Timewaster's Guide Archive

So I've been rereading Brandon's books over the past little while, snooping for theory evidence, and I noticed some rather large parallels between Snapping, the Shaod, and Returning. Essentially, all three are extraordinary events that turn people into magic users.

But there are some major differences, for example Snapping only occurs under extreme duress, while the Shaod occurs most often while asleep. Since I'd been attending the Symposium Brandon's been frequenting the past few days, I decided I'd just ask him, and the answer I got was along the lines of, "Is the Shaod really random?"

I've got a few theories and such regarding this, but I figured I'd put the info on the table before I left.

Insomnia pays off! Discuss the new chapter here. I'll edit this post once with what I've got afterward.

And Jakobus, agreed. Elend pwns.

I am, unfortunately, the Hero of Ages.

The chapter headings are done by a Hero of Ages. I'd assume this means Rashek as was guessed before.

Black ash fell lightly from the sky, as it did most days lately.

Ashfalls (And the ashmounts.) are getting more regular, perhaps?

"I need your solders and I need your city."

Why would Elend need the city? Is it perhaps Statlin City? (Perhaps the city was renamed?)

General thoughts:

I think Vin must be stronger than Elend, otherwise he'd just Super-Soothe the Koloss into his bidding with Duralumin. Unless maybe they ran out of it, but I think they have the resources to find more. Either that or that's just another quirky thing only Vin can do.  It seems Elend has gotten pretty proficient with most metals, as I'm sure he used Iron, Steel, Pewter, Zinc, and Brass in that chapter.

I wonder why Vin didn't go to Vetitan as well. Something must be keeping her elsewhere if Elend himself had to come, especially if she's the only one who can control koloss. Perhaps they're both out, saving as many cities as they can, just in different directions.