken, Powers Awakened
“The Stormfather doesn’t know what to make of this,” Dalinar said. “I think he finds it strange. Apparently, his Bondsmith and the Nightwatcher’s Bondsmith sometimes had relationships, but the Sibling’s Bondsmith was always apart.”
L: That actually makes a lot of sense. If you’re forming a close mental bond with something that has close mental bonds with others… it’s like a chain.
P: It’s definitely interesting. I can’t wait to see who the Nightwatcher bonds. Gotta be someone, right?
Cosmere Connections
“We found her spren once the tower was restored, and they have—for some reason—decided to begin carrying around a bright red chicken.”
L: This begs the question… which type of world-hopping “chicken” is this, and what powers might it have? Aviar? Or just a normal parrot? Who can tell…
P: I think the general consensus is that it’s an Aviar. I don’t know if there’s a RAFO order on that or not—surely someone has asked Brandon. Let us know in the comments if you’ve seen a WoB on this, Cosmerenauts.
TinFoil TheoryCrafting
A flute?
Wit’s flute.
“Lift had this,” Dalinar said, handing it toward Kaladin. “She said that Dabbid recognized it as yours.”
L: I am convinced that this is a huge gun on the mantle and is eventually going to play a huge part in the plot. Convinced.
P: Yeah, there’s definitely something special about that flute. And how did Lift know it was Kaladin’s
“Anyway, she said she found that flute in a merchant’s bin down in the Breakaway. One who sells salvage from the Shattered Plains.
L: Come on. This is just too big of a coincidence to not mean something.
P: Yeah, methinks Brandon is being sneaky.
He held up a miniature wooden horse, carved in exacting detail.
Syl breathed out an awed sound.
“I lost this before coming to the Shattered Plains,” Kaladin said. “I lost this in Alethkar.”
L: Speaking of guns on mantles…
P: So interesting…
Singers/Fused
The figure had twisting horns on his head and carapace that reflected the light wrong. He always ripped off his natural carapace formations at each rebirth, then replaced them with metal inclusions. They were incorporated into his body by Voidlight healing and his own special talents.
El. The one with no title.
L: Ah HAH! So we finally find out who’s been writing all these weird epigraphs at the beginning of the chapters!
P: Yeah, and he sounds utterly terrifying.
El was forbidden rhythms.
L: What? Well that’s certainly foreboding.
P: I want to know who he wronged and how to be forbidden rhythms.
“When we said we did not want to have to wait for your rebirth, it was not your convenience that troubled us, but mine. I am very curious, you see, and you were the sole appropriate subject.”
“Subject for what?” the Pursuer asked, reaching the window and looking out over Kholinar at night.
“Oh, to see if this really works.”
L: That might be the most stereotypicall “evil villain speech” I’ve ever seen in a Stormlight book.
P: I bet Brandon cackled when he wrote it. “Before I kill you, Mr. Pursuer…”
Humans
So, he excused himself from the party at Jor’s winehouse…
L: Nice to see that Jory… I mean, Jor’s winehouse is still going strong! (Jor is the tuckerization of one of the members of the beta reader team.)
P: Hi, Jory!
“How is Lift, by the way?”
“My lunch is gone,” Dalinar said. “So I’d say she’s doing fine.
L: Well, that’s a relief. Not that I was too worried about her really, but it’s nice to have confirmation that Moash didn’t permanently disable her.
P: Our little Edgedancer was able to heal, thank Honor.
Brilliant Buttresses
“All I need from you now is an agreement to help. And a willingness to travel to Shinovar in somewhat… odd company.”
L: I’m so down for Kaladin and Szeth’s Excellent Adventure.
P: I can’t wait to read about it!
Well, that about wraps this one up. We’ll be leaving further speculation and discussion to you in the comments, and hope to join you there! Next week, we’ll be back with chapter 117, and after that it’s only the epilogue left.
Paige resides in New Mexico, of course. She is so very happy that baseball season is underway. Go Yankees! Links to her other writing are available in her profile.
Lyndsey is back on a Stephen King kick and has been working her way steadily through Dark Tower, Insomnia, and The Stand. If you enjoy queer protagonists, snarky humor, and don’t mind some salty language, check out book 1 of her fantasy series. Follow her on Facebook or TikTok!
