Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Brandon Sanderson take a bow! You are a genius! This has been an incredible journey so far; I want to keep reading Stormlight Archive; because we all know:
Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.
I hate going in with a high expectation because they usually get shattered. However, SA hasn’t disappointed me a bit. It is a masterpiece in the making and something not to be missed.
Usually, for epic fantasy, I like to go deep into individual aspects of the book, because it presents many facets to analyze. I want to follow the same routine for SA as well.
World Building and Mythology: SA adds another world “Roshar” to Sanderson’s ever-growing universe “Cosmere.” So far, I only had the opportunity to explore the Scadrial from Mistborn series and Nalthis from Warbreaker. The more I read about Cosmere, the more I get amazed. This is a complex universe, where each world has its history; but everything is still connected and share the origin.
Roshar is richer than Scadrial and Nalthis in every aspect. From the very beginning of TWoK, Sanderson pulls you directly into this fantastic world of Roshar, and when I say amazing, I mean it. It is stunning!
He doesn’t shy away from throwing you in the middle of the story, and this builds the mystery around the world. It is done smartly so that the reader feels intrigued at the same time, not confused.
Roshar is a well-thought world. A world of stones and storms. The world is divided and into several kingdoms, each with different geography, different culture, and different beliefs. Roshar is scoured by a recurring storm called “highstorm.” Moreover, every aspect of ecology has been affected by this. The world building is highly imaginative and supports the story. It’s the backbone of the series.
There are many exotic animals and beings. Sanderson doesn’t miss a chance to bring in a new creature into his story. Moreover, the sketches and his elaborate writing brings these creatures to life.
Sanderson’s world is nothing without its mythology. He’s a master when it comes to developing mythologies. Roshar has a grand and bloody history, where humanity has been fighting for ages with “Voidbringers.” Each battle brings a new “Desolation.” An order of legendary “Knight Radiants” (founded by Heralds) who fought for humans has decided to betray their oaths after the “Last Desolation.” Without these protectors, Roshar is doomed if Voidbringers ever returned.
There is much exposition when it comes to world-building, but you won’t feel exhausted at any point. This is all so fascinating and overwhelming; you’d want to know more and more about the world of Roshar.
Magic System: Sanderson’s magic system has always been my favorite part his books. He is one of the authors who believe in the rule-based magic system. Sanderson excels in creating a complex but not complicated magic system. He hasn’t disappointed here either.
The magic system in SA is unique and tightly bound with the mythology of the world. The magic originates when the being called “Sprens” from the cognitive realms known as “Shadesmar,” creates a bond with a human. There are different kind of sprens, each with a different set of magical powers.
There are rules for how each power can be used. It lets you manipulate some fundamental forces/elements of nature.
Wait till you read the action sequences involving “Lashing.” It will blow away your mind! It’s a kick-ass power, and Sanderson neatly creates the action sequences, and once you understand the laws, you can visualize these scenes vividly. The action sequences are intense and breathtaking.
Also, you have some cool swords – “Shardblade” and armors – “Shardplate.” These are also associated with bond with spren and human
Ooo! and there is a gate which can transport you to different parts of Roshar immediately!
The best part of Sanderson’s magic system is, he doesn’t change rules for the convenience of the story and at the same time he never fails to surprise you.
Story: SA has a brilliant story to compliment the beautiful world. Though the pace of the book is a little slow, it still is very captivating. Just like Mistborn and Warbreaker, he doesn’t reveal too much about the world and history too soon. He likes to build the suspense around his characters and their motivations. He makes the reader yearn for more. The plot escalates slowly but swiftly, and the payoff is always satisfying. He’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. The story is told in the POV of characters. So, it might seem a little fragmented, but everything builds toward a final narrative.
There are headers at the beginning of each chapter, and they help you slowly familiarize with either the history or are just fillers for some side plot.
When you have a vast world, the scale of your story also becomes grand. It’s not easy to develop an account on such an extent. SA achieves this magnificently.
Though Oathbringer falters a little bit in storytelling but at the same time introduces new fantastical elements in the story.
Characters: SA has some of the most complete and well written characters. Sanderson has very earnestly developed these characters, spending enough time to each one them. The principal characters are Dalinar Kholin, Kaladin Stormblesed, Shallan Davar, Szeth, Adolin, and Lift. There are several other characters, and in no way, they are less critical. What I love about these characters is they are all flawed and are fighting their own battles. They are marred by their past, loss of loved ones, and betrayal. The story is told in POV of these characters. So, you get to learn about their past and their motivations.
I have a few complaints. One is the lack of character development of bad guys. I can understand characters like Odium or Unmades don’t really need character development. However, with human villains, I expect to know more about their past and motivation. Most of the time, we learn the story from the perspective of our heroes. Taravangian gets a few chapters, but not enough to make you learn his motives. Same goes with Ammaram. The other complaint is the the lack of human villains. There are not too many
Stormlight Archive in every sense is ground-breaking. It has a great story, an amazing world, some of the best characters in epic fantasy genre. Unlike A Song of Ice and Fire it doesn’t need any explicit violence or sex to make the story appealing. I am not undermining ASOIAF. It is a path-breaking series, which has given a second life to modern fantasy. SA is another step towards it. Sanderson is one of the most prolific fantasy writer in the current generation, and his brilliance is reflected in how he treats his writing, his characters, his story, and his readers. If you haven’t read it yet, you are missing something really special. Just do it!!
I can’t wait for The Rhythm of War. It’s a long wait!!!
My Rating: 
wordsofbookradiant 