Warbreaker

Absolutely amazing. The beginning was a bit slow, but some time is needed to set the scene and characters. The slow ramp up almost reflects the characters’ naivety about the world, we see what they see, which is a lot of surface observations in the very beginning. But once it ramps up, it really ramps, in worthy Sanderson style.

I prefer a book to use action scenes sparingly, and Warbreaker fits this bill. Even though Warbreaker’s magic system leaves the potential for epic battle scenes, these only happen when it makes sense. Violence isn’t thrown in for the sake of violence, but when it does occur it’s very rewarding. The magic system is a unique one that leaves lots of potential for creativity and hidden depths. Throughout the story I was thinking about ways the characters could use the magic, and some of the scenarios I imagined actually came up later in the story. I can also see how this system relates to the larger Cosmere’s laws.

Some of the characters I was previously introduced to through The Stormlight Archives, and it was very interesting to see them from a new perspective. I won’t talk specifically about these characters, and you won’t miss out on them if you haven’t read the Archives, but it added another layer of immersion in my experience. With that said I also really enjoyed the new characters found on this world. While Sanderson develops his character’s very masterfully through the story, I didn’t feel that by the end he had exhausted their potential. I would love to read more about this setting, with its exciting magic system and political intricacies.