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merrow's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This series continues to feel more epic with every instalment. I really enjoy the descriptions of the various surges, particularly the flying battles with Kaladin/Szeth . The characters are some of my favourites I’ve read, including their well developed flaws.
While I had started to suspect, the reveal that the humans are the Voidbringers was very impactful, as was Odium’s growing role as a looming figure of destruction. While the start of the book is a bit slow to reach the parts that feel important to the story, the later parts drive forwards in a way that’s hard to put down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Slavery, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kendoll_renea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bearystarry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Fatphobia, Genocide, and Homophobia
timtalkinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Feels like the one Sanderson wanted to write when he started Stormlight. (At least the one he wanted to write for the first arc. I can't imagine what that man has cooking up for the next five books.)
Immediately feels more confident and mature, more intense emotionally and physically and just like he had every word of it planned out when he sat down to write it.
Of course, the Dalinar flashbacks are incredible and tragic. They build to an incredible payoff as yet another Stormlight character learns that they can be more than their past and scars.
I'd still give the edge to Kaladin finally realizing he has to protect everyone at the end of Words of Radiance, but I'm also freshly out of the book so that might change as I have some time to let it breathe.
Heck, I probably shouldn't be writing this until I let it all sink in, but here we are.
Again, I think my main criticism of Sando as a whole is those lore dumps.
For the most part I think he writes them well and staggers them enough to where it's not overwhelming. Other times it's pages and pages of characters talking about ancient Roshar history and it can be a real snooze.
They are necessary, and I can think of a better way to get it all in there. It gotten to a point where I will most likely have to find some comprehensive recap on this series before I read Wind and Truth this winter.
I've latched on to the BIG bits but I'm sure there's stuff I've already forgotten.
I'm so glad I decided to read Mistborn back in 2023, Sanderson has really ignited my love for reading and fantasy again. So any gripe I have with this book I won't count against it. It's incredible, thrilling and genuinely emotional.
I was thinking about taking a break when I finished but now I'm probably gonna jump right into Dawnshard here soon. Don't want to leave Roshar just yet.
Immediately feels more confident and mature, more intense emotionally and physically and just like he had every word of it planned out when he sat down to write it.
Of course, the Dalinar flashbacks are incredible and tragic. They build to an incredible payoff as yet another Stormlight character learns that they can be more than their past and scars.
I'd still give the edge to Kaladin finally realizing he has to protect everyone at the end of Words of Radiance, but I'm also freshly out of the book so that might change as I have some time to let it breathe.
Heck, I probably shouldn't be writing this until I let it all sink in, but here we are.
Again, I think my main criticism of Sando as a whole is those lore dumps.
For the most part I think he writes them well and staggers them enough to where it's not overwhelming. Other times it's pages and pages of characters talking about ancient Roshar history and it can be a real snooze.
They are necessary, and I can think of a better way to get it all in there. It gotten to a point where I will most likely have to find some comprehensive recap on this series before I read Wind and Truth this winter.
I've latched on to the BIG bits but I'm sure there's stuff I've already forgotten.
I'm so glad I decided to read Mistborn back in 2023, Sanderson has really ignited my love for reading and fantasy again. So any gripe I have with this book I won't count against it. It's incredible, thrilling and genuinely emotional.
I was thinking about taking a break when I finished but now I'm probably gonna jump right into Dawnshard here soon. Don't want to leave Roshar just yet.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Murder, Alcohol, and War
microbemasher's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was easily my favorite book in the series so far. I hadn't expected the character revelations we saw in it, and I love how even "simple" characters in this series have the capacity to surprise me.
The Sanderstorm at the end was a doozy. This book left me chomping at the bit for books 4 and 5, but also terrified of what else I might learn in those books!
The Sanderstorm at the end was a doozy. This book left me chomping at the bit for books 4 and 5, but also terrified of what else I might learn in those books!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War
katrinarose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think this is my favorite so far in the series. The character development, plot twists, and grand finale were so well done. I didn’t know how I’d like the focus on Dalinar since I enjoyed Kaladin and Shallan’s perspectives more in previous books but his backstory ended up being very compelling. This didn’t make a 5 star rating for me just because the pacing didn’t feel very consistent, there were some exciting parts throughout but a lot that dragged for me, and it took me almost 5 weeks to finish. I wish the drama of the last part was extended a bit into the other parts more. There’s a lot I could say about the individual plots and characters (just a few notes: Lift’s appearance/knowledge was strange and kind of unfounded despite her having a whole novella; Shadesmar was a huge drag) but I’ll leave it at that. Very interested to see where book four goes after that ending!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
dahud's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dementia, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Slavery and Colonisation
staticmonkey's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Alcohol
emabled's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
this is perhaps the best ending sanderson has yet written of the first three books in this series. it brought up so many morally striking questions and didn't resolve them easily. it let them be complicated, because they are. kaladin hasn't spoken the fourth ideal because he isn't ready; he didn't get a forced redemption. a lot of the plot twists towards the end of the previous two books felt very sudden to me, so this was a wonderful change in pace.
and, thank fucking god, the love triangle (i think) is dissolved. words cannot express how much i dislike that trope, and i am so relieved it was shallan and adolon together. kaladin deserves a happy ending, of course, but it was not with shallsn.
once again, the world building in this book is INSANE. sometimes, the words and writing are averagely impressive, if not just plain average, though i am not denying sometimes sanderson's syntax and metaphor are occasionally very striking. however, the world building is consistently beautiful and intricate, leaving expectation fulfilled in every succeeding book. the added humor in the writing also is a nice refresher, considering some of the heavy arcs the characters go through.
the spren bonds with the radiants remind me of soul eater weapons and meisters. i love that. they're my favorite part of this series.
so many questions. some answers. so much anticipation.
incredible book.
and, thank fucking god, the love triangle (i think) is dissolved. words cannot express how much i dislike that trope, and i am so relieved it was shallan and adolon together. kaladin deserves a happy ending, of course, but it was not with shallsn.
once again, the world building in this book is INSANE. sometimes, the words and writing are averagely impressive, if not just plain average, though i am not denying sometimes sanderson's syntax and metaphor are occasionally very striking. however, the world building is consistently beautiful and intricate, leaving expectation fulfilled in every succeeding book. the added humor in the writing also is a nice refresher, considering some of the heavy arcs the characters go through.
the spren bonds with the radiants remind me of soul eater weapons and meisters. i love that. they're my favorite part of this series.
so many questions. some answers. so much anticipation.
incredible book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
queen_cocolatis's review against another edition
I read a theory/spoiler about a character that made me uncomfy. So I just decided to drop it and wait til book five and see if it ends up confirmed. Nothing too big, but I just wanted to make sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, and War