The Way of Kings Read Along: Week Five

WAIT WHAT?  I have this up on time?  Seriously?  Snow days are quite fun like that, and I feel rather accomplished. 😀

This week we’re delving into chapters 28 through 32, with me finally exclaiming phrases at my kindle in anticipation for the crazy.  I definitely got through this segment faster than the others, if for the growing excitement I’m feeling as this novel is progressing.  I apologize for not listing the hosts in the past few segments, but this time I’ll let you know where to go: Tethyan Books!

Anyway.  SPOILERS RESIDE IN THE DEEP, DARK DEPTHS BELOW.  LIKE KAIJU.  THEY MIGHT EAT YOUR GODDAMN FACE. 

1.Dalinar made a very dramatic decision at the beginning of this section.  Do you think it was the right one? What do you think will happen to him, Adolin and (and the not-united Alethi) if he follows through?

I think for the sake of his family as well as to give him time to figure out the full picture of what is truly going on, abdicating was probably the best decision.  The longer he stays in power, the more his current problems would escalate as far as I see it.  Adolin may need a lot of guidance to cool his hot head as he goes on, especially with Sadeas’s current actions being the most suspicious we’ve seen to date.  Unfortunately, the country looks to be farther and farther away from Dalinar’s goal of unification and convincing Adolin to follow that path seems rather difficult at the least…

2.We’ve gotten to see a little more of Shinovar with Rysn the apprentice merchant.  In terms of plants and animals, it seems to be pretty much like our world.  How do you think it happened that there’s such an ‘ordinary’ place, or what do you think might have happened to turn the rest of the world so unusual?  Given this and the chapter on Szeth, do you have any more ideas on what the meaning of his “Truthless” title might be?

What seems to have happened is that due to the mountains breaking up the highstorms, Shinovar did not have the same evolutionary pressures as the rest of Roshar to survive the catastrophic winds.  While it isn’t possible for soil to stay in one place in most of the continent, Shinovar is a rare exception.  Therefore, it makes sense that it is a country less foreign to us in its ecology.  I have a lot of fun watching the other character’s reactions to what they find as a strange anomaly when we as readers feel comfortable with the place, haha.

I wonder if, in order to become “Truthless”, if you must commit a seriously blasphemous act or your genealogy/particular powers determine such a fate?  Perhaps they wanted to put a strange sort of safeguard on the power Szeth has?  Though that doesn’t make sense with how easily people can utilize his strengths…

3.  Shallan and Jasnah’s story has returned!  Based on Jasnah’s words to Dalinar, and the clues Shallan is picking up, what do you think Jasnah’s project is about?  What do you think she hopes to accomplish? 

Jasnah’s project….  She’s investigating the circumstances of Gavilar’s death in more detail, it seems, with particular focus on the far past that may indicate some relation to Dalinar’s visions.  There’s so much build up to the eventual crazy that will happen!  I’m rather excited!

4. Concerning Shallan, it’s starting to seem that her drawing ability is a supernatural gift. Do you have any theories on the bizarre figures Shallan accidentally drew behind the king?

Perhaps these figures tie into the visions Dalinar has been having and the events that are yet to come.  It seems quite the omen and does not seem to spell good things for the Kharbranthian monarchy.  I do not have a good feeling about them.  AT ALL.  *shivers*

5. Back to the bridge crews, now that we’ve seen a bit more into Gaz’s perspective, does he seem any more sympathetic?  Why do you think he owes Lamaril money?

I feel for him, having to hide sympathies.  It’s nice to see that he’s definitely more of a gray character than at first glance, though that does not make me excuse his behavior in the least.  I’m not entirely sure as to why he owes Lamaril money… he could have been in a dicey situation that Lamaril bailed him out of, but at a high cost.  Or, perhaps, he had greater sympathies for bridgemen in the past and paid dearly for them.  *shrugs*

6. Kaladin has won over his bridge crew, and enacted a brilliant plan to protect them—which utterly ruined the military strategy. Do you think his plan was a good one, or should he have seen the chaos coming? What do you think will happen to him next?  Also, what do you think he’ll do if he figures out the real reason why bridgemen aren’t allowed shields?

Kaladin was entirely too focused on the bridgemen’s fate, who, when dying in smaller numbers, helps out the army rather than hurts them.  I don’t think he could have completely foreseen the scope of his actions, but a wider outlook may have saved him from a lot of future hurt.  I’m rather scared for Kaladin, but at the same time I wonder if it will draw attention from Dalinar and his plans on testing a single bridge to use, since the Bridge Four crew is inventive and resourceful and would be the perfect candidates for such a thing.  I highly doubt Sadeas will want them around after this particular venture, anyway.

Once Kaladin realizes the reason for the lack of shields, I’m certain his mistrust of lighteyes will only grow until it perhaps is almost irreversible.  Only someone very special could break that cycle of hatred, I think — Dalinar being very different from the rest of the Alethi, he may be the one to do that.  But who knows?

Other things:

Szeth’s new masters.  Oh god.  OH GOD.  IT BEGINS.  WE’RE IN FOR IT NOW GUYS.  *begins building bomb shelter*

See you next week for more and more excitement. ❤