“Honor is dead, but I’ll see what I can do.”
The Way of Kings was excellent, but Words of Radiance is even better. Among fans, this book is often considered not only the best of The Stormlight Archive, but also amongst the best of all Brandon Sanderson’s works, and I can see why. It is very rare that an epic, massive novel such as this has such a tremendous and satisfying climax. Words of Radiance absolutely rewards readers for sticking with the series thus far. The final battle (particularly the showdown between Kaladin and Szeth) is truly cinematic, and the way much of the lore about The Knights Radiant, spren, and the everstorm all come together is seamless.
As in The Way of Kings, some sections of Words of Radiance are a slow burn, but I never felt bored. Even when the plot slows, spending time with these characters is a real treat. While The Way of Kings felt like an introduction to the world of Roshar and these characters, Words of Radiance really allows these characters to have more agency and power. Shallan’s growing confidence, the discovery of Pattern, her infiltration of the Ghostbloods, and her harnessing of her Lightweaving abilities was fascinating; spending more time with Adolin quickly elevated him to one of my favorite characters; and Kaladin’s slow and painful process of finding his purpose leads to one of the coolest moments in any fantasy book I have read (even though he can be a bit whiny). While Dalinar took a step back from the spotlight for large parts of this book he definitely remains my favorite character and I am really looking forward to him taking center stage in Oathbringer, now that he understands his visions and is able to converse with the Stormfather. The Interludes continue to be the most hit-or-miss parts of these books for me, but they serve as a good palate cleanser in such long novels.
At this point, I am fully invested in the Stormlight Archive, and it seems that finally, over 2000 pages in, the world of Roshar and the Cosmere are about to truly open up and get really interesting and mesmerizing.
The Once and Future Lit 