Radiance: The Stormlight Archive Book Two

Kaladin, a low-status "darkeyes," was expected by his enemies to die a miserable death as a military slave. Defying these expectations, he was given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first. Now, he must protect King Elhokar and Highprince Dalinar from every common peril, as well as the distinctly uncommon threat of the Assassin, all while secretly struggling to master remarkable new powers linked to his honorspren, Syl.

The Assassin, Szeth, is active once more, murdering rulers across the world of Roshar using baffling powers to thwart every bodyguard and evade all pursuers. Among his prime targets is Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne. The Assassin's master harbors much deeper motives than Dalinar's leading role in the war.

Brilliant but troubled Shallan pursues a parallel path. Despite being broken in ways she refuses to acknowledge, she bears a terrible burden: to prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that will follow. The secrets she needs can be found at the Shattered Plains, but reaching there proves more difficult than she could have imagined.

At the heart of the Shattered Plains, the Parshendi are making an epochal decision. Hard-pressed by years of Alethi attacks, their numbers ever shrinking, they are convinced by their war leader, Eshonai, to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled. The possible consequences for Parshendi and humans alike, indeed, for Roshar itself, are as dangerous as they are incalculable.

Kaladin, entrusted with the safety of the king and Dalinar, must contend with both common perils and the Assassin's uncommon threat, all while secretly honing his remarkable new powers tied to Syl, his honorspren. The Assassin, Szeth, continues his campaign of murder across Roshar, using baffling abilities to evade capture and eliminate his targets, including the influential Highprince Dalinar.

Shallan, burdened with a terrible responsibility to prevent the return of the Voidbringers and the Desolation, seeks the secrets she needs at the Shattered Plains, though the journey there proves more arduous than she anticipated. Meanwhile, the Parshendi, dwindling in number from Alethi attacks, make a fateful decision under the guidance of their war leader, Eshonai, to gamble everything on a desperate move involving the supernatural forces they had once fled, with incalculable consequences for all of Roshar.

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