A long time ago, I started reading this series called Mistborn, and that may have started an obsession that has lasted for years. It was a world of fantasy magic that had rules that you could understand and a story laced with secrets that hinted at a vast world beyond it.
Then there was Elantris, Warbreaker, The Emperor’s Soul, and most relevantly to this post, The Stormlight Archive. Each one adding to the Cosmere and linking to each other in subtle (or not so subtle) ways. There is a glee in reading a book and realising that this seemingly unimportant side character is in fact the Worldhopper known as Hoid. Or realising that there is only one figure in the Cosmere known for his scars no matter what name he uses.
In case you can’t tell, I’m currently reading Wind and Truth, the latest novel in the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. And I’m reflecting on many things relating to the Cosmere and how things tie together. The arrival of Wind and Truth was preceded by the arrival of my leatherbound copy of Words of Radiance and its Elsecaller accessory pack.
While I may not know what form of Allomancy or Feruchemy I might have inherited; while none of my piercings are Hemalurgical spikes; while I have no bonded Aviar; while I am not blessed by Aon’dor; I have recognised my Ideals.
Life before death; strength before weakness; journey before destination; I will reach my potential. Thanks to the official Radiant Order quiz, I know that I am aligned with the Elsecallers. But not having been to Roshar makes it difficult to meet an Inkspren, even if they were inclined to bond new Radiants.
Of course, none of that is what I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to talk about was how much I’m enjoying Wind and Truth and how hard it is to stop at only reading one day at a time.1I finished Day 6 last night. The inflection will make sense if you read the book, I promise. But it’s hard enough to stop in time to get a decent night’s sleep – especially given how many 9am meetings I’ve had this week.
This obsession with the book, as well as wanting to know what elements of the women’s script say has made me want to try learning the script, though it is likely a much harder task than learning Aurebesh was when I was a teenager. Aurebesh has a distinct character set where the women’s script can be much trickier to interpret. Perhaps I’ll do as I did with Aurebesh and write letters in the women’s script so that I have a project to work on – I always seem to learn better by doing. Of course, even the designer of the script admits to needing a reference for it!
Looking into it before making this post then led me to thinking about trying to write keteks, a form of palindromic poetry used in Vorinism.
Both of these endeavours, while seemingly pointless, are exercises in pushing myself to grow – to realise my potential. I need to do better, I need to be better than I was.
Reach
A first attempt at a ketek
defines
my potential.
I
define my reach.
Anyway, I should probably do some work rather than musing on the Cosmere. Even if I do just want to go and keep reading Wind and Truth, and then maybe follow it with Dragonsteel Prime since that’s just sitting on my table waiting to be read.
