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This review is written for readers who have completed the first three Stormlight books. There are no major plot spoilers for Rhythm of War, but context from earlier volumes is assumed.
Rhythm of War is the book in the Stormlight Archive where Sanderson stops making things easier. It’s the longest volume in the series, the most structurally ambitious, and the one that has divided readers most sharply. It’s also, I’d argue, the most emotionally honest thing Sanderson has written.
What’s It About?
About nine months after Oathbringer, the war against the Fused and Odium is grinding on. The Radiants have recaptured Urithiru — the ancient tower-city at the heart of the Cosmere — but the victory is more complicated than it appears. Much of the novel is set within Urithiru as various characters attempt to understand its ancient technology, fight a siege from within, and navigate the psychological consequences of everything that happened in the first three books.
The story follows its usual multiple POVs: Kaladin, dealing with his mental health in ways the book handles with unusual frankness; Shallan, whose three-way identity split is pushed to its limits; Navani, whose storyline involves the science of Fabrials and the discovery of a new form of light; and Eshonai/Venli in the flashback sequences, exploring the history of the Listeners.
What Works
Kaladin’s arc is the emotional core of the book and it’s extraordinary. Sanderson has spoken openly about depicting depression, and he does so with a specificity and care that’s rare in fantasy fiction. Kaladin’s struggle isn’t a plot obstacle to be overcome — it’s written as something real, with genuine texture, and the resolution doesn’t offer easy answers. Readers who’ve connected with Kaladin across the series will find this volume the most affecting.
Navani’s storyline is an unexpected triumph. She’s been something of a supporting character through the first three books, and here she gets a plotline that’s genuinely her own — a scientist-engineer piecing together ancient mysteries under siege conditions. It’s gripping in a different register to the action-heavy threads.
The climax, when it comes, is enormous. Sanderson has been building toward certain revelations since The Way of Kings and they land here with full weight.
What Doesn’t Quite Work
The first third is slow — deliberately so, but that won’t help readers who find the pace frustrating. Sanderson is setting up a very long game and the payoffs are in the final quarter. You need to trust the process.
Shallan’s identity storyline is handled less cleanly than Kaladin’s. It’s complex in ways that are clearly intentional, but some readers will find it more confusing than compelling at this stage.
Where It Sits in the Series
Rhythm of War completes what Sanderson has called the first “arc” of the Stormlight Archive — books one through five form a unit, with the second arc to follow. Book five, Wind and Truth, is the culmination of this arc and Rhythm of War sets it up effectively.
If you’ve read the first three Stormlight books, this is not optional. Read it.
Rating: 4.5/5
Rated 4.7 Stars on Amazon. Buy Rhythm of War here.
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