Rhythm of War (9781429952040)
“Rhythm of War” is the fourth installment in Brandon Sanderson’s epic fantasy series, The Stormlight Archive. Set on the planet Roshar, the novel continues the conflict between Dalinar Kholin’s coalition of Knights Radiant and the forces of Odium, a malevolent god seeking dominion. The story delves deeper into the psychological and emotional struggles of key characters, including Kaladin, Shallan, and Navani, as they grapple with war, trauma, and the mysteries of ancient magics. Themes of resilience, identity, and the cost of power are explored amidst intricate world-building and high-stakes battles. The book expands the Cosmere universe, revealing new layers of lore and setting the stage for future confrontations.
82. Knife
bySanderson, Brandon
Radiant confronts Mraize through a communication cube, furious that he withheld critical information about Restares—revealed to be the Herald Kelek. She expresses frustration over wasted weeks searching the fortress blindly, while Mraize defends his secrecy, claiming it prevented alerting Kelek. The conversation highlights Radiant’s anger and Mraize’s calculated manipulation, as he downplays the significance of the omission. The tension escalates when Radiant shifts into her alter ego, Veil, who demands clearer answers about their mission’s true purpose.
Veil challenges Mraize’s authority, questioning the value of their arrangement and accusing him of deceit. She emphasizes her accomplishments, including gaining access to the remote fortress, and insists on transparency. Mraize remains evasive, prompting Veil to threaten abandoning the mission unless he provides explicit reasons for targeting Kelek. The exchange underscores Veil’s growing distrust and her resolve to protect her own interests, contrasting with Mraize’s detached, strategic demeanor.
Mraize instructs Veil to open a hidden compartment in the cube, revealing a dagger designed to trap Kelek’s essence in a gemstone. He rationalizes the act by comparing it to using spanreeds with trapped spren, claiming it won’t harm Kelek. Veil remains skeptical, citing the presence of other Heralds in the tower who could provide knowledge. Mraize dismisses this, arguing that the Heralds are either insane or uncooperative, making Kelek a more reliable source of information.
The chapter culminates with Veil pressing Mraize for specific reasons behind capturing Kelek, unsatisfied with his vague justifications. Mraize hints at their master’s broader goals but is cut off before revealing crucial details. The confrontation leaves Veil torn between her mission and her moral reservations, setting the stage for a pivotal decision. The chapter masterfully blends tension, intrigue, and character dynamics, leaving readers eager to see how Veil’s conflict will unfold.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of Restares’ true identity, and why did Mraize withhold this information from Radiant and her team?
Answer:
Restares is revealed to be Kelek, one of the immortal Heralds from the Oathpact. This makes him an ageless, eternal spren formed of Honor’s essence rather than a mortal man. Mraize withheld this information because he feared that if Radiant’s team actively sought a Herald, it might alert Restares to their intentions. The Sons of Honor, whom Restares leads, were unaware they served one of the very beings they sought to restore to Roshar—a fact Mraize describes as “poetic irony.” This secrecy was meant to prevent Restares from realizing his identity was known, which could compromise the mission.2. How does Veil’s negotiation with Mraize reveal the power dynamics in their relationship, and what does she demand to continue cooperating?
Answer:
Veil’s confrontation with Mraize shifts the power dynamic by asserting her agency. She highlights her successes—gaining access to the remote fortress and outperforming Mraize’s other agents—while criticizing his lack of transparency. She demands explicit reasons for her mission, questioning whether it aligns with her interests and those she loves. This forces Mraize to reveal the hidden knife and its purpose, showing he must now bargain rather than command. Veil’s insistence on understanding the “why” behind capturing Kelek’s essence demonstrates her refusal to be a blind instrument, marking a turning point in their collaboration.3. Analyze the ethical dilemma Veil faces regarding the knife and trapping Kelek’s essence. How does Mraize justify this action?
Answer:
Veil initially balks at trapping Kelek’s soul in the gemstone, calling it cruel. Mraize justifies it by comparing it to spanreeds (which imprison spren) and downplays the harm, emphasizing Kelek’s immortal nature and the value of his knowledge. He argues that captured Heralds like Talenelat and Shalash are uncooperative or insane, making direct interrogation futile. However, Veil remains skeptical, questioning both the morality and practicality of the act. This reflects broader tensions in the story about using sentient beings as tools, echoing themes of exploitation versus necessity.4. What does Pattern’s comment about irony “tasting like sausage” reveal about spren psychology and their interaction with human concepts?
Answer:
Pattern’s whimsical analogy—equating irony’s appeal to imagined sausage taste—highlights how spren grapple with human experiences they lack direct access to. As a spren, he admits he has no literal sense of taste, so he relies on abstract imagination to approximate human metaphors. This moment underscores the alien yet endearing nature of spren cognition: they engage with human ideas (like irony) earnestly but through a fundamentally different lens. It also provides levity amid the tense negotiation, contrasting Radiant/Veil’s frustration with Pattern’s playful literalism.5. How does the chapter frame the nature of Heralds, and why might Mraize’s view of them as “force, not man” be significant?
Answer:
The chapter portrays Heralds as divine forces (Kelek is “gravity or light”) rather than mortal beings, emphasizing their immortality and connection to Honor’s essence. Mraize’s dehumanizing language (“force, not man”) serves to justify capturing Kelek by stripping him of personhood, making the act seem less like kidnapping and more like harnessing a natural resource. This perspective clashes with Veil’s empathy, hinting at future conflicts about whether Heralds are tools or beings with rights. It also raises questions about how immortality affects identity—Kelek’s 7,000-year existence may explain his current role as Restares, a judge frozen in time.
Quotes
1. “Restares is not only the honorspren’s High Judge, he’s one of the storming Heralds!”
This explosive revelation captures Radiant’s shock upon discovering the true identity of Restares, a key turning point in the chapter that recontextualizes the entire mission and the Sons of Honor’s motivations.
2. “The irony is quite poetic.”
Mraize’s dry observation about the Sons of Honor unknowingly serving a Herald—the very beings they sought to restore—highlights one of the chapter’s central ironies while demonstrating the Ghostbloods’ superior knowledge and manipulative tactics.
3. “I don’t believe I have a sense of taste, so irony tastes like what I imagine sausage would taste like when I’m imagining tastes.”
Pattern’s humorous yet philosophically profound remark provides comic relief while subtly exploring deeper themes about perception, embodiment, and the nature of spren consciousness.
4. “One cannot kill a Herald. They are immortal. Do not think of Kelek as a person. He is an ageless, eternal spren formed of Honor’s substance and will.”
This crucial explanation redefines the nature of Heralds, setting up the chapter’s climactic revelation about the knife’s true purpose—not to kill, but to capture a Herald’s essence for interrogation.
5. “Gemstone imprisonment will not hurt him, and we will be able to communicate with him.”
Mraize’s chilling justification for using the soul-trapping knife reveals the Ghostbloods’ utilitarian ethics and sets up major moral dilemmas for Veil about the boundaries of acceptable action in pursuit of knowledge.