Book Review: Wind and Truth

Stormlight Archive #5, by Brandon Sanderson

Ten days until the contest of champions, and we follow everybody every day, kinda. 

Dalinar, Navani, Gav in the Spiritual Realm, followed by Shallan, Renarin, Rlain, and Mraize, Iotyl? ghostbloods - trying to find Mishram's prison

Big battles to try to keep the capital cities - because that's how the deal reads. Sigzil leads defense on the shattered plains, so Alethi can have a homeland. Adolin helps Yanagaun in Azimir - dome over the oathgate, defending against wave after wave of troops trying to break out.

 Kaladin and Szeth do a pilgrimage to Shinovar, and Szeth has to go to each of the monasteries to defeat the honorbearer and retrieve an honor blade - they are overtaken with a darkness, and infect/oppress the countryside around them. Kaladin therapizes. Szeth has to confront his father and sister, and former mentors.  

Jasnah helping defend XX, realize that the fleet is just a ruse, with mostly empty holds. Tarvangian then argues Queen Fen into making a deal, by saying that Jasnah will do the best for her country, rather than the actual greater good. T attacks Jasnah's beliefs, rather than defending that Odium is a good/trustworthy thing to make a deal with. 

Where do we end up?

Adolin kills a Thunderclast, leg gets crushes, still looses the dome/city to overwhelming enemy. Sneaks into the palace and duels Fused 1-1 without shards, uses aluminum candelabra to parry, then manages to recall his Plate and thrash Fused. Maya shows up with other deadeyes, and they form blades/plate for small group, hold the throneroom against large force for minutes/hour before deadline. 

Szeth finds out that Ishar, the herald, is the Voice, and has been re-animating the honor bearers after they are dead, making them puppets to his will. Szeth is recruited by Nale as a herald, but doesn't want it. Kaladin ends up being called by Wind to become a herald. 

Dalinar renounces his oaths, and dies protecting Gav.

Tarvangian absorbs Honor's power, so Odium + Honor = Retribution. Other shards are now paying attention. Cultivation flees. 

Wit gives Sigzil a Dawnshard because Odium absolutely cannot have something powerful like this. Wit is then vaporized but regenerates on Mistborn world.


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