Title: Oathbringer
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Series: The Stormlight Archive
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 1248
Published: 2017, Tor Books
My Grade: 5 out of 5
Review Summary: The Sanderlanche is unreal in Oathbringer.

FROM THE BACK COVER

A new storm has come.
   Ash and red lightning sweep the land, awakening our ancient enemies. The Unmade – shadows of the enemy’s soul – stir, while the eyes of men open. This war is not, and never was, what they thought it to be.
   We may soon hold Surges again, for the Radiance has returned to some, and shines toward others. The Captain, broken by loss, seeks reconciliation. The Spy, broken by cruelty, seeks completion. The Stonewalker, broken by oaths, seeks truth. The Traitor, broken by ambition, seeks freedom.
   And finally The King, broken by war, he seeks the past. That which was abandoned. That which he must not learn.
   For those secrets will crush him as they did the Knights who came before.

MY REVIEW

I’ll admit, at first I thought Dalinar’s background would be… well, “boring” compared to Kaladin and Shallan’s in the earlier books. Not uneventful, just less interesting. But I was so wrong. Reading about how he became the man he is today had me shedding actual tears. It’s one of those rare character arcs that not only deepens the person but also reframes everything you thought you knew about them.

I had, unfortunately, stumbled across a huge spoiler before starting. I knew it was coming. And yet… when it happened, it blindsided me. I was still shocked, not just by what happened, but by how it happened. That’s the kind of storytelling Sanderson excels at: even when you think you’re prepared, you aren’t.

His writing style remains simple, and for me, that’s perfect. It lets the intricate worldbuilding, the layered plots, and the vivid imagery take the lead. I can see every scene so clearly in my mind, like I’m standing right there. And once again, he draws me into the emotions of the characters until I’m feeling them alongside them. It’s beautiful and exhausting in the best way.

Shallan, I’ll admit, has been harder for me to connect with in past books, well, Words of Radiance. In Way of Kings, she was probably my favorite. But here, her arc is finally clicking, and I’m starting to appreciate where she’s headed. And as with The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, I’m left in awe of how all the threads pull tighter while still leaving enough to long for the next book.

And then there’s the ending. For over 200 pages I was on edge, breathless, flipping pages like my life depended on it. Sanderson writes action scenes the way they’d play out in a movie: shifting perspectives, weaving multiple storylines into one massive sequence without losing you for a second. I recently reflected on this while watching the end of Avatar: The Way of Water (and constantly crying for about an hour), and that’s exactly what he does here, except he does it with nothing but words. I am beyond impressed. Once again!

The ending was surprising and satisfying, but also a reminder: this is only book 3 of 5. I know for certain I’m in for a wild ride going forward, this is Sanderson after all, and I can’t wait to pick up Dawnshard before diving into Rhythm of War.

My grade? A solid, unquestionable 5 out of 5. No debate.