Synopsis
Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare—and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray.
Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide—Adolin in Azir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah in Thaylenah. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade. He is accompanied by Kaladin, who faces a new battle helping Szeth fight his own demons . . . and who must do the same for the insane Herald of the Almighty, Ishar.
At the same time, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain work to unravel the mystery behind the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram and her involvement in the enslavement of the singer race and in the ancient Knights Radiant killing their spren. And Dalinar and Navani seek an edge against Odium’s champion that can be found only in the Spiritual Realm, where memory and possibility combine in chaos. The fate of the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.
Review
Over the last decade or so, I’ve read A LOT of Brandon Sanderson works. I wasn’t onboard with the Stormlight Archive for the first two novels, but around 2016, I read the first couple and had preordered the third book, Oathbringer, when it came out in late 2017. Since then I’ve read most of what Sanderson has written from his Mistborn trilogies to the Skyward series and even ordering the surprise novels he wrote when he was bored during the Covid Lockdown.
Even throughout all that, I’m far from a Cosmere expert (I think my older brother is the go-to for Cosmere questions in our family). What’s the Cosmere? Well…most of the books I mentioned…most of what Sanderson has written are all interconnected. The Cosmere is Sanderson’s universe connecting many of his stories. Marvel movie fans are familiar with this type of storytelling as Kevin Fiege has created a web of stories starting with 2008’s Iron Man.
With Sanderson, the connecting of this Cosmere has been slowly building, but Wind and Truth really bust the seams of the universe wide-open with Sanderon’s latest. Just like with the MCU, you don’t have to research and enjoy all the Easter Eggs that connect everything, but it can add to your enjoyment if you do.
The Stormlight Archive is an epic fantasy set on the world of Roshar. From Goodreads: “Brandon Sanderson’s epic fantasy cycle tells the story of Roshar, a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain. 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. As brutal wars rage over the control of these magical weapons, an ancient text called The Way of Kings tells of ancient times, the Knights Radiant, and perhaps the true cause of the war. The Knights Radiant must stand again.”
The Stormlight Archive books are massive. In fact, Wind and Truth clocks in at just under a half-million words (1,344 pages in the hardback and nearly 63 hours as an audiobook). Sanderson noted in interviews around the release of the book that there are over 700 named characters in the Stormlight Archive novels. It is the 5th book in a planned 10-book series and this one serves as a halfway break. It can be…overwhelming.
Even with all that weight (literally – the hardback is 6 POUNDS), Wind and Truth is an amazing achievement. There are definitely some moments in the book that felt a little clunky and the editing was perhaps a little off at times, but I enjoyed Sanderson’s latest outing a great deal. In fact, I have plans to re-read it sometime this next year to pick up on anything I might’ve missed and all those dangling Cosmere connections.
There’s not really any point in going into super-specific plot details, but I will say that Wind and Truth belongs to Adolin Kholin. When he was first introduced five books ago, I wouldn’t say I was his biggest fan. But, that big lug has grown on me and some of the most impactful moments in Wind and Truth were during Adolin’s sections.
As the halfway break in the 10-book series, Wind and Truth has a lot to do. Wrapping up a fair amount of stories while putting others on ice for a few years with dozens of characters and more storylines than I have fingers is no small feat, and for the most part, Sanderson succeeds. There are Sanderson haters out there. I get it, but I’m definitely not one of them. His books are fun and enjoyable with likeable characters. He knows how to plot a book — that last 15-20 percent of any Sanderson novel is where he makes his money. I will continue to read Sanderson books as long as he keeps churning them out.
If you’ve never read a Sanderson novel, it can be intimidating, but if you have the courage, I think it’s worth it to get to a book like Wind and Truth.
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