Shardcast: DRAGON PALACES & More - Brandon Interview WoBs Part 2

I think the critique of societies on Roshar will continue in the back 5. Even in book 4 with an active war on multiple fronts Kaladin found time to say "Wow, we treat mentally ill people terribly. I will try to change that." 

Jasnah is queen (in every sense  ) and we know she has a dim view of Vorin society. I expect she will try to reform Alethi society in the back half when they are no longer a nation in exile.

The Singer - Human relationship will probably change from purely adversarial soon and that could be an interesting societal change. 

3 hours ago, Child of Hodor said:

Jasnah is queen (in every sense  ) and we know she has a dim view of Vorin society. I expect she will try to reform Alethi society in the back half when they are no longer a nation in exile.

 

Even if she does though, that still doesn't give us the perspective of someone actively suffering from or being hurt by the caste system. That's why it was kind of weird when she abolished slavery because she had no previous emotional connection to this issue and we never even saw a darkeyes or slave's opinion or experience after this change. 

This episode was really good by the way. That dragon lore was crazy. 

About the Crimson Aether being a flesh Aether, I wonder if they are the modern version of the animal one in AoN.

The theory that Cultivation is setting up new vessels has been around for a long time. It would make some sense that a dragon like Cultivation would want her shard to go to a dragon like herself.
 

So maybe Cultivation turned Lift into a dragon because of shard-succession, and we are soon going to see Lift get her actual boon of dragonboon. 
 

it would be interesting to know if Dragons could pop in and out of visions like Lift does. Seems likely. 

On 10/23/2023 at 11:40 AM, The Sibling said:

Even if she does though, that still doesn't give us the perspective of someone actively suffering from or being hurt by the caste system. That's why it was kind of weird when she abolished slavery because she had no previous emotional connection to this issue and we never even saw a darkeyes or slave's opinion or experience after this change. 

This episode was really good by the way. That dragon lore was crazy. 

I see your point that looking at the back half all but Lift are royalty (Jasnah, Renarin) demi-gods that were part of an ancient invading force (Taln) or both (Shallash). Lift is now among the elite by virtue of her magical abilities and she is extra special because of how Cultivation altered her. Compared to the front half where Kaladin & Bridge 4 were all slaves, Szeth was a different type of slave, Venli is from an offshoot of a displaced and then enslaved people. 

It is a potential negative of Brandon's books that the primary purpose is to explore and explain the magical worlds and magic systems he creates. By volume these books spend a lot of pages explaining and demonstrating magic. The plot usually hinges on characters mastering the magic or solving a physics or math problem within the magic. Meaning most of the major characters that  drive the plot are going to be magic users which automatically makes them more powerful than most and not all that marginalized regardless of background.  

That's not to excuse him if he does social/political considerations poorly, but that's never struck me as a primary reason he writes these books. 

I would be more moved by the need for more diverse POV If this were a story involving real world peoples whether in fiction or nonfiction. 

To me there is a big difference between the importance of centering Osage voices and accurately depicting the Osage people in Killers of the Flower Moon and the need to center Listener voices.  Same goes for a fictional story involving any real world groups. Hearing more from more dark-eyes is hearing more from Brandon. Versus Brandon depicting indigenous people in Rithmatist 2 which has never been completed because he doesn't feel he knows enough about these actual people and cultures to responsibly write fictional people of that group.  

Again, not to excuse him if he writes a work where it feels like oppressed people don't matter or implies they shouldn't be so angry about it. And I do respect your objection to his approach and lack of POV from relatively powerless people. 

On 10/25/2023 at 9:25 AM, teknopathetic said:

The theory that Cultivation is setting up new vessels has been around for a long time. It would make some sense that a dragon like Cultivation would want her shard to go to a dragon like herself.
 

So maybe Cultivation turned Lift into a dragon because of shard-succession, and we are soon going to see Lift get her actual boon of dragonboon. 
 

it would be interesting to know if Dragons could pop in and out of visions like Lift does. Seems likely. 

..........................

Sir you just broke my brain.

I don't think that's correct, but I find that a very possible theory.

Gotta love how y'all just described the plot of turning red, but replaced a red panda with a dragon.

12 minutes ago, PrestoTheMagnificent said:

Gotta love how y'all just described the plot of turning red, but replaced a red panda with a dragon.

ikr

Looking forward to the hemalurgy episode!

On 10/27/2023 at 1:38 PM, PrestoTheMagnificent said:

Gotta love how y'all just described the plot of turning red, but replaced a red panda with a dragon.

This is all I could think about the whole time. 

On 11/2/2023 at 1:06 PM, Ookla the Sibling said:

This is all I could think about the whole time. 

SAME. I am so glad I'm not the only one lol