This book is available to read for free (FREE BOOK) online here. I read this book for free online, and so I'm giving my honest take on it. I also declare Brandon Sanderson now be called "Brandon Sanderson (the Benevolent)" for sharing the book love with everyone. (At least on my blog.)
Look at me, judging a book by its cover. It's just so very pretty, colorful, and it has both the heroine and a sword on it. Luckily, this is a book you can judge by its cover, in some ways.
Brandon Sanderson (the Benevolent) is one of the few authors that can get away with multiple protagonists without it ending in a giant headache. He is also one of very few male authors who can craft a believable heroine. I also like that he almost always includes at least one female protagonist in each of his novels, which there automatically should be in fantasy, though it isn't always the case.
The Main Viewpoints:
Siri: She's the younger princess of Idris, and little is expected of her, until she takes the place of her sister Vivenna, who was to marry the God-King of Hallandren. I still don't understand why she got away with it, despite all Sanderson's reasoning. But that's what he wrote.
Vivenna: The elder princess who was painstakingly prepared to become wife of the God-King, but is ultimately shoved aside. She decides she'll go rescue Siri, and enlists a spy in Hallandren, who promptly dies off and leaves her with his lackeys.
Lightsong: a minor god (under the God-King's reign), who does very little, save entertain and inform us, until the end. Some people only liked his viewpoint. I thought he was witty, but not that witty. I skimmed his passages.
Vasher/Night-Blood: By far my favorite point of view. Vasher (who reminds me of Kelsier from Mistborn) willfully imprisons himself so he can escape and kill Vahr in the cells, in trade for his Breath. Vasher has a sword called Night-Blood which really REALLY enjoys killing people. He has banter with Night-Blood about killing people. Therefore, he is a boss. Also, you can find him in Words of Radiance as Zahel. Weird, but true.
The Plot:
Siri takes Vivenna's place to be bride of the feared God-King. Mysteries and chaos ensue.
The Magic System:
Every person in this world is born with a Breath. You can give that Breath away, and then you become a Drab: a person that sees very little color, and cannot perceive if he is being watched, but otherwise, you're perfectly normal. You can use Breath to make things move (ex. Vasher uses his Breath to animate a straw doll into fetching the keys for his cell), and then retrieve the Breath after you're done "Your Breath to mine".
Pros:
-As per usual, Mr. Sanderson (the Benevolent) creates beautiful magic. Systems.
-Compelling characters
-Intriguing plot
-Kick-ass cover
-It's free, people. Need I remind you?
Cons:
-Perhaps a little overzealous with the page count
-Why was Siri sent? The reasons make little sense, to me.
-Not enough Vasher
-Too much Vivenna (for me. Maybe someone loves Vivenna. Somewhere.)
The Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Page Count: 688 pages
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