Written by Brandon Sanderson, published in 2020. Summary and review.

Here comes yet another installment from Brandon Sanderson and The Stormlight Archive. Dawnshard is a novella that takes place between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War and much like Edgedancer before it, provides a deeper dive into characters that aren’t featured heavily in the main novels .

In Dawnshard, we follow the story, really parallel stories of Lopen accompanying Rysn (and Chiri-Chiri) on a mission to Akinah, a storm-shrouded island that appears to have mysterious powers and causes Radiants to lose theirs (no fly zone). Navani has entrusted Rysn to scout the uncharted island and (hopefully) save her ailing larkin, Chiri-Chiri in the process.

Dawnshard is a much, MUCH, easier book/story to follow within the Sanderson/Cosmere universe. Unlike the main novels which weave together 50 characters and 30 timelines in a web of interconnected complexity, Dawnshard is really 1 linear story told from two different perspectives.

In this novella, we get a deeper dive into Rysn, who we first meet in an interlude in The Way of Kings, as a trader who goes to the Reshi Isles and in an attempt to prove herself, falls from great heights and loses her ability to walk. But in doing so proves her worth and receives a larkin, Chiri-Chiri, a thought-to-be-mostly-extinct magical and rare creature that posses some unknown stormlight abilities. And I kind of picture Chiri-Chiri as a reptile sugar glider. Fun, no?

Lopen maintains his awesomeness (though not in the Lyft sense). He’s just a fun character, wise cracking and carefree. I enjoy everything Lopen. And he manages to grow as a character, learning others care what he says and his jokey-style is not always the right thing.

Dawnshard is certainly not required reading for the overarching Stormlight Archive series, but it does provide some nice insight into Rysn and Lopen, both characters that I personally am a fan of. We also get more insight into the Dysian Aimian (or Sleepless), the alien creatures from outside of Roshar that can shapeshift via thousands of hordelings (basically cremlings). Basically people made out of thousands of insects. A super cool image if you ask me.

Ultimately, the “Dawnshard” is not exactly what I expected. I do hope that future books within the main Stormlight Archive leverage what we learn about “Dawnshards” from the book Dawnshard. Apparently there is great power available for those that can (and know how) to wield it. Does this end up in the right hands or wrong? And if so, who?

TLDR: Again, this is not required Stormlight reading, but Dawnshard is a fun, very easy (least by comparison) read that you can sandwich in between a tough Oathbringer and even tougher Rhythm and War books. Would Recommend. 4/5 Stars.