Goodreads Preview
From Goodreads: "Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.
It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them and won by them.
One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.
Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.
Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war."
My Thoughts
I'm glad that I've read other stories by Brandon Sanderson before reading this one. It would've been harder to keep up with this one if I hadn't read and enjoyed others. Before reading this one, consider reading other books by this author first.
The only thing I always enjoy was the jumping between characters. There are several characters that get a section of the story and I found myself getting frustrated with the changes because I would want to keep reading about the character. Also, a few of the characters were seen for about a chapter and then not seen again. Why give them that much focus if you aren't going to use them? However, the book is well written enough that if I put the book down for a few days, I could start up again and not forget what was going on (my problem with the Wheel of Time). For me, I can't always read every day so it's important that I don't have to restart multiple times.
There was a lot to enjoy with this story. The scenery is colorful and easy to picture. The characters a varied and interesting. There are even female characters that are exciting to follow. Usually, with books like this, the girls are a bit of a letdown. I didn't particularly like Shallan, but my husband has read the next book and is reading the most recent story and he has said that she gets way better.
Kaladin and Dalinar are probably my top favorite characters so far. Their development is amazing, but they still have their struggles. I love the final scene with Kaladin and Dalinar the best.
What books have you read so far this year?
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