Words of Radiance

Words of Radiance

First edition book cover
Author	Brandon Sanderson
Cover artist	Michael Whelan
Language	English
Series	The Stormlight Archive
Genre	Epic fantasy
Publisher	Tor Books
Publication date	4 March 2014
Publication place	United States
Pages	1088 (hardcover)
ISBN	978-0-575-09904-3
Preceded by	The Way of Kings

Words of Radiance is the second book of The Stormlight Archive epic fantasy series written by American author Brandon Sanderson. It was published by Tor Books and released on March 4, 2014. Upon first publication, Words of Radiance consisted of one prologue, 89 chapters, an epilogue and 14 interludes. The unabridged audiobook is read by narrator team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. The release of the book was delayed due to Sanderson's commitment to writing the final book of The Wheel of Time.

Pre-publication

On July 1, 2013 Sanderson announced on his official Twitter-account that he had finished the first draft of Words of Radiance. On July 3 Tor Books officially released an early excerpt of the novel, containing the beginning of an interlude starring the King of Kharbranth.

On December 10, 2013, Tor Books announced on its official website that Sanderson had turned in the manuscript of the book, commenting that production could now begin. On the same day a second excerpt of the novel was released, containing an interlude starring the new character Lift.

On December 30, 2013 Tor Books revealed the endpapers for Words of Radiance, painted by American artist Michael Whelan. It pictures Shallan while painting at the Shattered Plains. In the same article Whelan states, "When Irene Gallo proposed a second painting for Words of Radiance, I immediately knew it was Shallan we were talking about. Indeed, like many fans, I had felt that the story was becoming as much Shallan’s as Kaladin’s; she merited equal representation in the book’s design, as far as it was possible to do so."

On January 8, 2014 Tor Books released the prologue and first two chapters of the book as previews with point-of-views of Jasnah, Shallan and Kaladin. A week later, on January 14, Tor Books released the 3rd, 4th and 5th chapters of the book, followed by the 6th, 8th and 9th chapters on January 21. The last chapters to be released before the publication of the book, Chapters Ten, Twelve, Fourteen and the first Interlude, were released on January 28, 2014.

Tor Books revealed the dates and locations for the Words of Radiance book tour on January 29, 2014. On February 4 Tor announced 'The Glimpses of Radiance', a series of daily previews of the book running from February 11 to March 4, 2014. Non-spoiler reviews were released by Alice Arneson and Carl Engle-Laird on the Tor website and by 17thshard.com, the official fansite of Brandon Sanderson, 17th Shard calling the book, "truly an achievement. It expands on its predecessor, fulfilling the promises it sets up, and manages to surpass it". Samples of interior art painted by Ben McSweeney and Isaac Stewart were released on February 26.

Plot introduction

Years ago a hireling of the Parshendi assassinated the Alethi king, Gavilar, resulting in the Vengeance Pact among the highprinces of Alethkar and the War of Reckoning against the Parshendi. Now the Assassin in White is active again, using powers that were long thought lost, and tries to kill Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne.

Kaladin, once a slave and bridgemen on the Shattered Plains, is given command of the royal bodyguards, trying to protect the king and Dalinar from perils and the threat of the Assassin. Meanwhile he struggles to master the powers of a Windrunner, that are somehow linked to his honorspren, Syl.

Shallan, together with her mentor Jasnah, tries to prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and their civilization-ending Desolation. The secret to this task can be found at the Shattered Plains, but arriving there is more difficult than she could ever imagine.

Viewpoint characters

The primary chapters within the book are told from the viewpoint of several major characters, while the book's interludes are told from the viewpoint of other characters (not all of which repeat).

• Szeth-son-son-Vallano, an assassin from the land of Shinovar. He refers to himself as a "Truthless" who must serve those who bear his Oathstone. Bearer of an Honorblade which gives him the power to use Stormlight and the abilities of a Windrunner. He hates being forced to murder and cries as he does.

• Kaladin: A darkeye, or peasant, from the nation of Alethkar during the main timeline of the book who is forced to serve on a bridge crew in the army of Highprince Sadeas. Formerly an apprentice learning surgery from his father, and a member of the army of the brightlord Amaram, he hates light-eyes because of Amaram, who betrays him by first allowing his brother to die, and then taking by force the Shardblade Kaladin earns and gives to his men. Kaladin is able to use Stormlight to heal himself and make himself stronger and faster than any normal human being. He is accompanied by an honorspren named Syl. She came to him because of his innate honor and kindness in the face of the evil and betrayal that seem to surround him. Kaladin's connection with Syl is what gives him his power with Stormlight; it also gives Syl the level of sentience she possesses.

• Shallan Davar: A minor lighteyes, or noble, from the nation of Jah Keved. Her family has fallen on hard times after the death of her father. She seeks to be accepted as the ward and student of the scholar Jasnah Kholin, sister to King Elhokar of Alethkar. A skilled artist who can with a single glance remember and recreate a scene with charcoal and paper, she learns that she is able to Soulcast without a Soulcaster, just like Jasnah. Though the beginning of the book has her plotting to steal Jasnah's Soulcaster to save her family, she has become Jasnah's true apprentice by the end of the book.

• Dalinar Kholin: A highprince of Alethkar, brother to the slain King Gavilar, uncle to the current king. Nicknamed the Blackthorn. A general who helped unite the kingdom with his brother. A man who experiences visions during the highstorms, and bearer of a Shardblade and Shardplate, he is criticized as weak after he begins to follow the Codes and talk about stopping the pointless war Alethkar is engaged in.

• Adolin Kholin: A lighteyes of Alethkar and heir to his father Dalinar's highprince seat. A skilled duelist and a bearer of a Shardblade and Shardplate, he loves and respects his father despite fearing that he has gone mad.

• Navani Kholin: Widow of King Gavilar, mother of King Elhokar and Jasnah. A skilled artifabrian (one who creates devices known as fabrials). She has always loved Dalinar, even when she was married to his brother, Gavilar. She attempts to rekindle a relationship with Dalinar but is initially rebuffed; eventually she convinces Dalinar to embrace his feelings at the end of the book.

The following characters are viewpoint characters in the interludes of the book:

• Jasnah Kholin: the sister to the king of Alethkar and the greatest scholar in the world. She is capable of Soulcasting without a Soulcaster, and is bonded to a spren named Ivory, who gained her the abilities of Stormlight used by the Knights Radiant. She is a member of the Order of Elsecallers, who have the Surges of Transformation and Transporation.

• Eshonai: one of the Listeners, known by the Alethi as Parshendi, and the only Shardbearer among her people. She wants peace with the armies of the humans, but before a treaty can be signed, she bonds the evil stormspren and summons the Everstorm.

• Ym: a shoemaker in Iri, bound to a unnamed spren. Once a beggar, he now makes shoes he gives to urchins on the street. He is killed by Darkness.

• Rysn: a young woman from Thaylenah, an apprentice merchant. She travels with her babsk to the Reshi Islands.

• Zahel: a swordmaster and ardent, training both Adolin and Renarin.

• Taln: known as Talenelat or Stonesinew, he is a Herald of the Almighty, sent to prepare humankind for the Desolation.

• Lift: a Reshi thief who works in Azimir in Azir. She has Surgebinding abilities that corresponded with the Order of Edgedancers. She is hunted by Darkness.

• Lhan: an ardent in Kholinar. He is lazy and often drunk. He explains 'the easiest job in the world' to a woman called Pai, who - a day later - starts riots in the city.

• Taravangian: the king of Kharbranth. He employed Szeth to kill a great number of leaders around the world, following the Diagram, a masterplan to prepare the world for the Last Desolation, made by himself.

• Wit: also known as Hoid, is the court jester of king Elhokar Kholin at the Shattered Plains.

Reception and sales

In its first week of release, Words of Radiance debuted at #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller list. It also reached #1 on the combined print/ebook bestseller list and the Kobo Bestseller list. It was at #3 on the National Indie Besteller list, and at #6 on the Southern California Independent Bookseller Association bestselling hardcover fiction list. The U.K. publisher of the book, Gollancz, debuted with Words of Radiance at #2 on the Sunday Times of Londen Besteller list.

A review written by io9 called the book an old-school, "90 fantasy-style behemoth", also commenting, "While Sanderson continues to build his characters and reveal who they are (espcially in the case of Shallan's past) it still clings to one overarching plot that drives relentlessly to an ending that can only be described as 'epic'."

Another review published by Tor Books commented, "Words of Radiance capitalizes on the groundwork provided by The Way of Kings, building up the world and system while revealing many more potential points of speculation." It also said, "So to you, lucky reader, who have the choice of whether or not to buy the book, I give this advice. The journey will be worth it. Yes, you should buy this book. Yes, this is a series worth following to the end. I'm glad to be taking this journey, and I hope you will as well."

The Lincoln Journal Star called the book "an extremely satisfying read that shows what the beginning of an epic fantasy series should look like."

Background

Initially Sanderson planned that this volume would be named after the tome Shallan is given at the end of the first volume: The Book of Endless Pages. However, the name was changed after the editor commented “Uh, are you sure you want to name a very long, very thick fantasy book The Book of Endless Pages?”

The book, at 1088 pages, is the maximum printable size of a book for its publisher, Tor Books, making it the biggest book ever printed by the company.

Audiobook

An audiobook version of the book was released on the same day as the hardcover version, and was read by narrator team Kate Reading and Michael Kramer, who also read The Way of Kings and several other books written by Sanderson, including the The Wheel of Time series.

Sequel

According to a 2014 newsletter written by Sanderson, work on the third Stormlight book would start somewhere later that year, as not to let fans wait as long as between the first two books. The working title is currently Stones Unhallowed and will focus on the character Szeth.