Mild spoilers for Way of Kings follow.
My original copy which owes me nothing!
Words of Radiance picks up just a few weeks after the conclusion of Way of Kings with all the strides made by our characters from that book. The Alethi warcamps on the Shattered Plains continue to struggle against the Parshendi, but meanwhile Shallan, ward of Jasnah Kholin, is travelling to meet with the Alethi royalty to reveal potentially dangerous secrets about the ancient Voidbringers which could turn the whole world on its head.
In the warcamps, Kaladin Stormblessed struggles to protect Highprince Dalinar Kholin and his nephew, King Elhokar from the infamous Assassin in White and schemes from within their own armies as betrayal and intrigue stalk the supposedly allied highprinces. In the rest of Roshar, chaos rocks the world as kings die, spren begin acting strangley, and people fear that the Knights Radiant have returned. For if the Radiants have returned, so too must the ancient and cataclysmic Desolations.
This story is, while just as much of a door stopper as Way of Kings a bit tighter in its focus. The vast majority of the story takes place on the Shattered Plains so it is all very geographically centered on this spot. The main characters are all interacting in various ways, and numerous new plots and counter plots are unfolding.
One of the most interesting aspects of this story is that we get a good look at the other side of the war on the Plains. Throughout Way of Kings the Parshendi were enigmas, we only saw them as enemies being confronted by the Alethi, and they were directly responsible for not a few deaths of those that Kaladin and Dalinar were trying to save. It made them foes only to be confronted. Now we have a character, Eshonai, who shows the war from their perspective. Tantalizingly though, we still get some mystery as to how the war started and why Eshonai has made some of the choices she has. In her chapters though, we do see how her people are becoming desperate and being driven to the edge. Hard, perhaps unthinkable, choices must be made.
Meanwhile, Dalinar Kholin is still trying to mold the fractious Alethi highprinces into something resembling a coherent whole. They still balk at his authority, scheme against him, and after the great betrayal by his old friend and ally Sadeas, he doesn't know who he can trust. His guard is now led by Kaladin Stormblessed who must struggle with the burdens of command and the need to try and master his new and mysterious powers.
Shallan Davar meanwhile, must make her own way to the warcamps, and uncover the mysteries of the Voidbringers and the lost city of Urithiru. In doing so she finds that one constant of the cosmere remains true, there's always another secret.
This book is really Shallan's book. Like the first book, which had Kaladin's backstory play out, this one shows us flashbacks from Shallan's childhood and her early life. We learn of her struggles growing up, the mystery of her mother's death, and why she and her brothers have always lived in fear of her father. The way this illuminates much of her character, and character growth, in this story is very well done. Shallan grows in leaps and bounds over the course of the story, and I think this further makes her one of my favorite characters in the whole series!
Of course, that's not to say our other leads, Dalinar and Kaladin, don't grow more too. Dalinar has to learn many hard lessons about principles and politics, while trying to match wits against those who don't share his politics or his scruples. Kaladin meanwhile, after so much abuse from men who are supposedly good men and his superiors, must learn to trust. While he respects Dalinar, he feuds with Dalinar's son Adolin, and mistrusts every lighteyes he meets. This leads to an interesting dynamic with Shallan early on.
With all the main characters concentrated in one location, this story lets Sanderson shine in his writing. Most of his tales have always had the action happening at one place, and I think that the plot he writes here is very much better for it. Most importantly, he allows the characters to all interact and grow in natural ways which will be very important for their relationships in Oathbringer.
It also delves deeper into the lore of the magics (investiture for those cosmere aware) on Roshar. It's what makes the world tick, how all the spren relate to one another and how those blessed with the powers granted by the gods can shape and use their powers. With the characters in one spot, and for the moment, pursuing broadly similar goals, it allows everyone to put their thoughts to figuring all this out in order to both win the war and to prevent the Desolations. That in particular, is one of the greatest strenghts on display here, as Sanderson is able to really bring our attention to the lore and magic in a narratively necessary way while also highlighting how wonderfully alien the world of Roshar is.
It is also a fantasy world that doesn't rely on those traditional fantasy races we all know. There's no dwarves, no elves, and no orcs. The Parshendi can't be counted as orcs as they're very, very different, and almost like aliens. The Iriali are vaguely human, then there's creatures much, much stranger. You really do have to read it to see it!
Of course, this all comes together in a very satisfying climax as the war, the political scheming, and all the study we've seen in both this book and the previous installment. It showcases a lot of Sanderson's strengths, with his avalanche of intrigue and storytelling among the humans and the Parshendi paying off at the end. It's both epic, and really suitably tragic. Kaladin's story arc here is perhaps one of the most important as, while this is Shallan's book, Kaladin has done some of the most growing as a person.
Words of Radiance is an excellent sequel and, so far, definitely the second best work in the Stormlight Archive overall. Its' got all of Sanderson's strengths and really lets him run wild with the world he has created. It sets us up for the next installment quite nicely, and really gives us a lot to appreciate, and ask ourselves, for what comes next on Roshar.
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