Brandon Sanderson’s _Warbreaker_- A (Mostly Spoiler- Free) Review

I am currently reading Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson for the third time… Well, okay, my husband is reading it (for the first time) aloud while I do crafty stuff (lately, knitting a blanket).

I feel I should mention that it was quite a while between my first reading and my second reading (also aloud with a friend), and it was during that second reading that I realized something very interesting. Given enough time, I actually had forgotten a decent bit of what happened. It was almost like reading the book again for the first time. Just a little tidbit for y’all.

I have been wanting my husband to read this book primarily because one of the characters, Lightsong, is rather reminiscent of a character from a series he likes (Corwin from the Amber series by Roger Zelazny, if any of you are familiar with the series). A short while ago, my husband suggested reading something while I work on my knitting, and Warbreaker was my first thought.

I’m planning to not give too much away here, so shall we see how this goes?

Princesses from Idris trying to keep war from coming for their people. People who Returned from death and are thus treated as gods- Lightsong is one of these, though he doesn’t believe in his own godhood. Another Returned- the mysterious and feared God King- serves as the ruler of the Court of Gods and all of Hallandren. Awakeners who use Breath (equivalent to “souls” in certain points-of-view) to animate objects around them- our primary Awakener POV is Vasher, a man who has far more skill than he might look, and many more secrets. A magic, sentient sword who seems to have something of a one-track mind- Nightblood is probably one of my favorite characters in the book. A fantastic use of color in the book- both in how it is one major component to Awakening, and how color serves to distinguish between different cultures.

The worldbuilding in Warbreaker makes the story come alive with vivid imagery. The characters are relatable, and while reading, the story begs such questions as how are the assorted characters and plot lines going to meet up? And what is ultimately going on within the city of Hallandren as the city edges closer to war?

Warbreaker is a book I find myself glad to return to for the story, the characters, and the world. I also enjoy the fact that I am currently sharing this fantastic book with my husband.

The book can be bought in hardcover, paperback, or ebook, and Sanderson actually offers the book for free on his website. You can find it here: Warbreaker- Introduction. He has an introduction where he explains a bit about how he decided to offer it for free. You can navigate through the book using the dropdown marked “Navigation” at the top.

Have you read Warbreaker? Or any of Sanderson’s other works? I would love to hear from you!

~ Theresa

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