Words of Radiance

Words of Radiance

First edition book cover
Author	Brandon Sanderson
Illustrator	Isaac Stewart Ben McSweeney Dan dos Santos
Cover artist	Michael Whelan
Language	English
Series	The Stormlight Archive
Genre	Epic fantasy
Publisher	Tor Books
Publication date	March 4, 2014
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover and paperback), audiobook, e-book
Pages	1087 (hardcover)
ISBN	978-0-7653-2636-2
OCLC	889161015
Dewey Decimal	813/.6
LC Class	PS3619.A533 W67 2014
Preceded by	The Way of Kings
Followed by	Oathbringer

Words of Radiance is an epic fantasy novel written by American author Brandon Sanderson and the second book in The Stormlight Archive series. The novel was published on March 4, 2014, by Tor Books. Words of Radiance consists of one prologue, 89 chapters, an epilogue and 14 interludes. It is preceded by The Way of Kings (2010) and followed by Oathbringer (2017).

In 2015, it won the David Gemmell Legend Award for best novel. The unabridged audiobook is read by narrator team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.

Development

The release of the book was delayed due to Sanderson's commitment to writing the final book of The Wheel of Time.

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, was the maximum printable size of a book for its publisher, Tor Books, making it the biggest book printed by the company up to that point.

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 Taravangian, 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 points-of-view 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, 2014, 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

Prologue

At the Alethi peace treaty conference with the Parshendi, Jasnah Kholin first encounters the realm of Shadesmar, where she discovers the power to Soulcast. Jasnah then witnesses Szeth assassinate her father, King Gavilar Kholin. The Parshendi confess that they were behind the assassination, fearing Gavilar's plan. This motivates Jasnah to investigate the Parshendi's history, her experience in Shadesmar, and the Last Desolation.

Part One

Jasnah and Shallan Davar travel by ship to the Shattered Plains. Jasnah convinces her mother Navani to have Shallan betrothed to Adolin. Shallan meets and befriends a spren that she names Pattern and begins to manifest her own abilities. En route, their ship is attacked by assassins and Jasnah is seemingly killed. Shallan manages to escape and to recover Jasnah's research notes. She resolves to continue their mission to the Shattered Plains with their discovery of the Voidbringers' true nature: that the Parshendi and Voidbringers are one and the same.

After rescuing Dalinar Kholin, Kaladin and his former Bridgemen are named royal bodyguards assigned to protect House Kholin, including King Elhokar. Kaladin struggles with his hatred for lighteyes. Kaladin also begins training to master the powers of a Windrunner and exploring the bond with his Honorspren, Syl. Despite being a "darkeyes," Kaladin is allowed to join many of Dalinar's strategy meetings in his capacity as a bodyguard. The situation complicates when Brightlord Amaram arrives to support Dalinar's plan of uniting the Highprinces.

Dalinar begins finding cryptic messages scrawled in his chambers that count down to "the Everstorm." Dalinar decides to restore the Knights Radiant, and to be more aggressive with the other Highprinces. He gives his son Adolin permission to duel other lighteyes for their Shards, hoping to weaken his rivals.

In the Parshendi village of Narak, the researcher Venli discovers a new "form" that Parshendi could transform into. Venli claims it would be capable of summoning powerful storms as weapons against the Alethi. Despite fears from some that using Stormform would summon Voidspren, evil "opposites" to normal spren, the Parshendi ruling council reluctantly allow Venli to experiment with it. Venli's sister Eshonai, the last Parshendi Shardbearer and leader of their warriors, would rather parlay with Dalinar to end the war peacefully,but volunteers to become the first Stormform.

Part Two

During a duel, Adolin successfully defeats an opponent and begins winning shards for Dalinar.

Kaladin privately confesses Amaram's betrayal to Dalinar, who does not act on it. During training with Swordmaster Zahel, Kaladin and the crew are instructed in basic horsemanship, and how to defend against Shardblades in case of an attack by the Assassin in White (Szeth).

Meanwhile, Shallan deals with a bandit attack. She confronts a group of Alethi deserters and convinces them to defeat the bandits. Shallan befriends Tyn, a wandering conwoman who begins teacher her con-artistry. Shallan eventually discovers that Tyn was behind the assassination on Jasnah just as Tyn discovers Shallan's identity. Shallan reveals herself to be a Shardbearer, killing Tyn with her Shardblade. She then assumes Tyn's identity, planning to meet with the Ghosbloods, a secret organization behind many of the political upheavals in the realms.

A seemingly crazed man arrives in the camp and is taken in by Dalinar. He is actually Taln, the Herald of War, who was left behind by the other Heralds at the opening of the series.

Kaladin and Syl sense Szeth's approach and Dalinar, Adolin, and Kaladin fight the Assassin In White but are outmatched by him. Szeth attempts to kill Dalinar, his target, but is unsuccessful. During the fight, Szeth witnesses Kaladin using Stormlight and flees: Szeth was banished from his kingdom for claiming that the Radiants were coming back, and Kaladin being able to use Stormlight proves that he was right the whole time and should never have been banished.

Eshonai enters a Highstorm which turns her into a stormform: turning her eyes red and making her adopt a much more aggressive, vengeful personality. This form is assumed to be the "voidbringer" form given to the Parshendi by their evil god Odium, who they hate and fear. In Narak, Eshonai, driven insane by Stormform, takes over the city with her troops and plans to transform them all into stormform to wipe out the Alethi. She imprisons any who dissent all while her inner voice screams at her to stop.

Part Three

Shallan arrives at the Shattered Plains. She attends a meeting of the Ghostbloods while concealing her identity, hoping to learn more about the legendary city of the Radiants, Urithiru, as well as the Voidbringers. The Ghostbloods instruct Shallan to infiltrate Amaram's camp, believing that he knows secrets about the Parshendi and the Shattered Plains. Shallan manages to memorize and recreate all of his research. Upon meeting Amaram, she recognizes Amaram's Shardblade as her brother's old blade, and learns that her brother was killed in battle.

Kaladin continues his training with the Bridgemen, Moash, Kaladin's best friend, reveals his past and resentment towards Elhokar, blaming the king for the death of his grandparents. Moash invites Kaladin to attend a meeting of conspirators who plan to assassinate the king. Graves, leader of the assassins, insists that they are patriots determined to stabilize Alethkar by removing Elhokar from the throne due to his lack of leadership. Kaladin agrees that Elkohar is a bad king, and that the realm would probably be better without him.

Adolin goads one of the Highprinces into a duel, saying he can bring another opponent, making it a 2 on 1 duel. However, Adolin fails to specify the number of challengers, forcing him to face four Shardbearers. Kaladin and Renarin are allowed to assist, and they successfully defeat the four, winning a boon fro the King. Adolin invokes the right of challenge against Sadeas, the highprince who is most overtly against Dalinar. Kaladin, however, uses this boon to challenge Amaram, publically accusing him of treason. An enraged Elhokar has Kaladin arrested. Using this as a distraction, Sadeas escapes before they can make him duel Adolin in the moment. He accepts the challenge, but sets the date for a year in the future.

Szeth isolates himself in a tower and questions his motives for killing before returning to Taravangian, who tricks him into thinking that Kaladin is not a Radiant, and must have instead stolen an Honorblade (which bestows the powers of a Windrunner). Szeth renews his plan to kill Dalinar.

Part Four

Dalinar visits Kaladin while the latter is imprisoned and informs him that Moash's parents died not because of Elkohar, but because of Roshone, the same lighteyes who forced Kal's brother Tien to be drafted to war where he later died. When released, Kal learns that Adolin demanded to be imprisoned himself to convince Elhokar to release Kaladin, softening Kaladin's distrust toward Adolin and Lighteyes in general. Adolin offers Kaladin one of the Blades and Plate won in the duel, and Kaladin gives them to Moash.

When the Alethi army under Dalinar goes to explore the Shattered Plains, an assassination attempt orchestrated by Sadeas causes both Shallan and Kaladin to fall into a chasm. They survive using their Stormlight, but then Kaladin's connection to Syl, and Stormlight, is cut off. He believes that he killed Syl by forsaking his "protection" vow as he is planning to turn a blind eye to the king's assassination.

During their time in the chasm, Kal and Shallan realize how much strife the other has gone through and begin to bond. They are ambushed by a chasmfiend which Kaladin kills using Shallan's Shardblade, though he greatly injures his leg. They shelter from a high storm together and survive, bonding further.

With the countdown clock almost to zero, Dalinar prepares to make his assault against the Parshendi on Narak. Shallan insists on going, having started mapping out the Plains while exploring the chasms.

Taravingian, who had made a deal with the Nightmother for "capacity" to stop the coming crisis oscillates daily between different levels of intelligence. It is revealed that many of his actions, including using Szeth to depose various rulers, were the result of the Diagram, a plan he mapped out on the most intelligent day he has ever had. Following the Diagram, Taravingian treats the wounded on both sides of a war that he caused, winning the support of the enemy soldiers, and becomes King of Jah Keved. As a result of the political turmoil the assassinations cause, riots erupt around the realm, including in Kholinar, the capital city of Alethkar, when Elhokar's wife Aesudan Kholin, orders the execution of the young ardent who questioned their faith.

Part Five

Highprinces Roion, Sebarial, and Aladar join Dalinar's mission. Before embarking, Dalinar exposes Amaram's deception in lying about how he obtained the Shardblade and killed Kaladin's men. Humiliated, Amaram leaves in disgrace. This further cements Kaladin's loyalty to Dalinar.

Reunited with Bridge Four with a new form, Rlain (previously called Shen, the one parshman on Bridge Four) informs Dalinar about his people using the Everstorm to crush the army and pleads with him to stop them.

Eshonai and her troops summon the Everstorm, killing many. Adolin leads a group of soldiers on an ambush of the Parshendi and defeats Eshonai, pushing her off into the chasm. During the battle, Adolin encounters Szeth, who is on his way towards Dalinar.

Back in camp, Kaladin tries to recover and continue to train himself despite his injured leg. He agonizes over the choice to either protect Elkohar which he thinks is right, or let him die, which he thinks is better for the realm. Kaladin resolves to save the king when Moash and Graves, covered in Shardplate, corner them. Refusing to deny his revenge on Elhokar, Moash turns on Kaladin and mortally wounds him. Kaladin refuses to give up, and speaks the Third Ideal. Syl defies the Stormfather to reunite with Kaladin. Kaladin summons Syl in the form of a glowing Shardblade which can change form as he needs, and his surgebinding is restored. Moash and Graves flee, revealing that they know of Taravingian's Diagram.

After the Parshendi are defeated, Szeth overpowers Adolin and clashes with Dalinar, who is using Talenel's Shardblade, which he had bonded. Szeth defeats Dalinar and lashes him to the sky to fall to his death. Kaladin arrives in a burst of light, saving Dalinar and confrontng Szeth. As Kaladin and Szeth clash in the storms above, Dalinar and his army quickly evacuate into Narak to avoid further casualties from the Everstorm. During the duel, Kaladin overpowers Szeth and disarms him from the Honorblade, after which point Szeth severs its bond, giving up due to him realizing that Kaladin truly is a Radiant, and Szeth never had to follow orders to kill innocent people. The Honorblade having given Szeth his windrunning powers, Kaladin watches in shock as Szeth falls to his apparent death within the Everstorm.

Meanwhile, Shallan and the scholars find the center of Narak and the Oathgate, a teleportation system used by the Radiants. Shallan uses her surgebinding and shardblade to activate the Oathgate, and transports everyone to Urithuru.

It is revealed that Shallan used her surgebinding as a child and, because of her powers, her mother tried to kill her. Shallan killed her mother in self-defense and her father took the blame, eventually driving him mad. The Ghostbloods discover Shallan's true identity and offer her a spot in their organization.

Dalinar confronts the Stormfather, who reveals himself as a Spren and binds himself to Dalinar, making Dalinar a Radiant of the Oathbinder order. As the known Radiants gather: Shallan, Dalinar, and Kaladin, Renarin arrives and reveals himself as a Truthwatcher, another Order, and presumably that he was the one writing messages on Dalinar's wall. Kaladin departs to Hearthstone to check on his parents and his townsfolk. Adolin, fed up with Sadeas' treachery kills Sadeas after a short struggle and throws away his father's Shardblade, Oathbringer.

It is revealed that Everstorms will now generate much like highstorms, and that any parshmen caught in them will turn into stormforms.

Szeth awakes fully healed and meets the executioner named Nale, Herald of Justice and leader of the Skybreakers, who . Nale gives Szeth a new Shardblade/spren known as Nightblood to fulfill his path of justice and makes him a Radiant as well.

Epilogue

In the epilogue, Jasnah is revealed to have survived by escaping to Shadesmar, and is met by Hoid. Upon her arrival. Hoid offers Jasnah an alliance.

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).

Main

• Shallan Davar: A minor lighteyed Veden from the nation of Jah Keved. Her family has fallen on hard times after the death of her father. She is the ward and student of renowned scholar Jasnah Kholin. Shallan is a Lightweaver; she can, with a single glance, remember and recreate a scene with charcoal and paper and able to Soulcast without a Soulcaster. She travels to the Shattered Plains to learn more about the Voidbringers and find the Radiant city of Urithiru. She becomes betrothed to Adolin Kholin after Jasnah sets it up to help save House Davar from ruin. She has a spren, named Pattern, accompanying her.
• Kaladin: A darkeyed Alethi from the nation of Alethkar who serves as the captain of Dalinar's bodyguard, and subsequently the king's Honor Guard. He was formerly an apprentice surgeon to his father and a member of the army of Brightlord Amaram. Kaladin is a Windrunner; he can use Stormlight to heal himself and make himself stronger and faster than any normal human being. He is accompanied by an Honorspren named Syl.
• 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 weeps as he does.
• Dalinar Kholin: A highprince of Alethkar, brother to the slain King Gavilar, uncle to the current king and Highprince of War. Nicknamed the Blackthorn. A general who helped unite the kingdom with his brother. A man who experiences visions during the highstorms, and a Full Shardbearer, he is criticized as weak because he follows the Codes and talks about stopping the pointless war Alethkar is engaged in. He plans to unify Alethkar and refound the Knights Radiant. Dalinar is revealed to be a Bondsmith at the end of WoR, and his bonded spren is the Stormfather himself, a splinter of the Almighty.
• Adolin Kholin: A lighteyed prince and heir to his father Dalinar's highprince seat. A skilled duelist and a Full Shardbearer, he loves and respects his father. He is betrothed to Shallan Davar.
• Renarin Kholin: The younger son of Evi and Dalinar Kholin, Renarin is also Adolin's younger brother and is revealed to be a Truthwatcher, a type of Surgebinder. He has a Mistspren named Glys.
• Navani Kholin: Widow of King Gavilar, mother of King Elhokar and Jasnah. She is a skilled artifabrian. She has always loved Dalinar, even when married to his brother, Gavilar, and eventually rekindles her relationship with Dalinar.

Interludes

• 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, which has the Surges of Transformation and Transportation.
• Eshonai: one of the Listeners, known by the Alethi as Parshendi, and the only Shardbearer among her people. She seeks peace with the armies of the humans. However, the Spren, known as the Stormform, corrupted her and transformed her into a warlord in an attempt to destroy Alethi army out of spite.
• Ym: a shoemaker in Iri, bound to an unnamed Spren. Once a beggar, he now makes shoes, which he gives to urchins on the street. He is later killed by Nale who claims himself as an executioner.
• Nale: a bounty hunter who sought to execute surge-binders for their commitment to crime against humanity. He is a Herald of Justice who sought to find justice.
• Rysn: a young Thaylen who serves as an apprentice merchant of trade and culture. She travels with her babsk to the Reshi Isles.
• Zahel: a swordmaster and ardent, training both Adolin and Renarin.
• Taln: known as Talenelat or Stonesinew, he is a Herald of the Almighty, aka the Herald of War, sent to prepare humankind for the Desolation.
• Lift: a Reshi thief who works in Azimir in Azir. She has Surgebinding abilities that correspond with the Order of Edgedancers.
• 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 master plan 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

Critical response and sales

In its first week of release, Words of Radiance debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller list. It also reached No. 1 on the combined print/ebook bestseller list and the Kobo Bestseller list. It was at No. 3 on the National Indie Bestseller list, and at No. 6 on the Southern California Independent Bookseller Association bestselling hardcover fiction list. The UK publisher of the book, Gollancz, debuted with Words of Radiance at No. 2 on the Sunday Times of London Bestseller list.

In Bookmarks May/June 2014 issue, a magazine that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a (4.0 out of 5) based on critic reviews with a critical summary saying, "Sanderson's fan base will only increase with Words of Radiance". A review written by Rob Bricken of io9 called the book an old-school, "90s fantasy-style behemoth", also commenting, "While Sanderson continues to build his characters and reveal who they are (especially 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'."

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

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Result	Ref
2014	Whitney Awards	Best Speculative Fiction	Won
	Goodreads Choice Awards	Best Fantasy Novel	Nominated
2015	Audie Award	Best Fantasy (audiobook)	Won
	David Gemmell Legend Award	Best Novel	Won

Audiobook

An audiobook version was released by Macmillan Audio on the same day as the hardcover version read by narrator team Kate Reading and Michael Kramer, who also read The Way of Kings. A 5-part GraphicAudio version of Words of Radiance was released from September 2016 to January 2017.

Sequel

The third book in the series, Oathbringer, was released on November 14, 2017.

External links

• Words of Radiance title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Words of Radiance at the Internet Book List