Reading The Way of Kings: Bridge Four
The Stormlight Archive Read-Through
Hello and welcome to my chapter by chapter re read of The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. This book begins with a prelude so I have decided to kick things off from here.
Below you will find a brief description of what happens in the chapter, followed by my own thoughts
Full disclosure: It’s been about a week since I have picked up the book. The following few blog posts were written as and when I was reading them and I am scheduling out in a timely manner so that the upload schedule remains consistent.
But I just started a new job after months of searching. Which means that I now have a new routine to get used to and it will be interesting to see when I am going to have time slot some Sanderson in there. Fear not however, as of writing this I am well into the story so the uploads should still be consistent.
Cheers.
P.S. For chapter summaries, I am going to be using the Fandom website as well as Coppermind as resources. I will be providing links. Please visit the website if you want more information and resources.
Please use this link to navigate my blog posts about this series.
Chapter Summary
Kaladin and the rest of the slave caravan have arrived at the Shattered Plains, specifically at the warcamp of Highprince Sadeas. The warcamp is large with signs of long occupation. Kaladin notes the unruly, disorderly-looking soldiers and this leaves him disappointed at the state of the army he is to join. However, he decides that even if it isn't what he hoped for, fighting for an army again could give him something to live for. They are taken to a lighteyed woman who is to decide whether she can use any of the slaves or not. When Kaladin tries to convince her to let him fight, Tvlakv tells her that Kaladin is a deserter, thereby dashing his hopes.
The woman decides that Kaladin and his companions are to be made members of the bridge crews. Kaladin and his new immediate superior, Gaz, take an instant dislike to each other and, as a result, Kaladin is placed in one of the worst locations on the bridge when they are called on a bridge run, without the benefit of shoes or vest for protection. He notices Highprince Sadeas wearing red Shardplate as he's riding across the bridge and mistakes him for King Elhokar.
After several hours of agonizing running, they arrive at the final chasm, where the Parshendi are waiting on the other side. They take heavy fire while placing their bridge. Kaladin is the only survivor in the front row, however, and he falls unconscious straight after.
He wakes up several hours later when the windspren who's been following him shocks him with her energy. Kaladin realizes that if he doesn't hurry, he will be left. The spren tells him that her name is Sylphrena, or Syl.
Although he's exhausted, Kaladin is told that if he doesn't help carry the bridge back, he will be left. By Gaz's response to Kaladin's reappearance, he assumes that Gaz expected him to die. He takes a spot on the bridge and begins the long way back to camp.
My Thoughts
One of my favourite subgenres in fantasy is military fantasy. I love reading about the nitty gritty, non MVP/POV characters battle depression, diarrhea and mental stability while being forced to fight battles and wars that inflate the hubris of their overlords.
It’s one of the reasons why I love The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie so much. It’s why I spent the entire summer of 2018 watching military and war movies.
So this chapter was an absolute treat for me. Can’t say the same for Kaladin perhaps, but I enjoyed everything about it. I love the way running with the bridge was described and the final reveal about the pointlessness of the expedition in Kaladin’s perspective. Basically just being arrow fodder for a war he was supposed to attain glory in.
The irony of the situation is not lost on me and it does add a cherry on top to an already interesting narrative.
There’s a line in this chapter where Kaladin reflects that there is nothing more that they can do to him and as soon as I read that I thought to myself, “Oh no buddy, of course there is”. The imagery of the Shattered Plains was also well done and leaves a lot in mind to noodle over where exactly the Parshendi are from and how they survive doing what they do. I’m sure they don’t actually live in the Shattered Plains because it seems pretty inhabitable but maybe their location is a bit to the east of Roshar as it isn’t on the map? I don’t know.
Clues lead me to believe that Kaladin is going to meet Dalinar at some point and we haven’t quite seen Dalinar since the Prologue so I don’t know what to make of him just yet.
But overall, this was probably one of my favourite chapters of the book so far and I’m only about 10% in so I look forward to being awestruck again.
Onwards.