Prologue edit

Six years ago, Eshonai and the Listeners visited Kholinar for the celebration of the peace treaty. She wanders alone in the palace and visits King Gavilar Kholin. Gavilar invited Eshonai for a private conversation and uncovered a Fabrial device that can trap a Spren in the Gemhearts. Much to Eshonai's horror, Gavilar reveals his plan to revive the Gods who deserted her people many years ago and gave her the dark Gemheart as a gift while instructing her to send a message to the council. Eshonai informs the five Listeners about the King's plans and decides to send an assassin to prevent Gavilar's actions. In the evening, Eshonai continues to perform her drum before fleeing the scene in tears.

Part One edit

Six days after arriving at Urithiru, Dalinar Kholin, with his Bondsmith ability, revisits the vision he experienced earlier with Stormfather's aid. He discovered that the Almighty, whom Odium killed, was the Shard Honor who had warned him about the upcoming Everstorm that would decimate Roshar. As Dalinar explores the ruins of Kholinar and experiences the Everstorm, he catches a glimpse of Odium summoning the nine corrupted shadowed Sprens known as the Unmade. Now awakened from his vision, Dalinar plans to continue his move on reuniting Roshar against Odium's actions. Having expressed his feelings over the loss of his first wife and his memory, Dalinar proposes a marriage with Navani where Stormfather declares his consent to them.

Kaladin visits his hometown, Hearthstone. Upon his arrival, Kaladin reunites with his parent and meets his youngest brother before revealing himself as a Radiant. Upon investigating the devastating effects of the Everstorm, Kaladin decides to venture out to several Alethi towns in ruins to find out more about the Parshendis' escape from captivity. Kaladin manages to track the escaped Parshmen and turns himself in to avoid conflict. Kaladin learned from Syl that the Everstorm had restored the Parshendi's physiques and intelligence allowing them to rebound with the Voidsprens. Right now, the Voidsprens are guiding the Parshendi to declare war against humanity for their enslavement. Upon arriving at Revolver, Kaladin exposes his Surgebinding to the Parshmen and flees upon learning about the Highstorm. As Kaladin helps the citizen to shelter from the storm, the two empowered Parshmen known as the Fused attack him and interrupt his aid. With the Highstorm approaching, Kaladin quickly escaped from the Fused and flew back to Urithiru following Syl's direction.

Shallan, having recovered her memory, visits the Kholin family to further discuss uniting Roshar. As Dalinar attempts to lose hope, Shallan unknowingly summons the illusion of Roshar as she touches the map with her Lightweaving combined with Dalinar's Bondsmith, thus revealing the location of Ten Oathgates. Intrigued, Dalinar decided to focus on Jed Keved, Thaylenah, and Azir to form a political alliance. Tension begins to run high following Torol Sadeas' murder, and his followers from Sadeas' war camp grow distrustful towards the Kholin family, by which Sadeas' wife Ialai promotes Amaram as the new Highprince. In response, Shallan began investigating several repetitive incidents with Adolin, to whom Dalinar entrusted. Despite this, Shallan felt traumatized by wielding a Shardblade for training with Adolin and decided to take an altered persona as Brightness Radiant to help accomplish her task. Upon meeting Sadeas' wife Ialai, Shallan confronts Mraize, who offers her information about her brother after she finishes protecting Urithiru. Mraize reveals to Shallan that the dark force threatens society and encourages her to investigate. As she explored the city, Shallan spotted the shadowed Spren and lost track of it. Shallan devised her plan of tracking a Spren and followed it right toward an unexplored area. Joining up with Adolin, Renarin, and Bridge Four members, the group discovered an abandoned library in ruins where it was settled by an Unmade named Re-Shephir, also known as the Midnight Mother. The group began fighting against the Unmade's influence. Upon discovering its vulnerability to Lightweaving, Shallan manages to repel Re-Shephir causing it to retreat. Following the incident, Shallan met an unexpected reunion of Jasnah Kholin.

As Dalinar begins his negotiation, he questions the Knight Radiants' betrayal through the Stormfather's refusal. Despite the emperor of Azir's and Queen Fen Rnamndi's refusal of Alethi's aid, Dalinar and his followers manage to gain contact with Taravangian who agree on Dalinar's plan. King Elhokar, having recovered from an assassination attempt, grew despondent of his kingship and planned to abdicate the throne to Dalinar. Instead, they agree to let Dalinar be the king of Urithiru and the Shattered Plains, forfeiting his Alethkar lands to his heir. Upon learning about the riot in Khonlinar, Dalinar advises his nephew to send scouts to investigate the riot and Elhokar's wife's behavior while sending Kaladin there to activate the Oathgate, encouraging Elhokar to restore the city. Dalinar learned from Stormfather that the only chance to stop Odium is to accept a challenge that Odium himself cannot deny. As Dalinar attends his meeting with the Irali queen, he challenges the ardent Kadesh to a duel while arguing about their religious faith in the Almighty. Dalinar ends the duel revealing himself as the Knights Radiant and Navani reports that the queen demands Adolin's armoured Shardplate due to her begrudging towards the Kholin family since arranged marriage. At that moment, Dalinar's memories of his former wife Evi are restored. At that time, Dalinar managed to recover Oathbringer and return it to Ialai Sadeas, despite her disapproval. Taravangian arrived at Urithiru for a visit and introduced Dalinar to a Dustbringer named Malata, the new member of Knights Radiant. During that time, Taravangian observed Dalinar's approach and questioned his moral views from The Way of Kings. As Dalinar and Stormfather discuss their situation, Stormfather reveals that he can send visions to anyone he chooses which gives Dalinar a persuasive idea.

Meanwhile, in the Shattered Plains, Venli and her followers, with their new forms, were sent to recover Eshonai's Shardplate under the command of Odium's Voidspren, Ulim. While departing Eshonai's body, a grieving Venli encountered a Spren and ignored it.

Part Two edit

After persuading Fen about the Voidbringer's threat via Stormfather, Dalinar invites Jasnah and Navani to enter the vision where Aharietiam, The Last Desolation, takes place. As they explore the battle, Dalinar and Navani arrive at the site where nine Honorblades had settled. Stormfather reveals the shocking truth about the Voidbringers and the Heralds' departure by which Odium granted the former Voidbringers power, allowing them to resurrect themselves as Parshmen to become a Fused. Succumbed from their mental state following Honor's death, the nine Heralds abandoned their Oathpact out of despair; one Herald Talenal continued the fight while suffering through torture for over four thousand years. Dalinar realizes that the comatose madman he encounters is Talenal, and his blade is a regular Shardblade. Dalinar arrived at the war camp and discovered that Talenal was missing.

Despite their reunion, Shallan grew more discomfort with Jasnah's criticism. Still, as Veil, she managed to hire recruits Gaz and Red for basic training on infiltration and a new assistant named Ishnah to help infiltrate the Ghostbloods. Shallan receives a letter from Mraize about her brother during her break time. Mraize revealed that Heleran was recruited as a Skybreaker acolyte led by the former Herald of Justice, Nale. Nale sends Heleran to kill Amaram as a test for loyalty, resulting in his death by Kaladin. To maintain her frustration from Jashnah's teaching, Shallan plans to travel with Kaladin to Thalayena's capital, Thaylen City, to open the Oathgate and persuade King Elhokar for her volunteer permission to retake Kholinar. Upon her research, Jashnah began pondering knowledge on Urithiru while growing suspicious of Shallan's previous absences and Renarin's behavior of his Truthwatcher abilities. After she feuds with Amaram about her uncle, Renarin surprises everyone with his abilities upon discovering hidden contents within the library.

Throughout Bridge Four perspectives, Kaladin began training his friends to help achieve their Windrunnering ability before traveling to Kholinar for the upcoming battle. Each of Bridge Four began experiencing their lives before reaching their role of maintaining their status. Meanwhile, in the Frostlands, Moash, having fled from the Shattered Plains, was later ambushed by the Fused after he killed one of them and carried to Revolver for enslavement. Despite his captivity, Moash grew more attached to Parshmen and supported them in their upcoming battle with Kholinar. Having grown frustrated with Parshmen's plight and the Fused's cruelty toward lesser Parshmen, Moash demanded to consult with the leader and encounter the Fused named Leshwi, whom Moash killed during his capture. Leshwi explained that he spared him due to his passion for fighting and supporting them. Moash admitted that he had given up his faith in humanity and sought vengeance instead. Impressed, Leshwi informs him about the fused as he begins training the Parshendi to fight spears.

With his Bondsmith, Dalinar contacts Prime Aquasix Yanagawn (formally named Gawx) and informs him about the Voidbringers' threat but grows skeptical toward him. Despite his efforts, Lift, having contacted the Nightwatcher, manages to enter his vision and carries Gawx away, much to Stormfather's surprise. Upon arriving at the Recreace vision with Jasnah and Navani, Yanagawn visited Dalinar and discussed it privately. Yanagawn revealed the truth to Dalinar about the Azish viziers' paranoia of the Assassin In White and Lift's distrust towards Dalinar for his self-righteousness. As Dalinar explains more details, the vision is suddenly interrupted by a man covered in white and gold who reveals himself as Odium and approaches Dalinar by surprise. Upon divulging his motivation and passion to kill another Shard named Cultivation, Odium remains shackled and persuades Dalinar to release him by Intent, which the latter refuses. As Odium departs, Dalinar challenges Odium on his bravery upon experiencing Odium's influence of emotion. Having eavesdropped on Dalinar and Odium, Lift decides to convince Yanagawn to visit Urithiru before the visions fade.

Upon reviewing his Diagram, Taravangian devised his scheme to exploit Dalinar's weakness and sought to negotiate with Odium. Meanwhile, Venli and her eight followers volunteered and embraced their transformation from the Everstorm. However, the storm subsides her into Nimbleform and transforms others, including her mate Demid, into the Fused under the possession of former Voidbringers. The Fused named Hariel took possession of Demid and informed a pleading Venli that the transformation was undone, not even Odium could undo it. Before departing to Alethkar, Venli spotted the Spren and hid it from suspicion.

Part Three edit

Part Four edit

Part Five edit

Epilogue edit

The third book was initially titled Stones Unhallowed with Szeth-son-son-Vallano as its focus, then Skybreaker,^[5] and eventually Oathbringer with the focus on Dalinar Kholin.^[6][7]

Prior to the release of Oathbringer, several chapters and interludes had been posted in blog posts, read in conventions and published in an anthology. Sanderson provided numerous updates on Reddit about his progress on the book.^[8] On December 9, 2016, three weeks after his fifth update, Tor announced that Sanderson had completed his first draft, coming in at 461,223 words.^[1] On March 15, 2017, Sanderson completed the third of five planned drafts, which totaled 514,000 words.^[9] On June 15, 2017, Sanderson completed the fifth and final draft and managed to cut it down to 450,000 words.^[3] On June 27, 2017, Tor posted a blog post detailing the process of beta reading for Oathbringer in which beta readers give their immediate reactions to any given point in the story and look for continuity.^[10] Due to the length of the book, Tor had to use a different press and bindery from the one that printed Words of Radiance.^[11]

After realizing the book took more time to work on than originally planned, Sanderson wrote a novella titled Edgedancer, following Lift; first published in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection,^[12] an anthology of Cosmere short fiction, on November 22, 2016.^[13]

On March 16, 2017, Tor Books revealed the cover art for Oathbringer, painted by Michael Whelan.^[14] It shows Jasnah Kholin defending a city against an invasion. She reaches for a Shardblade while simultaneously soulcasting a large hole in the city wall made by a thunderclast.^[2] Three days later, Tor posted a blog post that discussed details of the cover and how it may relate to the book's plot.^[15] On July 14, 2017, Sanderson revealed the UK cover of Oathbringer on Twitter.^[16]

The hardcover version of the novel was published with endpapers which depict 4 of the ten heralds, two created by each artist Howard Lyon and Dan dos Santos.^[17] Reviewer Frannie Jackson described the art as "gorgeous."

On August 2, 2017, Tor Books revealed the dates and locations for the Oathbringer book tour.^[18] Tor.com released the prologue on August 22; and the first 32 chapters, three weekly, from August 29 to November 7.^[19][20]

The audiobook version of the book was released on the same day as the hardcover version,^[3] and is read by narrator team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, who also read The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, and several other books written by Sanderson.^[4]

The fourth book in The Stormlight Archive series is titled Rhythm of War and its publication date was November 17, 2020.^[21] It takes place a year after the events of Oathbringer.^[22]

Reception of the series was mostly positive. The A.V. Club reviewer Samantha Nelson describes the novel as both weighed down by its ambition and less complex than its predecessors.^[23] While reviews on Tor find the novel engaging, with Martin Cahill writing that "It is a triumph of a novel, and if you’ve enjoyed the first two, you’ll certainly enjoy Oathbringer."^[24] Publishers Weekly also described the novel in light of its relationship to other books in the series, writing, "Sanderson successfully balances introducing new elements and satisfactorily resolving some threads, leaving fans to eagerly await the next in the series."^[25] The review in Paste by Frannie Jackson compares the novel to the long-arc storytelling of Robert Jordan, describing the novel as "brimming with more than enough magic and mystery to tide readers over until the [fourth novel is published]."^[17]

• Oathbringer on Brandon Sanderson's official website