Naithin over at Once Upon a Time is hosting a group read of Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson that I’ve hopped into. If you want to join in, grab a copy and start reading :D. Because of the nature of the group read, this post will contain spoilers for those who haven’t read up to Chapter 12.
With that big bad warning out of the way, let’s get started :D. I loooooove Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn and so was very excited to participate in this read a long, even though I got a little bit of a late start. I’ve caught up already though, so I’m even more excited now!
Here are the questions for this week, for Prologue – Chapter 12:
1. All right, let’s start easy – how are you liking the book so far? We’ve been introduced to a lot of characters and started several stories now. Any in particular catch your attention? Anything intrigue you?
The premise is definitely interesting and a lot different from Mistborn. I love Sanderson’s style, it’s so readable and the chapters are so quick, but I’m not as in love with the magic as I was with Mistborn’s Allomancy, since BioChroma-thing just seems a little less realistic I guess? Cool, for sure, but less easy to believe that color has magic than special metals that you ingest. Siri obviously has an alluring story for those of us who like a young and strong heroine, and will undoubtedly play a major plot role. I find it interesting that her sister is also getting some play time since most of the time the “boring older sister” role can be rather flat, and well boring ;-).
2. The Returned are all treated as Gods, but at least one of those Gods doesn’t believe in his own divinity, despite seeing potential visions. Do you think the Returned will prove to be divine? How do you feel about the religion built up around them?
I think that the visions will definitely prove to have weight given all the foreshadowing going on with Lightsong, but I’d need a definition of divine before I could further predict ;-). I found the whole requesting the Returned kill themselves to heal thing kind of depressing and morally conflicting, and I’m sure it was supposed to be, and I look forward to a moving sacrifice in the end.
3. The God King didn’t turn out to be the way he’s presented and thought of in this world. Any ideas on what his role will be in this story?
I’m definitely sensing a theme to Sanderson’s writing of revealing that myths can be more powerful than truth when it comes to God Kings…. I’m looking forward to Siri’s adventure when her brashness reveals what all the secrets and men behind curtains are for. Maybe the God King is really a prisoner? >.> <.<
4. The title – Warbreaker – what do you think it might refer to?
It’s probably something along the lines of Siri and maybe her sister breaking a war? :D Or it does sound a lot like the names that are given to the Returned….
Link me your read a long answers and what you think of mine :D And remember to subscribe for weekly reviews of awesome books like this one!
-A
About The Story 
Oooh, you’re quite right, it DOES sound a lot like a name given to a Returned person.
I wonder then if one of the Sister’s is going to end up BEING a Returned, or if it might be Vasher or someone else we’ve not even met yet?
But that would mean they’d have to die :( Aw man, I knew that I was going to cry going into this book though, Sanderson always makes me sob like a little kid by the end, ha!
I also found the daily petitions to be a bit conflicting – heal 1 special person by giving up your life. And each God/Goddess has to sit through how many petitions per week? All these sick, diseased, injured, warped persons in one place – I hope they have those hand sanitizers for all the mortals in the room.
So true! I’m also interested to learn more about how often new Returned return and everything since I don’t really understand just how “valuable” a Returned is to the general populace ya know? If a new one crops up as soon as one sacrifices, then I would have expected more sacrifices ya know? Also if I was a Returned I would demand petitions were written down for my perusal so I didn’t have to see the people I’m dooming all the time :(
That’s what I thought – that it’s a name given to a new Returned! It just sounds like one of the gods’ names, you know? :D
I adored Mistborn, and can’t get enough of Sanderson right now, which is why I suggested to Naithin that we host this group read! We were both talking about reading it – and how much better with a whole bunch of us. I’m glad you joined in, even if it’s last minute.
I’m reserving judgement on the magic system. Allomancy was easier for me to swallow (no pun intended) but I find the layers in BioChroma to be very interesting.
Yeah it’s got that two part feel to it :)
I read Mistborn over a year ago and kept meaning to get to more Sanderson but was intimidated by the size of most of his books, so this was just the kick in the pants I needed! I also have been wanting to do a read a long to get to know more people and actually get to talk to people about books, so it was perfect :D
I knew about it a while ago but wasn’t sure if I would be able to get the book from the library in time, hence the late jumping in, but it was so easy to catch up since the chapters go by really fast!
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