what a book. i know the general consensus is that Words of Radiance is everyone's favorite installment in the Stormlight Archive, but (not having read Rhythm of War) this is mine.
potential spoilies ahead.
the most compelling characters ive ever encountered are in this series, and they have the chance to shine in Oathbringer. Dalinar's struggles with his past and the kind of man they make him today feel so authentic and relatable. Shallan trying to separate her identities and figure out who she truly is resonates with those who struggle with imposter syndrome. Kaladin just, well... being Kaladin... is a journey you don't want to miss. Adolin went from a character that is there to a character i'm glad is there.
also, just wanna highlight the most goosebump inducing quote i think i've ever read:
“Ten spears go to battle,” he whispered, “and nine shatter. Did that war forge the one that remained? No, Amaram. All the war did was identify the spear that would not break.”
oooooooo baby. had to put the book down and do a lap around my room after reading that line.
the further i get into this series, the more confident i am that i'll be rereading it all not too far off in the future. dont wait. read the Stormlight Archive.
what a book. felt shorter at 1200 pages than WoK did at 1000 pages.
the grand scale of the battles and conflicts in this book are incredible. i usually have a hard time picturing everything im reading in my head, but not so with this. sanderson paints such a clear picture of the story he's telling, and though there's a lot of information you're constantly taking in, it still feels manageable.
the magic system in stormlight archives continues to grow deeper, and im so excited to see how it expands further in oathbringer.
im thoroughly enjoying this series, and cant wait to start the next one.
I'd give this a 4.5 if I could, because I don't think it deserves a 4, but it also isn't quite the 5-star read I've come to expect from Sanderson. I think this books main issue (and it's a small one at that) is its pacing in the last 25% of the book. I felt the story ramping up to its climax, and then before I had a chance to absorb everything, the book was over.
Still totally worth reading, as this novel was great in every other way. The lead characters were very compelling, and their arcs felt nature and complete.
This one took me a while to finish because Baldur's Gate 3 launched and has been consuming every waking moment of my life.
The women in this book are basically present to cry, flirt, and be moms. Even when they're given moments of strength, they're still weak compared to the men. Only reason this gets two stars is because aside from the blatant misogyny the story is quite good. I just can't give the sexism in this one a pass.
Another stellar standalone from the goat.
This book talks a lot about the nature of investiture and covers some of the logic of the magic system found all across the Cosmere. One of the great things about investiture is that it allows the reader to experience wonder and mystery about the “new” magic systems you encounter across Sanderson's work, while also being able to tie all of it back together in an explainable way.
Anyway, not a great starting point if you're new to Sanderson (try Mistborn), but a must read for a fan of the Cosmere.