Riddish

More like 3.5 stars tbh. Reads more like a whole bunch of blog posts strung together as is.
Got few points here and there that make you think.

I would be lying if I didn't admit that I struggled to get through this one, but I am glad I stuck with it till the end. A good read, all in all.

I'll just say this, people like Campbell make the world a much better place to live in.

4* - For the book itself
1* - For audible and a sign of appreciation for the times we live in. To think I had the ex-President of the United States talk to me about his first term in office during morning cycle rides is absolutely ridiculous.

Back in 2008, I was swept up by his campaign and by the things he said. Having heard all the garbage been strewn around by politicians in India, even the notorious Indian media couldn't help but get carried away.

I would recommend this book to everyone. It is great to hear an almost centrist voice in today's highly polarised political climate around the globe. He got a lot done in his first term and genuinely tried to do a lot of good along the way. It was priceless to get to hear how the White House actually views global events. He might not have done everything he promised but he tried his best. In a time when politicians are heavy on promises and absolute lightweights on execution, I do admire the guy.

Rating BS books 5 stars has almost become a reflex action for me. That being said, I would have to say this book falls a bit short of my expectation and I would rate it more as 4.5 stars.
The last 2 books, were out of this world brilliant and honestly were the best reads of my life. This one thus, had to provide a patchwork of explanations for the last two books, in addition to taking the story forward.
The revelation about the Desolations and Recreance hit me hard in the face (could never have guessed it).

To avoid giving out to much too much information, the rest of the review is tagged as a potential spoiler.

Dalinar's backstory is almost prophetic. The ideals embodied in the whole narrative might as well take shape in a new religion some day :P. Shallan's story though makes her seem too skillful in too short a time. Also, I was shipping Shallan and Kaladin so hard, I stand disappointed. Kaladin being Kaladin, is just f**king awesome. Not to forget, Jasnah Kholin! I just love that woman, is there anything she can't do? The Fused(supposed Gods) should put up a better fight right? A few other question that remain unanswered.How the hell did Amaram get so powerful? Also, is it just me who finds Odium something like Voldemort? Unreasonably confident but easily dealt with. That's not to say he makes a bad villain but honestly, I expected better from him. All in all, the last 2 books just raised my expectations to unhealthy levels and this book, though brilliant, left me yearning for more.