Oathbringer
Oathbringer is an epic fantasy novel written by American author Brandon Sanderson and the third book in The Stormlight Archive series. It was published by Tor Books on November 14, 2017. Oathbringer consists of one prologue, 122 chapters, 14 interludes and an epilogue. It is preceded by Words of Radiance and followed by Rhythm of War.
As with its Stormlight Archive predecessors, the unabridged audiobook is read by narrator team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.
Development
The third book was initially titled Stones Unhallowed with Szeth-son-son-Vallano as its focus, then Skybreaker, and eventually Oathbringer with the focus on Dalinar Kholin.Prior to the release of Oathbringer, several chapters and interludes had been posted in blog posts, read in conventions and published in an anthology. Sanderson provided numerous updates on Reddit about his progress on the book. On December 9, 2016, three weeks after his fifth update, his publisher Tor announced that Sanderson had completed his first draft, coming in at 461,223 words. On March 15, 2017, Sanderson completed the third of five planned drafts, which totaled 514,000 words. On June 15, 2017, Sanderson completed the fifth and final draft and managed to cut it down to 450,000 words. On June 27, 2017, Tor posted a blog post detailing the process of beta reading for Oathbringer in which beta readers give their immediate reactions to any given point in the story and look for continuity. Due to the length of the book, Tor had to use a different press and bindery from the one that printed Words of Radiance.
After realizing the book took more time to work on than originally planned, Sanderson wrote a novella titled Edgedancer, following Lift; first published in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection, an anthology of Cosmere short fiction, on November 22, 2016.
On March 16, 2017, Tor Books revealed the cover art for Oathbringer, painted by Michael Whelan. It shows Jasnah Kholin defending a city against an invasion. She reaches for a Shardblade while simultaneously soulcasting a large hole in the city wall made by a thunderclast. Three days later, Tor posted a blog post that discussed details of the cover and how it may relate to the book's plot. On July 14, 2017, Sanderson revealed the UK cover of Oathbringer on Twitter.
The hardcover version of the novel was published with endpapers which depict 4 of the ten heralds, two created by each artist Howard Lyon and Dan dos Santos. Reviewer Frannie Jackson described the art as "gorgeous."
On August 2, 2017, Tor Books revealed the dates and locations for the Oathbringer book tour. Tor.com released the prologue on August 22; and the first 32 chapters, three weekly, from August 29 to November 7.
Plot
Prologue
Six years ago, Eshonai and the Listeners visited Kholinar to celebrate the peace treaty. Gavilar invites Eshonai for a private conversation and uncovers a Fabrial device that can trap a Spren inside the Gemhearts. Much to Eshonai's horror, Gavilar revealed his plan to revive the Gods who had deserted her people many years ago and gave her the dark Gemheart as a gift while instructing her to send a message to the council. Eshonai informs the five Listeners about the King's plans and decides to send an assassin to prevent Gavilar's actions. In the evening before the assassination, Eshonai fled in tears after her performance.Part One
Six days after settling at Urithiru, Dalinar Kholin, with his Bondsmith ability, revisits the vision he experienced earlier with Stormfather's aid. He discovers that the Almighty, whom Odium killed, was named Honor who had warned him about the upcoming Everstorm that would decimate Roshar. As Dalinar explores the ruins of Kholinar and experiences the Everstorm, he catches a glimpse of Odium summoning his nine corrupted shadowed Sprens known as the Unmade. Now awakened from his vision, Dalinar plans to continue his goal of reuniting Roshar against Odium's actions. Having expressed his feelings over the loss of his first wife and his memory, Dalinar proposes a marriage with Navani where Stormfather declares his consent to them.After departing the Shattered Plains, Kaladin visits his hometown, Hearthstone. Upon his arrival, Kaladin reunites with his parents who introduce his youngest brother before he reveals himself as a Radiant. Upon investigating the devastating effects of the Everstorm, Kaladin decides to venture out to several ransacked Alethi towns to learn more about the Parshendi. Kaladin tracks the escaped Parshmen and turns himself in to avoid conflict. Kaladin learns from Syl that the Everstorm had altered the Parshmans' physiques and intelligence allowing them to rebond with Voidspren. The Voidspren are guiding the enslaved Parshmen to the Alethi capital city, Kholinar as a declaration of war against humanity and reclaiming Alethkar. Upon arriving at the town of Revolar, Kaladin quickly flees upon learning about the Highstorm. As a Highstorm approaches, Kaladin helps the citizens to shelter from the Highstorm, but two empowered Parshmen known as the Fused attack him. Kaladin quickly escapes and flies back to Urithiru following Syl's direction.
Shallan, having recovered her childhood memory, visits the Kholin family to discuss further uniting Roshar. As Dalinar, frustrated, begins to lose hope, Shallan unknowingly summons an illusion of Roshar as she touches the map and combines her Lightweaving with Dalinar's Bondsmith abilities, thus revealing the location of Ten Oathgates. Intrigued, Dalinar decides to focus on Jah Keved, Thaylenah, and Azir to form a political alliance. Tension begins to run high following Torol Sadeas' murder, and his followers from Sadeas' war camp grow distrustful of the Kholin family. Sadeas' wife Ialai promotes Amaram as the new Highprince. In response, Shallan begins investigating several incidents including Sadeas' death along with a copycat murder with Adolin, to whom Dalinar entrusted. Shallan feels traumatized by having to wield a Shardblade during training with Adolin and decides to take an altered persona as Brightness Radiant to help accomplish her task. Upon meeting Sadeas' wife Ialai, Shallan confronts Mraize, who offers her information about her brother after she succeeds in her mission. Mraize reveals to Shallan that a dark force threatens society in Urithiru and encourages her to investigate. As she explores deeper into the city, Shallan spots a shadowy Spren though loses sight of it. Shallan devises a plan to track the Spren and follows it down through Urithiru toward an unexplored area. Joined by Adolin, Renarin, and some Bridge Four members, the group discovers an abandoned library in ruins inhabited by an Unmade named Re-Shephir, the Midnight Mother. The group began fighting against the Unmade's influence. Upon discovering its vulnerability to Lightweaving, Shallan repels Re-Shephir causing it to retreat. Following the incident, Shallan faces the unexpected reunion of Jasnah Kholin who survived her assassination attempt aboard the Wind's Pleasure by escaping to Shadesmar.
As Dalinar begins his negotiation, he questions the Knight Radiants' betrayal through the Stormfather's refusal. Despite the Emperor of Azir and Queen Fen Rnamndi's refusal of Alethi's aid, Dalinar and his followers manage to gain contact with Taravangian who agrees with Dalinar's plan. King Elhokar, having recovered from an assassination attempt, grows despondent of his kingship and plans to abdicate the throne to Dalinar. Instead, they agree to let Dalinar be the king of Urithiru and the Shattered Plains, forfeiting his Alethkar lands to his heir. Upon learning about the riots in Kholinar, Dalinar advises his nephew to send scouts to investigate the riot and Elhokar's wife's behavior while sending Kaladin there to activate the Oathgate, encouraging Elhokar to restore the city. Dalinar learns from Stormfather that the only chance to stop Odium is to accept a challenge that Odium himself cannot deny. As Dalinar attends his meeting with the Iriali queen, he challenges the ardent Kadesh to a duel while arguing about their religious faith in the Almighty. Dalinar ends the duel revealing himself as the Knights Radiant and Navani reports that the queen demands Adolin's armoured Shardplate due to her begrudging the Kholin family since the arranged marriage between Dalinar and his former wife. At this moment, Dalinar's memories of his wife Evi are restored. Due to his promise to the Stormfather to be a Bondsmith, Dalinar manages to recover Oathbringer and return it to Ialai Sadeas, despite her disapproval. Taravangian arrives at Urithiru for a visit and introduces Dalinar to a Dustbringer named Malata, a new member of Knights Radiant. During the visit, Taravangian observes Dalinar's approach and questions his moral views from The Way of Kings. As Dalinar and Stormfather discuss their situation, Stormfather reveals that he can send visions to anyone he chooses, which gives Dalinar a persuasive idea.
Meanwhile, in the Shattered Plains, Venli and her followers, with their new forms, are sent to recover Eshonai's Shardplate under the command of Odium's Voidspren, Ulim. While departing Eshonai's body, a grieving Venli encounters a Spren and ignores it.
Part Two
After persuading Fen about the Voidbringer's threat via a vision from the Stormfather, Dalinar invites Jasnah and Navani to enter the vision where Aharietiam, The Last Desolation, takes place. As they explore the battlefield, Dalinar and Navani discover where the nine Honorblades have settled. The Stormfather reveals the truth behind the Heralds' departure. After being imprisoned in an isolated place called Damnation, Odium granted the former Voidbringers immortality in which they can resurrect themselves as Parshmen and transform them into a Fused. Honor sent out Ten Heralds to fend off against Odium's forces. But having succumbed from their ongoing battle and torture, the nine Heralds abandoned their Oathpact leaving one Herald Talenal to continue the fight for over four thousand years of torture. Dalinar realizes that the catatonic madman he encountered is Talenal, and his blade is a regular Shardblade. Dalinar returns to the war camp on the Shattered Plains and discovers that Talenal is missing.Despite their reunion, Shallan grows more discomforted with Jasnah's criticism. As Veil, an older Darkeyed alter-ego created through Lightweaving, she manages to hire recruits Gaz and Red for basic training on infiltration and a new assistant named Ishnah to help infiltrate the Ghostbloods. Shallan receives a letter from Mraize about her brother during her break time. Mraize revealed that Heleran was recruited as a Skybreaker acolyte led by the former Herald of Justice, Nale. Nale sent Heleran to kill Amaram as a test for loyalty, resulting in his death by Kaladin. To avoid her frustration with Jasnah's lecturing, Shallan plans to travel with Kaladin to Thaylena's capital, Thaylen City, to open its Oathgate. She persuades King Elhokar of the value of her disguises and infiltration and gets permission to help retake Kholinar. While researching, Jasnah begins to ponder the knowledge unearthed on Urithiru while growing suspicious of Shallan's previous absences and Renarin's use of his Truthwatcher abilities. After she feuds with Amaram about her uncle, Renarin surprises everyone with his abilities upon discovering hidden contents within the library: records of Urithiru preserved in crystals hidden in the library walls.
Through the perspectives of Bridge Four, Kaladin begins training his friends to achieve their Windrunnering ability before traveling to Kholinar for the upcoming battle. Each of Bridge Four begins experiencing Windrunner abilities including absorbing stormlights, healing wounds, and lashing. Meanwhile, in the Frostlands, Moash, having fled from the Shattered Plains, is ambushed by a group of Fused. He kills one of them and is carried to Revolar for enslavement. Despite his captivity, Moash grows more attached to the Parshmen and supports them in their upcoming battle against Kholinar. Having grown frustrated with the Parshmen's plight and the Fused's cruelty toward lesser Parshmen, Moash demands to consult with their leader and encounters the Fused named Leshwi, the Fused whom Moash killed during his capture. Leshwi explains that she spared him due to his passion for fighting. Moash admitted that he had given up his faith in humanity and sought vengeance instead. Impressed, Leshwi informs him about the Fused as he begins training the Parshendi to fight spears.
With another Bondsmith vision, Dalinar contacts Prime Aquasix Yanagawn and informs him about the Voidbringers' threat but Gawx grows skeptical toward him. Despite his efforts, Lift, having contacted the Nightwatcher, manages to enter his vision and carries Gawx away, much to the Stormfather's surprise. Upon arriving at the Recreace vision with Jasnah and Navani, Yanagawn visits Dalinar and discusses it privately. Yanagawn reveals to Dalinar, the Azish viziers' paranoia of the Assassin in White and Lift's distrust towards Dalinar for his self-righteousness. As Dalinar begins to elaborate, the vision is suddenly interrupted by a man clad in white and gold who reveals himself as Odium, taking Dalinar by surprise. Upon divulging his motivation and passion to kill another Shard named Cultivation, Odium remains shackled and persuades Dalinar to release him by Intent, which the latter refuses. As Odium departs, Dalinar challenges Odium to a challenge of champions but he declines. Dalinar states that he is no longer afraid of Odium before Odium reveals his true power, overwhelming Dalinar with intense visions. Having eavesdropped on Dalinar and Odium, Lift decides to convince Yanagawn to visit Urithiru before the visions fade.
Upon reviewing his Diagram, Taravangian revises his scheme to exploit Dalinar's weakness and seeks to negotiate with Odium. Meanwhile, Venli and her eight followers volunteer and embrace their transformation from the Everstorm. However, as the storm subsides she is left in Nimbleform while others, including her mate Demid, are transformed into the Fused under the possession of former Voidbringers. The Fused named Hariel takes possession of Demid and informs a pleading Venli that the transformation can not be undone, even by Odium. Before departing to Alethkar, Venli spots the Spren and hides it from the Fused.