For four and a half millennia, the storm-swept planet of Roshar knew peace. Now, that peace is crumbling. The True Desolation approaches: the Night of Sorrows. Roshar has only ten days left to prepare.
“Wind and Truth” delivers a powerful and emotional finale to the initial arc of Brandon Sanderson’s expansive fantasy series, the “Stormlight Archive.” With desperate last stands, sweeping battlefields, magical visions, profound moral debates and characters finally getting their much-needed therapy, this fifth installment feels both climactic and satisfying.
The “Stormlight Archive” has captivated readers since its inception in 2010. Once complete, the series will include ten books divided into two distinct eras set fifteen to twenty years apart. The first era, comprising “The Way of Kings,” “Words of Radiance,” “Oathbringer,” “Rhythm of War” and “Wind and Truth,” along with novellas “Edgedancer” and “Dawnshard,” creates a rich tapestry of characters and lore. It begins thousands of years after the so-called heraldic epochs, a period of Rosharan history that has bled into myth, when humanity was perpetually on the brink of destruction. The books follow the resurgence of an ancient order of guardians and their efforts to protect Roshar from the threatened return of the cataclysmic wars, known as desolations, that periodically wiped civilization into oblivion. It is important to note that “Wind and Truth” cannot be fully appreciated on its own; familiarity with the preceding books is crucial.
Bad news first: “Wind and Truth” is incredibly, and perhaps unreasonably, long. With its 1,344 pages, the book is as heavy as a high school backpack. Even committed readers will probably need weeks to finish it. Aside from the prologue and epilogue, the story spans just ten days, told from the perspective of roughly a dozen characters spread across an entire planet and several dimensions. This approach can sometimes disrupt the pacing, and as with other books in the series, certain segments feel excessively slow or repetitive. Still, the book never truly stagnates. While some parts do drag, the plot steadily moves forward, and the multitude of perspectives ensures that there is always one character whose story is active and engaging.
A second complaint about “Wind and Truth” involves its connection to the larger multi-planet universe, the “Cosmere,” in which many of Sanderson’s works are set. Although familiarity with the crossover characters and shared laws of the Cosmere is not essential to understanding the plot of “Wind and Truth,” some scenes may feel perplexing or disjointed without that broader knowledge, which can only be acquired by reading the other series in the Cosmere.
Turning to the positives, “Wind and Truth” is a fitting and fulfilling end of an era. It masterfully weaves together threads from previous books into a coherent and powerful culmination. The character arcs evolve logically, resolving in ways that feel respectful to the previous books and are thematically appropriate. Not every character meets a happy fate, but each finds a fitting end.
The plot impresses with its unexpected and subversive twists, which come across as organic rather than forced. Despite the tight timeline, the narrative addresses and resolves essential plotlines without seeming rushed. In Shinovar, one of Roshar’s many kingdoms, Kaladin and Szeth confront deep-seated corruption among both their enemies and the world’s ancient defenders, the heralds. In the enigmatic spiritual realm, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain wrestle with their pasts and futures, as well as the mysterious, world-spanning organization known as the Ghostbloods. Meanwhile, Dalinar and Navani are on a quest to uncover the origins of humanity, the history of their world and the betrayal of their god. These are just a portion of the narratives explored in the story. Remarkably, even with this array of plotlines, the story unfolds coherently and methodically in chronological order, with no obvious temporal jumps.
Where “Wind and Truth” truly excels is in its thematic depth. Sanderson explores complex philosophical questions with nuance, adeptly navigating the gray areas occupied by all factions, including the protagonists. Sanderson might well have backed himself into an ethical corner, simultaneously criticizing consequentialist philosophies and exposing the flaws in the alternatives presented. Many of the protagonists subscribe to the philosophy of “journey before destination,” valuing means over ends. They are contrasted with various antagonists who justify their distasteful actions as necessary for achieving the greater good. However, Sanderson adds further complexity by acknowledging the limitations of the honor-driven morality of the core protagonists while continuing to develop a heroic character committed to utilitarianism. The book’s climax, set miles above ground on top of a city-sized tower, forces one protagonist into an impossible decision: either kill an innocent at the cost of his principles, or spare him and allow a dark power to claim final victory. In less skilled hands, these moral conflicts and dilemmas might have seemed heavy-handed, indecisive or simplistic, but Sanderson addresses them elegantly, tying them into the core themes of the series.
While “Wind and Truth” is not without flaws—such as its questionable pacing, excessive length and confusing connections to other books set in the Cosmere—it remains a must-read for fans of the “Stormlight Archive.” It enriches the overarching narrative of the series, providing closure for the first era while setting the stage for the second. Despite its imperfections, “Wind and Truth” earns a solid seven out of ten, offering a fitting waypoint along an epic journey.
