Justin's Notes

I have finally done it. I have begun the Stormlight Archives. This book is fantastic.

First, I do want to say one thing. I came into this book expecting it to hit the ground running and suck me in instantly because of the hype. I really enjoyed the entire book, but for me, it was slower in the first half than I expected (please don't be mad). It makes sense, though, that it would feel slow! It is beginning to build the world of what will eventually be a ten-book series. There are magic systems, cultures, religions, sciences, political atmospheres, vast landscapes and cities that all have to start being built up. It takes time. I expected to be hooked, reading "just one more chapter" at 11:30 PM every night right from the get-go, but it took a bit more time for me to get into the book before it began to take over any time I had to read it.

As far as the story and the world itself, I loved it. I am amazed by Sanderson's characters. Dalinar is such a baller and so firm in his principles and beliefs that it is out of the ordinary compared to everyone else. Kaladin is fiery, full of young emotions, grudges and heartache. Shallan's blend of innocence and impurity, with a seeming religious morality that she feels trumps those around her. Even more minor characters have distinct personalities and backgrounds that make them feel important and necessary to build up the story. The action is also incredible in this book. I really enjoy the battles. Any kind of medieval-type warfare with swords, spears and bows is appealing to me. I think it makes it so fun and exciting when that is paired with a fantastical fighting style. The blend of invincibility and power that is felt with the characters who wield the magical Shardblades and Shardplate makes every scene feel epic.

Look, if you like fantasy, or know who Sanderson is, you have either read this or are pretty likely to read it eventually. You don't need me telling you to, the vast majority of fantasy readers already have. If you are new to fantasy or to Sanderson, I really enjoyed starting with Mistborn (you can read my thoughts on the Mistborn trilogy here, here and here). I do acknowledge, though, that many people recommend starting with The Way of Kings when entering the Cosmere because of how much wholistic world-building of the universe the book provides. Honestly, though, you can choose your own adventure with Sanderson for the most part unless you really want to notice every Easter egg or nuance of the connection between the stories. So read what feels approachable to you, and I hope you get to this series eventually. It is well worth it.

I thought this book was pretty solid. Oliver writes with the goal of helping the reader figure out how to use their time productively from the viewpoint that we have such a small amount of time in our lives, so we need to use it well and enjoy it. It was a great counterweight to the ever-growing societal desires we can face to climb career ladders, start side hustles, and never "waste" your time with hobbies that are purely for enjoyment. Not that those are always bad things, but I am a strong believer that you need a restful, lazy weekend off or an evening spent having fun instead of working on the next thing.

This book wasn't life-changing for me in any way, but I really did enjoy the different points Burkeman made. The fact that our own impatience (which I have plenty of) makes us miss out on enjoying the small moments we have. Or how people and communities are huge parts of how our time can feel more meaningful. I really loved his point on how often we can find ourselves so focused on being remembered after passing that we can forget about the present. There are so many things that impact our time and how we use it, and ultimately, it is important for us to remember that we aren't guaranteed a single second.

I thought this book was quite enjoyable, and if you want a book that challenges and/or reaffirms how you use your time, it's a solid read. Ultimately, just spend your time with people you love, doing things you enjoy, and growing in ways you want to grow. You only have so much time, so use it well and don't take it for granted!

I love The Witcher. That's honestly all I need to say. Blood of Elves, to my understanding, is the beginning of a more linear part of the series, with the first two books being collections of short stories introducing you to the world and many of the characters. This story focuses a lot of its energy on Ciri and the beginning of her time in Kaer Morhen, training with Yennefer and her beginning to understand and learn who she is.

Blood of Elves holds up exactly as I thought it would with the first two books. The pacing is a bit different from the first two books, but that is expected since it is telling a full story. But the characters, the action, the politics, and the magic all feel like the same incredible Witcher fantasy you would expect. I especially love the time in this book spent in Kaer Morhen. The seclusion, the cold, harsh winters, and all the training courses spread throughout the castle. I loved being in Kaer Morhen while playing The Witcher 3, so reading any scene there is super cool to me. Geralt is also still one of my favorite characters. He never wavers from his code as a Witcher, sticking to his principles, and his relationship with Ciri is such a cool aspect of his character. I love this series and this world, even with as dark and hopeless as it seems.

You should read the first two books (which I wrote briefly about here & here) before reading this book and the books that follow. But if you like fantasy, I would highly recommend reading The Witcher.