|Page Turners| Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson's books, of which there are MANY, have never disappointed me. Many are close to 1,000 pages long, sometimes more, and yet, all of them (at least the ones I have read) are incredible. Warbreaker, a stand alone novel brought me right back into the Cosmere. For those unaware, the Cosmere Universe, or simply the Cosmere, is a universe created by Brandon Sanderson, encompassing most of his books. Though most of the books are distinct in characters, settings, and even magical system (except for those in series, such as Mistborn or the Stormlight Archive), they retain a level of similarity and certain elements that tie all of them together. The common universe is one of my favorite things about Sanderson's books, along with the incredible action they all feature.

Do We Want to Turn the Page?

Warning! This next section may contain spoilers about the book. Also, all ratings are based entirely on my opinion and WILL be biased and subjective.

Before I rate this book, I think it's important to note that Brandon Sanderson is my favorite fantasy writer, and possibly favorite author in general. I adore his books, so it is not surprising that this is a 5/5 from me. Now, I may be biased, but this is a great book. Warbreaker features actions, funny quips (many, especially from Denth), and A LOT of backstabbing. I loved the contrast between Idris' commitment to white and the idea of no one standing out with Hallandren's explosion of dyes and colors, which ultimately, end up making two very different countries, but where people do in fact blend together. Also, I was shocked by the ending. Sanderson's books often have people betraying each other left and right, but this time, the clues were right under my nose, and I did not suspect a thing. I was convinced until the very last chapter that the priests were traitors, and that Bluefingers had been helpful, and then the very reverse turned out to be true. The mercenaries had me fooled too, just like they had Vivenna, and I did feel a certain dislike for Vasher until I was told he was actually to be trusted. It's Sanderson's incredible style of writing, with revelations like those and the ability to make me feel a certain way for a character that make me want to continue reading his books. Luckily for me, at the rate he writes, I should not run out any time soon!

The Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago.

Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.

By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.

The Author:

Brandon Winn Sanderson is a New York Times American author of high fantasy and science fiction. He is best known for the Cosmere fictional universe, in which most of his fantasy novels, most notably the Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive, are set. He lives in Utah with his wife and kids.