Reviews with content warning for Torture - El Aliento de Los Dioses / Warbreaker

Reviews tagging 'Torture'

El Aliento de Los Dioses / Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

44 reviews

michaelferlazzo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This is a really great book! A five star in my mind, except for the rushed ending, and some of the conclusions were a little lacking. Some of the most interesting characters who develop into heroes. Yea, I came love Lightsong, Blushweaver, Siri, and Sassybrawn. Vivennas plot line started out great, similar to mistborn, but then petered out towards the middle, then went back up when

she finally decided to do something with her breath. Blushweaver! Lightsong! I miss them both, so much diversion I got from their interactions with each other as they are both so arrogant. Also, a talking sword?!?

This book is a wild ride, and I was all for it. This magic system is so creative, and I wish I could have seen more of the kind of things that happen in the first chapter. This book is Sanderson’s spiciest I’ve read so far, but it’s only like a 4/10 spicy in terms of a spicy book. Sanderson, I will instantly buy Warbreaker 2, if that is any incentive for you to write it.

Content Warnings

ldorina's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

The short review: In my opinion the best thing about Warbreaker is that it brings us an incredibly detailed and lively fantasy world with a mind blowing magic system you've probably never seen before and a lot of discussion about religion without taking sides. It also has a cast of realistic lovable characters and some interesting relationships (though it's true that there are some tropes too). Brandon Sanderson does a solid job with character development, as well. For the most part, there isn't much action in the book but the plot is compelling enough to keep reading. However, it's obvious that characters and worldbuilding are the stronger elements of the novel. I think there's room for a sequel but Warbreaker is great as a stand-alone.

And now let's get into the indepth review. Warning: SPOILERS ahead for the rest of the review!

We start with a prologue that features Vasher, one of the secondary characters, after he has got himself thrown into prison. I think it's an excellent opening because:
1. The reader gets immersed in the story right away as they get to know the arguably most interesting and mysterious character who is also in the middle of an action that brings up the question: 'What is his motive?' And of course there is Nightblood, the talking sword that can kill without being completely pulled from its sheet, so we keep reading.
2. It introduces the magic system which is the key element of the whole book and in the first 11 pages we learn the basics of how it works.
3. There's some action too keep us interested.
4. We don't know it at this point but the title 'Warbreaker' refers to the name Vasher was given when he returned (Warbreaker the Peaceful) so it's fitting that the book starts and ends with him as a way of framing the story.

In the first chapter we get to know the two main characters, Siri and Vivenna, the sisters from the royal family of Idris (and also their father, the king). The fact that these two girls are basically yin and yang is clear from the beginning, they are like Arya and Sansa Stark from GoT, with Siri being the adventurous younger princess who likes to be out in nature, talking to common people and causing her father a great deal of trouble by being rebellious, skipping her classes, shitting at propriety and not controlling herself at all. On the otherhand there's Vivenna, the older, more mature, calmer sister, who - unlike Siri - was born to be a queen and is responsible enough to try to live up to the task from early childhood by obeying her father's commands, studying hard and respecting the 'rules' at all times. The difference is visible just by looking at the hair of these two. Thanks to the royal locks, that show how a person is feeling if they don't focus on regulating the color (great piece of world-building by the way), Siri's hair color is always changing, letting the people around her know about her mood, while Vivenna's stay the same modest dark brown.

Content Warnings

kabrahams's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

May Blackberry Wine Bookclub Pick
We follow many points of view in this novel, including Siri, who is sent to marry Susebron the God King instead of her sister to prevent a war, Vivenna, Siri's sister who goes to rescue her and falls in with a band of mercenaries, and Lightsong, a returned "god" who is involved in the complex political landscape of two kingdoms on the brink of war. I enjoyed the Siri and Vivenna POVs a lot more.

Magic system is very cool (no surprise there though since it's Brando Sando). Breaths give you power and some people have biochromatic breaths that heighten colors around them. Inanimate objects and even dead people can be brought to "life" with breath and commanded, creating weapons and armies. There is a sentient sword named Nightblood that is wielded by Vasher.

Also not surprising, there are many fun twists.

Susebron the God King is not the terrifying, all-powerful tyrant that everyone believes him to be, but harmless as a child and with his tongue removed by his own priests so he cannot use his powerful breaths to command. Bluefingers, who initially seems to befriend and advise Siri, ends up betraying and almost killing her. Lightsong and Blushweaver are both killed in the attempt to start a war even though they are supposed to be immortal gods. Vivenna's mercenary friends betray her and she also almost dies.

Overall, not my favorite Brando Sando, but still very fun. I'm not sure why this was recommended to me as having a good romance subplot?? There's a kiss at 75% and that's about it. Maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I had had lower or different expectations.

Content Warnings

cognitivedisaster's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Read it.

Content Warnings

touchegiantsquid's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is my first listen to a Brandon Sanderson story. As an audio book, this had a length of 25 hours. For about 23 of them it felt like a chore. It's not as funny as it thinks it is.

Redeemed to 3 stars because I felt one character's conclusion moved me. For the most part, the magic system seemed intentionally opaque and confusing and it wasn't cleared up by the end.

Content Warnings