Words of Radiance

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Words of Radiance, Book Two of the Stormlight Archive, continues the immersive fantasy epic that The Way of Kings began.

Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status "darkeyes." Now he must protect the king and Dalinar from every common peril as well as the distinctly uncommon threat of the Assassin, all while secretly struggling to master remarkable new powers that are somehow linked to his honorspren, Syl.

The Assassin, Szeth, is active again, murdering rulers all over the world of Roshar, using his baffling powers to thwart every bodyguard and elude all pursuers. Among his prime targets is Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne. His leading role in the war would seem reason enough, but the Assassin's master has much deeper motives.

Brilliant but troubled Shallan strives along a parallel path. Despite being broken in ways she refuses to acknowledge, she bears a terrible burden: to somehow prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that will follow. The secrets she needs can be found at the Shattered Plains, but just arriving there proves more difficult than she could have imagined.

Meanwhile, at the heart of the Shattered Plains, the Parshendi are making an epochal decision. Hard pressed by years of Alethi attacks, their numbers ever shrinking, they are convinced by their war leader, Eshonai, to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled. The possible consequences for Parshendi and humans alike, indeed, for Roshar itself, are as dangerous as they are incalculable.

Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson

The Cosmere

The Stormlight Archive

The Way of Kings

Words of Radiance

Edgedancer (Novella)

Oathbringer (forthcoming)

The Mistborn trilogy

Mistborn: The Final Empire

The Well of Ascension

The Hero of Ages

Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series

Alloy of Law

Shadows of Self

Bands of Mourning

Collection

Arcanum Unbounded

Other Cosmere novels

Elantris

Warbreaker

The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians

The Scrivener's Bones

The Knights of Crystallia

The Shattered Lens

The Dark Talent

The Rithmatist series

The Rithmatist

Other books by Brandon Sanderson

The Reckoners

Steelheart

Firefight

Calamity