JANUARY 2018 - AudioFile
Narrators Michael Kramer and Kate Reading transport listeners to the storm-ravaged world of Roshar, where Dalinar Kholin prepares for the coming epic battle against the Voidbringers. Character development is at the heart of the book, and it is here that Kramer and Reading shine, with remarkably consistent and multifaceted characters that fuel the action of the story. Kramer’s resonant, gravelly voice skillfully communicates Dalinar’s inner turmoil as he faces the consequences of his violent past. Reading excels at conveying the emotional depth of Sanderson’s other characters as they explore their powers and confront their insecurities and fears. Adept pacing highlights both the intensity of hand-to-hand combat and quieter moments of sorrow and grief, fully realizing the intricate world that Sanderson has created. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
12/04/2017
The much-anticipated third Stormlight Archive epic fantasy installment is classic Sanderson, with multiple story lines and unexpected twists and turns. Dalinar Kholin has to rebuild his Alethi army to fight the Voidbringers; he’s also grappling with the consequences of his past actions. Scholar’s apprentice Shallan Davar delves deeper into the long-lost mysteries to find ways to save the world from destruction, and Kaladin Stormblessed heads out on the trail of the enemy. Maps, illustrations in Shallan’s sketchbook, and excerpts from Navani’s notes are rich in detail and add critical layers to the fantasy. Sanderson is a master at misdirecting readers with carefully plotted detours, and he dribbles out revelations leading up to the climactic clash. This is just the third title in a massive 10-part saga, so there is still a lot of groundwork to be laid, but Sanderson successfully balances introducing new elements and satisfactorily resolving some threads, leaving fans to eagerly await the next in the series. Agent: Joshua A. Bilmes, JABberwocky Literary. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Brandon Sanderson and the Stormlight Archive
Over 10 million Stormlight Archive books sold!
“One of the genre’s most beloved authors.”—TIME
“Sanderson raises the genre stakes… A fan favorite.”—The New York Times
“[Sanderson] is not a brilliant writer of epic fantasy, he’s simply a brilliant writer. Period.”—Patrick Rothfuss, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“The genre’s most popular writer… easily one of the most successful and prolific fantasy writers of the century so far.”—Esquire
“Epic in every sense.”—The Guardian on The Way of Kings
“Sanderson is a master of many aspects of the fantasy genre: epic world-building, coherent systems of magic and unforgettable character development. All those are in peak form in his masterwork, The Way of Kings.”—Paste Magazine, “The 50 Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far)”
“Absolutely revels in its fantasy world, one of actual gods, bizarre magic, knights with superpowers, spirits and sorcery, monsters, demons, and magic sword[s] called Shardblades. It embraces the fantastic, and does so with an astonishing amount of creativity . . . Words of Radiance is a must-read.”—io9 on Words of Radiance
“Excellent . . . cranks up the level of intrigue to dizzying extremes…Sanderson’s experiment is working, and he gets better with every book. The journey will be worth it. Yes, you should buy this book. Yes, this is a series worth following to the end.”—Reactor on Words of Radiance
Kirkus Reviews
2017-11-14
An epic fantasy about the return of an ancient, world-destroying evil.God is dead. And Odium, the god who killed the Almighty, is unleashing terrible monsters to destroy humankind. Dalinar Kholin has bonded with the powerful spren known as the Stormfather and led his people to the lost city of Urithiru, but his work is just beginning. Now he has to unite the nations of the world to fight the Voidbringers and prepare for "a millennia-old conflict of ancient creatures with inscrutable motivations and unknown powers." Danger is everywhere, even in his own stronghold, where the highprince Sadeas has been murdered—unbeknownst to Dalinar, by his own son, Adolin Kholin—and in Dalinar's own mind, where certain memories are missing. Meanwhile, Kaladin is looking for his family, and Shallan is struggling to live with what happened to hers. In this third book in the Stormlight Archive series, it feels like the plot is driving the characters rather than the other way around, but those characters are still rich and vivid, and the plot is still gripping and building toward another dramatic climax. Sanderson (Edgedancer, 2017, etc.) manages to tell a compelling story while raising questions about what it means to be a moral actor in a complicated world.Fans of the Stormlight Archive series will enjoy this book, which brings back favorite characters and deepens a well-drawn fantasy world.
