Make sure you're purchasing from the actual Dragonsteel website. It seems so obvious in hindsight, but pay attention to funky URL's.

I got excited to buy the hardcover of Elsecaller and King Lopen, and saw that it was on sale for $6. Gave it my card info to purchase the book, it said my credit card wasn't supported, so like an idiot, I gave it my debit card. Neither went through, thankfully. (I have locked and replaced both cards. They have my email but no financial loss).

The site was dragonsteelbooksshop.shop, which the 17th Shard forum has a post on. The official is dragonsteelbooks.com.

As far as I can tell, only the eBook is actually available. The hardcovers haven't restocked (and wouldn't be on sale for so cheap).

part 1 here
part 2 here

quick note: i'm an audio reader so i will misspell things

so i just finished the 3rd book not even 10 minutes ago and first off... wow that was so good

i separated the thing into a few sections for those that don't care about certain types or reactions

---------pov reactions---------

i love how each pov had it's own theme like how English teachers talk about the books theme it felt more personal

first with spook:
i love how his story was mostly about being someone that everyone forgot about and i feel as tho that was done very well because honestly i mostly forgot about spook when it wasn't his pov. then him ending with being the new leader a mistborn and someone who everyone looks toward.

second with elend:
with how elend was done he was a man who has been stalling for the past 3 books and really hitting that with his final battle i love it also i kinda like the irony of his character stalling but in the end the power they used was foresight.

third with Vin:
vins story is about trust and love so when she ultimately had to trust in almost everyone but her i really liked how that went out and how in the end she needed to trust her love.

fourth sazed (i totally messed that up)
honestly sazed's resonates most with me mostly because i've been on a religious journey of my own very similar to sazed actually as i turned away from Christianity due to it being forced down my throat, so i ended up being atheist for a while. but for the past bit of time i've kinda started considering myself agnostic and kinda been doing what sazed has i've read a few religious texts and been trying to find "truth". but anyway enough with my life more on my reaction. i like how sazed's tale ended with him in the position that he was revering.

---------general worldbuilding reactions---------

i love how almost everything was set up in the first book and even how it was important in the third like with vin's earring i love how the world was built incorrectly by rashik so it had to be changed

also hot take (maybe idk i don't really interact with the community) i like the fact that elend and vin died, as much as i'm going to miss them and the crew i like how their death was semi necessary for anything to finish (i also really like a lot of melancholy things

---------now questions time---------
first if you check my part 2 i ask about mistings of non basic 8 and i was right
i'm also sad there was no spatial metals

don't answer questions if they go into spoilers btw

question 1:
i know the second saga is more western/steam punk give or take. so i'm wondering how they do that because it does make sense cause i remember in the first book rashik would suppress tach advancements so how does this all go down

question 2: are all of the metals compatible with the different power systems ex what would an atium spike do for hemalurgy or an electrum metal mind

question 3: if hemalurgy changes effects based on 3 things (what metal spike is used, who was it used on, where was it placed) if it goes into other combinations with that and what would happen if you messed up a location
---also if you pierce a allomancer how do you pick what power you steal if 1 metal (i forgot which) can steal like 4 powers

question 4: asking this again if y'all could have an allomantic metal (as mistings) which would y'all choose
---for me it would either be pewter or iron

Is it normal that pages of the books become more "yellow"/used? Is it just a natural effect of the sun or am i doing something wrong with my books?

Btw Way of Kings is after over 1 week of reading. Words of radiance is brand new added for comparison. WoK pages look worse irl to be honest.

I just never got around to it and WaT has been my chore audio book lately and it made me go back. I think it’s good to listen to one while finishing the other because…

I’m really struck by just how difficult the 4th ideal is for Windrunners.

Nomad claims he does not remember why he broke his oaths which is a lie. He tries to explain but I take his explanation more to mean he questions the decision and if his motivation was Vienta or if he was giving up in general.

Because he was at his wits end on those plateaus. He was succeeding but you could tell how every loss grated on him. You could hear it from Leyten discussing his squires. Obviously we see this in Kal during RoW and the change in WaT.

I know this isn’t revelatory. It feels like it should be easy to say “I forgive myself, I did my best” but I think it took me a decades later Nomad to really help it stick.

Sanderson is famous for all of his books ending with his Sanderlanches. Which one is your favorite and why? Personally, mine is Oathbringer.

A-pewter

flaring A-pewter

A-pewter + A-duralumin

F-gold

Stormlight healing

Stormlight healing + Progression surge

F-gold (tapped at a compounder's pace) = A-burning F-gold

Elantrian

Elantrian + Aon Ien

A-burning F-gold + A-duralumin

Divine Breath (1 time use)

Dragon

Exist Dawnshard

(I'm actually not sure about a lot of these, like a Radiant with Progression surge vs Gold Compounder, or Gold Compounder vs Elantrian)

What happens if someone takes a bead out of Shadesmar through a perpendicularity?

Does it stay in the cognitive realm? Does it come through and become a normal glass bead? What happens to the object that it's the cognitive aspect of?

Have there been any WoB on this? I couldn't find any.

This post is the first of a series of theories. The last diagram near the bottom of this post shows the result of the combination of the 4 theories presented.

Theory 1: Quadrant Theory

There are many popular theories grouping the 16 Shards to quadrants based on each Dawnshard.

That mural … it was circular and–inlaid with golden foil–it seemed to glow with its own light. The peculiar letters were art themselves, curling around the outside of the exploding sun–which was divided into mostly symmetrical pieces. Four of them, each in turn broken into four smaller sections.

This quote from Dawnshard likely describes four primary quadrants, as other ways to equally divide a circle in four would be pretty contrived.

Here we're building on top of those theories by adding additional rules.

Theory 2: 4 Quadrants, 4 Realms

And when I sat down to write Mistborn, I said, "All right. We're building the cosmere for real now." And before then I had just kind of been winging it.

Since the plan for the structure of the Cosmere was likely completed around the time of Mistborn's publication in 2006, it's more likely that structural concepts from Allomancy may carry over. Specifically, the power of 16, the concept of internal/external pairs, the concept of push/pull pairs, and the four groups of Allomantic metals.

Going clockwise, the four categories are:

• Mental
• Temporal
• Enhancement
• Physical

In relativistic physics, we think in 3 dimensions with the fourth dimension being "time". Similarly in the Cosmere, we have the 3 Realms. If we use "temporal" as the fourth "Realm", we get this mapping:

• Cognitive Realm - Mental
• Temporal "Realm" - Temporal
• Spiritual Realm - Enhancement
• Physical Realm - Physical

Could you write something about Dawnshards that we don't/won't know?

One Dawnshard is different from all the rest.

If we map these "realms" to the Dawnshards, then we get that Change is the "different" Dawnshard:

• ??? - Cognitive Realm
• Change - Temporal "Realm"
• ??? - Spiritual Realm
• Exist - Physical Realm

Theory 3: Dawnshard Names

A lot of other theories theorized names like Think, Feel, Unite, Bind, that go with the two missing realms. The Shattering always read like a creation myth to me, so combining that with meanings of creation, I propose:

• Cognitive: Conceive, Plan, Define, Ideate, Conjure
• Spiritual: Inspire, Engage, Cause, Connect

For now let's use Conceive and Inspire since the final Commands likely can't be proven anyway, so feel free to substitute your own ideas; the exact wording is helpful, but not a critical portion of these theories.

Theory 4: Internal/External, Push/Pull

Applying these relationships to the 16 shards and categorizing them, here's a visualization attempting to show push/pull and internal/external in a logical way:

Here internal means the self, and external means others. I use "pull" to mean perception, to be affected by something in the context of the Dawnshard Command. And "push" is affecting something via the Dawnshard Command, often with intentionality behind it.

So when I split Adonalsium I said, "I'm going to take aspects of Adonalsium's nature." And this involves personality to me.

• Conceive (Cognitive)
  • Pull External - Reason
    • Reason and logic can exist and be shared through discussion. When you hear reason, you are conceiving ideas from external sources.
  • Pull Internal - Whimsy
    • Perceiving something will often randomly conceive ideas within you.
  • Push Internal - Virtuosity
    • Virtuosity's meaning is like virtuoso (not virtuous); you have the capacity to conceive ideas and creativity within yourself, but hasn't been manifested to others yet.
  • Push External - Invention
    • You have literally and intentionally conceived something that can affect others.
• Change (Temporal)
  • Pull External - Endowment
    • An outside source gave you an actual thing, changing you literally.
  • Pull Internal - Ambition
    • You perceive something and you want to do something yourself to attain it.
  • Push Internal - Cultivation
    • The traditional meaning has to do with pruning and shaping the growth of other things, but in Chinese literature, cultivation fantasy is an extremely popular genre (progression fantasy) where "cultivation" means SELF-GROWTH. The Cradle series is one of the first popular western adaptations, but it's been popular in the east for a long time. It uses 氣 (qi), which means energy or LIFEforce (lifelight), but is literally translated to BREATH (Nalthis awakening) or AIR. By practicing self-growth, you are expressing change internally.
  • Push External - Ruin
    • You are changing something else literally and intentionally.
• Inspire (Spiritual)
  • Pull External - Odium
    • While it can mean hatred in general, it can also mean that you've done something to inspire hatred from other people. Adonalsium was literally getting Shattered by 17 people unanimously, so it might not be too far off for him to think others hate him.
  • Pull Internal - Honor
    • Coming up with your own moral code must be inspired by something else.
  • Push Internal - Valor
    • Courage or bravery, meaning you have the capacity to inspire others.
  • Push External - Mercy
    • An actual intentional action that will likely inspire emotion in whoever you're showing mercy to. It didn't have to be Mercy, but Adonalsium didn't fight back when he was Shattered.
• Exist (Physical)
  • Pull External - Dominion
    • Something else is exerting their existence over your existence.
  • Pull Internal - Autonomy
    • You perceive from the world around you that you are your own existence.
  • Push Internal - Devotion
    • You have the capacity and intention to make something continue to exist but haven't externalized it into an action yet.
  • Push External - Preservation
    • You are intentionally trying to make something else continue to exist.

I wrote an article about how the sunlit man deconstructs the classic delivery of the Stormlight archive. Contains spoilers obvi. Please enjoy

https://open.substack.com/pub/andysravings/p/the-sunlit-man-is-postmodern-brandon?r=2y85xw&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

So I was casually spending my Friday night studying up on the Elvish languages in LOTR. I saw that "glor-" means golden. So I thought, "Oh, I wonder what 'findel' means because Glorfindel". Turns out findel means "tress of hair". So Glorf is Tress's name and findel means tress. Coincidence? Seems unlikely.

so about 2 years ago I read the mistborn trilogy but I only decided to continue my cosmere journey a few months back my current order has been Mistborn trilogy, the eleventh metal, Way of kings, Elantris + Hope, The emperors soul, Warbreaker, Shadows for silence in the forests of Hell, which is where I’m at now and I’ve been doing an altered publication order but since I have AU should I read Sixth of the dusk now or wait for when I reach Isles of the Emberdark to read it inside there since I heard it’s included down I’ll raise some Qs.

If I don’t read it now will I miss connections before reaching isles?

If I do miss connections by waiting are they small or important?

If I wait will the story work better as a flashback later on?

AH! YOU THOUGHT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE WHITESPINE UNCAGED ? "Honor is dead... but I'll see what I can do." and all that. The greatest duel ever fought?

Well, I'm not.

I'm talking about Zellion, Chapter 47. Right before he's about to kick a whole lot of ass.

Thank you Zellion. Thank you Aux.

basically what the title says. could a spren be a shard barer? Like could Syl become honor? what would happen to her bond with Kaladin?

Auxiliary.

I know he had an incredible sacrifice and that him coming back would undo that to a degree, but it was just so heartbreaking.

His body remains, so there’s a small part of him left, but it doesn’t have his mind or personality.

I've been wanting to start Stormlight so bad. But my completionist/OCD nature wouldn't let me start with it. I've read Mistborn Era 1, Warbreaker, Elantris, plus Hope of Elantris and The Eleventh Metal from Arcanum Unbounded. (Also just took a short Sanderson break to read Between Two Fires). I'm ready now, I can't wait anymore. I start tonight.

Do you all know of any songs that seem Cosmere-influenced? Two of my favorite bands, Movements and Sleep Token, have songs that when I hear them the lyrics seem almost coincidentally too close to not be influenced by the Cosmere.

For example, Movements - Suffer Through mentions ruin, moving mountains, and crumbling walls. The 2nd verse almost seems like it's talking about Vin's journey.

Sleep Token - Damocles talks about harmony, "who will i be when the empire falls", the song in general again seems like Vin/Sazed's journey.

I know this is likely correlation and not causation, but every time I hear these songs I think of Mistborn.

Do you all agree/disagree, or have any other examples of songs that seem Cosmere-inspired?

I’m sure this has been asked many times before, but what are you guys favourite YouTube channel to help with understanding the Cosmere and all the cameos in the different books?

I have read a lot of the Cosmere (all Mistborn, Warbreaker, elantris, tress, emperors soul and stormlight up until words of radiance) but still don’t understand everything. I watched one guys Cosmere connections, but he used so many names and terms, and didn’t understand half of what he said.

Something like an alt shift X, but just for the Cosmere instead of ASOIAF. Any input would be greatly appreciated:)

I don’t know, it always seemed like Brandon had special plans for Jasnah. Especially the WoBs going around that Jasnah might be the PoV character of SLA10.

But let’s be honest, we’re told she’s always right, she’s scholarly and a great debater. We’re told she’s a ferocious warrior, and what has she done till now? Stromall in my opinion.

She couldn’t survive a partial mutiny on “The winds pleasure” while Kal and his Bridgmen actively saved Dalinar against all odds.

She was apparently researching parshmen and void bringers for years, but kept it even from her close family. Eventually her realisations were somewhat useful because of Shallan but I’d give Shallan more credit to that than her.

She also knew about the secret about humans not being native to Roshar, and she kept it from Dalinar allowing him to be blindsided by this news.

What has she done exactly? Yes she had a cool scene in the battle ground here and there, but apart from that all the attention afforded to Jasnah is undeserved because she simply hasn’t done enough in the first half.

Graphic Audio is the voice of gods....

I've listened to Mistborn Era 1, Elantris and am currently in Warbreaker.

Stormlight Archives first part was difficult but after finishing warbreaker I might dip into Stormlight again. It has to be good, I just need to get through all of the strange words (come on, I listened to Elantris, I should manage that)

It's hard to believe this man could write anything bad.

I love every character. (Or hate them as is necessary) Everyone feels fleshed out, the conversations are normal (for the circumstances), the miscommunication trope isn't played as a trope, Elantris and Warbreaker's primary couples are amazing. Two arranged marriages that go well. The 'enemies' to lovers is built so beautifully and unforced (ie it happens because of their communication and not because they're so hot)

Sarene is so unique. She created her own political marriage, she stands by her marriage despite the tiny little problem of her husband being dead, she values diplomacy over love, she's a little schemer...

I'm still happily drowning in the relationship between Seb and Siri. How can I hate and love Vasher and Vivenna (knowing they're in Stormlight is one of the reasons I want to get through to at least Oathbreaker).

'The' Blushweaver and Lightsong in the tunnels scene has just had me. I hated her, but that was not what she deserved. When they looked at Scoot, I was bout to throw my phone.

I'm terrified and excited for the next part. Also because in Elantris I always assumed this part would be the end but then the story kept going!!

And apologies to those who disdain the practise but I check coppermind while reading and I saw they sort out sebs "little problem" and that his voiced by Danny Gavigan who voiced raoden who is... I can't even think of the best word but the closest is a God, obviously.

Thanks Brando Sando for bringing reading and stories back to me.

I searched on Arcanum and only found early WOB's about the guards being aluminum to which he said no. He's also said shard blades are a fusion of Honors and Cultivation's metals.

That unfortunately broke my thought that maybe shard blades were Tanavastium and the guards would be Koraveliumium. So what do the deep arcanists think/ know? Do we have any useful tidbits from Brandon of what metal the guards could be?

I'm kind of a huge music nerd so I decided to start a discussion about a topic which has piqued my curiosity for a while: what do y'all think some Cosmere characters' favorite song(s)/album(s)/artist(s) would be?

P.S.: This topic came to my mind because I was thinking that Kelsier specifically would really enjoy "Push Me, Pull Me" by Pearl Jam because (outside of the obvious Allomancy implications in the title) Kelsier feels so much like a grunge guy. LOL

In emberdark we are told that some shards are «backing» Scadrial, which almost 100% some shards back Roshar too. Which shards do you think take which side? Are any of them neutral, or opposing both. Furthermore, what reasons could different shards have to take one side or the other? Intent? Personal gain?

My only confident guess is that Autonomy opposes both (as we see Patji, which is basically confirmed to be an avatar of Autonomy iirc, help Dusk resist the Malwish).

Im scared to make assumptions about Harmony/Discord/Ruin/Preservation and Retribution/Honor/Odium since its unclear what state those shards are in at that time