Read: 12/09/2020 – 1/16/2021
You might love this book if you’re looking for: Fantasy, political intrigue, unique magic systems, female protagonists, and a hint of romance.
You might not love this book if you’re looking for: A traditional hero’s journey, or damsels in distress.
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson is, at its core, a tale about dirty politics in the nation of Hallandren. Vivienne is the daughter of a rival leader who, in a pact for peace, agrees to marry her off to Hallandren’s God King. Having second thoughts about losing his favorite daughter at the last minute, Vivienne’s father sends his younger daughter, Siri, in her place. Siri is less polished and refined than Vivienne (who has been training for this role since the pact was made) but their father believes she will adequately meet the requirements of the agreement.
This decision sets the story on it’s path: Siri – unprepared and naïve, yet headstrong – is thrust into the role of consort to the God King with the expectation of birthing an heir. Knowing this to be the case, Vivienne has sneaked away from her father’s kingdom to save her sister from what she is certain is a precarious situation. As Siri gets more familiar with the pantheon of gods she is living among and Vivienne gets more involved with Hallandren’s seedy underbelly, both girls soon discover that they are out of their depths in an unthinkably large power struggle within the government. It doesn’t take either of them long to realize that things are not as they appear and not everyone is operating with the best of intentions.
The story isn’t as straightforward as it appears on the surface. Siri makes the acquaintance of a god who doesn’t think he deserves to be a god and Vivienne finds herself working with a mysterious man who knows more than he’s letting on (not to mention, he has a sentient sword) and seems to have a score to settle with the gods. Aided by a unique and vivid type of magic – referred to as “Awakening” – in which color can breathe life into inanimate objects, the sisters navigate through the unfamiliar government structures of Hallandren to determine the truth of what’s going on and to do anything in their power to prevent a war from breaking out between the rival kingdoms.
Sanderson is reliable for presenting well-written, technically sound fantasy novels and Warbreaker is no different. He excels, as he always does, in his well thought out magic systems and inclusion of strong, capable female protagonists (not just relegating them to the role of love interest.) And while the story has a few predictable moments and hits some of the more formulaic patterns that Sanderson can be prone to, it’s not hard to appreciate the story for what it is: a relatable and complex, but gripping, adventure of people trying to do what’s right in a world of people only looking out for themselves.
Like many popular fantasy stories, Warbreaker has an assortment of characters to follow, but they come to life in a way that makes the ensemble cast easily accessible and fun to get to know. The characters are dynamic, flawed, and each holds unique ideas and views. This variety adds depth to the story and creates a realistic sense of personal morality to each character, making it easy to find them relatable.
Warbreaker is a book that will make you laugh at some moments, warm your heart at others, and make you question each character’s motives at every turn. Overall, I found it to be a solid and fun read. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a well crafted, contemporary, stand alone fantasy novel that subverts the perceptions and expectations typically associated with the genre.
Plus: let’s be honest, sentient swords are awesome.
