"Dense, Deliberate, and Deeply Rewarding"

Another Readthrough of Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

This was my third time through Words of Radiance — the first was a mix of audiobook and reading, the second mostly listening, but this time I fully read it cover to cover. I also annotated heavily, and my copy is now marked up with plenty of highlights and tabs. It’s been interesting to see what stood out differently this time.

One of the biggest things I noticed on this read was the prose. After reading more broadly in the fantasy genre, Sanderson’s style struck me as simple and very readable — and that’s not a bad thing. While it doesn’t have the lyrical flair some fantasy authors go for, it’s clear and deliberate. It keeps the focus on the story, the characters, and the world. And sometimes, throughout the book, that's good -- because of the length of the book, it almost requires this type of prose. It's simply accessible. And again, that's not a bad thing, just something I'm really noticing now.

The book feels very balanced overall. It’s undeniably long — almost 400,000 words — and there are definitely stretches that feel slow. A lot of introspection, setup, and character development. But it’s not without payoff. The high points really land, with some excellent scenes that I found myself rereading for how well they hit.

At this point in my "re-read" through the Cosmere and The Stormlight Archive, I have read nearly 1,000,000 Brandon Sanderson's words. And it is showing. I'm weighed down by the prose. The magic in the Stormlight Archive and the plot is deep and intriguing.

I do think the Sanderlanche — the big, climactic payoff — feels really far away for most of the book. You’re often just waiting for it, and that can make the pacing feel a bit sluggish at times. There’s a lot of groundwork being laid, which makes sense, but it’s not always the most gripping to read through.

Even so, I caught much more this time — foreshadowing, themes, and character beats that added weight to the slower sections. More noticeable this time. Again, Shallan and Kaladin’s arcs, in particular, kept me going!

I’m still at a solid 4/5. It’s not flawless, and it’s not built for constant thrills — but it’s dense, deliberate, and deeply rewarding.