Looking Forward to Oathbringer

[Xaklys he/him]

So we have about a year before Oathbringer comes out.  What is everyone looking forward to the most from this book, what do we hope to see, and any theories you might have about it are always welcome, of course.

For me personally, I'm REALLY stoked for Szeth's role in this story, I'm sure he will start being more present and I can't wait to see how he interacts with Nightblood (I still need to read Warbreaker) and what he does as far as handling Shinovar.  As well as Szeth, I can't wait to see what Mraize had to teach Shallan considering he is so insistent on having her in the Ghostbloods.

Let me know what you all think! 

[1stBondsmith he/him]

Bondsmith powers. What they are and what they are not. What did Dalinar just trade for the blade he had? Can't wait to see what he has to do to bring very disparate knights into some kind of order. I want to hear what he does to fight the Everstorm, Voidbringers and Taravangian, all without claiming a rulers title.

 

[Mistbornwithakitty she/her]

I can't wait for so many things!  Are you sure it's going to be a year?  I don't know if I can wait that long.  

I really want to see Jasnah return to the Shattered Plains.  I'm also curious about how this whole Shallan/Kalidin/Adolin thing will play out (I'm a bit partial to Shalidin, don't hate me).  Also curious to see the aftermath of the Sadeas assassination.  A million more things I'm hoping/waiting for, but those are the main ones.   

[Ammanas]

I'm not really excited for anything in particular to happen, but I'm just excited to experience that world again and see where the story goes. I'm excited to spend more time with these characters that I've grown to love.

[Mistbornwithakitty she/her]

@Ammanas, they become almost like family don't they?  I love that about Brandon Sanderson books, they are so good at making you feel like you belong. 

[StormyQueen she/her]

I'm really hoping to see some accurate information about the KR's history. Shallan should be able to find a huge range of artefacts and texts. Plus with Jasnah returning (yey!) hopefully there will be more scholarship moments. 

Like others I'm interested in the Adolin/Shallan/Kaladin dynamic (also on the Kal/Shallan bandwagon). Also Jasnah, finding out about the different orders (looking at you, Dalinar) and their oaths, and pretty much everything....

[Mistbornwithakitty she/her]

And Renarian (I don't know if I spelled the name right)!! Ack, how could I forget about him!  We were left on a cliffhanger.  XD

[soyperson]

I'm really interested in Shallan's story, but mostly Jasnah's. I also am excited to see anything new about King T and his master plan.

[thegatorgirl00 she/her]

I'm looking forward to all the things I don't know about. Even with everything I know will be in there, I know Sanderson will manage to surprise me. That's one of the reasons I love his books. 

[Ammanas]

26 minutes ago, Mistbornwithakitty said:

@Ammanas, they become almost like family don't they?  I love that about Brandon Sanderson books, they are so good at making you feel like you belong. 

Sorry getting off the original topic here, but the funny thing is that I didn't like The Way of Kings when I first started it. I am the type of reader that loves for a plot to progress quickly. I kept thinking is Kaladin going to mope around as a bridgeman forever? When is Shallan going to do something? I then had a paradigm shift and focused on world building and character development over the plot. Now its one of my favorite series! 

I agree that the feeling part of the gang is one of Brandon's strengths. I also love how his books can be read as standalones, but there are so many cosmere easter eggs that make rereading so rewarding!

[bdoble97]

God there is so much SA have become my absolute favorite book series and its only two books in. I can't wait to see what Dalinar is going to do. Dalinar is my favorite character juat love his character. I really hope his flashbacks are brutal action-packed battle scenes. Other things about Dalinar and the stormfather I think thier things will be quite argumentative. 

Next I am really looking forward to see Kaladin and Syl relationship grow and expand I don't know if I'm the only one but I eventually want Syl to take a physical form and them to fall in love. 

Jasnah and Wit I want them to have a long journey together traveling to the shatterplains. I want to find out what she was doing in Shadsmare and what she may have learned from being in there for so long. Foes Wit give her any clues to who he truley is (probley not)

Shallan  and Adolin I want Shallan to discover vast libraries and forgotten technology. And I also hope she really goes deep in the ghostbloods. Adloin I would like to see him awake his shardblade and mabe have nightmares after the murder he committed. I think that could help him grow as a character. 

[BrightVoid he/him]

I cannot wait to see how Kaladin handles the fallout back home, wether it returns him to depression or grows him as a character.

I also want to see the molecular surges and how they function.

[soyperson]

I'd also love to see some Willshapers. I'm super hyped for some Willshaper action.

[VirtuousTraveller he/him]

The Nightwatcher.  WHAT ARE YOU?!?  What boon and curse did you give to Dalinar?  Are you Cultivation, a splinter of Cultivation, or just a big spren (or all three)?

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

What things am I excited about for oathringer?

...all of it. The ending of WoR makes sure of that.

[Nymeros]

Words of Radiance felt like a lot of set up and we kind of knew what to expect going in. We knew that Szeth had been sent after Dalinar and that we would have a windrunner vs windrunner match. We knew that Dalinar would try to build a united army, we knew Shallan was headed to the Shattered plains, we knew the Parshendi were likely to become voidbringers, we knew Eshonai would try to sue for peace, etc.

Oathbringer though? I don't know what to expect. Here's what I hope to see though:

I'm a big Bridge 4 fan, so I definitely want to see a stormlight imbued Bridge 4 pull off something even more badass and heroic that their rescue at the Tower Battle.

Taravangian is awesome and one of the most unique villains Ive seen in a while. I cant wait to see more of the inner workings of the Diagram through the eyes of one of my favorite Bridge 4 members, Moash.

I'm also excited to see Szeth and Nightblood vs Honorblade wielding ninjas and learn about Dalinar's wife, Gavilar, and mini Renarin.

I also want to see the fallout of Sadeas's murder at Adolin's hand.

Lastly, how will Jasnah react to Shallans joining of her worst enemies? I fully expect Shallan to try to deceive Jasnah.

 

Edited November 4, 2016 by Nymeros

[maxal she/her]

I want to read Adolin's story  There is nothing I want to read more than his, everything else is a dimmed second  I am also curious as to how the Radiants will work now they have been reform and finding out who the new ones will be. I want to read more Kholin action, so not just Adolin, but also Dalinar and Renarin. The Kholinar revolt sounds like an interesting story arc: I hope it will be done creatively.

I have no particular opinion on what might happen to other characters, I only hope it will be a good story either way.

[bdoble97]

1 hour ago, maxal said:

I want to read Adolin's story  There is nothing I want to read more than his, everything else is a dimmed second  I am also curious as to how the Radiants will work now they have been reform and finding out who the new ones will be. I want to read more Kholin action, so not just Adolin, but also Dalinar and Renarin. The Kholinar revolt sounds like an interesting story arc: I hope it will be done creatively.

I have no particular opinion on what might happen to other characters, I only hope it will be a good story either way.

Could Adolin become the leader of the KR army's. I know ue is jot a KR as of the end of WOR. But totally believe that he is going to awake his Shardblad. Some people say that most of the KR have to be broken in some way.  Well I was thinking that afyer the murder that he commites he may have regrets in doing so. He even could have on going nightmares about it and paranoia while the investigation goes on not wanting to disappoint his father. While being intusted with leading the armys against the voidbringers. I love Adolin and really want his character to grow in this upcoming book. 

[maxal she/her]

15 hours ago, bdoble97 said:

Could Adolin become the leader of the KR army's. I know ue is jot a KR as of the end of WOR. But totally believe that he is going to awake his Shardblad. Some people say that most of the KR have to be broken in some way.  Well I was thinking that afyer the murder that he commites he may have regrets in doing so. He even could have on going nightmares about it and paranoia while the investigation goes on not wanting to disappoint his father. While being intusted with leading the armys against the voidbringers. I love Adolin and really want his character to grow in this upcoming book. 

I doubt it. I doubt the KR would agree to be led by a bearer of dead-Shards. Besides, Adolin might be a good war tactician and rising star when it comes to leading armies, I somehow feel most if his future role will be outside the battle field... Or perhaps not what we initially expect with the character. 

Brandon has recently RAFOed questions related to Adolin's mental state by the end of WoR. He might be broken enough or not yet, this is a RAFO and by RAFO, Brandon means three things and I quote:

RAFO can mean: 1) Someday, I'll answer this. 2) I never intend to answer it, but want you to keep talking about it. 3) Answering either yes or no still gives too many clues about other things I don't want to answer.

Obviously, the answer to this specific question is not 1), this would be linked to RAFO relating to magic system, Shard and complex Cosmere stuff. It might be 2), but it probably was 3). Brandon isn't going to let anything slip when it comes to Adolin, so we are, more or less, in the dark.

This being said, what I wish to see explored in more depth with Adolin is how he is going to deal with the absence of the Thrill when going into battle. I so badly want to read him cope with the lack of the Thrill, with the realization he basically has become what he hates so much and I want to see how much of a fighter he might be without it. Oh he can duel without the Thrill, a large chunk of his arc in WoR has been about him rejecting the Thrill while dueling, but can he do the required butchery warfare demands? how long before it takes its toll on him? And how long before Dalinar notices?

 

 

 

[bdoble97]

@maxal with you saying that Sanderson refuses to give answers about Adolin it make me think that he may have a extremely large role and may become extremely important character later on in the books and that he doesn't want to give any hints. To me this gets me excited that his character growth could be huge in the next books and become a huge main character later on

[maxal she/her]

30 minutes ago, bdoble97 said:

@maxal with you saying that Sanderson refuses to give answers about Adolin it make me think that he may have a extremely large role and may become extremely important character later on in the books and that he doesn't want to give any hints. To me this gets me excited that his character growth could be huge in the next books and become a huge main character later on

Then we have to wonder how big a character can grow without a flashback book and/or a spotlight. So far, the best Adolin is capable of achieving within any given SA book is tertiary character 1 which gives him POV in two Parts out of 5 and a small role in the ending climax. It is not much page time to expend on. My thoughts are Brandon's doesn't want to spill the beans early when it comes to Adolin: it would a massive spoiler where he to tell us what will happen to him.

[bdoble97]

1 hour ago, maxal said:

Then we have to wonder how big a character can grow without a flashback book and/or a spotlight. So far, the best Adolin is capable of achieving within any given SA book is tertiary character 1 which gives him POV in two Parts out of 5 and a small role in the ending climax. It is not much page time to expend on. My thoughts are Brandon's doesn't want to spill the beans early when it comes to Adolin: it would a massive spoiler where he to tell us what will happen to him.

Hmm do we know who the flashbacks character will be in book 4 and 5. I know that Szeth was suposed to be book 3 but got bumped out for Dalinar. So I'm assuming book 4 will be his book. But what about book 5.  

[Jondesu he/him]

26 minutes ago, bdoble97 said:

Hmm do we know who the flashbacks character will be in book 4 and 5. I know that Szeth was suposed to be book 3 but got bumped out for Dalinar. So I'm assuming book 4 will be his book. But what about book 5.  

Actually, my understanding is that Eshonai is book 4 and Szeth will get book 5. Obviously that could change, though.

[bdoble97]

1 hour ago, Jondesu said:

Actually, my understanding is that Eshonai is book 4 and Szeth will get book 5. Obviously that could change, though.

Ok cool I did not know that. Not to sure I like the idea of Eshonai book. 

[maxal she/her]

3 hours ago, bdoble97 said:

Hmm do we know who the flashbacks character will be in book 4 and 5. I know that Szeth was suposed to be book 3 but got bumped out for Dalinar. So I'm assuming book 4 will be his book. But what about book 5.  

Not only do we know who the first five are (Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar, Eshonai and Szeth), but we also know the back five: Jasnah, Taln, Lift, Renarin and Shalash. Adolin just doesn't fit anywhere: he wasn't a planed character. How can he grow from that? I cannot say. I can only hope Brandon will give him more page time in order to make him a satisfying character despite the lack of focus book.