Rhythm of War: Book Four of the Stormlight Archive

I don't think my review or opinion on this book is very unique, but I really didn't like it very much. There were amazing moments, but due to the length of this book, they were so far apart that it felt like I was trucking through 3 or 4 books (which I guess is how this series is designed, but this is the first entry where I've really felt it). This one could have been told in 400 pages or less. The primary point of conflict felt like a tedious slog that lasted hundreds of pages. I'm trying not to spoil stuff here. A really interesting conflict was introduced, and then abandoned for most of the book, being replaced by a scenario where multiple characters are sitting in separate rooms and thinking out loud. Toward the end of the book, when we return to the interesting conflict, it turns out to be kind of a non-starter that fizzles out in a really unsatisfying way. The villains in this book invite their greatest enemies into their inner-circles and relish in the ensuing betrayal, which was interesting at first but it never really paid off. The result, in my opinion, was that I became very aware that I was reading a book that contained conflict for the sake of conflict. When I did manage to immerse myself enough to ignore that there was a crafted product in my hand, the villains just felt dumb/negligent. There was quite a lot of overexplained fantasy science, and preposterous scenarios of characters conducting these experiments under the "unwatchful" eyes of the trusting villains, and this makes up most of the book. There is a repeated process where a character in captivity has a panicked science-gasm and invents/discovers something really cool, and then acts surprised when the villain walks in EVERY TIME and goes "Hey, that's a cool ___, I'm going to use that for my nefarious purposes." Then the inventor is always like "Drat, that sucks. Anwyay, better make/discover another crazy/cool thing in a few chapters, but this time I'll be REALLY quiet!" I liked the emphasis on mental health, as overt as it was. I could see why that aspect might turn people off, though. It felt like a theme that means the whole world to some people, like me, but completely alienates people who don't understand those sorts of issues. The layman might feel that these sections come off as preachy, or that some characters come off as whiney. And again, some great moments for several characters, and a ton of great concepts. I just wasn't a fan of the execution. It felt like the author was obligated to make a book that was really long, due to the series it belongs in, but the story could have been much more effective without that requirement.

i understand every character needs an arc, but kaladin has been stuck on the same exact stage for 3 books. 1 step forward 2 steps back. as a character he hasnt grown or progressed still self concious and depressed. I dont want to read about a character being depressed for 3 books straight without any breakthrough. It's so frustrating especially since books are supposed to be an escape from real stuff hope it gets better but honestly i doubt it will. to end on a positive not sanderson is a real talented author whos crafted a very in depth world but again my god do the character some justice.

Definitely the worst book in the series so far. Every character has been flanderized to an extent that it feels like a bad fanfiction. Pattern is wAcKy, Shallan is full-on insane, Kaladin is constantly on the verge of self-deletion, and Dalinar is unreasonably judgmental and harsh. Additionally, the book is unashamedly woke, and I certainly wouldn't suggest supporting it with your money. It feels like Sanderson has spent far too much time on Reddit, with the kind of people that use that site on a daily basis, and has assumed that everyone who reads his books are like that. However, it's not so bad that the series can't be saved. We'll just have to see how the fifth book turns out.