Oathbringer

Brandon SandersonFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2017

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Interlude 3

Part 2-Interlude 6

Part 3-Interlude 11

Part 4-Interlude 14

Part 5-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

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Background

Series Context: Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere Universe

The Stormlight Archive series, of which Oathbringer is the third novel, brings together many elements of Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere and reveals connections between the characters of this world and those of other worlds in the Cosmere. The Cosmere is the “universe” in which the worlds of most of Sanderson’s novels exist, including the Stormlight Archive series (2010-2020), both Mistborn series (2006-2022), Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023), and Elantris (2005). The Stormlight Archive series provides hints that there is some grander conflict happening in the Cosmere and that Odium’s attempted takeover of Roshar plays a role in that larger conflict. The stakes are incredibly high for these characters as they face gods or what they once considered gods; the stakes, however, are even higher than the characters truly realize.

Novels that take place within the Cosmere usually contain at least one character from another world—often this crossover character is Hoid, who appears in the Stormlight Archive as Wit. Other books also leak into the Stormlight Archive, particularly through the appearance of Highmarshal Azure, who admits to being from another world and seeking the sword Szeth now carries in Oathbringer, a sword named Nightblood that appeared alongside Azure in Warbreaker (2009).

Series Context: The Stormlight Archive

Oathbringer is book three of the Stormlight Archive series, preceded by Words of Radiance (2014) and followed by Rhythm of War (2020). The series is set on the planet Roshar, for which Sanderson provides more complex world-building than his other series. For reference to understand the variety of terms and types of magic, readers can reference the “Ars Arcanum” in the back of every book. The narrative of Oathbringer contains many plot lines for many different characters, but each of the plot lines connects in some way or contributes to the movement of the overall plot. The overarching plot is that of saving Roshar from being destroyed by Odium, one of the three “gods,” or supernatural beings, who have ruled and fought over the planet for thousands of years.

The magic system on Roshar works through the use of Stormlight, or light trapped inside gemstones, which are powered by the highstorms that cross the land. Stormlight provides fuel for Knights Radiant to use their powers; the Knights Radiant is an order of people who bond spren, or spirit-like creatures, to gain powers and protect the people of Roshar. The bond with spren requires the saying of Words for several levels of Ideals, each of which provides new powers for the Knight to access. Humanity also uses Stormlight to fuel inventions called fabrials, which are machines that allow communication over long distances, heating systems, and more.

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Roshar contains another race besides humans: singers. They are the original inhabitants of the planet, but the humans have alternately abused them as mind-controlled enslaved people and villainized them due to their physical resemblance to the Fused, the revived enemies of humanity and servants of Odium. Humans stole the singers’ minds thousands of years ago, enslaved them, and called them parshmen. These events did not affect all singers. Those who were unaffected called themselves listeners; humans refer to listeners as Parshendi. Venli, one such listener, sought to bring back their gods and liberate the parshmen.