Warbreaker
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4.6 • 1.6K Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
From the author of the connected universe of the Cosmere comes the standalone novel from which spring characters who later play roles in the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive.
In the world of Warbreaker, each person is born endowed with the power of one Breath―which can be sold and collected by others, then used to Awaken objects and even corpses to do their bidding. A few individuals who die in glory return as gods, with the power of thousands of Breath, but no memory of their mortal lives―and are enthroned in the Court of Gods in Hallandren’s capital. To Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris, the abuse of Breath and the claim of the Returned to be gods are repugnant blasphemy. But with one princess wed to the God King of their nation’s enemies in a bid for peace, the other finds she must rely on Breath-using mercenaries to try to rescue her sister from her monstrous husband.
Lightsong the Bold, a lesser god who doubts his own religion, starts investigating mysterious murders in the Court of Gods and uncovers haunting clues to his own forgotten past. He is one of four gods who controls the army of Awakened Lifeless soldiers, and one faction is inciting an invasion of Idris despite the marriage treaty. Vasher―wielder of the sapient sword Nightblood―works behind the scenes against the declaration of war, but Lightsong’s visions of bloodshed prophesy its inevitability. Can the new queen, unaware of her sister’s imminent rescue attempt, persuade Lightsong and also somehow get through to the aloof God King―who she has been forbidden to speak to or even look in the eyes―before her homeland is destroyed?
Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson
The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive
● The Way of Kings
● Words of Radiance
● Edgedancer (novella)
● Oathbringer
● Dawnshard (novella)
● Rhythm of War
The Mistborn Saga
The Original Trilogy
● Mistborn
● The Well of Ascension
● The Hero of Ages
Wax & Wayne
● The Alloy of Law
● Shadows of Self
● The Bands of Mourning
● The Lost Metal
Other Cosmere novels
● Elantris
● Warbreaker
● Tress of the Emerald Sea
● Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
● The Sunlit Man
Collection
● Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
● Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
● The Scrivener's Bones
● The Knights of Crystallia
● The Shattered Lens
● The Dark Talent
● Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians (with Janci Patterson)
Other novels
● The Rithmatist
● Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds
● The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
Other books by Brandon Sanderson
The Reckoners
● Steelheart
● Firefight
● Calamity
● Lux (with Steven Michael Bohls)
Skyward
● Skyward
● Starsight
● Cytonic
● Skyward Flight (with Janci Patterson)
● Defiant
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Epic fantasy heavyweight Sanderson (the Mistborn series) pens a powerful stand-alone tale of unpredictable loyalties, dark intrigue and dangerous magic. To keep a treaty made long ago, the king of Idris must send his daughter to marry Susebron, the God King of Hallandren. Loath to part with his eldest daughter, Vivenna, King Dedelin instead sends his youngest daughter, tomboyish 17-year-old Siri, who struggles to make sense of the schemers and spies in Susebron's court. Hoping to rescue her sister, Vivenna joins a group of Idrian operatives with questionable motives. As Vivenna comes to terms with her magical abilities, resurrected hero Lightsong questions the role of the undead Returned Gods, who command Hallandren's mighty army of zombie soldiers. Sanderson melds complex, believable characters, a marvelous world and thoughtful, ironic humor into an extraordinary and highly entertaining story.
Customer Reviews
I love Sanderson!
Sanderson is truly second to none in worldbuilding and inventing new, interesting magic systems! This book did drag a bit in the mid section, but picked up to a satisfying crescendo by the end.
I have to admit I was giggling like a little girl full of glee when Sanderson made an incredible, unexpected connection between this book and "The Way of Kings". If you don't pay close attention you might overlook it but it honestly had me on cloud nine for almost a week.
I hope Sanderson reveals what planet these stories are taking place on some day, so that we can just go live there.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as his "The Way of Kings". If you like this book, go read that one next!
Unique Worldbuilding
This starts as a fairly easy read so I recommend for anyone who is looking to start reading from this author. I heard that the author might write a follow-up and I am excited.
Good but slow
Warbreaker tried to end me. The magic system is “Breath and colors,” which sounds whimsical until you’re 200 pages deep wondering if you accidentally enrolled in AP Art Theory. The first half moves slower than the Texas DMV on a Tuesday, so I spent most of it convincing myself I didn’t actually DNF, I was strategically resting my eyes. But hey, once the plot finally remembers it exists, this thing lights up like a toddler hopped up on Pixy Stix.
Lightsong carried the book on his divine, sarcastic back. That man is a god who refuses to god. He clocks into heaven every day like he hates his job, hates his worshippers, and hates that he has to wear bright colors before coffee. Siri and Susebron end up being the soft romance I didn’t know I needed, and Vasher with his murder-hungry sword is basically fantasy John Wick if his puppy was a weapon with opinions.
By the ending, everything finally snaps together and Sanderson does what Sanderson does, which is suddenly make you care about characters he spent 300 pages daring you to abandon. Was the journey slow? Yes. Did it pay off? Also yes, but only after I spiritually aged five years. Final verdict: 3.5 Breaths out of 5, funnier than it had any right to be, and absolutely worth it if your patience has a high hit point pool.