Sometimes a book is so engaging that whatever you're doing, you can't stop thinking about it, that when you make breakfast or tidy your room, you try to find some way to just keep reading it. Like many of the Starlight Archive books, Wind and Truth gave me that perfect feeling. While I'll happily acknowledge that this book has flaws, my experience with it was so pleasant that, from my subjective stance, I don't really mind. After waiting more than two years for this book, Wind and Truth was exactly what I wanted.

Let's start with the flaws. First, there are certain arcs in this story that are weaker than others. For all his strengths, not all of Brandon Sanderson's characters hit the same. Similarly, different parts of the world are less compelling. I was not a huge fan of the large sections of the book that are spent outside the physical realm, which felt a little repetitive, at least from a character arc standpoint. Surprisingly, I also did not find Szeth's backstory or his journey in Shinovar with Kaladin all that interesting despite the hype I've had for this exact plot for years. This feeling comes down to the fact that their work, and Szeth's memories to a lesser extent, ultimately are a slightly boring fetch quest. While Sanderson's focus on mental health is still powerful, the topic is discussed in a repetitive manner that is a little in your face in Wind and Truth. Sanderson's prose is also a little basic and repetitive in this story but that did not bother me more here than in previous works.

Ok, now on to the good. It's basically everything else. Nearly every plot is the physical realm is a banger. People across the entirety of the internet have been talking about this, but wow is Adolin amazing in this story. I've always liked Adolin, so getting to spend this much time with him in felt fantastic. Setting up Sigzil's arc based on the events of The Sunlit Man was also a great moment. The way Jasnah's viewpoints are challenged in this story feel central to the next set of these books. These moments are all plotted well throughout Wind and Truth, in a way that is both engaging and feels exactly right for these characters. The world of Roshar still holds the title as my favorite cosmere planet. Throughout this story, I kept thinking about the little things that drew me to this world, a giant lake that's only a few feet deep, the mechanics of shardblades, the cooking of Bridge Four, and so much more. Although many of these things were not the focus of this entry, I couldn't help but reminisce about them all the same.

In the next arc of The Stormlight Archive, I hope we can spend more time again just examining how this world works. I'm looking forward to it.