Ranking the interludes in The Way of Kings

Interludes play an extraordinary role among Cosmere and Stormlight Archive fans. Many that I have spoken to have strong opinions on them: some love them and the tasty lore they (sometimes) serve up, while others find them abrupt interruptions to the most exciting parts of the books.

I enjoy them as the world-building tools they were envisioned to be, but I am wondering: Are they good? If we took the ideals of an interlude in their purest form and created a system by which we could measure and judge all interludes on an even playing field, which would reign supreme?

Those well invested in the Cosmere will no doubt have strong opinions, and I certainly do.

Let's talk interludes.

Before hopping into the rankings, we should consider what makes an interlude good. Interludes are intended to stand apart from the pacing and setting of the mainline chapters, taking us to places we have yet to see and introducing us to characters we haven't met or at least seldom see. They are Sanderson's way of expanding the world of Roshar without dragging Kaladin or Shallan along on the journey. The man himself has said a few things on the topic.

We're showing the scope of the world without being forced to add a new plot line. I did that because I wanted to keep the focus on the main characters while also wanting to have my cake and eat it. I wanted to show off the interesting aspects of the world.

It'll show the scope of the world without us getting too overwhelmed by characters we have to keep track of. When you hit interludes, you don't have to pay attention to most of them. You can read and enjoy them, but you aren't have to remember them.

What Influenced The Structure Of The Book With Flashbacks, Interludes, Etc? - BrandonSanderson.com

This all boils down to three key aspects by which I will rank each interlude in the Way of Kings. Let's explore each in turn.

1) Did we explore a new part of Roshar?

Exploring new parts of the world, primarily through the eyes of a new character or a perspective from one we have yet to see, is a fun way to flesh out Roshar. With so many dynamic cultures and locations, breaking up the story with scenes from places we've only heard about in passing or seen on a map is an engaging way to explore the world.

The best interludes will feature a new character or location and teach us more about the world of Roshar.

2) Did we learn more about something we already knew?

Not every interlude will contain a completely new experience for us: some interludes will deepen our knowledge on a topic or place we've explored in the past, giving us a new perspective or a more complete understanding of events. Foreshadowing is a massive part of Sanderson's writing: sometimes, it is subtle, and other times, he's practically bashing you with it. Occasionally, you need 6 books, 2 spoiler streams, and twice as many Coppermind pages to understand the callback he just made.

Good interludes can be great opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of past events or lore without interrupting the action of the main plot.

3) Was it good?

Sure, an interlude might be jam-packed with Cosmere lore, told from the perspective of a unique character we haven't met AND comes from a known group we know only glancing details about... but was it good? Did I enjoy reading it? Should I skip over on the next read?

An interlude can be the textbook version of itself and still fall flat if dull.

The Rankings

Now we are into the meat of things. If you are unfamiliar with the S—F ranking systems commonly found throughout fandoms across the internet, go touch a keyboard.

Interlude I-1: Ishikk

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a banger. Not only is this our first Stormlight-based interlude, but it's also a nearly perfect one.

We are introduced to Ishikk, a fisherman in the Purelake who is on his way to meet some curious outsiders who hired him to keep his eye out for a mysterious stranger named Hoid.

What makes this interlude great is the layers of world-building that unfold in such a neat package. We get to meet some of the residents of the Purelake and learn about their culture. Those well invested in the Cosmere will note the Hoid name-drop and have some theories (confirmed by Sanderson in his spoiler streams) on the identities of strangers Ishikk meets. This bit significantly expands the scope of the events occurring on Roshar and teases at plots yet to come.

Couple these points with the fact that Ishikk is a delight, and his easygoing perspective is a refreshing pace change from the darkness of the previous chapters.

Interlude I-1 gets an S-tier.

Interlude I-2: Nan Balat

And now for something completely different. Interlude I-2 gives us our first perspective of a member of the Devar household that isn't Shallan.

We don't learn very much here. We get to see that Shallan isn't the only Devar household member who has darkness about them, and we get a brief window into the relationship between the other Devar siblings. The interlude does set up future plot points with Shallan, but it took me onto my third readthrough of the series to pick up on it.

It might be the proximity to such a great interlude, but this one falls flat for me. It gets points for the novelty of its characters and gives us a deeper insight into the Devar family, which we're slowly learning more about, but it fails the "was it good" test.

Interlude I-2 gets a C-tier.

Interlude I-3: The Glory of Ignorance

I believe this is the interlude that turns so many Stormlight fans off of the format.

In interlude I-3, we return to Szeth's point of view and see what he's been up to since the assassination of Gavalar. We learn more about Szeth and how he can be compelled to do what he does, but little else. The setting is also dull, failing to provide us a view of the culture or perspective of the people of Bavland.

With only a glimmer of new information, a returning point of view, and a lack of action or momentum, this interlude indeed fails the "Is it good" test.

Only barely saved by an oathstone, interlude I-3 is D-tier.

Interlude I-4: Rysn

Now we are back on track. I-4 gives us our first (of many) views from the perspective of Rysn. We get a nice sampler of perspectives here: a primary point of view from a Thalyn for the first time, our first look at Shinnovar, and some neat fabrial goodies. We don't get to go particularly deep into these topics, but the overall tone makes it a nice taste of the type of world-building interludes were made for.

While I enjoy the interlude, it lacks energy, and the momentum falls off after the import of Dalinar's conversations in the previous chapter. It isn't enough to turn me away completely, so it still passes through the "Is it good" gate unscathed.

Interlude I-4: Rysn is a B-tier.

Interlude I-5: Axies the Collector

Another quality interlude is in I-5, where we get to meet Axies the Collector. The first time I listened to it, I experienced a bit of new-information whiplash (yes, I am a good Vorin man and do the audiobooks).

We have our first non-human perspective of the book, and it comes with plenty of weirdness. This chapter has a lot to dive into: we get to see our first Iriali city Kasitor, learn about spren, and get some sporadic facts about Aimians. What I like about this kind of point of view is that we get to see perspectives from characters who aren't necessarily engaged in the main plot.

What keeps this interlude from true greatness is that it's just a bit too out there. We are exposed to surface-level lore of too much all at once, and I came out of it wanting more. We don't get that payoff exactly: we're shown the depth of the pond but don't get to dip a foot in to see how deep it really goes.

Don't get me wrong: this a really good interlude, but the memory of Ishikk still lives in my heart, so I'm left wanting.

Interlude I-5: Axies the Collector is A-tier.

Interlude I-6: A Work of Art

I have to backpedal a little bit on this interlude. It's another Szeth's point of view interlude. We aren't really introduced to any new characters, and we don't get enough detail to make the locations pop, but man, is it badass.

This chapter does more to develop Szeth's character than anything we've seen thus far (and will for quite some time) and sets up some of the promised action that Szeth's first interlude alluded to. Szeth's horror at discovering what his new master desires him to do is palpable, and the ramifications of these events last into future books. It is truly epic.

For this interlude, I am weighing the enjoyment factor of the read far more than the classic defenition of what an interlude should be. It can't rise all the way to the top on the suspense it generates alone, but it goes as high as any interlude could go without it novelty.

Interlude I-6: A Work of Art earns a B tier.

Interlude I-7: Baxil

This is a tough one. This interlude checks many of our boxes: We have new characters and learn a bit more about the night watcher and the old magic. The only problem is that the real exciting part about this interlude, who the characters are, doesn't come in for quite some time.

We meet Baxil, Av, and their mysterious Mistress while out on a thieving job. The conversation barely hints at what's actually happening during this scene (which is much more interesting), but Sanderson uses it as a backdrop to discuss more relevant topics surrounding the old magic.

Should I rank this interlude based on what it means for future readers, with all the context understood, or should I rank it based on the first time I read it with only the surface level intact?

I will split the difference. Extra points for being a fun read: thieves whose only goal is to smash art are sick.

Interlude I-7: Baxil is B-tier.

Interlude I-8: Geranid

This interlude is really interesting. I slept on it the first time I read through the series and didn't look on it fondly after that. Even during my preparation for this article, I initially noted it as a D-tier interlude. Upon further reflection, I am placing it way higher.

I profoundly love the science of the Cosmere and investiture, but this interlude tries me. We meet Geranid and Ashir, two old ardents living out their twilight years studying spren in semi-isolation. It's an oddly romantic story and gives us much information when you read between the lines.

For one, we learn that Ardents know way more about the Cosmere than we have been led to believe. Some of the topics they casually discuss would be just the type of information Shallan and Jasnah would be clambering for, although who knows the full extent of Jasnah's knowledge at this stage of the books.

As one reader correctly hypothesized, we also get deeper details about spren that match real-world science.

Despite all this, the scene is kind of boring: just two people talking. Overall, it's a great chapter, but it does require a particular appreciation of Cosmere lore to embrace it. I embrace it.

Interlude I-8: Geranid improves from D-tier to, I will be bold, A-tier.

Interlude I-9: Death Wears White

We come at last to the final interlude in The Way of Kings. This interlude is pure action, and I'm here for it.

We get a little bit of interesting detail on Jah Keved and their political posturing about power, but the prime focus is what Szeth is capable of when wielded by someone who understands his potential. This interlude results from the previous two and is a fantastic setup for one of the final chapters, where Szeth meets his employer.

It is for this reason that it is not a great interlude. We know from Sanderson's FAQ on the topic of interludes that adding Szeth was a stylistic choice, but I believe it grates against the purpose and word-building of the interludes. I would have been as happy with these as early chapters between each part, peppering his story in as we went along. This follows the same function but doesn't quite hit the mark of an interlude.

We are saved by the sheer badassness of Szeth tearing through another king's defenses, showing us what a true nightmare a surgebinding shard bearer can be.

Saved by a shardblade and a will to kill, Interlude I-9: Death Wears White is C-tier.

My destination

That wraps the interludes from The Way of Kings. I suspect some may take issue with the Szeth-based interludes: they are interesting to me, but I don't think they meet the purpose of an interlude.

In the coming weeks, I will continue to rank the rest of the Stormlight Archive's interludes. Up next is Words of Radiance. I thought a fun follow-up to the series might be to do a bracket-style ranking after everything is finished to figure out which interlude was the best. Stick around and subscribe to get all my content by email! I don't really do social media (I'm still hoping for YouTube one day), so that's the best way to keep up.