From the Bookshelf of Fantasy Buddy Reads…

Warbreaker

Brandon Sanderson

Start date: September 1, 2020

Finish date: September 25, 2020

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What Members Thought

Nov 20, 2016 Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: year-2016, 4-star

"It's funny, Vasher thought, how many things begin with my getting thrown into prison."

Warbreaker is one of those books that I will think back on and say "Wow that was a really well balanced fantasy novel." And by well balanced I mean that everything was in perfect proportion. The number of perspectives, the intricacy of the plot, the pace of action, everything was just perfectly well written.

I want to take a moment and explain a small thing about myself and why this book, as well as Sanderson's ...more

122 likes · Like · see review

May 15, 2009 Chris Haught rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-owned-ebook, scifi-fan-group, brandon-sanderson-cosmere, read-owned-hardcover, grrm-group-reads, audible-plus

I really struggled with this rating. It probably deserves 5 stars. This is a situation where Sanderson is his own enemy - the Mistborn books were better than this one, so get the higher rating. Warbreaker is very good, but not quite as good as those. This is certainly a case of Sanderson setting the bar way up high with Mistborn, so that work after that has a hard time reaching the standards he set.

But that aside, this one definitely rates 4.5 stars. Maybe 4.75.

I love the system of magic. It's I really struggled with this rating. It probably deserves 5 stars. This is a situation where Sanderson is his own enemy - the Mistborn books were better than this one, so get the higher rating. Warbreaker is very good, but not quite as good as those. This is certainly a case of Sanderson setting the bar way up high with Mistborn, so that work after that has a hard time reaching the standards he set.

But that aside, this one definitely rates 4.5 stars. Maybe 4.75.

I love the system of magic. It's unique and very well thought out. Again, not quite as interesting as Allomancy from Mistborn, but Awakening is certainly one of the most enjoyable magic systems I've run across in fantasy literature.

The characters are good. I love the two princesses and Sanderson really focuses on their character development. The God King is interesting as well. Vashar is the enigma, the one that we're never quite sure about. The duo of Denth and Tonk Fah kept cracking me up with their banter back and forth. And Lightsong. Wow. I adored that character. There is nothing quite so interesting as a lazy god that is an admitted atheist. He doesn't believe in his own religion.

The story really comes together well. It reminds me somewhat of Guy Gabriel Kay's Tigana. The plot that is, not so much the narrative itself.

Again, to compare to Mistborn, the characters using their powers in combat and dangerous situation is one of Sanderson's strong points. He has an almost comic-book awareness for fight scenes that come across in a nice visual way. Extremely well explained. And, in one aspect where it might be better than Mistborn, in this book Sanderson doesn't over-explain the powers. He gives them to us gradually, still having an appendix to refer to. But we're given a little at a time so that we can absorb the essentiatls and not be overwhelmed with it. And best of all, he doesn't have to hammer it in over and over. This is one area where I think Sanderson has definitely improved as an author.

It's probably not fair to have the high ratings of the Mistborn trilogy knock this one down a peg. I'm changing this to a five-star rating, right now before I even publish it. I just convinced myself. ...more

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May 09, 2018 Lesa Divine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-it, i-own, favorite-list, 2018

1st time reading 5/18
OMG I loved this book more than the Mistborn series. Sorry for the Mistborn lovers. Lots of action, good sense of humor, betrayal, trusting, deceitfulness. It was mysterious. You didn't know if you should cheer for the good guys or the bad.
Siri sent by her father the King to marry the God King as a peace agreement but her sister was supposed to been the one to marry the horrible God King.
Vienna the sister decided to go save her sister but end up getting more than she thought ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

Apr 16, 2014 Heidi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-like-to-re-read

I just finished this a few hours ago, and I have to say I am heartbroken over the loss of (view spoiler). I liked (view spoiler) I didn't realize how much I did until the loss. I liked the character growth of the sisters Vivenna and Siri. However I didn't like Vivenna for a large majority of the book.

Brandon Sanderson is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. Maybe because I had no expectations the first round The Way of Kings and was blo ...more

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Nov 04, 2021 Aquamarine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Long but rewarding

It takes a long time for this book to get in the swing of things. But when it does, boy it's good!
The magic system is so different and phenomenal.
Vivenna, Siri, Vasher and the god king were really good characters. I did not see the Denth thing coming I was so shocked.
Blush weaver was okay. I didn't care much about her and her motivation. She seemed more of a plot device to push Lightsongs buttons.
Speaking of, Lightsong *throwing self on the fainting couch hysterically crying ...more

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Aug 11, 2018 Angie rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Really 3.5 stars but in comparison it just paled to Sanderson’s other works IMO. My least favorite Sanderson so far, but I have yet to read most of his other non-serial works.

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