Book 2

Pros:
- Amazingly eve better than the first book due to more plot and multiple story line's tie-ups that make for several tight endings.

- Doesn't seem like an installment. It could stand on it's own.

- Overall Plot is tight, well ordered, timing is metronomic.

- Writing is super clear. Reading is a total breeze.

- Creativity is in spades. Branderson is a certain master at imagining something new to you that he can describe easily as a picture, understandable the first ...

Book 2

Pros:
- Amazingly eve better than the first book due to more plot and multiple story line's tie-ups that make for several tight endings.

- Doesn't seem like an installment. It could stand on it's own.

- Overall Plot is tight, well ordered, timing is metronomic.

- Writing is super clear. Reading is a total breeze.

- Creativity is in spades. Branderson is a certain master at imagining something new to you that he can describe easily as a picture, understandable the first time you read it.

- This book is revealing the magic organization in deeper detail, but hints at more.

- This book took the plot of god-metaphysics and created what had seemed contained into a subset. The universe just got larger.

- There are multiple parallel plots going on, each switch making you crave and long for a return to the character you just read about. Most writers do this by chapter as he did in the first book, but this book increases the pace by having some chapters of 3 distinct narratives playing round-robin to keep interest and pace. This keeps your interest, but also helps you not lose your place with characters. A comparison is with Martin in that his last book entirely omitted characters, so that someone you read about in Book 4 you won't get to until Book 6 making re-reading necessary for anyone who don'ts have a perfect memory. Maybe that helps him sell more books to be re-read or that cool Apple App, but it's actually quite annoying to the reader.

Cons:
- Some characters are too cutesy. The personality of the main Spren is too Tinker Bell for my taste. I think it takes what could be a serious and heavy pall over the entire work, giving this fiction a feeling of reality, that is dispelled by such frivolity.

- I find some of the characters still 2 dimensional. Some character dialogue are too similar to each other, and example being that I noticed 2 distinct characters having the same exact syntax and verbiage to their sense of humor. This is the only flaw I can find in his writing that can still develop to perfection. Namely, verbal identity to character dialogue that effortlessly makes them seem distinct and real. It's still in some places too stiff and formulaic. It's still his Achille's Heel.

- He promises a timely delivery on books, but gets side-tracked by other projects and pushes the dates back. So we are going to be waiting for a loooong, time. Hopefully not Robert Jordan time cause I don't think there is anyone capable of finishing Branderson's books as well or better.

Branderson's style is also classical in the sense that it's clean. There isn't modern cable channel gore or sexuality or shock plot for shock's sake to glue the interest of readers. He is a master of plot and doesn't let anything get in the way of keeping the plot moving exactly as he orders it. It's as if he believes good writing and great plot will keep the readers without the cheap literary gimmicks.

The timing of his unfolding plot is metronomic and the plot is of such quality, it appears that we not only have a breathtaking masterpiece in the works, but a rare generations output even by his own standards of work. I like some of his other books very much, but this undertaking's internal history is deep and somewhere below Tolkien and above R.R. Martin. Read my first book's review for a comparison between him and Martin and why they are only similar in that they are contemporaries.

The first book piqued my curiosity. This book has my interest, ha ha. So he is now my current favorite living fiction author.

Bottom line: Superb next step in the series & leaves you pining for Book 3.

This was amazing! You were all right!

I have no words in me to review this book, but it certainly was radiant. Every time I think I can’t possibly become more impressed with Sanderson, I find out I was wrong. He is brilliant, and I am in awe with what he is achieving with Cosmere as a whole.

I love that Sanderson leaves enough clues for us to guess little pieces of story, but it never compromises our satisfaction, because there is always something more. It just makes me feel smart, whil...

This was amazing! You were all right!

I have no words in me to review this book, but it certainly was radiant. Every time I think I can’t possibly become more impressed with Sanderson, I find out I was wrong. He is brilliant, and I am in awe with what he is achieving with Cosmere as a whole.

I love that Sanderson leaves enough clues for us to guess little pieces of story, but it never compromises our satisfaction, because there is always something more. It just makes me feel smart, while You can always be sure “there is always another secret”!

What an emotional roller coaster! This was fantasy perfection!
The world building is amazing, the magic system intricate, and the characters are complex, flawed and profound, and they never read as the typical fantasy heroes.

The way Sanderson writes his characters just feels different. He explores something in them in a deep level, but then you see another layer, and get to explore it on a deep level as well. Sometimes you like the first layer and relate to the character immediately, sometimes you need to see more of them, and go deep into another piece of their soul. Words of Radiance was stellar in exploring more layers of SA characters and, at this point, I’m invested in all of them (and I hated several in WoK).

This is a very long book, but everything on it feels necessary, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Having everyone together, and several POV in the same chapter increased the pace of the story, and left me hanging on every written word. I wanted to scream every time I reached the interludes, but I loved all of them, and what they add to the story.

Shallan’s humor was a great addition to the story, bringing a new light to it. It was certainly needed to balance Kaladin moods.
I expect she will change a bit with the admission of the past, but I hope she gets to keep at least a bit of her older self.

I loved the duels, the chasms, the storms, bridge four, discovering Adolin’s heart and Taravangian brain, the fights and, as usual, Hoid.

Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination. I will protect those who cannot protect themselves. I will protect even those I hate so long as it is right.

Side note: for everyone who says it is necessary to read Warbreaker before this book… I honestly don’t think it is.
It’s a nice Easter egg, but it doesn’t really impact the story (yet?). I was actually disappointed because I was expecting more of that particular character.

Read Warbreaker because it is great, because you love Cosmere, because it is an easy entry to the Cosmere or because you want to read Sanderson without the commitment of a whole series.

Stormlight Archives is already a huge commitment with 4 ginormous books, 2 “novellas”, and more than half of it yet to be published. Let’s not add additional restrictions please.