Words of Radiance

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
Series: The Stormlight Archive #2
Published by Macmillan on March 4, 2014
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Fantasy / General, Fiction / Fantasy / Military
Pages: 1087
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Words of Radiance, Book Two of the Stormlight Archive, continues the immersive fantasy epic that The Way of Kings began.

Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status "darkeyes." Now he must protect the king and Dalinar from every common peril as well as the distinctly uncommon threat of the Assassin, all while secretly struggling to master remarkable new powers that are somehow linked to his honorspren, Syl.

The Assassin, Szeth, is active again, murdering rulers all over the world of Roshar, using his baffling powers to thwart every bodyguard and elude all pursuers. Among his prime targets is Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne. His leading role in the war would seem reason enough, but the Assassin's master has much deeper motives.

Brilliant but troubled Shallan strives along a parallel path. Despite being broken in ways she refuses to acknowledge, she bears a terrible burden: to somehow prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that will follow. The secrets she needs can be found at the Shattered Plains, but just arriving there proves more difficult than she could have imagined.

Meanwhile, at the heart of the Shattered Plains, the Parshendi are making an epochal decision. Hard pressed by years of Alethi attacks, their numbers ever shrinking, they are convinced by their war leader, Eshonai, to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled. The possible consequences for Parshendi and humans alike, indeed, for Roshar itself, are as dangerous as they are incalculable.

Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson

The Cosmere

The Stormlight Archive
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer

The Mistborn trilogy
Mistborn: The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages

Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
Bands of Mourning

Collection
Arcanum Unbounded

Other Cosmere novels
Elantris
Warbreaker

The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Scrivener's Bones
The Knights of Crystallia
The Shattered Lens
The Dark Talent

The Rithmatist series
The Rithmatist

Other books by Brandon Sanderson

The Reckoners
Steelheart
Firefight
Calamity

My Review

I am going to be straight with you, Reader: I am having a difficult time trying to figure out what to say about this book. It is not because I did not love it, because I did, but it is the second in a series, and it is around 1100 pages of epic fantasy. So I have decided that I am going to include the blurb of book one, which is called The Way of Kings, down below in hopes that I can have something to say that isn’t too revealing for the second in the series. Oh, the blurb comes from goodreads.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of The Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

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.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.

and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.

In book two, Words of Radiance, we follow many of the same characters we met in book one, which is great because I find these stories to be very character-driven. Sanderson has a way of not only building magically epic worlds but also fleshing out his characters. In book two, we learn Shallon’s back story about who she is and how her parents died. I enjoyed watching her come into her own, not only as a student but as a woman. The strength and bravery she showed during some very difficult times I found to be inspiring. I also love her smart mouth and witty banter when it comes to interacting with other characters in the story.

Like many, I admit that Kaladin holds a soft spot in my heart. He is such a complex character who is always at war with himself in one way or another. His past experiences, which you learn about in book one and more again in book two, have shaped who he has become as a man and a leader. As someone with a degree in Psychology, I find him exceptionally interesting; he is like a case you want to study. Is that terrible to say? I am unsure, but I love getting into his head and reading his inner dialogue. I do feel for the man, though, because he has had so many terrible things happen to him, and still, all he wants to do is what he feels is right. I enjoyed watching him open up to some of the other characters in the story and trust them because he needs someone he can talk with and lean on when times are tough, and man, are they tough. He has not had that since his brother in book one. His brother plays a big role in Kaladin’s thoughts in this book, and his love for his brother helps him make a tough decision. Kaladin truly becomes who he was meant to be all along in this book, and I am excited to see what happens next with him in book three.

In book one, I found Adolin to be a bit of a dink. He was so arrogant and snooty in the previous book, and I kind of loathed him. I will say that in book two, I have had a change of heart regarding this character. I enjoyed watching him as he interacted with the other characters, and I saw him grow as an individual, which was nice. Dalinar, in my opinion, is still a great character in this book, doing what he believes to be honorable and for the good of all. The King, on the other hand, remains a whiny, childish sort, which we saw in the first book. However, there is a moment in the story where he confesses his worries and concerns; oddly enough, it is to Kaladin. I appreciated that he stepped up and confessed what his deal was, even if maybe it wasn’t to the right people. Besides, there is a scene in the book that made me laugh out loud when it came to this character, but I will not say it because I do not want to spoil anything. Just know that a new character is introduced toward the end of the book, which may or may not be related to a member of Bridge Four.

Bridge Four: seriously, who could forget Bridge Four? Some of my favorite characters come from Bridge Four. Yes, I am looking at you, Lopen and Rock. We learn some things about the members of this group, and sadly, some are not who you would think that they are, which left me feeling for poor Kaladin once again. Other than a certain one, the group remains tight throughout this book and some of the things they get up to are hilarious. I also love it when the perspective in the story shifts to these characters, especially Lopen and Rock. Don’t get me wrong, I love Teft and the others, too, but Lopen and Rock are hilarious, in my opinion.

If you loved the first book in the series, then you absolutely should pick up the second because Sanderson has done such a great job continuing the story. I did not find second-book syndrome to be a thing while reading this one. I did listen to it on audio, so I apologize upfront if I have spelled any of the names wrong because it was not intentional. If you love epic fantasy with lots of characters, fight scenes, politics, magic, and fantastic world-building then give this series a go, and a word of advice maybe go in order. If you have read this book then please let me know I am always happy to chat books. Until next time, Reader Happy Reading.

Trigger Warnings:

• Battle Scenes
• Murder
• Betrayal