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"It's funny, Vasher thought, how many things begin with my getting thrown into prison."

Warbreaker is one of those books that I will think back on and say "Wow that was a really well balanced fantasy novel." And by well balanced I mean that everything was in perfect proportion. The number of perspectives, the intricacy of the plot, the pace of action, everything was just perfectly well written.

I want to take a moment and explain a small thing about myself and why this book, as well as Sanderson's other works, are among my favorite fantasy novels.

I come from a religious background. I won't go as far as to say that I suffered abuse at the hands of my religion, but I definitely feel that I was brainwashed to an extent. When I turned 17 or 18 I really started to question the things I had been taught, and it was a devastatingly emotional process for me to reevaluate my values and belief system.

I now feel 100% more comfortable with who I am and what I believe, but the journey to this point nearly wrecked me.

And so, it's natural that Sanderson's characters would speak to me the way they do. The contradiction of ingrained religious beliefs is almost always a corner stone in his characters' development. I personally understand that struggle, and so I find myself sympathizing heavily with them.

"Didn't you ever stop to think that maybe you were on the wrong side?"

I had two specific "problems" with this novel, and it's hard to really even call them problems. I'm just being nitpicky.

One is the magic system. While I found it very interesting, I guess I don't fully understand why it's considered color magic? People with "breath" are bestowed with heightened senses, able to make out subtle distinction of color and sound. With a certain amount of "breath", people are able to awaken objects to do their bidding. When "breath" is used, it drains color. But I'm a little lost on how the draining of color is really related the use of "breath". It's very possible I missed the explanation somewhere along the line, but I often forgot it was a color magic system.

Second is the length of the novel. I JUST WANT IT TO BE LONGER! I want to keep reading about these characters. Warbreaker ended in a way that satisfies me for now, but I want to know more. In short, I want a sequel. This one wrapped up way smoother than Elantris did, but I still have some questions and curiosities.

Overall, and excellent book. I love reading about people who are forced to step outside of their comfort zone. I love seeing them work through their situation and make compromises for the sake of their goals. And I love fantasy settings.

Sanderson's stories are masterfully crafted, nuanced and distinctive from others in the same genre, and I cannot wait to devour the rest of his work.

Buddy read this with these wonderful babes who brighten my life on a regular basis:

��� Ever Charming Celeste
��� La-La-La-Luna
��� Perfecto Petrik
��� Choko-loco