Oathbringer (Stormlight Archive #3) – Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Gollancz

In Oathbringer, the third volume of the New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe with numbers as great as their thirst for vengeance.

Dalinar Kholin’s Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that the newly kindled anger of the parshmen may be wholly justified.

Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths dark secrets lurking in its depths. And Dalinar realizes that his holy mission to unite his homeland of Alethkar was too narrow in scope. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put aside Dalinar’s blood-soaked past and stand together―and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past―even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent the end of civilization.

Think 1200 pages are long enough? Think again. Oathbring is 1200 pages of epic Fantasy writing that is absolutely flawless.

Identity is a huge theme throughout Oathbringer. Kaladin struggles with the Ideals, Shallan struggles with her multiple identities, and Dalinar struggles with his memories and who he is as a person, past and present.

Dalinar. Oh Dalinar, how you’ve fallen. Through The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, Kaladin and Shallan have been my favourite characters. That’s not to say I didn’t like Dalinar, he’s interesting in different ways, but Oathbringer cemented Dalinar as the best written character in the series, in my opinion. Dalinar’s journey into his past was heartbreaking and illuminating. I have never felt such frustration, sadness, and confusion regarding a character.

I love Shallan. Apparently, that’s an unpopular opinion. I don’t find her annoying at all. I particularly enjoyed watching her struggle with Veil and Radiant. The ease of switching to a different yet similar personality to deal with uncomfortable situations is something I’d love to be able to do. Veil and Radiant are the exaggerations of traits Shallan possesses, even if she doesn’t realize it for most of the novel.
I love Pattern. When Pattern acted as chaperone for Shallan and Adolin was by far my favourite Pattern moment.

Kaladin is awesome. He’s competent, knowledgeable, and forever a soldier. He commands every scene he’s in and redirects any moment to suit his needs. Based on a basic outline of his character, I never would have thought I would enjoy a character like him as much as I do, which is a testament to Sanderson’s writing.

Overall, Oathbringer was fantastic and a game changer for the series. I’m already eagerly awaiting book four!

If you haven’t read this series, what are you waiting for?!