Words of Radiance - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Today sees the UK publication of Brandon Sanderson‘s highly anticipated WORDS OF RADIANCE, the second novel in his Stormlight Archive epic fantasy series. Brandon is the bestselling author who completed Robert Jordan’s epic Wheel of Time series, and also the Mistborn saga (currently four novels, with more on the way!). The second book in the Stormlight Archive exhibits Brandon’s gift for epic storytelling, wonderous magic systems, and sheer addictive writing.

Here is the synopsis for WORDS OF RADIANCE…

The Knights Radiant must stand again.

The ancient oaths have at last been spoken; the spren return. Men seek that which was lost. I fear the struggle will destroy them.

It is the nature of the magic. A broken soul has cracks into which something else can be fit. Surgebindings, the powers of creation themselves. They can brace a broken soul; but they can also widen its fissures.

The Windrunner, lost in a shattered land, balanced upon the boundary between vengeance and honor. The Lightweaver, slowly being consumed by her past, searching for the lie that she must become. The Bondsmith, born in blood and death, striving to rebuild what was destroyed. The Explorer, straddling the fates of two peoples, forced to choose between slow death and a terrible betrayal of all she believes.

It is past time for them to awaken, for the Everstorm looms.

And the Assassin has arrived.

A couple of advance, non-spoilery reviews have managed to find their way online (it’s so huge, it’s not surprising there haven’t been more). Here are some choice quotes…

‘Does Book 2 live up to the expectations? My answer is a resounding, “Yes!”’ — Tor.com (1)

‘… worth the wait… WORDS OF RADIANCE is excellent, which was a tremendous relief to me. Love or hate this book, I was wedded to it long before I read it, and I’m fortunate to say that I continue to love it. So to you, lucky reader, who have the choice of whether or not to buy this book, I give this advice. Sanderson’s experiment is working, and he gets better with every book. The journey will be worth it. Yes, you should buy this book. Yes, this is a series worth following to the end. I’m so glad to be taking this journey, and I hope you will as well.’ — Tor.com (2)

‘WORDS OF RADIANCE is truly an achievement. It expands on its predecessor, fulfilling the promises it sets up, and manages to surpass it. There is no question about it: this is my favorite Brandon Sanderson novel. When I read THE WAY OF KINGS, I had thought that while it was (at the time) Brandon’s best written novel, it wasn’t my favorite, but that The Stormlight Archive series absolutely had the potential to be Brandon’s best series. Well, that was entirely right. There’s no doubt about it. If you adored THE WAY OF KINGS, you will be blown away by WORDS OF RADIANCE. Even if book one didn’t thrill you, however, I can’t see how you won’t be enthralled by this volume. It really is that good. You’ll be sold on the entire series with this.’ — 17th Shard

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

We’re very happy to share with you the UK cover art for Brandon Sanderson‘s WORDS OF RADIANCE! The second volume of the internationally bestselling Stormlight Archive fantasy series, WORDS OF RADIANCE is due to be published in 2014 by Gollancz. Here is the early, rather brief synopsis from the publisher’s page…

Return to a planet swept by apocalyptic storms, a world tipping into war as aristocratic families move to control the shard blades and shard plates, ancient artifacts from a past civilisation that can win wars.

As the world tips into a war for control of the mythical artifacts of power made from Shard, characters are swept up into new dangers which will threaten their integrity and their lives.

The first book in the Stormlight Archive, THE WAY OF KINGS is available now in eBook and in paperback (split into two volumes – it’s an immense, engrossing tome of a novel!).

Here is a little more information about the second Stormlight novel, from an introduction to WORDS OF RADIANCE on Brandon’s website…

In [THE WAY OF KINGS], we were introduced to the remarkable world of Roshar, a world both alien and magical, where gigantic hurricane-like storms scour the surface every few days and life has adapted accordingly. Roshar is shared by humans and the enigmatic, humanoid Parshendi, with whom they are at war. Among those caught up in the conflict are Highprince Dalinar Kholin, who leads the human armies; his neice Jasnah, a renowned scholar; her student Shallan, a brilliant but troubled young woman; and Kaladin, a military slave who, by the book’s end, was beginning to become the first magically endowed Knight Radiant in centuries.

In WORDS OF RADIANCE, their intertwined stories will continue and, as Sanderson fans have come to expect, develop in unexpected, wonderfully surprising directions. The war with the Parshendi will move into a new, dangerous phase, as Dalinar leads the human armies deep into the heart of the Shattered Plains in a bold attempt to finally end it. Shallan will come along, hoping to find the legendary, perhaps mythical, city of Urithuru, which Jasnah believes holds a secret vital to mankind’s survival on Roshar. The Parshendi take a dangerous step to strengthen themselves for the human challenge, risking the return of the fearsome Voidbringers of old. To deal with it all, Kaladin must learn to how to fulfill his new role, while mastering the powers of a Windrunner.

Brandon Sanderson is represented by Zeno in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Zeno Agency Ltd.

Tag: Words of Radiance

Publication Day – Brandon Sanderson’s WORDS OF RADIANCE

Cover Reveal: Brandon Sanderson’s WORDS OF RADIANCE…