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The Cosmere #14
Warbreaker
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago.
Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.
By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.
Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.
By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.
688 pages, ebook
First published June 9, 2009
About the author
Brandon Sanderson
357 books234k followersI’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, comes out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that will see the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Secret Project Four (with its official title reveal coming October 2023). These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. The third era of Mistborn is slated to be written after the first arc of the Stormlight Archive wraps up.
In November 2020 we saw the release of Rhythm of War—the fourth massive book in the New York Times #1 bestselling Stormlight Archive series that began with The Way of Kings—and Dawnshard (book 3.5), a novella set in the same world that bridges the gaps between the main releases. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. The fifth volume, Wind and Truth, is set for release in fall 2024.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, and various novellas available on Amazon, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, come out in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the Legion series, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart,The Emperor’s Soul, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, comes out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that will see the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Secret Project Four (with its official title reveal coming October 2023). These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. The third era of Mistborn is slated to be written after the first arc of the Stormlight Archive wraps up.
In November 2020 we saw the release of Rhythm of War—the fourth massive book in the New York Times #1 bestselling Stormlight Archive series that began with The Way of Kings—and Dawnshard (book 3.5), a novella set in the same world that bridges the gaps between the main releases. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. The fifth volume, Wind and Truth, is set for release in fall 2024.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, and various novellas available on Amazon, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, come out in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the Legion series, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart,The Emperor’s Soul, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 17,105 reviews
May 4, 2023
4.5/5 stars
A colorful, vibrant, and highly character-driven standalone fantasy.
If you haven’t seen the tenth-anniversary leatherbound edition of Warbreaker, I suggest you take a look now by clicking here: https://www.brandonsanderson.com/the-...
No, I don’t have one. However, staring at how gorgeous it is certainly solidified my decision to reread Warbreaker. This time, with the annotated edition which I haven’t done before. I will recommend reading this annotated edition only if you’ve read the book before. It’s terrifying how fast time flies; I can’t believe that it has been three years since I first read this book. Warbreaker was the first book by Brandon Sanderson that I read after I finished his amazing Mistborn trilogy. Back then, I didn’t even realize how important this standalone would become in the overarching magnitude of Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. Having read all of Sanderson’s Cosmere books and going back to this made me realize how much Sanderson has improved as an author. It’s super beneficial to read Warbreaker first before you dive into The Stormlight Archives. Seriously, do it.
Picture: Siri and God King by Dan dos Santos
Taking place in the world of Nalthis, Warbreaker is a standalone novel within Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. Since its publication and for many more years to come, it will remain standalone. The story in Warbreaker follows the tale of two sisters princesses from Idris: Siri and Vivenna. Idris is on the brink of war with Hallandren, and to prevent this war from happening, the king of Idris decides to send Vivenna—who has practiced and learned the culture and religion of Hallandran for years—to marry the God King. However, the king couldn’t go through with this plan at the last minute, and he ends up sending his other daughter—Siri—to marry the God-King instead. Other than Siri, Vivenna, and Susebron, we also follow two other main characters, the reluctant god of bravery Lightsong the Bold, and a mysterious swordsman with a sentient sword, Vasher and Nightblood.
Picture: Vasher and Vivenna by Dan dos Santos
Sanderson takes his time here. Warbreaker is mostly paced like the second book of Mistborn trilogy, The Well of Ascension. It’s slow-paced, and I thank Sanderson for it. Sanderson slowly and gradually builds up the tension of the storyline while making sure each main characters receive proper development and distinctive voices first. Contrast and differences in perspectives are a very huge driving factor of the story here. Sanderson himself has mentioned that Warbreaker is a book with many tone; this is also what made Warbreaker so good to read. An event—even when they’re witnessed together—can be perceived differently; each individual justifies their actions by believing they’re truly doing what’s best for themselves and society. The clash of opinions and beliefs is one of the themes constantly explored in Warbreaker, and it also made the characters more colorful in personality.
I have always loved Sanderson’s characterizations, and Warbreaker contained, in my opinion, some of his most distinctive characters so far. Siri, Vivenna, Lightsong, Vasher, Nightblood, Susebron, and Denth respectively differ in key personality, and I enjoyed reading their progression immensely. Almost all of the chemistry between the characters in this novel comes in pairs: Siri with Susebron, Vivenna with Denth or Vasher, Lightsong with Blushweaver or Larimar, and Vasher with Nightblood. The development and the interactions of these characters are the spotlights of the book for me; they felt so natural. The romance development between Siri and God-King, in particular, was endearing, and it felt so genuine. Warbreaker is a very heavily character-driven book, which luckily is my favorite type of narrative to read, and these characters have so many traits to love. I’m so invested in the characters that I honestly wish the sequel would be published already because I want to know more about them.
Picture: Blushweaver and Lightsong by Miranda Meeks
Also, if I may give a piece of advice, if you haven’t read any of Sanderson’s books in his Cosmere universe, Warbreaker is a great starting point for your adventures. I usually recommend readers to start with Mistborn trilogy, but if you find the idea of going through a 1500+ pages long series daunting, Warbreaker should be a safer choice. I don’t think you should worry too much about it though, Sanderson has one of the most accessible prose in the genre; he knows how to write impactful scenes without relying on a “beautiful” writing style. His prose allows him to tell a high fantasy story accessible by many readers around the world. I believe this is one of the many reasons why his books are so damn successful. The internal thoughts of the characters were well-delivered; the dialogues and banter were incredibly entertaining to read. More than any other book in the Cosmere universe, Warbreaker is quite likely the one that relies on banter and dialogues the most. I loved it; for example, pretty much every appearance that involved Lightsong was utterly delightful to read.
Excluding the vivid and cinematic quality that came from the writing, Sanderson’s accessible prose also enhanced the delivery of Sanderson’s staple hard magic system. Designing an intricate and unique magic system is one of Sanderson’s main talents as an author and storyteller. I won’t even bother to explain the in-depth complexity of Awakening—the magic system in Warbreaker. Awakeners are capable of combining colors, BioChromatic Breath, and a Command to animate an object. This, however, doesn’t even begin to touch the surface of the depth and intricacies of the magic system. Sanderson continuously ramps up the intensity of the story, and eventually, it all leads towards the brilliant Sanderlanche (Sanderson’s Avalanche) conclusion in the final ten percent of the novel.
Picture: Vasher and Nightblood by Micah Epstein
Unsurprisingly and undoubtedly, I loved Warbreaker. I will devour its sequel—currently titled Nightblood—immediately when it’s out. From what I’ve gathered in the most recent State of Sanderson in 2019, there’s a good chance that we won’t be getting a sequel until at least 2025. Assuming this prediction is true, Nightblood will be out sixteen years after Warbreaker was first published in 2009. I know that sounds ridiculously long, but that’s just how things operate in Sanderson’s multi-volume/series Cosmere universe. That being said, Warbreaker is an absolutely wonderful standalone that shines with its magic system and well-realized characters. Plus, the multitude of story elements such as mystery, politics, actions, romance, and intricate magic systems also worked magnificently. Color me impressed once again, Sanderson. Your book left me breathless on my first read, and it continues to be breathtaking on reread.
Yes, I'll let myself out now.
You can order the book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, ReignBro, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Shaad, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe.
A colorful, vibrant, and highly character-driven standalone fantasy.
If you haven’t seen the tenth-anniversary leatherbound edition of Warbreaker, I suggest you take a look now by clicking here: https://www.brandonsanderson.com/the-...
No, I don’t have one. However, staring at how gorgeous it is certainly solidified my decision to reread Warbreaker. This time, with the annotated edition which I haven’t done before. I will recommend reading this annotated edition only if you’ve read the book before. It’s terrifying how fast time flies; I can’t believe that it has been three years since I first read this book. Warbreaker was the first book by Brandon Sanderson that I read after I finished his amazing Mistborn trilogy. Back then, I didn’t even realize how important this standalone would become in the overarching magnitude of Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. Having read all of Sanderson’s Cosmere books and going back to this made me realize how much Sanderson has improved as an author. It’s super beneficial to read Warbreaker first before you dive into The Stormlight Archives. Seriously, do it.
Picture: Siri and God King by Dan dos Santos
Taking place in the world of Nalthis, Warbreaker is a standalone novel within Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. Since its publication and for many more years to come, it will remain standalone. The story in Warbreaker follows the tale of two sisters princesses from Idris: Siri and Vivenna. Idris is on the brink of war with Hallandren, and to prevent this war from happening, the king of Idris decides to send Vivenna—who has practiced and learned the culture and religion of Hallandran for years—to marry the God King. However, the king couldn’t go through with this plan at the last minute, and he ends up sending his other daughter—Siri—to marry the God-King instead. Other than Siri, Vivenna, and Susebron, we also follow two other main characters, the reluctant god of bravery Lightsong the Bold, and a mysterious swordsman with a sentient sword, Vasher and Nightblood.
Picture: Vasher and Vivenna by Dan dos Santos
Sanderson takes his time here. Warbreaker is mostly paced like the second book of Mistborn trilogy, The Well of Ascension. It’s slow-paced, and I thank Sanderson for it. Sanderson slowly and gradually builds up the tension of the storyline while making sure each main characters receive proper development and distinctive voices first. Contrast and differences in perspectives are a very huge driving factor of the story here. Sanderson himself has mentioned that Warbreaker is a book with many tone; this is also what made Warbreaker so good to read. An event—even when they’re witnessed together—can be perceived differently; each individual justifies their actions by believing they’re truly doing what’s best for themselves and society. The clash of opinions and beliefs is one of the themes constantly explored in Warbreaker, and it also made the characters more colorful in personality.
“Every man is a hero of his own story.”
I have always loved Sanderson’s characterizations, and Warbreaker contained, in my opinion, some of his most distinctive characters so far. Siri, Vivenna, Lightsong, Vasher, Nightblood, Susebron, and Denth respectively differ in key personality, and I enjoyed reading their progression immensely. Almost all of the chemistry between the characters in this novel comes in pairs: Siri with Susebron, Vivenna with Denth or Vasher, Lightsong with Blushweaver or Larimar, and Vasher with Nightblood. The development and the interactions of these characters are the spotlights of the book for me; they felt so natural. The romance development between Siri and God-King, in particular, was endearing, and it felt so genuine. Warbreaker is a very heavily character-driven book, which luckily is my favorite type of narrative to read, and these characters have so many traits to love. I’m so invested in the characters that I honestly wish the sequel would be published already because I want to know more about them.
Picture: Blushweaver and Lightsong by Miranda Meeks
Also, if I may give a piece of advice, if you haven’t read any of Sanderson’s books in his Cosmere universe, Warbreaker is a great starting point for your adventures. I usually recommend readers to start with Mistborn trilogy, but if you find the idea of going through a 1500+ pages long series daunting, Warbreaker should be a safer choice. I don’t think you should worry too much about it though, Sanderson has one of the most accessible prose in the genre; he knows how to write impactful scenes without relying on a “beautiful” writing style. His prose allows him to tell a high fantasy story accessible by many readers around the world. I believe this is one of the many reasons why his books are so damn successful. The internal thoughts of the characters were well-delivered; the dialogues and banter were incredibly entertaining to read. More than any other book in the Cosmere universe, Warbreaker is quite likely the one that relies on banter and dialogues the most. I loved it; for example, pretty much every appearance that involved Lightsong was utterly delightful to read.
“I swear, my dear. Sometimes our conversations remind me of a broken sword."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Sharp as hell," Lightsong said, "but lacking a point.”
Excluding the vivid and cinematic quality that came from the writing, Sanderson’s accessible prose also enhanced the delivery of Sanderson’s staple hard magic system. Designing an intricate and unique magic system is one of Sanderson’s main talents as an author and storyteller. I won’t even bother to explain the in-depth complexity of Awakening—the magic system in Warbreaker. Awakeners are capable of combining colors, BioChromatic Breath, and a Command to animate an object. This, however, doesn’t even begin to touch the surface of the depth and intricacies of the magic system. Sanderson continuously ramps up the intensity of the story, and eventually, it all leads towards the brilliant Sanderlanche (Sanderson’s Avalanche) conclusion in the final ten percent of the novel.
Picture: Vasher and Nightblood by Micah Epstein
Unsurprisingly and undoubtedly, I loved Warbreaker. I will devour its sequel—currently titled Nightblood—immediately when it’s out. From what I’ve gathered in the most recent State of Sanderson in 2019, there’s a good chance that we won’t be getting a sequel until at least 2025. Assuming this prediction is true, Nightblood will be out sixteen years after Warbreaker was first published in 2009. I know that sounds ridiculously long, but that’s just how things operate in Sanderson’s multi-volume/series Cosmere universe. That being said, Warbreaker is an absolutely wonderful standalone that shines with its magic system and well-realized characters. Plus, the multitude of story elements such as mystery, politics, actions, romance, and intricate magic systems also worked magnificently. Color me impressed once again, Sanderson. Your book left me breathless on my first read, and it continues to be breathtaking on reread.
Yes, I'll let myself out now.
You can order the book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Element, Ellen, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jimmy Nutts, Jennifer, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, ReignBro, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Shaad, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe.
March 21, 2017
AHHH
WHAT JUST
I need the next book. Now. And I don't have it. What do I do!?
WHAT JUST
I need the next book. Now. And I don't have it. What do I do!?
August 17, 2018
A man cannot claim to be a fantasy fan if a man hasn't read Brandon Sanderson at least once in his lifetime.
I feel like I was dormant Before. An inanimate object patiently awaiting, until Brandon Sanderson infused my molecules with Breath, until he Awakened me and gave me senses, feelings, purpose. Ever since I finished Warbreaker, my mind floats and wanders around Cosmere, and I can't seem to find the courage nor the will to come back.
It's unsettling, but it feels right.
Three centuries ago, the land of Hallandren was united. Until the Manywar erupted, the religion of the Iridescent Tones was founded and the royal line fled, creating the kingdom of Idris. Idris and Hallandren have been on the brink of armed conflict for years, but now the future of Nalthis lies in the hands of four individuals. A god who doesn't believe in his own divinity. A princess whose life goal was taken away from her. An immortal wielding a sword that leaks shadows. A princess locked in a gilded cage. And in the middle of chaos, conspiracies, backstabbings and schemes, the God King himself.
I read The Final Empire many years ago, and even though I don't remember much, I cannot forget the ingrained belief that Brandon Sanderson crafts the most intricate and imaginative worlds concerning religion, magic system, governmental structure and setting. Warbreaker is no exception. Nalthis was masterfully woven, the author spun fibers into elaborate threads, the threads turned into colorful, dazzling tapestries that stole your Breath but, instead of leaving you a Drab, you ended up absorbing more and more Breath, until your senses were hightened, your perception widened and separating yourself from the story demanded huge physical effort. While adjusting to the surroundings of Idris and Hallandren, as well as grasping the meaning of Breath and Awakening, was a timely prodecure - thus the 4.5 stars - the fact that Brandon Sanderson's talent is unrivaled remains undisputed. The pantheon of Hallandren, the foggy events and discoveries that led to the Manywar, the story of the Five Scholars, the subtle differencies between matter which is able to be Awakened, the prerogatives and limitations of being a Returned, they were not served on a silver platter; there were tidbits scattered throughout the story, keeping you alert, showing up when you needed them, guiding you to the labyrinth of the politics and hidden agendas of the Court of Gods. It was a marvelous experience.
The flow of the narration wasn't particularly fast, but it paved the road for the climax that dominated the last 100 pages and rendered you speechless, gasping like fish out of water. The plot consisted of complicated schemes, power bids and war preparations; you followed Vivenna's journey to undermine the ability of her opponents to conduct war and save her little sister; Siri on her quest to survive in a court that only needed her womb; and Lightsong the Bold on his efforts to prove that he is not worthy, that no one should depend on him, that he is a joke of a god. The plot twists were unrelenting, and occasionally painful (a moment of silence for the souls that were crushed after The Basement Scene); the revelations shocking to say the least; and the characters a rainbow of flaws, mistakes and determination.
Lightsong the Bold truly was a multi-layered hero, and a personal favorite. His conversations with his priest, Llarimar, put a permanent smile on my face (they sounded like a couple married for years), while his exchanges with Blushweaver and the other Returned gave me headaches (unlike Lightsong, I can suffer from headaches, but those were of the good kind). He imbued the story with mirth, and his existential questions found their answers in the most astonishing manner. Siri, the reckless princess that found herself in a position of importance and great peril, had a strong arc that transformed her into a Queen; her willingness to give a chance to a culture she'd learned to hate, her compassion towards Susebron and her attempts at manipulation made her a refreshing and endearing character I came to root for. Vivenna's development was also well-portrayed; most of the time she was the pious, stiff and judgemental princess that hated being unimportant after being trained otherwise, but the struggles and heartache she faced changed her to the core, made her resilient and more open-minded, and I loved the person she became. Vasher had the martyr quality and the redemption arc I always cherish, and even though his past was hidden, and the side he worked for was a mystery for a great while, he was one of the main reasons this book was so, so good. The addition of Nightblood, the sword to destroy evil but doesn't recognize evil was a product of pure ingenuity. As for Susebron, I'm just going to say two words: soft marshmallow.
Warbreaker is an epic, all-encompassing fantasy tale that features politics, religion, magic and romance, and confirms what is already established: that Brandon Sanderson is a master of the genre.
The Way of Kings, you're next.
Review also posted on BookNest!
“My life to yours. My Breath become yours.”
I feel like I was dormant Before. An inanimate object patiently awaiting, until Brandon Sanderson infused my molecules with Breath, until he Awakened me and gave me senses, feelings, purpose. Ever since I finished Warbreaker, my mind floats and wanders around Cosmere, and I can't seem to find the courage nor the will to come back.
It's unsettling, but it feels right.
“Every man is a hero of his own story.”
Three centuries ago, the land of Hallandren was united. Until the Manywar erupted, the religion of the Iridescent Tones was founded and the royal line fled, creating the kingdom of Idris. Idris and Hallandren have been on the brink of armed conflict for years, but now the future of Nalthis lies in the hands of four individuals. A god who doesn't believe in his own divinity. A princess whose life goal was taken away from her. An immortal wielding a sword that leaks shadows. A princess locked in a gilded cage. And in the middle of chaos, conspiracies, backstabbings and schemes, the God King himself.
“A person knows when they’re in darkness, even when they can’t see.”
I read The Final Empire many years ago, and even though I don't remember much, I cannot forget the ingrained belief that Brandon Sanderson crafts the most intricate and imaginative worlds concerning religion, magic system, governmental structure and setting. Warbreaker is no exception. Nalthis was masterfully woven, the author spun fibers into elaborate threads, the threads turned into colorful, dazzling tapestries that stole your Breath but, instead of leaving you a Drab, you ended up absorbing more and more Breath, until your senses were hightened, your perception widened and separating yourself from the story demanded huge physical effort. While adjusting to the surroundings of Idris and Hallandren, as well as grasping the meaning of Breath and Awakening, was a timely prodecure - thus the 4.5 stars - the fact that Brandon Sanderson's talent is unrivaled remains undisputed. The pantheon of Hallandren, the foggy events and discoveries that led to the Manywar, the story of the Five Scholars, the subtle differencies between matter which is able to be Awakened, the prerogatives and limitations of being a Returned, they were not served on a silver platter; there were tidbits scattered throughout the story, keeping you alert, showing up when you needed them, guiding you to the labyrinth of the politics and hidden agendas of the Court of Gods. It was a marvelous experience.
The flow of the narration wasn't particularly fast, but it paved the road for the climax that dominated the last 100 pages and rendered you speechless, gasping like fish out of water. The plot consisted of complicated schemes, power bids and war preparations; you followed Vivenna's journey to undermine the ability of her opponents to conduct war and save her little sister; Siri on her quest to survive in a court that only needed her womb; and Lightsong the Bold on his efforts to prove that he is not worthy, that no one should depend on him, that he is a joke of a god. The plot twists were unrelenting, and occasionally painful (a moment of silence for the souls that were crushed after The Basement Scene); the revelations shocking to say the least; and the characters a rainbow of flaws, mistakes and determination.
“My dear, did you just try to prove the existence of God through the use of your cleavage?”
Lightsong the Bold truly was a multi-layered hero, and a personal favorite. His conversations with his priest, Llarimar, put a permanent smile on my face (they sounded like a couple married for years), while his exchanges with Blushweaver and the other Returned gave me headaches (unlike Lightsong, I can suffer from headaches, but those were of the good kind). He imbued the story with mirth, and his existential questions found their answers in the most astonishing manner. Siri, the reckless princess that found herself in a position of importance and great peril, had a strong arc that transformed her into a Queen; her willingness to give a chance to a culture she'd learned to hate, her compassion towards Susebron and her attempts at manipulation made her a refreshing and endearing character I came to root for. Vivenna's development was also well-portrayed; most of the time she was the pious, stiff and judgemental princess that hated being unimportant after being trained otherwise, but the struggles and heartache she faced changed her to the core, made her resilient and more open-minded, and I loved the person she became. Vasher had the martyr quality and the redemption arc I always cherish, and even though his past was hidden, and the side he worked for was a mystery for a great while, he was one of the main reasons this book was so, so good. The addition of Nightblood, the sword to destroy evil but doesn't recognize evil was a product of pure ingenuity. As for Susebron, I'm just going to say two words: soft marshmallow.
Warbreaker is an epic, all-encompassing fantasy tale that features politics, religion, magic and romance, and confirms what is already established: that Brandon Sanderson is a master of the genre.
The Way of Kings, you're next.
Review also posted on BookNest!
March 25, 2024
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One of Sanderson's weaker books
While I appreciate the world that Sanderson has built here for Warbreaker, and his truly innovative magic system -- I just can't recommend this book like I can for his other amazing works.
The ending was classic Sanderson with a very clever way to bring everything together that was long foreshadowed (but not realized by me until the end), but things felt rushed at the end and I couldn't connect with the characters like I normally can with him.
I think Sanderson is at his best when he is working with a longer series, as this book shared a lot of the same problems that Elantris had.
Read this if you are really into Sanderson and have finished his other books, but I absolutely would not use this book as an entry into his works.
One of Sanderson's weaker books
While I appreciate the world that Sanderson has built here for Warbreaker, and his truly innovative magic system -- I just can't recommend this book like I can for his other amazing works.
The ending was classic Sanderson with a very clever way to bring everything together that was long foreshadowed (but not realized by me until the end), but things felt rushed at the end and I couldn't connect with the characters like I normally can with him.
I think Sanderson is at his best when he is working with a longer series, as this book shared a lot of the same problems that Elantris had.
Read this if you are really into Sanderson and have finished his other books, but I absolutely would not use this book as an entry into his works.
October 24, 2020
Son of a damn ass cracker!!! Whyyyyyyyyyyy! I’ve had this mass market FOREVER! I have the Audible. It’s been on my TBR since 2015. What the literal hell!
I could have bought the damn ass special edition if I would have read it and realized I would love it!! Because I’m a twat!!! Gahhh! I could scream. I mean I generally love all Brandon fantasy books. I’m a twat! Okay, rant over 😂🤣
I loved this book!! I love the characters! I love how unique and different it is, to me anyway.
And all the colors!!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I could have bought the damn ass special edition if I would have read it and realized I would love it!! Because I’m a twat!!! Gahhh! I could scream. I mean I generally love all Brandon fantasy books. I’m a twat! Okay, rant over 😂🤣
I loved this book!! I love the characters! I love how unique and different it is, to me anyway.
And all the colors!!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
April 25, 2017
"My life to yours. My Breath become yours.”
Buddy read with my homies at fantasy buddy reads & some of my favorite people;
1. Mary
2. Patty
3.Celeste
4.Choko
HOLY SHIT
SLAP MY ASS AND CALL ME SUE! WHAT IN GODS NAME DID I JUST READ?! ILL TELL YOU WHAT, A FUCKING MASTERPIECE.
“Every man is a hero of his own story."
This book was absolutely mind blowing good, it took my breath away & now I'm a drab, I am once again at a loss for words after another Sanderson book. Seriously how does he manage to do it ? Like honestly how does this genius think of such complex magic systems and pull them off everytime! How does he fit so much talent into one brain? I feel like Sanderson isn't even a real person, I have never ever been so mind blown before & can't believe he manages to shock & excite me with every single book he writes. All his books are just so intense and fantastic. I literally loved every second spent reading this.
I kinda wished I read this before Stormlight Archive, I know it isn't in the right order to read Warbreaker first but I feel I wouldn't have missed a few connections if I had read this first and I certainly would have understood Nightblood and Zahel a lot more. (Do not Google these characters if you plan on reading Sandersons other series).
This book was just so good like all of Sandersons works it is a slow burner and doesn't get action packed until about halfway through. This is one of my favorite things about Sandersons writing style, I love the slow burn & the build up (I feel like I might die of a heart attack everytime the build up starts its just intense to say the least). I'm always on the edge of my seat because his stories are so full of twists and are the least predictable books I've read. Whenever I pick up something from his Cosmere works I find myself trying to work everything out from the beginning, I feel like a detective, I'm always on the lookout for his world hoppers especially Hoid. It's like playing Where's Wally only in a book. And I feel I can never trust anyone because the bad guy is always who you don't expect. Sandersons books should come with a warning label expect the unexpected .
This book had such a fantastic ending that I almost jumped out of my seat cheering for the characters I loved & I was so shocked to find out who the bad guy was, let me just say I never expected it to be that person. I read 50% of this book in three hours, I couldn't put it down. Everytime I turned a page I felt sick with anticipation. The almost sex scenes in this book shocked and surprised me, I loved it. I know Sanderson is a practicing Mormon and doesn't write sex scenes but it was awesome to have a little more passion in this book.
Okay that's enough raving, this story is set in the Shardworld of Nathlis. It's about two sister Siri and Vivienne who are from Idris, basically Vivienne has been trained her whole life to be the God Kings wife to form a treaty between Idris & Hallandren. The king of Idris decides to send his youngest daughter Siri instead. Vivienne goes on a rescue mission to save her sister because a war is brewing between the two countries. In Hallandren there are living gods called the returned and basically shit turns sour and the girls & gods go on one hell of a ride. The magic in this story is in their breath.. Yep in their fucking breath.. What will he think of next ?
'Another precaution. In order to Awaken, the man would need three things: Breath, color, and a Command.'
I absolutely loved Siri, I thought she was the sweetest buttercup ever, she is kind, caring, opinionated & extremely naive but she's still clever. She reminded me of Shallan from WoK. I enjoyed Siri's character development and by the end was so obsessed with her, I wanted to defend and protect her, she's so bloody sweet.
Vivienne impressed me so much, like wow. Her character at the end was so badass. A few times in this book I thought she was just a pompous princess who liked tooting her own horn, but she turned my opinion around and I actually ended up liking her more then Siri. I wish I could grow my hair & change color like the princess's can, I'd never have to see a hairdresser ever again.
“You're a very difficult person to manipulate, you know."
"Nonsense," he said. "You just have to promise me that I won't have to do a thing, and then I'll do anything you want."
"Anything?"
"Anything that doesn't require doing anything."
"That's nothing, then."
"Is it?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's something.”
Lightsong... Ahh where do I begin ? From the start I loved Lightsong, his description was so sexy. He made me laugh everytime it was his POV, but he did end up annoying me a tad. I loved his priest and the reveal at the end made me cry so much, he is truly a wonderful person and a horrible liar.
'“I swear, my dear. Sometimes our conversations remind me of a broken sword." She raised an eyebrow."Sharp as hell," Lightsong said, "but lacking a point.”
Blushweaver is a character that I couldn't stand, I do not like the bitchy pretty characters that are like "look I've got a great set of tits and no how to use them". I did however enjoy her flirtiness and enjoyed even more seeing her get rejected. I do feel bad for blushweaver because she wasn't that bad.
'Susebron, the God King. Awesome, terrible, holy, majestic. He had been stillborn, but had Returned.'
The GOD KING, wow.. Wow.. WOW.. totally not what I expected and I loved him so much, seriously what a precious little cinnamon roll, he is so bloody lovely. What a fantastic character & what a great twist at the end.
Nightblood a talking sword, that's a creep and a smart ass without even noticing. I loved his blood thirstiness he just wants to kill everyone haha oh and I also loved when he was like "DESTROY" wow wow wow it gave me tingles.
'He was rough. He was brutal. He had a terrible temper. But he was a good man.
VASHER.... Oh me oh my... Where have you been my whole existence ? Obviously not created, haha but my god I love him. Thanks Sanderson for once again making one of the most awesome & loveable badass character ever. He was so GRUMPY I loved it. He is my grumble bum<3 also when he drew Nightblood I had goosebumps HOLY FUCKING SHIT. That was such an incredible fight scene.
I really wish I could say more and write down all my theories/discoveries but I want everyone to enjoy a spoiler free review. I'm happy to keep my other secrets safe in my brain haha.
"Unknowing ignorance is preferable to informed stupidity.”
I recommend this book to every single person, go READ IT NOW or I'll DESTROY you with nightblood.
For people who have read this book my only theory that was right was
March 10, 2019
lets play six degrees of brandon sanderson! i will go first - i recently found out that my dads brothers wifes brother is childhood best friends with brandon and they still are close to this day. so much so that my cousins have met him, got books signed, etc. after hearing about this, i felt obligated that my next read should be one of his novels. i mean, we are practically family. lol.
after ‘elantris,’ its so amazing to see how much sanderson has developed as a writer and author since his debut novel. the incredible creativity is still present, but it just feels more refined in this story. i thought the magic system and fantasy elements were much more fully explored and developed, with all the court politics and war strategising as a support for the plot (and not the other way around). this just feels like a much stronger story, and one i really enjoyed.
im still not sure im a fan of his pacing, which seems to be a constant for his books (or so i have heard). i understand the slow buildup, simmering, until everything culminates into one giant explosion of action towards the end. but, similar to his debut, it makes the ending feel rushed to me. its not necessarily disruptive, but it definitely is a lot to take in all at once.
and even though i felt like everything was rushed, i actually really appreciate that the story was nicely wrapped up, but that the epilogue also provided a segue for a sequel. i hate cliffhangers with a passion, so sanderson gets a gold star in my book for the conclusion (not necessarily how he concluded, but just that everything was concluded in general).
ive been putting off the mistborn series for a while now, so i guess its now finally time to pick it up!
↠ 4.5 stars
after ‘elantris,’ its so amazing to see how much sanderson has developed as a writer and author since his debut novel. the incredible creativity is still present, but it just feels more refined in this story. i thought the magic system and fantasy elements were much more fully explored and developed, with all the court politics and war strategising as a support for the plot (and not the other way around). this just feels like a much stronger story, and one i really enjoyed.
im still not sure im a fan of his pacing, which seems to be a constant for his books (or so i have heard). i understand the slow buildup, simmering, until everything culminates into one giant explosion of action towards the end. but, similar to his debut, it makes the ending feel rushed to me. its not necessarily disruptive, but it definitely is a lot to take in all at once.
and even though i felt like everything was rushed, i actually really appreciate that the story was nicely wrapped up, but that the epilogue also provided a segue for a sequel. i hate cliffhangers with a passion, so sanderson gets a gold star in my book for the conclusion (not necessarily how he concluded, but just that everything was concluded in general).
ive been putting off the mistborn series for a while now, so i guess its now finally time to pick it up!
↠ 4.5 stars
December 20, 2017
4.5 I always have a hard time reviewing Brandon Sanderson's books. As always the world building and the magic system is what makes this book amazing. I really liked the story and the twist I didn't see coming.
I would totally recommend this books and cannot wait for the sequel since the title is the name of one of my favorite character... a talking sword :P
I would totally recommend this books and cannot wait for the sequel since the title is the name of one of my favorite character... a talking sword :P
February 9, 2023
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
I've been had.
I'm simultaneously impressed and infuriated by this knowledge.
It's not that I consider myself to be exceptionally smart so that nothing ever gets by me, or that I'm super sneaky and thus able to suss out super sneakiness in others, but you know how it is: when you've read enough books, you become cynical.
If a character does even a single eyebrow-raising thing, you've got their number. Anything that qualifies as "questionable" behavior a suspect makes.
Take that well-developed cynicism and combine it with my OCD detail-orientedness, and, well . . . it's not often that I don't at least speculate when something's amiss.
And so I say again: I've. Been. HAD.
*grumbles*
Moving on . . .
Worldbuilding:
This world is another brand new concept to me, based on color, and, honestly, it probably wouldn't have worked if it wasn't so easy to visualize (b/c not a visual person).
I don't have a movie playing in my head as I'm reading a book.
I have vague to not-so-vague impressions of what things and people look like, but unless a description is so detailed that I associate it with something else I've already seen, I don't develop a clear picture. And maybe that's exactly what was going on here ( The Wizard of Oz , anyone?), but, regardless, it was easy to imagine, so it did work.
The basic idea revolves around a magic system fueled by soul energy (sort of . . . maybe . . . O.o). Only it's called Breath. The more Breaths you have, the more colorful the world around you becomes and the more magic (animating) you can perform. A person whose Breath has been stolen/taken/given up willingly is called a Drab. They're alive, but they've lost some essential spark.
It's quite hideous, actually . . . but strangely compelling all the same.
Characters:
Sanderson does this thing . . . he gives you a character (or three) that you don't like--I don't think you're even supposed to like them--and then he grows them. Slowly. Painfully. By the end, even if you still don't like them, you have respect for their journey, and you see how you could like them once they've weathered life's storm of reality checks. These characters are always young adults, so the forging process is entirely believable.
This sort of thing doesn't work for me outside of fantasy, b/c not enough book. Here though . . . there are plenty of other characters you do like to take the heat off the ones you have to patient with.
I like it. It adds depth and makes the scenario--fantastical as it is--more credible.
I'm not going to say anything about specific characters, b/c I don't think I can without launching a rant (b/c tricked and/or heartbroken). Just believe me with I say that they are wonderful and easy to connect with. *rants* *sobs* *glowers* *wails*
Plot:
This is going to be short, not b/c it wasn't compelling, but b/c the plot points are simple and effective: arranged marriage to unify two nations on the brink of war.
It does not go as planned.
Conjecture:
Everything else:
This is only my second Sanderson read, but in addition to the character(s)-you-don't-like, other patterns are also emerging.
I like this, too. It makes me feel like I understand the author and his story-telling process, so when he does one of those things that are typical of him, I can sit back and say, "That Sanderson . . . ha ha, ho ho . . . look at him doing that thing he does," b/c it feels like I know him.
These things are:
1. SURPRISE Bad Guy
2. Last 10% that might literally kill you (b/c heart attack).
3. HERO. As in true Hero to inspire epic poetry, b/c gloriously selfless and loyal and ALL THE THINGS that a Hero is supposed to be.
There are probably others, but I haven't picked up on them yet, b/c Sanderson noob. BUT. Believe me, I will keep you posted, and WARBREAKER is a must read, regardless of where you happen to be on your journey through the Cosmere. Highly recommended.
.
I've been had.
I'm simultaneously impressed and infuriated by this knowledge.
It's not that I consider myself to be exceptionally smart so that nothing ever gets by me, or that I'm super sneaky and thus able to suss out super sneakiness in others, but you know how it is: when you've read enough books, you become cynical.
If a character does even a single eyebrow-raising thing, you've got their number. Anything that qualifies as "questionable" behavior a suspect makes.
Take that well-developed cynicism and combine it with my OCD detail-orientedness, and, well . . . it's not often that I don't at least speculate when something's amiss.
And so I say again: I've. Been. HAD.
*grumbles*
Moving on . . .
Worldbuilding:
This world is another brand new concept to me, based on color, and, honestly, it probably wouldn't have worked if it wasn't so easy to visualize (b/c not a visual person).
I don't have a movie playing in my head as I'm reading a book.
I have vague to not-so-vague impressions of what things and people look like, but unless a description is so detailed that I associate it with something else I've already seen, I don't develop a clear picture. And maybe that's exactly what was going on here ( The Wizard of Oz , anyone?), but, regardless, it was easy to imagine, so it did work.
The basic idea revolves around a magic system fueled by soul energy (sort of . . . maybe . . . O.o). Only it's called Breath. The more Breaths you have, the more colorful the world around you becomes and the more magic (animating) you can perform. A person whose Breath has been stolen/taken/given up willingly is called a Drab. They're alive, but they've lost some essential spark.
It's quite hideous, actually . . . but strangely compelling all the same.
Characters:
Sanderson does this thing . . . he gives you a character (or three) that you don't like--I don't think you're even supposed to like them--and then he grows them. Slowly. Painfully. By the end, even if you still don't like them, you have respect for their journey, and you see how you could like them once they've weathered life's storm of reality checks. These characters are always young adults, so the forging process is entirely believable.
This sort of thing doesn't work for me outside of fantasy, b/c not enough book. Here though . . . there are plenty of other characters you do like to take the heat off the ones you have to patient with.
I like it. It adds depth and makes the scenario--fantastical as it is--more credible.
I'm not going to say anything about specific characters, b/c I don't think I can without launching a rant (b/c tricked and/or heartbroken). Just believe me with I say that they are wonderful and easy to connect with. *rants* *sobs* *glowers* *wails*
Plot:
This is going to be short, not b/c it wasn't compelling, but b/c the plot points are simple and effective: arranged marriage to unify two nations on the brink of war.
It does not go as planned.
Conjecture:
Everything else:
This is only my second Sanderson read, but in addition to the character(s)-you-don't-like, other patterns are also emerging.
I like this, too. It makes me feel like I understand the author and his story-telling process, so when he does one of those things that are typical of him, I can sit back and say, "That Sanderson . . . ha ha, ho ho . . . look at him doing that thing he does," b/c it feels like I know him.
These things are:
1. SURPRISE Bad Guy
2. Last 10% that might literally kill you (b/c heart attack).
3. HERO. As in true Hero to inspire epic poetry, b/c gloriously selfless and loyal and ALL THE THINGS that a Hero is supposed to be.
There are probably others, but I haven't picked up on them yet, b/c Sanderson noob. BUT. Believe me, I will keep you posted, and WARBREAKER is a must read, regardless of where you happen to be on your journey through the Cosmere. Highly recommended.
.
August 11, 2023
This has the dumbest premise, but somehow Sanderson makes it work.
So, everything is based on color in this world.
Not skin color. Color-color. Like color is the thing that gives gods power. And the more color, or biochroma you have, the more powerful you are.
And how do you get biochroma? You suck in breaths. Not real breaths of air, but soul breaths. Kind of? Some of the people believe your breath is your soul and some people don't.
There are several religions based around this stuff and none of them are probably right.
The point about the breath stuff is that you can give it away but only willingly. So if you give your breath to someone (usually for $$) then they get a bit more powerful and you become what they refer to as a drab.
The more breaths you have, the more powerful you become. Some of that power translates into what you can see and feel, and some of it is the ability to animate objects to do specific tasks.
There are all sorts of rules to this sort of magic and it's a bit too complex to try to explain in a few sentences, but you can basically make shit move like Mickey Mouse in Fantasia.
The two princesses the blurb refers to are from this wonky little country of prudes who think that owning things with vibrant colors is ostentatious and offensive to their god. They dress blandly and modestly, try to keep their emotions under control, and basically just live with very little ornamentation in their homes.
You find out that the oldest has been promised in marriage to one of the gods (head god, in fact) of the rival country as part of a peace treaty that was signed years and years ago. And her country hates these guys. They're all bold and colorful and instead of the One God, they worship lots of these powerful sidekick gods that are all brightly clothed and gluttonous, live in a special area for gods surrounded by their priests, and get catered to by being fed the breaths of children whose parents have been paid off.
That's...nice?
PLOT TWIST! <--this happens right away, btw
The king can't bear to send his lovely obedient perfect daughter off to get plowed by some gross god, so he does a last minute switch and tosses his loud, obnoxious, semi-rebellious youngest daughter to the wolves.
What?!
Hey, it's ok. Turns out she likes the wolves a lot better than she thought she would.
And what about her proper, biddable, older sister?
Well, she gets her ass in gear and heads across the countryside to save her little sister and maybe start a rebellion with some mercenaries that she meets along the way.
OH SHIT! PLOT TWIST!
But this time around I'm just not going to tell you what happens.
Let's just say that not everyone is what they seem. Layers, folks. This book has lots and lots of layers.
The gods themselves are also a big part of the story. There's a lot of mystery surrounding who they are and why they seemingly came back to life with all this power. <--did I mention that the gods were just regular people who for reasons unknown have popped back up from the dead?
Well, they are.
Except for the god that our rebellious princess has to marry. He's been BORN a god.
Or has he?
You'll have to read it to find out.
Ok, so one thing I liked is that this doesn't end on a cliffhanger. Yeah, you can tell that there will be more tales coming in this world, and more than likely it will involve most of the characters you meet in this book.
BUT.
I also feel like you could stop here if you wanted to. Which is a nice feeling since it doesn't look like the next book in the series is expected to be out anytime soon.
cough
And this may be a controversial statement to make, but I know Sanderson fans are pretty cool, so I'm only a little scared.
I actually liked this much better than Mistborn.
Just the vibe of it. I thought eating metal was kind of a gross way to get superpowers, so all this color shit was much more my jam.
Recommended.
So, everything is based on color in this world.
Not skin color. Color-color. Like color is the thing that gives gods power. And the more color, or biochroma you have, the more powerful you are.
And how do you get biochroma? You suck in breaths. Not real breaths of air, but soul breaths. Kind of? Some of the people believe your breath is your soul and some people don't.
There are several religions based around this stuff and none of them are probably right.
The point about the breath stuff is that you can give it away but only willingly. So if you give your breath to someone (usually for $$) then they get a bit more powerful and you become what they refer to as a drab.
The more breaths you have, the more powerful you become. Some of that power translates into what you can see and feel, and some of it is the ability to animate objects to do specific tasks.
There are all sorts of rules to this sort of magic and it's a bit too complex to try to explain in a few sentences, but you can basically make shit move like Mickey Mouse in Fantasia.
The two princesses the blurb refers to are from this wonky little country of prudes who think that owning things with vibrant colors is ostentatious and offensive to their god. They dress blandly and modestly, try to keep their emotions under control, and basically just live with very little ornamentation in their homes.
You find out that the oldest has been promised in marriage to one of the gods (head god, in fact) of the rival country as part of a peace treaty that was signed years and years ago. And her country hates these guys. They're all bold and colorful and instead of the One God, they worship lots of these powerful sidekick gods that are all brightly clothed and gluttonous, live in a special area for gods surrounded by their priests, and get catered to by being fed the breaths of children whose parents have been paid off.
That's...nice?
PLOT TWIST! <--this happens right away, btw
The king can't bear to send his lovely obedient perfect daughter off to get plowed by some gross god, so he does a last minute switch and tosses his loud, obnoxious, semi-rebellious youngest daughter to the wolves.
What?!
Hey, it's ok. Turns out she likes the wolves a lot better than she thought she would.
And what about her proper, biddable, older sister?
Well, she gets her ass in gear and heads across the countryside to save her little sister and maybe start a rebellion with some mercenaries that she meets along the way.
OH SHIT! PLOT TWIST!
But this time around I'm just not going to tell you what happens.
Let's just say that not everyone is what they seem. Layers, folks. This book has lots and lots of layers.
The gods themselves are also a big part of the story. There's a lot of mystery surrounding who they are and why they seemingly came back to life with all this power. <--did I mention that the gods were just regular people who for reasons unknown have popped back up from the dead?
Well, they are.
Except for the god that our rebellious princess has to marry. He's been BORN a god.
Or has he?
You'll have to read it to find out.
Ok, so one thing I liked is that this doesn't end on a cliffhanger. Yeah, you can tell that there will be more tales coming in this world, and more than likely it will involve most of the characters you meet in this book.
BUT.
I also feel like you could stop here if you wanted to. Which is a nice feeling since it doesn't look like the next book in the series is expected to be out anytime soon.
cough
And this may be a controversial statement to make, but I know Sanderson fans are pretty cool, so I'm only a little scared.
I actually liked this much better than Mistborn.
Just the vibe of it. I thought eating metal was kind of a gross way to get superpowers, so all this color shit was much more my jam.
Recommended.
January 18, 2021
**Spoilers**
In the past 72 hrs, I've read in excess of 2600 kindle pages by Sanderson and let me tell you, it's been an immersion of epic proportion. This author is one level above genius. The prose, the world-building, the characters, and exposition. All brilliantly done.
I digress.
Once I finished the Mistborn trilogy, I dove into Warbreaker anticipating an equally exhilarating experience.
Unlike the Mistborn series, however, Warbreaker read like it was written in parts, with long intervals between each serial. The pacing was incredibly slow, crawling even. The character development lacked a cohesive trajectory. The plot(s) had holes the size of Moon craters.
It says a lot when the only interesting characters in a book are; a Sword, and a God-King who is mute. Meanwhile, there were a whole other bunch of major and minor characters all vying for space and relevance.
For a 500+ page book, the plot and characters need to be exceptional. I need action and suspense and great dialogue to keep me entranced; however, and excepting Nightsong- the Sword-, everything else was underwhelming.
I was lost. What's the point, I kept saying.
Breaths that can be transferred and used to animate inanimate objects. Great!
An imminent war between two kingdoms- Hallandren and Idris. Yesss!
A thief who is more than he seems.
Gods who do nothing but play sinister games.
Two princesses who play vital roles in halting said war.
Enemies who want war at all cost.
Dissensions within the palace.
Varied tangents, all meandering toward a climax; however, there were many unanswered questions.
a) The author should have shown us THAT last scene between Lightsong and the mute God-King.
b) I needed an explanation for Vasher's belated GOD powers.
c) Why didn't the King of Idris attempt to find Vivenna?
d) Why the urgency for the union between Siri and Susebron? The rationale for their union was flawed, a massive plot hole that kept on giving.
Overall, I GOT the story. I saw what the author wanted me to see, but there were many incongruent parts which made this a tad bit tedious.
I probably would have enjoyed it more had I not read Vin's and Elend's story in the Mistborn trilogy. Maybe my expectations were too high.
October 20, 2020
Sooo, now that I have read it for the second time, I'm not as blown away as I was when I read it for the first time. (See the review below where I had my initial meltdown).
BUT, Sanderson still remains a genius. I mainly read this since I'm rereading his Cosmere books to prepare for when I eventually read Rhythm of War.
I really hope we get a sequel soon for this. (Preferably with Nightblood having a POV).
The ending was beautiful!
---------------
SANDERSON, YOU FUCKIN' GENIUS! *sobs* I can't review this book. I refuse to! How in gods earth do I form coherent sentences when my mind has been obliterated into pieces?! I'm in damn awe! My emotions are in a state of frenzy! If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon that is Brandon Sanderson, you haven't lived. Over and out.
BUT, Sanderson still remains a genius. I mainly read this since I'm rereading his Cosmere books to prepare for when I eventually read Rhythm of War.
I really hope we get a sequel soon for this. (Preferably with Nightblood having a POV).
The ending was beautiful!
---------------
SANDERSON, YOU FUCKIN' GENIUS! *sobs* I can't review this book. I refuse to! How in gods earth do I form coherent sentences when my mind has been obliterated into pieces?! I'm in damn awe! My emotions are in a state of frenzy! If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon that is Brandon Sanderson, you haven't lived. Over and out.
August 7, 2023
My complete review of Warbreaker is published at Before We Go Blog.
“My life to yours. My breath become yours.”
Warbreaker is an excellent early fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, combining the best of the author’s worldbuilding, character development, and accessible writing style.
The world that Sanderson has created is beautiful and full of lush, colorful imagery. It reminds me of a tropical paradise that you might visit on holiday. This is the type of world that is simply enjoyable to read about.
The color motif is the cornerstone of the magic system, which is based on the concept of BioChromatic breath, i.e., the lifegiving breath that enhances one’s senses and perception of color, sound, etc. With enough breath, even the colors around a person become more saturated and vibrant. With proper training, breath can be used to animate objects and bring people back from the dead, either with or without sentience (called the Returned or the Lifeless, respectively). Whereas the Returned are treated as gods, the Lifeless are essentially zombie soldiers who will follow the orders of those controlling them.
The connections among magic, history, religion, and politics are all very well developed in Warbreaker. Even the gods themselves do not understand their own history or theology, which creates a lot of interesting tension with each other, with their priests, and with the neighboring kingdoms.
Beyond the excellent worldbuilding and magic system, Warbreaker is primarily a character-driven novel. The main characters, Siri and Vivenna, are two sisters who are the youngest and oldest princesses from the neighboring kingdom. Since her birth, the elder Vivenna has been promised as a bride to the God King. All her life has served as preparation to become the God King’s bride. However, when the time comes, her father sends the rambunctious and thoroughly unprepared Siri in her place. Vivenna then sets on a quest to rescue her younger sister from the notorious God King.
Other primary characters include Lightsong, a Returned god who doubts his own divinity and is searching to understand his past before he became Returned. Vasher is a mysterious and powerful figure who wields the sentient sword, Nightblood, whose sole goal is to “destroy evil.” And, of course, there is the God King himself, who is not at all what he seems.
The plot is full of major twists and turns. As soon as we think that we understand a character’s motivation and goals, Sanderson throws a huge twist our way. The twists accelerate in the last part of the book, as Sanderson treats us with his famous “Sanderwave,” where all the various plot lines come together in rapid and magnificent fashion and characters’ true motivations are finally revealed.
There are plenty of great Cosmere connections here, especially related to the Nightblood sword, which is also wielded by Szeth in the Stormlight Archive. Nightblood is on a monomaniacal quest to “destroy evil,” but it doesn’t actually understand what “evil” means. Hoid (i.e., Wit) also appears in Warbreaker, although here he is basically a dispensary of information without his characteristic biting wit from the Stormlight Archive. Finally, there is clearly some connection between Stormlight and BioChromatic breath, which I hope will be explored by Sanderson in future books.
Although sequels are planned, Warbreaker works great as a standalone fantasy novel, striking just the right balance between complexity and accessibility. At its core, Warbreaker is a beautiful, character-driven novel that most fantasy fans will enjoy.
“My life to yours. My breath become yours.”
Warbreaker is an excellent early fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, combining the best of the author’s worldbuilding, character development, and accessible writing style.
The world that Sanderson has created is beautiful and full of lush, colorful imagery. It reminds me of a tropical paradise that you might visit on holiday. This is the type of world that is simply enjoyable to read about.
The color motif is the cornerstone of the magic system, which is based on the concept of BioChromatic breath, i.e., the lifegiving breath that enhances one’s senses and perception of color, sound, etc. With enough breath, even the colors around a person become more saturated and vibrant. With proper training, breath can be used to animate objects and bring people back from the dead, either with or without sentience (called the Returned or the Lifeless, respectively). Whereas the Returned are treated as gods, the Lifeless are essentially zombie soldiers who will follow the orders of those controlling them.
The connections among magic, history, religion, and politics are all very well developed in Warbreaker. Even the gods themselves do not understand their own history or theology, which creates a lot of interesting tension with each other, with their priests, and with the neighboring kingdoms.
Beyond the excellent worldbuilding and magic system, Warbreaker is primarily a character-driven novel. The main characters, Siri and Vivenna, are two sisters who are the youngest and oldest princesses from the neighboring kingdom. Since her birth, the elder Vivenna has been promised as a bride to the God King. All her life has served as preparation to become the God King’s bride. However, when the time comes, her father sends the rambunctious and thoroughly unprepared Siri in her place. Vivenna then sets on a quest to rescue her younger sister from the notorious God King.
Other primary characters include Lightsong, a Returned god who doubts his own divinity and is searching to understand his past before he became Returned. Vasher is a mysterious and powerful figure who wields the sentient sword, Nightblood, whose sole goal is to “destroy evil.” And, of course, there is the God King himself, who is not at all what he seems.
The plot is full of major twists and turns. As soon as we think that we understand a character’s motivation and goals, Sanderson throws a huge twist our way. The twists accelerate in the last part of the book, as Sanderson treats us with his famous “Sanderwave,” where all the various plot lines come together in rapid and magnificent fashion and characters’ true motivations are finally revealed.
There are plenty of great Cosmere connections here, especially related to the Nightblood sword, which is also wielded by Szeth in the Stormlight Archive. Nightblood is on a monomaniacal quest to “destroy evil,” but it doesn’t actually understand what “evil” means. Hoid (i.e., Wit) also appears in Warbreaker, although here he is basically a dispensary of information without his characteristic biting wit from the Stormlight Archive. Finally, there is clearly some connection between Stormlight and BioChromatic breath, which I hope will be explored by Sanderson in future books.
Although sequels are planned, Warbreaker works great as a standalone fantasy novel, striking just the right balance between complexity and accessibility. At its core, Warbreaker is a beautiful, character-driven novel that most fantasy fans will enjoy.
March 13, 2019
What can I say? I really, really enjoyed this. Brandon Sanderson proves once again that he is the master of world-building. It is no easy task to create a whole world complete with a well-developed magic system, different cultures, opposing religions and political intrigue – not to mention brilliant three-dimensional, complex characters to boot!
Yet again Sanderson has created realistic characters that almost burst from the page. Told from four different perspectives, you really feel immersed in the story and each character’s thought process. You understand the motives behind their actions yet also see the bigger picture. This allows you to care for them, to worry about their plans and cheer them on. The writing doesn’t feel rushed nor is the world-building too descriptive or slow, and the ending is satisfying yet simultaneously leaves the characters open for a sequel.
In romana gasiti impresia mea aici:
https://vipera2015.wordpress.com/2018...
Yet again Sanderson has created realistic characters that almost burst from the page. Told from four different perspectives, you really feel immersed in the story and each character’s thought process. You understand the motives behind their actions yet also see the bigger picture. This allows you to care for them, to worry about their plans and cheer them on. The writing doesn’t feel rushed nor is the world-building too descriptive or slow, and the ending is satisfying yet simultaneously leaves the characters open for a sequel.
In romana gasiti impresia mea aici:
https://vipera2015.wordpress.com/2018...
September 9, 2022
Another winner from Sanderson!
November 24, 2016
This is not on the same level for me as Mistborn but I do have a feeling that I'll appreciate this one even more as time goes on and I'm looking forward to discussing it more in detail during with my gush video!
September 4, 2020
*** 5 ***
Wow! Another spellbinding, mind blowing, fast talking, action packed Sanderson hit! I have gotten so used to his brilliance already that it doesn't surprise me anymore - I have come to expect it from him and wonder if he will ever write something that lets my high expectations down... Well, not this time, that is for sure!
I love the universe Sanderson has created for the majority of his Fantasy, of which this world is a part of. This time the magic system depends on the human "breath" , which is something like the spark of our soul, though not the soul itself, which gives us the joy and true vision of our lives. Without it we can still live normal lives, only duller, less colorful, less joyful, less "alive"... The people who give their breath away to the maggi, who are called Awakeners here, have to do so willingly and are usually well paid, thus most of those who "choose* to give their breath away are poor and by their act secure some help for their families... They become Drabs.
The Awakeners use the gathered breath to "awaken", or infuse object with parts of it and in combination with well crafted commands makes those alivened object perform desired tasks. The more breath a person acquires, the longer they live, the healthier they are, and the higher status they achieve. There is one more component to make the magic work - color. For the transfer of breath to work, it uses the color from objects around it, but for best results, a bright cloth seems to work best.
And, on top of the food chain and social leather are the G-ds, those who have died, but somehow awaken spontaneously and start needing a breath a week just to stay alive. However, they become whatever their view of perfection is, and are treated as gods, their every move followed by their dedicated priests, their every word recorded and carefully interpreted as a guide for the future. These gods are led by the G-d King, a Returned as a baby and gifted with an inordinate amount of breaths, making him a singularly powerful individual.
This is kind of the set up for the story and where things begin. The G-D King needs an heir, thus he needs a wife. The neighboring kingdom has promised one of its princesses for a wife, mostly as a diplomatic guarantee against war, and sends the youngest daughter to perform her duties. Political intrigues ensue and unrest is brewing in the streets. The pantheon of gods are forming factions and we are plunged into a variety of different conflicts, always kept wondering who is going to do what and what are their motivations...
This is a very dry way of me explaining the vibrant and dynamic range of storytelling Sanderson gifts us with in this story, but it does give the basics, which I hope sounds like something you guys would like to check out. Because it is not only about the Fantasy, it is also about the human relationships, the banter, the things that make us heroes in the eyes of the ones around us, our self awareness, and the way we perceive the world around us. It is a story of human experience. I will whole heartedly recommend this to all reading fans, regardless of age or genre preference. It is worth the read and is a perfect gateway to Sanderson's work. Let's make you one of the Sandersonian Legion!!!
I wish you all Happy Reading and may you let your imagination reach for new heights!!!
Wow! Another spellbinding, mind blowing, fast talking, action packed Sanderson hit! I have gotten so used to his brilliance already that it doesn't surprise me anymore - I have come to expect it from him and wonder if he will ever write something that lets my high expectations down... Well, not this time, that is for sure!
I love the universe Sanderson has created for the majority of his Fantasy, of which this world is a part of. This time the magic system depends on the human "breath" , which is something like the spark of our soul, though not the soul itself, which gives us the joy and true vision of our lives. Without it we can still live normal lives, only duller, less colorful, less joyful, less "alive"... The people who give their breath away to the maggi, who are called Awakeners here, have to do so willingly and are usually well paid, thus most of those who "choose* to give their breath away are poor and by their act secure some help for their families... They become Drabs.
The Awakeners use the gathered breath to "awaken", or infuse object with parts of it and in combination with well crafted commands makes those alivened object perform desired tasks. The more breath a person acquires, the longer they live, the healthier they are, and the higher status they achieve. There is one more component to make the magic work - color. For the transfer of breath to work, it uses the color from objects around it, but for best results, a bright cloth seems to work best.
And, on top of the food chain and social leather are the G-ds, those who have died, but somehow awaken spontaneously and start needing a breath a week just to stay alive. However, they become whatever their view of perfection is, and are treated as gods, their every move followed by their dedicated priests, their every word recorded and carefully interpreted as a guide for the future. These gods are led by the G-d King, a Returned as a baby and gifted with an inordinate amount of breaths, making him a singularly powerful individual.
This is kind of the set up for the story and where things begin. The G-D King needs an heir, thus he needs a wife. The neighboring kingdom has promised one of its princesses for a wife, mostly as a diplomatic guarantee against war, and sends the youngest daughter to perform her duties. Political intrigues ensue and unrest is brewing in the streets. The pantheon of gods are forming factions and we are plunged into a variety of different conflicts, always kept wondering who is going to do what and what are their motivations...
This is a very dry way of me explaining the vibrant and dynamic range of storytelling Sanderson gifts us with in this story, but it does give the basics, which I hope sounds like something you guys would like to check out. Because it is not only about the Fantasy, it is also about the human relationships, the banter, the things that make us heroes in the eyes of the ones around us, our self awareness, and the way we perceive the world around us. It is a story of human experience. I will whole heartedly recommend this to all reading fans, regardless of age or genre preference. It is worth the read and is a perfect gateway to Sanderson's work. Let's make you one of the Sandersonian Legion!!!
I wish you all Happy Reading and may you let your imagination reach for new heights!!!
January 16, 2023
"I'm a priest of Brightvision the True."
Annotations R Awesome!
That was a significant leap in book length from Mistborn 2nd era! I really hope there will be a sequel to this one. I still would've rated this 5-stars even without the annotations, but Sanderson added a complete dimensions with those thoughts/ logic of his.
Review to come.
"-- My life to yours. My Breath become yours --"
Annotations R Awesome!
That was a significant leap in book length from Mistborn 2nd era! I really hope there will be a sequel to this one. I still would've rated this 5-stars even without the annotations, but Sanderson added a complete dimensions with those thoughts/ logic of his.
Review to come.
"-- My life to yours. My Breath become yours --"
![Profile Image for Anna [Bran. San. Stan].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1593184464i/98245866._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
May 8, 2024
2024: Re-read for Stormlight 5 - just as magical as ever.
2020: Sanderson at his best! Not the daunting, formidable epic that is Stormlight, but just as brilliant. As I’ve grown accustomed, the plot keeps you guessing where all the characters are going to end up in the final 100 pages aka the famous “Brandon Avalanche.” And, once again, the world building and magic system are ingenious and amazing. (I always find it intriguing when magic abilities are not hereditary. Here, each person is born with “Breath” – this planet’s form of Investiture – which can be passed on and collected by the powerful and rich and then be used to Awaken objects and even dead people, who make for “perfect” soldiers.)
But really Sanderson’s characters are the “true magic" and (what ultimately makes this better than Elantris) – I was completely invested (pun intended) in them. Sanderson doesn’t do romance very often in one of the main arcs but does give us one here. This relationship is truly romantic (I won’t say whose); a beautiful, tasteful exploration of feelings (without explicit sex scenes, as usual), while still advancing the plot/offering some whoa! plot twists. This one is, without a doubt, my favorite Sanderson couple.
Among my favorite characters was Lightsong. Sanderson states it was his “desire to do a character who could fit into an Oscar Wilde play“ (annotations) and I think it’s safe to say, he succeeded. With Lightsong, he seriously channeled some Earnest, which was emphasized by the brilliant voice acting done in the GraphicAudio adaptation. Being a Wilde fan myself, I absolutely came to love Lightsong and his verbal sparring capabilities – though Lightsong has considerable more character depth (deity in an existential crisis, unconvinced of his own worth and actual divinity) due to his character arc which you just “don’t have time for in a play“. (Not to criticize playwrights.)
Another of my favorite characters was the mysterious Vasher, but I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. He is seriously intriguing and if you’ve read Stormlight, you know his awesome, yet slightly creepy, talking sentient sword Nightblood already.
To me, Lightsong, Vasher and Nightblood steal the show; still, Siri’s arc is great and Vivenna, whose arrogance and naïveté we are not meant to like in the first half, goes through some major character growth and becomes relatable and fun to follow. The plot archetype of princesses who are forced to switch roles (Siri is sent to marry the rival king instead of Vivenna) is nicely used here – with a twist, of course.
Apart from everything else I loved about this (plot, setting, characters), I enjoyed seeing the overlap between the Cosmere novels. You should definitely read this, if you’re a fan of Stormlight!
If you haven’t done so, I recommend listening to the GraphicAudio production; the adaptation with the amazing voice actors (especially Lightsong, Vasher and Vivenna) really enhances an already great story and makes it come to life.
PS: If you're reading the Kindle edition, you'll have access to annotations by Sanderson for each chapter. I highly recommend reading them AFTER you've read the book - they sometimes include spoilers. You can also read the annotations on his website: https://www.brandonsanderson.com/cate...
2020: Sanderson at his best! Not the daunting, formidable epic that is Stormlight, but just as brilliant. As I’ve grown accustomed, the plot keeps you guessing where all the characters are going to end up in the final 100 pages aka the famous “Brandon Avalanche.” And, once again, the world building and magic system are ingenious and amazing. (I always find it intriguing when magic abilities are not hereditary. Here, each person is born with “Breath” – this planet’s form of Investiture – which can be passed on and collected by the powerful and rich and then be used to Awaken objects and even dead people, who make for “perfect” soldiers.)
But really Sanderson’s characters are the “true magic" and (what ultimately makes this better than Elantris) – I was completely invested (pun intended) in them. Sanderson doesn’t do romance very often in one of the main arcs but does give us one here. This relationship is truly romantic (I won’t say whose); a beautiful, tasteful exploration of feelings (without explicit sex scenes, as usual), while still advancing the plot/offering some whoa! plot twists. This one is, without a doubt, my favorite Sanderson couple.
Among my favorite characters was Lightsong. Sanderson states it was his “desire to do a character who could fit into an Oscar Wilde play“ (annotations) and I think it’s safe to say, he succeeded. With Lightsong, he seriously channeled some Earnest, which was emphasized by the brilliant voice acting done in the GraphicAudio adaptation. Being a Wilde fan myself, I absolutely came to love Lightsong and his verbal sparring capabilities – though Lightsong has considerable more character depth (deity in an existential crisis, unconvinced of his own worth and actual divinity) due to his character arc which you just “don’t have time for in a play“. (Not to criticize playwrights.)
Another of my favorite characters was the mysterious Vasher, but I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. He is seriously intriguing and if you’ve read Stormlight, you know his awesome, yet slightly creepy, talking sentient sword Nightblood already.
To me, Lightsong, Vasher and Nightblood steal the show; still, Siri’s arc is great and Vivenna, whose arrogance and naïveté we are not meant to like in the first half, goes through some major character growth and becomes relatable and fun to follow. The plot archetype of princesses who are forced to switch roles (Siri is sent to marry the rival king instead of Vivenna) is nicely used here – with a twist, of course.
Apart from everything else I loved about this (plot, setting, characters), I enjoyed seeing the overlap between the Cosmere novels. You should definitely read this, if you’re a fan of Stormlight!
If you haven’t done so, I recommend listening to the GraphicAudio production; the adaptation with the amazing voice actors (especially Lightsong, Vasher and Vivenna) really enhances an already great story and makes it come to life.
PS: If you're reading the Kindle edition, you'll have access to annotations by Sanderson for each chapter. I highly recommend reading them AFTER you've read the book - they sometimes include spoilers. You can also read the annotations on his website: https://www.brandonsanderson.com/cate...
December 27, 2019
To all of those who kept recommending Sanderson's books to me. I should have listened to you sooner.
I decided that Warbreaker would be a great start to Sanderson after it was recommended to me by several people, and I liked that it could be considered a standalone even if it's getting a sequel which it really needs!
I had no idea what to expect from this, and I was pleasantly surprised. I won't say that I love everything about this book because that was not the case. But even being unhappy about certain things was so much fun that I did not care.
I do not have much to say about the story, so, I will only write a bit about the characters.
Vasher, definitely my favourite POV, I wish there was more of those. And honestly, part of the reason why I enjoyed that so much was Nightblood. The whole best "character" in the entire book! I could read the whole book from Nightblood's POV.
Siri is still a bit of an enigma for me. I love her then I dislike her then I'm unsure about her then I'm annoyed by her and then all above. She was introduced as a free-spirited girl, but that aspect was very soon lost. She was so obedient. I expected her to flip and scream at the next person who calls her "Vessel". Like, come on! How was she okay with that?
But then she got into the "scheming", and it was so much fun. I had fingers crossed for a showdown between her and Blushweaver.
Vivenna. It's very surprising at; first I thought that I would prefer her to Siri, but in the end, I just wanted her to keep quiet and get lost.
I have to say that sometimes when I turned the page and saw that the next POV was her's, I felt a bit sad, and I hoped for Vasher's instead. Denth and Tonk Fah were mostly the only reason why I could get through her chapters. This duo is so much fun, and I would not be angry to get more of these two! Denth and Tonk reminded me a bit about Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar, which made me so happy and wanting more of them.
Together with Nightblood, the best parts of the book. I wondered if they were meant to be only a comic aspect to the book or something to carry Vivenna's chapters, but I quickly decided against that and started listening to what Denth was saying and doing!
It's also why I'm so annoyed with Vivenna; she was all about how she was prepared for Hallandren that they taught her everything but then she has a meltdown when she sees a Lifeless. What preparation.
She's constantly bragging about not judging people but judges everyone all the time. "Poor Jewels, she is a Drab." Then. "Poor, Stupid Jewels, she does not realise how poor she is that she's Drab."
"Poor Siri who loves colours she must be terrified in that horrible city. I must save her." "Siri is not ready for this! I'm I was so prepared for this." "I must be really careful in the city, but I will only dress in such a way that I do not compromise how I would dress at home, spending money left and right! But I will also judge "my friend" who's doing a better job to blend in, and I will subtly call him stupid."
Somewhere halfway through the book, I wished that those poor statues, which she could not stop badmouthing (how people dare to have a different customs in how to honour/remember something/someone that she does?!), to step down and slap her stupid.
Wow, finally done. I really, really dislike Vivenna if you did not get the message.
Susebron is probably one of the purest characters I read about in a very long time. I kept wishing that he had a POV, but in the end, I was happy that he did not have a one because it was not really that important. Because even without one, it was really easy to get his view on the story, he was that much of an open book.
And now, Lightsong. Another character who was up and down for me. He was hilarious! But sometimes it crossed the line and the funny aspect of his acting got lost, and it was very forceful and just asking for an eye roll.
But then I enjoyed when he got stuck in politics, so much fun. And the end? PERFECT.
So, the end? Yeah, it was a bit rushed. Suddenly so much happened a bit out of nowhere and I wanted a bit more time spend on it. I wanted more on those priests and Bluefinger.
I may be complaining a bit... a lot, but overall I really enjoyed this book. Even Vivenna's chapters which were horrible could be so much fun because of Denth and Tonk Fah. So, even if I was unhappy about something, other aspects could outweigh it very quickly.
And the important question now is which book from Sanderson I should read next? Or does any of you have a good reading order for his books?
I decided that Warbreaker would be a great start to Sanderson after it was recommended to me by several people, and I liked that it could be considered a standalone even if it's getting a sequel which it really needs!
I had no idea what to expect from this, and I was pleasantly surprised. I won't say that I love everything about this book because that was not the case. But even being unhappy about certain things was so much fun that I did not care.
I do not have much to say about the story, so, I will only write a bit about the characters.
Vasher, definitely my favourite POV, I wish there was more of those. And honestly, part of the reason why I enjoyed that so much was Nightblood. The whole best "character" in the entire book! I could read the whole book from Nightblood's POV.
Siri is still a bit of an enigma for me. I love her then I dislike her then I'm unsure about her then I'm annoyed by her and then all above. She was introduced as a free-spirited girl, but that aspect was very soon lost. She was so obedient. I expected her to flip and scream at the next person who calls her "Vessel". Like, come on! How was she okay with that?
But then she got into the "scheming", and it was so much fun. I had fingers crossed for a showdown between her and Blushweaver.
Vivenna. It's very surprising at; first I thought that I would prefer her to Siri, but in the end, I just wanted her to keep quiet and get lost.
I have to say that sometimes when I turned the page and saw that the next POV was her's, I felt a bit sad, and I hoped for Vasher's instead. Denth and Tonk Fah were mostly the only reason why I could get through her chapters. This duo is so much fun, and I would not be angry to get more of these two! Denth and Tonk reminded me a bit about Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar, which made me so happy and wanting more of them.
Together with Nightblood, the best parts of the book. I wondered if they were meant to be only a comic aspect to the book or something to carry Vivenna's chapters, but I quickly decided against that and started listening to what Denth was saying and doing!
It's also why I'm so annoyed with Vivenna; she was all about how she was prepared for Hallandren that they taught her everything but then she has a meltdown when she sees a Lifeless. What preparation.
She's constantly bragging about not judging people but judges everyone all the time. "Poor Jewels, she is a Drab." Then. "Poor, Stupid Jewels, she does not realise how poor she is that she's Drab."
"Poor Siri who loves colours she must be terrified in that horrible city. I must save her." "Siri is not ready for this! I'm I was so prepared for this." "I must be really careful in the city, but I will only dress in such a way that I do not compromise how I would dress at home, spending money left and right! But I will also judge "my friend" who's doing a better job to blend in, and I will subtly call him stupid."
Somewhere halfway through the book, I wished that those poor statues, which she could not stop badmouthing (how people dare to have a different customs in how to honour/remember something/someone that she does?!), to step down and slap her stupid.
Wow, finally done. I really, really dislike Vivenna if you did not get the message.
Susebron is probably one of the purest characters I read about in a very long time. I kept wishing that he had a POV, but in the end, I was happy that he did not have a one because it was not really that important. Because even without one, it was really easy to get his view on the story, he was that much of an open book.
And now, Lightsong. Another character who was up and down for me. He was hilarious! But sometimes it crossed the line and the funny aspect of his acting got lost, and it was very forceful and just asking for an eye roll.
But then I enjoyed when he got stuck in politics, so much fun. And the end? PERFECT.
So, the end? Yeah, it was a bit rushed. Suddenly so much happened a bit out of nowhere and I wanted a bit more time spend on it. I wanted more on those priests and Bluefinger.
I may be complaining a bit... a lot, but overall I really enjoyed this book. Even Vivenna's chapters which were horrible could be so much fun because of Denth and Tonk Fah. So, even if I was unhappy about something, other aspects could outweigh it very quickly.
And the important question now is which book from Sanderson I should read next? Or does any of you have a good reading order for his books?
May 30, 2017
"It's funny, Vasher thought, how many things begin with my getting thrown into prison."
Warbreaker is one of those books that I will think back on and say "Wow that was a really well balanced fantasy novel." And by well balanced I mean that everything was in perfect proportion. The number of perspectives, the intricacy of the plot, the pace of action, everything was just perfectly well written.
I want to take a moment and explain a small thing about myself and why this book, as well as Sanderson's other works, are among my favorite fantasy novels.
I come from a religious background. I won't go as far as to say that I suffered abuse at the hands of my religion, but I definitely feel that I was brainwashed to an extent. When I turned 17 or 18 I really started to question the things I had been taught, and it was a devastatingly emotional process for me to reevaluate my values and belief system.
I now feel 100% more comfortable with who I am and what I believe, but the journey to this point nearly wrecked me.
And so, it's natural that Sanderson's characters would speak to me the way they do. The contradiction of ingrained religious beliefs is almost always a corner stone in his characters' development. I personally understand that struggle, and so I find myself sympathizing heavily with them.
"Didn't you ever stop to think that maybe you were on the wrong side?"
I had two specific "problems" with this novel, and it's hard to really even call them problems. I'm just being nitpicky.
One is the magic system. While I found it very interesting, I guess I don't fully understand why it's considered color magic? People with "breath" are bestowed with heightened senses, able to make out subtle distinction of color and sound. With a certain amount of "breath", people are able to awaken objects to do their bidding. When "breath" is used, it drains color. But I'm a little lost on how the draining of color is really related the use of "breath". It's very possible I missed the explanation somewhere along the line, but I often forgot it was a color magic system.
Second is the length of the novel. I JUST WANT IT TO BE LONGER! I want to keep reading about these characters. Warbreaker ended in a way that satisfies me for now, but I want to know more. In short, I want a sequel. This one wrapped up way smoother than Elantris did, but I still have some questions and curiosities.
Overall, and excellent book. I love reading about people who are forced to step outside of their comfort zone. I love seeing them work through their situation and make compromises for the sake of their goals. And I love fantasy settings.
Sanderson's stories are masterfully crafted, nuanced and distinctive from others in the same genre, and I cannot wait to devour the rest of his work.
Buddy read this with these wonderful babes who brighten my life on a regular basis:
♕ Ever Charming Celeste
♛ La-La-La-Luna
♕ Perfecto Petrik
♛ Choko-loco
Warbreaker is one of those books that I will think back on and say "Wow that was a really well balanced fantasy novel." And by well balanced I mean that everything was in perfect proportion. The number of perspectives, the intricacy of the plot, the pace of action, everything was just perfectly well written.
I want to take a moment and explain a small thing about myself and why this book, as well as Sanderson's other works, are among my favorite fantasy novels.
I come from a religious background. I won't go as far as to say that I suffered abuse at the hands of my religion, but I definitely feel that I was brainwashed to an extent. When I turned 17 or 18 I really started to question the things I had been taught, and it was a devastatingly emotional process for me to reevaluate my values and belief system.
I now feel 100% more comfortable with who I am and what I believe, but the journey to this point nearly wrecked me.
And so, it's natural that Sanderson's characters would speak to me the way they do. The contradiction of ingrained religious beliefs is almost always a corner stone in his characters' development. I personally understand that struggle, and so I find myself sympathizing heavily with them.
"Didn't you ever stop to think that maybe you were on the wrong side?"
I had two specific "problems" with this novel, and it's hard to really even call them problems. I'm just being nitpicky.
One is the magic system. While I found it very interesting, I guess I don't fully understand why it's considered color magic? People with "breath" are bestowed with heightened senses, able to make out subtle distinction of color and sound. With a certain amount of "breath", people are able to awaken objects to do their bidding. When "breath" is used, it drains color. But I'm a little lost on how the draining of color is really related the use of "breath". It's very possible I missed the explanation somewhere along the line, but I often forgot it was a color magic system.
Second is the length of the novel. I JUST WANT IT TO BE LONGER! I want to keep reading about these characters. Warbreaker ended in a way that satisfies me for now, but I want to know more. In short, I want a sequel. This one wrapped up way smoother than Elantris did, but I still have some questions and curiosities.
Overall, and excellent book. I love reading about people who are forced to step outside of their comfort zone. I love seeing them work through their situation and make compromises for the sake of their goals. And I love fantasy settings.
Sanderson's stories are masterfully crafted, nuanced and distinctive from others in the same genre, and I cannot wait to devour the rest of his work.
Buddy read this with these wonderful babes who brighten my life on a regular basis:
♕ Ever Charming Celeste
♛ La-La-La-Luna
♕ Perfecto Petrik
♛ Choko-loco
November 11, 2022
“A person knows when they’re in darkness, even when they can’t see. -Nightblood”
In Warbreaker, Brandon Sanderson gives readers imaginative epic fantasy world-building along with a good story (what one generally comes to expect from Sanderson and which he consistently delivers on). I enjoyed the story of the two heroines, Vivenna and Siri. In the face of impending war with Hallendron, they are forced to take on new and unexpected roles, both for their own survival, as well as the survival of their kingdom. While I enjoyed Warbreaker, the middle suffered a bit. After Sanderson established the premise and plotlines, there seemed to be some fairly long sections which didn't really add much. That said, I've been enjoying Sanderson's characters and worlds, and find Sanderson to be a really good story-teller.
In Warbreaker, Brandon Sanderson gives readers imaginative epic fantasy world-building along with a good story (what one generally comes to expect from Sanderson and which he consistently delivers on). I enjoyed the story of the two heroines, Vivenna and Siri. In the face of impending war with Hallendron, they are forced to take on new and unexpected roles, both for their own survival, as well as the survival of their kingdom. While I enjoyed Warbreaker, the middle suffered a bit. After Sanderson established the premise and plotlines, there seemed to be some fairly long sections which didn't really add much. That said, I've been enjoying Sanderson's characters and worlds, and find Sanderson to be a really good story-teller.
January 19, 2021
The review will be divided into two parts :
1)Overall my thoughts and the spoiler-free review
2)Rant review Spoiler filled review
So let's start with a free-of-spoiler analysis
This book, I think, was OK
Yet I had high standards going into this
Sanderson is a fairly hyped author, and I had heard about his world-building.
While the magic system in this one was unique and fascinating,
The story was, at best, average.
Reading more adult fantasy was one of my goals for 2021
So I decided to start my year with an adult fantasy book.
But this book seemed like a classic YA book!!!
I am well aware that the age of the MC does not classify the book as YA or Adult.
But my complaint was not about the age of the MC
It was the plot, the misogyny, and imperialism in this book (More about imperialism in the spoiler section
This was YA sans the element of the love triangle (Thank God for small mercies)
But the main reason I was excited about high fantasy was the detailed magic system and the limitations and rules of this world.
While Sanderson did a wonderful job of explaining the limitations, I was left with more questions by the end of this book
I would have liked us to have at least some backstory about the war that created the different realms in this book.
Sanderson explained how the MAGIC SYSTEM was working.
But he only provided the basic information IMO
For instance, We know that people draw their magic from colors, but we haven't been given any information about how it all started.
And the explanations I was given left me more confused
What sneaky trick Sanderson pulled off was that, according to him, the universe in which the tale is set is not aware of the full potential of this magic system.
They are all new to magic, so there is little knowledge left for the readers.
BUT that's the point!!! I paid to understand it!!!
Explain it correctly!!
Sooo many loose endings IMO
Now the plotline ...
This book follows two sistersElsa and Ana Vivi and Siri.
Vivi is the "ideal child" whereas Siri is the "wild child"
Vivi is set to save their kingdom from the "evil king" by marrying him.
Their father cannot, however, bring himself to give up Vivi, because she is precious and soooo special.
Instead, he decides to sacrifice Siri
Here's the plot twist
Vivi is not a decent human being, let alone an "ideal child"
She's "perfect" because she's soft-spoken, obedient, and well-managed.
When are people going to understand that this does not make someone a good human being?
This Vivi is fundamentally a younger version of Karen!!!
She's prejudiced, arrogant, she's looking down on unprivileged people, and she's bold enough to start judging them for their life choices!
Sanderson tried his best to make her likable, but it failed miserably.
She's a hypocrite!!!
I love the morally gray characters, but they are complex and multi-layer.
Vivi felt 2 dimensional
She was the privileged kid who thought she was special and got mad when the spotlight was taken away from her.
We were supposed to believe in the development of her character
However, character development does not mean being able to use a sword
This isn't how you write strong female characters
Nothing wrong with being physically powerful
But being mentally and emotionally strong is also important.
Give me a female protagonist who only uses her wits to bring kingdoms to their knees!!!
This kinda sets out unrealistic expectations that a girl has to use weapons to be seen as a fierce person.
Now, Siri's other sister.
Honestly, she's the only reason I've managed to finish this book
Her character arc was the one that I enjoyed.
She's a cinnamon roll! We see the development of her from a naive teenager to a badass queen
She's not perfect. She has her flaws that made her IMO even more realistic.
Ohh, and she thinks FOOD is the solution to every tense situation, lmao# relatable.
Then there's the love interest aka THE EVIL KING aka Loki 2.0
Imagine Loki But make him naive and innocent.
Aaaaaand you've got the King hehe.
Oh... did I claim that he's my new book boyfriend? Uh, YUP!! He's my new boyfriend!!!
*Clearing the throat*
Return to the review Mrin!!!
He's basically ALL you can expect from a book boyfriend!!!:
Misunderstood
Faithful af
Confused 24/7
Damaged Hero
Powerful but frightened to use those powers
Shy /Awkward
Shares his food (This earned him brownie points lol)
Supports you no matter what you do
Is in love with your insane self
HE IS A BIBLIOPHILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYY !!!
There were other characters, too, but I found them to be meh
Now the main thing that was bothering me in this book was the misogyny.
It was subtle, but it was still present
And as a woman, you're going to be able to pick it up very easily
Let me make it clear that Sanderson was not trying to blame or attack women.
He tried his hardest to write strong female leads
I think that's the difference between male and female authors.
Male authors write female characters as they *think* women are
They're trying to make one female better by dragging another female down SMH.
Amazing, how good she looks in something like that, he found himself thinking, when she takes the time to respect herself
Was that line necessary? Uh, NOPE
Did you add anything to the plot? NOPE
Did it objectify women? YUP!!
This man gave his opinion and judged her when nobody asked him to do that.
God forbid that a woman enjoys dressing herself
According to this character, the woman was not "respecting" herself because she was wearing "revealing" clothes.
There were men in this book who were going shirtless, and NO FEMALE EVER complained that their shoulders/stomach/neck were distracting!!
Cause women mind their own business and avoid judging others
Visualize shattering this guy's skull and then saying, "Oops!!! I was under the influence of feminism:)"
There's slut-shaming AND girl on girl hate as well!!!
Find someone else's bed to climb into, you little slut!!
I am yet to meet a woman who degrades another woman like this
I swear to God I haven't heard any woman EVER be this cruel
NO ONE has time to fight for men!!! Most of us are trying our best to keep our grades up!!
There is no time to waste on petty squabbles !!
I mean, this is the 2000's rt?? I have not TIME TRAVELLED or something rt??
Because I thought I was in the 1900s for a moment
And I KNOW that the women of that time weren't like this as well!!
They were suffragettes after all!!!
Women help and support each other
It's the patriarchy that is trying to drag us down.
With this trope, I'm done.
This has to end asap
AND it's not going to end if we keep ignoring it OR if we think it's OK because "this is a fantasy book
The world in which this is set is backward and male-dominated", so it's OK to have misogynous comments
It's not OK!!! If the world is sexist, the author should address it and SAY it is bad
The above statements were only degrading
It had nothing to do with the "cultural values" of the world.
Books can have an impact on a young mind
There needs to be a positive impact
It's got to start somewhere!!!
I am very close to losing my voice ngl
Now for the spoiler section
If you haven't read the end, you might want to skip this.
I'm going to write the spoilers for the imperialism component of this book.
If you've got a trigger for imperialism as I do, you might want to read about it before you get into this book.
If I had already been aware of this... I might have skipped the book completely
LAST CHANCE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET SPOILED!!!
So basically, these two kingdoms were at war.
After the war ended, they colonized this country that wasn't strong enough.
Now keep in mind that the indigenous people have been oppressed by both countries
Their land was taken from them and they were treated as second-class citizens.
They barely had any rights
They have decided to rebel against these two oppressing countries
But the problem here is that the indigenous people have been portrayed here as the villain!!
HOW THE HECK IS POSSIBLE?!! They were FREAKING trying TO FREE their COUNTRY!!!
The only reason they were labeled villains was that we followed the POVs of protagonists from oppressing countries.
And according to them, the war was fought many decades ago, so everything was forgotten.
How could that be forgotten? The land was never theirs, to begin with
They formed a colony and ruled by power and tyranny.
Look, this wasn't a "merging of cultures"
I belong to a country where a lot of cultures have blended over the years.
I know what it means when different cultures live in harmony.
What the oppressive countries did in this book was imperialism!!!
And just because a few years had passed, doesn’t give them the monopoly to rule that land.
The British ruled India for almost 200 years.
That doesn't mean we would have accepted them as citizens of India!!
They were Invaders!!!! NOTHING WILL CHANGE THAT!!!!
Now imagine the British would have said in 1947 that India belonged to them just because they had been living in India for so long.
Nooooooo!!! It's not how things work!! There are dynamics of power to be considered as well
And this book was doing a horrible job of it
The indigenous people (I call them revolutionaries) have done a lot of morally gray things.
But they've done it to defend their country
They've executed it for freedom
Maybe freedom doesn't mean much to many people, but as someone whose country has lost so many brave souls, just so that our generation can be free...it means everything
My hands are shaking while I'm writing. I'm so mad
I never expected to spend most of the novel sympathizing with characters who would end up being conquerors.
I am very disappointed
I'm going to come back to this review when I calm down a little.
(Note that these were MY opinions. I don't mean attacking someone who has read and appreciated this novel. My concern was NOT the readers who enjoyed this with the book. I would appreciate it if you would also value my opinion. If you don't think sexism and colonialism should ruin the fantasy aspect of the book..good for you!! I take those into account.
I swear I'm going to curse you and your entire family if I get even one comment saying that I'm stupid for not understanding this high fantasy or some form of trolling. For discussions, I'm here. NOT to deal with bullies. I'll be more than pleased to discuss this book with you, but only on the basis that we respect the opinion of each other)
Do Note: That I will still be giving Sanderson another chance. I will be reading his Mistborn series. I have NOT given up on him
Trigger warning/Content warning: Violence, torture, body horror, underage sex(fade to black scenes), animal cruelty, child neglect, religious bigotry, racism, extreme poverty, slut-shaming, misogyny, colonization, and infertility
(Feel free to ask me if you need some details on triggers. I would be more than happy to provide the information)
UPDATE 1
Does this mean that I am starting my year with yet another fantasy ?? YES
Do I regret it??!! NO
This is my first book by Brandon Sanderson
There's no "WELCOME CEREMONY" in Cosmere fandom??!!
I REALLY expected someone to welcome me!! *sighs*(Maybe not Bollywood style BUT I would have appreciated it ngl)
It's alright...I will welcome myself
Hii..my name is Mrinmayi
I am new to the cosmere universe
I guarantee that I will be a good addition to the fandom
My notable contribution will probably be memes though
Thank you!! I am really awkward during the whole "introduce yourself" ceremony
My 2021 goal was to read "different" genre
YET here I am guys with fantasy again
1)Overall my thoughts and the spoiler-free review
2)
So let's start with a free-of-spoiler analysis
This book, I think, was OK
Yet I had high standards going into this
Sanderson is a fairly hyped author, and I had heard about his world-building.
While the magic system in this one was unique and fascinating,
The story was, at best, average.
Reading more adult fantasy was one of my goals for 2021
So I decided to start my year with an adult fantasy book.
But this book seemed like a classic YA book!!!
I am well aware that the age of the MC does not classify the book as YA or Adult.
But my complaint was not about the age of the MC
It was the plot, the misogyny, and imperialism in this book (More about imperialism in the spoiler section
This was YA sans the element of the love triangle (Thank God for small mercies)
But the main reason I was excited about high fantasy was the detailed magic system and the limitations and rules of this world.
While Sanderson did a wonderful job of explaining the limitations, I was left with more questions by the end of this book
I would have liked us to have at least some backstory about the war that created the different realms in this book.
Sanderson explained how the MAGIC SYSTEM was working.
But he only provided the basic information IMO
For instance, We know that people draw their magic from colors, but we haven't been given any information about how it all started.
And the explanations I was given left me more confused
What sneaky trick Sanderson pulled off was that, according to him, the universe in which the tale is set is not aware of the full potential of this magic system.
They are all new to magic, so there is little knowledge left for the readers.
BUT that's the point!!! I paid to understand it!!!
Explain it correctly!!
Sooo many loose endings IMO
Now the plotline ...
This book follows two sisters
Vivi is the "ideal child" whereas Siri is the "wild child"
Vivi is set to save their kingdom from the "evil king" by marrying him.
Their father cannot, however, bring himself to give up Vivi, because she is precious and soooo special.
Instead, he decides to sacrifice Siri
Here's the plot twist
Vivi is not a decent human being, let alone an "ideal child"
She's "perfect" because she's soft-spoken, obedient, and well-managed.
When are people going to understand that this does not make someone a good human being?
This Vivi is fundamentally a younger version of Karen!!!
She's prejudiced, arrogant, she's looking down on unprivileged people, and she's bold enough to start judging them for their life choices!
Sanderson tried his best to make her likable, but it failed miserably.
She's a hypocrite!!!
I love the morally gray characters, but they are complex and multi-layer.
Vivi felt 2 dimensional
She was the privileged kid who thought she was special and got mad when the spotlight was taken away from her.
We were supposed to believe in the development of her character
However, character development does not mean being able to use a sword
This isn't how you write strong female characters
Nothing wrong with being physically powerful
But being mentally and emotionally strong is also important.
Give me a female protagonist who only uses her wits to bring kingdoms to their knees!!!
This kinda sets out unrealistic expectations that a girl has to use weapons to be seen as a fierce person.
Now, Siri's other sister.
Honestly, she's the only reason I've managed to finish this book
Her character arc was the one that I enjoyed.
She's a cinnamon roll! We see the development of her from a naive teenager to a badass queen
She's not perfect. She has her flaws that made her IMO even more realistic.
Ohh, and she thinks FOOD is the solution to every tense situation, lmao# relatable.
Then there's the love interest aka THE EVIL KING aka Loki 2.0
Imagine Loki But make him naive and innocent.
Aaaaaand you've got the King hehe.
Oh... did I claim that he's my new book boyfriend? Uh, YUP!! He's my new boyfriend!!!
*Clearing the throat*
Return to the review Mrin!!!
He's basically ALL you can expect from a book boyfriend!!!:
Misunderstood
Faithful af
Confused 24/7
Damaged Hero
Powerful but frightened to use those powers
Shy /Awkward
Shares his food (This earned him brownie points lol)
Supports you no matter what you do
Is in love with your insane self
HE IS A BIBLIOPHILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYY !!!
There were other characters, too, but I found them to be meh
Now the main thing that was bothering me in this book was the misogyny.
It was subtle, but it was still present
And as a woman, you're going to be able to pick it up very easily
Let me make it clear that Sanderson was not trying to blame or attack women.
He tried his hardest to write strong female leads
I think that's the difference between male and female authors.
Male authors write female characters as they *think* women are
They're trying to make one female better by dragging another female down SMH.
Amazing, how good she looks in something like that, he found himself thinking, when she takes the time to respect herself
Was that line necessary? Uh, NOPE
Did you add anything to the plot? NOPE
Did it objectify women? YUP!!
This man gave his opinion and judged her when nobody asked him to do that.
God forbid that a woman enjoys dressing herself
According to this character, the woman was not "respecting" herself because she was wearing "revealing" clothes.
There were men in this book who were going shirtless, and NO FEMALE EVER complained that their shoulders/stomach/neck were distracting!!
Cause women mind their own business and avoid judging others
Visualize shattering this guy's skull and then saying, "Oops!!! I was under the influence of feminism:)"
There's slut-shaming AND girl on girl hate as well!!!
Find someone else's bed to climb into, you little slut!!
I am yet to meet a woman who degrades another woman like this
I swear to God I haven't heard any woman EVER be this cruel
NO ONE has time to fight for men!!! Most of us are trying our best to keep our grades up!!
There is no time to waste on petty squabbles !!
I mean, this is the 2000's rt?? I have not TIME TRAVELLED or something rt??
Because I thought I was in the 1900s for a moment
And I KNOW that the women of that time weren't like this as well!!
They were suffragettes after all!!!
Women help and support each other
It's the patriarchy that is trying to drag us down.
With this trope, I'm done.
This has to end asap
AND it's not going to end if we keep ignoring it OR if we think it's OK because "this is a fantasy book
The world in which this is set is backward and male-dominated", so it's OK to have misogynous comments
It's not OK!!! If the world is sexist, the author should address it and SAY it is bad
The above statements were only degrading
It had nothing to do with the "cultural values" of the world.
Books can have an impact on a young mind
There needs to be a positive impact
It's got to start somewhere!!!
I am very close to losing my voice ngl
Now for the spoiler section
If you haven't read the end, you might want to skip this.
I'm going to write the spoilers for the imperialism component of this book.
If you've got a trigger for imperialism as I do, you might want to read about it before you get into this book.
If I had already been aware of this... I might have skipped the book completely
LAST CHANCE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET SPOILED!!!
So basically, these two kingdoms were at war.
After the war ended, they colonized this country that wasn't strong enough.
Now keep in mind that the indigenous people have been oppressed by both countries
Their land was taken from them and they were treated as second-class citizens.
They barely had any rights
They have decided to rebel against these two oppressing countries
But the problem here is that the indigenous people have been portrayed here as the villain!!
HOW THE HECK IS POSSIBLE?!! They were FREAKING trying TO FREE their COUNTRY!!!
The only reason they were labeled villains was that we followed the POVs of protagonists from oppressing countries.
And according to them, the war was fought many decades ago, so everything was forgotten.
How could that be forgotten? The land was never theirs, to begin with
They formed a colony and ruled by power and tyranny.
Look, this wasn't a "merging of cultures"
I belong to a country where a lot of cultures have blended over the years.
I know what it means when different cultures live in harmony.
What the oppressive countries did in this book was imperialism!!!
And just because a few years had passed, doesn’t give them the monopoly to rule that land.
The British ruled India for almost 200 years.
That doesn't mean we would have accepted them as citizens of India!!
They were Invaders!!!! NOTHING WILL CHANGE THAT!!!!
Now imagine the British would have said in 1947 that India belonged to them just because they had been living in India for so long.
Nooooooo!!! It's not how things work!! There are dynamics of power to be considered as well
And this book was doing a horrible job of it
The indigenous people (I call them revolutionaries) have done a lot of morally gray things.
But they've done it to defend their country
They've executed it for freedom
Maybe freedom doesn't mean much to many people, but as someone whose country has lost so many brave souls, just so that our generation can be free...it means everything
My hands are shaking while I'm writing. I'm so mad
I never expected to spend most of the novel sympathizing with characters who would end up being conquerors.
I am very disappointed
I'm going to come back to this review when I calm down a little.
(Note that these were MY opinions. I don't mean attacking someone who has read and appreciated this novel. My concern was NOT the readers who enjoyed this with the book. I would appreciate it if you would also value my opinion. If you don't think sexism and colonialism should ruin the fantasy aspect of the book..good for you!! I take those into account.
I swear I'm going to curse you and your entire family if I get even one comment saying that I'm stupid for not understanding this high fantasy or some form of trolling. For discussions, I'm here. NOT to deal with bullies. I'll be more than pleased to discuss this book with you, but only on the basis that we respect the opinion of each other)
Do Note: That I will still be giving Sanderson another chance. I will be reading his Mistborn series. I have NOT given up on him
Trigger warning/Content warning: Violence, torture, body horror, underage sex(fade to black scenes), animal cruelty, child neglect, religious bigotry, racism, extreme poverty, slut-shaming, misogyny, colonization, and infertility
(Feel free to ask me if you need some details on triggers. I would be more than happy to provide the information)
UPDATE 1
Does this mean that I am starting my year with yet another fantasy ?? YES
Do I regret it??!! NO
This is my first book by Brandon Sanderson
There's no "WELCOME CEREMONY" in Cosmere fandom??!!
I REALLY expected someone to welcome me!! *sighs*(Maybe not Bollywood style BUT I would have appreciated it ngl)
It's alright...I will welcome myself
Hii..my name is Mrinmayi
I am new to the cosmere universe
I guarantee that I will be a good addition to the fandom
My notable contribution will probably be memes though
Thank you!! I am really awkward during the whole "introduce yourself" ceremony
My 2021 goal was to read "different" genre
YET here I am guys with fantasy again
March 12, 2021
This Review ✍️ Blog 📖 Twitter 🐦 Instagram 📷 Support me ☕
Actual rating: 3.5 Stars
September book for my book club 😎😎
I have read many of Sanderson’s books (+10) and I think the man is a genius when it comes to world building and magic systems. To be honest, this is different from what I expected but this is not necessarily a bad thing.
The main characters in this series were well written, once again Sanderson goes for the kickass female protagonist which I usually like but in this book I found myself leaning toward the male characters. Susebron the God King; which has a great character growth story the story, Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, hilarious as fuck and my favorite in the book and finally Vasher and his mysterious sword. Siri and Vivenna were definitely good too but I just found the males to be more interesting.
The world building is good, I mean Sanderson wrote this. I expected something different when I kept hearing about a magic system involving colors, something more complex and hard. I thought different colors were gonna give different abilities or something like that but the system revolves more around breath, each individual has one breath and when people get more, they get certain other abilities. Colors were there too specially when it comes to Awakening of solid objects. There are great artworks of scenes in the books that makes me want to re-read it already!
Now the book is very very slow, I think it is the slowest thing I ever read by Sanderson and it kind of lacks the action I was seeking which makes it not suitable for everyone. I think the book needs a lot of patience as most of the epicness happen in the last 10% and this is a huge book (almost 700 pages). I think it is important to know this when going into the book because otherwise it may be a boring experience. But here is the thing, I found the world mythology and philosophy to be entertaining and it kind of compensated the lack of action. Sanderson also usually involves religion one way or another into his books and I find it fascinating!!
Summary: I think Warbreaker is a good book but it needs patience. It is very unique with its slowness, magical system and world building. The characters make it a worthy read though. The book ends up like a standalone but with an obvious link to a second book. I don’t think we will see that second book soon but I know I will be reading it when it comes out!
Actual rating: 3.5 Stars
September book for my book club 😎😎
“Unknowing ignorance is preferable to informed stupidity.”
I have read many of Sanderson’s books (+10) and I think the man is a genius when it comes to world building and magic systems. To be honest, this is different from what I expected but this is not necessarily a bad thing.
The main characters in this series were well written, once again Sanderson goes for the kickass female protagonist which I usually like but in this book I found myself leaning toward the male characters. Susebron the God King; which has a great character growth story the story, Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, hilarious as fuck and my favorite in the book and finally Vasher and his mysterious sword. Siri and Vivenna were definitely good too but I just found the males to be more interesting.
The world building is good, I mean Sanderson wrote this. I expected something different when I kept hearing about a magic system involving colors, something more complex and hard. I thought different colors were gonna give different abilities or something like that but the system revolves more around breath, each individual has one breath and when people get more, they get certain other abilities. Colors were there too specially when it comes to Awakening of solid objects. There are great artworks of scenes in the books that makes me want to re-read it already!
Now the book is very very slow, I think it is the slowest thing I ever read by Sanderson and it kind of lacks the action I was seeking which makes it not suitable for everyone. I think the book needs a lot of patience as most of the epicness happen in the last 10% and this is a huge book (almost 700 pages). I think it is important to know this when going into the book because otherwise it may be a boring experience. But here is the thing, I found the world mythology and philosophy to be entertaining and it kind of compensated the lack of action. Sanderson also usually involves religion one way or another into his books and I find it fascinating!!
“You see, the great thing about madness is that it’s all in your head.”
Summary: I think Warbreaker is a good book but it needs patience. It is very unique with its slowness, magical system and world building. The characters make it a worthy read though. The book ends up like a standalone but with an obvious link to a second book. I don’t think we will see that second book soon but I know I will be reading it when it comes out!
August 22, 2018
Another great addition to the Cosmere. Brandon Sanderson needs to get busy writing the sequel to Warbreaker. I really need to know what happens next ASAP.
OK! To be honest, I was a little skeptical of Warbreaker for about the first 100 pages. This has to be the slowest beginning to any Sanderson book I have read to date. Once the politics and characters personalities starting taking shape I got more invested, but was still searching for that WOW factor I always feel in Sanderson's works. Well, it finally came in the last sequence of the book. The last 20% had me on the edge of my seat. DAMN! Sanderson knows how to end a book. Here I was thinking this was 3 stars for 80% of the story and then all hell breaks loose, and I didn't want it to end. Now I am sitting here wondering how long I will have to wait on book 2. I will be stalking Brandon's website waiting for the Warbreaker 2 icon to appear in his current projects.
I am glad I decided to read Warbreaker as soon as I finished Oathbringer. Otherwise, I'm not sure if I would have caught the easter eggs hidden in the story. They didn't seem to subtle since I read these back to back, but it was so excited when I noticed them. Now, I have so many questions as to how these stories tie together. It makes me want to go read the Mistborn series or Elantris again right away. I'm sure there is something or things I didn't notice the first time. Sanderson is so sneaky, and it makes reading his books even more fun.
As I said above, the story didn't really grab my interest until the politics and characters personalities starting taking shape. The political system of Hallandren was interesting and strange. The common people actually get to interact with their gods. Albeit in a controlled environment. The main characters were a mixed bag. I really enjoyed Lightsong and Viviana's storylines, but Siri's was a little boring until over halfway into the book. Sanderson did a really good job with keeping the reader on their toes too with some sudden twists and revelations. I'm really anxious to see were the story goes from here.
I'm happy to say I ended up really enjoying Warbreaker. I was really worried for a while. I never considered DNF'ing it, but slow starts can sometimes kill my enjoyment of a book. Once the story picked up the pace though it just kept building momentum. I'm pretty sure all Sanderson fans have probably read this since it has been out for a few years. If you enjoy political intrigue and character driven stories with twists and turns, give Warbreaker a try. Don't let the slow start fool you. The effort definitely pays off. Also, I would recommend reading The Stormlight Archive books before reading this. You don't want to miss out on the hidden easter eggs.
4 stars ****
OK! To be honest, I was a little skeptical of Warbreaker for about the first 100 pages. This has to be the slowest beginning to any Sanderson book I have read to date. Once the politics and characters personalities starting taking shape I got more invested, but was still searching for that WOW factor I always feel in Sanderson's works. Well, it finally came in the last sequence of the book. The last 20% had me on the edge of my seat. DAMN! Sanderson knows how to end a book. Here I was thinking this was 3 stars for 80% of the story and then all hell breaks loose, and I didn't want it to end. Now I am sitting here wondering how long I will have to wait on book 2. I will be stalking Brandon's website waiting for the Warbreaker 2 icon to appear in his current projects.
I am glad I decided to read Warbreaker as soon as I finished Oathbringer. Otherwise, I'm not sure if I would have caught the easter eggs hidden in the story. They didn't seem to subtle since I read these back to back, but it was so excited when I noticed them. Now, I have so many questions as to how these stories tie together. It makes me want to go read the Mistborn series or Elantris again right away. I'm sure there is something or things I didn't notice the first time. Sanderson is so sneaky, and it makes reading his books even more fun.
As I said above, the story didn't really grab my interest until the politics and characters personalities starting taking shape. The political system of Hallandren was interesting and strange. The common people actually get to interact with their gods. Albeit in a controlled environment. The main characters were a mixed bag. I really enjoyed Lightsong and Viviana's storylines, but Siri's was a little boring until over halfway into the book. Sanderson did a really good job with keeping the reader on their toes too with some sudden twists and revelations. I'm really anxious to see were the story goes from here.
I'm happy to say I ended up really enjoying Warbreaker. I was really worried for a while. I never considered DNF'ing it, but slow starts can sometimes kill my enjoyment of a book. Once the story picked up the pace though it just kept building momentum. I'm pretty sure all Sanderson fans have probably read this since it has been out for a few years. If you enjoy political intrigue and character driven stories with twists and turns, give Warbreaker a try. Don't let the slow start fool you. The effort definitely pays off. Also, I would recommend reading The Stormlight Archive books before reading this. You don't want to miss out on the hidden easter eggs.
4 stars ****
August 19, 2020
Warbreaker's 2020 Cosmere Reread before Rhythm of War is DONE! Colours that was as awesome as ever! There are still so many secrets!!! I love this book! One more exclamation! :D
I was lucky enough this time around to be able to experience the luxurious quality that is a Sanderson leatherbound book and it did not disappoint. And the artwork, friends - gorgeously illustrated images by fantastic artists, not to mention the beautiful drop-cap illustrations by Jian Guo! I coul not resist adding a couple of samples below:
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Dear Brandon Sanderson.
You had me at "sentient, evil-destroying sword."
Yes, there were characters who bored me at first. *cough, Vivenna, cough*. Yes, this definitely reads as one of Brandon's early efforts as the writing is not as polished as his later efforts. So how to rate it?
Well, a lot of people say that it's nowhere near the brilliance of the Stormlight Archives, and so not 5 or even 4 star material. I fully understand their arguments and cannot disagree. Those books are just on a whole different level of epicness. However, I prefer not to rate on direct comparisons, but rather on my level of enjoyment. And I really enjoyed this.
The magic system is fascinating (info via Coppermind)- The system of magic on Nalthis is reliant on the presence of Color. Magic users are known as Awakeners and their power comes from the number of BioChromatic Breaths they have stored. A Breath can be thought of as a soul, or as the manifestation of the 'sixth sense'. Once robbed of the breath, a person is called a Drab. Drabs find it difficult to perceive color and do not experience the 'sixth sense' or the odd sensation resulting from someone watching you unobserved. The more Breaths a person obtains, the more dramatic their abilities become. There are ten levels or 'Heightenings' of this magic.
Any amount of Breath allows Awakening: the ability to, through specific commands, call inanimate objects to life by investing Breath in them and draining the color from another object (Awakeners usually carry a few pieces of cloth for this purpose). The closer the object's resemblance to a human (anthropomorphic shape), the easier it is to awaken. Objects of a greater size require more Breath, as do objects directed to carry out complicated commands. Breath can be regained from objects by the person who invested them with the command "Your Breath to mine."
Despite disliking one character early on, there weren't any that I didn't enjoy by the time I finished the book. The story sucked me in, and I finished it long before I thought I would. This was after all, my second read of Warbreaker, but I still enjoyed it as much, if not more than the first time I read it.
Highly recommended.
As a side note, this book has something that most of his other books could use a little more of - romance. Granted, it's not much and I would not recommend this if you are only in it for the romance, (So please, no angry emails demanding the "sexy time" I promised you!) but it definitely added value and I really enjoyed it.
I was lucky enough this time around to be able to experience the luxurious quality that is a Sanderson leatherbound book and it did not disappoint. And the artwork, friends - gorgeously illustrated images by fantastic artists, not to mention the beautiful drop-cap illustrations by Jian Guo! I coul not resist adding a couple of samples below:
------------------------------------------------
“My life to yours. My Breath become yours.”Warbreaker is the story of two very different sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. And a sentient, evil-destroying sword.
Dear Brandon Sanderson.
You had me at "sentient, evil-destroying sword."
That man down there, Nightblood said. The god in the palace. He holds the power to start this war. You don’t want this war to start. That’s why he’s evil.This story was all sorts of awesome.
“Why does that make him evil?”
Because he will do what you don’t want him to.
“We don’t know that for certain,” Vasher said. “Plus, who is to say that my judgment is best?”
It is, Nightblood said. Let’s go. Let’s kill him. You told me war is bad. He will start a war. He’s evil. Let’s kill him. Let’s kill him.
Yes, there were characters who bored me at first. *cough, Vivenna, cough*. Yes, this definitely reads as one of Brandon's early efforts as the writing is not as polished as his later efforts. So how to rate it?
Well, a lot of people say that it's nowhere near the brilliance of the Stormlight Archives, and so not 5 or even 4 star material. I fully understand their arguments and cannot disagree. Those books are just on a whole different level of epicness. However, I prefer not to rate on direct comparisons, but rather on my level of enjoyment. And I really enjoyed this.
The magic system is fascinating (info via Coppermind)- The system of magic on Nalthis is reliant on the presence of Color. Magic users are known as Awakeners and their power comes from the number of BioChromatic Breaths they have stored. A Breath can be thought of as a soul, or as the manifestation of the 'sixth sense'. Once robbed of the breath, a person is called a Drab. Drabs find it difficult to perceive color and do not experience the 'sixth sense' or the odd sensation resulting from someone watching you unobserved. The more Breaths a person obtains, the more dramatic their abilities become. There are ten levels or 'Heightenings' of this magic.
Any amount of Breath allows Awakening: the ability to, through specific commands, call inanimate objects to life by investing Breath in them and draining the color from another object (Awakeners usually carry a few pieces of cloth for this purpose). The closer the object's resemblance to a human (anthropomorphic shape), the easier it is to awaken. Objects of a greater size require more Breath, as do objects directed to carry out complicated commands. Breath can be regained from objects by the person who invested them with the command "Your Breath to mine."
Despite disliking one character early on, there weren't any that I didn't enjoy by the time I finished the book. The story sucked me in, and I finished it long before I thought I would. This was after all, my second read of Warbreaker, but I still enjoyed it as much, if not more than the first time I read it.
Highly recommended.
As a side note, this book has something that most of his other books could use a little more of - romance. Granted, it's not much and I would not recommend this if you are only in it for the romance, (So please, no angry emails demanding the "sexy time" I promised you!) but it definitely added value and I really enjoyed it.
October 8, 2015
3.5 stars
“You should watch yourself, child,” he whispered. “Not all here in the palace is as it seems.”
Siri and Vivenna are princesses of the mountain kingdom of Idris, a minor power whose very existence is threatened by invasion from the Kingdom of the Iridescent Tones. And so, to avoid war, one of them must leave her home to marry the God King of Hallandren, a man reputed to be a monster.
Read a book by Brandon Sanderson, and certain things are guaranteed to appear. An innovative magic system for one, and a really interesting religion. As a huge fan of traditional magic in fantasy, I am practically never impressed by new and innovative magic systems, and since this is more or less Sanderson’s most well-known strength it may be part of the reason why I am not so fascinated by his writing as a lot of other people are. Religion has always fascinated me however, and the mythology surrounding the God King of Hallandren and the Court of Gods was perhaps what I enjoyed the most about this book. The religious aspect is even more visible here than in the Mistborn trilogy.
The characters… what to say about those? There are four POVs of any importance. Siri and Vivenna are mostly boring, and the latter is also quite frustrating from time to time. Might be an unpopular opinion, but there it is. The third is Lightsong the Bold, god of bravery, and though he’s a really nice guy whose repertoire of witticism and puns never seems to be depleted, his chapters are the ones where absolutely nothing is happening. But after more or less calling three of four POV characters boring, I should also mention that there are exceptions. Almost all the POVs have interesting chapters, especially towards the end.
However, and it is a really important however, the fourth POV is absodamnlutely amazing. Vasher is a mysterious guy running around in the shadows of Hallandren with his companion Nightblood, who is nothing less than a sentient sword. I’ll leave the details hanging, but if someone could challenge the great Kelsier as my favourite Sanderson character, it would most definitely be this duo.
And, apparently to compensate for the boring main characters, Sanderson has included yet another amazing duo in this book: namely Denth and Tonk Fah, the mercenaries with the fabulous mercenary humour. At first they seem almost to be introduced to the story as comic relief, but as the story progresses, the reader discovers that they are really so much more.
One other thought: while reading this book, it struck me how simple it actually is. That is not meant in any negative way, but despite the innovative magic system and the developed religious system that are apparently mandatory in a Sanderson book, this is not particularly complex. The plot is fairly straightforward without any completely unpredictable twists, the characters are witty and simple people, and the purity and innocence of some of them is actually quite funny.
So in the end, I’d say that this was a good book, and a recommendable one, but not as good as I would have hoped. I have now read five Sanderson stories of which only one was a masterpiece, but I’ll expect him to provide me with more in the future. An author this popular will always get the highest possible expectations from me, but I still believe he is perfectly able to meet them.
“It's odd,” he finally said, “what history does to a man.”
“You should watch yourself, child,” he whispered. “Not all here in the palace is as it seems.”
Siri and Vivenna are princesses of the mountain kingdom of Idris, a minor power whose very existence is threatened by invasion from the Kingdom of the Iridescent Tones. And so, to avoid war, one of them must leave her home to marry the God King of Hallandren, a man reputed to be a monster.
Read a book by Brandon Sanderson, and certain things are guaranteed to appear. An innovative magic system for one, and a really interesting religion. As a huge fan of traditional magic in fantasy, I am practically never impressed by new and innovative magic systems, and since this is more or less Sanderson’s most well-known strength it may be part of the reason why I am not so fascinated by his writing as a lot of other people are. Religion has always fascinated me however, and the mythology surrounding the God King of Hallandren and the Court of Gods was perhaps what I enjoyed the most about this book. The religious aspect is even more visible here than in the Mistborn trilogy.
The characters… what to say about those? There are four POVs of any importance. Siri and Vivenna are mostly boring, and the latter is also quite frustrating from time to time. Might be an unpopular opinion, but there it is. The third is Lightsong the Bold, god of bravery, and though he’s a really nice guy whose repertoire of witticism and puns never seems to be depleted, his chapters are the ones where absolutely nothing is happening. But after more or less calling three of four POV characters boring, I should also mention that there are exceptions. Almost all the POVs have interesting chapters, especially towards the end.
However, and it is a really important however, the fourth POV is absodamnlutely amazing. Vasher is a mysterious guy running around in the shadows of Hallandren with his companion Nightblood, who is nothing less than a sentient sword. I’ll leave the details hanging, but if someone could challenge the great Kelsier as my favourite Sanderson character, it would most definitely be this duo.
And, apparently to compensate for the boring main characters, Sanderson has included yet another amazing duo in this book: namely Denth and Tonk Fah, the mercenaries with the fabulous mercenary humour. At first they seem almost to be introduced to the story as comic relief, but as the story progresses, the reader discovers that they are really so much more.
One other thought: while reading this book, it struck me how simple it actually is. That is not meant in any negative way, but despite the innovative magic system and the developed religious system that are apparently mandatory in a Sanderson book, this is not particularly complex. The plot is fairly straightforward without any completely unpredictable twists, the characters are witty and simple people, and the purity and innocence of some of them is actually quite funny.
So in the end, I’d say that this was a good book, and a recommendable one, but not as good as I would have hoped. I have now read five Sanderson stories of which only one was a masterpiece, but I’ll expect him to provide me with more in the future. An author this popular will always get the highest possible expectations from me, but I still believe he is perfectly able to meet them.
“It's odd,” he finally said, “what history does to a man.”
June 22, 2010
Enjoyed this a lot. One thing I admire about this author is his dedication to world-building. This is the third world I've read by him where he's invented a new type of magic system that is fresh and interesting. It takes a lot of road-paving to get something this unique through to the audience, and the beginning is a bit slow because of it, but I really enjoyed the characters and the magic system.
Like most of the other reviews I agree the ending felt a bit rushed, and the sequel was set up in a bit awkward way. I will be eagerly awaiting the next book, because the characters are quite interesting and the world deserves more exploration. The whole "god" aspect was also quite refreshing and new. Solid 4 stars.
Like most of the other reviews I agree the ending felt a bit rushed, and the sequel was set up in a bit awkward way. I will be eagerly awaiting the next book, because the characters are quite interesting and the world deserves more exploration. The whole "god" aspect was also quite refreshing and new. Solid 4 stars.
January 4, 2023
Una lectura maravillosa.
«—Mi vida a la tuya. Mi aliento es tuyo.»
Habiendo leído Elantris y la primera era de Nacidos de la bruma puedo decir con absoluta franqueza que esta es mi novela favorita de Sanderson, la que más he disfrutado y me ha mantenido en vilo. Como soy malo para hacer resúmenes de las premisas de cualquier novela solo diré que esta historia va sobre dos naciones que no se gustan y están en conflictos desde hace muchos años. Por un lado Hallandren, lugar que tiene a la corte de los dioses que son adorados y respetados y por el otro lado el Reino de Idris, quienes eran los gobernantes en tiempos anteriores. Sin embargo, una guerra está a punto de llegar mientras en las oscuridades se da paso a un complot y el rey de Idris debe enviar a su hija mayor como esposa para el rey-dios de Hallandren y así mantener las aguas en calma por un rato.
«Lo dejó fluir: aliento biocromático, lo llamaban los sabios. La mayor parte de la gente lo llamaba solo aliento. Cada persona tenía uno. O, al menos, así solía ser. Una persona, un aliento.»
La historia tiene cuatro perspectivas muy marcadas. Comenzando con la mirada de Sondeluz, uno de los dioses de Hallandren quienes eran humanos en su vida anterior y luego son Retornados (dioses) que siempre pierden la memoria de sus vidas pasadas. Luego está la perspectiva de las hermanas de Idris que se contraponen por sus diferencias evidentes en su postura. Y además, seguimos el punto de vista misterioso de Vasher y su muy graciosa espada Sangre Nocturna a medida que descubrimos qué es lo que pretende. Ahora, es por eso que a mí lo que más me convenció además de los cuantiosos plot twists (que no me cogí ni uno solo), del sistema de magia que alcancé a entender porque no es tan complicado con sus despertadores, sinvidas, apagados y los retornados, su evidente sistema político y división de mundo... Pues como siempre, por encima de esos elementos han sido una vez más los grandes personajes que me encontré quienes me conquistaron, donde siento que ninguno flaquea y tiene algo por aportar.
«Ese era el final del camino, donde toda su sensación de «independencia» y libertad tocaba a su fin. No importaba lo que dijera o cómo se sintiese: al final, tenía que inclinarse ante la autoridad. Como todo el mundo.»
Pero profundizando aun más en este tema lo mejor de ellos es las distintas dinámicas que manejan, donde siempre hay escenas y comentarios irónicos con muchísima personalidad. Vivenna y su trío de mercenarios es inolvidable; Siri y su relación con el rey-dios es muy curiosa y tiene un subtexto a cuento de hadas; Vasher y Sangre Nocturna son demasiado graciosos; y por último pero no menos importante mi querido Sondeluz y su leal sacerdote Llarimar que fueron los mejores. O al menos mis favoritos.
Ahora, en ese mismo lugar plagado de dioses, Siri, quien es despojada de repente de su libertad debe vérselas con el nuevo futuro que le aguarda en la corte de los dioses. Siri no debe enfurecer al rey-dios Susebron, quien es un excéntrico en toda regla como le han dicho; ya que nadie tiene permitido hablarle o dirigirse a él. Tendrá que ser más que solo una esposa y descubrir cómo se desarrolla en el palacio el recibimiento de la guerra y la tensión latente entre ambos bandos.
«La verdad es que la mayoría de la gente que hace lo que llamaríamos «el mal», lo hace por lo que considera «buenas» razones. Solo los mercenarios tienen sentido. Nosotros hacemos aquello para lo que nos pagan.»
Por el otro lado, Vivenna es una princesa egoísta y prejuiciosa. Mientras a Siri no le importa ser el centro de atención, a ella sí porque la educaron toda su vida para el papel que iba a interpretar en el conflicto de los reinos. Su punto de vista al igual que el de Vasher con Sangre Nocturna es el de mostrarnos cómo es la vida en las calles de Hallandren, como afrontan el día a día, la pobreza, el hambre, los malos tratos, el cómo y por qué sobreviven y así mismo cómo no deben ser juzgados sino comprendidos más allá de pertenecer a alguno de las dos facciones.
«—Eres un dios. Para mí, al menos. No importa lo fácilmente que se te pueda matar, cuánto aliento tengas o cuál sea tu aspecto. Tiene que ver con lo que eres y lo que significas.»
Ahora, Sondeluz es un personajazo y en muchas de sus intervenciones lo demuestra. Su manera de intentar entender su figura influyente como dios y la de sus creyentes mientras intenta desmoronar su divinidad añadiendo imperfección a cada uno de sus pensamientos y actos mientras trata de destruir la fe de sus seguidores es simplemente espectacular. Sondeluz es sincero porque reconoce en su hipocresía lo pretenciosa y abusadora que es su existencia como dios. Además de que me gusta mucho esta relación de Sondeluz y Llarimar por la evidente pátina de humor creciente entre sus conversaciones. Es muy chévere ver a un dios indiferente con su divinidad y a los seguidores que lo adoran como locos interpretando cada palabra que sale de su boca.
Mi conclusión es que si gustas de un sistema de magia fácil y comprensible, de una narración lenta pero en la que pasan muchas cosas debajo de sus superficie política, con dos naciones que tienen características y creencias diferentes y muy marcadas, además de personajes brutalmente divertidos y potentes... pues mira, no pierdas el tiempo y disfruta (quizás) de la novela más infravalorada y la menos sonada de Sanderson.
«—Mi vida a la tuya. Mi aliento es tuyo.»
Habiendo leído Elantris y la primera era de Nacidos de la bruma puedo decir con absoluta franqueza que esta es mi novela favorita de Sanderson, la que más he disfrutado y me ha mantenido en vilo. Como soy malo para hacer resúmenes de las premisas de cualquier novela solo diré que esta historia va sobre dos naciones que no se gustan y están en conflictos desde hace muchos años. Por un lado Hallandren, lugar que tiene a la corte de los dioses que son adorados y respetados y por el otro lado el Reino de Idris, quienes eran los gobernantes en tiempos anteriores. Sin embargo, una guerra está a punto de llegar mientras en las oscuridades se da paso a un complot y el rey de Idris debe enviar a su hija mayor como esposa para el rey-dios de Hallandren y así mantener las aguas en calma por un rato.
«Lo dejó fluir: aliento biocromático, lo llamaban los sabios. La mayor parte de la gente lo llamaba solo aliento. Cada persona tenía uno. O, al menos, así solía ser. Una persona, un aliento.»
La historia tiene cuatro perspectivas muy marcadas. Comenzando con la mirada de Sondeluz, uno de los dioses de Hallandren quienes eran humanos en su vida anterior y luego son Retornados (dioses) que siempre pierden la memoria de sus vidas pasadas. Luego está la perspectiva de las hermanas de Idris que se contraponen por sus diferencias evidentes en su postura. Y además, seguimos el punto de vista misterioso de Vasher y su muy graciosa espada Sangre Nocturna a medida que descubrimos qué es lo que pretende. Ahora, es por eso que a mí lo que más me convenció además de los cuantiosos plot twists (que no me cogí ni uno solo), del sistema de magia que alcancé a entender porque no es tan complicado con sus despertadores, sinvidas, apagados y los retornados, su evidente sistema político y división de mundo... Pues como siempre, por encima de esos elementos han sido una vez más los grandes personajes que me encontré quienes me conquistaron, donde siento que ninguno flaquea y tiene algo por aportar.
«Ese era el final del camino, donde toda su sensación de «independencia» y libertad tocaba a su fin. No importaba lo que dijera o cómo se sintiese: al final, tenía que inclinarse ante la autoridad. Como todo el mundo.»
Pero profundizando aun más en este tema lo mejor de ellos es las distintas dinámicas que manejan, donde siempre hay escenas y comentarios irónicos con muchísima personalidad. Vivenna y su trío de mercenarios es inolvidable; Siri y su relación con el rey-dios es muy curiosa y tiene un subtexto a cuento de hadas; Vasher y Sangre Nocturna son demasiado graciosos; y por último pero no menos importante mi querido Sondeluz y su leal sacerdote Llarimar que fueron los mejores. O al menos mis favoritos.
Ahora, en ese mismo lugar plagado de dioses, Siri, quien es despojada de repente de su libertad debe vérselas con el nuevo futuro que le aguarda en la corte de los dioses. Siri no debe enfurecer al rey-dios Susebron, quien es un excéntrico en toda regla como le han dicho; ya que nadie tiene permitido hablarle o dirigirse a él. Tendrá que ser más que solo una esposa y descubrir cómo se desarrolla en el palacio el recibimiento de la guerra y la tensión latente entre ambos bandos.
«La verdad es que la mayoría de la gente que hace lo que llamaríamos «el mal», lo hace por lo que considera «buenas» razones. Solo los mercenarios tienen sentido. Nosotros hacemos aquello para lo que nos pagan.»
Por el otro lado, Vivenna es una princesa egoísta y prejuiciosa. Mientras a Siri no le importa ser el centro de atención, a ella sí porque la educaron toda su vida para el papel que iba a interpretar en el conflicto de los reinos. Su punto de vista al igual que el de Vasher con Sangre Nocturna es el de mostrarnos cómo es la vida en las calles de Hallandren, como afrontan el día a día, la pobreza, el hambre, los malos tratos, el cómo y por qué sobreviven y así mismo cómo no deben ser juzgados sino comprendidos más allá de pertenecer a alguno de las dos facciones.
«—Eres un dios. Para mí, al menos. No importa lo fácilmente que se te pueda matar, cuánto aliento tengas o cuál sea tu aspecto. Tiene que ver con lo que eres y lo que significas.»
Ahora, Sondeluz es un personajazo y en muchas de sus intervenciones lo demuestra. Su manera de intentar entender su figura influyente como dios y la de sus creyentes mientras intenta desmoronar su divinidad añadiendo imperfección a cada uno de sus pensamientos y actos mientras trata de destruir la fe de sus seguidores es simplemente espectacular. Sondeluz es sincero porque reconoce en su hipocresía lo pretenciosa y abusadora que es su existencia como dios. Además de que me gusta mucho esta relación de Sondeluz y Llarimar por la evidente pátina de humor creciente entre sus conversaciones. Es muy chévere ver a un dios indiferente con su divinidad y a los seguidores que lo adoran como locos interpretando cada palabra que sale de su boca.
Mi conclusión es que si gustas de un sistema de magia fácil y comprensible, de una narración lenta pero en la que pasan muchas cosas debajo de sus superficie política, con dos naciones que tienen características y creencias diferentes y muy marcadas, además de personajes brutalmente divertidos y potentes... pues mira, no pierdas el tiempo y disfruta (quizás) de la novela más infravalorada y la menos sonada de Sanderson.
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