It’s been almost two years since Words of Radiance lashed itself onto our hearts, and as Brandon has put several projects to rest, his increasing time on Stormlight Book 3, currently titled Oathbringer, has Sanderfans everywhere shaking with anticipation.
Oathbringer is still very much in-process, and a release date is unknown, but that hasn’t stopped Sanderson from reading first drafts of chapters, or releasing rough snippets online! So just how much has been revealed so far from the third book in the Stormlight Archive series?
Spoilers ahead, of course.
Some of the below info is gleaned from how Words of Radiance ends, but others are informed from the early selections of Oathbringer that Brandon has released, either directly online or through readings at events. If you’re interested in keeping track of Oathbringer revelations, try joining up with online Sanderson hotspots 17th Shard, the Stormlight subreddit, and The Coppermind. If you know of any more, from readings, signings, or other currently undocumented events, feel free to add your information in the comments.
Kaladin Stormblessed
By the end of Words of Radiance, our resident Windrunner finally begins to understand the full extent of his abilities, and what his purpose is here on Roshar. After reaffirming his bond with Syl and embracing his role as a Radiant, Kaladin now possesses a higher level ability, as well as his own Shardblade in the form of Syl. With the Everstorm—the enormous magical storm that sweeps the globe in the opposite direction of regular highstorms—now unleashed by the Parshendi, Kaladin’s thoughts turn to his parents and the Parshendi he has been battling in the series thus far. He’s now in a race against the Everstorm, to prevent it from killing his parents, and to prevent it from infecting more parshmen with the hate-inducing stormspren that it carries.
What We Can Expect: Kaladin is the world’s first fully-fledged Windrunner that we know of, and the first Radiant to travel outside of the small cadre at Urithuru. He’s headed to the heart of Alethi civilization and he doesn’t give a damn about hiding who and what he is. His presence in the rigid, structured, warmongering Alethkar can only serve to upset the status quo. Plus, he’ll need to face his parents for the first time since he lost his brother Tien in the war. Kaladin has his work cut out for him.
Shallan Davar
Lightweaver and liar extraordinaire, Shallan’s journey throughout Words of Radiance is all about coming to accepting the fallacies that have propped up her life. Having deduced where the ancient city of Urithuru was, and having infiltrated the Ghostbloods, an organization dedicated to finding the secrets of Roshar, you’d think Shallan would be happy to rest, but alas, there’s no such thing as “rest” on Roshar. Especially not after becoming betrothed to the swaggering soldier, Adolin.
What We Can Expect: Shallan is pretty deep within the Ghostbloods’ organization now, and her thirst for knowledge is going to make her a pretty useful asset in a city of burgeoning Radiants. She’s already shown what she’s willing to sacrifice to learn more, and unfortunately, if the Ghostbloods offer her a good deal, she may end up becoming a double agent. Her deepening relationship with Adolin, her bond with Dalinar and Navani, and her growing talents as a Lightweaver all indicate that Shallan’s loyalties are going to be tested to their limits in the next book.
Adolin Kholin
In Words of Radiance, Adolin dedicated himself to defending his father, and helping him convince the other squabbling Highprinces of the true threat on the Shattered Plains. He gained some much-needed depth through his noble and deadly Shardblade battles–and his growing love for Shallan–as well as his grudging respect and friendship for Kaladin. Then he put a knife through the eye of his father’s greatest enemy, Sadeas.
What We Can Expect: Fallout, and big time. There’s no way Adolin doesn’t get caught for the murder of Sadeas, and where he goes from here is going to be interesting. He didn’t seem apologetic and something tells me he’s not planning on begging for forgiveness. Will he be exiled? Will he be rewarded? Sanderson has vaguely mentioned the class of Radiant that Adolin’s blade used to belong to, and there have been hints that Adolin may soon join their ranks. How does the cold-blooded murder of a commander affect that?
Dalinar Kholin
Plagued by memory loss, visions of the past, and ominous words from the sky, Dalinar seems as if he’s been slowly going insane over the course of the series thus far. After embracing his mission–one originally meant for his brother, King Galivar—Dalinar came clean with the Alethi people of the Shattered Plains, and led them in a successful mission against the corrupted Parshendi. Now, housed in the ancient city of Urithuru and bonded to the Stormfather, Dalinar is the first Bondsmith in centuries, and must lead his new Radiants and people against the forces trying to plunge Roshar into chaos.
What We Can Expect: Newly bonded to a splinter of the Almighty/Honor, Dalinar is going to have his hands full reigning in the Stormfather, and figuring out his new duties as a Bondsmith. Not only will he have to bring the Radiants together, he’ll need to keep his people in the city from falling apart, especially after he usurped control of them from his nephew Elhokar. Dalinar will need to balance this all while encouraging his youngest son, Renarin, into learning how to control his own Radiant abilities, and while managing the fallout of the actions of his oldest son, Adolin.
As the current working title for Stormlight Book 3 suggests, Oathbringer will feature Dalinar as its central character, flashing back to his earlier days before the first book. We’re finally going to see how Dalinar, a wise, powerful, and respected highprince of Alethkar, grew from his initial identity as the bloody brute of Blackthorn. Something tells me it ain’t going to be pretty.
Jasnah Kholin
Seen very briefly, Jasnah was believed dead for the entirety of Words of Radiance.
But it’s hard to keep a good Radiant down! At the tail end of the book, Jasnah reappears with a backpack, a bandolier, and a message that’s far too late in coming.
What We Can Expect: Jasnah is not one to miss a party, and her being out of commission for Words of Radiance hopefully means a larger presence for her in Oathbringer. Now sporting a metallic bandolier (oh, where else have we seen metal in the Cosmere, hmm?) it’s obvious she’s been on some adventures. She’s not only going to have knowledge of the Cosmere, but also the politics of the Spren and their own governance in the Cognitive Realm.
Szeth Skybreaker
In Words of Radiance, Szeth’s sanity started to unravel even further. The countless murders he’d caused were catching up to his fragile psyche, and when facing Kaladin for the first time, he learned that the Radiants were in fact returning, and that the reason he’d been deemed Truthless in his own country wasn’t true. Learning that his entire reason for suffering was a lie, he gave up, and let himself be swallowed by the Everstorm, destined for death.
Except the world wasn’t done with him. Szeth was returned to life by Nalan, the Herald of Justice and Law, and told that despite the horror he had caused, Szeth was still a man of his word and that was admirable. Nalan recruits Szeth into the Skybreakers, a deadly class of Radiants, and the assassin is now set on revenging himself upon those who originally deemed him Truthless. To assist his efforts, Nalan gives Szeth a very special shardblade, one whose blade is black and smokes, and very much wants to destroy evil, thank you.
What We Can Expect: Nalan just brought a psychopath back to life, gave him a sword that’s also essentially insane, pointed him in the direction of his homeland, and said, “Go for it.” Wielding the sword Nightblood, if Warbreaker is any indication, isn’t going to make Szeth anymore stable. He’ll first be headed back to Shinovar where the other Honorblades are being held. These powerful artifacts grant Radiant abilities without Radiant or spren limits, so expect a lot of magic, a lot of mayhem, a lot of Shinovar, and a lot of blood.
Eshonai
This Parshendi explorer and soldier only wanted to save her people from the encroaching Alethi forces, but in her pursuit of peace she found the one thing her people had been running from: Odium. The discovery seems to twist the noble and honorable soldier into a force of darkness and hate, and the last we saw of Eshonai, she had been leading her soldiers against the Alethi, ultimately raising the Everstorm against them. Even though she went over a cliff at the end of Words of Radiance, I doubt it’s the last we’ve seen of her.
What We Can Expect: The Eshonai we know and love is still in there, somewhere beneath the stormspren and Odium’s influence. Most likely she’ll be gathering her people to her and preparing them to invade Alethkar. I’ll be very curious to see if Eshonai can break free of Odium, and what will happen if she does. It is rumored that the fourth Stormlight book will focus on her, so fingers crossed!
Wit a.k.a. Hoid
Meddled all throughout Words of Radiance.
What We Can Expect: More meddling. It’s kind of his thing.
The Side-Players
Oh man, let’s see, what do we have here…
- Elhokar is being housed by a Herdazian family, has to take back his throne from his bossy uncle, and deal with his own possible burgeoning Radiant powers.
- The nation of Alethkar is in the throes of civil war, and what better time for a Radiant like Kaladin to come on through?
- The Ghostbloods Mraize and Iyatil have their own agenda, and they’re sure as hell going to pursue it, no matter what.
- About that insane man claiming to be Taln, one of the original Heralds and the only one abandoned in Hell…is he the real thing? Time will tell.
- Amaram stole Taln and smuggled him away to his group, The Sons of Honor, for some strange reason I’m sure we’ll find out. Wait, how many secret societies are on Roshar anyway?
- More than you thought! The Mad King Taravangian, whose intelligence differs day by day thanks to a deal he made with the Nightmother, is in the throes of his plan, The Diagram, which details how the next few years will go, and what maneuvers he must make in order to ensure survival.
- Also, we can’t forget Lift, Moash, our worldhoppers looking for Hoid, Shallan’s family, ardents studying spren, our trader on the Greatshell island, Axies our spren cataloguer, the plague at the Purelake, and more.
There’s a lot to look forward to in Oathbringer, and I can’t wait to see what Sanderson delivers!
Martin Cahill is a contributor for Tor.com, Book Riot, and Strange Horizons. You can find him on Twitter @McflyCahill90. Tweet him about delicious east coast IPAs, ideas on who Rey’s parents are, and your worries about the DC Movie Universe.
It’s Iyatil, not Itayil.
More lopen!
You left out my two favorites, Renarin and Navani!
I hope we get a lot more of Renarin, and how his foresight abilities are affecting him. I also want more Navani, now that Jasnah is back. I think she’s the only one smart enough to go toe-to-toe with her when she is being driven. I also want more about fabrials.
This is a great primer, Martin, thanks! I’m bookmarking for later reference!
SPOILER about Kaladin from an excerpt Brandan read/released:
There was an excerpt released that had Kaladin running out of stormlight before arriving home and having to walk a day or so to get there. He’s too late to warn them about the storm. (Sorry Ma & Pa Stormblessed)
“Sanderson has vaguely mentioned the class of Radiant that Adolin’s blade used to belong to, and there have been hints that Adolin may soon join their ranks.”
Apparently I missed a very, very interesting WoB. Anyone know which order this is? Just from Adolin’s personality, I could see him being a Stoneward or a Dustbringer…interestingly enough, on opposite sides of the Radiant chart.
@5 There is a very recent WOB that Adolin’s blade was owned by an edgedancer
@6 Really. Hmmm. That’s…odd, considering his personality. He seems like a very different person from the other person we know from that order.
In fact, the more I think about it, the more I want him to be a Dustbringer. Their surges are Division and Abrasion, and I’d certainly call Adolin abrasive. And probably divisive, considering the likely fallout of his whole eye surgery deal in WoR.
Brandon Sanderson’s post from a month ago on the Stormlight Archive subreddit is full of interesting information. In particular, there’s this diagram of Oathbringer’s planned structure, showing who has viewpoints in which parts and what will be in the interludes:
Also, a few nitpicks from my Spelling Nazi sister…
-“Urithuru” should be “Urithiru”
-“Nightmother” should be “Nightwatcher” unless I missed that as another name for her
-Not sure why you call Szeth “Szeth Skybreaker”…Skybreaker is his Radiant order, not his last name. Maybe I’m missing a joke?
ETA: @7: There was this bit describing Adolin summoning his Shardblade back in chapter 50 of WoR: “The white fog appeared— manifesting as little vines sprouting in the air— before snapping into the form of a Shardblade”. That sounds a bit like Wyndle, leading many people to theorize (apparently correctly) that Adolin’s Blade used to be an Edgedancer’s.
@8 Oh, I’m not disputing that his current blade used to belong to an Edgedancer. Just that I don’t see him becoming an Edgedancer in the future.
Given that Martin specified, “Spoilers ahead, of course,” I don’t think we need to worry about whiting out spoilers – especially not stuff that’s been out for months and months. Maybe stuff from M:SH, but I can’t see the need to block anything else.
In the nitpick department, I have to say that I think Adolin’s killing Sadeas was far more hot-blooded than cold-blooded! Other than that, yeah.
I’m still wondering if it makes any sense to call Szeth a Skybreaker. He doesn’t have a bond with a highspren, so he isn’t a real Skybreaker. I’m also wondering how long it will take him to get to Shinovar, since he can no longer use the Windrunner skillset he got from carrying Jezrien’s Blade. Unless Nalan can somehow hornswoggle a highspren into bonding Szeth, it seems he’s stuck with ordinary means of transportation. We may not see action in Shinovar until very late in the book, if at all. Of course… what he’ll do on the way, with Nightblood to “help” him… ::shudder::
I’m still debating what to “expect” about Adolin. Ever since I read the way he talks with his Blade, I’ve wanted him to revive it – but I, too, have long thought that Adolin fits more with either Dustbringer or Willshaper characteristics. And there’s always the possibility that he won’t become a Radiant at all, which has it’s own interesting ramifications.
A couple more typos: “Galivar” should be “Gavilar”. And “reigning” should be “reining”.
Very much looking forward to Book 3! Of course, I’m going to have to finish rereading book two first. They’re just too good to read slowly and carefully the first time through!
This does make it sound like practically everyone belong to some secret society or other (especially if you include the emerging Radiants). What a strange world.
#10 – @Wetlandernw – That’s exactly what I was going to ask about. Is there a difference between being in the group named Skybreakers and actually being a Radiant with the Skybreaker abilities? Is the fact that the individual leading the non-Radiant Skybreakers is (possibly) the Herald that inspired the original Radiant Skybreakers relevant? I can’t wait to find out!
Adolin is the perfect Edgedancer.It is not an obvious choice because most of what we see of Adolin is a facade, but once we scratch it off what is left is a young man who cares deeply for those around him, having a fondness for those events have “forgotten”, namely his mother, Kaladin, prostitutes, dead soldiers.
IMHO, Adolin never fitted within the Dustbringer order, but it is beside the point. Recent WoB practically render this option impossible.
I am also of the opinion Adolin killed Sadeas in hot blood and not in cold blood: he was not in control of himself, quite the opposite of Jasnah’s calculated assassination.
@10 While Szeth will not be bonding with a highspren, chances are good that he will bond with Nightblood, who is essentially the same thing as a spren (indeed, I believe WoB is that Vasher et al based him on Shardblades that they saw while worldhopping). Although we have not seen Nightblood able to bond with people before, that was because Splinters don’t form those kinds of bonds on Nalthis. Similarly, the Splinters on Sel–the seons and skaze–should be able to form Nahel bonds on Roshar.
What kind of Surges they might impart is anyone’s guess, but I suspect that Nightblood will indeed grant Szeth Gravitation and Division. I don’t have a fully formed theory on why this would be; it just seems to me that if Nalan says those are the Surges to be granted, then that is what will happen. I think that his dedication to the letter of law and general authoritarian disposition will be able to influence the way the bond works (especially because this particular bond represents a hacking of the magic system).
@14 – Hmm. Possible, I suppose, but I don’t see how Nightblood could/should be able to grant control of the Rosharan Surges. Yes, I know about it being a “mis-made Shardblade” and all, but it’s Investiture is inherently Nalthian. While it can apparently use Stormlight, I don’t know how likely it is that it equates to accessing the Surges as well. But if Nalan can somehow “make it so” – why would he stop at two Surges? Nightblood isn’t bound by Ishar’s rules the way the spren are; if it can access the Surges at all, it seems like it would go for the lot. And I don’t quite see Brandon giving someone quite that sort of super-power. Not this early in the game, anyway.
I would expect and predict that Elhokar will start to become king in more than just name as Dalinar splits off to become the leader of the Knights Radiant and more concerned with the world as a whole and not just one nation.
Also, I can see any number of moral arguments to be made for Adolin killing Sadeas that would allow him to join an order of the KR who felt the same way. I mean look at a few facts/rationales: a big one to me is the fact that Sadeas had tried to kill Adolin in the past via betrayal and had announced his intentions to continue trying to harm Adolin and his family. There’s been a couple of earth cultures and laws that would allow you to kill someone based on those two facts. Sadeas is also acting in a completely dishonorable way and is actively working against his own king who he has sworn to obey (more or less). He is also intentionally killing bridgemen left and right and I’d bet you a dollar that if Sadeas was a budding KR that that Nalan would find that sort of action enough of a justification to kill him. I’m not going to try and predict which order Adolin will join, I’m just saying I could see multiple moral philosophies that wouldn’t find his actions to be wrong.
@16 JoeH42: Sanderson has said that there are Radiant orders who’d be happy to take Adolin:
I can see a future fight between Nalan and Adolin. Nalan, being a Skybreaker and holding justice above EVERYTHING ELSE, will try to ‘execute’ justice if Adolin becomes a Radiant.
@18: Brandon said the Skybreaker wouldn’t take him as he broke the law. On the Dustbringers, he said the following:
Questioner: Have we– I think you mentioned in a previous signing that we’d already met one member of every Order of the Knights Radiant.
Brandon: Yes, I think you have.
Questioner: My question is, have we met two Edgedancers? And is one of the Dustbringers a viewpoint character? Brandon: One of the Dustbringers is eventually a point-of-view character.
Questioner: Haven’t been yet?
Brandon: Nnnnoooo, not yet, I don’t think. But it depends if you count the Heralds as members of their order. Questioner: I don’t.
Brandon: Oh, see I would, because they’re kind of heads of their Order. If you don’t count them you have not met some from every Order.
Questioner: [Have we met someone from the Dustbringers?]
Brandon: Well… Dustbringers are really complicated. /Really/ complicated. So that’s the weird one. Okay? So let’s shelve that one. You’ll see why it’s really weird later on.
It isn’t conclusive nor extraordinary explicit, but it does explain two things:
1) We may not have met the main Dustbringer characters, if we did, it is someone very minor.
2) We will not find out more about the order until this character becomes a main character.
Adolin is not this character for two very obvious reasons: he is fairly active within the current narrative, he thus fails to qualify for 1). He is never becoming a main character so he fails to qualify for number 2).
While he may become a minor KR, he certainly won’t be the minor KR of an order where the main character hasn’t been introduced yet.
So no Dustbringer, not that I thought he would ever join this order, but it has been more or less disapproved.
About the representation of the Orders in the books, I think it highly probable that each will focus on one of them, in that the main flashback character for each book will come from a different Order. Based upon what we already know, this is the breakdown:
Book 1-Kaladin (Windrunners)
Book 2-Shallan (Lightweavers)
Book 4-Dalinar (Bondsmiths)
Order unknown:
Szeth (Skybreakers)
Eshonai (probably Willshapers)
Jasnah (Elsecallers)
Lift (Edgedancers)
Renarin (Truthwatchers)
Talenel (Stonewards)
And then there’s Shalash. She should be the head of the Lightweavers, but I bet she becomes a Dustbringer (which would certainly qualify as complicated). She’s gone a bit off the rails, it would seem, and her personality at present couldn’t be further from that of a Lightweaver (see: the Baxil interlude in The Way of Kings).
@20: I’d say most people drew the same conclusions. I had hope the books wouldn’t truly be partitioned in such way as it does remove most of the suspense, but it seems as if they will be.
On paper, the idea of Shalash switching to another order does not please me, but I’ll have to RAFO. It won’t happen until many more years.
I don’t agree that Adolin will inevitably be discovered. “Swaggering soldier” though he may be, he’s also competent. He took care to hide all the evidence, even throwing away a priceless Shardblade, which makes me think that people will spend a lot of time in the third book thinking Sadeas is missing and wondering what happened to him and whether or not he’s still alive. The only person who’s going to punish Adolin for what he did is Adolin.
Also, it’s interesting how Dalinar started out as the brutish barbarian warlord, the infamous Blackthorn, but after the death of his brother he turned into a much more thoughtful philosopher-prince. It appears that his two sons emphasize these two aspects of his father: Renarin is the heir of Modern Dalinar, and Adolin is the Blackthorn’s heir.
@22: How is Adolin, as he is currently written, to manage to keep such a secret to himself? How is he to withstand his father’s eyes calling for being the picture perfect model of perfection without telling him? How is he supposed to live with the knowledge he has broken the ideal image his father has crafted for him to be?
How can he be quiet, him, Adolin, an overly emotional guy who tends to outburst when he is too unsettled? How is he supposed to keep that inside?
I just don’t see it happening. Whatever happens in book 3, one way or another, Adolin is found out as the culprit. Besides, Adolin may be a soldier, he isn’t an assassin. Considering the fact he has only fought in the Parshendi war, it is entirely possible Sadeas is the first man he kills and since he’s had his Blade so young it is quite possible the only living thing he killed with a white weapon. Being competent as a soldier doesn’t automatically make him competent at assassination: he likely didn’t cover his trails all that well, especially since he most likely was in shock at the time.
Just give me the publish date.
@23 Don’t forget that Jasnah should be back in the picture soon. We haven’t seen the two interact yet, but I can imagine a guilty Adolin spilling it to her to assuage his guilty conscience. While I’m not really sure how Dalinar would react to the news, I’m pretty sure that Jasnah would tell him that he did the right thing and to keep quiet and let her handle it. I think that something will still come of it eventually, but Jasnah could certainly delay that until the idea of acting against someone who put down an avowed enemy of the Radiants becomes unthinkable.
@25: I think Dalinar will react very badly, no matter how he finds out about it. Dalinar is set-up to be harder with Adolin, in a general manner.
@26 Yeah, Dalinar is probably not going to be very pleased, regardless, but it seems like such an obvious conflict and not one that I’m particularly interested in reading about. Sadeas was an evil snake who actively sought to undermine the only hope Roshar has against an apocalypse. Let’s please not have hundreds of pages of nonsense over whether or not he was killed the right way, even though everyone agrees that he absolutely needed to be killed.
I think a good solution would be that Adolin does indeed become a Radiant, and his killing of Sadeas lines up with the precepts of his Order. Dalinar can grumble about it, but Adolin can just say that it had to be done, and he’ll try to find better solutions moving forward, but the end of the world is on its way, after all.
I know that there’s a theme of the end not justifying the means in the story, but Adolin killing Sadeas is nothing like, say, Amaram’s nonsense with the Shards. It will really be unfortunate if this ruins Adolin and turns him into an outcast.
@27: The event will serve to explore Dalinar as a character: his behavior with his son is not entirely right. Just as Kaladin and Shallan, he has lessons to learn through his progression. He is flawed, just as they were, but his flaws are mostly seen with his dealings with his oldest son: it thus affects two characters and not just one.
I seriously doubt the aftermath of Sadeas death will be dealing with the legal ramifications of it: it will be Dalinar dealing with how to treat his son. It will be Dalinar realizing he has put on too much on his eldest son’s shoulders. It will be a father watching a child slowly unwind and have to come to grip with the fact he is partially responsible for it. Had Elhokar or Renarin killed Sadeas, Dalinar would have likely reacted in a protective, sheltering way, but it is Adolin who did the deed. Adolin is NOT allowed to make mistake: he is the perfect child.
These are the ramifications, not as to whether or not it was right to kill him, it is more profound. It is about a man who tried to be more honorable than his enemies, about a man who has to learn how to guide and not condemn, about a man who has to learn to be the light in others darkness and this lesson passes through his son as this man also is a father. His child is going to need him. All his life he thought it was Renarin who’d need him, but he got it wrong. Renarin is well on his way to emancipate himself. It is Adolin who will fall. Adolin who doesn’t want to leave the family cocoon. Everything is set up for it to happen: Adolin the perfect boy who never did any wrong, Adolin who hero-worships his father, but also Adolin who’s entire sense of self-worth is tied in to his ability to be his father’s idealized idea of the perfect son and also Adolin who’s very emotional and doesn’t deal well with the unexpected. Nervous Adolin. Search in book how many times words Adolin and nervous are grouped together. It is surprisingly high.
It won’t ruin Adolin, it will make him more interesting. And he is going to need his father to walk him through the ordeal, but can Dalinar overcome his negative bias when it comes to Adolin in order to help his son in time?
Adolin simply becoming a Radiant and Dalinar grudgingly accepting it is not a good solution: it deprives both character from much needed growth. The key is there is something unhealthy in their relationship: it has to be explored and Dalinar will never simply accept Adolin’s actions until he has come to terms with certain of his personal issues. Besides Adolin isn’t ready to be a Radiant: he does not even know who he is! All he knows is how to be what his father wants him to be, but he never went through the self-defining phase. Everyone else goes through with it, but him and considering he is older, it’ll be worst for him than they. Adolin needs this growth before he can even think of becoming a Radiant.
Thus, it won’t be about killing or not Sadeas: it will be about a father and a son and the expectations you place upon one’s child without realizing you are doing it. It will be, just as the other books, about learning about oneself. Each character has something to learn from it.
Sadeas is just a foil, not the plot.
@28 When you put it that way, I guess I can see it working out without being really annoying. While I may not have done the best job of expressing it, my hypothetical plot also supposed that Adolin grew as a person and came into his own before achieving Radiancy. Of course, that was without involving a lot of hand-wringing from Dalinar about killing Sadeas in secret, with a knife, instead of in front of a bunch of spectators in the dueling ring, with a Shardblade. I guess that doesn’t really make sense, though, since Dalinar is a main character, and Adolin a secondary one.
So I concede that your point is the better one. I just hope that it doesn’t go on for too long. I’ll be displeased if Dalinar spends an entire 1000-page volume being mad at Adolin.
The use of flashback so we can see who dalinar used to be, in stark contrast to who he is now, is going to be particularly interesting in light of adolin’s actions and the inevitable conflicts that will result, between father and son, and internally within each character. I suspect that yes, the dalinar of right now would feel very betrayed by what adolin did, be disappointed, distraught, etc. But, it is quite possible that as the blackthorn he did things just as bad, or worse. The many angles from which I know Brandon will explore this are going to be faaaascinating. It is probably going to break my heart to read, and I can’t wait.
@29: The dueling spree was Adolin doing exactly what his father always wanted him to do. Where is the growth? What has Adolin learned through those besides doing exactly what daddy wanted him to do? What lesson did he get from the 4 on 1 duel expect finding out the end game was worth more than his life to his beloved father? He likely didn’t even put it together.
Adolin doesn’t know he is just a tool and this is the sad part. Everyone is trying to use him, in one way or another, but nobody is concerned as to what it may do to him. Who would ever be? Adolin is strong. Adolin is normal. Adolin is perfect.
Adolin may be a secondary character, he is more interesting than nearly all of the “main characters”. Readers have a stronger emotional attachment to Adolin than they do to 3/4 of the “announced main characters”, so him being “secondary” has little to do with it. The author has to broach what happens to him: readers expect it. He set up the book to say he would deal with it, so he has to.
As for Dalinar perhaps spending 1000 pages worrying about Adolin: Kaladin spent a 1000 pages being depressed and prejudiced in WoR. I fail to see the difference. Yes, dealing with Adolin should, by all means, occupy a large part of Dalinar’s present day narrative. Anyway, it won’t be a 1000 pages of just that as Dalinar doesn’t have 1000 pages of POV time. Other characters have arcs as well.
Personally I want to read this particular story. It is bond to be interesting.
@30: I think Dalinar has to acknowledge why it is he goes hard on Adolin, but is very lenient/forgiving on others, whatever the reason may be. It is impossible to write a book about him and NOT deal with those.
Thought this was a nice refresher!!
I’d say Adolin’s murder was more in anger and hot blooded rather than Cold blooded but after he certainly disposed of him coldly. I don’t think he will be apologetic and i see this as a future friction point between the two. I am looking forward to seeing Renarin emerging from the shadows a little bit, Adolin has always been the favorite son and Renarin has always supported him. With Renarin now a Radiant with abilities and possible friction between Dalinar i wonder what his reaction would be? Will he stand by him or become jealous like Dalinar did of Gavilar..
Kaladin’s Arc looks like it’s going to be fun! Finally going to reunite with his parents, Laral and ROSHONE!!
Also Dalinar wanted him to check up on the queen and the capital, i see him clashing with the Ardents in the future..
Due to the riots and tension between the crown and the faith, a Dark eyes with the powers of a Radiant simply swings by to say hello… there is going to be mayhem.. XDXDXDXD
Wit will be Witty. He will be meddling and fun to read.
Nightmother? I thought it was Nightwatcher… haha
@32: I do not read Adolin as the favorite son, but as the most successful son which others can interpret as preferred. In terms of favor, Dalinar truly is more affectionate, more forgiving, more generous and more lenient with Renarin than with Adolin.
As for jealousy, Adolin has had reasons to be jealous and he has chosen not to. I thus do not think he would suddenly start to resent his younger brother, Radiant or no. If anything, he is more likely to work himself up in trying to keep up.
@31, 34 Gepeto
Adolin just isn’t that rebellious. Just as he doesn’t resent his brother for being the favorite, he doesn’t seem to hold a grudge against Dalinar for being nicer and more lenient towards Renarin. He knows that his father can be ridiculous about honor, and he isn’t going to stop being Dalinar’s loyal son just because his father chooses to be an idiot about him killing Sadeas. After all, he killed Sadeas both as revenge for Sadeas’s attempt to kill Dalinar and to protect his father from future plots.
As for Adolin resenting his father for risking his life with his dueling strategy, Adolin is an adult and a soldier. He loves dueling, and he is entirely willing to risk his life for his father and his family. I generally despise Vorinism as a philosophy, but Adolin believes that the Almighty gave lighteyes power and privilege so that they could protect the rest of humanity. If he wasn’t willing to fight and die for what he believed, he wouldn’t respect himself.
@35: For the record, I do not think Adolin resent his father for being more lenient towards his brother than himself (I do not even think he noticed), but I do think it will come into play during book 3. Something will happen… I am not sure what, but it will become relevant. I do not think Adolin will rebel against his father, but his father’s intransigence will put him in an impossible, if not dangerous situation, one where he has no more cards to left to play, one where no matter how loyal he remains, he is incapable of maintaining his functions. The question should be, how far is Adolin willing to go to prove his loyalty to his father? When he loses his approbation, what is he going to do to regain it?
Adolin also believes his father’s life is more important than his own and I have a problem with this… It shouldn’t be. His relationship with his father should be more egalitarian, but it isn’t. Dalinar uses Adolin as a tool to steer whichever he sees fit, asking him to meet impossible expectations and basically refusing the right to just be a young man (and thus make mistakes). Adolin is happy, pleased and glad his father is willing to use him to whichever task he sees fit. As long as he follows his father’s guidance, Adolin is not questioning much.
One individual should not be more important in any relationship wanting to call itself respectful and egalitarian.
When is the tickertape parade for Adolin. For removing the assassin who had tried more than once to kill his father and was openly bragging that he would try again in the future. Some kind of medal of commendation is in order.
Does any else think adolin should end up with night blood considering his joy of talking to his sword and his sword master being vasher I’m not sure about the vines I really don’t see adolin as an edge dancer and there had been no signs of a spreen bonding witch could also be cause he is bonding his shard and reviving the dead spreen but I think night blood fits him best