Wind and Truth

Wind and Truth

First edition book cover
Author	Brandon Sanderson
Cover artist	Michael Whelan
Language	English
Series	The Stormlight Archive
Genre	Epic fantasy
Publisher	Tor Books
Publication date	December 6, 2024
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover and paperback), audiobook, e-book
Pages	1344
Preceded by	Rhythm of War

Wind and Truth is an epic fantasy novel written by American author Brandon Sanderson and is the fifth book in The Stormlight Archive series. It was published on December 6, 2024, and is the ending to the first half of the series. Sanderson has said that the latter half of the series will be written after he finishes writing the upcoming Era Three Mistborn trilogy and the two Elantris sequels, and he projects a completion date near the end of 2031.

As with Kaladin in The Way of Kings, Shallan in Words of Radiance, Dalinar in Oathbringer and the characters Eshonai and Venli in Rhythm of War, Wind and Truth contains a sequence of flashback chapters, this time from the perspective of Szeth, the Assassin in White.

The unabridged audiobook is read by narration team Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.

Development

The writing process for the book started in January 2022. The book was known under the working title Knights of Wind and Truth before Sanderson decided on Wind and Truth. In December 2023 Sanderson announced the completion of the first draft of the novel, which was later followed by the announcement of the publication date by his publisher Tor Books.

The synopsis of Wind and Truth that came with the announcement is as follows:

Dalinar Kholin has challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions, and the Knights Radiant and the nations of Roshar have a mere 10 days to prepare for the worst. The fate of the entire world - and the Cosmere at large - hangs in the balance.

Sanderson has stated that Dalinar Kholin would have a larger role in the book than he had in Rhythm of War. The planned ending of the novel is based upon the ending he planned out for an RPG in 1999, and has been in the outline of the series from the start. Sanderson hopes that it will land right with people and recontextualize many important moments in the story.

On June 4, 2024, Sanderson announced on his Twitter account that he finished the last part of the novel, turning the book in at 491,000 words; this made Wind and Truth the longest book in the series.

Sanderson calls writing The Stormlight Archive novels "quite draining" and stated he would take a break from the project for a time while he works on sequels to Mistborn and Elantris. Sanderson's next projected release for part two of The Stormlight Archive story arc is 2031.

Plot - Not Yet Including Days 10

Prologue

Seven and a half years ago, King Gavilar sought immortality after bonding with the Stormfather. Upon learning of his arrogant nature, the Stormfather severed his bond with Gavilar, leading to Gavilar’s death.

Day One

Dalinar challenges Odium for the Contest of Champions, which may end the war. Kaladin and his Honorspren Sylphrena depart for Shinovar. Szeth joins Kaladin to seek Ishar and restore the Oathpact. They arrive at Azir and await the Highstorm.

Shallan and Adolin plan to return to Urithiru. Shallan learns that Ba-Ado-Mishram had been imprisoned within the Spiritual Realm, and that the Ghostbloods are seeking power through Ba-Ado-Mishram. Shallan decides to thwart the Ghostbloods' plan. Shallan and Adolin discover an army of Singers preparing to attack Azimir. They meet up with Kaladin at Azir and return to Urithiru.

Odium, with Taravangian as his vessel, arrives at Tu Bayla and witnesses the outcome of the battle.

Day Two

Adolin and Shallan return to Urithiru and part ways. Shallan goes to Narak, where the Ghostbloods have fled the tower. Adolin reports the threat at Azimir to his father. Cultivation reveals to Dalinar that Honor's power is hidden in the spiritual realm. Wit learns that loopholes had been inserted into the contract, allowing entire countries to be captured via their capitals, violating Rayse's promise not to exploit the wording of the contract. Jasnah departs to Thaylenah to aid Fen, Sigzil leads Bridge Four at the Shattered Plains, and Adolin departs to Azir to hold off Odium's forces. Dalinar and Navani access the Spiritual Realm just as the perpendicularity shuts.

Shallan arrives at Narak and learns that a former ally has already captured Kalak. Mraize and Iyatil escape via Shadesmar and Sja-anat's spren using an Anti-Stormlight weapon. Shallan returns to Urithiru and seeks aid from Renarain and Rlain to stop the Ghostbloods. Shallan's group of Lightweavers and the Ghostbloods arrive at the spot where Dalinar and Navani open the perpendicularity. Mraize tosses the Anti-Stormlight dagger onto the portal, and the entire room shatters.

Kaladin and Szeth arrive at Shinovar. Szeth reveals that the Unmade corrupted his people, and the Honorblades are kept within the monasteries after the Heralds abandoned their Oathpact. Kaladin and Syl find Ishar, who tasks Kaladin with helping Szeth restore his homeland.

El permanently destroys Jezrien's soul. Odium offers him to conquer the Shatter Plains and plans to unleash Dai-Gonarthis to ravage Dalinar's troops. He meets up with Cultivation and observes all the deities across the Cosmere before parting ways.

Day Three

Kaladin and Szeth arrive at Taln's monastery and encounter a corrupted stone shaman, Rit-Daugther-Clutio, carrying Taln's Honorblade (which was swapped years ago before Taln arrived at the Shattered Plains). Fulfilling his duty as a Skybreaker, Szeth kills Rit and recovers Taln's blade, realizing Ishar's plan to lure him to Shinovar. After rescuing the civilians, they head to Kalak's monastery.

In Azimir, Adolin prepares for the first wave of Odium's forces at the Oathgate and chooses not to engage in the battle as he observes the Azish army led by Commandant Zarb Kushkam successfully banish the first wave. Upon celebrating, Maya, who is slowly recovering from her Deadeye state, decides to depart Adolin and persuade the Honorspren to join the fight.

After encountering El, Odium teleports to Kharbranth and persuades Dova, who was revealed as Battar the Herald of Honor, to make an offer to travel off-world as his steward.

Day Four

Kaladin and Szeth settle at the riverbank near Koring after recovering Kalak's Honorblade from the deceased Stone Shaman. At night, while Kaladin performs Kata, Szeth is transported into Shadesmar and encounters his former master and wielder of Battar's Honorblade - the Elsecaller, Pozen-Son-Nash, along with the Edgedancer assassin wielding Vedel's Honorblade. Unable to summon his Shardblade, Szeth quickly evades the attacks and outmaneuvers the assassin upon sensing Nightblood, his sword, calling him to recover. Szeth manages to recover Nightblood, allowing him to kill the assassin, but Pozen kills the assassin himself to trap Szeth in Shadesmar. However, Szeth uses the Honorblade and escapes, recovering two Honorblades.

While being stranded in the spiritual realm, Dalinar and Navani arrive at the time of ancient Shinovar when humanity arrives on Roshar after leaving their devastation from their home planet, Ashyn. Dalinar and Navani encounter an ancient spren known as the Wind, who serves as the guide to achieve their goal. With the Stormfather refusing to aid, Navani manages to bond with the herald Shalash's ribbon, which causes the visions to change. Shallan, Rlain, and Renarin enter the Spiritual Realm, arriving at the same time as Dalinar and Navani, but choose to remain hidden in order to thwart Mraize from finding the Unmade. Shallan realizes that her persona, Formless, appears when she tries to stop Mraize. Meanwhile, on Azir, Adolin struggles to fend off Odium's troops while befriending Yanagawn, the Azish emperor, to help lecture him on battle tactics.

Odium approaches Moash and gives him crystalline spikes through his eyes that allow him to see through Investiture. Moash then visits Kharbranth to sustain himself from logic, believing his only success in protecting his family is through war.

Day Five

After bonding with illusioned Shalash's ribbon and Nale's promissory disk as anchors, Dalinar and Navani, along with Elokhar's son Gavinor who entered the realm by accident, enter the vision between the First Desolation and the Heraldic epochs when the early Singers travel eastward, humanity declaring war against Odium that lasted forty three years, and Honor supporting humanity over Singers. With Honor's aid, Jezerien establishes a group of ten people, consisting of five men and five women, who possess Vedel's abilities to grant immortality and Ishar's Bondsmithing surges, declaring themselves the protectors of humanity known as the Heralds. Dalinar, under the guise of Kelek, manages to bond Kelek's Honorblade to alter the vision.

Meanwhile, on the Shattered Plains, Sigzil forms his tactical approach of building four impenetrable fortresses on Narak to divert Odium's forces from attacking. As the army approaches with the Everstorm, Sigzil leads the army to triumph as he kills a newly formed Fused and overpowers a Thunderclast, causing Odium's forces to retreat. With suspicion, Sigzil and a few scouts follow them only to learn that the army has created an Elsecaller portal for reinforcement, with the Unmade and Moash approaching. After her reconciliation with her tribe, Venli realizes that Leshwi and her followers are depowered after betraying Odium and grows curious about Chasmfiends who bonded with the Listeners. As the Highstorm arrived, the Chasmfiend forms a murmuration and Venli uses her Willshaper abilities to contact the Stone, revealing that Honor had turned against the Singers centuries ago and the answer lies within her hometown of Narak.

Renarin and Rlain form an intimate relationship before witnessing the event of the Heralds' declaration, after which Renarin chooses to remain hidden from Dalinar and Navani under the guise of Vedel. He discovers Shallan is Ash in disguise, who tries to find Mraize, unaware that he posed as Honor. As Mraize makes an attack, Shallan overpowers him and realizes that Odium fears Ba Ado Mishram. Formless suddenly appears to taunt Shallan, allowing an injured Mraize to escape. In Azir, Adolin gains support from the newly arrived Honorspren Notum.

Kaladin and Szeth take a hike to Battar's Monastery to investigate, only to find out that the town is deserted. Kaladin learned that this town was Szeth's childhood home and gave Szeth a sense of comfort and compassion. As they leave, the Herald Nale approaches them, accompanying Szeth's quest.

Feeling conflicted about his balance, Odium continues to follow Taravagian's view of conquest and accept his alignment, transforming into a new form resembling his predecessor, causing Cultivation to leave in disappointment.

Day Six

Kaladin, Szeth, and Nale travel to the Lightweavers' monastery to retrieve Shalash's Honorblade. With Kaladin and Nale debating over moral circumstance on supporting Szeth, Szeth goes into the monastery alone to confront the Stone Shaman, Moss-son-Farrier. However, Moss creates fourteen illusions of Shalash on hostages and gives Szeth an ultimatum to solve his puzzle. With Sylphrena's aid, Szeth managed to kill Moss and recover the Honorblade. With Szeth being unaware of an assassin plotting to kill him, Syl alerts Kaladin, who then kills the assassin, who carries Pralla's honorblade. After testing Szeth's loyalty of pilgrimage, Nale informs them that Odium has corrupted Jezrien's Honorblade. The trio plans to visit the Truthwatcher monastery to investigate.

Jasnah settles in Thaylen city to observe the city's defenses for the upcoming battle and grows suspicious of the threat; she requires the Windrunner scouts to investigate. Sigzil commands his armies to retreat to Narak Two after losing Narak One as Odium's forces and Unmade overwhelm them.

After recovering from her encounter with Formless, Shallan, along with Renarin and Rlain, continues their search for the Unmade. Upon noticing the dark influence close by, Shallan finds the illusion of Mishram during the Recreance era and discovers that the Unmade is supporting the Singers. The Unmade senses her presence until Rlain and the Mistsprens protect her; Mraize stands by watching them before Odium begins observing the Spiritual Realm. After discussing Yanagawn, Adolin learns that Emul and Tashikk defected from Azimir and are supporting Odium, who plans to isolate Azimir from gaining an alliance.

After losing the illusioned Honorblade, Dalinar enters the vision of the Last Desolation; he learns that Honor had abandoned humanity and the Heralds are broken, forcing them to abandon Taln and their post, keeping Odium imprisoned on planet Braize (which is known as Damnation). Navani and Gavinor arrive just as Dalinar witnesses the Herald's departure. With only four days left, they require an anchor that speeds up time, and discover that the Stormfather is the anchor. As Dalinar bonds with the Stormfather, the Stormfather scolds and threatens to disconnect Dalinar. After bonding the anchor, the vision sends the trio to Urithru before the Era of Recreance occurred; Dalinar confirms that this is the day before Honor's death upon noticing the Windrunner Ririan from Feverstone that he saw in his previous visions.

Cultivation sends her troops to attack Kharbranth to persuade Odium to surrender. Driven mad by grief, passion, and desire, Odium summons his powers and destroys Kharbranth, in the process killing all of Taravagian's families, supporters, and residents. Horrified by his response, Cultivation surrenders.

Day Seven

In Azir, Odium's forces summon the Thunderclast to attack the dome, which creates a diversion. Adolin remains injured after struggling to destroy the Thunderclast at the cost of his Shardplate. Commandant Kushkam manages to use fire bomb attacks and stop the army successfully. After receiving news from the scouts, Jasnah confirms her suspicion that Odium's forces are forming a distraction, making her troops protect Thaylen city, and decides to depart to the Shattered Plains. After losing Narak Three, Sigzil struggles to fend off the army to prevent their siege on Narak Two and Narak Prime; Moash overpowers the entire troops of Bridge Four with Anti-Stormlight at the north post and kills Leyten, Sigzil's closest friend.

Shallan, Rlain, and Renarin fall into the vision of their past created by Ba-Ado-Mishram to lure them to her prison. Renarian can resist Mishram's illusions upon discovering the Unmade's resentment towards humanity and singers. Dalinar and Navani learn that humanity had deserted Urithiru after the Order of the Radiants caused a schism following the Heralds' departure and the False Desolation. Navani manages to contact the Sibling upon learning that Windrunner Ririan named Garith is hiding secrets after he met with the Bondsmith Meleshi. During the false Desolation, they followed Garith and soon discovered that Garith had an intimate relationship with the Direform Shnome. Upon their secret meeting, they both plan to forge a peace agreement between the Listeners and humans with Mishram to end the conflict. However, Honor and Melishi betray the couple by imprisoning Ba-Ado-Mishram in a gem and thus transform the Listeners into their primitive and weakened state. Honor then shows the Radiant the vision, accusing them of causing destruction. Honor's actions in betraying humanity, weakening the Listeners, and imprisoning the Unmade cause the entire Knight Radiants to abandon their oaths, which directly leads to the Era of Recreance, by which Stormfather took Honor's place. After the revelation of Honor's treachery, Odium approaches Dalinar and Navani in the Spiritual Realm.

After giving Szeth and his Highspren, 12124, some therapy advice, the Wind, who has spoken to Kaladin, contacted him and pleaded with him to help restore the Heralds' mental state. The trio notices the monasteries are lit from a distance, with Szeth nearly completing his pilgrimage.

Day Eight

Odium controls the Spiritual Realm as he separates Dalinar from Navani and Gavinor to taunt Dalinar's past. Dalinar managed to resist Odium's influence and bonded with Stormfather, allowing him to escape Odium's grasp. Kaladin, Szeth and Nale arrive at the Dustbringer Monastery to recover Chana's honorblade only to learn that Szeth's sister, Elid, who become the current Honorblade wielder. Refusing to fight his own sister, Szeth chose to reconcile with Elid before succumbing to death from the Unmade influence. Nale revealed that he chose Szeth to become a Herald in order to restore the Oathpact. Venli and the Listener arrive at the central plateau beneath the battlefield of Narak. She discovers a hidden golden pool of Light that belongs to Odium, who uses it to transport to other realms. However, El's forces spotted them.

As Shallan and her Cryptic sprens confront her past, she discovers that her mother is Chanarach, the Herald of the Common Man. It is later revealed that Nale ordered Chana to kill her daughter during Shallan's bonding with Testament. Shallan realized that Chana had survived the Shardblade and went into hiding in Braize to avoid harming her own daughter. Shallan manages to confront Chana and forgive her before searching for the Unmade.

In Urithiru, Lift manages to rescue Zahel, who was held captive by the Ghostbloods, who seek knowledge from him through torture.

Days Nine

With Taravanigan's agents by his side, Odium manages to overpower the coalition with sheer cunning and political schemes. He won an argument against Jasnah on protecting Thaylenah by exploiting her character, causing Fen to switch her allegiance to him. After renouncing his oath to protect his spren, Sigzil and his Bridge Four army lost the Shattered Plains with overwhelming forces, while Venli uses the Chasmfiends to storm Narak Prime. Adolin, with his leg amputated, lost Azimir when Odium's forces outnumbered them as they entered the Oathgate. Shallan found Mraize in the memory of his past self and realized Iyatil is on her path to finding the prison while distracting Shallan. Reunited after being separated, Rlain and Renearin decide to spend their lives together after seeing the possible future. With Sibling help, Navani and Gavinor manage to escape the Spiritual Realm from Odium using the illusioned Kholinar Oathgate to enter the Physical Realm of Urithiru.

Kaladin and Szeth arrived at the Skybreaker monastery to confront Nale. With Szeth refusing to fight Nale, Kaladin steps in as he tries to duel with Nale, who has become emotionless. When the Wind summons the music, Kaladin managed to retell Wit's story to remind Nale of his past, causing the Heralds to succumb to his emotions. Upon realising his misdeeds, Nale surrenders his Honorblade and reveals that Ishar is responsible for corrupting Shinovar. Nale explains that Ishar has discovered Honor's Well of Power and has gained access to it using a fraction of Odium's power, seeking to find newly replaced Heralds. However, Ishar's methods started to corrupt him, and the group decides to go to the Bondsmith monastery.

Viewpoint characters

The primary chapters within the book are told from the viewpoint of several major characters, while the book's interludes are told from the viewpoint of other characters (not all of which repeat).

There are a variety of major Viewpoints, each with different plotlines involved

• Kaladin and Szeth in Shinovar
• Shallan, Rlain, Renarin in the Spiritual Realm searching for Ba-Ado-Mishram
• Dalinar and Navani in the Spiritual Realm experiencing visions of the past
• Adolin holding out a war in Azimir
• Sigzil and Venli fighting for the Shattered Plains
• Jasnah in Thaylenah
• Odium who plays his role as the final antagonist of the entire series

Pre-publication content

• In March 2022, Sanderson did a reading of the first draft of the prologue on his YouTube channel.
• At FanX in 2022, Sanderson did a reading of the first part of Kaladin's first chapter from the first draft of the novel.
• At New York Comic Con in 2022, Sanderson did a reading of the first draft of Szeth's first chapter.
• During Dragonsteel 2022, Sanderson did a reading of the remainder of Kaladin's first chapter as well as his second chapter.
• Also during Dragonsteel 2022, Sanderson did a reading of Szeth's third flashback chapter.
• At Tampa Bay Comic in 2023, Sanderson read from a Jasnah chapter.
• During Dragonsteel 2023, Sanderson did a reading of an interlude.
• At C2E2 in 2024, Sanderson did a reading of the first two Shallan chapters.
• Starting at July 29, 2024, two chapters of the finished book were released each week for free until the book's full release in December.

Audiobook

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

External links

• The Stormlight Archive series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• The Stormlight Archive at the Internet Book List
• The Stormlight Archive. Mormon Literature & Creative Arts Database.
• The Complete Spren Catalogue at Tor.com
• A Field Guide To Roshar at Tor.com
• The series page on the Coppermind, the Brandon Sanderson wiki