After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar's crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.
Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin's scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.
At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition's envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.
Loved
- Ah, writing reviews for these books always stresses me out because there is so much to say and I don't have the words for it! I feel like I've barely processed this series, so trying to write it out for someone else is overwhelming :P
- Okay, I've said this in every single review I'm pretty sure, but Kaladin was for sure my favorite part of this book. Has there ever been a fictional character as mind-blowing, honorable, and relatable as Kaladin Stormblessed? That is the magic about Kaladin- his fighting scenes are way better even than Thor coming down with his hammer on Hella's armies, his determination and grit rival that of Jean Valjean, and his attractive broodiness could take on even Mr. Rochester or Mr. Darcy. Yet, he's relatable. Especially in this book, Kaladin struggles with so much insecurity, second-guessing himself, panic attacks, near-suicide attempts, and the darkness that only those with depression can understand. The other thing that puts Kaladin apart from other heroes is that you can always trust him to do the right thing- no matter how exhausted, depressed, anxious, or unnerved he is, he will always do the right and most honorable thing.
- The action scenes. Okay let's be real- all of these books have crazy insane battle moments. Many of the other books have awesome battle scenes at the very end of the book, but Rhythm of War has really intense fights throughout, which make it very fast-paced and enthralling. In this book we get the Pursuer (a crazy and deadly Fused who has killed everyone who has ever killed him) chasing Kaladin, which creates such a fun intensity as we never know where he is and when he will strike again. These fights are especially nerve-wracking to read because the Pursuer is actually skilled enough to match Kaladin's strength- which keeps us on the edge of our seats throughout the book!
- Adolin. Okay, I've said this in every review too I'm sure, but Adolin Kholin is just the best. He is never jealous of the Knights Radiant, never judgmental when Kaladin is at his lowest, and is so unfailingly understanding and loving to Shallan, even when she doesn't always deserve it. Adolin is the glue holding many of the other characters together with his cavalier cheerfulness that highlights the deep loyalty and goodness underneath. I love how he fights for what he feels is right in this book and is willing to sacrifice himself for not only everyone he loves, but everyone fighting this war.
- The mental health representation! Working as a rec therapist with adults with all kinds of mental illnesses, I'm obviously very passionate about mental health. It's very clear throughout the series, but particularly in this book, that Kaladin really struggles with depression and PTSD. Sanderson addresses these mental illnesses so realistically and believably. It's not just that Kaladin feels "darkness" once or twice, it's that every single day in this book is a fight for him to even stand up, try to do the right thing, and have the physical/emotional energy to keep going. He has some climatic resolutions in this book where he gets some closure on some of his struggles- which is so awesome to watch. Shallan's mental health is also hanging by a thread with her two personas she can no longer control. To be honest, this drove me crazy throughout the book because it was so frustrating to watch Shallan fade and give in to her demons. But she also has some illuminating resolutions in this book that allow her to start healing and understanding herself and her path- which is satisfying after watching her struggle for so long.
- Ah, again- there is SO much to say about this book and this series! I feel like I could write pages and page about it, but I will spare you all and just list a few more reasons why you should read this book:
- Navani's growth and incredible strength even in the worst circumstances
- Dalinar once again saving the world with his honor and refusal to give up on anyone
- Getting other perspectives in the war by understanding Venli and Eschonai's past
- Underrated Bridge Four characters coming out of their shells and becoming heroes
- Mind-blowing plot twists
- Science experiments done under insane pressure
- Morally gray characters becoming a little more noble and selfless
- And of course, flawless writing that keeps you hooked through every page
Didn't Love
- My only complaint as I read this was my frustration with Shallan not having any control of becoming Veil and Radiant. I was frustrated with this all through Oathbringer, but in this book I was able to see it more as a mental illness, which gave me more compassion for her. At the end of the book this starts to resolve, which is relieving and satisfying :)
Content
Content
- Language:
- Curses from the world "Storming," "Stormfather," "Almighty," etc.
- Frequent uses of "bastards" and "damnation."
- Sexual content:
- A married couple lies in bed. He kisses her back and arm while she's without clothing.
- A man kisses a woman's "safehand" (a hand that is always covered unless while intimate), and they talk about the "intimacy" they've shared.
- Violence:
- This book has quite a bit less violence than the others.
- Lots of fighting between Radiants and Fused- grappling, stabbing, etc. Most of these don't end in deaths, just injuries that are instantly healed.
- One bloody scene where a battalion of humans try to make a stand and each one gets slaughtered by the Fused- talk of them getting killed with swords, knives, and arrows. Describes other characters walking through their blood as it flowed on the ground
- Some battle scenes described of countless people wounded and dead on the battlefield
- A secondary character is killed violently, and other characters mourn.
- A Radiant is stabbed while unconscious.
- Lots of mentions of dead bodies, imprisonment, people dying in battle, and constant threats of execution.
- Curses from the world "Storming," "Stormfather," "Almighty," etc.
- Frequent uses of "bastards" and "damnation."
- A married couple lies in bed. He kisses her back and arm while she's without clothing.
- A man kisses a woman's "safehand" (a hand that is always covered unless while intimate), and they talk about the "intimacy" they've shared.
- This book has quite a bit less violence than the others.
- Lots of fighting between Radiants and Fused- grappling, stabbing, etc. Most of these don't end in deaths, just injuries that are instantly healed.
- One bloody scene where a battalion of humans try to make a stand and each one gets slaughtered by the Fused- talk of them getting killed with swords, knives, and arrows. Describes other characters walking through their blood as it flowed on the ground
- Some battle scenes described of countless people wounded and dead on the battlefield
- A secondary character is killed violently, and other characters mourn.
- A Radiant is stabbed while unconscious.
- Lots of mentions of dead bodies, imprisonment, people dying in battle, and constant threats of execution.
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