In Oathbringer, the third volume of the New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe with numbers as great as their thirst for vengeance.
Dalinar Kholin's Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that the newly kindled anger of the parshmen may be wholly justified.
Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths dark secrets lurking in its depths. And Dalinar realizes that his holy mission to unite his homeland of Alethkar was too narrow in scope. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put aside Dalinar's blood-soaked past and stand together--and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past--even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent the end of civilization.@goodreads
CHECK OUT MY FREAKING PICTURES AFTER THE GIFS Y'ALL! OMG! ♥
Let simply start with the book itself before I show the freaking freaking freaking awesome inside pictures and map on the dust jacket! I'm am freaking happy!
I got the pre-order from Audible BUT I was waiting to read this beautiful book and listen at the same time. ♥
PART ONE ~ UNITED ~ DALINAR * SHALLAN * KALADIN * ADOLIN
I'm going to do a series of excerpts from each person. I'm not going to say what is going on or from what year. I want to keep it a little mysterious. Although, there will be some funny parts. There will probably be *****SPOILERS***** in some of the excerpts so if you haven't read the book just skip this or if you don't plan on reading the book and want to read the randomness, then be my guest. I decided to only do this for the first part of the book and the rest will be my regular review. So, lets crack on with it!
DALINAR
Dalinar Kholin appeared in the vision standing beside the memory of a dead god.
***
Only six days had passed since their discovery of Urithiru. Six days since the awakening of the Parshendi, who had gained strange powers and glowing red eyes. Six days since the arrival of the new storm--the Everstorm, a tempest of the dark thunderheads and red lightening.
***
"And the Voidbringers?" Dalinar asked.
"They came to annihilate," Kalami said. "Their goal to wipe humankind from Roshar. They were specters, formless--some say they are spirits of the dead, others spren from Damnation."
***
A single awespren burst around around Dalinar, like a ring of blue smoke. "Stormfather! Thakka, before today, I'd have bet you half the princedom that such a shot wasn't possible." He turned to the archer. "What's your name, assasin?"
The man raised his chin, but didn't reply.
"Well, in any case, welcome to my elites," Dalinar said. "Someone get the fellow a horse."
"What?" the archer said. "I tried to kill you!"
"Yes, from a distance. Which shows remarkably good judgement. I can make use of someone with your skills."
***
"They can write?" Navani pressed. "The Voidbringers themselves are sending you contracts?"
***
Dalinar's shoulder protested as he stretched. He had found middle age to be like an assassin--quiet, creeping along behind him. Much of the time he would go about his life as he always had, until an unexpected ache or pain gave warning. He was not the youth he had once been.
***
Dalinar remembered.
Her name was Evi. She'd been tall and willowy, with pale yellow hair--not true golden, like the hair of the Iriali, but striking in its own right.
***
"Anyone?" Dalinar said. "You can show them to anyone?"
During a storm, I can approach anyone I choose, the Stormfather said. But you do not have to be in a storm, so you can join a vision in which I have placed someone else, even if you are distant.
Storms! Dalinar bellowed a laugh.
What have I done? the Stormfather asked.
"You've just solved my problems!"
The problem from The Way of Kings?
"No, the greater one. I've been wishing for a way to meet with the other monarchs in person." Dalinar grinned. "I think that in a coming highstorm, Queen Fen of Thaylenah is going to have a quite remarkable experience."
SHALLAN (Brightness Radiant)
She rested her freehand against the map. Stormlight poured off her, illuminating the map in a swirling tempest of Light. She didn't exactly understand what she was doing, but she rarely did. Art wasn't about understanding, but about knowing.
***
The one knocking would be Palona, who had once again noticed that Shallan had skipped dinner. Shallan sucked in a breath, destroying the image of Veil, recovering some of the Stormlight from her Lightweaving. "Come, she said. Honestly, id didn't seem to matter to Palona that Shallan was a storming Knight Radiant now, she'd still mother her all the--
Adolin stepped in, carrying a large plate of food in one hand, some books under the other arm. He saw her and stumbled, nearly dropping it all.
Shallan froze, then yelped and tucked her bare safehand behind her back. Adolin didn't even have the decency to blush at finding her practically naked. He balanced the food in his hand, recovering from his stumble, then grinned.
"Out!" Shallan said, waving the freehand at him. "Out, out, out!"
skip some...
"Oh for Damnation's sake, Shallan. Can I come in now? And just so we're clear, I'm a man and your betrothed, my name is Adolin Kholin, I was born under the sign of the nine, I have a birthmark on the back of my left thigh, and I had crab curry for breakfast. Anything else you need to know?"
"Sure. Fine. Anyway, we aren't alone. Pattern, come here please." She held out her hand, palm up.
He reluctantly moved down from the wall where he'd been watching. As always, he made a ripple in whatever he crossed, be it cloth or stone--like there was something under the surface. His complex, fluctuating pattern of lines was always changing, melding, vaguely circular but with surprising tangents.
skip some....
"Anyway," Shallan said. "Pattern, you're to be our chaperone tonight."
"What," Pattern said with a hum, "is a chaperone?"
"That is someone who watches two young people when they are together, to make certain they don't do anything inappropriate."
"Inappropriate?" Pattern said. "Such as . . . dividing by zero?"
skip some...
"Very well, you two," Pattern said. "No mating. NO MATING." He hummed to himself, as if pleased, then sank down onto a plate.
***
Pattern approached and tried to slide up her illusory dress, but then stopped, backing away and humming in pleasure at the lie. "I found him!" he proclaimed. "I found Adolin!"
"I see that, " Shallan said.
"He came at me," Adolin said, "in the training rooms, screaming that you'd found the killer. Said that if I didn't come, you'd probably--and I quote--'go do something stupid without letting me watch.'"
***
"Your imitation is pathetic," Shallan whispered. "Here. Let me show you how it's done."
Shallan drew in her Stormlight, going alight like a beacon. Things screamed, pulling away from her. As she stepped around the formation of worried bridgemen--wading into the blackness at their left flank--figures extended from her, shapes growing from light. The people from her recently rebuilt collection.
KALADIN
"Hello, Father," Kaladin said.
The guardsman finally caught up, shouldering past gawking townspeople and waving his mace toward Kaladin like a baton. Kaladin sidestepped absently, then pushed the man so he stumbled farther down the hallway.
"It is you," Lirin said. Then he scrambled over and caught Kaladin in an embrace. "Oh, Kal. My boy. My little boy. Hesina! HESINA!"
Kaladin's mother appeared in the doorway a moment later.
***
"I gave you people an order," Kaladin said. "I'm not fond of repeating myself."
"And what," Roshone said, "makes you think you can order anyone around, boy?"
Kaladin turned back and swept his arm before him, summoning Syl. A bright, dew-covered Shardblade formed from the mist into his hand. He spun the Blade and rammed her down into the floor in one smooth motion. He held the grip, feeling this eyes bleed blue.
Everything grew still. Townspeople froze, gaping. Roshone's eyes bulged. Curiously, Kaladin's father just lowered his head and closed his eyes.
"Any other questions?" Kaladin asked.
***
Kaladin crept through the rains, sidling in a wet uniform across the rocks until he was able to peek through the trees at the Voidbringers. Monstrous terrors from the mythological past, enemies of all that was right and good. Destroyers who had laid waste to civilization countless times.
They were playing cards.
***
No spoilers ahead..
I can't believe I just finished the 3rd book and there are, what is it now... 7 more to be written?!
I feel like I feel like I feel drained. I feel like I have come through so much. This book is by far better than the first two books, in my opinion. Oathbringer was filled with so freaking much. And yes, the first two books at 1000 + were filled too but it was just different. I felt like this book had more. I mean I would never not love the first two books and have them on my favorites list but this one just sealed the deal even more. I can't even imagine what else Brandon Sanderson can write in this world. I'm almost scared to know. Although, I don't think I will live long enough to finish the series since there are so many and what 2-3 years in between.
I loved every single character in this book, even more than I did before. Well, not so much the evil people but they were great too.
The back and forth stories, the past, the interludes, they were all perfect. I'm not saying that some didn't go over my head because all high/epic fantasy does that to me. I don't care. I will sort it all out some day with re-reads like I always do. =)
Lord though, the freaking battles! I had to fight off a panic attack! My peeps fought a crazy, bloody battle!
Brandon Sanderson, thank you for this wonderful book. Thank you for the art inside and out. Thank you for putting so much effort into this book. I don't see how you or any other author I love that writes these freaking murder weapon tomes can think up these worlds.
and that's all I have to say. Okay, a couple more things. I know that all Stormlight fans will love this book. If you don't then you fell off the cliff. I don't know. Now, I'm going to shut-up because this is my longest review to date and Goodreads isn't going to let me write much more =)
Happy Reading My Wonderful Stormlight friends.
Mel ♥
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1285088346
I saw Brandon Sanderson on a panel at Salt Lake Comic Con and he seems to have passion about his work. I've been wanting to read this series for a while. I guess I am going to have to now!
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