Who Would Like This Book:
Epic doesn’t even begin to cover it! The Way of Kings kicks off Brandon Sanderson’s magnum opus with jaw-dropping worldbuilding, a unique magic system, and a sprawling cast of deeply human characters. If you geek out over intricate fantasy worlds, love clever political intrigue, and crave epic adventure with a touch of philosophy, this is your book. Fans of Game of Thrones and The Wheel of Time will feel right at home, and anyone who loves sinking into massive, immersive reads with characters you can truly care about will be hooked.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This is not a book for the faint of heart or those looking for a quick read. At over 1,000 pages, it demands patience and focus. Some find the pacing slow and the heavy worldbuilding a bit overwhelming, especially in the early chapters. If you prefer tight plots with constant action, concise storytelling, or standalone novels that wrap up cleanly, this saga might feel more like wading through a textbook than embarking on an adventure. Also, the character introspection and frequent flashbacks aren’t for everyone.
About:
'The Way of Kings' in 'The Stormlight Archive' series by Brandon Sanderson is an epic fantasy novel that introduces readers to a world filled with unique magic systems, intricate world-building, and deep character development. The plot revolves around multiple main characters, each with their own complex storylines that eventually intertwine. The magic system in the book is innovative and tied to gems that capture stormlight, which powers magical armor and various other elements in the world. The writing style is described as engaging, with a mix of slow-paced world-building and action-packed sequences that keep readers hooked throughout the 1000+ pages of the book.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for The Way of Kings include themes of depression, PTSD, war violence, slavery, and substance abuse.
From The Publisher:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, Book One of the Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.
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.
Ratings (881)
Incredible (384) | |
Loved It (282) | |
Liked It (128) | |
It Was OK (47) | |
Did Not Like (27) | |
Hated It (13) |
Reader Stats (1641):
Read It (896) | |
Currently Reading (33) | |
Want To Read (513) | |
Did Not Finish (23) | |
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18 comment(s)
The actual story was okay and pretty compelling, but I thought it dragged and the interludes were unnecessary. Also, I never warmed to Sanderson’s writing style. I don’t think he’s for me.
A masterpiece
Brandon Sanderson is a master at creating immersive worlds full of unique, well-crafted characters, and spectacular plot lines!
Every time I want to read fantasy, I have to screen out books that are trying to be this one-- pointlessly slow, plodding, boring. This is simply the book that tipifies every bad thing about what some call "high fantasy". Hated it, every single page.
Most of the book was a four star, but the last few chapters skyrocketed the rating to five.
There is romance in this book people pair up and there is a lot of talk about love etc
Characters: 9
Atmosphere: 10
Writing: 7
Plot: 10
Intrigue: 10
Logic: 10
Enjoyment: 9
9.28 = 5 Stars
Slow read but absolutely amazing. Magic system is cool but the characters are truly fantastic.
This was a behemoth. I consider it something of a slow burn since it took so long for anything to happen. It built up to it, though. And it makes me want to read the next book, but not for a while. I don't think I can stomach another 1200+ page book right now. It took way too long.
4.5*
What can you read after
The Way of Kings?
About the Author:
Brandon Sanderson grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He lives in Utah with his wife and children and teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University. He is the author of such bestsellers as the Mistborn® trilogy and its sequels, The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, and The Bands of Mourning; the Stormlight Archive novels The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance; and other novels, including The Rithmatist and Steelheart. In 2013, he won a Hugo Award for Best Novella for The Emperor's Soul, set in the world of his acclaimed first novel, Elantris. Additionally, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time® sequence.
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