I’m sure some of you have seen me hyping up the Stormlight Archive. Knowing that most of my followers haven’t read it, and knowing that many of them would love it, I didn’t tweet much about the story itself to avoid spoiling. Gonna explain now why it’s worth checking out

I want to mention that even if novels aren’t your preferred medium, Sanderson’s writing style is very accessible and easy to get the hang of, so if you ever wanted to get into fantasy, this is a great series to start with. Don’t be intimidated by the pg count, it’s a smooth read

So to start out I will try to give a vague synopsis. The story takes place on a supercontinent called Roshar. This planet is frequently battered by incredibly powerful storms that can easily kill anything in its path, and as a result societies have adapted to withstand them

Even plants have evolved to do so, which includes retreating grass and shelled plants. Animals have done so as well, which has given rise to some very weird but interesting creatures

Stormlight Archive primarily focuses on a war in the name of revenge between a greedy, divided nation and a neighboring society of people. However, when signs of the periodic apocalyptic attacks that plagued the world millennia ago begin to resurface, things become complicated

The worldbuilding here is incredible, my fav in any series. Since there are multiple character perspectives, you gradually learn about the different cultures and people on Roshar, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming when the main characters move around and major plot points occur

I won’t describe the magic system as it’s rewarding to learn about it w/ the characters. I will say that the main reason I find it so fascinating is the way it is deeply rooted in the themes of the series, and plays off of the personalities and experiences of the characters

Since SA is a set in a bizarre world, the characters have unique struggles that are present even before the world becomes increasingly grounded in magic due to the unveiling of secrets and ancient powers. But their inner conflicts progress as the world around them changes

Thematically there’s a lot. It’s a story about individual battles, and how the answers to overcome or live with them differs from person to person

It's also a story about oppression and classism. Both are common elements in fantasy stories, but I still found myself thoroughly impressed with the fresh way they were handled here. Especially classism, due to its unique existence based on Roshar’s history and lore

I don’t have much else to add to this, you just have to read it and form your own judgement on the series. I just hope this was enough to at least get you interested. Thanks for reading