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A review by frootlupo
Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
Words of Radiance is one of Sanderson’s most beloved works - and for a VERY good reason.
The rebel in me likes to have a bit of a contrarian opinion. There is an urge to be overly critical of a mass favourite like WoR, but to do so would be doing a grave injustice to a truly excellent piece of literature. Its predecessor could, at moments, feel slightly sluggish and a tad exposition heavy. In contrast, the second book in the Stormlight Archive manages to keep an entertaining but not overwhelming sense of momentum the entire way through. It hooks you almost immediately and keeps you in its clutches the whole way through. The sheer number of memorable scenes and sticky quotes is a deep testament to the quality of the book from cover to cover.
The rebel in me likes to have a bit of a contrarian opinion. There is an urge to be overly critical of a mass favourite like WoR, but to do so would be doing a grave injustice to a truly excellent piece of literature. Its predecessor could, at moments, feel slightly sluggish and a tad exposition heavy. In contrast, the second book in the Stormlight Archive manages to keep an entertaining but not overwhelming sense of momentum the entire way through. It hooks you almost immediately and keeps you in its clutches the whole way through. The sheer number of memorable scenes and sticky quotes is a deep testament to the quality of the book from cover to cover.
You continue to hate and love the characters - but Words of Radiance ups the ante and makes you feel actively disappointed, hurt, betrayed, and elated through the actions of various characters.
On reread, the book was somehow more enjoyable. Being able to catch the innumerable little details with massive implications brings a sense of giddy fun, and makes you feel like a certain lovable world-hopping rogue when you know so much more than the characters.
Words of Radiance is the epitome of what makes Brandon Sanderson so celebrated and the Cosmere so loved.