Warbreaker

by Brandon Sanderson

Book Overview

From the author of the connected universe of the Cosmere comes the standalone novel from which spring characters who later play roles in the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive.

In the world of Warbreaker, each person is born endowed with the power of one Breath--which can be sold and collected by others, then used to Awaken objects and even corpses to do their bidding. A few individuals who...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0074CR8C0
• ISBN13: 9780765360038
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 688 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.1" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Sanderson is amazing.

I don’t read fantasy novels. Well, I didn’t used to…until Warbreaker. This book is so enthralling that I’ve now gone on to read the author’s Mistborn Trilogy. I’m sold - hook, line, and sinker.

A long novel that is worth the time it takes - and no cliffhanger!

When I first saw how long this book was, I thought I would be sick of it before I could plough through to the end. Nothing could have been further from the truth! Warbreaker kept me interested and sometimes delighted; the characters were interesting, the story was full of surprises, and even the rules of magic were a little bit different than any I've seen in too many long, involved fantasy novels. Here we have two sisters; the princess who expected to be sent to the god-king of her enemies in marriage, and the pricess who was sent instead. Neither got what she bargained for, and both ended up with very important roles to play before the story's astonishing conclusion. I'll have to read some of this author's other works; he knows how to craft a story that will entertain and move the reader, and although I would welcome a sequel to this book, I don't feel that I was given only half a story. I predict a long career for Brandon Sanderson.

Colorful and Breathtaking

This new fantasy novel has much to recommend it. First, it introduces an interesting new system of magical abilities based on the accumulation of Breath (each person has one and can willingly sell or give it away to another--those who accumulate large quantities can gain various powers). As a longtime fantasy gamer, this pleases me, as does the fact that the system ties into an interesting theological system. Second, the characters are quite vivid and engaging, and many show some degree of growth and change. Third, the plot is filled with twists and turns that are at the same time surprising and yet inevitable in retrospect. They aren't just randomly jammed into the story to mess with the reader's mind--they arise naturally from events and clues and suggestions that were carefully developed organically over the course of the tale. Lastly, the novel is not burdened by its responsibility to be a Serious Fantasy where everyone has an Epic Destiny and is filled with grim determination to endure stoically through all privations. The dialogue is not crippled with a plethora of "thees" and "thous" and pseudo-Shakespearean flights of oratory. No, pretty much most people speak like 21st Century folks (for instance, Denth and Tah Fonks with their "You know what I hate about being a mercenary?" are very reminiscent of David and Cal's "You know how I know you're gay?" banter from "The 40 Year Old Virgin"). Lightsong in particular brings the snark just like one of today's post-ironic hipsters. Two kingdoms on the brink of war. Two princesses. Two gods. Two long-time sellswords working against each other. Can the war be averted, and should it? Who can be trusted? Who's zooming who? This is an excellent fantasy novel that zips along despite its length and that features many captivating characters. It stands alone ably, although there are enough loose ends to allow for a sequel. I certainly look forward to one.

One of the Best Books I've Read

Simply put, Brandon Sanderson's "Warbreaker" is one of the best books I've read. When I ordered it, I was a bit apprehensive over the official write-up and the "SciFi Essential Book" logo on the front page. Essentially, I was worried that the book might read like a comic book or a screenplay. Thankfully, that worry was unfounded. Within just a few pages, I was totally absorbed in the story. Why is the book so good? Well: - Premise: this is one of those books where you wonder where the author comes up with even the basic premise. As stated in the official write-up: "By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished." Once I saw what the author did with that, I was amazed. - Authorship: the technical aspects of the writing and the internal consistency of the world and characters are excellent. In many books, people and things don't necessarily behave as they should in all instances. In "Warbreaker," I never noticed any such deficiency. - Points of View: one of the really clever things that Sanderson does is to constantly compare the main characters' points-of-view to the *expectations* of the other main characters' points-of-view. He does an excellent job of this and it leads to some interesting twists as he follows each character's development. And, finally, - Plot Twists: there are a lot of plot twists in the book and they're done well. Usually, when I read a book, I can figure out what's going to happen right from the beginning. In this case, Sanderson has a few of those "obvious" twists present. But, there are others which spring up entirely unexpectedly. That's a rare and precious thing in an author and something to be treasured. So, all-in-all, I loved the book and rate it an Excellent 5 stars out of 5. I highly recommend it to everyone (and I'll be reading Sanderson's other books shortly).

well structured but also imaginative

Warbreaker is the product of good form, interesting characters and a creative vision. The world of Warbreaker is small and simple. There are several kingdoms, of which Idris and Hallandren are the focus of the story. Idris is a stoic, spartan, spread-out, highland kingdom. The huge city of Hallandren however is at the other extreme. The tensions and history between these two peoples and the actions of their rulers offer the reader a twisting and turning, if somewhat predictable plot. The characters of Warbreaker are clearly the strongest element. The handful of main characters all have depth, personality and purpose. The major themes of the book are portrayed through these characters' interactions and comparison. While the supporting characters add little, they at least serve their purpose and avoid marring the atmosphere. Some of the dialogue between characters, namely Lightsong and Blushweaver, wore thin, but overall the dialogue did an excellent job of driving the pace of the book. Overall, I found myself completely drawn into the world and story of Warbreaker. It's an exciting adventure involving several fascinating characters. Despite it's length, it was a very quick read that finds a groove and rarely deviates. A sequel would be great, for there is a lot of untapped potential to the world Sanderson has created and much more room for complexity, depth and embellishment.

Sanderson's best yet.

Brandon Sanderson is hardly a rookie author. Having read Elantris and all of Mistborn, I came to the table expecting an enjoyable read out of Warbreaker. Still, I was blown away. Though a little apprehensive about reading it all on a computer screen, I was board while traveling for work, so I downloaded it. I couldn't stop reading. I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning because the book was so engaging. The story was excellently told, and the comic relief was spot on. Warbreaker is much better than Elantris and Mistborn in every way (except, perhaps, the magic system; alomancy is too cool). While I appreciate Sanderson's motives in writing stand alone epic fantasy, I hope that he reneges. I would be thrilled to see another novel set in the Warbreaker world. If Sanderson keeps improving at this rate, he will become the benchmark over and beyond Tolkien, Jordan or any other author you care to mention. Though I already read the free downloadable version off of Sanderson's website, I will definitely order a hardback for my personal library.