Tiny Navajo Reads: Rhythm of War

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

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*Published November 17, 2020*

You Guys!!!!!! You. GUYS!!!!!! This book is so good!!! I love it so much and I just have to tell you all about it! Promise, there will be no spoilers in this review, but there will be a lot of spazzing and fangirling.

Also! TW: Depictions of Mental Illness

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

The eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Oathbringer, from an epic fantasy writer at the top of his game.

After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage.

Now, as new technological discoveries begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.

At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.

This book has so much going on in it! And I mean, just so much! You have the story with Shallan and Adolin; you have Kaladin and his family, specifically his father; you have Taravangian; you have Venli and Eshonai; you have Navani; there are just so many stories and yet they still are all able to get the limelight that they need in order to move their stories forward. And with three bibles worth of stories before it, there are going to be some characters who don’t get as much story time. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you will miss them as you start to notice who is written about as much.

You can definitely see that this book is about connections and how these connections serve a purpose, even if we don’t see this purpose from the start. You can see the connection between Kaladin and Lirin as Kaladin tries to find a new purpose, a new way to live and protect when others start to notice that his “battleshock,” his depression and anxiety have become too much for him to handle as well as being Highmarshal. You can see it again with Syl and Kaladin as Syl struggles to figure out how to help Kaladin when he’s in spiraling into a dark mood and she doesn’t understand.

We can see the connections that Shallan has, not only with her spren, Pattern, but with Adolin as well, how much these two (three? Several?) love each other and how they all try to keep Shallan going in such a way as to keep her mentally stable. We see Adolin’s connection with Maya, the deadeyes spren of his sword, and the love that Maya and Adolin have for each other.

We see the connections that Navani makes, not only with the science, and spren, of her world, but with others who are just as scholarly minded as she is, even if that pursuit of knowledge is coming an unexpected ally/rival. We see the sisterly connection, as well as the competitive connection, that Venli has/had with her sister Eshonai. We just how they came to be the people they were in previous books, and who they are now.

CONNECTIONS! Connections are what make this book go forward, and around and around. If this book could survive on perpetual motion, it would just because all of these connections pull on one another and there is always something being caused by another connection. I will say that I absolutely loved learning more about the world of Roshar and more about the Cosmere, and just a tiny bit more about Wit/Hoid as well. It’s always interesting to me to see what little bits of lore and knowledge we are able to pull from him when we get a look into his POV.

The whole of this book is about connections and how you interact and use those connections in your life. It’s also about the connections you made upholding you and keeping you going as well. It’s well shown a lot from Kaladin’s perspective, on how he seems to keep losing his connections, either with Bridge Four, or with his Windrunners, or even just losing those he was sworn to protect. In one specific part of the book though, we see Syl go and grab Adolin to encourage and bolster, and essentially bother Kaladin enough to not let him spiral down into darkness. This is how connections are supposed to work, to uphold and uplift us in our times of need, and we do the same to others in their times of need.

If you couldn’t tell by now just how much I LOVED this book, then you haven’t been reading this review. And if you haven’t read the book yet, then you need to read it and then come back and tell me what you think of it! Also, how do you use the connections in your life? How have they helped you? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Top Ten Reasons Why I Read

Hi guys! It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! TTT was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Today’s topic for this particular Top Ten Tuesday are the reasons why I read the books I read. Now, ONTO THE LIST!!!

1.  Dragons! – how can you say no to dragons. I love dragons and I want to read all the books with dragons that I can.
2. Food! – I love it when books are centered around foods, especially foods from different countries. My area of food interest is East Asia, Japan and China. Nothing from Korea yet, but I hope to find some soon!
3. Epic fantasy! – I love fantasy and when it’s a huge series, that’s even better.
4. Specific covers! – I love it when a cover catches my attention, because for me, that’s supposed to indicate a unique storyline. Sometimes it’s not, but sometimes it is!
5. Broken faery tales! – I like it when faery tales are retold in a new light, or new point of view. Those are some of my favorite books.
6. Booklr! – the book community on Tumblr is one of my favorites, because of how much people are talking about the newest books and it makes me want to read a certain book. Good job booklr!
7. Book recommendations! – similar to booklr, just book recommendations in general will lead me to some of my favorite books.
8. Friends/co-workers! – working in a library, I have a lot of friends/co-workers who also love to read. When they find a book, they then recommend said book to me and we all suffer in misery together because how can you not?!
9. Book rivers! – if this sounds weird, I will explain. Book rivers are something my library does on their catalogue to put specific books that fit a similar theme on display. I have read quite a few amazing books because of the book rivers!
10. Letter communication! – I love it when books are told through letters. It feels a very obscure genre(?) but it’s one of my favorites!

Why do you read books? What catches your attention to read a book? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Oathbringer

Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson

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Another amazing book by Brandon Sanderson to take place in the Cosmere and in Roshar specifically as Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar all try to figure out what to do now that they have not only unlocked the Oathgate to Urithiru but have made their way there in the aftermath of the Everstorm unleashed by the Parshendi at the end of Words of Radiance.

In this next epic of an epic fantasy series, we see how things are going through Dalinar’s eyes. We learn why he has parts of his memory missing as well as how this affects who he is and how he can reconcile his past with his present. He must do all of this while also trying to bring together all the nations of Roshar while battling his bloody past not only as a weapon his brother, Gavilar, deployed again the princedoms of Alethkar, but as what others would call a monster.

As the Everstorm sweeps around the world, causing death and destruction where ever it touches, waking the Parshmen from their millennia-long enslavement, Kaladin Stormblessed struggles to come to terms that the anger the Parshmen have towards those that enslaved them might be totally justified. While he himself has been enslaved, he has never been enslaved as the Parshmen have, but he knows a little bit of what they feel now. But trying to figure out how to not only protect those he has sworn to protect but to protect those that are only trying to protect themselves, Kaladin realizes that he and others like him may have more in common with the Parshmen then he originally thought. And that troubles him.

Back in Urithiru, Shallan is starting to shatter and divide herself between her true self and the two selves she’s created to help her sort through the mess she has gotten herself into, now that she’s let herself know the truth about herself and what happened to her mother so long ago. As she, Veil, and Radiant struggle for control, Shallan studies and looks into the background of the famed Knights Radiant, and the darkness that surrounds their past. Shallan also discovers more about herself, and how far she has come since she follows Jasnah to Karbranth to be her ward. She is both stronger, yet smaller since then. Shallan seeks to not only find herself in this new order of Knights Dalinar refounds but who she truly is, not divided between herself.

As all three of our main characters seek to continue forward doing what they believe they must do, we see that not only is there some things that they should never know, but that there are also things that they couldn’t have seen coming. As politics, gods, spren, and everyone else seeks to push forward their own agenda, Dalinar, Kaladin, and Shallan learn that sometimes, you need someone else to help you.

This series has not only gotten better and better with each book that Brandon Sanderson comes out with, but you can see the characters live and develop as true people. These are not flat characters, but well-rounded and sometimes extremely annoying. You can see them grow and come more into themselves, especially now that war is coming upon them and some other unfortunate information has dropped on them. But as these characters struggle, we can see what makes them so special and makes us want to cheer them on in all that they do. Well, almost all that they do. I was split on a decision that Shallan made, but that’s what’s so amazing about these characters! You can see them as real people, not just characters.

What book series has totally grabbed you and not let go? Why did it grab you? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Words of Radiance

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

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This amazing sequel has not only built on the world-building of Roshar but has expanded and strengthened all of it! And just letting you know now, I was listening to the audiobook, but I finally had to switch to reading it myself in order to catch up with a coworker. He’s been dying for me to finish this one and start Oathbringer so we can talk about what’s going on in that one. Now, onto the review!

The sequel to The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance starts where we left off, with Kaladin and Bridge Four now assigned to be bodyguards not only to Dalinar Kholin but the King of Alethkar as well, a position unheard of for a dark-eyed man. Dalinar Kholin has taken the position of Highprince of War and has now taken charge of the war camps. And Shallan Davar has not only stolen from Jasnah Kholin but has discovered that the things she’s been seeing in her drawings are a type of spren and she is able to use them to Soulcast, something only thought to be done with a type of fabrial. All of our main characters are starting to converge on the Shattered Plains, and things are starting to come to a head.

There is just so much in these books that it’s hard to condense all that has happened. All I can say is that the characters show genuine growth. Kaladin becomes the head of the Royal Guard, Shallan gets herself to the Shattered Plains and integrated with light-eyed society and Dalinar has taken nearly all control of the war camps on the Shattered Plains. They are all struggling to make sense of either their newfound powers and abilities, as Kaladin and Shallan do, or how to unite all of Roshar in the face of something terrible that is coming as Dalinar is doing. As they all figure out who they are, what they are, and what this actually means to them, Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar figure out what they are looking for in one way or another is in the middle of the Shattered Plains. In the middle of the Shattered Plains is the Parshendi. The Parshendi decide that they can no longer linger and fight over the gemhearts. They have to do something drastic in order to ensure the survival of their people. But how drastic is drastic, and what would this mean for the Alethi and the war they are fighting.

I know that my review most likely doesn’t make a lot of sense, but have you seen just how HUGE these books are?! I have trouble reviewing books of normal size, try reviewing this huge book and pulling the important bits out. But I do know that this book was extremely well written. It doen’t fall down or slow down as many sequels do, if anything it takes what was given in the first book and strengthens it even further. We learn more about the powers that Kaladin expresses, the powers that Shallan starts to manifest and practice, and we learn more about the visions that Dalinar has been receiving. All of this information and more expands this world and makes it a fully fleshed world. If you’re looking for your next epic fantasy and a world full of imaginative magic systems, then you need to pick up these books!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Dragma’s Keep

Dragma’s Keep by Vance Pumphrey

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This was such a fun adventure! Oh my gosh, I loved it! And it’s been a while since I’ve read something like this and I forgot how much I love this genre!

This is your readable Dungeons&Dragons roleplaying adventure and it was so great! I loved the little nuances and quirks and it was so awesome! Granted, I have never played D&D but I have a feeling that this would be how an actual D&D game would play out.

A group of four, a rouge and spellcaster and a paladin and berserker, join forces to find the secret lair of Dragma, a god whose body is long dead to find the amazing treasure said to be left behind, waiting for the return of their god. As they all wind their way through the caverns and hiding places, they come upon the last member of a previous party, the healer they need for their own party.

As they battle through orcs, sorcerers, magic traps, and tests, these five now come to realize that there is more to their meeting and quest than meets the eye. And they have to come to terms for that means for their own party.

Have you guys ever played D&D? I haven’t, so should I? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: The Way of Kings

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

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Oh. My. Lanta! I love Brandon Sanderson and I absolutely love this book! I have read Brandon Sanderson’s books for several years, but this is one of my favorites. It’s also one of the longest, for an excellent reason though. Throughout The Way of Kings, we follow the storylines of the three main characters, Kaladin Stormblessed, Brightlord Dalinar Kholin, and Shallan.

Kaladin Stormblessed, a young man who grew up training to be a surgeon, took a place in the army of Brightlord Amaram, and is now a slave branded “Dangerous.” We see his life through combinations of present day and flashbacks, where we learn about his past and how Kaladin became a slave. You can hear the anger and the apathy and the hopeless in his voice during the present day times, and you can hear the optimism and hope in his voice during the flashbacks, but as with time, you can hear that start to leave.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin believes himself to be chosen of the Stromfather to unite the other Highprinces of Alethkar before a huge disaster comes. He doesn’t know what that disaster is, but according to the visions, something is coming.

Shallan has been following Jasnah Kholin around the world, seeking to find wardship with her. But that is not all she seeks; with her family in dire situations, Shallan has convinced her family that the only way to help themselves is to steal a particular fabrial from Jasnah Kholin. And that’s not all that Shallan in hiding. Something seems to be following her.

All three stories weave and combine is such ways that you would not have thought, and there are small stories of others that lend their own strength to the overall story arc. Brandon Sanderson is known for creating wonderful worlds of magic; and while the magic is wonderful in the world of Roshar, the people who use these magics are what captured my interest and held in through two readings of this book. I love the character development, how you can see the characters and their motivations, why they are doing certain things, but we’re also NOT all knowing. There are still things that will surprise you, and things that will keep your attention.

Yes, this book is long, and there will be some slow times in the reading, but for me, those were actually needed. If there is only action, then it would feel far too crammed for how long it is. Having the slow times of study with Shallan and the fast times of action with Kaladin and Brightlord Dalinar makes it an even balance and switching between the three and the other smaller stories brings the whole book together. It is a huge epic story, but it’s one that I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope that you do as well.

What have been some epics that you have read in your time? Did you enjoy the story, or did you feel it went on far too long? Leave you comments, and possible recommendations, below and let me know!