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.
93. Strong Enough
bySanderson, Brandon
The chapter opens with Formless, a composite persona of Shallan, Veil, and Radiant, preparing for Adolin’s trial day. As she dresses in Veil’s clothing, Adolin notices her unusual demeanor and requests Shallan’s presence, praising her hidden strength. Formless dismisses Shallan as weak, but Adolin counters with metaphors about strength, arguing that overcoming adversity—like a one-armed swordsman or a legless man—demonstrates true resilience. His words hint at a deeper message: Shallan’s struggles don’t define her weakness but her capacity to endure.
Formless remains dismissive, focused on her mission to secure Adolin’s victory in the trial. She ignores Veil’s internal protests, believing she has locked away both Veil and Radiant. However, Veil’s persistent voice challenges her, accusing Formless of self-deception. As Formless sketches the judge’s home layout, Veil’s insights unsettle her, suggesting that Formless isn’t a new identity but a fractured version of Shallan. The tension between her personas escalates, raising questions about her true desires and loyalties.
Adolin’s earlier words about strength linger as Formless grapples with her actions. She steels herself, suppressing doubts, and uses Lightweaving to disguise herself as Lusintia, an honorspren. Pattern voices concern, but Formless rebukes him, referencing his past betrayals. The chapter highlights her internal conflict: Veil’s truth-telling clashes with Formless’s determination to sever ties with her past selves. The Lightweaving’s success momentarily convinces her of her superiority, but Veil’s final whisper—*“Lies, Shallan”*—undermines her resolve.
The chapter closes with Formless poised to execute her plan, yet the unresolved tension between her personas foreshadows a reckoning. Adolin’s wisdom about strength contrasts with Formless’s denial, emphasizing the theme that true power lies in embracing one’s fractured self. The mirror reflection of her flawless disguise symbolizes her external control, but Veil’s persistence suggests an inevitable collapse of her façade. The stage is set for a pivotal confrontation, both externally in the trial and internally within Shallan’s fractured psyche.
FAQs
1. Comprehension Question
What evidence suggests that Formless is not a completely new persona, but rather a composite of Veil, Shallan, and Radiant?
Answer:
The chapter provides several clues that Formless is a composite rather than a wholly new identity. First, Veil’s persistent internal dialogue (“Don’t you use my name… Don’t you dare lie to him like that”) demonstrates she hasn’t been fully suppressed. Second, Formless exhibits abilities from all three personas: Shallan’s drawing skills (“with her talent for spatial awareness”), Radiant’s determination (“ability to get things done”), and Veil’s truth perception. Most tellingly, Veil directly challenges Formless’s self-conception: “You aren’t a new persona… You can lie to yourself, but not me.” The Lightweaving success—combining Shallan’s artistic ability with magical skill—further confirms this synthesis of identities.2. Analytical Question
How does Adolin’s analogy about the one-armed swordsman and the drowning sailor relate to Shallan’s situation?
Answer:
Adolin’s analogies serve as a profound commentary on strength through adversity. The one-armed swordsman (Dorolin) developed exceptional arm strength precisely because of his disability, just as the drowning sailor shows greater swimming strength than someone who’s never faced challenge. This directly parallels Shallan’s psychological struggles—her “traitorous mind” and emotional pain have forced her to develop resilience that a “normal” mind wouldn’t require. Adolin suggests that Shallan’s perceived weaknesses (her fractured psyche and daily suffering) are actually sources of hidden strength. His point is subtly revolutionary in this context: mental health struggles don’t indicate weakness, but rather demonstrate the strength required to endure them.3. Application Question
If you were Pattern observing this situation, what warning might you give Formless based on her current trajectory?
Answer:
As Pattern, I would warn Formless about three escalating dangers: First, her increasing ruthlessness (“Perhaps you aren’t the best judge of morality”) mirrors dangerous precedents in Radiant’s behavior. Second, her suppression of Veil and Radiant creates internal instability—the very fact that Veil can still communicate suggests the fragmentation isn’t sustainable. Third, her planned deception (impersonating Lusintia) risks catastrophic consequences, both politically and spiritually. Most crucially, I’d emphasize that true strength comes from integration rather than suppression—the same lesson Adolin was trying to convey. The chapter shows Pattern beginning this intervention (“This is not a good idea”), but being emotionally shut down, suggesting a need for more direct confrontation.4. Critical Thinking Question
Why might the author have chosen to include the opening lines about Jezrien’s fate in this particular chapter?
Answer:
The Jezrien epigraph serves as a thematic mirror to Shallan/Formless’s situation. Jezrien’s “Splintered” state and the “severed” Oathpact parallel Shallan’s fragmented psyche. The line “He faded over the weeks, and is gone now” ominously foreshadows two possibilities: either Formless might completely erase Shallan’s identity, or conversely, that suppressed identities inevitably resurface (“Beyond your touch at long last”). The speaker’s fear (“I fear you”) also reflects Veil’s growing alarm at Formless’s actions. This creates dramatic irony—while Formless believes she’s achieving control, the epigraph suggests such forced unity may lead to permanent loss. The divine metaphor elevates Shallan’s personal struggle to a cosmic scale, emphasizing its significance.5. Analytical Question
How does the physical acting out of Formless (dressing quickly, slamming the trunk, etc.) reflect her internal psychological state?
Answer:
Formless’s physical behaviors reveal her unstable psychological foundation. Her abrupt movements (“slipped from the bed,” “moved a little too quickly”) mirror her rushed, unstable mental transitions between personas. The trunk-slamming demonstrates suppressed rage and frustration—likely from both the internal conflict and Adolin’s probing questions. Her stealthy behavior (“hid by the side of the door”) shows paranoia and distrust, even toward Adolin. Most telling is the Stormlight use: where Shallan might have hesitated, Formless acts with clinical efficiency (“savoring the sensation… performed a Lightweaving”), showing how this composite identity enables dangerous capability without emotional checks. These physical manifestations create a visceral sense of someone both highly capable and psychologically precarious.
Quotes
1. “Weakness doesn’t make someone weak, you see. It’s the opposite.”
Adolin challenges Formless’s perception of Shallan’s fragility, arguing that enduring hardship is itself a form of strength. This philosophical insight represents a key turning point in the chapter’s exploration of identity and resilience.
2. “I don’t think Shallan is as weak as you say. […] It’s the opposite.”
Adolin’s repeated insistence reframes the chapter’s central conflict about self-perception versus true capability. His metaphor-rich argument (swimmers, one-armed swordsmen) culminates in this direct contradiction of Formless’s dismissal of Shallan.
3. “Formless was a composite of the three—a single person with Shallan’s drawing and Lightweaving abilities, Radiant’s determination […] and Veil’s ability to see the truth.”
This self-description captures the chapter’s psychological complexity, revealing Formless as both a synthesis and a distortion of Shallan’s personas. The ironic claim to possess “truth-seeing” while in denial underscores the chapter’s theme of self-deception.
4. “Lies, Shallan. Storms. I should have seen this. I should have known…”
Veil’s internal realization—still using “Shallan” despite Formless’s denial—marks the chapter’s climactic moment of self-awareness breaking through. The truncated thought implies dawning recognition of a painful truth about their fractured identity.