The Way of Kings

[Becky]

Luke wrote: "With Brandon Sanderson, he intertwines some of his books, it's called the Cosmere. I believe this includes Elantris, Mistborn, and The Stormlight Archive books (there are probably a few others but ..."

Yes, but there's not a reading order that I'm aware of.

[Luke]

None that I'm aware of either, however from trying to piece things together, it seems like Mistborn is where most things really start off for the Cosmere, but again, I haven't read it yet.

[Lee]

I think Sanderson's first book was Elantris. It's a standalone and a good place to start. I like it a lot. And it's a good introduction to ideas and themes that he uses in all of works.

[Paolo]

I´m jumping into Sanderson for the first time with The Way of Kings. My main worry is that if I read Mistborn after this I won´t enjoy it as much, since from what I´ve heard and read he was already a master world-builder with Mistborn but the characterizations have gotten much better with Stormlight.

[Becky]

I don't think that's the case, Paolo. Mistborn's world-building is excellent, but I wouldn't call WOK's better, necessarily, just different and bigger.

[Paolo]

I´m sorry - I meant to say that what I´ve heard is that the worldbuilding is excellent in both cases, and that the character development is better in Stormlight.

[Lee]

I've read both and I prefer Mistborn. Mistborn and Way of Kings have similarities but for the most part they're completely different. Way of Kings might be better at characterization but that doesn't necessarily mean the characters are better. It's also hard to judge the story by Way of Kings alone. Mistborn is complete. Which should be a big plus for any fantasy reader. Anyway. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't think reading Way of Kings will ruin Mistborn for you.

[Paolo]

Thanks, good to know!

I agree that a series being complete is a HUGE bonus for readers. I was thinking of not starting Way of Kings until the end of the series was at least in sight, but all the hype around Words of Radiance made me change my mind.

Currently I´m having ASOIAF withdrawal wondering when/if the next book will come out, and I´m still bitter about the whole Wheel of Time fiasco which I abandoned halfway through. After an incredible first four books, I had been seriously unimpressed with the series for a while, then I bought book 10 when it came out and never got past a few chapters.

[Jackie]

Paolo wrote: "Currently I´m having ASOIAF withdrawal wondering when/if the next book will come out, "

All ASOIAF fans are in the same boat ;) But, at least we have the new TV season to look forward too.


I wanted to start Way of Kings during lunch, but apparently I didn't download it onto my nook. I have some smut I have to finish reading at home, so I think I will start tomorrow instead.

[Lee]

I was hoping to finish A Clash of Kings before I started Way of Kings but I'm not getting anywhere with it. It's a reread and I'm getting bored with it. I might put it aside for now and start WoK instead.

[Paolo]

Got my copy today! I´ll start reading tonight or tomorrow.

[Katy]

Almost finished. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this book and how many questions I had after reading it.

[Luke]

Kathy wrote: "Almost finished. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this book and how many questions I had after reading it."

I know, I thought the second read was going to be harder than the first, but it's just as good.

Have you read the pre-released chapters of WoR? That explains quite a bit.

[Eon Windrunner]

Second read was even better for me. Missed so many things on the first read..... So far I'm avoiding the WOR pre-released chapters. Want to wait for the full release.

Pre-ordered last week! Cant wait!

I heard the last few chapters in particular are jaw-dropping stuff. :)

[Eon Windrunner]

Luke wrote: "None that I'm aware of either, however from trying to piece things together, it seems like Mistborn is where most things really start off for the Cosmere, but again, I haven't read it yet."

Luke. Seriously. Read Mistborn.

[Luke]

Lol I'M TRYING! I only get 2 hours a day to read, and that gets me about 100 pages through my WoK re-read a day. I'm on page 650, so that means 6 more days on WoK (not counting the weekend when I'll have plenty of time to read). Then, I've got to re-read the pre-released chapters of WoR so I can dive straight in. THEN I'll finally have time for Mistborn lol.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

2 hours. Wow.

Lately I haven't been able to get 2 hours without hearing people TALK all the goddamn time.

[Luke]

My wife works an opposite shift that I do (and thankfully we don't have kids yet) so I get an hour at lunch which includes her trying to talk to me. Then, in the evening I get a little over an hour of un-interrupted reading which is akin to heaven for me.

[Eon Windrunner]

Luke wrote: "Lol I'M TRYING! I only get 2 hours a day to read, and that gets me about 100 pages through my WoK re-read a day. I'm on page 650, so that means 6 more days on WoK (not counting the weekend when I'l..."

Lol, hectic. Good luck!

I'm doing the late night/bleary eyed thing myself, but luckily did WOK re-read last month. Phew...

[Luke]

Yeah, I wish I would have started earlier. Literally ALL my free time (outside of maybe an hour of TV with my wife) is spent reading.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon, Not a book hipster!]

Luke wrote: "Lol I'M TRYING! I only get 2 hours a day to read, and that gets me about 100 pages through my WoK re-read a day. I'm on page 650, so that means 6 more days on WoK (not counting the weekend when I'l..."

We're doing a Mistborn buddy read in April or May or something.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

I'm hoping to start this tonight, if some of the extra chaos subsides.

Also, I abandoned the "real" book I was reading last night because I was meh about it. So my HC of TWoK should fit nicely into that slot.

[Lee]

I just started my copy again. You know you're in trouble when the prologue has a prologue. Lol.

I do love the way it starts though. I have no idea what happened, but I have a feeling it was important. It reminds me more of a little of how Wheel of Time starts - still one of my favorite beginnings of all time.

* I'm constantly having to 'correct' my auto corrects - stupid phone.

[Luke]

That was one of my big problems for WoT, the prologues were 100+ pages sometimes. It would frustrate me because I'd finish one book, be excited for the next, and then have to wade through a massive prologue before the real action started again.

[Davide]

Definitely starting it today! :)

[Lee]

Luke wrote: "That was one of my big problems for WoT, the prologues were 100+ pages sometimes. It would frustrate me because I'd finish one book, be excited for the next, and then have to wade through a massive..."

Oh boy. I agree. Glad it wasn't just me. That's why I stopped reading them. I got to book 5 (maybe 6?) and had no idea who the character was in the prologue. I stopped and never went back.

I love how The Eye of the World starts though.

[Lee]

Szeth - (view spoiler)[ is a very cool character. And one time I would've absolutely loved this character. But for some reason as I get older I don't like characters like this anymore. Especially assassins. And I can't respect the whole philosophy of, 'I'm only a weapon, you don't hold the weapon responsible for what it does.'

I am eager to learn more about him though - don't get me wrong. (hide spoiler)]

[Luke]

Yeah, that was probably my second least favorite thing about WoT, right behind the gender interactions.

And so I don't officially throw this thread wildly off course, TWoK re-read made me ponder something.

(view spoiler)[How do the Parshendi know when there's a pupating chasmfiend? I don't remember reading about any Parshendi scouts that watch for them. Do they just react to the horns that the humans blow when they spot one? (hide spoiler)]

[Luke]

Yeah, that character type is too overdone for my taste. I enjoy his chapters, but not nearly as much as the rest of the characters.

[Lee]

Alright. First 100 pages done.

Kaladin - (view spoiler)[ Kaladin is my favorite character (so far - my favorite comes later in Part 2). There's something about his never say give up attitude that I love. (hide spoiler)]

Shallan - (view spoiler)[ I like Shallan but she annoys the heck out of me too. I mean I like her - Sanderson makes it hard *not* to like her. Her cleverness comes across as being a little too clever for me. And comes across as being snobbish. She's a poor little rich girl who (thinks) she knows everything. (hide spoiler)]

Bridgeruns - (view spoiler)[ these chapters broke me every time I tried to read this. I hate the bridgeruns. Hate. Hate. Hate them. (hide spoiler)]

[Dawn, Dawnerys, Mother of Modding]

Starting this tonight! I'm excited :)

[Lee]

Finished Part 1. :)

Going much smoother than the last time I read it. And I finally feel like I'm getting thru my reading slump. Not that I wasn't reading, but I wasn't enjoying what I was reading.

I was thinking of some of the similarities between Sanderson's books (this one and Steelheart surprisingly) and I was wondering: I know that Sanderson has confirmed that his books share the same universe (though, maybe not the same world) but has he hinted at any sort of supposed order to them? And are they all of his books? Or just the main ones?

I wonder because (view spoiler)[ of the idea of "super beings" who are supposed to protect mankind is a big theme in both this one and Steelheart. And it got me wondering if they might in some way be connected. (hide spoiler)]

[Chris , cookie guilt]

From what I understand, all of his books that aren't YA or WoT fit into the overall universe called "Cosmere".

That is,

Mistborn
Stormlight Archive
Elantris/Emperor's Soul
Warbreaker

..each constitute one world in this universe. Also, the story in Dangerous Women is set in another one.

[Lee]

Didn't know that Emperor's Soul was a sequel (?) to Elantris.

My theory for Steelheart is still (view spoiler)[ that the shards from Stormlight Achieve were found and experimented with... Right or not. Lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Lee]

I read the first intermission between parts one and two. I completely forgot about how completely messed up (view spoiler)[ Szeth is and that he has to do whatever others tell him to. I'm curious to see if he has to because he made an oath or because of a compulsion.

And Shallan's brother... What a sicko.

(hide spoiler)]

[Thaddeus]

Been a while since I read this. I think I read it after the first Mistborn book but before I finished the trilogy.

Anyway, keeping things spoiler-free, I think this is probably my favourite of Sanderson's books so far. Not perfect, and definitely enormous, but I really rather liked it. Some of the interludes didn't work for me but I remember enjoying it a lot.

[Luke]

@Nienna, yeah, although when you consider their father, he's not that bad.

Shallan's Family - (view spoiler)[The oldest brother is "dead" but he "died" off screen so to speak, so I think we can safely assume that he'll show up and become important at some point. (hide spoiler)]

[Lee]

Luke wrote: "@Nienna, yeah, although when you consider their father, he's not that bad.

Shallan's Family - [spoilers removed]"

Right. Isn't that always the rule? Lol.

[Dawn, Dawnerys, Mother of Modding]

I had forgotten just how good this book was.. I'm only a few chapters in, but already I don't want to put it down. I keep thinking maybe I'm sick and need to go home early from work? lol :P

[Eon Windrunner]

Sandersonitis. Its contagious too. ;)

[Eon Windrunner]

@Emily. Bit late in the conversation, but i think The Emperors Soul is perfection as well. Sanderson's imagination is just out of this world.

[Becky]

You do sound rather stuffy... *cough cough* :P

[Luke]

Eon wrote: "Sandersonitis. Its contagious too. ;)"


Lol, Sandersonitis. I hear it's chronic and is prone to flare-ups every year or two around certain dates.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

Nienna wrote: "Didn't know that Emperor's Soul was a sequel (?) to Elantris.

My theory for Steelheart is still [spoilers removed]"

I haven't read Emperor, though I read Elantris. I don't think it's a sequel, but a story set on a different continent on the same world.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

I did start this last night. Didn't get far - 35 pages out of 1000 is pretty minuscule. But I read both the prologue and the prologue to the prologue.

And it's more confusing than Malazan.

[Becky]

Chris wrote: "I read both the prologue and the prologue to the prologue."

But did you read the prologue to the prologue's prelude?

[Jake]

I see mention of the cosmere and can’t help but add my two cents. So from what I’ve discussed with others and put together myself, and yes I’ve taken some liberties here, in the universe called the comsere there was something akin to a big bang theory that created 16 or so shards (This is the most unclear part). These shards are actually gods that have either created or inhabited planets. In the Mistborn trilogy there is Preservation and Ruin and in the WoK there is the almighty.

The idea that Sanderson’s books are set on different planets in the same universe seems rather unimportant until you realize there is one character that seems to be able to jump planets. This character is Hoid. He is wit in the WoK and shows up as a beggar in the first Mistborn book. He also shows up in The Alloy of Law which shows he may be immortal, or very long lived.

[Chris , cookie guilt]

Becky wrote: "Chris wrote: "I read both the prologue and the prologue to the prologue."

But did you read the prologue to the prologue's prelude?"

Right, that's the blurb, isn't it?

[Lee]

Jake wrote: "I see mention of the cosmere and can’t help but add my two cents. So from what I’ve discussed with others and put together myself, and yes I’ve taken some liberties here, in the universe called th..."

I find it fascinating. Confusing. But fascinating. I am hoping Sanderson plans to tie it all together though. Sooner rather than later. I like to think he has a master plan behind it all and that's why his books are so similar. I hope so anyway.

[Lee]

I started Part 2 and plan to finish it (Part 2 not the whole book!) by the end of the weekend.

Btw- I mentioned earlier that my favorite character shows up in later chapters. I've gotten to him. It's Dalinar. Couldn't remember the name before.