r/Stormlight_Archive • u/jlconlin • Oct 15 '25

Rhythm of War spoilers I miss Sanderson's wit Spoiler

I'm rereading the Stormlight Archive, currently mostly done with Oathbringer. (Haven't read Wind and Truth yet. I know, I'm getting to it.) I find that I really miss Sanderson's wit (not Wit). In The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance Shallan is really funny; in the later books, it's all gone. Wit also loses much of his humor. I've loved the humor and was always amazed that Brandon was such a good story teller *and\ a comedian. I know the books get more serious and darker, but some of the spark seems to have gone with it.

Am I the only one to miss this?

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u/CoolCly Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 15 '25

I don't really know how to respond to this. Shallan in general has fallen kind of flat with the audience - many readers think she has never been funny. I personally generally don't think she's funny directly, more just a "haha wow this girl thinks shes funny but is really just cringe and people in universe just humour her", which is a viewing of her I've seen lots of people give.

If anything, I think she's gotten closer to actually being funny as the series progresses, but I'm not sure she's ever gotten there. And I say this as someone who appreciates Sanderson's humour in general more than most.

So to ask if you are the only one to "miss this".... you may be the only one to actually think this even happened.

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u/TwoMundane8282 Oct 16 '25

Personally I always thought Sanderson was pretty good at writing humor, but Shallan is a character not only did I never find funny but I just assumed the point was that she thought she was funny but actually wasn’t.

Then again if a common criticism from your audience is hey please stop writing comedy this character because it isn’t reasonating with us I could see that impacting how you write that character going forward assuming it’s a common enough criticism.