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The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1)

by Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)

4.57 of 5 stars 4.57 · rating details · 32,981 ratings · 2,826 reviews

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soiless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten co...more

Hardcover, 1008 pages

Published December 2010 by Gollancz (first published August 1st 2010)

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The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)
by Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology…more

[close] Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar’s niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan’s motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths,

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.

and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again. [close]

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May 30, 2011 Jacob rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, first-reads, sci-fi-fantasy-etc, 900-plus, vote-whore

October 2010

Won from First Reads.

The great voiceover artist Don LaFontaine died in 2008, and previews for upcoming films have never been the same. But perhaps it was a blessing, as Don was mercifully spared the nightmarish task of narrating the trailer for The Way of Kings: The Film Of The Book:

"Ready when you are, Mr. LaFontaine, sir."
"Thank you. *Ahem* 'IN A WORLD where the damned rule heaven, the protectors of mankind will abandon their--' "
"Cut! Sorry, Mr. LaFontaine, but the prelude is jus...more

172 likes · like · see review

Oct 27, 2012 Anila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: clone-the-guy-i-want-one, bucket-books, fangirl-alert, galleys-are-win, reviewed, not-for-the-sensitive, favorite-2011-reads

I'm running out of superlatives.

Seriously, after praising The Well of Ascension as a reader's dream book, I was worried. What would I say if The Hero of Ages was better? Even finding the perfect GIF for that book didn't solve the problem - because soon enough, there'll be The Alloy of Law, and I still haven't read Elantris.

And then this book came along.

Now, I'll admit that I took my sweet time. About six months, off and on, actually. For a lot of that, I wasn't sure what I was getting into. Ther...more

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May 30, 2012 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: epic fantasy fans

Recommended to Carol by: virtually everybody

Shelves: epic-fantasy

A three and a half star read.

"What?" Sanderson's fans say, "this is a classic!"
"What?" people who read my reviews say, "you gave the same rating to that mess of a zombie book!"

Let me 'splain.
No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Ignore comments about the length. I've read books that were as long (hello, The Stand, Unabridged), and everyone has read series that were over a thousand pages. What troubles me about The Way of Kings is that I felt like I was reading the fantasy equivalent of a walk thr...more A three and a half star read.

"What?" Sanderson's fans say, "this is a classic!"
"What?" people who read my reviews say, "you gave the same rating to that mess of a zombie book!"

Let me 'splain.
No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Ignore comments about the length. I've read books that were as long (hello, The Stand, Unabridged), and everyone has read series that were over a thousand pages. What troubles me about The Way of Kings is that I felt like I was reading the fantasy equivalent of a walk through The Field Natural History Museum. Thorough. Detailed. Interesting. And equally devoid of action. Put another way: a saltwater fish tank at the Shedd Aquarium (give me a break; I like visiting Chicago's Museum Mile). Watching the sea anemone wave pink arms as the clownfish darts in and out, chasing little bites of fish food. Again, interesting. But worth six hours of undivided attention? Surely you'd want to take a break and watch shark feeding time, right? Wander off to visit the dolphins and the otters?

Narrative shifts primarily between three people; Shallan, a penniless noble who wants to apprentice herself to a scholarly heretic, intending to steal her Souljewel; Kaladin, a former surgeon and talented soldier who now wears a slave brand; and Dalinar, a prince and uncle to the king. I appreciated their different viewpoints; Shallan is a naive young woman, Kaladin a member of the underclass and Dalinar is the king's uncle; from all three, we get a remarkable range of insight into the society.

This is a slow, thoughtful book, close to the exact opposite of The Alloy of Law, my only Sanderson book to date. He builds a complete world with varied landscapes and an unique social and spiritual culture. I should have loved it, but what I found is a complete absence of grippingness, that take you by the throat experience. The problem? A lack of dynamic tension. Internal tension comes out of the conflicts each of the three main characters are facing, and their indecision at how to act. Thus, about 700 pages are of them gradually backing themselves into a corner and undergoing a personal crisis. Action picks up around page 800 or so. The last three hundred are the most significant and dynamic of the novel and finally had me turning pages in earnest. (For those who are counting, I know it doesn't add up. There are a few sets of random character narratives that build more background and richness--in other words, add pretty backdrop in the dioramas or the coral reefs). The fans argue that it took the building in the first part to create the dynamic tension of the last, but I'd have to disagree. If it takes 700 pages to get to your main conflicts, are those pages story or indulgence?

Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/wp-adm...
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Apr 02, 2013 Jon added it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy, fantasy, fiction, signed, read-in-my-40s, starset-kingrise-poem, award-winners, loved-it

4 stars

Due to the acquisition of GoodReads by Amazon on March 28, 2013 and my existing and continuing boycott of all things Amazon, the review I wrote after reading this book has been relocated to my blog and can be found in its entirety by following this link: http://bit.ly/kcKoVS

42 likes · like · see review

Feb 20, 2013 Palice Pottle marked it as apologies-did-not-get-to-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: might-finish-later, need-to-reread

Prelude.
Prologue.
Chapter 1, 2.
3, 4, 5, and 6.

I want to read more chapters.
:(
2 a week seems... not enough.

The inside is gorgeous.

14 likes · like · see review

Apr 11, 2013 Jesslyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: z2010-kindle-reads, fantasy-challenge, auto-buy-author, auto-buy-series, cat-epic-fantasy, cat-series-not-a-cliffhanger, cat-series-ongoing, kindle-lendable, 2013-kindle-reads

(EDIT 3-14-2013) This book is $2.99 in the major ebook stores for a limited time. Go get yours!

EDIT: After my re-read, once again I am blown away with how good this book was. I don't know if I will read again right before the next one comes out, but it is so good, I'm sure I will enjoy it just as much the 3rd time around.

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This is classic epic fantasy at its best. As always, Mr. Sanderson does a great job with character and story development, and of course gives you a we...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Evan Leach rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2010-2019

When I was a kid, I was never able to get the best of those damned Magic Eye paintings. I would stare and stare until my eyes watered, but to no avail.

description

  All I see is an OK fantasy novel.

  All I see is an OK fantasy novel.

Well, looking at The Way of Kings and its glittering, 4.58 rating is bringing back some painful childhood memories that I’ve tried really hard to repress. Because like those stupid paintings, I just can’t see what all the fuss is about. To be clear, I didn’t hate this book: I thought it was sort of O.K. But this is so out of proportion with what everybody else seems to think that I can’t help but feel out of the loop. It’s Mrs. Betzler’s 4th grade class all over again, so thanks for that Brandon Sanderson. I had three big problems with this book:

1. A lot of the action/fighting scenes were pretty tedious. Not once in the book did I feel that any of the main characters were in any serious risk, which sucked away a lot of the dramatic tension. Also, many of characters were so much better equipped/more skilled/blessed with more über magic than their hapless opponents that the battles were just page after page (after page) of the superman characters slaughtering hordes of luckless opponents. At times it felt like I was reading the transcript of somebody playing a video game. A 1,000 page transcript.

2. While Sanderson lays some good bricks here in terms of world-building, I never really got hooked by the history of this universe he created, and I didn’t get a great feel for what the world at large was really like (with the exception of a few locations like the Shattered Plains, etc.). That would be one thing if the book was 300 pages, or if it threw us straight into the action, but a book this size where the action is limited had better be doing some grade-A world-building and I didn’t think Sanderson reached that level.

3. Finally, your mileage may vary but the writing in this book drove me crazy. I haven’t read anything else by Sanderson, so I don’t know if this is just his style or if there was a failure in the editing process, but I found a lot of the dialogue in this book to be exhausting. For instance:

”Brightness…I believe you stray into sarcasm.”

“Funny. I thought I’d run straight into it, screaming at the top of my lungs.”

Ugh. Or this gem when a young lady requests an unusual book from a merchant:

”I can see you are a woman of discriminating taste.”

“I am. I do like my meals prepared very carefully, as my palate is quite delicate.”

“Pardon. I meant that you have discriminating taste in books.”

No. Nonononononono. But I don’t know. If the zingers above made you laugh, or if you like randomly placed exclamation marks in your dialogue, you probably will be just fine. This may just be a matter of personal taste, but the dialogue in this book drove me crazy.

Anyway, I don’t want to overstate my dislike for this book. I thought it was long, kind of sloppily written, and could be pretty boring at times. I very nearly quit at about the 450 page mark, which is a rarity for me. But there are some promising elements here: it’s not a Tolkien clone, at least, and some of the characters are pretty solid. Also, the plot got much more interesting as the book developed, and the second half was markedly better than the first (although that’s almost damning with faint praise), to the point that I’ll probably give the second book a chance whenever it comes out. But I sincerely hope it’s better than this one. 2 stars.

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Mar 26, 2013 Rob rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, stormlight-archive

Executive Summary: I loved this book. It's not perfect, but it instantly was added to my favorites shelf.

Will you love it too? Well that depends on what you're looking for. I've seen some people call that slow, but not me. I think book sets up would could become my new favorite series depending on what Mr. Sanderson does in the books that follow this one.

Full Review
I first heard of Mr. Sanderson, like many I suspect when he was announced as the one chosen to complete Robert Jordan's Wheel of T...more

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Sep 14, 2010 Messie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy Lovers

I loved so many things about this novel, the world, the various magic systems introduced, the different characters, etc. I was so anxious for Dalinor and Kaladin to meet and share ideals, or for Shallan to show her mysterious drawings. I had no idea the the voidbringers would be who they are and I thought that every scene with Szeth was amazing. Also I think that this book leads into, from what it sounds like, an amazing story.

Here is my objection. Where is the story line for this novel. After...more

9 likes · like · see review

Dec 31, 2011 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: brandon-sanderson, fantasy, 2011, favorites, leg-hump_worthy, nook, religion-related, reviewed, blog_etb, challenge-1010

This book. Wow.

I kinda don't even know what to write about this book. The scope of it, the detail, everything is just so... epic. And then I think about the fact that there are a proposed nine more books, and I just...

The EPICNESS.

As I was reading this, I admit to being unable to see how this story, already ginormous all on its lonesome, could expand to a whopping 10 book series and do it well. Keep the pacing, the excitement, the world, the magic system, the awesomenes all consistent.

Oh me...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Suzie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: love-it-highly-recommend, epic-fantasy

They say that you should never judge a book by its cover. Well this is one as such. I put off reading this for a while, despite recommendations, as I found it hard to move past the cover. It just didn't appeal to me. But, thankfully I put my prejudice aside and started.

I really loved this book. It was such a journey, one that I really didn't want to end, especially knowing that the next instalment is no where near ready for release. I have to be honest though, I was really confused and often. I...more They say that you should never judge a book by its cover. Well this is one as such. I put off reading this for a while, despite recommendations, as I found it hard to move past the cover. It just didn't appeal to me. But, thankfully I put my prejudice aside and started.

I really loved this book. It was such a journey, one that I really didn't want to end, especially knowing that the next instalment is no where near ready for release. I have to be honest though, I was really confused and often. I really had trouble getting my head around who were the heralds, who were the knights radiant, where did they fit in with the current times. I also found the minor characters handled in the interludes confusing as well. Some of them I still have no idea about, but I'm sure there will be links in future tomes.

All that aside, the main characters were so beautifully developed. I love Kaladin and Dalinar. I was close to crying when we finally got Tien's story. I wanted to slap Elhokar and loved it when Dalinar did just that. And Sadeas....well the less said the better without going into spoiler territory.

I loved the way that we went 3 steps forward, 1 step back with Kaladin's story. The way he continued to grow and grow as a character. Brilliantly written! The coming together of Bridge 4 was so worth the wait.

I am intrigued to learn more and see where Jashna and Shallen go on their journey. And the ending......well, I really wasn't expecting that. I'm glad I finally got to understand what the quotes and notations were all about at the beginning of each new chapter.

The final battle sequence at The Tower was amazing! Huge! Thrilling! Breathtaking! So much so that I could put the book down. And then the continuation of the storyline afterwards, what an incredible ending. I read through till 3:30 am to finish it (that really hurts when you have young children that get up at 5 am and then face a full day of work.) But I couldn't wait to finish work again, because I have gone right back to page 1 to re-read some of the earlier chapters to catch things that I missed. Time will only tell if I end up re-reading it in its entry straight away. But I can tell you this, I WILL definitely put this on my HIGHLY RECOMMENDED list and will personally re-read it often. I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next book.

Ps. I have to also say, I loved the fact that this book is 1000+ pages. It gave me more time to get emotionally invested in the characters, story & world. It's like the beginning of a blossoming relationship, so exciting, memorable, you want to slow down to savour it. So much better than all the latest "one night stand" type 200 page young adult books.(less)

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Mar 23, 2012 Marianne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am pretty stingy with my star ratings. I would honestly give this book 4.5 stars only because it took me 150 pages just to get into the book....not that it was slow - just confusing trying to figure out the new words, places, etc. But I can't give it 4 stars. It deserves 5.

I can't remember the last time that a chapter in a book made me feel the way the last battle scene did in this book. My jaw literally dropped, my heart was racing. I wanted to find out what happened so badly that I read too...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Kelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: deadtree

This only gets 4 stars, because I have never read a thousand page hardcover that, by the time I got to the end of it, I was forced to stand up and angrily declare that it was was too damn short, only to discover to my abject horror that it was the first of 10 planned books. I thought I could live happily without an epic fantasy series in my life once Brandon finished up the Wheel of Time. But no. The bastard has to draw me right back in - and this time I don't have the luxury of 7 or 8 books in...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Karen marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Recommended to Karen by: Anila

Shelves: action-packed, looking-forward-to, read-along, put-on-hold

Fuckawesome read along coming along soon...

This is a 1000+ page fantasy so of course, the lovely Cillian is here to read it with me.

Altogether, there's Myself, Cillian, Anila, Palice, Cory, Brandon, Jessie, Monica, Tabitha and Rae.

To those I haven't met yet, hello!

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Nov 05, 2010 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, maps

It's a very good story, very well told, but not quite a five. (Unlike other books I've rated five stars, I have no desire to read this tome again. In fact, I probably won't buy any of this series. The price is ridiculous, assuming the other nine will cost as much as the first.) Lots maps and illustrations, about half of them necessary.

I like maps but get frustrated (as here) when they do not quite fit the story. Example: The Shattered Plain is illustrated and described as being hundreds of mile...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Nazish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-d-kill-for, fantasy, slap-up-beginnings, gimme-more

Storms! This book has genuinely impressed me and somewhat steered my favourite genre to fantasy at a much higher level. I was actually looking all over to find it in hardback since such a long sequence gets spoiled and badly derailed on an e-reader but the beginning of the book was well crafted to keep a person like me hooked even while reading it on my phone.
It would be very difficult to review the story line as it’s a very rich phenomenon inlaid in a flood of events and history to make it one...more Storms! This book has genuinely impressed me and somewhat steered my favourite genre to fantasy at a much higher level. I was actually looking all over to find it in hardback since such a long sequence gets spoiled and badly derailed on an e-reader but the beginning of the book was well crafted to keep a person like me hooked even while reading it on my phone.
It would be very difficult to review the story line as it’s a very rich phenomenon inlaid in a flood of events and history to make it one lasting masterpiece but I can name a few of my favourite characters working their magic as the book grew on all the wrong places on me. (Tongue for one, I quickly adapted the language most of which sounded like twisted Arabic to me. At one occasion I found my name without the initial as a tribe’s name. Oh, wasn’t that intriguing for me! Hand for another; why did the women cover their hand? I would like to know if the information has escaped me somehow). So moving on to the characters, Kaladin and Dalinar were heartwarming ones. We had much to learn from these characters and they were not simply put there for the delight of teenage girls. Courage, bravery, strength at their weakest leaked out of every word they spoke. Brandon has the knack of making his characters larger than life. Men were stalwart and headstrong and women with backbones were confident, neutralizing the role play as portrayed by Jasnah and Shallan. I actually found their relationship fascinating and was very surprised with the way it went throughout. Syl, a windspren which always appeared in the form of a woman was another of female shape very well fashioned and subtly put.
The duels fought were more like a modern age game to me specially the part where the more Parshendi Kaladin killed having gems in their beard, the more stormlight he gathered making him stronger in combats. The final battle played was like a rock and roll! I had anticipated Kaladin’s first meeting with Dalinar to be like that. It was predictable but highly thrilling nonetheless.
The most impressive fact about this book was how Sanderson while keeping it high fantasy, made a grab for complex topics like atheism, philosophy of life and honour among men. Author’s foray into atheism with willful characters is quite astonishing as he himself is a Mormon. So, while this book is entertaining as it is, it actually gives the readers much to mull over. Keeping it simple, it’s a WONDERFUL book to read! It’s entertaining, gripping, thoughtful and at times gets beautiful (like The Hobbit. ^^,)
One you don’t want to hold long on your to-read lists!
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Sep 08, 2011 Derrick rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2010, owned-in-hc

So far, everything Sanderson has put out I have thought was fantastic. Even Warbreaker.

That being said, this book was overhyped and it failed to capture me.

At over 1000 pages, Sanderson needed to make me care about the characters, the world, the plot. I didn't actually start getting into the book until after the 500page mark. If this had been another author, I wouldn't have finished the book.

Thankfully, I did finish it. That being said, it was only from the 800page mark and on that I actually go...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Jorge Desormeaux rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I began reading this book with a frown. The Prelude lasts barely more than 3 pages, and it assaulted me with 'Desolations', 'Dustbringers', 'Shardblades', 'Oathpact' and 'Radiants', all of them thrown about without care or explanation. The first chapter is no better: more meaningless words strewn carelessly. Worse, the opening sccene is a first-person narrative of a white-clad assassin who engages in a dizzying (confusing) set of gravity-manipulating acrobatics (which involve more arbitrary name...more I began reading this book with a frown. The Prelude lasts barely more than 3 pages, and it assaulted me with 'Desolations', 'Dustbringers', 'Shardblades', 'Oathpact' and 'Radiants', all of them thrown about without care or explanation. The first chapter is no better: more meaningless words strewn carelessly. Worse, the opening sccene is a first-person narrative of a white-clad assassin who engages in a dizzying (confusing) set of gravity-manipulating acrobatics (which involve more arbitrary names of little use to the reader) to kill anything and everything in his way. Listening to his internal monologue was annoying, and I could find myself wishing for him to fail.

Obscure terms thrown around to impress and confuse the reader, check. Lots of compound words, some of which are redundant ('Oathpact'), check. Grotesquely overpowered character that polarised me within 4 pages, check. If the author makes this many mistakes in such a short number of pages, I thought, there is no chance this is going to be good.

I decided to stick with it anyway because both the author and the novel have an excellent reputation. And I am glad I did, because this novel is amazingly rich. Sanderson has a knack for weaving together worlds which are different from our own, and different from "standard" Tolkien-inspired fantasy, and part of that knack has to do with minting new names and visual ideas. Rather than offering the reader easy analogues with earth animals or fantastic creatures that everyone is familiar with, Sanderson makes his own. Also his own rules for what magic is and how it works, and a rich background that informs how the world came to be the way it is. It takes him a lot of time to set that up—and it takes the reader time, too, to become comfortable with it—but it pays off well.

In addition to having a great (fresh) setting that you have not seen before, The Way of Kings does an excellent job in studying the character and growth of the main characters it presents. It touches on subjects which are not usually examined in much depth in fantasy literature: Kaladin's story speaks about honour and loyalty in a way that is deeply personal and deeply touching, while Shallan’s story gives a personal account of betrayal. The novel is long and its pace is often slow, but that volume and time allow you, the reader, to get familiar with each of the main characters and it allows the author to let them grow organically, over long stretches, making them feel flawed, human, and very much alive.

I hav trouble discussing what makes The Way of Kings so good because the novel is so long and deals with so many things. It is among the best accounts of leadership that I've seen in fiction, and the best study of what loyalty and honour are about that I have ever read. It is refreshing to see a consistent framework for magic that even the main characters follow, rather than getting a pass because they're "the chosen ones".

But above all that—above the cleverness and effectiveness of the ideas that it deals with—the reader in me wants to recommend this book because it is such a good read. I read 1,007 pages of it in the space of 2-3 days; I was so engrossed in the narrative and what was going on with the characters that I was thinking, breathing consuming nothing else. I thought about technique and themes and author intent here and there, but it was only after I was finished that I had much time for it.

Neil Gaiman once remarked on how sad it is that "fantasy", the genre which deals with imagining new worlds and societies which aren't chained by the dictates of ours, has become so formulaic and samey. I often feel that way, and for that reason the amount of fantasy I consume has been declining steadily in recent years. To my fellow sceptics I would say: forget all the mediocre, half-baked, clumsy, unimaginative fantasy you've read that has made you cynical and knowledgeable about the vices of bad writing. This is the real thing.

May you enjoy the journey as much as I did.(less)

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Jan 28, 2013 Lee Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a book...and I mean that in a few ways. First, the book is enormous...over 1000 pages, the paper back needed to be split into 2 parts, so it is quite a read. The first part was challenging. I guess when you are planning a series of 7-10 books you need to set up all of the story lines going on simutaneously, plus the past histories to eventually pull everything together and just when you think he can't do more...he adds another story line. It really became quite confusing and at times had my...more

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Oct 21, 2010 Craig rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi-and-fantasy, overrated-turds, should-have-been-better-than-it-was

If you are one to only read reviews from people who have actually finished the book you might want to move along because, in this case, I certainly am not one of them.

Overhyped, overwrought, and overrated. What a colossal waste of time this book is. I got a third of the way through it and realized it for what it was: a 1000-page, jumbled, meandering prologue to a 10 book fantasy "epic". Ooooh no you don't, Sanderson! I learned that painful lesson with The Wheel of Time books even before you were...more

23 likes · like · see review

Oct 07, 2010 Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I have to admit, I was worried for the first 500 pages. This book is slow going at first. Early on, I found it difficult to really root for Kaladin (who wallowed in his own crapulance a lot) and for Dalinar (who has a crisis and withdraws from life). Fortunately, the Shallan/Jasnah storyline kept me pulling through and was, for me, the best of the three throughout.

All the main characters are vividly drawn and their personalities are intact and consistent throughout, which gets high marks in my o...more I have to admit, I was worried for the first 500 pages. This book is slow going at first. Early on, I found it difficult to really root for Kaladin (who wallowed in his own crapulance a lot) and for Dalinar (who has a crisis and withdraws from life). Fortunately, the Shallan/Jasnah storyline kept me pulling through and was, for me, the best of the three throughout.

All the main characters are vividly drawn and their personalities are intact and consistent throughout, which gets high marks in my opinion. Otherwise, how could I loathe Dalinar's inaction and Kaladin's wallowing? And let me not forget the two most dynamic characters of all, Syl and Wit(view spoiler). Having just come off reading Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy, I love that Wit, like Hobb's Fool, seems too knowledgeable and yet powerless. It works well in Way of Kings. All the secondary characters (and who knows how long they'll remain secondary) are brightly written as well. I enjoyed scenes with Adolin, Renarin, Danlan, Navani, Elkohar, Rock, Teft, Sigzil, and Taravangian.

I only have one small quibble with this book and it's really more of a request for future installments: Please, more of the women. Perhaps the clichest of cliches in modern fantasy is the male hero with female supporting cast. Navani, Danlan, and especially Jasnah and Shallan are very well written and deserve just as much "screen time" as the battle fighting heroes; they don't receive it in this book. The story moves well and Jasnah and Shallan's "big reveals" needed to wait to the end for plot reasons, so I understand spacing out Shallan's viewpoints, but I hope that the rest of the series will have more of these leading ladies.

There are, of course, plenty of cliffhangers by the end. (view spoiler)

A review such as this can't begin to approach the complexity of this book and it is, regardless, difficult to write a complete review of the first book in a series without a series to place it in. So I'll say this:

For fantasy fans who are worried about getting sucked into yet another endless series, this one felt more deliberate to me. Sanderson has a track record of delivering on extremely challenging deadlines and The Way of Kings is clearly a meticulously thought out plot. It may be a long series, but I feel like it will be worth the wait. The story is layered and twisted, the world-building is interesting without being gratuitous, the battles are spectacular, the characters are varied and vivid and complex. I will gladly keep shelling out money and time for this series if all the other books are this well executed.(less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Tomw rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a difficult book, but its creativity and writing style were worth the effort. I cannot imagine how the author could keep the threads in place: everything fits nicely. It was like life inside one of the those XBox games: always moving, with action and unexpected twists. I highly recommend this book, if you're a fan of SciFi or Fantasy. This author was selected to finish the WOT series, when Jordan passed. I can now see why!

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Jul 05, 2012 Igor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, sanderson

Ok, I'm reading fantasy books for over 20 years now and till Stormlight I never wanted to read sequel as much as I want the one from Stormlight Archive. The first book is really something special that simply leave you hungry for more! Anyone that enjoys epic fantasy should get this masterpiece as soon as possible!

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Nov 05, 2010 Marcus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Wow. Brandon Sanderson is incredibly creative. The world he builds in The Way of Kings is phenomenal. This is the first book I've read by him and if it's any indication of his work, he has a fabulous talent for creating conflict in imaginary worlds. I love how he gradually weaves his characters and plots together in ways that raise interesting moral and philosophical issues but still move the story along in intricate and unexpected directions. In that way, The Way of Kings is excellent.

My only q...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Kerri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

Wow. This is definitely one of my favorite books of all time and perhaps number 1 on my epic fantasy list. I spent last night pouring through the last 300 pages or so of this ginormous book, not because I planned to but because I couldn't stop. I think there is something here for almost any kind of fan of fantasy books, whether it is great world building, a rich backstory for the major characters, fabulous settings, or amazing fight scenes. As always, Sanderson has developed an incredible univer...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Uncommon Sellsword rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is as good as epic contemporary fantasy gets. In the nineties and beyond, the majority of works within this ilk were decidedly classified as adult fiction (aside the graphic content, it was usually the vast number of pages that would thwart younger readers). Unfortunately, this repertoire of fantastic fiction has garnered notoriety due to the tropes that spread like an infectious cyst.

It feels as though that fantasy authors don't seem to realize what makes a great fantasy novel. In the eig...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Brian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: brandon-sanderson, favorites

"The Way of Kings" falls into the epic fantasy genre, but could also be called 'epic' in terms of worldbuilding, quality, scope, imagination, and sheer page count! I'm a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson and his way of making outstanding, relatable characters that still feel real even in the unreal fantasy settings they are placed within. In this book, the first of an upcoming multi-book series, he really outdoes everything of his I have read before including his well-known (and well-loved) Mistborn...more "The Way of Kings" falls into the epic fantasy genre, but could also be called 'epic' in terms of worldbuilding, quality, scope, imagination, and sheer page count! I'm a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson and his way of making outstanding, relatable characters that still feel real even in the unreal fantasy settings they are placed within. In this book, the first of an upcoming multi-book series, he really outdoes everything of his I have read before including his well-known (and well-loved) Mistborn series.

The story focuses on a cast of 3 main characters in a surreal fantasy world where highstorms (think category 5 hurricane) scour the land every few days. The worldbuilding around this brings us some incredibly imaginative creations like giant crustacean monsters, a magic system based on the light of the thunderstorms, and magic swords that cut through anything but living flesh.

This 1000+ page book has a massive scope with flashbacks to a history that tantalizes. To help manage the scope, you spend multiple chapters following one or two of the main characters before switching gears to another one. I've seen how some are put off by this, but believe me that as the story draws together the payoff for the wait is so very worth it!

The three main characters each have unique pasts and outlooks on similar events happening around them. One is a man raised to be a surgeon and to cherish life, but circsumstance finds him enslaved in a warlord's army where death is a way of life. Another is a military leader trying to find honor when surrounded by the corrupt. Last is a scholarly woman trying to pull off a heist of a magical item to save her family, but as she learns more of her target she finds her motivations in conflict.

Oh -- and the artwork! There are many in-world illustrations scattered throughout the pages. I found that these added to the story rather than breaking you out because the artwork is from the point of view of the characters themselves. For example, you'll find a number of pencil sketches from one of the character's portfolios as they document what they see in their travels.

I loved this book for the quality of character, the almost cinematic action and magic, and the stretch of fantasy elements into something I've never quite seen done before. It's a big book that has so much meat to it that it could be a daunting read, but if you are up to the challenge it is one that will reward you over and over with action, magic, emotion, and fantastic imagination.(less)

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Nov 15, 2012 Rick Piatt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A complete rewrite of my previous review.

Last time I reviewed this I was quitting the book at about page 450 being completely disgusted with the snail's pace the story was moving. I also hated some of the main and supporting characters and no matter how I tried I could not relate to the world Brandon dreamed up. At page 450 this book was a complete flop for me.

Then three friends told me I was crazy and encouraged me to give it another try. One went so far as to tell me I was about 40 pages from...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Alvin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: favorite-series, high-fantasy, favorites, noteworthy-books

"action-packed high fantasy adventure!"
"first volume in a planned ten volume series called The Stormlight Archive."

I Really enjoyed reading The Way of kings.
Sanderson created a well-written adventure.

"Life before death.

Strength before weakness.

Journey before destination."

Sanderson did an amazing job creating a robust set of characters.
The main protagonists such as Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar, Szeth were created in a three dimensional format that they're engaged in different challenges that will re...more "action-packed high fantasy adventure!"
"first volume in a planned ten volume series called The Stormlight Archive."

I Really enjoyed reading The Way of kings.
Sanderson created a well-written adventure.

"Life before death.

Strength before weakness.

Journey before destination."

Sanderson did an amazing job creating a robust set of characters.
The main protagonists such as Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar, Szeth were created in a three dimensional format that they're engaged in different challenges that will reflect their true characteristics you'll love and hate.

What path these main characters should take?

In terms of plot development The Way of kings is in its superb state.
Mysterious characters and suspenseful battle system.
Incredible revelations that will reveal deeper mysteries.

Bravery, Motivation, Lashing, Teamwork, Soulcasting.

The Stormlight Archive Book One gives a clear writing style, intelligent humor, wit and an effective dialogue.

Spreading it into view is just beautiful.

Visualizing the vast World of Roshar will leave you in amazement. The architecture is fantastic and believable. Stones, Chasm and Storms, put these rough conditions together and we have a very difficult environment for our characters. Influencing their way on handling such complications.

And as you progress you will feel something is going on, something dark is coming to the World of Roshar.

gloryspren

(view spoiler)(less)

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Dec 19, 2012 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy

I love this book. There are words for how much I love this book, but my mind is too occupied with the fact that I love this book to figure out quite why I love it so much yet. I'll update this review later when I've thought about it more. I love, love, love this book; its story-line, dialogue, characterization, everything. I am very sad about the fact that the next one probably won't come out until the end of 2013.

Edit: I like complex books, one that make my mind work to keep up. I like characte...more

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Boring! Is this really "epic fantasy"...?	15	303	May 20, 2013 05:45pm
The Sword and Laser: The Way of Kings reread on tor.com	18	222	Mar 18, 2013 11:39am
Is this book auto-conclusive?	11	80	Mar 18, 2013 05:11am
Sci-fi and Heroic...: The Way of Kings	33	101	Mar 15, 2013 12:21pm
When is the 2nd book coming out?	6	181	Mar 04, 2013 02:19am
Any word on when book 2 comes out???	10	215	Feb 05, 2013 10:58pm
The wait has ended! but at the same time, it has begun.	17	265	Feb 03, 2013 07:03pm

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About Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author. A Nebraska native, he currently resides in Provo, Utah. He earned his Master's degree in Creative Writing in 2005 from Brigham Young University. He has been nominated twice for the John W. Campbell Award.

Sanderson married on July 7, 2006 and is a member of the LDS church. Sanderson's writing is noteworthy for its epic fantasy tone, unique settings,...more

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Books by Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)

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Quotes from The Way of Kings

“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.” — 177 people liked it

“Life before Death.
Strength before Weakness.
Journey before Destination.” — 157 people liked it

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The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1)

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