Oathbringer: The Stormlight Archive, Book 3

The much-anticipated third Stormlight Archive epic fantasy installment is classic Sanderson, with multiple story lines and unexpected twists and turns. Dalinar Kholin has to rebuild his Alethi army to fight the Voidbringers; he’s also grappling with the consequences of his past actions. Scholar’s apprentice Shallan Davar delves deeper into the long-lost mysteries to find ways to save the world from destruction, and Kaladin Stormblessed heads out on the trail of the enemy. Maps, illustrations in Shallan’s sketchbook, and excerpts from Navani’s notes are rich in detail and add critical layers to the fantasy. Sanderson is a master at misdirecting readers with carefully plotted detours, and he dribbles out revelations leading up to the climactic clash. This is just the third title in a massive 10-part saga, so there is still a lot of groundwork to be laid, but Sanderson successfully balances introducing new elements and satisfactorily resolving some threads, leaving fans to eagerly await the next in the series. Agent: Joshua A. Bilmes, JABberwocky Literary. (Nov.)