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4.55 AVERAGE
4.55 AVERAGE
Part Four and Part Five are 5⭐️, but getting there dragged a bit and if not for that pick up it would be a 4⭐️.
I did need to hear “you will be warm again”. Brandon Sanderson continues to write one-liners that are specifically targeted to me and my heart.
I did need to hear “you will be warm again”. Brandon Sanderson continues to write one-liners that are specifically targeted to me and my heart.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
5/5 ★'s
I think this is my favorite book in the series, and it's not even close.
The Stormlight Archive has a large cast of main characters, and I think Brandon Sanderson does a great job of giving each of them meaningful moments. Each book spotlights different characters, challenging them with something central to their growth. In Rhythm of War, that challenge is mental health—a theme that resonated deeply with me. Kaladin, one of the characters being spotlighted, is at the heart of this struggle, and his journey is a big reason why this book became my favorite. This book also really leaned into the science of Stormlight and broadened much more of the lore of the singers, something I did feel was missing up to this point in the series. Navani also getting a big spotlight really made me appreciate her tackling her imposter syndrome (another thing I struggle with at times) as she has big, scientific eureka moments that put "smarter" people to shame.
“Our weakness doesn’t make us weak. Our weakness makes us strong. For we had to carry it all these years.”
Kaladin Storming Stormblessed will forever be my favorite character in the entire series, and there will be a heavy bias towards him in any future addition to the series (please don't kill him). Kaladin has been at a big crossroads with his morals and beliefs, especially when he's not sure who to protect with his ideals. I thought it was so clever to throw in those scenes in Oathbringer with Kaladin living amongst the enemy and seeing how people aren't so different from one another. It really shouldn't be difficult for nation's leaders to cast aside their differences before the middle ground develops from the corpses of their followers. This forced Kaladin to choose, something that can be incredibly difficult for many people, and finally accept an important lesson for his character.
“They all die, Tien. Everyone dies.” “So they do, don’t they?” “That means it doesn’t matter,” Kaladin said. “None of it matters.” “See, that’s the wrong way of looking at it.” Tien held him tighter. “Since we all go to the same place in the end, the moments we spent with each other are the only things that do matter. The times we helped each other.”
It felt satisfyingly climactic when getting to the end of the book and seeing Kaladin learn to come to peace with his demons and choosing to smile. It's also going to become increasingly more difficult to not spoil something when writing this reviews, there are so many important dominos that I would hate to topple over for someone else. I wasn't the biggest fan of the flashbacks of this book. It was cool to learn more about Navani's past, but Venli's kind of felt repeated in a way? There was probably something more important hidden pertaining to Gavilar, so I hope Wind and Truth colors in some more details from those flashbacks.
“You're always willing to give others more charity than you extend yourself.”
This book does deserve a 5 star rating, but that doesn't mean it was completely perfect. I really felt part III was longer than needed. We did not need to stay in Urithiru for as long as we did, especially when Sanderson was writing about 2 other conflicts happening that felt equally as important. It also felt like the reader was going in circles a lot, which when it comes to mental health problems can feel very much like that. But, I felt like we could have returned to the other conflicts more frequently and still delivered the science behind Light and the Fused.
“It will,” Wit said, “but then it will get better. Then it will get worse again. Then better. This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. I promise you, Kaladin: You will be warm again.”
It's crazy that Sanderson wrote the end of this book 20 years ago and has been slowly crafting his way to get to this moment. It makes me wonder where author's start for there books and how they form their writing around these ideas. I am stoked to be completely caught up in the series (and to take a break from Roshar). I, embarrassingly, get giddy thinking about the anticipation of Sanderson releasing book 6, and it makes me really excited to count down the minutes till the book is released. I am also stoked to see how he closes this first arc of the Stormlight Archive. Everyone should read these books, it has to be one of the best fantasy series in this century.
I think this is my favorite book in the series, and it's not even close.
The Stormlight Archive has a large cast of main characters, and I think Brandon Sanderson does a great job of giving each of them meaningful moments. Each book spotlights different characters, challenging them with something central to their growth. In Rhythm of War, that challenge is mental health—a theme that resonated deeply with me. Kaladin, one of the characters being spotlighted, is at the heart of this struggle, and his journey is a big reason why this book became my favorite. This book also really leaned into the science of Stormlight and broadened much more of the lore of the singers, something I did feel was missing up to this point in the series. Navani also getting a big spotlight really made me appreciate her tackling her imposter syndrome (another thing I struggle with at times) as she has big, scientific eureka moments that put "smarter" people to shame.
“Our weakness doesn’t make us weak. Our weakness makes us strong. For we had to carry it all these years.”
Kaladin Storming Stormblessed will forever be my favorite character in the entire series, and there will be a heavy bias towards him in any future addition to the series (please don't kill him). Kaladin has been at a big crossroads with his morals and beliefs, especially when he's not sure who to protect with his ideals. I thought it was so clever to throw in those scenes in Oathbringer with Kaladin living amongst the enemy and seeing how people aren't so different from one another. It really shouldn't be difficult for nation's leaders to cast aside their differences before the middle ground develops from the corpses of their followers. This forced Kaladin to choose, something that can be incredibly difficult for many people, and finally accept an important lesson for his character.
“They all die, Tien. Everyone dies.” “So they do, don’t they?” “That means it doesn’t matter,” Kaladin said. “None of it matters.” “See, that’s the wrong way of looking at it.” Tien held him tighter. “Since we all go to the same place in the end, the moments we spent with each other are the only things that do matter. The times we helped each other.”
It felt satisfyingly climactic when getting to the end of the book and seeing Kaladin learn to come to peace with his demons and choosing to smile. It's also going to become increasingly more difficult to not spoil something when writing this reviews, there are so many important dominos that I would hate to topple over for someone else. I wasn't the biggest fan of the flashbacks of this book. It was cool to learn more about Navani's past, but Venli's kind of felt repeated in a way? There was probably something more important hidden pertaining to Gavilar, so I hope Wind and Truth colors in some more details from those flashbacks.
“You're always willing to give others more charity than you extend yourself.”
This book does deserve a 5 star rating, but that doesn't mean it was completely perfect. I really felt part III was longer than needed. We did not need to stay in Urithiru for as long as we did, especially when Sanderson was writing about 2 other conflicts happening that felt equally as important. It also felt like the reader was going in circles a lot, which when it comes to mental health problems can feel very much like that. But, I felt like we could have returned to the other conflicts more frequently and still delivered the science behind Light and the Fused.
“It will,” Wit said, “but then it will get better. Then it will get worse again. Then better. This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. I promise you, Kaladin: You will be warm again.”
It's crazy that Sanderson wrote the end of this book 20 years ago and has been slowly crafting his way to get to this moment. It makes me wonder where author's start for there books and how they form their writing around these ideas. I am stoked to be completely caught up in the series (and to take a break from Roshar). I, embarrassingly, get giddy thinking about the anticipation of Sanderson releasing book 6, and it makes me really excited to count down the minutes till the book is released. I am also stoked to see how he closes this first arc of the Stormlight Archive. Everyone should read these books, it has to be one of the best fantasy series in this century.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a solid continuation of this series. Some things have been wrapped up, but it sets the stage for book 5. There were some slow sections in here, but overall a good edition to the series.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-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:
Yes
Good: Sanderson is a master of pacing, and he continues to deliver on the “zooming out” approach where every book expands in scope. It was hard to put this book down, and for the most part the reveals were well worth it.
Bad: The Kaladin/Shallan internal struggles are basically the same thing in each book. This is getting a bit old but he manages to keep it interesting.
Ugly: The “sex scenes” read like they were written by a 12 year old.
Bad: The Kaladin/Shallan internal struggles are basically the same thing in each book. This is getting a bit old but he manages to keep it interesting.
Ugly: The “sex scenes” read like they were written by a 12 year old.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes