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Warbreaker

Warbreaker

FantasyEpic Fantasy
Pages
676
Published
2009
Language
English

Synopsis

In the kingdom of Hallandren, an immortal God King presides over the Court of Gods — the Returned, people who died and came back with divine power and no memory of the life before. Peace with the neighbouring mountain kingdom of Idris rests on a treaty promising an Idrian princess as the God King's bride. When the day comes, the Idrian king sends not Vivenna, the eldest daughter raised her whole life for the role, but her youngest sister Siri, who was raised for nothing at all.

Siri arrives in the colour-drenched capital utterly unprepared, and finds that the God King is nothing the stories told her he was. Vivenna follows in secret to rescue her, falls in with the Idrian underground, and discovers that the politics of Hallandren — and her own convictions — are far murkier than she was taught. Watching from the Court is Lightsong, a Returned god who does not believe in his own divinity, and Vasher, a wandering man with a talking sword.

Warbreaker is a standalone novel built on Breath and BioChroma — a magic in which life force can be given away, hoarded, and used to Awaken inanimate things. Brandon Sanderson posted it chapter by chapter on his website as he wrote it, and it remains freely available; it was published in book form in June 2009.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

AdventurousMysteriousTenseRomanticWhimsical
Court IntrigueMarriage of ConvenienceMultiple POVs

Genres

Fantasy Epic Fantasy High Fantasy

About the author

B
Brandon Sanderson

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1975, Brandon Sanderson spent his early twenties working graveyard shifts at a hotel — writing novels at the front desk between guest check-ins. By the time his debut, Elantris, was published by Tor Books in 2005, he had completed thirteen novels in the drawer. His subsequent Mistborn trilogy and the ongoing Stormlight Archive series established him as the primary architect of the Cosmere, an interconnected fictional universe in which most of his fantasy series share...

Characters

SiriProtagonist

The impulsive youngest Idrian princess sent as bride to the God King.

VivennaProtagonist

The eldest princess, trained for the bride's role, who follows to rescue her sister.

NightbloodSupporting

A sentient sword Awakened with the single command to destroy evil — a command it executes with alarming literalness and no ability to distinguish evil from good.

SusebronSupporting

The God King of Hallandren, raised mute and isolated from birth, who yearns for genuine human connection.

LightsongSupporting

A witty, reluctant Returned god who disbelieves his own divinity.

All characters in Warbreaker

Frequently asked questions

  • Does this book require reading other works first?

    This novel is written as a self-contained story that functions perfectly well on its own without prior knowledge of the author's other books. While it exists within a larger shared universe known as the Cosmere, any connections to other titles are designed as subtle rewards for returning readers rather than necessary context.

  • Is there an official digital version available for free?

    The author has made the full text of the novel available for free in digital format on his official website, where he also provides insight into the book's development history and early drafts.

  • How was Warbreaker originally published?

    Sanderson serialized Warbreaker chapter by chapter on his website before publication, under a Creative Commons license that allowed free distribution. It remains freely downloadable on his site today.

  • How does this book relate to the Stormlight Archive series?

    Several characters and elements from this story appear in the Stormlight Archive, leading many readers to view this book as a beneficial precursor to that series. These crossovers are not required to follow the main plot of either work, but they provide additional depth to the shared lore of the universe.

  • Published when?

    Warbreaker was published June 9, 2009 by Tor Books.

  • Do any Warbreaker characters appear in The Stormlight Archive?

    Yes. Vasher (under the name Zahel) and Vivenna (under the name Azure) both appear in the Stormlight Archive, and Nightblood plays a significant role in Wind and Truth.

  • Is there a sequel planned?

    A sequel called Nightblood has been planned for years but remains indefinitely on hold while Sanderson prioritizes the Stormlight Archive. As of 2024 it has not been written.

  • What is Breath and how does the magic work?

    Breath is a spiritual force that everyone is born with one unit of. It can be given to others, traded, or used to Awaken objects — bringing cloth, rope, or other materials to rudimentary life for specific commands. Those who accumulate many Breaths gain enhanced senses and abilities called Heightenings.

  • Is Warbreaker part of the Cosmere?

    Yes. Warbreaker takes place on the planet Nalthis and is connected to the Cosmere. The sword Nightblood in particular plays an expanding role across multiple Cosmere works.

  • Has Warbreaker won any awards?

    Warbreaker was shortlisted for the 2010 David Gemmell Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novel, though it did not win (the award went to Graham McNeill's Empire). It was also named one of the best SF&F novels of 2009 by Library Journal and Barnes & Noble.

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