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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-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
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-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
funny
adventurous
funny
fast-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
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a nice, quick stormlight novella that built on the world but didn't blow me away.
We follow Rsyn on an adventure whilst she also learns about herself and her disability. Simultaneously we get Lopen's POV as he joins her quest.
I found both these characters to be written more flatly than they are in the main novels. There was just a certain spark missing. I really appreciated seeing the disability rep and think that aspect of Rsyn was well written but she just seemed... less dynamic than in the main books. And Lopen can be a bit of fun but I think as a main character it sometimes got old.
The plot was interesting, and added some layers of complexity not just to the world of Roshar but to the Cosmere as a whole. The end added some more mysteries, and it's cool to get hints at the bigger universe-wide plots. That said, maybe it was the pacing or the fact that the characterisation was a bit flat but I just didn't feel like it had the PUNCH I was expecting?
I think it's a pleasant enough filler novella and I enjoyed it, but it was just missing something.
We follow Rsyn on an adventure whilst she also learns about herself and her disability. Simultaneously we get Lopen's POV as he joins her quest.
I found both these characters to be written more flatly than they are in the main novels. There was just a certain spark missing. I really appreciated seeing the disability rep and think that aspect of Rsyn was well written but she just seemed... less dynamic than in the main books. And Lopen can be a bit of fun but I think as a main character it sometimes got old.
The plot was interesting, and added some layers of complexity not just to the world of Roshar but to the Cosmere as a whole. The end added some more mysteries, and it's cool to get hints at the bigger universe-wide plots. That said, maybe it was the pacing or the fact that the characterisation was a bit flat but I just didn't feel like it had the PUNCH I was expecting?
I think it's a pleasant enough filler novella and I enjoyed it, but it was just missing something.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
After starting Wind and Truth, and seeing how much payoff there already was for reading other cosmere novels I decided to read the stormlight novellas before finishing the series. While the ending felt rushed and anti-climactic I enjoyed this short journey to learn more about the secrets of Roshar and spend time with a very minor character in Rysn. This short story was a very easy read that made me laugh quite a bit, as Lopen was one of the featured characters. Beyond that, I’m mostly just interested to see how this storyline intertwines with the mainline books.
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
This installment more closely follows Rysn and her newfound position as captain of her own ship. As she learns to navigate physically without the use of her legs, she must also learn to move through the social and political traps set all around her in a bid to derail her mission and destroy her crew.
challenging
funny
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A delight. Long live the Lopen and Rysn. Happy to learn more about Cord as well.
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
Dawnshard turned out to be a really pleasant surprise for me. I’ve always liked Rysn as a side character, but seeing her take the lead here made me appreciate her even more. Watching her face challenge with determination and cleverness, without the usual Radiant powers most characters have, gave the story a fresh feel. I also loved how Lopen brought his usual humour and heart. He did a great job balancing out the more serious moments.
The thing that stood out most for me was how the story mixed close character growth with big, Cosmere-level events. Sanderson always adds worldbuilding details that amaze me, and this novella did not disappoint. Still, even though I enjoyed it, there were times when the pacing slowed down, and I wished some of the big reveals had felt more powerful.
Still, this was a solid 4-star read for me. It gave me exactly what I wanted—a character-driven adventure that deepens both the Stormlight Archive and the larger Cosmere, while reminding me that even the “smaller” stories can hold immense weight. If you’re invested in the series, this is one you definitely don’t want to skip.