Sooo Fun.
Thoughts on the Story: Overall, I appreciate how the writing evolved and how the characters underwent development, Sanderson has always been great at that and you can see the infancy of what evolved to his style today. It’s particularly fun to witness Pre-Kaladin (Jerrick) transformation into supermode, progressing at lightspeed character Arc. Ryalla’s portrayal is also fun—I enjoyed how she merged the slave-version proto-Shallan with nobility, Shallan had the wit that is missing a bit with Ryalla but as a slave I can't blame her. The pacing, a hallmark of Sanderson’s work, remains strong. Although the narrative occasionally jumps between different points of view, it still maintains a cohesive overall arc.
Highlights:
Hoid: His presence is always captivating, even in his early days. His quirky wit endears him to readers.
BatChor: A fun character who I always looked forward to his POV, I could see him going through some Moash style evil arc.
Axi and Magic: Exploring the prime version of world magic and the distinct systems within each realm was thoroughly enjoyable. The core principles of the three realms remain consistent but this seemed closer to an open magic system then Sanderson staple of Hard Magic.
Areas for Improvement:
Worldbuilding: While the world is richly imagined, I’d have appreciated more exploration, especially in Fallamore and the Shattered Plains and Shodel.
Slow Parts: Melleran and Yoharn felt somewhat bland. Instead, I’d have preferred additional focus on BatChor and General Tzern.
Sho Del: A deeper dive into this aspect would have been welcome. We had 1 POV chapter, it almost felt out of place.
Magic System Explanation: A bit more clarity on the power systems—whether it adheres to a hard magic system—would enhance reader understanding.
Overall a fun ride and I enjoyed hunting for some pre-cosmere easter eggs!