Oathbringer Book Review

November 29, 2022

ob-review
Oathbringer Cover

This was a difficult review, but still a 5/5!

Reviews Book Reviews Cosmere in Review

Written Review

This is going to be a difficult review, not because this was a bad book. A difficult review because I'm struggling to give this a different score than a 5/5. I love this book, I absolutely love this book. Probably because I love this world and story. I love the Stormlight Archive.

Still a 5/5 but, I struggled to give that score.

This book, Oathbringer, for my copy was HUGE. 1233 pages total, pictured below. And I've read some large books previously and those have been the other Stormlight Archive books, but this being 1233 pages was a lot..

matt w ob
Me with my Oathbringer Paperback.. HUGE

Spoilers Ahead!

Spoilers!

I will be dumping my thoughts below!

End of Part One

WOW. How to even communicate this book. You have to have previously read The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, and Edgedancer, before you read this book. But we've got Kaladin deflecting a high storm, JASNAH IS BACK. Parshendi are now known as listners, singers, and now Fused (which I think are just parshendi in Storm-form? right?).

Funny Things

Dalinar and the Stormfather, are funny together. I appreciate the way they communicate.

Prior Reads

I read Warbreaker and Edgedancer right before reading this, and that was exactly when you should've read those books. There are particular characters in Oathbringer as were in those books!

You can read my reviews of those here: Warbreaker Review, Edgedancer Review!

Reason Why a 5/5

The Lift implimentation, the Vivenna implimentation, everything that occurs to Dalinar, the Bridge Four parts, and truly only specific chapters. Not all chapters made this a 5/5, and now more thoughts..

More Thoughts

Is this book just a huge interlude book, just making things happen to happen? hmmm, might be where I'm getting my feelings from.

The Sanderlanche in this book, I was blown away. This, I believe saved the book for me. This story was incredible. This world has gotten so large, but things in OB seemed to be dragging. I kept going back and forth on almost every chapter on if I was enjoying my time. This book was long. 1233 pages in the paperback that I read. And it took so long to get through this book. Maybe I was too worried about what to read next, but I felt that so much of this book just took so much time to occur.Oathgates are awesome. The magic system is so cool. I can't wait to see more Surgebinders. Dalinar is my favorite of all characters in these books. Lift is also incredible, like a little sister. Dalinar's backstory was really good to see. I'm so intersted in learning more about Adonalsium and the Shards and the Heralds. I've been confused about the Heralds and how they are alive and how they can die in these books but I struggled with the Shadesmar section (Cognative Realm), I guess I thought there wasn't going to be a full "other world" but it sure seems like it is an entire other world. So, I wonder what that means with the Spiritual Realm, is it an entire "other world" similar to Shadesmar and the Physical Realm? I love the Stormfather and Dalinar.Kholinar battle.. wow, great stuff! I love Hoid / Wit. I do feel, during the Shadesmar section, that the Fortune Teller is a world hopper (because of the "heightning, domi.." references). We got Cultivation.. from the Midnight Mothers.. mother? Elokhar is dead.. MOASH! Fighting the Thrill!

Who am I suppose to oppose?

This book made me care about so many people that I hadn't care for before.

  • Parshendi (didn't care for before) some chapters make you care for the Parshendi - thinking the humans are the Voidbringers.
  • Szeth, I've always really liked Szeth, and since the start I really was empathetic towards him because of the Oathstone and his oaths towards his masters.. but now, he's working with Dalinar. Also, Dalinar is just okay with Szeth?

And That's That

I love the Stormlight Archive and I will recommend this series to anyone. No, it's not done yet, and I haven't even read all the books in the series that are out right now, check Brandon Sanderson's Website, 17th Shard.com, and my Cosmere in Review for more information regarding any news on Brandon's Work!

This was truly an amazing book and I look forward to coming back to the Stormlight Archive, but I'm going to take a bit of a break..

Life before Death, Strength before Weakness, Journey before Destination.. The Immortal Words of the Knights Radiant!

Reviews of More Stormlight Archive

Click for reviews in the series!

  1. The Way of Kings
  2. Words of Radiance
  3. Edgedancer
  4. Oathbringer

Re-Read Re-Review

Reread November 2023.

Written Review

Dear Lord, wow. This couldn't get more EPIC! This was one I was worried about in my re-read, and it got EVEN BETTER! I am astounded at the way Brandon Sanderson has built this world and this story, and after doing my re-read I care about different characters and I'm interested in different storylines that I felt weren't fleshed out enough or didn't make sense the first time. Turns out, those storylines and characters just needed time to marinate for me; I love them! I'm so interested in them now.

This world is beautiful, and deep, and these characters are multi-layered, they interact so well together. I just can't get enough of this story. I really appreciate the magic system, it's one of the best out there. I love a good multiple realm/plane of existence story and this scratches that itch. YIKES, SO GOOD.

I want more and more of this, I'm so pumped to read on!

Re-Read Thoughts

I am truly, so excited to continue with this story now. I was going back and forth with my re-read on if it were necessary or warranted, and yes, it had been some time since I'd read this series and I needed a refresher, but nothing is like a full re-read to catch you up to speed. AHHH I LOVE THE STORMLIGHT ARCHIVE. I'm really glad I was able to re-read and feel what I felt before, on this grand scale.

Spoilers Ahead

Be sure to click on these spoilers AFTER YOU HAVE READ!

Review Scores
Emotional Impact 5
I feel this, Dalinar, sir, you are my favorite.
Characters 5
Oh, Dalinar, you're also my favorite! We are getting more and more characters, and I LOVE THAT! Brando Sando does characters as incredibly as the top tier character authors out there.
Plot 5
EPIC SCALE, epic story, epic connections, amazing.
Prose 5
This is better, for me. Prose doesn't always have to be frilly but whoa!
World-Building 5
Ah, Brando Sando is camping in this world and just cashing checks with some of the best world-building out there.
Spoiler Story Breakdown

Recap from TOR

Read from TOR here: [Before Rhythm of War: A Quick and Dirty Recap of Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive | Tor.com].

Things I loved on Re-Read

I am so much more of a fan of Szeth now, he is "reborn" and has been cleansed of his sins because it was due to his Oathstone that he killed those people - I think he's going to be a great edition to the cast of Radiants. That was one thing that I struggled with on my first read.

I also caught so much more from the Heralds, wow. I didn't realize they were so important and impactful on this story (Oathbringer specifically). But wow, they're there and they're real.

Hoid, wow. I always love Hoid, but whoa the Epilogue when he is because an Elantrian (I think that's right) with his clothes turning grey and hair and teeth falling out. What a cool connection. Hoid also uses Breaths to Awaken the rope. SO COOL.

Oathbringer is awesome, I still love Dalinar's Bondsmith powers - so cool!

Now Onto...

Now I'm going to read...

dawnshard
Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson