Daniel Dunstan

Spoilers. This book needs a rewrite, a 'Sanderson' cut, something... it should be about 1/3rd the length, and the plot really needs some stronger thought as its creating too many wider cosmere plot holes. Look at many of the other reviews and you'll find some good commentary on the modern social issues which will date this particular book in 2024, but I'll avoid that. I could write a thesis as to what is wrong or not cosmere chic about this book, but I won't as I don't have time, too much to do... Pay me and I will re-write the book and fix some of the future issues? Lets talk about the problem BS has created in his realms of Gods and men. Gods (Honor, Cultivation, Odium, Harmony, ETC) can slow time in reality, and can control time within the spiritual realm. Decades can pass in a blink of real time. A god can raise a three-year old child in the spiritual realm in a day, to a 20 year old demi-god CHAMPION *cough* what... A god can make a pocket universe in the spiritual realm. A god has foresight and infinite knowledge, can permutate the future, has all knowledge of men. (huge issues begin to permutate the future) YET, Odium did not have the brainspan to 1. foresee Dalinar's ascension or prevent it, 2. foresee Dalinar's plot with that ascension, 3. Understand the ramifications of combining with Honor into retribution? come on... doesnt make any sense.... particularly with the time dilation nonsense. Retribution could literally snap his fingers and have a hi-tech god reared super army teleported off-world tomorrow with him as the God slayer smashing up shards left right and centre on worlds he couldnt care less for and combing with shards he wants. Cosmere finished. The idea that there was any argument between Jasnah and Odium is laughable, what was the point of that... BS has fallen into the trap of writing a story at a human level, with Gods off in the distance (e.g. mistborn trilogy, initial stormlight) to now Gods being directly involved. You can't write successful books and narratives with Gods who have powers like this, it fails logic. It also fails when your magic systems combine and characters who can access multiple 'surges' or magic systems seemingly forget that fact. It also doesnt work well when your plot focuses on a character who can't die (Sigzil)... Another growing observation is that all BS narratives are now essentially the same beats repeated. Look at Szeth (particularly) he has essentially become the sanderson last chapter Protagonist who ascends to level 100 godslayer... who did that? only every other book. what a mess.