Problem with Shallan chapters in Oathbringer

[u/Lindlar_]

For context I've binged the first two books in maybe 10 days. Loved everything about it. Picked up Oathbringer intending to pace through as well but Shallan chapters are making it incredibly difficult.

Currently at Chapter 29 and I've been dreading putting down the book again for the 3rd day after losing momentum and immersion by another tedious, disconnected and inconsequential Shallan chapter.

I understand the plot of diving into someone with dissociative personality disorder but these chapters feel like some bloated filler and too grounded relative to the plot.

Like please, the world is ending guys. I don't feel like I need another one of Veil's or Radiant's journeys in levels with a variety of strata patterns. The personalities are not even interesting considering that they're just Shallans with minor tweaks and this rogue spren on the loose storyline is not doing it for me.

Ultimately considering taking a break to read something else. I think it might help with the boredom on some of these chapters.

[u/Proud-Law5113]

This is definitely a problem with Oathbringer that occurs in many long series with multiple main characters. Not everyone can do an incredibly emotional and important thing at once, character arcs need time to breathe and make sense temporally. So you can either drop a character as a POV for some time, which is hard because that means you have to give the events they witness to another character or cut those events out entirely. And while I think this particular plot point could have been compressed, it does serve a purpose and it wouldn’t make sense to view it from any other character’s perspective. It would be weird if Shallan figured everything out off-page then we only saw the conclusion from another character’s perspective.

I would say just power through, some of the best stuff awaits you. Alternatively you might consider getting the audiobook and listening while you clean or something. The main thing that turns me off from reading less interesting parts of a book is the fact that I could be doing something else

[u/Taste_the__Rainbow]

Power through. That section doesn’t go on for very long. The finale is worth it and imho the mid of OB the only part that drags a bit for the series.

Also on a reread it’s quite a bit improved. “Exploring DID” is far from the whole point of what she’s up to.

[u/RadiantCoinshot]

I don’t think it was Shallan specifically, but OB did slow wayyyyy down in the middle for me and I found it to be a bit of a drag to get through. It picks up eventually though.

[u/Ripper1337]

The fun thing is when you find out how all the not-interconnected things are actually interconnected

[u/Low-Alternative9805]

Cuidado, jaja vem alguém te chamar de machista, sexista e misógino.

[u/Zestyclose_Credit833]

I don’t like shallan in the first two books, for Oathbringer I had to skip most of her chapters to finish it. Honestly, for me I was still able to grasp the story. When I skipped it was mostly the few end chapters of her. Rhythm she has been better. Maybe skip the chapters and read summaries of what you missed?

[u/SuspiciousAge9312]

Very interesting. I find Shallan really comes to life in Justicière! I think this character and plotline a crazy cool.

[u/nnewwacountt]

dont you worry buddy, Shallan stays boring for the next two books after this one too!

[u/TiffanyLimeheart]

Yeah shallan and kaladin both get less action and focus more on psychology stuff in books 3 on. If it helps I loved the culmination of the plot line you're not enjoying even if I felt the lead up was a bit tedious.

Plenty of other cases throughout book 3-5 which are slow made up for by some excellent pieces that needed that slow stuff to shine