Book Five of the Stormlight Archive
By: Brandon Sanderson
Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
Length: 62 hrs and 48 mins

When I look upon this, the final book of the first five volumes of The Stormlight Archive, my thoughts contain a mixture of satisfaction, serenity, and even a touch of satire. This book lived up to the expectations set by its predecessors. While it may not be the single best entry in the series, it certainly offered moments that stand among the very finest of the saga. What I continue to admire most is the recurring theme of individuals—or groups—willingly laying down their lives for others. I hadn’t realized it at the outset, but that truth lies at the very heart of this book.

I am grateful that my favorite character, Kaladin, remains the heart of my reading. His arc in the “Front Five” reaches a conclusion that is both moving and well-earned. It feels complete in its own right, yet also leaves space for the possibility of more. Whether Sanderson chooses to carry his story forward in the “Back Five” is uncertain, but this closing, whatever comes after, is a worthy one.

Admittedly, this volume took me longer to finish than I expected. At several points I found myself stuck: relistening to passages multiple times, sometimes because I struggled to follow, other times because my attention drifted. Yet those are trifles compared with the grandeur of the story itself. Sanderson has once again given us words of beauty and weight.