Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This thread is open to discuss Edgedancer by Brandon Sanderson.




From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, a special gift edition of Edgedancer, a short novel of the Stormlight Archive.

Three years ago, Lift asked a goddess to stop her from growing older--a wish she believed was granted. Now, in Edgedancer, the barely teenage nascent Knight Radiant finds that time stands still for no one. Although the young Azish emperor granted her safe haven from an executioner she knows only as Darkness, court life is suffocating the free-spirited Lift, who can't help heading to Yeddaw when she hears the relentless Darkness is there hunting people like her with budding powers. The downtrodden in Yeddaw have no champion, and Lift knows she must seize this awesome responsibility.

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Catching up?

Book 1 discussion thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Book 2 discussion thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Ok so I started a bit early because I already finished book 2 and I'm so keen to keep going to book 3! haha

Lift is not my favourite character. I'm not sure why, but it feels like Sanderson made all the strong female characters (like Shallan and Jasnah) quite unlikeable to start with.
Although I'm interested in this story - especially who Darkness is and what he is doing - I find Lift's actions (or inactions) super frustrating.

I hope we get more of an insight into how she ended up with Wyndle and her background in this book

I didn't do the first books with you guys.. But I was reading it before I knew of the BR.. and wow, the second blew me away. I finished it late last night - I had to stop the audio and read it instead because I just couldn't wait. I will be starting Edgedancer soon. Will you be reading Oathbringer immediately after?

Vi wrote: "I didn't do the first books with you guys.. But I was reading it before I knew of the BR.. and wow, the second blew me away. I finished it late last night - I had to stop the audio and read it inst..."

I hear you! I also ended up mostly reading my kindle with book 2. It was so amazing and edge of your seat stuff at the end!!

Yes, I intend to go to book 3 once E has caught up :)

I'm curious about why Lift's powers come from eating food and not stormlight. And page 131 "if she didn't use the power, it eventually vanished". Is that the same with those who directly draw in stormlight? I can't remember - I thought they generally used it even without realising.

Chapters 1-9(view spoiler)[
It is interesting how everyone thinks they are doing the right thing to save the world although they are on different "sides". When Darkness said that if the bonds with men and spren are reignited, they will naturally discover the greater power of the oaths, but they don't have Honour to regulate it which means that the Void-bringers can make the jump between world and cause a desolation. So does that mean that if Darkness comes across Syl (as an honour spren) he will change his path / goals? (hide spoiler)]

Based on books 1 and 2, they use it without realizing.. I think they even breathed out stormlight.

I just started it today.. Somewhere in chapter 2 now. I intend to continue reading the series.

Vi wrote: "Based on books 1 and 2, they use it without realizing.. I think they even breathed out stormlight."

ah yes, that's right

Chapters 10-19
(view spoiler)[
Page 214 = the Assassin said he didn't kill Lift as "the sword likes you". I'm confused as to his role now. Is he good or bad?

Page 232 "We watch the others. The assassin. The surgeon. The liar. The highprince. But not you". Is that because Lift creates her own stormlight? Or do they ignore her due to her age ? They all seem to be drawn together so I'm assuming she will make her way to them all soon
(hide spoiler)]

I finished Edgedancer just earlier. I got caught in a big jam today and had extra time to listen (literally, the only plus point, horrible otherwise)

I found Lift ok - I didn't really like her from that one chapter. She's not my favourite character but not the worst either.

(view spoiler)[ There is many different groups working - The Ghostbloods, the one Amaram is in (forgot the name). How are they different? I am so curious about the Diagram and the actions of the Taravangian and how they contradict with Dalinar (of course I could have missed something)

So does that mean that if Darkness comes across Syl (as an hour spren) he will change his path / goals?
This is what I was thinking too - Didn't he know of the return of the honor spren? I think Syl was the first honor spren to bind so maybe he was not aware.

the Assassin said he didn't kill Lift as "the sword likes you". I'm confused as to his role now. Is he good or bad?
I guess Szeth is conflicted because he has seen the return of the Voidbringers which is a direct contradiction of what Darkness/Nale says. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

(hide spoiler)]

I just want to say - what an amazing imagination Sanderson has. I had stayed away from longer books because of the time constraint but audiobooks is helping me bridge that. I am now looking forward to exploring more the 'Cosmere' books.

Just started this (and hoping to read the entire thing today 🤞)

Very interesting to me that we're starting with the story we've already read, but probably good for context 😅

Of course work had other plans, but I did finish it now!

I think it's really funny when Sanderson says in his note at the end that Lift is one of his favorite characters in part because of the way she talks... when I don't like her much and largely because I find her way of talking (and thinking) deeply annoying - oops!

Overall, I really liked how this gave us insight into what's happening in other places in Roshar and I did love that! But Lift is definitely not a POV I enjoy reading from

I'm reading book 1 at the moment, but can't find the thread for that one. Can someone who isn't blind like me help me out? 😆

Sammy wrote: "I'm reading book 1 at the moment, but can't find the thread for that one. Can someone who isn't blind like me help me out? 😆"

Over here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

:)

Judy wrote: "
Very interesting to me that we're starting with the story we've already read, but probably good for context 😅"

I was actually confused and a bit worried that the entire book 2.5 was just that bit. haha I had the kindle so it wasn't immediately obvious if there was more to the book or not

Vi wrote: "I just want to say - what an amazing imagination Sanderson has. I had stayed away from longer books because of the time constraint but audiobooks is helping me bridge that. I am now looking forward to exploring more the 'Cosmere' books..."

I agree. I also find his writing style very accessible. Some high fantasy writers get caught up in being overly descriptive

Thank you!

Book 3 is open for Jan 1 start
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Started this one today!
Will hopefully be done quickly :-)

Lift is a curious one though. Food instead of stormlight as fuel. That could makes things a little more difficult if you aren't from a background that gives you access to plenty of food. But it should make things easier during the Weeping when there is less stormlight available because there are no highstorms.

🥳

Yes eating food for fuel is interesting and I can only imagine will become more and more important

Lift is not a very likeable character for me either.... :-/

Sounds like we're all annoyed by the same things where her personality and actions are concerned hehe.

So here are some thoughts:
(view spoiler)[
I am very curious as well to know what Szeth's new role now is, too. The minions, as Lift called them, seem to have been apprentices of Darkness, ie Nale the Herald, and I think Szeth might be one as well. If I remember correctly Nale (Nin at the time) said he would "take him on" at the end of book #2? Awesome that the sword likes Lift and didn't want to kill her - what a difference the various blades can make, apparently. I can't wait to learn more about the different Shardblades!

What exactly they are apprentices for is a mystery though. Wasn't there always just one Herald for each category? Nale is the Herald of Justice, so the others would always just be minions up until the moment Nale dies? If Nale can be killed or die of natural causes? We don't really learn all too much about the Heralds in this one so who knows? One of the other books might shed some light on this :-) Is Skybreakers a synonym for Heralds? Or what do the Skybreakers truly intend to do?

However, I'm pretty sure that he has already changed his ways after his encounter with the storm and realising that the Parshmen were changing. I don't think he'll need to encounter Syl to realise that honour isn't quite dead. Or is starting to be resurrected. I'm actually curious to see when and where he'll pop up next. And if Szeth will be with him.

Oh the Sleepless were interesting additions. What exactly are they?! The old man was a sort of illusion made up of cremlings, but he did seem to have a specific personality, so it isn't like he's a hivemind of hundreds of cremlings. Maybe just a sort of soul needing a body to remain in reality? Something like that? And there are more! I wonder if they also use cremlings to form their shape or if they use other animals or even plants? And he said he could pass for human these days... was he in a different shape before? (Probably many many moons in the past since he's immortal.)

I think they aren't watching Lift because Lift isn't a high stakes player yet in this game the others are playing. The others have positions of power, which she does not, or they have visions, which she does not, or they have an enormous spy network and are meddling where maybe they should not, which Lift does not do either. She also isn't interesting in gaining power, position, rank or whatever else it is. She also doesn't seem to be interested in meddling with people lives in one way or another. She also hasn't grown into who she is going to be yet, so maybe that is why. Besides the fact that she isn't using stormlight but seems to be producing it herself. (Gosh, she eats a lot o.O The others may have trouble getting enough stormlight in the absence of highstorms, but she needs more food than an entire army, it seems haha.)

Wyndle was good fun though!
(hide spoiler)]

So many questions! I can only imagine how much planning Sanderson put into all of this.

I think you are right re: Lift and not being watched. Perhaps that will be a fundamental flaw as I think she will end up being a bit part of what is to come. (view spoiler)[ If for nothing else, just the ability to create stormlight when there are no highstorms

Which has now made me think... in book 2 Eshonai created a highstorm, right? I wonder if the Radiants will learn to be able to do the same?
(hide spoiler)]

Hmm, that is a good question! Maybe?