Is it heresy to say that this is probably my favorite installment in the Stormlight series so far? There is so much to be said about the expansive, detailed world and captivating stories that Sanderson is known for, but Dawnshard really is a testament to his skill as a writer in creating equally captivating, brief stories that hyper focus on a small cast of characters.
In Dawnshard, we are following Rysn, a recently "graduated" full fledged merchant who studied under a master merchant for many years. After an accident, Rysn lost the use of her legs, but eager to dive into her new trade, and with a gifted ship and crew, she is eager to take up an assignment from the queen of the Alethi herself who asks her to take a ship to an isolated, mythical island to excavate for treasure. This is fortuitous for Rysn, as her faithful animal companion, Chiri-Chiri, a small winged creature who is the only one of her kind, is rumored to come from this island and seemingly needs to go back as her health is failing. The queen sends some Radiants to accompany Rysn, Lopen and Huri who are familiar faces, as well as Cord, a Horneater woman and the daughter of Rock. When embarking on this journey with her personal assistant Nikli, many things are set into motion, firstly it becomes apparent that the captain and crew of the ship she owns owe no devotion to Rysn and seemingly hold some animosity. But strange things begin to happen, as if fate is pushing them away from pursuing this mission. What follows is an explosive adventure that carries consequences that will affect the entire Cosmere.
This was such a fun adventure that had me gripped the whole time. Sanderson is known for his complex and intriguing stories and worlds, but I think Dawnshard is the result of a concerted effort for Sanderson to write a very character-centric story, an area he's been known to be a bit weak in. There was so much care put into exploring all of the main players in depth, and everyone had a very satisfying arc that made sense and will carry heavy hitting consequences back into the main series. Actually, I would argue that this installment isn't really optional as it has some huge story revelations, so be sure to pick it up if you're planning on carrying on with Stormlight. I also feel that I should mention, why I am not physically disabled myself, I did some research into different reviews of Dawnshard from people who are quadriplegic, paraplegic, and those who use mobility aids, and in general, it seems that this was a satisfactory representation of a person with a disability, so props to Sanderson for taking the care to get it right, and massive props to his sensitivity readers who are credited in the acknowledgements.
This was short so there were a few times that the story felt rushed, but that's honestly relieving when it comes to Sanderson's works. I felt that the fast pace contributed to the story. That's really all there is to say, I enjoyed this a lot. I feel that this was an improvement in some of the personal criticisms I have about Sanderson's style, so I hope that these carry forward into his future installments as well. On to Rhythm of War!
