“It is said that a picture can say a thousand words. Well, so can a thousand words. They are the keys by which we can unlock new and amazing worlds, some of which ascend beyond the imagination, and it all begins on the first page.” – BookNerd
Greetings Fellow BookNerd,
As I write this post, at this very moment, I’m looking down from the top of Grouse Mountain in Vancouver. It is cloaked in its entirety by a thick blanket of fluffy white snow, lined with gorgeous green trees that are literally bowing down from the weight of the snow and ice upon their branches. My reason for being up here, aside from the obvious reason of enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, is because I was coerced into trying my hand at downhill skiing for the very first time… well, I say coerced, but it was really more like they asked if I wanted to, and I said yes. The mere thought of careening down the side of a mountain terrified me at first, but like most things I haven’t tried before, I loved it when I finally did it.
During the days I haven’t been harnessing my inner daredevil – yes, I know, I really need to get out more if my idea of being a daredevil is skiing down the kiddie hills as slowly as one possibly could – I of course have been reading a great deal. Some of the books I’ve been working my way through most recently were so good that I couldn’t even put them down long enough to whip out my laptop and blog about them like I normally would. Okay, I suppose it would be more accurate to say that I’ve been procrastinating, but it makes me feel less guilty if I think of it as me being preoccupied instead. Well, I guess it’s time for me to play a little catch up.
Book Review: Words of Radiance (Book 2 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
By the end of The Way of Kings, the first in Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive – which, I gotta say, is already shaping up to be one of the most riveting tales I’ve ever read – we’ve already come face to face with bloody wars, fallen comrades, gigantic beasts, both expected and unexpected betrayals, and one mind blowing reveal after another.
What’s more, the paths upon which our beloved Kaladin, Dalinar and Shallan have journeyed perilously down have begun to intersect, turning their individual stories into the greatest tale ever told. Even theire supporting comrads have managed to win our hearts, from the surprisingly optimistic Lopen, to the mysterious and not always comprehensible Wit. I wish I had the time to devote to every single character and why I love them so dearly, but not only would it take ages to do so, it would also take away one of the reasons why you need to start reading this series if you haven’t already.
For those of you unfamiliar withSanderson’s work, his stories are essentially a series of epic tales, each one taking place on a different planet within the Cosmere, and all of which are connected in very subtle ways (subtle, yet so obvious when you actually stop to think about it, connecting all of the little dots).
The Stormlight Archive thus far is bases primarily on the ongoing conflict between the Parshendi and the Alethi, who have been at each other’s throat’s for a very long time. In Words of Radiance, the second book of the series, we actually get to experience parts of the war from the perspective of the Parshendi, who up until now have been portrayed as essentially a savage race that kills wit hour mercy or reason.
Another very appealing aspect of this sequel is that we start to learn more about the Spren, mysterious entities who are believed to bring about the things that they represent, such as wind, rain, glory, anger, and even death.
I should warn you, if you’re looking for a book you can breeze through within a few days, then you should probably look elsewhere. So far, every book in this series has more than 1000 pages, and Sanderson plans on stretching it out to a total of 10 books.
Don’t let this deter you, however. Thus series is definitely worth your time, and what’s great is that unlike Game of Thrones, you won’t have to wait ten years for the next book. Sanderson has the amazing gift to be able to crank out a book almost every year, and without sacrificing any of the quality.
So, if you’re looking for a series to dedicate a rather large chunk of your time to, and become super emotional within the first few chapters as you become attached to characters who may or may not live until the very end, and which forces you to ask questions about your own existence that you didn’t even know you wanted to ask, then this is definitely for you.
Until next time, keep on reading!
Cheers,
BookNerd
The World in Writing 