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4.55 AVERAGE
4.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
1st half : 2/5
2nd half : 5/5
2nd half : 5/5
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(Note: this review has been edited or written as part of my summer 2025 efforts to reevaluate my Sanderson reviews to be more consistent with my updated reviewing scale.)
Ready for yet another very spicy take?
This is my favorite Stormlight Archive, or second favorite tied with Way of Kings.
I’m docking it 0.25 stars because Kaladin seems to be caught going in circles progression-wise. But oh my god - the tower, Shadesmar, the dead spren, Navani and Venli, just thinking about it is making me want to pick up Wind and Truth (which I’m probably overdue for).
I have definitely heard this is not a majority opinion, but man this stood out more to me than Oathbringer by a LOT, and even compared to Words of Radiance. Call it recency bias or whatever you like: this book vibed for me.
Ready for yet another very spicy take?
This is my favorite Stormlight Archive, or second favorite tied with Way of Kings.
I’m docking it 0.25 stars because Kaladin seems to be caught going in circles progression-wise. But oh my god - the tower, Shadesmar, the dead spren, Navani and Venli, just thinking about it is making me want to pick up Wind and Truth (which I’m probably overdue for).
I have definitely heard this is not a majority opinion, but man this stood out more to me than Oathbringer by a LOT, and even compared to Words of Radiance. Call it recency bias or whatever you like: this book vibed for me.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As much as I LOVE this series and think it could be 3,000 pages of anything and I would read it, I do think the first like 70% if this book was kinda unnecessary and could have been shortened significantly. Might be an unpopular opinion but I'm not that excited about Eshonai's chapters. I definitely came to love and appreciate her more by the time the book ended but the fact that her POV's took up 40% of this book if not more was kind of insane. We only got like 6 Shallan / Adolin chapters so I feel cheated. AND Dalinar did fucking nothing in this book??? Except demote Kal and find one wacko Herald but that's it. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Navani's chapters. It was great to learn more about her character and she was the only thing that got me through for a while there
That being said, the LAST part of this book knocked my socks off. I have never in my whole life had my heart stomped on this many times by one singular character. Kaladin officially holds the record for gallons of tears I have shed over a singular character. It's insane.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated