Scan barcode
lydiapike's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
saiyuki's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.25
straw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dillonbrantley's review against another edition
5.0
I almost had to give this a 4/5 because of the first half of the book. It was presented much less interestingly than the other Stormlight Books, but really made up for it in the last fifth or so of the book (despite the incessant flashbacks).
By the end, though, I was just as invested as I had been with previous books in the serious. Despite having some of the lowest lows of the series, Rhythm of War also has some of the highest highs.
By the end, though, I was just as invested as I had been with previous books in the serious. Despite having some of the lowest lows of the series, Rhythm of War also has some of the highest highs.
illusie's review against another edition
4.0
A good and complex plot. I'm looking forward to the next book.
prithviatreides's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
This book started out great. I’d thought I’d found my second favourite Stormlight! Unfortunately, things mostly fell off after the first Part. And most of the book wasn’t that good, not up to the standards set by the three books before it.
The Way of Kings is a brilliant first book, and it has that stench of a passionate first instalment, by which you can tell how long it marinated in the mind of the author. It has heart. So much of it.
Words of Radiance is my favourite book of all time, sharing that spot with Dune. Enough said.
Oathbringer, while my second least favourite Stormlight, is still masterfully written. I could appreciate the depth of his character work and the intentionality of his plot and prose.
Rhythm of War? I cannot think of anything that was good about it, except for the characters arcs of Kaladin and Navani. This is tragic because all the other characers were relgated to so far into the background that they were hardly visible past the mists and the oceans of beads.
Dalinar and Jasnah were little more than side characters, and Shallan and Adolin were dealt a hand barely any better. And I suppose it is fine, given how large the cast is getting. Except, in the list of the characters dealt bad hands is also the one who should have been the main character of this book: Venli. Does she get a lot screentime? Yes. Does she have an arc? Yes. Was it meaningul, impactful? Not for me.
It was SO RUSHED! It’s insane how a book almost 1400 pages long manages to rush through something so vital. Just compare Kaladin’s arc in TWoK to Venli’s in RoW, and you’ll see what I mean. Sure, she traveled. I only wish we’d gotten more of her journey. Also, despite sometimes wanting her species to win (barring Odium), I couldn’t feel as connected to her as I felt to Kaladin when I read TWoK. It might just be me, but I think the book could have done a better job of building that Connection, especially given how it’s one of Sanderson’s strengths.
Speaking of rushed, Adolin’s trial? What the fuck? It was literally the weakest trial I’ve ever read. So anti-climactic! Yes, the tiral itself had a greart climax—one of my favourite moments from this book. But the trial itself was so… silly. It was built up so much, for so long. And then…
I think this book would have benefitted from significant trimming, which would have freed up space for things like Adolin’s trial, Shallan’s arc (“you deserve love,” in a throwaway line, really??), etc. But, then again, Sanderson has a pretty solid pre-publication process. And if he felt confident publishing it, maybe I just want a different book.
While I love Stormlight with all my heart, I cannot love a book that seems to trade away character growth and intellectual and emotional revelations for plot. I love Plot, but not more than the Story.
I have faith that this was only a one-off thing. Given how monumental the next book is going to be for the entire series, Sanderson had a lot to set up. I have faith that the next book will be the emotional punch we’ve all been anticipating. I merely hope it does less, so that it can do more.
Final rating:
3.4/5
The Way of Kings is a brilliant first book, and it has that stench of a passionate first instalment, by which you can tell how long it marinated in the mind of the author. It has heart. So much of it.
Words of Radiance is my favourite book of all time, sharing that spot with Dune. Enough said.
Oathbringer, while my second least favourite Stormlight, is still masterfully written. I could appreciate the depth of his character work and the intentionality of his plot and prose.
Rhythm of War? I cannot think of anything that was good about it, except for the characters arcs of Kaladin and Navani. This is tragic because all the other characers were relgated to so far into the background that they were hardly visible past the mists and the oceans of beads.
Dalinar and Jasnah were little more than side characters, and Shallan and Adolin were dealt a hand barely any better. And I suppose it is fine, given how large the cast is getting. Except, in the list of the characters dealt bad hands is also the one who should have been the main character of this book: Venli. Does she get a lot screentime? Yes. Does she have an arc? Yes. Was it meaningul, impactful? Not for me.
It was SO RUSHED! It’s insane how a book almost 1400 pages long manages to rush through something so vital. Just compare Kaladin’s arc in TWoK to Venli’s in RoW, and you’ll see what I mean. Sure, she traveled. I only wish we’d gotten more of her journey. Also, despite sometimes wanting her species to win (barring Odium), I couldn’t feel as connected to her as I felt to Kaladin when I read TWoK. It might just be me, but I think the book could have done a better job of building that Connection, especially given how it’s one of Sanderson’s strengths.
Speaking of rushed, Adolin’s trial? What the fuck? It was literally the weakest trial I’ve ever read. So anti-climactic! Yes, the tiral itself had a greart climax—one of my favourite moments from this book. But the trial itself was so… silly. It was built up so much, for so long. And then…
I think this book would have benefitted from significant trimming, which would have freed up space for things like Adolin’s trial, Shallan’s arc (“you deserve love,” in a throwaway line, really??), etc. But, then again, Sanderson has a pretty solid pre-publication process. And if he felt confident publishing it, maybe I just want a different book.
While I love Stormlight with all my heart, I cannot love a book that seems to trade away character growth and intellectual and emotional revelations for plot. I love Plot, but not more than the Story.
I have faith that this was only a one-off thing. Given how monumental the next book is going to be for the entire series, Sanderson had a lot to set up. I have faith that the next book will be the emotional punch we’ve all been anticipating. I merely hope it does less, so that it can do more.
Final rating:
3.4/5
jessln23's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
shandyt's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars, rounded down.
Stormlight Archives shines the brightest when it focuses on the human element, on the personal lives and struggles of its (ever-expanding) core cast of characters. The plot was already complex enough that I found myself forgetting at times who characters were, what they wanted, or to which of the many Super Secret Societies they owed their allegiance. Unfortunately, Sanderson's insistence on widening the scope to the entire Cosmere pollutes that narrative even further, resulting in a book that reads like chunks of good, flavorful meat swimming in a bland broth. It's becoming ever more difficult to ignore the Cosmere's intrusion into the story, and my worst fear is that eventually it will take over, and we won't see any more of the amazing character arcs we got from earlier books. That said, what we did get in this book was as poignant and satisfying as you'd expect. It also seems as if Sanderson has finally learned how to craft a decent villain; this book's main foe was far more interesting than Amaram, or even Sadeas.
Ultimately, I would say I have fewer complaints with this volume than I did with Oathbringer. However, my worry is that it's because I'm starting to lose my grip on the plot, and that leads me to simply care less.
3/23/21: Now that I've had some time to let my thoughts percolate, here are some spoilery details that jumped out in my mind:
-Shallan's arc. It dragged on in places, and the revelation of who killed Ialai fell pretty flat, but her moment of reckoning in Lasting Integrity elevated the whole thing. It was one of the few moments I got truly emotional during the book, because I understood everything that was going on and was fully immersed.
-Kaladin's arc. There were some sour moments that I'll save for the next section, but overall, it felt like a logical direction for Kal's character to go. Maybe a little obvious, but that doesn't make it any less satisfying to see him use the knowledge and experience he's struggled and fought for to help others.
-Raboniel. I mentioned earlier than it seems Sanderson has finally figured out how to write a decent villain, although, in a way, it's difficult to think of Raboniel as a villain at all. She's not cruel, though she is pragmatic. Neither is she evil; she's rigid in her beliefs, and fatalistic, but it's clear she wants the best for those she cares for. Her friendship(?) with Navani was compelling in a way Sadeas' constant treachery fell short of, and Amaram missed the mark entirely. Raboniel saw Navani in a way no one else did: a brilliant fellow scientist. She genuinely wanted Navani to succeed. That said, she is still the antagonist, and Navani and Kal's attempts to outthink her and save the tower are gripping.
-Taravangian's transition into Odium. (A friend has started calling this being 'Toadium,' and now I can't think of him otherwise.) I think other people saw it coming, but since I was already struggling to keep up with the numerous plotlines, prophecies, and secret societies, I was distracted enough that I did not. I loved Taravangian's slow decline into stupidity and compassion, and knew there was going to be some sort of epic conclusion, but wow, what a way to end it. The epilogue scene with Toadium and Hoid was fantastic. I'm interested to see where Toadium's story goes from here.
-The narration. Kramer and Reading are not for everyone, and it didn't help that I started listening to this book after coming off some really fantastic narration on other books. However, once I got used to them again, there were some moments of true brilliance in there. (Kate Reading as Raboniel: "My baby." Michael Kramer as Design: "Something stuuupid.")
The Less Good:
-The Urithiru takeover plot. I didn't have an issue with the idea of it, per se, but the execution left something to be desired. It's difficult to put a finger on why I thought it seemed sloppy and protracted; I'll have to think about it more. I'm guessing it's related to the Singers, which I'll make its own bullet point.
-The Singers. Or... the Parshmen? Parshendi? The Fused? Listeners? Heavenly Ones? Regals? Too many sects, abilities, denominations, etc. to include in one book. I understand that there has to be a parallel between the classes/ranks of the Fused and the Radiants, but we don't need to actually hear about all of them, nor should we be expected to keep track of them. I got seriously lost at times trying to parse who belonged to what group, especially during action scenes, when there were multiple groups of Singers interacting.
-The Ardents' view of mental illness treatment. I know it's a parallel to backwards thinking in the real world, and it brings to mind The Yellow Wallpaper, so you know that kind of thing really happened. However, I find it a bit incredible that no one in the entire history of the Ardentia on Roshar had ever written any kind of dissenting opinion on how these people should be treated. That Kaladin's 'new ideas' are treated as some kind of revelation, practically a miracle, strikes very false to me as a modern reader. If I'm supposed to believe that's how it's been done for centuries, uncontested, I need a bit more supporting detail. Tell me (briefly) about case studies, or give me the name of the respected Ardent who pioneered this treatment.
-The lights. We started off with Stormlight (duh), and all the things it can do. Then we were introduced to Voidlight, which, okay, fair enough. Two gods, two types of light. Then, Lifelight. Alright, Cultivation is also a god, so that makes sense. Then... Towerlight? Anti-Voidlight? Anti-Stormlight? Now things are just getting silly.
-The means by which Navani isolated Anti-Voidlight. As a musician who works in a DAW, I'm passingly familiar with waveforms and polarity/phase, as well as how chladni plates (the plates Kabsal, Raboniel, and Navani use) work. The pure tones of Roshar make a certain amount of sense. Three pure tones, aka sine waves, for three gods. I'm with ya so far. (Ignoring that chladni plates don't create pure tones, but fundamental frequencies with dozens of overtones...) But to make a tone that is 'anti-Odium'? There is no magic sine wave that cancels another out. If you duplicate the same sine wave and reverse the polarity (if you're producing it electronically), or phase shift it by 180 degrees, then yes, it will cancel the first sine wave out. But you can't just produce that sound on demand—you have to HAVE a sine wave in the first place to cancel it with another. And to perfectly phase shift takes a precision that the human voice could never attain. I guess my real issue with this plot is with Sanderson trying to have his cake and eat it too. Up until the point when Navani modified the plate to produce Anti-Voidlight, everything was making sense, and seemed roughly scientific. Then when she filed down the plate to detune it from Odium's tone, and somehow reshaped it to once again make the same exact tone but with intent this time, and it somehow, magically worked? The science gets totally thrown out. Like, pick one. Audio science, or soft magic; you can't have both at once.
-Some ham-fisted writing. Sanderson's prose has always been what I'd call functional, but unpolished; somewhat contemporary, somewhat casual. Never would I have called it 'bad,' though. This book was perhaps rushed more than the previous ones were, or maybe, as I've heard Sanderson speak about in his lectures, there were some lines of dialogue that he intended to come back to later and just didn't get the chance. There's one particular tendency of characters in this volume that really stood out to me: repeating out loud the same obvious conclusions the reader has just drawn, to the character who did the thing to make us draw the conclusion in the first place. For example, Navani explaining to Raboniel, after Raboniel mercy-killed her own daughter (all quotes paraphrased), "That's why you wanted Anti-Voidlight all along..." Like, not only is it in poor taste to start talking to a woman about her motives when she's deep in the throes of grief, but why was that line of dialogue necessary at all? It's hardly a vast leap of logic for we the reader to conclude that Raboniel didn't just kill her daughter on a whim. The same thing happens between Navani and Raboniel at the end of the story, with Raboniel dying and Navani saying: "You wanted a way to end it, Raboniel." Why does Navani have to explain it to her? It's barely a step up from "As you know..." The other instance I can think of is Adolin, at his trial: "All along we thought the Recreance was one thing, but really..." Very clunky, very disappointing.
Again, I think the good outweighs the bad. I enjoyed this volume, and it's probably my favorite since TWoK. But I'm still holding out hope that one day we will get the ~perfect volume~ that will set the bar for all Fantasy to come.
Stormlight Archives shines the brightest when it focuses on the human element, on the personal lives and struggles of its (ever-expanding) core cast of characters. The plot was already complex enough that I found myself forgetting at times who characters were, what they wanted, or to which of the many Super Secret Societies they owed their allegiance. Unfortunately, Sanderson's insistence on widening the scope to the entire Cosmere pollutes that narrative even further, resulting in a book that reads like chunks of good, flavorful meat swimming in a bland broth. It's becoming ever more difficult to ignore the Cosmere's intrusion into the story, and my worst fear is that eventually it will take over, and we won't see any more of the amazing character arcs we got from earlier books. That said, what we did get in this book was as poignant and satisfying as you'd expect. It also seems as if Sanderson has finally learned how to craft a decent villain; this book's main foe was far more interesting than Amaram, or even Sadeas.
Ultimately, I would say I have fewer complaints with this volume than I did with Oathbringer. However, my worry is that it's because I'm starting to lose my grip on the plot, and that leads me to simply care less.
3/23/21: Now that I've had some time to let my thoughts percolate, here are some spoilery details that jumped out in my mind:
Spoiler
The Good:-Shallan's arc. It dragged on in places, and the revelation of who killed Ialai fell pretty flat, but her moment of reckoning in Lasting Integrity elevated the whole thing. It was one of the few moments I got truly emotional during the book, because I understood everything that was going on and was fully immersed.
-Kaladin's arc. There were some sour moments that I'll save for the next section, but overall, it felt like a logical direction for Kal's character to go. Maybe a little obvious, but that doesn't make it any less satisfying to see him use the knowledge and experience he's struggled and fought for to help others.
-Raboniel. I mentioned earlier than it seems Sanderson has finally figured out how to write a decent villain, although, in a way, it's difficult to think of Raboniel as a villain at all. She's not cruel, though she is pragmatic. Neither is she evil; she's rigid in her beliefs, and fatalistic, but it's clear she wants the best for those she cares for. Her friendship(?) with Navani was compelling in a way Sadeas' constant treachery fell short of, and Amaram missed the mark entirely. Raboniel saw Navani in a way no one else did: a brilliant fellow scientist. She genuinely wanted Navani to succeed. That said, she is still the antagonist, and Navani and Kal's attempts to outthink her and save the tower are gripping.
-Taravangian's transition into Odium. (A friend has started calling this being 'Toadium,' and now I can't think of him otherwise.) I think other people saw it coming, but since I was already struggling to keep up with the numerous plotlines, prophecies, and secret societies, I was distracted enough that I did not. I loved Taravangian's slow decline into stupidity and compassion, and knew there was going to be some sort of epic conclusion, but wow, what a way to end it. The epilogue scene with Toadium and Hoid was fantastic. I'm interested to see where Toadium's story goes from here.
-The narration. Kramer and Reading are not for everyone, and it didn't help that I started listening to this book after coming off some really fantastic narration on other books. However, once I got used to them again, there were some moments of true brilliance in there. (Kate Reading as Raboniel: "My baby." Michael Kramer as Design: "Something stuuupid.")
The Less Good:
-The Urithiru takeover plot. I didn't have an issue with the idea of it, per se, but the execution left something to be desired. It's difficult to put a finger on why I thought it seemed sloppy and protracted; I'll have to think about it more. I'm guessing it's related to the Singers, which I'll make its own bullet point.
-The Singers. Or... the Parshmen? Parshendi? The Fused? Listeners? Heavenly Ones? Regals? Too many sects, abilities, denominations, etc. to include in one book. I understand that there has to be a parallel between the classes/ranks of the Fused and the Radiants, but we don't need to actually hear about all of them, nor should we be expected to keep track of them. I got seriously lost at times trying to parse who belonged to what group, especially during action scenes, when there were multiple groups of Singers interacting.
-The Ardents' view of mental illness treatment. I know it's a parallel to backwards thinking in the real world, and it brings to mind The Yellow Wallpaper, so you know that kind of thing really happened. However, I find it a bit incredible that no one in the entire history of the Ardentia on Roshar had ever written any kind of dissenting opinion on how these people should be treated. That Kaladin's 'new ideas' are treated as some kind of revelation, practically a miracle, strikes very false to me as a modern reader. If I'm supposed to believe that's how it's been done for centuries, uncontested, I need a bit more supporting detail. Tell me (briefly) about case studies, or give me the name of the respected Ardent who pioneered this treatment.
-The lights. We started off with Stormlight (duh), and all the things it can do. Then we were introduced to Voidlight, which, okay, fair enough. Two gods, two types of light. Then, Lifelight. Alright, Cultivation is also a god, so that makes sense. Then... Towerlight? Anti-Voidlight? Anti-Stormlight? Now things are just getting silly.
-The means by which Navani isolated Anti-Voidlight. As a musician who works in a DAW, I'm passingly familiar with waveforms and polarity/phase, as well as how chladni plates (the plates Kabsal, Raboniel, and Navani use) work. The pure tones of Roshar make a certain amount of sense. Three pure tones, aka sine waves, for three gods. I'm with ya so far. (Ignoring that chladni plates don't create pure tones, but fundamental frequencies with dozens of overtones...) But to make a tone that is 'anti-Odium'? There is no magic sine wave that cancels another out. If you duplicate the same sine wave and reverse the polarity (if you're producing it electronically), or phase shift it by 180 degrees, then yes, it will cancel the first sine wave out. But you can't just produce that sound on demand—you have to HAVE a sine wave in the first place to cancel it with another. And to perfectly phase shift takes a precision that the human voice could never attain. I guess my real issue with this plot is with Sanderson trying to have his cake and eat it too. Up until the point when Navani modified the plate to produce Anti-Voidlight, everything was making sense, and seemed roughly scientific. Then when she filed down the plate to detune it from Odium's tone, and somehow reshaped it to once again make the same exact tone but with intent this time, and it somehow, magically worked? The science gets totally thrown out. Like, pick one. Audio science, or soft magic; you can't have both at once.
-Some ham-fisted writing. Sanderson's prose has always been what I'd call functional, but unpolished; somewhat contemporary, somewhat casual. Never would I have called it 'bad,' though. This book was perhaps rushed more than the previous ones were, or maybe, as I've heard Sanderson speak about in his lectures, there were some lines of dialogue that he intended to come back to later and just didn't get the chance. There's one particular tendency of characters in this volume that really stood out to me: repeating out loud the same obvious conclusions the reader has just drawn, to the character who did the thing to make us draw the conclusion in the first place. For example, Navani explaining to Raboniel, after Raboniel mercy-killed her own daughter (all quotes paraphrased), "That's why you wanted Anti-Voidlight all along..." Like, not only is it in poor taste to start talking to a woman about her motives when she's deep in the throes of grief, but why was that line of dialogue necessary at all? It's hardly a vast leap of logic for we the reader to conclude that Raboniel didn't just kill her daughter on a whim. The same thing happens between Navani and Raboniel at the end of the story, with Raboniel dying and Navani saying: "You wanted a way to end it, Raboniel." Why does Navani have to explain it to her? It's barely a step up from "As you know..." The other instance I can think of is Adolin, at his trial: "All along we thought the Recreance was one thing, but really..." Very clunky, very disappointing.
Again, I think the good outweighs the bad. I enjoyed this volume, and it's probably my favorite since TWoK. But I'm still holding out hope that one day we will get the ~perfect volume~ that will set the bar for all Fantasy to come.
verysleepyshelly's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
harlizard's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75