The Way of Kings

By Brandon Sanderson

The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson
  • Release Date: 2010-08-31
  • Genre: Epic Fantasy
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 8,516 Ratings

Description

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.

Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson

The Cosmere

The Stormlight Archive

The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer

The Mistborn trilogy

Mistborn: The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages

Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
Bands of Mourning


Collection
Arcanum Unbounded

Other Cosmere novels
Elantris
Warbreaker

The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Scrivener's Bones
The Knights of Crystallia
The Shattered Lens
The Dark Talent

The Rithmatist series
The Rithmatist

Other books by Brandon Sanderson

The Reckoners

Steelheart
Firefight
Calamity

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Reviews

  • Worth it

    5
    By lordlestibournes
    While I recommend reading the mistborn trilogy first, the Stormlight archive really is a recommendation to all fantasy fans. Yes, the book is over 1,000 pages long - but it pays off in the end. And if you immerse yourself in the world and follow the journeys alongside the characters, you’ll find yourself wanting more.
  • Long but worth it

    5
    By Marvin Lomeli
    This book is very long and takes a lot of time of works building. But it pays off at the end! It’s worth a read if you enjoy fantasy.
  • Incredible

    5
    By Blaurss45
    What a fun new world to dive into. 10/10 recommend.
  • Must read

    5
    By The thinker 96
    One of the best books I have ever read
  • Mm

    5
    By Bdjdishskshucjd
    It good
  • Great Series

    4
    By Loyal Player14
    I did not say “Great BOOK” I said Great Series”. Now, please know that I’m NOT complaining about this book. This book specifically has kind of a slow build to it but gets better and better. When you meet “The Assassin In White”, you’ll love his story. You’ll love Shallan’s, Adolin, Dalinar, Navani (I personally don’t like her but I know that many other people do and that I’m probably the weird one) and Kaladin along with all there Spren. I love all the characters except Navani and sometimes I tolerate Shallan. I just feel like my favorite MAIN character (Kaladin) has such a SLOW build in this book. The rest of the books its not like that. You’ll feel all kinds of emotions reading this book and series. Again, I’m NOT whining about the book, I just feel like Kaladin’s story could have gone a little bit quicker. One of my most fun series that I would recommend to my friends.
  • The way of kings

    4
    By queenbeePF
    Awesome
  • A stunning epic

    5
    By Expert_Square_Dancer:)
    Yes, this book is BIG. But this is definitely on my favorite books of all time list, and I have read a LOT (and I mean a *LOT*) of books. I especially love how Sanderson deals with the different characters’ psychology. Kaladin has a lot of trauma and I can UNDERSTAND what he’s going through. Dalinar is trying to become a better person and I’m sure a lot of us can relate to that. Shallan’s has a job to do to save the people she cares about, but can she really pull it off? (She gets more mental hardships later on, trust me.) Then the setting is incredible! Roshar is a fresh new world for anyone who feels like they’ve seen all the fantasy worlds. It’s not only just cool, but there’s so much depth to it! This story has real heroes that you’ll root for, villains you’ll despise, people that take a while before you can decide which side they’re on, beautiful artwork, and a plot line that’s more complicated than it seems at first glance. That was really long, but I totally recommend! Five stars!
  • Drawn in completely

    5
    By Mr Toner
    It was tough going at first — assimilating a whole new vocabulary, — but I was eventually drawn into the story in such a way that compelled me to read hours at a time. Can’t wait to start the next volume!
  • A must read

    5
    By Nburnev
    An amazing begining to the best fantasy ever