Customer Reviews

Warbreaker (Tor Fantasy)

5 star:		(148)
4 star:		(75)
3 star:		(38)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Simply put, Brandon Sanderson's "Warbreaker" is one of the best books I've read. When I ordered it, I was a bit apprehensive over the official write-up and the "SciFi Essential Book" logo on the front page. Essentially, I was worried that the book might read like a comic book or a screenplay. Thankfully, that worry was unfounded. Within just a few pages, I was totally absorbed in the story. Why is the book so good? Well:

- Premise: this is one of those books where you wonder where the author comes up with even the basic premise. As stated in the official write-up: "By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished." Once I saw what the author did with that, I was amazed.

- Authorship: the technical aspects of the writing and the internal consistency of the world and characters are excellent. In many books, people and things don't necessarily behave as they should in all instances. In "Warbreaker," I never noticed any such deficiency.

- Points of View: one of the really clever things that Sanderson does is to constantly compare the main characters' points-of-view to the *expectations* of the other main characters' points-of-view. He does an excellent job of this and it leads to some interesting twists as he follows each character's development. And, finally,

- Plot Twists: there are a lot of plot twists in the book and they're done well. Usually, when I read a book, I can figure out what's going to happen right from the beginning. In this case, Sanderson has a few of those "obvious" twists present. But, there are others which spring up entirely unexpectedly. That's a rare and precious thing in an author and something to be treasured.

So, all-in-all, I loved the book and rate it an Excellent 5 stars out of 5. I highly recommend it to everyone (and I'll be reading Sanderson's other books shortly).

When I first saw how long this book was, I thought I would be sick of it before I could plough through to the end. Nothing could have been further from the truth! Warbreaker kept me interested and sometimes delighted; the characters were interesting, the story was full of surprises, and even the rules of magic were a little bit different than any I've seen in too many long, involved fantasy novels.

Here we have two sisters; the princess who expected to be sent to the god-king of her enemies in marriage, and the pricess who was sent instead. Neither got what she bargained for, and both ended up with very important roles to play before the story's astonishing conclusion.

I'll have to read some of this author's other works; he knows how to craft a story that will entertain and move the reader, and although I would welcome a sequel to this book, I don't feel that I was given only half a story. I predict a long career for Brandon Sanderson.

Brandon Sanderson is hardly a rookie author. Having read Elantris and all of Mistborn, I came to the table expecting an enjoyable read out of Warbreaker. Still, I was blown away. Though a little apprehensive about reading it all on a computer screen, I was board while traveling for work, so I downloaded it. I couldn't stop reading. I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning because the book was so engaging. The story was excellently told, and the comic relief was spot on. Warbreaker is much better than Elantris and Mistborn in every way (except, perhaps, the magic system; alomancy is too cool). While I appreciate Sanderson's motives in writing stand alone epic fantasy, I hope that he reneges. I would be thrilled to see another novel set in the Warbreaker world. If Sanderson keeps improving at this rate, he will become the benchmark over and beyond Tolkien, Jordan or any other author you care to mention. Though I already read the free downloadable version off of Sanderson's website, I will definitely order a hardback for my personal library.

Warbreaker is the latest fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson. It's a stand-alone story that has the makings of a larger series. I've heard great things about Sanderson's previous work, I jumped at the chance to try out his latest series. The story is set in a divided kingdom with two major factions on the brink of war. Magic, specifically a kind of magic called BioChromatic Breath, is the major power in the land, and is key to power and even divinity in some circles. The main players are a pair of Princesses who enter enemy lands for very different reasons, a mysterious swordsman who is more than he seems, and a frivolous god who has no belief in his own divinity.

Sanderson has presented a vibrant new world in Warbreaker, and it's obvious he has given some serious thought to how BioChromatic Breath works. That's both good and bad. It's nice to know there's a rationale behind the workings of this magic, but at the same time he spends a bit too much time explaining it. His characters seemed a little too one-dimensional and predictable, at least at first, but Sanderson definitely believes in character development. I enjoyed the fight scenes and political maneuvering, but felt that the dialogue was a bit too glib and modern. Of course, I just finished rereading George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire novels, so just about anything is going to pale in comparison.

I'm on the fence with this one. It dragged at times, and about midway through I decided I hated all of the characters, but the final chapters were so action-packed and unexpected I came away relatively satisfied. It also helps that, while leaving open the possibility of a sequel, Warbreaker is a single-volume story. You don't have to be invested in a massive series and can enjoy the story for what it is.

I have mixed feelings about Brandon Sanderson. I loved his Elantris, but hated his Mistborn book. I picked up Warbreaker, his newest novel, hoping.

And actually, I did really like Warbreaker. In some ways, it combines elements from Elantris and Mistborn. Like Elantris, it features immortals, but Warbreaker looks into what it might be like to BE an immortal treated as a god. Like Mistborn, it has an unusual and complicated magic system. Here, it's based on color and "breath" (a "breath" is kind of like a soul, each person has only one, but gods and certain magic users are able to collect breaths from others and use them to work magic). In Warbreaker though, the magic is revealed more naturally, and also is better integrated into the story - forming a foundation for how the religion works.

Characters Siri, Susebron, and Lightsong remind me of Elantris's heroes, in prestigious positions trying to make things right in a city gone wrong. And characters Vivenna and Vasher remind me of Mistborn's heroes, working at "street-level" to make changes as well. Lightsong plays the role of the reluctant hero, and also the suave charmer, and he is both heroic and charismatic. Vivenna shows the major lessons learned - she learns how to be herself instead of just a role, and she learns not to pre-judge others (hard to go wrong with this one, as I've said before); I actually thought the passages where she thinks about what she's realized about life were surprisingly good and honest.

The plot has a lot of suspense, and mysteries for the characters to unravel, and it has a lot of twists as well. It makes for an exciting story that is hard to put down.

I think the thing I liked best about Warbreaker was its sense of humor. The dialogue is often funny and amusing. I thought Lightsong's light banter was always really fun. Humor, for me, is a reminder that part of the purpose of the book is entertainment, and Warbreaker was definitely entertaining. Overall I really liked it!

By the way, it seems like Warbreaker is a standalone novel based on reading it, but I don't know what Sanderson's plans are. Also, Sanderson tried an interesting experiment with Warbreaker, in which he posted full draft versions of the book as it was being written - you can see the evolution of the novel at his website: [...]

Note that the last version posted there is not the same as the published version, so if you want the final thing, pick up the book.

Of Sanderson's five published books (for adults), this is by far his most mature work. I did not think he'd be able to top Hero of Ages, the final book of the Mistborn trilogy, but I believe he has done so.

The characters are more subtly developed in Warbreaker. Characters in fantasy novels have a tendency to become cartoonish, especially the characters which are closer to being raw archetypes. Sanderson largely avoids that pitfall. And except for the two princesses who are obviously on the side of good, almost every other character is ambiguous in their alignment until the very end.

The prose is much more refined than his earlier books. It seemed to flow much more effortlessly; it did not have the feeling of being laboriously reworked. Also, it contains an unexpected amount of real wit.

The plot unfolds more naturally. I was actually surprised more than once by the turn of events, and except for one rescue scene, the plot never felt contrived or forced. True, events come together in a neat little package at the end, but that is less a flaw of his novel and more of a trend with reader expectation in fantasy novels these days.

The magic system he created was, aside from being inventive and original, fully integrated into the world it was a part of. Culturally, how does a world develop when it contains such magic? One of Sanderson's trademarks has become building a world in which the magic is an integral part of it, not simply layered on top as another set decoration. How does religion develop in a world with magic? How does politics work? Sanderson handles these weighty questions effectively while at the same time telling a page turner of a story that kept me up hours after I should have been asleep.

Warbreaker is the product of good form, interesting characters and a creative vision. The world of Warbreaker is small and simple. There are several kingdoms, of which Idris and Hallandren are the focus of the story. Idris is a stoic, spartan, spread-out, highland kingdom. The huge city of Hallandren however is at the other extreme. The tensions and history between these two peoples and the actions of their rulers offer the reader a twisting and turning, if somewhat predictable plot.

The characters of Warbreaker are clearly the strongest element. The handful of main characters all have depth, personality and purpose. The major themes of the book are portrayed through these characters' interactions and comparison. While the supporting characters add little, they at least serve their purpose and avoid marring the atmosphere. Some of the dialogue between characters, namely Lightsong and Blushweaver, wore thin, but overall the dialogue did an excellent job of driving the pace of the book.

Overall, I found myself completely drawn into the world and story of Warbreaker. It's an exciting adventure involving several fascinating characters. Despite it's length, it was a very quick read that finds a groove and rarely deviates. A sequel would be great, for there is a lot of untapped potential to the world Sanderson has created and much more room for complexity, depth and embellishment.

It's been said that my 5-star review are scarce as hens' teeth. Well, that's because I'm saving them all for books such as this one.

According to my ratings, 5 stars means: It was amazing.

Yup, that describes Warbreaker. I am honestly in awe of Brandon Sanderson's imagination. Where does he come up with these completely unique, completely fascinating systems of magic? I've read so many fantasy books that my blood is practically the blood of unicorns, and I've never found a single other author who does magic like Sanderson does. His plots are terrific and twisty, his characters are memorable and lovable (even the evil ones!), and I continue to think about them long after the last page is read.

I'd love to see a sequel (or a series!) from this book, but it's also satisfying as it is. Can't wait to see what Sanderson comes up with next!

This new fantasy novel has much to recommend it. First, it introduces an interesting new system of magical abilities based on the accumulation of Breath (each person has one and can willingly sell or give it away to another--those who accumulate large quantities can gain various powers). As a longtime fantasy gamer, this pleases me, as does the fact that the system ties into an interesting theological system.

Second, the characters are quite vivid and engaging, and many show some degree of growth and change. Third, the plot is filled with twists and turns that are at the same time surprising and yet inevitable in retrospect. They aren't just randomly jammed into the story to mess with the reader's mind--they arise naturally from events and clues and suggestions that were carefully developed organically over the course of the tale.

Lastly, the novel is not burdened by its responsibility to be a Serious Fantasy where everyone has an Epic Destiny and is filled with grim determination to endure stoically through all privations. The dialogue is not crippled with a plethora of "thees" and "thous" and pseudo-Shakespearean flights of oratory. No, pretty much most people speak like 21st Century folks (for instance, Denth and Tah Fonks with their "You know what I hate about being a mercenary?" are very reminiscent of David and Cal's "You know how I know you're gay?" banter from "The 40 Year Old Virgin"). Lightsong in particular brings the snark just like one of today's post-ironic hipsters.

Two kingdoms on the brink of war. Two princesses. Two gods. Two long-time sellswords working against each other. Can the war be averted, and should it? Who can be trusted? Who's zooming who?

This is an excellent fantasy novel that zips along despite its length and that features many captivating characters. It stands alone ably, although there are enough loose ends to allow for a sequel. I certainly look forward to one.

Vivenna and Siri are two princesses of Idris, a small kingdom in the shadow of one more powerful, one that is threatening a destructive war. One princess must be sent, willing or not, to marry the God-King of Hallandren. Turns out, the wrong sister is sent, the young one, the one who never gave much heed to her training and preparation. And then, the older one, the serious sister, follows her there to rescue her, and finds herself over her head in complications, misunderstandings and dreadful mistakes.

Nothing is at it seemed. Friends turn out to be merciless betrayers, enemies turns out to be allies, the situation rapidly grows more complex and more dire. But this is is more than a rollicking adventure story, for the author has created a parallel world, steeped in the strange magical science of Bio-chroma, or Breath--a mysterious life force that can be manipulated, transferred from humans to objects, or given to other humans, or even used to reanimate the dead.

Author Sanderson has not only created a dashing good adventure story but has worked out the science of Bio-chroma and the religion built around it, in staggering detail. Somehow he conveys enormous amounts of material about his creations, but mostly within believable dialogue or in the action. He's a great story teller who has invented a spell-binding world of constant surprise and discovery. He has also created memorable characters, who grow and change through their adventures.

So what happens to the two sisters? Do they succeed in preventing the war that everyone fears? Do they find each other? Does Siri marry the God-King? (What is a God-King, anyway?) Do the girls even survive? And what happens to the two kingdoms and their peoples? I won't tell you, of course, you'll have to read the book for yourself. It's a long one, too, over five hundred pages, but it moves fast and keeps you enthralled. You'll love it. I know I did. I recommend Warbreaker highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.