Oathbringer: Book Three of the Stormlight Archive (The Stormlight Archive, 3)

While I didn't enjoy Oathbringer quite as much as the first two books in the series, I still feel it's worthy of a 5-star rating. Each of these books has specific characters at the forefront, and in this novel they are Shallan Davar and Dalinar Kholin.

There are some aspects of Shallan's character that are fascinating, such as her multiple "personalities" or illusions that she adopts to explore and find out who she really is. However, her romance with Adolin felt very awkward, and Shallan spent so much time fretting over her different personalities that it became tedious to me. Dalinar's flashback sequences were jarring to me as well, and although they did provide some insight to his past, I felt they could have been fewer in number. I did enjoy the focus on Dalinar more than I thought I would, however.

Where The Stormlight Archive really shines as a series for me, is in two areas, and that's why I'm firm on my 5-star rating here. First is the world-building and magic system. In its cohesiveness and expansiveness, the Cosmere feels almost like Tokien-esque. There seems to be an ever-expanding mythos that is both wondrous and fascinating. Many questions are answered in Oathbringer, but as Sanderson pulls back from his focus on the nation of Alethkar to look at the world in full in this new novel, numerous new possibilities unfold. It is indeed an amazing world to explore.

Second, I find the character development really interesting and satisfying, and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters really serve to propel the story forward, with glorious and sometimes tragic consequences.The Dalinar flashback sequences paint the Alethi people as bloodthirsty, immoral savages, a "Ghengis Khan" like marauding horde that kills for sport, without mercy or conscience. This presents quite a problem as Dalinar finds himself faced with the return of the Voidbringers. Dalinar needs to use diplomacy to form an alliance to defend their world, but who would believe him? Every nation-state in the world of Roshar seems suspicious, distrusting its neighbors. Some wonder if the Alethi people are worse than the Voidbringers who have come to conquer the world. In a "Game of Thrones" way, the Alethi resemble the rulers of Westeros, who all appear corrupt, conniving and treacherous.

Dalinar has bonded himself to Honor in the previous book, which requires him to keep his Oaths and integrity. Watching him change as he struggles mightily with this, makes his arc worthwhile. Other characters' moral choices shape them as well. As the parshmen are released by the tens of thousands from their lives of slavery by all the nation-states of Roshar, how will they treat those of Roshar who have enslaved them for thousands of years? Are the parshmen the rightful rulers of Roshar? Many of the main characters in the Stormlight Archive seem have little to no moral center at the beginning. What is interesting is seeing how catastrophic and extreme events are shaping them, and some make sacrificial choices of great integrity, such as the men of Bridge Four who seek to become Knights Radiant, while others sink low and take a path that dooms themselves and others (avoiding spoilers here. .).

Some characters who have some transformative moments:

-Kaladin as he spends time observing the newly freed parshmen -Venli the Parshendi who paved the way for the Voidbringers' return -Taravangian who is alternately a fool or a genius, an empath or a sociopath, deciding what path to take. -Odium, the enemy, who comes portraying himself as an "angel of light" with a golden tongue but a heart filled with ruin and death. -Jasnah Kholin, the great historian and thinker of the Alethi, racing against time to crack the technology of the past to save their future. -Renarin, who has bonded with a void-spren, the forgotten member of Alethi royalty who may be the wild card that can tip the balance. -Lift, with the exuberance of a child, but with powers that rival any of the other Radiants. -Szeth, the Assassin in White, who is no longer forced to kill, but can now make his own choice about the direction of his life. -the men of Bridge Four, who have a new lease on life and who share a bond that has enabled them to achieve great things.

All of these characters have time in Oathbringer, some a lot more than others, but watching their choices shape them has been delightful and satisfying. Some of the characters in Oathbringer don't end well- they are not cookie cutter stories. Some crash and burn, some betray their friends and the ones they love. Others reconsider their hate, and choose love instead. While I would have wished for more time for some of my favorite characters like Kaladin, and even Lift, who had the main role in the Edgedancer book that I looked forward to seeing her story continue in Oathbringer (which it didn't), I relished every bit of Oathbringer. This is what sets it apart from most other novels of this and other genres, and I can't give it less than 5 stars with a clear conscience.

If humans still exist when Sol finally burns out and the last few stragglers leave this system for a new home among the stars, clutching a few treasured possessions to begin a new life with, this book would be one of them.

Ever wonder what it would have been like to attend the opening night of a Verdi opera? Or walk into a small Italian village and see some lucky violinist buy a brand new Stradivarius? I think we yearn to witness some true high art, to experience firsthand a masterpiece that will set a new bar for excellence in its field. Now is your chance. A hundred years from now, people will still be reading Tolkien and Lewis… and Sanderson. Some fresh young kid will finish the Lord of the Rings or Chronicles of Narnia for the first time and ask their parent or teacher… “What should I read next.” Then with an appraising look, they reach up to the top shelf, grab a huge volume with flowing storm clouds, and say “I think you might be ready for this…”

Think I’m overselling it? I’m willing to plant my flag and wait for time to prove the point. Oathbringer was the #1 pre-order of all time on Audible. That means that more people across the world have been paying good money to (digitally anyway) wait in line to listen to this book than any other in history! I personally love the gorgeous cover and end materials, but that’s just me. Regardless, if you don’t want to take my word for it, listen to the thousands of (possible more) that voted with their feet… umm dollars?... and paid for this book up front, sight unseen.

What is it about this book, and the Stormlight Archive (the series that Oathbringer is a part of) that has so many fans craving more? I thought you’d never ask… The art of our era is full of moral relativism. Our pop music, films, and books rarely, if ever, take the time to dive into the deep and meaningful questions of life. To ask the hard questions about faith, character, life, and death. Brandon’s books do just that. His characters don’t just walk through highstorms, they walk through hearts. Their journeys are epic, and mythical. There is more than a dash of magic and monsters, but the primary journey is a moral one. The narrative is fascinating because the characters are grappling with demons within and without, with huge world-crushing forces and the great moral questions that philosophers and priests have been asking since the beginning of time. “Is there a God, or anything truly Divine? What is a truly moral life? How should I treat others? Is it right for the oppressed to hate the oppressor? Is vengeance justified? Why do we fear and hate those who are different? How do we find hope and strength when the world is falling apart around us?”

I really enjoy Brandon’s worldbuilding, and am highly intrigued by his innovative magic systems. But I love his characters for how they grapple with real moral dilemmas and find the strength to overcome them and carry on. This is no cookie cutter quest or easy jaunt into fairyland. Roshar is a land where Gods die, men’s hearts fail them, and civilizations reel about searching for some hope to cling to. And where heroes are born. I was there at Brandon’s first book signing, back when Elantris was an undiscovered rookie, and will be here for the duration of the journey. Thanks Brandon for an amazing story! I can’t wait to see where you take us next!

No, I’m not going to give you major plot lines, spoilers, or hints. I love these books too much to ruin it for you. Go read The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, and Oathbringer. Then comment below on whether you think I was over-selling this. You won’t be disappointed!

I continue to love this series and have consumed roughly 4000 pages of it in about a month. It’s well-written, full of action, laden with character development, and overflowing with interesting ideas about magic and mythology. For any sheltered fans of the fantasy genre who have not heard of this series or this author, I give it the hugest possible recommendation. I’m just sorry that I finished book #3 in the series a few months before book #4 is set to be released.

The third book in the Stormlight Archive series finds the main characters all facing crises: of conscience, of memory, of their personal relationships, and, most importantly, of what they want their lives to become. Kaladin, increasing in his power as a Windrunner (one of the orders of Knights Radiant, reborn after thousands of years), faces one of his periodic bouts of self-doubt, the darkness nearly consuming him into giving up. Dalinar, King of Urithiru (the rediscovered City of Knights Radiant) and uncle to the King of Alethkar, tries to understand his role in the Radiants as a Bondsmith, facing the fracturing of the alliance of nations he formed in the last book. Shallan, betrothed to Dalinar’s son, Adolin, and a Lightweaver Radiant in her own right with the abilities to project illusions and become other people, faces difficulties in deciding which of her alter egos is really her. The supporting cast (Kaladin’s Bridge Four teammates, now Windrunners themselves; Dalinar’s former sister-in-law (and now wife), Navani; Navani’s daughter, Jasnah, seemingly returned from the dead; the Assassin in White, Szeth, somehow still alive and serving as a Skybreaker Radiant trainee; and a host of others from previous books) all face similar crises of faith. Meanwhile, the army of once-Parshendi (many of whom have been transformed into Fused, a sort of counterpart on their side to the Radiants) marches towards a confrontation with the allied forces of man, just when that alliance is crumbling and many of the alliance’s strongest supporters have disappeared into a parallel plane of existence. And along the way, the world discovers a shocking secret about the nature of the conflict that shakes the very foundations of everyone’s beliefs.

The plot is incredibly intricate, with dozens of interweaving storylines that all support each other in a grand whole. With so many pages in each novel (each one ranges just above or below 1300 pages), there’s ample space to have complex arcs for every character, even the minor ones, while making sure there’s plenty of plot movement and action. There’s political intrigue, soul-searching inner conflict, pledges to higher ideals, conversations with deities, loads of fighting, and a good bit of humor (thanks to Rock, Lopen, Shallan, and Lift in particular). Even the undercurrent of racism I noted in previous reviews in this series seems to be addressed as one of the main plot points (as I thought it might), and the solution to that problem will likely be central to the later books in this series. It really is one of those books that has so much going on that it’s hard to put down.

As for the mechanics, it’s incredibly tight in its editing, a few split infinitives or pronoun errors aside. Page-for-page, it’s one of the cleanest series of books I’ve read in a long time, so kudos to Sanderson and his editorial team for presenting a well-written final product.

I can’t say enough good things about this series. Go read it.

Oathbringer is the third installment of The Stormlight Archive, Brandon Sanderson’s highly-acclaimed series set in the Cosmere. The story has major middle-book vibes, which makes sense considering this is a 5-book series. While it may not have the panache of the first two books in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed Oathbringer. READER BE WARNED, SPOILERS FOR THE WAY OF KINGS AND WORDS OF RADIANCE ARE BELOW. If you have not read my reviews for the first two books, I recommend doing that first as there are continuing themes.

When I say “panache” I mean that books 1 and 2 of the series came through like a highstorm, with so much power as to be destructive and restorative at the same time. They were wall-to-wall action, almost never allowing the reader to come up for air, finishing in fabulous style with the way everything culminated at the end of Words of Radiance. And to that I say: take my breath away. I do not need it, for the stormlight will sustain me. Oathbringer, by contrast, is a very typical middle book (if anything Sanderson writes can be called “typical”), more gambit than check chase.

With the coming of the Everstorm and many secrets unlocked, Dalinar, Kaladin, et al are resetting and learning a new way of life. The main protagonists have all evolved and are occupying the ancient city of Urithiru, and the Parshmen have been freed. All of the players are moving pieces around the board, searching for an opportunity to put their opponent into zugzswang. This is a long series, and as a reader I enjoyed the break from the constant war, death, and destruction of the first two installments. The way Oathbringer is written, it gives the reader many opportunities to survey the scene, learn more about Roshar, its people and history. One way Sanderson accomplishes this is with flashback narratives, which is an underrated aspect of this series.

I do not believe I mentioned this in my previous reviews, so this is a great time to do so. From a writing perspective, flashbacks are hard. If they are going to take my interest away from the main storyline, they should not overwhelm, but at the same time need to be relevant and interesting. This type of narrative can be a detriment to a book if not done well, but when an author finds a balance it can be a boon. That is exactly what Sanderson has accomplished with this seres, as the flashbacks were phenomenal in providing supplementary information, focusing on first on Kaladin and Shallan in the first two books and now Dalinar and the Parshmen in Oathbringer. To me, this provides even more depth to a series that is already overflowing with it. I think that is a good thing, as a story can never be too deep (watch Sanderson take that comment and run with it – not that the encouragement is all that necessary).

Another great aspect of Oathbringer is that it really ups the ante for the rest of the series. In the first two books there is a lot of standard warfare, introducing the reader to many of the players and how their powers work. It was a really exciting start, but Oathbringer has a different feeling. The Big Bang at the end of Words of Radiance put the pieces in place to rebuild sections of the story. It is much slower than the first two books, working to a longer crescendo. At the same time, the world is entirely different now. Because the it has changed so much, and because everything is going through a bit of reset, the reader is able to learn so much about this new-age right along with the characters. And that really is the brilliance of Sanderson’s writing overall (as I have come to find), which is that is feels so interactive as the reader is able to experience every event right along with the characters. That feeling of immersion has often been what has made this series so unputdownable, and Oathbringer taking a different narrative path than the first two books in the series is helped by this immersive atmosphere.

Here is the thing about the ending: I cannot talk about it. In typical Sanderson style that crescendo that has been building culminates in an unbelievable way. It is easily the best ending of the first three books, and that saying something because I felt that way about each subsequent book in the series. The fact that Sanderson continues to up the ante is impressive, and I left this book with my jaw dropped.

While Oathbringer is incredibly well-done, there was one detraction I want to mention. Certain events (small[ish] ones, none of the big reveals) felt rushed to me. There is a scene at the beginning of the book that felt that way to me (if you read it you will know what I am talking about), and a few others like it along the way. I know it is hard to say in a 1,000+-page book, but I would have preferred to ruminate on certain events for a bit. It is a bit of a weird thought because Sanderson at times can be the King of Rumination, so take those words with a grain of salt.

This Stormlight Archive continues to be absolutely fabulous. Oathbringer is another phenomenal entry into the series, and yet again gets my highest recommendation. It has set things up for what I expect to be an amazing second half to the series, and I am very much looking forward to Rhythm of War.