Oathbringer
Sometimes you manage to pick up a book exactly when you need to read it, and everything clicks in to place for a little bit. I started with the acknowledgements, conveniently located at the beginning of the book. Sanderson ends his multi-page thank you letter with a mantra from the book: "Journey before destination." It was just what I needed to read at that moment. As heavy as this book is, I felt lighter while I was reading it. Like it was carrying some of my burden for me.
This series is all about deeply flawed people dealing imperfectly with impossible situations. This book focuses on Dalinar, who has done a number of unspeakably horrible things. As we enter his flashbacks and learn more about his life, his relationship with his first wife, and what finally pushed him to try and become a better person, he's taking that exact same journey. He'd had several of his memories removed, which allowed him to leave in something like peace for several years. But now he's being forced to reckon with his past. It's a hell of a redemption arc, and Sanderson pulls it off spectacularly, finding a way for an absolute monster to reclaim his humanity and become an effective and honorable leader.
Alongside him are the rest of our heroes, each struggling with their own demons and learning how to forge a path forward together. It made my own life feel much more manageable. Which goes a long way to explaining why I dragged this 3 pound book everywhere with me and managed to finish it in 2 1/2 weeks, when I really haven't been reading at that pace recently. (It also helped that I had a ton of doctor's appointments during this time.)
But outside that personal connection, Sanderson really is a master at what he does. I had to look up a few things, since it's been nearly three years since I read the first two books in this series. But I was mostly able to follow what was happening without any outside help. Still, some day the series will be completed and it will be fun to go back and read all of the Cosmere stories in one big gulp. For now I just had fun recognizing characters from Warbreaker and speculating about the timeline. And wanting desperately to hear the Shin version of the tale about the girl with the scarf.
This series is all about deeply flawed people dealing imperfectly with impossible situations. This book focuses on Dalinar, who has done a number of unspeakably horrible things. As we enter his flashbacks and learn more about his life, his relationship with his first wife, and what finally pushed him to try and become a better person, he's taking that exact same journey. He'd had several of his memories removed, which allowed him to leave in something like peace for several years. But now he's being forced to reckon with his past. It's a hell of a redemption arc, and Sanderson pulls it off spectacularly, finding a way for an absolute monster to reclaim his humanity and become an effective and honorable leader.
Alongside him are the rest of our heroes, each struggling with their own demons and learning how to forge a path forward together. It made my own life feel much more manageable. Which goes a long way to explaining why I dragged this 3 pound book everywhere with me and managed to finish it in 2 1/2 weeks, when I really haven't been reading at that pace recently. (It also helped that I had a ton of doctor's appointments during this time.)
But outside that personal connection, Sanderson really is a master at what he does. I had to look up a few things, since it's been nearly three years since I read the first two books in this series. But I was mostly able to follow what was happening without any outside help. Still, some day the series will be completed and it will be fun to go back and read all of the Cosmere stories in one big gulp. For now I just had fun recognizing characters from Warbreaker and speculating about the timeline. And wanting desperately to hear the Shin version of the tale about the girl with the scarf.
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