It’s a step down from Sanderson’s usual brilliance, and I must tread carefully when reviewing it. In my review of Words of Radiance, I said, “Brandon Sanderson is one of the greatest fantasy writers of our time,” and while I still believe this statement to be true, I can’t necessarily attribute Oathbringer as proof of it. When it was released, the hype surrounding Oathbringer was already epic by the time it landed on my doorstep, and rightfully so.

It’s a masterpiece that stands out on its own, and there are very few other books I can compare it to. While I still don’t hold it up to the lofty standards set by the series’ first two books, I think I underrated Oathbringer. I suspect that what I once analyzed as filler may add to the future books and the overall payoff sevenfold. Although I initially felt that the book could have been streamlined, I now trust Sanderson with the scale of the journey presented here. Oathbringer is an absolute tome, clocking in at a staggering 1,233 pages. Meanwhile, Kaladin Stormblessed travels to inform his parents of what is to come, Shallan Devar investigates the secrets of Urithiru, and the newly-formed Knights Radiants adjust to their new powers and responsibilities. To make matters worse, the Parshmen – docile slaves to humans for millennia – are no longer content with their former captors. Although they were arguably the victors, the Everstorm summoned by the Parshendi is wreaking havoc throughout Roshar. The plots, intricacies, characters, and their ideals and motives were fresh in my mind, and I saw depth, layers, and details that I may have missed before.Īfter escaping the battle with the Parshendi on the Shattered Plains, Dalinar Kholin and his armies find themselves at Urithiru, a mythical city. However, upon rereading it now in 2023, I enjoyed it much more.

It wasn’t as gripping and unputdownable as Words of Radiance, in my opinion. When I first read Oathbringer, I rated it 60/100 and felt that some parts dragged, especially in Dalinar’s flashback sections.

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