Oathbringer is the third installment of The Stormlight Archive, Brandon Sanderson’s highly-acclaimed series set in the Cosmere. The story has major middle-book vibes, which makes sense considering this is a 5-book series. While it may not have the panache of the first two books in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed Oathbringer. READER BE WARNED, SPOILERS FOR THE WAY OF KINGS AND WORDS OF RADIANCE ARE BELOW. If you have not read my reviews for the first two books, I recommend doing that first as there are continuing themes. When I say “panache” I mean that books 1 and 2 of the series came through like a highstorm, with so much power as to be destructive and restorative at the same time. They were wall-to-wall action, almost never allowing the reader to come up for air, finishing in fabulous style with the way everything culminated at the end of Words of Radiance. And to that I say: take my breath away. I do not need it, for the stormlight will sustain me. Oathbringer, by contrast, is a very typical middle book (if anything Sanderson writes can be called “typical”), more gambit than check chase. With the coming of the Everstorm and many secrets unlocked, Dalinar, Kaladin, et al are resetting and learning a new way of life. The main protagonists have all evolved and are occupying the ancient city of Urithiru, and the Parshmen have been freed. All of the players are moving pieces around the board, searching for an opportunity to put their opponent into zugzswang. This is a long series, and as a reader I enjoyed the break from the constant war, death, and destruction of the first two installments. The way Oathbringer is written, it gives the reader many opportunities to survey the scene, learn more about Roshar, its people and history. One way Sanderson accomplishes this is with flashback narratives, which is an underrated aspect of this series. I do not believe I mentioned this in my previous reviews, so this is a great time to do so. From a writing perspective, flashbacks are hard. If they are going to take my interest away from the main storyline, they should not overwhelm, but at the same time need to be relevant and interesting. This type of narrative can be a detriment to a book if not done well, but when an author finds a balance it can be a boon. That is exactly what Sanderson has accomplished with this seres, as the flashbacks were phenomenal in providing supplementary information, focusing on first on Kaladin and Shallan in the first two books and now Dalinar and the Parshmen in Oathbringer. To me, this provides even more depth to a series that is already overflowing with it. I think that is a good thing, as a story can never be too deep (watch Sanderson take that comment and run with it – not that the encouragement is all that necessary). Another great aspect of Oathbringer is that it really ups the ante for the rest of the series. In the first two books there is a lot of standard warfare, introducing the reader to many of the players and how their powers work. It was a really exciting start, but Oathbringer has a different feeling. The Big Bang at the end of Words of Radiance put the pieces in place to rebuild sections of the story. It is much slower than the first two books, working to a longer crescendo. At the same time, the world is entirely different now. Because the it has changed so much, and because everything is going through a bit of reset, the reader is able to learn so much about this new-age right along with the characters. And that really is the brilliance of Sanderson’s writing overall (as I have come to find), which is that is feels so interactive as the reader is able to experience every event right along with the characters. That feeling of immersion has often been what has made this series so unputdownable, and Oathbringer taking a different narrative path than the first two books in the series is helped by this immersive atmosphere. Here is the thing about the ending: I cannot talk about it. In typical Sanderson style that crescendo that has been building culminates in an unbelievable way. It is easily the best ending of the first three books, and that saying something because I felt that way about each subsequent book in the series. The fact that Sanderson continues to up the ante is impressive, and I left this book with my jaw dropped. While Oathbringer is incredibly well-done, there was one detraction I want to mention. Certain events (small[ish] ones, none of the big reveals) felt rushed to me. There is a scene at the beginning of the book that felt that way to me (if you read it you will know what I am talking about), and a few others like it along the way. I know it is hard to say in a 1,000+-page book, but I would have preferred to ruminate on certain events for a bit. It is a bit of a weird thought because Sanderson at times can be the King of Rumination, so take those words with a grain of salt. This Stormlight Archive continues to be absolutely fabulous. Oathbringer is another phenomenal entry into the series, and yet again gets my highest recommendation. It has set things up for what I expect to be an amazing second half to the series, and I am very much looking forward to Rhythm of War.

While I didn't enjoy Oathbringer quite as much as the first two books in the series, I still feel it's worthy of a 5-star rating. Each of these books has specific characters at the forefront, and in this novel they are Shallan Davar and Dalinar Kholin. There are some aspects of Shallan's character that are fascinating, such as her multiple "personalities" or illusions that she adopts to explore and find out who she really is. However, her romance with Adolin felt very awkward, and Shallan spent so much time fretting over her different personalities that it became tedious to me. Dalinar's flashback sequences were jarring to me as well, and although they did provide some insight to his past, I felt they could have been fewer in number. I did enjoy the focus on Dalinar more than I thought I would, however. Where The Stormlight Archive really shines as a series for me, is in two areas, and that's why I'm firm on my 5-star rating here. First is the world-building and magic system. In its cohesiveness and expansiveness, the Cosmere feels almost like Tokien-esque. There seems to be an ever-expanding mythos that is both wondrous and fascinating. Many questions are answered in Oathbringer, but as Sanderson pulls back from his focus on the nation of Alethkar to look at the world in full in this new novel, numerous new possibilities unfold. It is indeed an amazing world to explore. Second, I find the character development really interesting and satisfying, and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters really serve to propel the story forward, with glorious and sometimes tragic consequences.The Dalinar flashback sequences paint the Alethi people as bloodthirsty, immoral savages, a "Ghengis Khan" like marauding horde that kills for sport, without mercy or conscience. This presents quite a problem as Dalinar finds himself faced with the return of the Voidbringers. Dalinar needs to use diplomacy to form an alliance to defend their world, but who would believe him? Every nation-state in the world of Roshar seems suspicious, distrusting its neighbors. Some wonder if the Alethi people are worse than the Voidbringers who have come to conquer the world. In a "Game of Thrones" way, the Alethi resemble the rulers of Westeros, who all appear corrupt, conniving and treacherous. Dalinar has bonded himself to Honor in the previous book, which requires him to keep his Oaths and integrity. Watching him change as he struggles mightily with this, makes his arc worthwhile. Other characters' moral choices shape them as well. As the parshmen are released by the tens of thousands from their lives of slavery by all the nation-states of Roshar, how will they treat those of Roshar who have enslaved them for thousands of years? Are the parshmen the rightful rulers of Roshar? Many of the main characters in the Stormlight Archive seem have little to no moral center at the beginning. What is interesting is seeing how catastrophic and extreme events are shaping them, and some make sacrificial choices of great integrity, such as the men of Bridge Four who seek to become Knights Radiant, while others sink low and take a path that dooms themselves and others (avoiding spoilers here. .). Some characters who have some transformative moments: -Kaladin as he spends time observing the newly freed parshmen -Venli the Parshendi who paved the way for the Voidbringers' return -Taravangian who is alternately a fool or a genius, an empath or a sociopath, deciding what path to take. -Odium, the enemy, who comes portraying himself as an "angel of light" with a golden tongue but a heart filled with ruin and death. -Jasnah Kholin, the great historian and thinker of the Alethi, racing against time to crack the technology of the past to save their future. -Renarin, who has bonded with a void-spren, the forgotten member of Alethi royalty who may be the wild card that can tip the balance. -Lift, with the exuberance of a child, but with powers that rival any of the other Radiants. -Szeth, the Assassin in White, who is no longer forced to kill, but can now make his own choice about the direction of his life. -the men of Bridge Four, who have a new lease on life and who share a bond that has enabled them to achieve great things. All of these characters have time in Oathbringer, some a lot more than others, but watching their choices shape them has been delightful and satisfying. Some of the characters in Oathbringer don't end well- they are not cookie cutter stories. Some crash and burn, some betray their friends and the ones they love. Others reconsider their hate, and choose love instead. While I would have wished for more time for some of my favorite characters like Kaladin, and even Lift, who had the main role in the Edgedancer book that I looked forward to seeing her story continue in Oathbringer (which it didn't), I relished every bit of Oathbringer. This is what sets it apart from most other novels of this and other genres, and I can't give it less than 5 stars with a clear conscience.