From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)

Brandon Sanderson

Start date: February 1, 2013

Finish date: February 28, 2013

Discussion: Book Discussions

Why we're reading this: This is our February, 2013, Contemporary Novel choice for group read & discussion
#71 on NPR's Top 100 SF/…more
[close] This is our February, 2013, Contemporary Novel choice for group read & discussion
#71 on NPR's Top 100 SF/F novels of all time (2011 poll) http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/1390858...
#20 on Locus Magazines Best Fantasy novels of the 21st century http://www.locusmag.com/2012/AllCentu...

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 250 topics — 8,801 comments total

Book Discussions

"Cyteen" by C.J. Cherryh
By deleted member · 48 posts · 103 views

last updated May 24, 2025 11:25PM

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
By deleted member · 46 posts · 150 views

last updated Mar 28, 2025 02:28PM

showing 10 of 33 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Apr 04, 2014 Richard Guion rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-to-read

One of the longest yet one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read! I went into this with some trepidation. The Mistborn series was awesome, but one of the things that slowed down the second book in that series was the political maneuverings. In a novel the size of WoK I knew there had to be less action - would Sanderson be able to make that entertaining for 900+ pages? He really did and I think it goes to his maturity as a writer. I never wanted to skip a chapter for any character (something One of the longest yet one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read! I went into this with some trepidation. The Mistborn series was awesome, but one of the things that slowed down the second book in that series was the political maneuverings. In a novel the size of WoK I knew there had to be less action - would Sanderson be able to make that entertaining for 900+ pages? He really did and I think it goes to his maturity as a writer. I never wanted to skip a chapter for any character (something I could not say about Game of Thrones). I was so absorbed into the world I even bought a used copy of the hardback (in addition to the Kindle/Audible versions) so I could look at the illustrations closer. The layers of worldbuilding really add up to something and I am sure there are details that I missed. By the time I got to the last third of the novel I could not stop.

The way that Sanderson constructed this novel reminds me of the TV show LOST. LOST dropped breadcrumbs to hint about each characters past; Sanderson does the same here with Kaladin and Shalann. An early chapter shows Kaladin in battle with an enemy force and then in the next chapter we find that months have passed and he is a slave. Getting between those two points, and the journey from childhood to soldier, takes some time but it was fascinating. A lot of people who read WoK gave up because they didn't like the chapters of Kaladin in the Bridge crew. I found those scenes to be very good and having a classical relationship to movies like Ben-Hur where the slave eventually becomes something greater.

Last year I picked up one of those books that Sanderson signs and leaves in a bookstore to be bought by a fan - the book was Warbreaker and in addition to the autograph it had a card. The card had a picture of the Shattered Plains and a quote from Kaladin: "I will protect those who cannot protect themselves." Now I finally know where that quote comes from and the scene where Kaladin says that is tremendously good.

Now l look forward to reading Words of Radiance - luckily I waited to read WoK until the sequel was published!

Re-read October 2017: even better the 2nd time! I had forgotten so many details from my first read 3 years ago. This time I paid closer attention to the mythology of the Radiants, the Voidbringers, etc, the interactions between Syl & Kaladin. Now onto WoR and finish that in time for Oathbringer. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2017 Arindam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: new-fantasy, magic, fantasy, world-building, owned

If Mistborn was a trailer of what Brandon Sanderson could do, The Way of Kings takes it up several levels. It is truly epic in world building, gradual introduction to all major characters and threading multiple storylines around the geopolitical landscape of Roshar.
I have not read such a humongous volume in over 17 years, so it took some motivation to read through all of the 1280 pages.
Like any high fantasy, there is drama, war, magic, politics, good over evil and so on. Some characters do seem ...more

Like · see review