Warbreaker is a standalone epic by Brandon Sanderson

I literally just finished Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson, so I thought I would review it while the tale is still percolating in my brain.

What is Warbreaker all about?

The story itself revolves around two sisters: Vivenna and Siri. Vivenna is the responsible older sibling, destined to marry the God King of Hallandren (and yes, that title is as ominous as it sounds). Siri, on the other hand, is the rebellious younger sister who’s got about as much interest in ruling as a cat.

Both are princesses of a kingdom called Idris that is on the verge of war with a more powerful country called Hallandren. To keep the peace, Vivenna has been betrothed to the God King since birth, and her marriage to him will keep everything ticking along nicely.

Except things don’t really pan out that way. I won’t discuss more because spoilers…

Let’s talk about some unique magic

As with most of Sanderson’s fantasy, magic drives the plot of Warbreaker. The book has an entirely unique magic system called BioChromatic Breath. In simple terms, people can give away their “Breath,” which is kind of like their soul—except they don’t die when they lose it, so, not quite that dramatic. The more Breaths you collect, the more powerful you become, and you can do magic stuff like animating objects, bringing things to life, and controlling people.

Breaths and magic are all linked to colours. Colours kind of help charge the magic and allow it all to happen. It is a really interesting idea and as always, Sanderson has clearly thought it all through.

The main characters are great

Siri is fun, irresponsible, reckless, sarcastic, and in over her head. She is also naive and doesn’t want anything to do with power.

Vivenna, on the other hand, is the perfect older sister. She had been trained her whole life to become the God King’s wife, and happily, she was the perfect student.

But what’s great is watching their arcs unfold. Siri starts off as an impulsive, immature girl, but her marriage to the God King (who, by the way, turns out to be a pretty decent dude) forces her to grow up. Vivenna, meanwhile, starts off as annoyingly perfect, but as things spiral out of control, we get to see her break, bend, and eventually rebuild herself. It’s like Sanderson took the typical “good sister, bad sister” trope and flipped it upside down while throwing in some existential crises.

Then there’s Lightsong, who is a whole different kettle of fish. Lightsong is a Returned, a person brought back from the dead and revered as a god, despite not really believing in his own godhood. He’s lazy, sarcastic, and has the best one-liners in the book. I’m not going to lie, though; at first, I was worried he was going to be annoying. But his arc is one of the most compelling, going from a self-proclaimed lazy god who thinks he’s useless to, well, a hero—though he’d probably scoff at that description. He generally becomes more likeable as events progress.

One of the highlights of Warbreaker is the way Sanderson plays with themes of power, choice, and sacrifice. The Breaths people exchange symbolize more than just magic—they represent the literal power dynamics between people. Some characters collect thousands of Breaths (making them practically demigods), while others have to give theirs away to survive. As I mentioned, they don’t die, but they are lacking something. It’s a fascinating take on privilege and control. Breaths bestow importance.

Now, let’s talk about pacing because this is where some readers might complain. The first half of the book moves slower than you’d expect from a fantasy novel. Sanderson takes his sweet time setting things up—introducing the magic system, the politics, the characters—but trust me, the payoff is worth it. There’s the odd fight here and there, but otherwise, it is a slow burn. However, by the time you hit the last quarter of the book, things get exciting and epic. There are also a lot of well-thought-out twists and reveals that are generally satisfying.

So, should you read Warbreaker? If you like intricate world-building, witty banter, and a magic system that’s truly one-of-a-kind, the answer is a resounding yes. Plus, it’s a standalone (though knowing Sanderson, that could change), so you don’t have to commit to a 10-book series. It’s a satisfying ride with enough humour, heart, and plot twists to entertain you throughout.

It is a rare standalone novel, but not the ideal way into Sanderson

Warbreaker is a one-off story, which is pretty rare for Sanderson. I don’t know if it will stay a standalone, but it did come out over ten years ago, so a sequel is looking less likely. But who knows? The guy likes to write, and technically, the Cosmere is one vast interconnected series, including this and other standalone books like Elantris. So, characters may appear again. I always wonder if one day, he will do an Avengers and have all the characters meet somehow.

I am working through a Sanderson reading order recommended on the internet. There are a few, so best to Google them. I’ve read the first Mistborn trilogy, Elantris, and a couple of stories relating to them. They are all hefty tomes that are compulsively readable. If you are intrigued by Sanderson, I recommend Mistborn first, despite this being a one-off. It just feels like a more natural place to start and will give you an insight into the world-building he is capable of.

Like all his books, Warbreaker has superb world-building, a brilliant magic system, and some very likeable characters. It is a bit slow in parts but well worth a read.

You can check out Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson by clicking here.

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