EDIT: Turns out most of this is old news. Can disregard.
As I was reading some other
The Way of Kings-related topics here, I noticed that the chapter images I had assumed to be pseudo-random may actually convey meaningful messages about the story. So I sat down and spent a few hours going through the book, making some tables. Let me present my findings first, and then I'll go into some speculating on what those things might mean. If I am out of date on some things, bear with me.
- Many people agree that the faces around the map on the back of the front cover, which also appear on the header images above almost every chapter (excluding Prologue, Epilogue, Kaladin's past, and Interludes), are the Ten Heralds. This image was linked in another thread, and while I don't know how those labels came to be, I used them for convenience.
- The Way of Kings has three major viewpoint characters - Kaladin, Dalinar, and Shallan. One could include Szeth as well, but he has about 5 chapters, and despite his interesting and well-developed story, is hardly a main character. I went through all of the chapters and recorded their viewpoint character(s), the two Heralds featured in the header image, as well as any major themes or events in those chapters. Here's the breakdown, by character:
- Kaladin
Vev & Taln/Talenelat: 21. This would make him Loving/Healing & Dependable/Resourceful.
Jezrien & Nalan: 14 and 13 respectively. This would make him Protecting/Leading & Learned/Giving
Everyone else: 5 or fewer.
- Dalinar
Jezrien: 16. This would make him Protecting/Leading.
Nalan & Chach: 5 and 6 respectively. This would make him Learned/Giving & Brave/Obedient.
Everyone else: 4 or fewer.
- Shallan
Palah: 12. This would make her Just/Confident.
Shalash & Ishar: 8 and 7 respectively. This would make her Creative/Honest & Pious/Guiding.
Everyone else: 2 or fewer.
- So every viewpoint character has one primary Herald (except for Kaladin, but his two are tied, and it could be because of the end, where he and Dalinar share chapters), as well as two secondary ones. The attributes, taken from the Ars Arcanum, seem to fit nicely too.
- Some of these results were surprising. I expected to see stronger connection between Kaladin and Jezrien, as well as between Shallan and Shalash.
I am actually not sure where to take this now =\ I think I expected some grand secret hidden in those headers. I'll post this regardless, just as a bit of information out there. Maybe I can decide on what kind of analysis to do with later - or maybe somebody else will.