HOLY CAMOLEY!!!
I was astonished with it, all of it. No different than that good man.
Brandon Sanderson created a perfect world. He created something distinct yet relatable. I never would of imagined a world with vegetation which is able to look after itself and withdraw into a shell or the ground for protection. Also great beasts run around the world and are slaughtered for their gemhearts, which entire battles are revolved about against a strange people. It consists everything from religions, how men and women roles differ in society, to taboos, and how social structures work and rank in the chain of a people's hierarchy. All I'll say it's a most unique world. I actually went to work and jokingly told a friend he was under me merely because of his eye color - all in good nature of coarse.
Besides, the book is full of assassinations, betrayals, and confusion of identity. Each of the main characters struggles to find absolutions, justifications, or just the plain truth. Nothing is neglected by Sanderson. There wasn't a point in the book when I couldn't mentally paint a clear image of what was going on or what a character looked like or felt.
Despite the book being 1250ish pages long the story flew by. Every chapter had important highlights which built on top of each other. I imagine the plot line comparable to those paintings where one tiny imagine is drawn along with many others forming a massive collage. And in this hot mess all the pieces are strategically placed and magically give the picture a whole image as well. So what your left with is intertwining bits and pieces that are composed together to make a massive whole. Every chapter and character has their own identity and importance to the story, even the minor characters play significant roles. Nothing is worthless.
The Nightwatcher and her Old Magic is pretty awesome, but nothing compared to my favorite thing. The Shards. So let's talk about that.
The concept of Shardplate, Shardblades, and Soulcasters are incredible. I will keep it at that, I've spoken too much already. Just go read the book, it's so much better to personally imagine and unravel these magical accessories than have someone explain and spoil their mystique.
I only have one request of Brandon Sanderson. Could you hook Nan Balat a Shardplate and Shardblade? Despite his single short chapter he was my favorite. Please and Thank You!
Alright. So don't let the voluminous book decieve you, because it's so worth the read. You'll be finished with it much sooner than you'll ever expect, I promise. This isn't a journey to be missing out on, so I leave you with the wise words of Gandalf the Grey.
