Today is week two of a 10 week readalong of Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance arranged jointly by Dab of Darkness and Stainless Steel Droppings.  This book is already excellent – if you’re not joining in you might want to think about it!!  Alternatively, if you’ve already read this and just want to jump in with comments then that would be wonderful too.  (The schedule is here).  This week’s questions have come to us from Lisa at Over The Effing Rainbow so, without further ado:  (Oh, fyi – spoilers below, they’re like spren, if you read this they will pop up all over the place – spoilerspren!)

1. We learn a little more about Syl and her connection to Kaladin. There are more spren out there, ‘trying…to reclaim what was lost”.  Yet Syl was forbidden to come and chose to do it anyway.  What do you make of this new information?

I think the spren naturally want to save people from whatever is coming.  It sort of stands to reason in one respect.  Without people the spren would cease to exist wouldn’t they?  Well, maybe not cease to exist but it seems that there has to be some sort of conscious thought or action in order for them to appear. Plus, the ones that have attached themselves to humans seem to have a vested interest in helping them.

2. Chapter 10 is brief, yet intriguing – and kind of creepy!  It looks like Shallan was responsible for her mother’s death, among others, when she was young.  What are your thoughts on this scene?

I’m enjoying finding out more about Shallan to be honest and I like the way that Sanderson slowly reveals these snippets of information.  I’m not totally convinced about Shallan’s involvement.  Part of me thinks it clearly looks like she was involved but then I have this fascination to the ‘lying’ or perhaps more kindly, ‘being selective with the truth’, element to her character.  I suppose there’s a few scenarios – at least – was Shallan a witness to something horrible and lied to cover up the fact that she’d seen anything?  Did she imply that she was involved – and was that truth or not?  Or did she actually just murder her mother (and others).  Partly I don’t want to believe that she would be capable of that.  I didn’t initially like Shallan – simply because she intended to steal from Jasnah, but whether or not I think that was misguided she was doing this for what she believed to be the right reasons.  I don’t think she’s a malicious character at all but she’s clearly intelligent and capable of quick thinking so maybe she said what she needed at the time in order to protect herself.

3. Highlord Amaram is back, and still has Kaladin’s Shardblade.  He also seems to be close friends with Dalinar.  Do you think Kaladin will tell Dalinar what happened between them?  If so, what do you think might happen?

This is a very tricky situation and could certainly lead to a revelation about his hidden strengths – which is exactly what Kaladin fears.  Plus this is coming at a time when he already doubts himself and still thinks everything will still be taken from him.  Obviously they’re going to meet up eventually given Kaladin’s new role and Amaram will undoubtedly recognise Kaladin.  The fact that there is only Kaladin still alive will mean this is going to test Dalinar’s faith in him.  I really can’t think what will happen with this one!  Total wimp out!!

We get an Interlude with one of the Parshendi – the Shardbearer who fought Dalinar, a woman called Eshonai.  We finally get a real look at the Parshendi and learn more about what they’re doing on the Shattered Plains.  What are your thoughts on this?  We also learn that Eshonai wants to speak with Dalinar and sue for peace.  Do you think that’s likely to happen?

I thought it was brilliant getting the POV of the Parshendi.  They seem to fear whatever trouble is coming as much as everyone else.  I was totally gobsmacked about their very casual confirmation about Gavilar’s death.  I genuinely didn’t see that one coming!  Sanderson does it again – just when you think you’re starting to get to grips with what’s going on he throws a blinder and totally knocks you off.  It was also kind of sad that they’re becoming so depleted.  I don’t know, it made me see it from the other side I suppose.  All along the Parshendi have been the enemy in the story – and maybe they are – but if that’s the case they seem to have forgotten just as much as everyone else over the years.  Reading this Interlude made them seem, well, like everyone else  –  I can’t just mindlessly dislike them now! Yes they killed Gavilar – and I’m racking my brains to think of what his scheme was and how it relates to uniting everyone.  I kind of wondered if Gavilar was having the same visions as Dalinar is now having and maybe he thought he had to unite the Parshendi.  Anyway, time will tell.  I think if anyone would be likely to listen to the Parshendi it would be Dalinar.  He did love his brother and I think it would need some sort of explanation – not that that makes everything hunky dory, but, maybe the two sides do need to team up to face whatever is coming?

Adolin’s first duel doesn’t exactly go as anyone expected… What did you make of how it was won?  Do you think it will force people to take Adolin, and by extension Dalinar, more seriously?

It will be interesting to see what Dalinar makes of Adolin’s tactics – what with his codes, etc. I can’t help applauding Adolin to be honest.  They’re in desperate times, the clock is ticking and the Alethi highprinces are a bit of a joke really!  Something needs to shake them out of their reverie – whether that will be it remains to be seen but Adolin’s tactics certainly caught their attention.  He won’t get away with that a second time as there will be no element of surprise.  And, yes, I think it will make people sit up and take notice.

Such a lot happened this week!  Shallan and her ‘is she or isn’t she in a very tricky situation??  It was interesting to read Adolin’s thoughts – he seems to be looking forward to meeting her.

Also the chapter with the shoemaker – not sure of the relevance of that particular chapter just yet – very intrigued to find out who it was who killed the shoemaker at the end.

I was also interested in the lullaby that Shallan’s father was humming to her after the murder chapter! ‘Now go to sleep in chasms deep, with darkness all around you.  Though rock and dread may be your bed, so sleep my baby dear.  Now comes the story, but you’ll be warm, the wind will rock your basket.  The crystals fine will glow sublime, so sleep my baby dear.’  What on earth does that all mean. Yes, I don’t know – but ‘a problem shared’ and all that!!

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