Brandon Sanderson's fourth entry into The Stormlight Archive is exciting, captivating, and exceeds expectations. The story follows our favorite Knights Radiant as they face down the threat of the Singer Invasion and the destruction of Roshar. Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar are set separately from each other, in their own struggles, while also being linked to each other as seen in previous Stormlight books. Dalinar's precepts of honor and identity are taken to a limit, while after a long struggle, Kaladin faces his own mental demons. Shallan and her various personalities are getting out of control, and Adolin's expectations to live up to his father get out of hand. Taking place a year after "Oathbringer", "Rhythm of War" allows time to develop the main characters and hints at deeper mystery. The book is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats just as we switch points of view. Sanderson's writing is excellent as always with the combination of the different viewpoints and how they into each other being done especially well. As the penultimate volume in part one of The Stormlight Archive, Sanderson explores new cities, different enemies, and higher stakes. One of the most impressive aspects of "Rhythm of War" is the way Sanderson tackles difficult themes such as trauma, mental illness, and addiction. He does so with sensitivity and insight, creating a story that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. Despite being a little long in some sections, and the flashback scenes lackluster, Rhythm of War is still a great read. Overall, "Rhythm of War" is a fantastic continuation of "The Stormlight Archive" series. It's a gripping, emotionally charged, thought-provoking, must-read for epic fantasy fans that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment. Fans of the series won't be disappointed, and newcomers to the series will find themselves drawn into the world of Roshar from the very first page.
About This Book
The eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Oathbringer, from epic fantasy author Brandon Sanderson
After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar's crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.
Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin's scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.
At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.
