The introduction of axehounds in Way Of Kings is such whiplash, like a few chapters prior to meeting one Kaladin has a thought that mentions them and you’re like ‘okay, some kind of Fantasy Dog™️ that exists in this world, cool’
Then we meet Shallan’s brother who actually has one and interacts with it, and you’re like, oh hell yeah, let’s meet this dog, but you start getting dripfed little descriptors one at a time like immediately you’re like wait, it has antennae?
And you’re like shit, I guess it’s a dog with antennae then, then Nan Balat mentions it’s carapace, something between shell and skin
And then you get the fact it has SIX LEGS
Then he describes it tearing something with his mandibles. MANDIBLES!!!!
And I cannot stress enough, we do not get a bulk description of what this thing is when we meet it, all these individual aspects are drip-fed over the course of a few paragraphs, causing you to constantly reassess what your idea of this thing is every time you learn a new thing about it, it’s insanity.
From the initial idea of it being some kind of Different Dog, like a fantasy Great Dane or some shit, to what it actually is, which is fucking, THIS:
What I expected: | What I got:
