9 Answers2025-07-11 12:43:13
I’ve been eagerly theorizing about which characters will return in the next installment. Given the cliffhangers in 'Rhythm of War,' I’m certain Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar will continue their arcs—especially with Kaladin’s mental health journey and Shallan’s identity struggles. Navani’s newfound role as a Bondsmith is bound to play a huge part, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Adolin’s connection to Maya deepens.
Secondary characters like Lift, Renarin, and Jasnah are also likely to return, considering their unresolved plots. Lift’s quirky humor and growing importance to the Knights Radiant make her a fan favorite. Renarin’s visions and his bond with Glys could take center stage, especially with the looming threat of Odium. And Jasnah—queen, scholar, and badass—will probably have more political maneuvering ahead. My wildcard pick? Szeth, given his oathstone arc and potential redemption. The next book is shaping up to be epic!
3 Answers2025-09-02 19:58:20
I can’t help grinning talking about these — the Stormlight novellas really highlight some of my favorite side characters in such intimate ways.
The two main published Stormlight novellas are 'Edgedancer' and 'Dawnshard'. 'Edgedancer' very clearly stars Lift, with her spren Wyndle playing a huge role alongside her. It’s basically Lift’s spotlight: her voice, her weird priorities (food first, then mysteries), and the way she grows into someone who actually tries to help people. Wyndle is right there with her, and you get the mix of levity and surprising heart that makes Lift such a strange and lovable lead.
'Dawnshard' centers on Rysn — you see her stepping up from the merchant-interlude spot she had before into a full-on protagonist role. She’s joined by a small, quirky crew (you’ll recognize at least one familiar Bridge Four face) and the novella leans into exploration, old powers, and how a comparatively ordinary person deals with extraordinary things. Both pieces also bring back spren and recurring world figures in cameos, so you get both the personal stories and the wider Cosmere threads peeking through. I loved how each novella used one core viewpoint character to open up corners of the world the main novels only teed up; they feel like little side quests that leave a surprising emotional aftertaste.
6 Answers2025-07-16 20:32:11
Book 3, 'Oathbringer,' has one of the most compelling villains in fantasy. The main antagonist is Odium, but what makes him terrifying isn't just his raw power—it's how he manipulates people. He's not some mindless force of destruction; he's cunning, patient, and preys on the weaknesses of others. Take Dalinar's past, for example. Odium twists his guilt and trauma, trying to break him. Even the Fused, his immortal servants, are tragic figures, enslaved by his will. Odium feels like a villain who could actually win, and that's what makes him so chilling. The way Brandon Sanderson writes him makes you understand why characters fear him beyond just 'he's evil.'
2 Answers2025-07-16 12:17:37
Oh man, 'Oathbringer' hits like a stormwall when it comes to character deaths. I remember reading late into the night, completely unprepared for the emotional gut punches Sanderson delivers. The most devastating loss is definitely Elhokar—just as he's starting to redeem himself and say the Words, Moash does the unthinkable. That scene shattered me. The way his son cries out for him... Ugh. It's brutal because Elhokar was finally becoming someone worthy of respect, and then it's all ripped away.
Then there's Jezrien. His death at Moash's hands feels cosmically tragic—the once-glorious Herald reduced to a beggar, then murdered in cold blood. It underscores how far the Radiants have fallen. Even minor deaths like Rillir's (Adolin's brother) carry weight, reminding us that past actions have consequences. Sanderson doesn't pull punches, and every loss reshapes the characters left behind. Dalinar's grief, Navani's quiet fury—it all feels raw and real. The stakes in this book aren't just about battles; they're about how loss changes people forever.
4 Answers2025-09-02 05:36:48
My immediate take is that the novellas in the Stormlight world mostly expand what we already know, rather than dropping entirely new magic systems on us. Reading 'Edgedancer' felt like getting a backstage pass to Surgebinding: Lift's abilities are an odd and delightful twist on the same Surge themes—Regrowth comes across as a focused application of Cultivation's influence, not a standalone magic with its own ruleset. It deepens how bonds with spren and the nature of certain Surges work, especially in everyday, messy situations.
' D awnshard' (yes, that one) plays a different role: it introduces artifact-level power—Dawnshards—which are a new kind of thing in-universe. They act more like plot-changing objects than a fresh, teachable school of magic the way 'Allomancy' is in 'Mistborn'. So between these two novellas you get meaningful expansions of mechanics, artifacts that shift stakes, and hints connecting to the wider Cosmere, but not a whole new, standalone magic textbook. If you love seeing how small magic details make the world feel lived-in, these are great little reads that reward you with tight, character-forward glimpses.