The minor POV chapters are highlights, with Sanderson crafting each one almost into a separate short story set in the midst of a grander tale. We only have four major POV characters (Shallan, Kaladin, Dalinar and Adolin) and a whole host of minor ones in remote parts of the world that we flit between. It's an immense novel, not because an enormous amount happens but because Sanderson lets events unfold at a fairly relaxed pace. Martin's A Dance with Dragons, approaching 1,100 pages in hardcover (so yes, the UK paperback will be split for publication next year). At over 400,000 words, it's the longest epic fantasy novel published since George R.R. Hoid (aka Wit), who only appeared in minor cameos in the other books, plays a much more important role here. Whilst previously the Cosmere links were fairly subtle and mostly of interest for Easter Egg hunters, in this series they are much more overt. Whilst only the second book of The Stormlight Archive, this is also the eighth novel set in his Cosmere universe (following on from Elantris, Warbreaker, the four Mistborn novels and of course The Way of Kings). Like much of Sanderson's work, the novel balances traditional epic fantasy tropes with highly original and interesting worldbuilding, logically well-thought-out magic systems and hints of a much grander plan lying behind everything. With that accomplished, Sanderson is now free to focus on his own mega-epic and bring out future novels in a more timely fashion the third Stormlight novel (working title: Unhallowed Stones) will likely follow before the end of 2015.
Brandon Sanderson's work on this novel was delayed by his commitment to completing Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time sequence.
Words of Radiance is the much-delayed second volume in The Stormlight Archive series (expected to last for ten volumes) and the sequel to 2010's The Way of Kings.
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