I think after 2 loooooong books and this part I am starting to understand the world of Roshar
I do not know if someone said this before or not, but here is my take
This world is CORRUPT, and every character mentioned in it is also CORRUPT.
He wasn’t broken. All of them were broken. Alethi society—lighteyed and dark. Maybe all of humankind. “Well?” the regent demanded. “Speak up, man!” Moash remained silent, overwhelmed. He wasn’t the exception, always ruining what he was given. Men like Kaladin were the exception—the very, very rare exception. These people proved it. There was no reason to obey lighteyes. They had no power, no authority. Men had taken opportunity and cast it to the crem.
and no one is as bad as Dalinar because he is a villain pretending to be a Hero
In most of the Epic high fantasies I read, it is "good vs evil" or "quest to a noble cause" or "rebellion against the oppression" or "Hero journey".....not in Roshar
So far, this is the storyline of selfish people navigating through life towards their selfish goals.
There are no Heroes here cause simply "Honor is dead". No one is a savior
AND I AM LOVING THIS
and if you don't believe me, just ponder the idea that "each of the radiants got their shardblades by killing someone" which I honeslty found a chef's kiss,
Every character is suffering from either a mental or physical disorder; something I found extremely interesting and well presented. I could write a whole essay research on this, but I am sure someone already did.
There is also a lot of religious influence here, which I did not like, but hey, it had to be done I suppose!
my curiosity, however, is in the fact that "Everyone is bad one way or another and non more monstrous than Dalinar."
My review is going to center around him cause this book is mostly "Dalinar's book"
So, three books so far about three different books that each disappear when a new book is introduced!
1- The Way of Kings, aka Kaladin's story
2- Words of Radiance, aka Shalan's story
3- Oathbringer, aka Dalinar's story
I wonder if Rythm of War will be Jasnah's book?
Anyway, back to Dalinar...I didnt like him from the start. something felt off about him. And the first few chapters of Oathbringer proved that he is evil.
So Dalinar is this genocidal bloodthirsty in his youth but I have to like him in his middle age cause he "regrets" it with no repricaution and not only that, he is rewarded for his murders with several shardblades, a son with a shardblade, a son as a radiant, a daughter in law who is a radiant and a bodyguard radiant, and not one but two women who loved him! one of them is his dead genocidal brother's wife!!!!!! yeah no!
In fantasy, wars are usually fought to defend, to fight evil, to protect, to retrieve stolen property
This war, Gavilar's war, is conquering and oppressing. They weren't trying to unite for the sake of unity! Gavilar wanted to be a dictator. He announced himself king and fought to death and destruction anyone who opposed him
and Daliner fed his sickness
he killed, peledgered, enslaved, and rape ( was implyed), all while getting high on his killing spree and calling it Thrill.
but now, in his middle age, I am supposed to trust him!!! fuck that
Sadeas and Gavilar are monsters, and they died. I hope Dalinar dies, too
But hold on! Dalinar's redemption for being a bloodmonger child killer is becoming a king! waw! can this world be any more corrupt!!! i am loving this
"White on Black" is one of my favorite quotes in this book
I like this cause this is what Dalinar is trying to do
Painting his black past with white deeds
But when you do that, you end up with grey
that is, if you are using white in the first place
he is using grey
I do not think you and I are destined for such a glorious place. Men of blood and sorrow don’t get an ending like that, Dalinar Kholin.”
So true
another favorite excerpt:
"You murdered defenseless men,”...Dalinar
Amaram stooped, lifting Oathbringer. “And what of the hundreds, even thousands, your wars killed?”
I respect you greatly, Brightlord,” Amaram said. “Your life has been one of grand accomplishment, and you have spent it seeking the good of Alethkar. But you—and take this with the respect I intend—are a hypocrite.
You stand where you do because of a brutal determination to do what had to be done. It is because of that trail of corpses that you have the luxury to uphold some lofty, nebulous code. Well, it might make you feel better about your past, but morality is not a thing you can simply doff to put on the helm of battle, then put back on when you’re done with the slaughter.”
Agreeeeee....give it to the hypocrite Dalinar
The only way I see Dalinar slightly redeeming himself is if he sacrifices his life.
I think I am in the minority for liking Moash. He has reasons for his action. He reached the conclusion that everyone failed to see.
As much as I liked Jasnah in the previous books, I am disliking her in this one. She is a self-centered, arrogant bitch.
Shalan's storyline felt like a filler her. why is she detective Konan all of a sudden???
And I said it before and I'll say it again: The books is damn too long
Imagine you are in a car and the driver reached a roundabout, but instead of taking the exit, they kept going round and round because they liked the view.
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Side note on using the word "ok/okay" in high fantasy
I know that the book is written in the English language, but the word "ok" is a pure American invention in the mid-1800s
when I read it in Epic fantasy, I am immediately taken out of the story and start thinking of Yankees and Americans from the valley.
Just listen to the piece of nature incarnate, okay? I think Father wants to apologize, in his own way.”
Now why did you have to break the illusion of fantasy with "okay"!!!!
you replace "doctor" with healer
"brain" with inner thoughts
but fail to use "fine" or "right" or "got it" for "okay"?????