Wind and Truth is the fifth entry in the incredible The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson. This novel is the midpoint of the saga and the conclusion of the first narrative arc. At this moment, the stakes could not be greater, tensions are sky-high, and the characters we have been following for around five thousand pages get to show what they are made of. In ten days, Dalinar Kholin will face Odium’s champion. The fate of Roshar, the lives of the inhabitants, the lines on the maps, and the destinies of The Stormlight Archive’s main characters will all be dramatically affected by the contest’s outcome. The gods of the Cosmere watch on with trepidation.

Cover Image of Wind and TruthThe three main characters in The Stormlight Archive are Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar. Here, Kaladin accompanies the former assassin Szeth. The latter wishes to complete his Skybreaker quest to cleanse his homeland. The voices in Szeth’s head are becoming crippling and Kaladin’s assistance, having in common Szeth’s struggles with darkness and his coping mechanisms, could be a deciding factor in the mission’s success. Lightweaver Shallan has unfinished business with Mraize and the Ghostbloods and much of her page-time throughout Wind and Truth is a complex game of cat and mouse. However, this description is wildly under-selling the importance, inventiveness, and intricacies of this plot. Dalinar, the Blackthorn, legendary warlord turned scholar seeks answers and an edge against the evil god Odium. To have any hope, he must traverse the Spiritual Relam, a place so unpredictable and damaging that even gods and immortals fear to tread there.

The Cognitive Realm of The Stormlight Archive has always had a magical yet strange feel. I was engrossed with the scenes depicted there, in both previous volumes and in this novel too. With Wind and Truth, I was intrigued to see what the previously mentioned Spiritual Realm segments would offer. It is a unique plane of existence with differing rules and potential. I can report that the events portrayed there were exciting and rewarding to follow. Furthermore, the revelations regarding how this realm operates are captivating.

The magic schemes and imaginative potential have remained a highlight throughout The Stormlight Archive. Moving on from players learning about their powers in earlier books (Words of Radiance and Oathbringer), now Radiants, Spren, Fused, Heralds, Regals, Worldhoppers and gods are all in the mix and they are formidable and often fascinating to follow. Sanderson offers a world where nothing stands still, and where practices and possibilities (magical, scientific, political) are always progressing and evolving. There are standout moments when a character advances, performing an astonishing and unforeseeable act. Credit to the author is deserved because these instances never seem disjointed or against the rules. The seeds for these revelations feel like they have been planted throughout the whole series. Upto and including Wind and Truth, it has remained a joy to see a main character flourishing, magically or mentally. Scenes such as these are beautifully composed and with the close affinity between character and reader, it is as if we share the sense of achievement. Similarly, when tragic developments happen, they hit hard too.

Truthfully, some of my favourite fantasy characters live within these pages. I will not divulge too much about certain character arcs or standout segments. However, I will note the following: Adolin is amazing. Like Adolin’s trial in Rhythm of War, what happens to him in Wind and Truth makes him a thrilling person to follow and I feel that every aspect of his story is perfect. Adolin fights on one of the battlefronts in Wind and Truth, as does another standout character, the Windrunner Sigzil. The humans and Odium’s army are actively warring until the contest on the tenth day, and Sigzil’s promotion to a point-of-view character, showcasing how he influences proceedings, is gripping. Unfortunately, not every storyline is a winner. One of the few surviving Parshendi, Venli’s storyline is plodding and ambles along. Likewise, it was disappointing that not much page time was spent with the Fused Leshwi, especially after she became one of the standout new additions in Rhythm of War.

Wind and Truth is as good an ending as I could have hoped for. There are heart warming moments, dialogue exchanges that are both poignant and powerful, stunningly worked scenes of humour, and strong bonds and brotherhoods fully on show. While reading, each day I tried to finish one of the days in Wind and Truth. This was enjoyable and I found it upped the ante as my reading coincided with the countdown. This added to the intensifying of events, complications, and unpredictability of how it could all end. Nothing prepared me for the last day. I almost did not want to finish reading the novel’s conclusions because I could not predict how it could end, and maybe I did not want it to. In a good way, I felt breathless and uneasy as the endings hit me on many emotional levels.

In my reviews for each book in The Stormlight Archive series, I have been extremely positive about how important this series is to modern fantasy. After completing Wind and Truth, my opinions have not changed and I feel Sanderson has storming nailed this fifth book. The Stormlight Archive is one of my most re-read fantasy series as I revisit it with every new release. Come book six, I will do the same again because there is still so much left to happen in this corner of the Cosmere and beyond. The next book cannot come soon enough. If you are considering reading this series, this could be the best time to start.

After reading the excerpt I need this novel to come out sooner. It feels unfair to review a book from just an excerpt but I can say I have never been so enraptured by a Sanderson novel from the get go as I I have with the beginning of Winds and Truth. I cannot stop thinking about this book and all the things to come. I need it now please.
It is classic Sanderson and I just know it’s going to build to such an insane end that we don’t see coming.
You’d think because I re-read all of the previous books in the Stormlight Archive in preparation for the final book I would be tired of so much Sanderson but I am still completely and utterly infatuated with his writing and unique worlds. And this universe particularly has me wanting to learn more!
There is no one doing it like Sanderson right now with how expansive and endearing the Cosmere is. It doesn’t matter what reading mood you’re in, Sanderson has a novel for you. And you will fall in love with the characters so deeply you won’t want to let them go.

I CANT WAIT FOR THE REST. Am I annoyed that nowhere on netgalley did this say it was only an excerpt? Yes. Did I still enjoy what I got? Of course! This is without a doubt going to be my fav book of the year.