A review by renpuspita
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 5 stars

PSA: While I read my paperback copy, Brandon Sanderson also post the complete draft of Warbreaker in his website. Complete with his reasons why he published it in the first place and also annotation for each chapter. For me, the highlight of this is not only how generous Sanderson to share his complete work with us reader, but also to know behind his creative process when I read the annotation. You might want to check them in this link:  https://www.brandonsanderson.com/warbreaker-prologue/

 “My life to yours. My Breath become yours.” 

It's start very slow for my liking and continue doing so until 2nd part of the book, then it's finally gain momentum. Reading Warbreaker remind me so much of Elantris and also a reminder that I need to resume Mistborn reading, lol (I stop reading book 2 for many years). Just like Sanderson, it can be too confusing to read at first. The world building and magic system is again, unique. And I have a guts that Sanderson don't want to info dumping but that make me feel frustrated to because of so many things that shrouded in mystery. Plus, some of mysteries are still left unsolved in the end. While Warbreaker is a standalone, Sanderson once said that he intend to write the continuation, but the book will wait after Stormlight Archive book 5, Mistborn era 3 and Elantris's sequel. Talk about torture and I'm worried if Sanderson will write it after all. Man is a wonder, he can write faster than some of fantasy writer I know (cough, GRRM and Rothfuss, cough), but with so many of his ongoing projects it will be a miracle when I finally can read Warbreaker's sequel.

Sanderson start this book with a simple yet intriguing premise. Two kingdoms at a cold war, Idris and Hallandren. Idris must send their princess to become Hallandren's God King wife, because of the treaty. Yet, the King of Idris, Dedelin, hesitate to send his oldest daughter, Vivenna. Because Vivenna is apparently his favorite child. So, he send his youngest, the reckless, unimportant princess, Siri. This event will finally set some things in motion because together with Siri's arrival in T'Telir, suddenly talk of war become louder and louder in the Court of God, the God King's palace. Meanwhile, one of the God in the Court of God, Lightsong didn't believe of his divinity and constantly questioning himself why he become a God. In the other side, Vivenna, no longer bear the burden to become God King's wife, decide to go to Hallandren to rescue her sister while her real reason is, she think she now become unimportant and she want to find her purpose again. All of them, unaware of one single determine force, Vasher with his sentient sword, Nightblood currently have his own agenda in Hallandren.

 “What I’m trying to say is that you don’t understand a man until you understand what makes him do what he does. Every man is a hero in his own story, Princess. Murderers don’t believe that they’re to blame for what they do. Thieves, they think they deserve the money they take. Dictators, they believe they have the right—for the safety of their people and the good of the nation—to do whatever they wish.”” 

Warbreaker are told from 4 major Point of View. Siri's, Vivenna's, Lightsong's and Vasher's. All of their PoV told separately while some party will interact with each other especially Siri and Lightsong, and then Vivenna with Vasher . With Siri, we get to know she who once a carefree person now being confined in the palace in order to bear the God King, Susebron's heir. With Lightsong, we will amused to read his thought and ramblings that constantly challenge his own godhood while his priest, Llarimar support him patiently. We also got his interaction with a fellow god, a goddess called Blushweaver that seems ambitious and believe that war with Idris is for the good of Hallandren. With Vivenna, we will get a glimpse into her and Idrians religion, Austrim that worship Austre, God of Colors. Austrim seems like a boring and prude religion because they condemn brightful color and they must dress properly with all of their body closed. Why, remind me of some of religion in real life, lel. Vivenna is so gung-ho to save Siri, and she hate Hallandren passionately. A hate that soon will be encourage by a mercenary named Denth with his crews, Tonk Fah, Jewel and a Lifeless named Clod. While Vasher is...Vasher is a mysterious dude and apparently have some unresolved past with Denth.

From all PoV, I liked Lightsong's PoV the most. He kind of remind me to Kelsier but I liked Lightsong more. His jovial manner, sarcasm, constant question about godhood and religions in particular are pretty interesting to read. In the end, he become a god like what he supposed to be and I found I almost shed a tear reading his part. A true God and heroic to the end. The idea of Lightsong, the Returned (those who died and them comeback to live) is come from how if God and Goddesses really live among human, rather than ambiguous concept like monotheism in which their believer can't see their appearance with their own eyes. A pretty interesting premise, I can said! This god and goddesses actually just like an immortal, yet they constantly worshiped under the religion, Iridescent Tones and they live lavishly with a perfect body and free from disease, just like God in the usual mythology. No wonder Lightsong didn't believe his own divinity. As for his fellow Goddess, Blushweaver the Beautiful, I think like this is how Sanderson want to write a femme fatale character. She's interesting, yes, and become contrast to innocent Siri and uptight Vivenna. Blushweaver also ambitious to the core, despite her flirtatious nature to Lightsong, but I just feel her to be so so, sadly. 

Siri's PoV I found it endearing. I think Sanderson was awkward and clumsy when writing Vin and Elend's sudden romance in Mistborn book 1, but surprisely he do better with Siri's. The God King is not what he seems to be. I really love reading the God King aka Susebron and Siri's interaction despite Susebron's priest manipulation and intrigue behind them. At least I can feel Siri's fear when she must kneeling naked in the front of Susebron while Susebron doing nothing, fear that he might rape her. I'm dreading that time to come, but nope, nope and nope. Susebron is a cinnamon roll, Siri is obviously a better match for him and I understand now why Sanderson choose that option. I can said the romance is pretty well written and this is come from as an avid romance reader. There's also a scene when they finally consummated their marriage, but don't worry it's mostly fade to black. The charm of their relationship is the witty banter between Siri and Susebron and how they come to love for each other

What about Vivenna? I think Vivenna is the character with most development. She's start as a stern and very devout Austre worshipper, constantly condemn the use of Breath (like Awakening) and see with disdain to the colorful clothing of Hallandren citizen and its building. So full of herself despite also doubt of her own usefulness after she doesn't become Susebron's wife. It's easy to hate Vivenna, but Sanderson prove that people can change. Vivenna change because of her circumstances, but she change to be a better version of themselves. With Vivenna, I feel like Sanderson want to challenge his reader, what good of religion if you see people outside your religion with disdain and judge them so? Sanderson give Vivenna (and me as a reader) a shock event to change her perspective. That, not everything is what they seems and people should not that quick to judge others. He also write that while Austrims take their religion seriously, in the end they are quickly to accuse people to be blasphemer while forget their original coda, to be humble. 

As for Vasher, he appear sporadic so we don't get his character development that much. His past and his connection to Denth also just reveal barely in the end. Contrary to Denth that Sanderson once explain that Denth is like a Kelsier, Vasher is anything but. He's grumpy, ragged, but his feelings are genuine. He's one of example in where appearance didn't matter, what matter the most is what he will do to prevent the upcoming war. From Vasher, we will finally get explanation about the magic system in the Warbreaker world, especially about BioChromatic Breath, the concept behind the Returned and how Awakening magic can work. It can be too confusing at first, although the concept itself are pretty simple at the first glance but it become complicated afterward. Because of course try to animating an inorganic object that didn't have soul in the first place will always not easy. 

Warbreaker is one of title that make me glad I always recommend Sanderson's title when people ask for a good fantasy title. Yes, Warbreaker is very slow in the beginning to the middle, but gaining momentum through the end and finally some things make sense while some thread is still loose. Reading Warbreaker (and its wiki) feel like I need to read Stormlight Archive sooner since Warbreaker is part of Cosmere series and apparently Vasher (and Vivenna) will play important role to in the Stormlight Archive. 

 You are a god. To me, at least. It doesn’t matter how easily you can be killed, how much Breath you have, or how you look. It has to do with who you are and what you mean

NOTE: I don't know why there's rape as minor content warning, because there's no actual rape happen (not implied nor descriptive, to any characters). The "rape" part is just what Siri feel that she fear she will be raped by the God King, but that's not happening. 
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