You know a book where you just can't find out what's going to happen next? And that feeling you get of wanting a bit more when you finish a book? Well, Warbreaker gave me those feelings, and once I was done with this book, it felt like my senses had dulled and the experience was an entire fever dream, like a Drab who just lost their BioChromatic Breath.
A Fantasy semi-epic from the mighty Brandon Sanderson, this one was admittedly an experiment that he had done on his website, to see if writing a book published freely for the masses could be successful, while still being able to get it published by the big names and profiting out of it. In the end, it's definitely a success for the Branderson, since i'm looking forward to owning a physical copy sometime in the future.
Speaking of looking forward, our two princesses sure weren't looking forward to their futures in the big sparkly city of T'Telir, after growing up in such a conservative life that was Idris. Ah, the city of T'Telir, the lands called Hallendren, and the beautiful town(village?) of Idris. They seem like counterparts to one another, and it feels like one represents the mormon side of Mr. Sanderson himself, while the other represents the bigger and wider world out there that's a melting pot of cultures and collective experiences. A very creative and imaginative world, and definitely very immersive and beautiful when accompanied with the simple prose of Sanderson.
Somehow I feel that the story serves as an outlet for Mr. Sanderson to come to terms with his modern "blockbuster author" and city-living persona compared to being raised a Mormon. It's clearly seen in Siri and Vivenna's experiences here, and how they grew up as characters throughout the story. Along with Lightsong the Bold, they make for some of the stronger character developments I've seen. They are fleshed out thoughtfully, down to the details and their personalities ooze with charm and charisma, sometimes even a slight tinge of hatred; a testament to strong writing ability.
Also, the magic system is very well thought out. Those familiar with Sanderson's works will know that he's the master of writing hard magic systems, and BioChromatic Breath is one of those examples. Its powers are clearly explained, and they leave so much room for wonder, amazement and that "aha!" moment at what Breath can do. Admittedly, it does get confusing at times and makes me wish for time for a re-read, but reading it for the first time and imagining it work out feels like such an ethereal experience.
Character's motivations are very well thought out, carefully planned and some even devilishly hidden from the reader (and other characters) until the big twists happen. YES, there are twists to the story! Some have honestly left me awe-struck, taking me from a near sleepy mood to sharp alertness at "wth just happened".
A fair warning though, there are points where sexual harassment is mentioned, some on certain main characters even. It may grow slightly overbearing at some points, but once I felt "Ok enough is enough!", it seemed to tone down. Also, I personally felt that some conflicts seem to have been solved too quickly, and that some action scenes could have been better described. These are slight misgivings only though, and did not take out my overall joy out of the story.
Overall, Warbreaker has been a fantastical and magical journey through the Hallendren city of T'Telir, and one that I do not regret reading. With strong characters, great worldbuilding and an even greater magic system, Brandon Sanderson proves at (a kinda early stage of his exploding popularity, when this book was published), that he's the current master of fantasy.