Bookquote.net Bookquote.net – Books Review and Quote site
Related Articles
| Categories | Action & Adventure |
| Author | Brandon Sanderson |
| Publisher | Tor Books; Reprint edition (September 19, 2017) |
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 1104 pages |
| Item Weight | 2.65 pounds |
| Dimensions |
6.15 x 1.85 x 9.1 inches |
I. Book introduction
Words of Radiance is an epic fantasy novel written by American author Brandon Sanderson and the second book in The Stormlight Archive series. The novel was published on March 4, 2014, by Tor Books. Words of Radiance consists of one prologue, 89 chapters, an epilogue and 14 interludes. It is preceded by The Way of Kings (2010) and followed by Oathbringer (2017).
In 2015, it won the David Gemmell Legend Award for best novel. The unabridged audiobook is read by narrator team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Words of Radiance, Book Two of the Stormlight Archive, continues the immersive fantasy epic that The Way of Kings began.
Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status “darkeyes.” Now he must protect the king and Dalinar from every common peril as well as the distinctly uncommon threat of the Assassin, all while secretly struggling to master remarkable new powers that are somehow linked to his honorspren, Syl.
The Assassin, Szeth, is active again, murdering rulers all over the world of Roshar, using his baffling powers to thwart every bodyguard and elude all pursuers. Among his prime targets is Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne. His leading role in the war would seem reason enough, but the Assassin’s master has much deeper motives.
Brilliant but troubled Shallan strives along a parallel path. Despite being broken in ways she refuses to acknowledge, she bears a terrible burden: to somehow prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that will follow. The secrets she needs can be found at the Shattered Plains, but just arriving there proves more difficult than she could have imagined.
Meanwhile, at the heart of the Shattered Plains, the Parshendi are making an epochal decision. Hard pressed by years of Alethi attacks, their numbers ever shrinking, they are convinced by their war leader, Eshonai, to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled. The possible consequences for Parshendi and humans alike, indeed, for Roshar itself, are as dangerous as they are incalculable.
About the Author (Brandon Sanderson)
Brandon Sanderson (Brandon Winn Sanderson, born December 19, 1975) is an American author of high fantasy, science fiction, and young adult books. He is best known for the Cosmere fictional universe, in which most of his fantasy novels, most notably the Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive, are set. Outside of the Cosmere, he has written several young adult and juvenile series including The Reckoners, the Skyward series, and the Alcatraz series. He is also known for finishing Robert Jordan’s high fantasy series The Wheel of Time. Sanderson has created two graphic novels, including White Sand and Dark One.
A New York Times best-selling author, Sanderson created Sanderson’s Laws of Magic and popularized the idea of “hard magic” and “soft magic” systems. In 2008, Sanderson started a podcast with author Dan Wells and cartoonist Howard Tayler called Writing Excuses, involving topics about creating genre writing and webcomics. In 2016, the American media company DMG Entertainment licensed the movie rights to Sanderson’s entire Cosmere universe, but the rights have since reverted back to Sanderson. Sanderson’s March 2022 Kickstarter campaign became the most successful in history, finishing with 185,341 backers pledging $41,754,153.
II. Reviewer: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
| Here is a summary of the book Review “Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson“. Helps you have the most overview of the book without searching through time. Please access “BookQuote.Net“ regularly or save it to keep track and update the latest information. |
1. EON WINDRUNNER reviews Words of Radiance
I find myself having put off writing this review for a few weeks now. I am still at a loss for words. How do I deliver an appraisal of a book so mind-bogglingly fantastic that anything I write will fall short of conveying the joy of reading it? Words of Radiance might as well be my description of this book and not the title.
WOR, being the second book in a ten book series called The Stormlight Archives, picks up right where The Way of Kings left off but does so at a faster pace. Where TWOK was a slow burn towards an amazing climax, WOR definitely has a faster burning fuse with an ending that surpasses the former by weight of sheer jaw-dropping moments.
And those moments?
They.
Were.
Astonishing.
The Way of Kings rocked your boat?
That rocking was just a slight vibration. It was the tremor of the water in the glass, the promise of something to come, and this book heralds the arrival and the full ROAR of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
E-freaking-lectrifying. Yup. I’m making words up now. Maybe if I just found a shardplate helmet, threw in the words ambitious, grandeur, astounding, magnificence, stunning, masterly, extraordinary and blended them all together with a dash of stormlight, it would form the word that would start to give you an idea of the wonder of Words of Radiance.
Brandon Sanderson just BROUGHT IT and dropped the mic before walking offstage.
I should be worried for the rest of the series, as I cannot seeing him topping this, but then, he has already proven me wrong with this book.
Go ahead and read this, you won’t be sorry. And if you find yourself nearing the end of the book and you are shouting and jumping and pointing towards the pages with exclamations of “HOLY GUACAMOLE BATMAN DID YOU JUST SEE THAT?!?!?!? “, just know that somewhere out there I am nodding my head and saying “I told you so!”
2. THARINDU DISSANAYAKE reviews Words of Radiance
“I once spent the better part of a year inside of a large stomach, being digested.”
Partly explains how it is turning out me this year so far.. I’m inside Roshar, way behind my reading challenge with Sanderson’s 1000+ page books, but not regretting one single bit! Stormlight Archive re-defined what I knew to be book-addiction to a whole new level.
I thought Way of the Kings was going to an all-time-fav for me, but Words of Radiance blows everything else out of the water! I’m going to forget about the challenge and keep going: this is too good to pause.
Review to come.
PS: There’s a nice little surprise at the end, which will only make sense if you finished Warbreaker before.. So, thanks again, Mel! 😀 .. Your list has been invaluable!!
“We all see the world by some kind of light personal to us, and that light changes our perception. I don’t see clearly. I want to, but I don’t know if I ever truly can.”
3. FELICIA reviews Words of Radiance
I mean, Sanderson always puts the word “Epic” in “Epic Fantasy” and at over 750 pages…this is EPIC.
I LOVED the last book, I loved this one as well. If you like Sanderson you’ll love it, if you don’t…well, this is definitely Sanderson! The same amazing characters continue from the last book, some Game of Thrones-type twists that are shocking as well, and as always, the lore and magic system RULE. Shallan continues to be an amazing character, and the growth of her abilities go into HELLA cool territory.
One thing: There’s something vaguely disquieting about the class system and weird racism in this book, with the “light-eyes” and the Parshmen, that I can’t put my finger on, anyone else feel that?
4. CROMBIESTARS reviews Words of Radiance
My new favorite series
Hands down one of my favorite series so far! They are all pretty big books to get through but they do not disappoint. I loved it so much I took part as a pledge in the backerkit project and I can’t wait for the items to start showing up. Nothing like surprise book mail! Anyways, the story picks up right where book 1 left off. This is by far my favorite book out of the series. So much action and adventure and you can’t wait to find out what happens next. I had some late nights staying up with this one :).
5. DMCONE502 reviews Words of Radiance
Maybe my favorite book ever
I’d recommend this not just for regular fantasy readers but for almost ANYONE who isn’t outright opposed to the might and magic branch of the genre. The characters and world building and magic system rules are unparalleled and to keep the momentum moving so well over SO. MANY. PAGES is possibly a work of actual sorcery.
6. RYAN WINTERBOURNE reviews Words of Radiance
Not quite as good as the first but still enjoyable
Book 2, like the first, rotates between characters a lot but spends the majority of the time on Shallan’s story. Personally I find her story less interesting than Kaladin’s possibly because she operates more as an intellectual trying to figure things out and there isn’t as much action. I also do not find her backstory to be as compelling.
Kaladin’s story in this book also becomes more mundane as he is simply a guard for the first half of the story then becomes a moody person for most of the second half before emerging from his funk at the end. He practices with his powers from time to time but they are mostly not used throughout this book.
The author likes to build up the tension in the book and then leave you on a bit of a cliffhanger while switching to another set of characters which I find a bit annoying. It’s one thing to do this in a TV series in order to get you coming back to view the next episode the following week but in this book, I found myself trying to speed read through the less interesting characters so that I could find out what the resolution was to the built up conflict.
All in all, I am excited to see where this series goes next and what is in store for the Knights Radiant.
7. JANEDOE7 reviews Words of Radiance
Brandon Sanderson is a gift …Such good build-up of narration, characters that pull you in its a joy to read. I definitely feel though there are some inconsistencies with the Shallan character and her relationship with Adolin. Many things she did were given justifications and she never really was held to account. Also the idea of making things ‘fit’ for those two seems to have been a driving part of the narrative rather than what seems natural based on the way she’s developed. I would’ve expected there to be a bond and understanding with her and Kaladin .. it was kind of frustrating because she seems to have a willful blind spot/prejudice with seeing below the surface with Kaladin .. however I think this may be an example of Brandon having a vested interest in an outcome and making things fit with Adolin for now, which stood out to me because he is so good at letting the characters progress in a way that feels natural everywhere else. I hope this works itself around to a more satisfying resolution in the end. lol I’m invested!
8. SMITTY1423 reviews Words of Radiance
5 stars is not enough. This book was an incredible follow up to The Way of Kings. Bridge 4 is great but the Knights Radiant??? Let’s goooo. Kaladin and Shallans character development was out of this world Shallan in particular. Everyone wants to name their son Kaladin, but Shallan as a daughter goes crazy.
“Honor is dead but I’ll see what I can do?” That’s like a J Cole bar Kaladin is the goat.
Words of Radiance was one of the ones. 6/5
9. GRACE A reviews Words of Radiance
Incredible! What a fantastic read! Brandon Sanderson, where have you been all my life? Lyrical, beautiful, out-of-this-world writing. How can a book be this voluminous, yet unpredictable at every turn? I love the surprises. The destination is never what you imagined it.
I am hooked on the characters. I want more Shallan, Kaladin, The Kholins, even the whiny spineless King Elhokar. I want to see what will come off the twist about Szeth and Jasnah. Was Adolin right in doing what he did, and will there be consequences?
Will we finally get some insight into who the heck Wit is?
I am off to read the third book in the series, Oathbringers. I am having a fantastic time with this series. Five stars.
10. GILLIAN reviews Words of Radiance
I loved this book! I’m blown away by this masterpiece of a book. I fell in love with this story and the characters from the very beginning. This book is about survival, power, loyalty, friendship, bravery and discovering the power within yourself. The pacing was nearly perfect and the plot kept me at the edge of my seat. The world building is so fantastic, the languages, the people, the magic, the history is all so beautiful crafted.
I loved learning more about the history of the world and more about the different cultures in the world. Sanderson is such a phenomenal storyteller, his writing is so descriptive and cinematic. This book reminded me why I love epic fantasy so much; fantastic world building, amazing characters, awesome magic and excellent writing. The characters are so complex and well written. I love Kaladin, he’s grown a great deal since the last book and he’s shown that when he makes a mistake he will fix it and learn from it. Kaladin is also relatable since he weighs is options when making a decision, but also makes mistakes.
I love Shallan, she’s brave, independent, witty, fierce, bold and inspiring. I’m in awe of her optimism after everything that she has been through, she’s strong and tough but also vulnerable. I really liked Adolin, he’s brave, charming, strong, and honest. I really liked the side characters as well especially the Bridgeman, Syl, Dalinar, and Navani. I loved the banter between Kaladin and Shallan, it made me laugh so much.
I also enjoyed the friendship between Adolin and Kaladin, it was great seeing them becoming friends. The romance between Adolin and Shallan was great, I’m glad that their relationship developed over time. The ending was shocking and action-packed. I can’t wait to read the next book!
III. Words of Radiance Quotes by Brandon Sanderson
The best book quotes from Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
“Jasnah had once defined a fool as a person who ignored information because it disagreed with desired results.”
“I will protect even those I hate,” Kaladin whispered through bloody lips. “So long as it is right.”
“Expectation wasn’t just about what people expected of you. It was about what you expected of yourself.”
“Honor is dead. But I’ll see what I can do.”
“He saw it in her eyes. The anguish, the frustration. The terrible nothing that clawed inside and sought to smother her. She knew. It was there, inside. She had been broken.
Then she smiled. Oh, storms. She smiled anyway.
It was the single most beautiful thing he’d seen in his entire life.”“Why hasn’t anyone killed him yet?”
“Dumb luck,” Wit said. “In that I’m lucky you’re all so dumb.”“Do not let your assumptions about a culture block your ability to perceive the individual, or you will fail.”
“You sent him to the sky to die, assassin,” Kaladin said, Stormlight puffing from his lips, “but the sky and the winds are mine. I claim them, as I now claim your life.”
“The only time you seem honest is when you’re insulting someone!”
“The only honest things I can say to you are insults.”“As I fear not a child with a weapon he cannot lift, I will never fear the mind of a man who does not think.”
“I ain’t grouchy,” Teft snapped. “I just have a low threshold for stupidity.”
“A woman’s strength should not be in her role, whatever she chooses to be, but in the power to choose that role.”
“I don’t talk to myself because I’m crazy.”
“No?”
“I do it because I’m awesome.”“Hello, a cheerful voice said in his mind. Would you like to destroy some evil today?”
“All stories told have been told before. We tell them to ourselves, as did all men who ever were. And all men who ever will be. The only things new are the names.”
“Two blind men waited at the end of an era, contemplating beauty.”
“I’m so storming pure I practically belch rainbows.”
“How . . .” Dalinar said. “You fell into a chasm!”
“I fell face-first, sir,” Kaladin said, “and fortunately, I’m particularly hard-headed.”“I can see what you’re up to.”
“Five foot six inches,” Shallan said. “I suspect that’s all I will ever be up to, unfortunately.”“I like visiting people in prison. I can say whatever I want to them, and they can’t do anything about it.”
“The world isn’t fair? What a huge revelation! Some people in power abuse those they have power over? Amazing! When did this start happening?”
“Expectation wasn’t just about what people expected of you. It was about what you expected of yourself.”
“Expectation. That is the true soul of art. If you can give a man more than he expects, then he will laud you his entire life. If you can create an air of anticipation and feed it properly, you will succeed.”
Excerpted from Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
….
Note: Above are quotes and excerpts from the book “Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson”. If you find it interesting and useful, don’t forget to buy paper books to support the Author and Publisher!
| The above content has been collected from various sources on the internet. Click the Share button to recommend the book to your friends! |
BookQuote.Net Sincerely Introduced!
