#wat previews

Is Syl the author of Knights of Wind and Truth?

I reviewed the Wind and Truth epigraphs released so far and the one from chapter 2 caught my attention:

 “I first knew the Wind as a child, during days before I knew dreams. What need has a child of dreams or aspirations? They live, and love, the life that is.” – From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 3

It reminded me of something Syl said in Oathbinger:

Syl walked up to him in the air. “They’re like I remember them.” “Remember them?” Kaladin whispered. “Syl, you never knew me when I lived here.” “That’s true,” she said. “So how can you remember them?” Kaladin said, frowning. “Because I do,” Syl said, flitting around him. “Everyone is connected, Kaladin. Everything is connected. I didn’t know you then, but the winds did, and I am of the winds.” “You’re honorspren.” “The winds are of Honor,” she said, laughing as if he’d said something ridiculous. “We are kindred blood.” “You don’t have blood.” “And you don’t have an imagination, it appears.” She landed in the air before him and became a young woman. “Besides, there was … another voice. Pure, with a song like tapped crystal, distant yet demanding…”

And in chapter 10 Syl appoints herself as Kaladin's scribe?? 🤨

I think Syl is the author of the epigraphs. That's my new theory.

Anyway,

Chapter 10: I loved everything about this chapter!

Kaladin followed Syl into a section of the tower with lower ceilings. They had to stop flying and walk, and soon entered the scribes’… uh, supply depot? That wasn’t what they called it, but Kaladin of course couldn’t read the sign. Scribes didn’t have a quartermaster. Storms, what did they call the place? A long, low-ceilinged room full of bookcases and puttering ardents, bald heads reflecting the glowing lights embedded into the stone. The scents of paper and hogshide leather filled the air.

So basically:

Syl bobbed right up to the counter. “Do you have my things?” She waved at Kaladin. “I brought a pack human.” “A what?” Kaladin said.

LMAO. Kaladin is Syl's "pack human."

"She squinted at Kaladin. “You’re not going to teach him to read it, are you?” “What if I did?” Syl said, going up on her tiptoes and projecting confidence. “Dalinar reads.”

DO IT, SYL. TEACH KALADIN HOW TO READ.

“What is it?” Kaladin said, flipping through the pages. “The Way of Kings,” Syl said. “Your own copy! I got it for you, since I’m your scribe.”

Syl got Kaladin a copy of The Way of Kings . . . 🤔 Now why would she want him to have that book? Does she think Kaladin will find Nohadon's writing useful as Dalinar's heir? And how does Syl even know about that book?

Btw - I love that we've come full circle with that book.

Syl leaned forward conspiratorially across the counter. “I could never figure out why these humans were so shy about the spot between their legs! Strange to my uncultured spren mind. Then I figured it out! Must be something pretty ugly down there, for everyone to be so afraid to show it! The ugliest thing I know of is a chull head. So when I made this body, I put one there.” woman stared at Syl, and seemed to be trying very hard not to look. “… Chull head,” the woman finally said. “Chull head,” Syl replied. “Down… there.” “Down there.” Syl held the woman’s eyes with an unblinking stare, before adding, “I feed it grass sometimes.”

I love how Syl loves to screw around with people.

“Do you even exist?” he said, saying it before he thought through the words. “Under the clothing? I mean, are the clothes your skin, or…” She leaned toward him. “Wanna see?” “Oh, storms no,” he said, imagining her vanishing her clothing right there in the middle of the book-quartermaster depot-place, fully visible to everyone. Or perhaps worse, just to him—to make him blush. Storms, she could do that at any time, in the middle of a meeting with Dalinar. She’d probably find it as funny as sticking his feet to the floor. One would think, after all this time, he’d have learned to keep his storming mouth shut. “Still wondering how much detail I have, aren’t you?” she said, leaning up against him. “No,” he said forcefully. “You’re going to find a way to embarrass me. So no.” She rolled her eyes. “We are as we were imagined, Kaladin,” she said. “Basically human—but with certain enviable improvements. You can assume that if a human has it, I do too—unless it’s icky.”

I picked up shipper vibes from this interaction. Although I don't ship Syladin, I'm not opposed to it either. A romance between them wouldn't be the worst thing to happen. Syladin is preferable to killing either character. Just saying.

“Look,” Kaladin said, “you need to talk to someone about your problems. Not me; I’m just some stranger. But find someone. Talk. Grow. It’s worth the effort, all right?”

Yes, Brandon! Give us more of this! I love therapist-Kaladin. It suits him so well.

“I assume,” Kaladin said under his breath, “most book-quartermasters aren’t so terrible.”  “Wait, what did you call her?” “Um… book-quartermaster? Who works at the scribes’ supply depot?” “The head librarian,” she said, “at the library?” “Oh, right. Yeah, that’s the word.” “You are absolutely adorable sometimes.

BOOK-QUARTERMASTER!? 😂😂 Oh, Kaladin. Syl's right. You are absolutely adorable sometimes.

CHAPTER 11:

For while the contest of champions was to happen in the East, a different contest was to happen in Shinovar. And one that the Wind swore was equally vital. Perhaps more so. —From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 8   

Oh, really!? The stuff going down in Shinovar is more important than the contest of champions? Well, I feel justified in giving Kaladin's storyline disproportionate attention. lol

“You have learned substantiation? I thought your kind had forbidden that skill.”

Shallan’s using forbidden skills, huh?  That tracks. I wonder why it's forbidden though . . .

 “I said reality could be what I imagine it to be, but I don’t actually want that. That would be… terrifying…”

Yes, Shallan. Yes, it would be.

“This device points to something far in the distance. Something the Sibling called ‘the Grand Knell, source of the Current, the death of a god.’ ”

And Gallant is bonded to a musicspren?? Hm.

“That spren…” Adolin said. “It was familiar somehow. Its eyes… I’ve seen it somewhere before…”

. . . is this musicspren, Sureblood? I can’t recall Adolin interacting with a musicspren before.

I wonder if the musicspren are connected to Roshar’s rhythms or the flute Wit gave to Kaladin.

“That’s thousands of assault troops,” Adolin whispered from inside his illusion. He righted Gallant’s saddle after handing off his greatsword to one of Drehy’s squires. The scabbard was gone, and the equipment boxes had been knocked free—Adolin grimaced as his hand lingered on the now vacant saddle hooks. “They have patrols watching to make sure no one spots them,” Shallan said. “It’s a secret strike force.” “They’re sailing straight for Azimir,” Drehy said. “Storms… they probably came all the way from the Horneater Peaks, and the perpendicularity there. They must have been planning this for months.” “Agreed,” Adolin said. “Drehy, you have to get us to Azimir as quickly as possible.”