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Dec 15, 2009

Jon rated it:

Brandon does it again - "it" being his uncanny ability to create female characters that I immediately relate to, like and care about. Not only one, but two of them - Vivenna, the eldest, wisest, best prepared sister, and Siri, the youngest, kindest, most frivolous one. But don't let those stereotypes delude you. Brandon turns both of these types around, on their heads and sideways and I'm convinced you'll be pleased with the results.

The magic system in Warbreaker was a More...

8 comments like (16 people liked it)

Apr 22, 2011

± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± rated it:

2.5

Let me start by saying that I was pleasantly surprised. For some reason I was expecting another epic type fantasy, with lots of travel and descriptions of foliage, and I was very glad to find myself mistaken in that regard. I enjoyed the more personal aspect of the story, and the intrigue and mystery which went along with it. It was definitely a page-turned, especially towards the end when I wanted to see how everything would work out.

So why only 2 1/2 stars?
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0 comments like (8 people liked it)

Aug 19, 2011

MJ rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Oct 25, 2009

Susan rated it:

Ah, what to say about this book. I did enjoy it. I liked or loved the characters. And I would read it again. Yet I have a hard time giving it 5 stars.

There are 3 story lines, each interesting enough to hold my attention. However, about three quarters of the way through I began to wonder if two of the story lines weren't kind of marching in place waiting for the third (my favorite one) to catch up. I will add this: There was a 'gotcha' in this book that really got me good. I we More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

May 10, 2010

Jared rated it:

Once again, Brandon Sanderson proves that he can come up with a unique system of magic and make it hang together, coupling it with a fascinating story. The book had twists that I didn't foresee -- always a pleasure -- characters that were complex and dynamic, and a world with a rich history, of which the reader only gets to see the edges.

Masterful storytelling. I docked it a star because he forgot to finish the book. He alludes to the final resolution, but he didn't bother to writ More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 24, 2010

Flint rated it:

The plot of Warbreaker moves much too slowly with not much happening until the very last few pages. This doesn't necessarily mean it's boring, because Sanderson does keep a very steady pace with his storytelling, but there also didn't appear to be any urgency to his story either. Even the villians came off half heartedly written. This simply was not Elantris, Mistborn or Gathering Storm. Many of the characters simply don't have much to do, which was not something I was expecting from a Sande More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 28, 2009

Daniel rated it:

Warbreaker is Brandon Sanderson's fifth novel.

Warbreaker has all of the themes that have been played throughout author Brandon Sanderson's other fantasy novels: epic fantasy, unconventional magic systems defined in almost scientific terms, an empire or nation on the edge of collapse, war and/or planetary destruction, and heroes(usually female) that are thrust into saving a man, nation, and world. Oh, and love, too; the heroine always fall in love with the most unlikely of persons.
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0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Sep 10, 2011

Elise rated it:

It was nice to be able to download and read for free, but it still seems like there are some changes to be made before this is actually published. The typos were of course distracting, but also I think the ending could use a bit of work. When Susebron takes power, it doesn't really explain how he knew all the BioChroma commands etc. I also thought it could dwell on Vasher's history more. That part was really interesting but it was so sparse. And the romance is always hinted at between Vasher and More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 09, 2011

Bridget rated it:

I like Sanderson's first Mistborn book & 'Elantris' (a stand alone book, so no waiting for the next book to come out/ what a nice change of pace) a bit more than this one. This is an interesting read nonetheless. Sanderson has great ideas & does fantastic world building. It had some slow moments but I'd still recommend it if you like the genre.

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Dec 27, 2010

Crystal rated it:

This was my first time reading anything by Brandon Sanderson, and I really enjoyed it. The balance of it's unique magic system, dark humor, and well thought out characters made it really hard to put down. And the last fifth, or so, of the book was very intense, told at break-neck speed. The plot twists were (for the most part) unexpected, and the character development was probably what truly made this book so good. My only complaint was the really clipped ending. It sort of left me wanting more, More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 08, 2012

Jackie rated it:

I heard some praise for Sanderson’s ability to take the pile of material Robert Jordan left behind and wrap it up with some good terse plotting, which made him sound like a miracle worker. Decided to pick this one up as a low-commitment stand-alone book on a day when I was stuck for something to read.

Sanderson has a nice touch, here, for revealing the magic system and history of the world gradually, so that you’re faced neither with exposition dumps or the frustrating “what the hell is More...

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Oct 17, 2011

Stephan rated it:

Brandon Sanderson is one of the best worldbuilders of his time. Each of his worlds has its own place in the shared Cosmere and is therefore a part of a universe with shared gods and original forms of magic.

Warbreaker, a standalone novel, is a part of this Cosmere as well. That means that this book, like other books by Sanderson, has its own, well thought out magic system with a scientific feel to it. This magic system is a significant part of every aspect of this story. The world, too, More...

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Sep 15, 2011

Rachel rated it:

I have to tell you, I loved this book. I loved the world, I loved the characters, and I definitely loved the writing style. There are no glaring flaws with the book. However, there were a few little things that bothered me, and so I'm going to explain what took me away from giving Warbreaker a five-star rating.

One thing that I always notice about writing, in any form, is that grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors are everywhere. And while I make mistakes of my own, I'm sad when I More...

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Aug 10, 2011

Shaylan rated it:

I'd give 4.5 if I could. I can't quite bring myself to 5 stars (it's this thing... since I've been reading the Kingkiller Chronicles nothing compares and when I'm reading a book by an author in the same genre, well, there are some major differences. No offense to Sanderson, Rothfuss is really just that good.)

Of the main characters I really liked Siri, I was mildly annoyed yet fond of Vivenna. Lightsong broke my heart in all the right ways. Secondary characters, I liked Vasher, wanted m More...

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Aug 01, 2011

Mlle. rated it:

You know, a good fantasy series is a gift that keeps on giving. You read it, you enjoy it, you get to look forward to more and feel reasonably sure that you'll enjoy it too. I was a little leery of picking up a single-volume all-in-one fantasy, because I'm so used to searching around for the next great series. But actually, this was perfect. It was really nice to get a whole story in one book.

The world building is excellent - I could picture everything perfectly. Sanderson managed to More...

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Jul 12, 2011

grellian rated it:

In a very short period of time the prose of Brandon Sanderson has soared to the heights of fantasy fiction. One of his latest novels is “Warbreaker” which, once more, does not disappoint and has the potential to attract even more staunch members of the author’s fan club. The plot of the book focuses on the intertwined fates of three main characters and is further strengthened by a solid setting and an unbelievably original magical system.

Lightsong is a god who questions his divinity a More...

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Jun 14, 2011

Robert rated it:

Sanderson yet again blows me away with an entirely new setting and an extremely intriguing system of "Magic". All of his characters, villains included, are amazingly dynamic and lovable.

His plot has a brilliant juxtaposition of lightheartedness and seriousness. The characters frequently joke with each other and play around, poke fun of the world's events and people's, all the while war brews in the world and everyone fears for the future. The tension builds slowly in the bac More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 13, 2011

Colleen rated it:

Warbreaker came to me rather highly recommended. It is a hefty 652-page paperback that almost lands in the category of "epic" except that almost all of the action happens within the walls of one city. A war that has long been anticipated is coming, despite a treaty marriage between the two main antagonists. Political maneuvering by merchants, mercenaries, priests, and even the gods themselves are pushing the coastal country to declare war on its highland neighbor, and two ignorant h More...

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Jun 08, 2011

Colleen rated it:

It's amazing how much character growth Brandon Sanderson managed to pack into one book. I usually find narratives that switch view points grating, mostly because there will be one character I particularly like and I'll always want to flip ahead to their narrative...but not in Warbreaker. All the characters, even secondary ones and 'bad guys', are nuanced and interesting (although I especially loved Siri and Lightsong).

As for the mechanics of the story - the politics, world-building, More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 24, 2011

Kevin rated it:

This was my second Sanderson novel, having read Elantris before. This book was very similar to Elantris in a lot of ways (two cities, some who may be gods, characters who are ignorant of the truth). Sanderson has quickly become my favorite new author. His writing is fluent, his ideas original, and he has a knack for creating memorable likable characters (even when your perceptions of them change mid-stream). It's a story of returned gods wo do not understand their positions, and civilizations wh More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Mar 09, 2011

Rose rated it:

This is the first high fantasy novel I've read since my college days, and it's beautiful. I stopped reading high fantasy because I got tired of each and every SINGLE one being a direct rip-off of Tolkien's trilogy (ask me what I think about "The Sword of Shannara" sometime!).

But this is no rip-off. This is that most amazing, most rarest of things: an *original* high fantasy novel. I still can't quite get over it.

There's no quest for some sacred artifact. There's no More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Feb 05, 2011

Bjoernlars rated it:

Since I have been power reading the Wheel of Time Series, I believe that I came into this book with some biases and certain expectations of fantasy writing. Despite this I was a huge fan of book one in the Mistborn trilogy and Elantris, both written by Brandon Sanderson.

Warbreaker does offer a very interesting weaving of different character plots that brought about some nice shocks throughout the story. Sanderson does a nice job of developing characters showing their change in person More...

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Jan 13, 2011

Heidi rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Jan 02, 2011

drey rated it:

I picked up Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker on a whim. Because you know how it goes when you're browsing books... You look at something, you go "hmmmmm," check it out, bring it home... And then you keep your fingers crossed.

Warbreaker is quite the tome, filled with entertaining characters and drama. In this world, some of those who die are reincarnated as gods. They live in a compound, have their own priests, and have all their needs taken care of. And they can live for a very More...

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Dec 30, 2010

Karissa rated it:

I got this book through Amazon vine and when I received it in the mail I was intimidated; it is quite the brick of a book. All I can say is that I was really, really, really impressed with this book. It is the most amazing book I have read in a long time. Previously Sanderson has written the Mistborne Trilogy and a stand alone novel called Elantris. I haven't read any of those books but I wanted too; so getting this book from Vine gave me a chance to check out his work.

A quick side n More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 09, 2010

Terri rated it:

I’ve reviewed Brandon Sanderson’s work on this blog before, which should tell you that I like his books immensely. As I may or may not have stated before, Sanderson is one of the best world builders I’ve ever read. I’ve read a lot of fantasy in my life, and while I’m far from an expert, he manages to create these amazing magic systems unlike anything I’ve ever read before.

*hops down off soapbox* On to the book!

Imagine a world where color has power not only to brighten More...

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Nov 25, 2010

Tanabrus rated it:

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Nov 22, 2010

Max rated it:

I've been meaning to read a book by this author ever since I read his work with Robert Jordan's last novel. I shouldn't have waited so long, this book is awesome -- I could not put it down. I love the world he created, and the characters in it have been fleshed out very well. The plot twists are amazing. I like how the concept of "Breath" was used -- an original concept of how magic-type abilities can be attained.

I loved the mercenary humor towards the beginning (it has More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 15, 2010

Mei-Lu rated it:

This is the first book by Brandon Sanderson I've ever read and I'm definitely going to pick up more. I'm really impressed by the fact that he created this entire world, with detailed rules of magic, and thousands of years of history and still managed to tell a satisfying tale all in one book. I really enjoyed the main group of characters and despite being new to the world and its rules, I was never confused when Sanderson switched back and forth between the different storylines. Having said t More...

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Oct 12, 2010

Clifton rated it:

(This is a repost of my review that appeared on SF Signal recently [http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2010/10/review-warbreaker-by-brandon-sanderson/]-)

Warbreaker is an epic story of a kingdom in peril, a god that is more AND less than what he seems, a sister’s love and jealousy, magical breath, and an army of the walking dead (and running, and slashing, and stabbing...).

I went into Warbreaker with some of that remaining curiosity about this fellow Sanderson that was finis More...

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