If you wish to become a storyteller, here is a hint: sell your labor, but not your mind. Give me ten hours a day scrubbing a deck, and oh the stories I could imagine.

If anyone ever tells you Sanderson isn't good at prose and people only read him for his worldbuilding, hand them this book.

Worldbringers like myself spend decades combing through folk tales, legends, myths, histories, and drunken bar songs looking for the most unique stories. We hunt for bravery, cleverness, heroism. And we find no shortage of such virtues. Legends are silly with them.
But the person who is willing to reconsider their assumptions? The hero who can sit down and reevaluate their life? Well, now that is a gift that truly glitters, friend.

Goodness, but this was wonderful. Sanderson can plot & worldbuild (we ought to all know this by now), and he did it. The adventurous quest to ransom a lost friend and the camaraderie between the ragamuffin crew made for a compelling story, and the non-water seas and other "magic" system details were just the right mix of creepy and clever. This was also, while a great standalone and approachable for someone with no cosmere knowledge, full of references to other Things and People and Events that made me very happy. (Spoiler: it's pretty much impossible to read one cosmere book and not want to read them all. & I'm starting to understand how investiture works and it's all so cool!!) Hoid is, of course, a character, and figures in a relatively prominent and particularly enjoyable way. And then there's the prose itself. Turning metaphors and cliches on their heads and revealing profound insight into the human character.

I love memories. They are our ballads, our personal foundation myths. But I must acknowledge that memory can be cruel if left unchallenged.
Do not let memory chase you... Enjoy memories, yes, but don't be a slave to who you wish you once had been.
Those memories aren't alive. You are.

Simply put, I loved this. It's a grown-up fairytale (Princess Bride-inspired, by the author's own admission, and also reminded me of the Wingfeather Saga but with a more adult tone) with hints of a wider world that infiltrate throughout. It would be a great starting place for Sanderson for readers of most ages (aside from one instance of mild profanity & some violence, this story is pretty much young adult-friendly) and was the perfect read for me as I try to decide when I will finally reread the Stormlight books and get into Mistborn Era 2.