Summary
MistbornauthorBrandon Sanderson’sThe Stormlight Archiveseries may not be his most widely read work, but it’s arguably his best, with four phenomenal fantasy novels to date. Over the last two decades, Sanderson has become one of the premiere fantasy authors of the 21st century, withThe Stormlight Archiveconsidered his magnum opus. The entire saga is intended to stretch across ten novels, with book 5,Wind and Truth, being released at the end of 2024. The volume should conclude many notable arcs that began with 2010’sThe Way of Kings.
Brandon Sanderson’splan forThe Stormlight Archivesees the ten-book saga split into halves, withWind and Truthmarking the end of the first half. The second half will pick up years later on Roshar’s timeline, similar to how theMistbornbook series has been divided into eras. One of the most rewarding aspects of reading Sanderson’s fantasy books is that many of them are connected via hisfictional universe, the Cosmere, with each installment seemingly increasing their connectivity. Therefore,Mistbornfans have something to gain from readingTheStormlight Archiveand vice-versa.
Part of why Brandon Sanderson’s novels have become so popular is that they’ve maintained a consistent quality, withThe Stormlight Archive,in particular, barely having any dips. Despite each book in the series having at least 1,000 pages, each one manages to provide something fresh and original.Different readers will likely take different stances on their favorite, perhaps due to the character focus of each volume, as all of them are roughly around the same quality.
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4Oathbringer
Oathbringer Has Incredible Moments But The Worst Overall Pacing
It seems important to state thatOathbringeris a fantastic novel, and there are certainly Sanderson fans who place it on a pedestal.Dalinar Kholin is perhaps Brandon Sanderson’s crowning achievement in character work, with the combination ofOathbringer’sintense flashbacks and present-day war scene culminating one of the most powerful arcs in modern fantasy. The"You cannot have my pain!“quote is unforgettable, leading to Dalinar swearing his Third Ideal. It’s masterful storytelling, and everyone loves a great redemption story.
Sanderson cruelly brings the reader to sympathize with Elhokar, and once audiences finally start to like him, he’s murdered in a brutal fashion.
Oathbringer’ssecond highlight is Elhokar Kholin, who wasn’t the most likable character in books 1 & 2. Sanderson cruelly brings the reader to sympathize with Elhokar, and once audiences finally start to like him, he’s murdered in a brutal fashion. Elhokar is a fascinating character, and one of thereasonsThe Stormlight Archiveis so fantasticis that the supporting figures are so well-defined and add unpredictable X factors. Characters like Moash and Elhokar can come together for one of the series' most devastating moments as the heroes watch from the sidelines, and it’s still evocative.
Despite these great moments, the reasonOathbringerfalls short is that the novel feels like it has a lot of padding. Much of this is because of Kaladin and Shallan’s storylines. They’re fantastic characters who are used exceptionally in the previous two novels, but too much ofOathbringeris spent rehashing aspects of their characters, with neither really having any resolution untilRhythm of War. Shallan is saved by her developing dynamic with Adolin, butKaladin just isn’t as interesting a character inOathbringer.
From readers onGoodreads,Oathbringerstill has an excellent score. It’s tied withRhythm of Warwith a 4.62/5, making them the lowest rated in the series (which speaks toThe Stormlight Archive’soverall quality more than anything). Overall,Oathbringerhas some of the series' most memorable highlights but has the most notable pacing issues among the four volumes.
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3Rhythm Of War
Rhythm Of War Has The Worst Flashbacks But The Deepest Emotional Arcs
Rhythm of Warhas a slight edge overOathbringer, as it utilizes its ensemble more successfully. Book 4 still has its lulls, butit gets far more out of a wider variety of characters, including its villains. The book’s most notable flaw is that Venli’s flashbacks aren’t as compelling as the first three protagonists to be featured, but it’s made up for by everything happening in the present day. To be fair, though, they add to the overall world-building, and there are some compelling flashback chapters that tie to the night of Gavilar’s assassination.
Dalinar is primarily sidelined inRhythm of War, which may also be a flaw to readers. However, his absence and the removal of the human army allow for a riveting hostage narrative in Urithiru, in which Navani and Kaladin are able to shine.Kaladin’s narrative is far more engaging than inOathbringer, nearly reaching the level of excitement surrounding him in books 1 & 2. Meanwhile, Navani is finally brought out to be an exceptional character in her own right.
In Shadesmar, Shallan and Adolin are both able to shine.Shallan’s story connects to the wider Cosmere with mind-blowing connectionsthat rewardMistbornfans. Her dynamic with Adolin is always exceptional, and the Alethi prince proves he still has immense value despite not being a Surgebinder. In Dalinar’s reduced role, he has some fascinating discussions with Taravangian, who manages to be another standout, with his epilogue scene possibly one of the craziest moments Sanderson has written. ManyStormlight Archivetheorieshave surrounded Taravangian and Odium’s plan, making it one of the most exciting stories to see progress.
Rhythm of Waris a weaker novel than books 1 & 2, but it manages to take an edge overOathbringerdue to its relatively consistent quality. The flashbacks aren’t as great as readers may have come to know, but they still offer value to the narrative.Rhythm of Warhas mystery intrigue, powerful emotional moments, excellent plot twists, andsome of the most deeply introspective character work in the series.
2The Way Of Kings
The Way Of Kings Is The Perfect Introduction To The Stormlight Archive
The Way of Kingsis a masterpiece, through and through. It’s simultaneously one of the most overwhelming introductions into a new world and one of the most comforting, satisfying fantasy novels ever.The Way of Kingstakes some time to get going, which is partially why it falls short ofWords of Radiance. There’s so much for Sanderson to set up, and in retrospect, it’s all only a small piece of a much larger puzzle. But every element, every dynamic, and every character is so captivating once it gets rolling that the novel becomes impossible to put down.
Beginning with Kaladin, as he’s the central protagonist and flashback character,the young military man turned slave almost instantly becomes a hero for whom audiences can root. He’s the closest to the archetypal fantasy hero in the series, but he’s made relatable through his complex mental health struggles, which can be said for many of Sanderson’s protagonists. The slow-burn narrative ofThe Way of Kingsis so effective that, by the end, most readers would be willing to follow Kaladin into battle, and there’s no response but to leap with joy when he decides to turn and help Dalinar.
As for other characters, the dynamics established in the Shattered Plains war camps have some of the most engaging political intrigue inThe Stormlight Archive. There’s a terrific paradigm established by Dalinar, Adolin, Elhokar, and Sadeas, and until the final betrayal, one could feasibly believe in Sadeas being either good or bad.Shallan and Jasnah also form a beautiful relationship inThe Way of Kings, one that’s unfortunately scarcely explored in the rest of the series.
With the lowest stakes in the series,The Way of Kingsoffers an experience as fun and exciting as any fantasy novel can offer.
The Way of Kingsis the perfect introductory novel toThe Stormlight Archive, boasting a 4.66/5 on Goodreads. The character work isn’t at its most profound, but it offersthe perfect balance of world-building and enjoyable character arcs to rope readers in and make them care about the cast Sanderson is establishing. With the lowest stakes in the series,The Way of Kingsoffers an experience as fun and exciting as any fantasy novel can offer.
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1Words Of Radiance
Words Of Radiance Is Brandon Sanderson At His Best
Words of Radianceis widely considered the most complete novel inThe Stormlight Archive, with an impressive 4.76 rating on Goodreads to hammer home that point. Simply put,Words of Radiancetakes everythingThe Way of Kingshas and takes it up a notch by bringing characters together. While the three main protagonists were all separated in book 1, they’ve come together at the Shattered Plains in book 2. But rather than have them join forces immediately, Sanderson teases his relationships, allowing the slow burn to take full effect.
AfterThe Way of Kings, it makes sense that readers would want Kaladin to be happy. He’s found his place with Bridge Four, but there’s more for him in the world. WhileWords of Radiancedoesn’t see him growing through his internal struggles just yet, it lays the seeds for his beautiful relationships with characters like Adolin and Shallan.Because characters slowly bond throughout the novel, climactic moments like the arena pit fight and the final war sequence are entirely more impactful.
Shallan’s backstory continues to expand on her character, and she really finds her footing as an individual once she arrives at the Shattered Plains and begins to establish herself. Supporting characters like Moash, Elhokar, Sadeas, Amaram, and the newly introduced Ghostbloods offer interesting dynamics for the main protagonists to work with. What results from the narrative isarguably the greatest climax inThe Stormlight Archiveseries, with the ending beginning to properly introduce Roshar’s magic system.
As of now,Words of Radianceis the crowning achievement inThe Stormlight Archivesaga and arguably in Brandon Sanderson’s oeuvre. It’s undoubtedly entertaining with masterful character work, expansive world-building that improves upon the first, and many of the series' most memorable moments.
