El aliento de los dioses o Warbreaker, segunda novela de Brandon Sanderson, es una rara avis en la fantasía épica: una narración completa en un único volumen, con toda la imaginación, la aventura, la magia y los entrañables personajes a los que este autor, destinado a heredar el trono de todo un género, nos tiene acostumbrados.
Hace años, el monarca de Idris firmó un tratado con el reino de Hallandren según el cual el rey Dedelin enviaría a su hija mayor, Vivenna, para casarse con Susebron, el rey-dios de Hallabdren. Vivenna ha sido adiestrada durante toda su vida para ser una novia adecuada para Susebron y así cumplir con su deber y ayudar a forjar una paz estable entre los dos reinos. Ese era el plan, pero el monarca de Idris envía a su hija Siri, desobediente e independiente, en lugar de Vivenna.
Mientras intenta encontrar su lugar en la corte de Susebron, Siri descubre la verdad oculta sobre el rey-dios. En Idris, Vivenna se siente intranquila y teme que su hermana no esté preparada para esa nueva vida, por lo que decide viajar a Hallandren. Allí se reúne con la gente de Idris que trabaja en la capital, Telir, y comienza una nueva vida de espionaje y sabotaje.
El plan de Vivenna es rescatar a Siri, aunque tal vez esta ni necesite ni desee ser salvada.
ENGLISH DESCRIPTION
From the author of the connected universe of the Cosmere comes the standalone novel from which spring characters who later play roles in the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive.
In the world of Warbreaker, each person is born endowed with the power of one Breath―which can be sold and collected by others, then used to Awaken objects and even corpses to do their bidding. A few individuals who die in glory return as gods, with the power of thousands of Breath, but no memory of their mortal lives―and are enthroned in the Court of Gods in Hallandren’s capital. To Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris, the abuse of Breath and the claim of the Returned to be gods are repugnant blasphemy. But with one princess wed to the God King of their nation’s enemies in a bid for peace, the other finds she must rely on Breath-using mercenaries to try to rescue her sister from her monstrous husband.
Lightsong the Bold, a lesser god who doubts his own religion, starts investigating mysterious murders in the Court of Gods and uncovers haunting clues to his own forgotten past. He is one of four gods who controls the army of Awakened Lifeless soldiers, and one faction is inciting an invasion of Idris despite the marriage treaty. Vasher―wielder of the sapient sword Nightblood―works behind the scenes against the declaration of war, but Lightsong’s visions of bloodshed prophesy its inevitability. Can the new queen, unaware of her sister’s imminent rescue attempt, persuade Lightsong and also somehow get through to the aloof God King―who she has been forbidden to speak to or even look in the eyes―before her homeland is destroyed?