- Hardcover: 1008 pages
- Publisher: Gollancz (30 Dec 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0575099038
- ISBN-13: 978-0575099036
- Product Dimensions: 15.3 x 6.2 x 23.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 291,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Way of Kings: The Stormlight Archive
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Product Description
Review
"The Way of Kings is epic in every sense. Sanderson has built a world that leaps to life, a cast of varied characters and a vast history that slowly unfolds. While Sanderson cuts from the familiar cloth of fantasy, his narrative impetus and meticulous world building bode well for future volumes." (Eric Brown THE GUARDIAN )
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Book Description
The brand new epic fantasy series from international bestseller Brandon Sanderson.
--This text refers to the
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
78 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've spent the last three days awake at ungodly hours of the morning. I've cooked, showered and read. And that's about it. At least until now...
Now I'm a few slim pages from the end of this tome that comes good on every aspect of the word 'epic'.
So why have I still got a few pages left? Because I truly don't want it to end. The worst part of this book is knowing that part 2, 3 etc are not yet out. And so I eke out the few remaining pages, desperately drawing every last word out in the hope it'll take that little bit longer to finish.
If you're a fan of other worlds, of new frontiers and original storytelling then I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is in all honesty one of the most gripping, convoluted and absorbing tales I have read in years, and coming from someone who tends to read 4-6 books a month, you may realise how high praise that is.
Now I'm a few slim pages from the end of this tome that comes good on every aspect of the word 'epic'.
So why have I still got a few pages left? Because I truly don't want it to end. The worst part of this book is knowing that part 2, 3 etc are not yet out. And so I eke out the few remaining pages, desperately drawing every last word out in the hope it'll take that little bit longer to finish.
If you're a fan of other worlds, of new frontiers and original storytelling then I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is in all honesty one of the most gripping, convoluted and absorbing tales I have read in years, and coming from someone who tends to read 4-6 books a month, you may realise how high praise that is.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have read quite a lot by Brandon Sanderson including the Mistborn Trilogy and his contributions to the Wheel of Time series and have been thoroughly impressed. I had high hopes for this book and was not disappointed. I believe it to be one of the best books I've ever read.
Yes it is very long and probably quite a bother to carry around (not really a problem with the Kindle version that I read) but the pacing is perfect and the story never drags.
Character count is kept low so the story is not cluttered with characters that you have to flick back through the pages to remember. Characters are well developed and likeable.
The magic system has enough depth to be interesting while not being too complicated to follow.
In summary this is an exceptional introduction to a series that I can't wait to continue.
Yes it is very long and probably quite a bother to carry around (not really a problem with the Kindle version that I read) but the pacing is perfect and the story never drags.
Character count is kept low so the story is not cluttered with characters that you have to flick back through the pages to remember. Characters are well developed and likeable.
The magic system has enough depth to be interesting while not being too complicated to follow.
In summary this is an exceptional introduction to a series that I can't wait to continue.
59 of 63 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Brandon Sanderson is a fantasy author in a million -- he crafts complex, intricate fantasy worlds, and gilds them with exquisitely evocative prose. But his greatest challenge thus far has to be "The Way of Kings," an older manuscript that he apparently dusted off, rewrote, and is now expanding into a vast fantasy epic. This is only the first book, and it's over a thousand pages long.
It's pretty difficult to sum up the plot, since the cast is huge and aren't even in the same place. But long ago, the Radiants (sort of divine knights) once were sent by the Heralds to destroy the demonic Voidbringers. Then they turned against humanity, and begin warring over their godslaying Shardblades.
One part of the story follows Shallan, a desperate young noblewoman who is trying to save her family from ruin. So she seeks out the heretic princess Jasnah in hopes of becoming her attendant... but of course, she has her own secret motives to restore the family fortunes. Another follows Kaladin, a man enslaved in another land and with a shash glyph branded on his forehead.
And then there's Szeth, the "assassin in white" who killed Jasnah's father with a Shardblade, and Dalinar Kholin, the king's Highprince brother whose visions compel him to unite his people before the unthinkable happens. The oathpact has been shattered, and disaster is coming.
"The Way of Kings" is the sort of book that Robert Jordan should have written. The story is filled countless alien animals (they ride GIANT CRABS), mythologies, languages, magical systems and cultures, all with their own distinct quirks and characteristics. But Sanderson doesn't allow his story to be bogged down by the details -- instead he embroiders his elaborate plot with them.
The plot itself is almost confusingly complex, but slowly gels together as the story winds on and things start to make sense. And Sanderson paints the entire story in vivid, powerful prose ("His dreary feelings were like a black eel, coiled inside of him"). The one problem: it's so long and complex that casual readers will probably crumble after the first couple of chapters. This one needs some dedication.
And Sanderson shows his rare skill with characterization. He carefully fleshes out the main characters -- an aging warrior, a slave/soldier and a determined teenage girl -- and makes them all seem real and plausible. Kal is especially strong as a character, since Sanderson carefully develops the clash between his medical upbringing and his current job.
And there are countless striking supporting characters -- the young prince Adolin, the prickly and ruthless princess Jasnah, clever priests, and the acrobatic assassin Szeth, who is torn by his own crimes and sins.
"The Way of Kings" is a true epic -- grandiose, expansive, beautifully written... and only just the beginning of what is sure to be a vast, impressive series. It's a bit hard to just casually dip into, but the commitment is worth it.
It's pretty difficult to sum up the plot, since the cast is huge and aren't even in the same place. But long ago, the Radiants (sort of divine knights) once were sent by the Heralds to destroy the demonic Voidbringers. Then they turned against humanity, and begin warring over their godslaying Shardblades.
One part of the story follows Shallan, a desperate young noblewoman who is trying to save her family from ruin. So she seeks out the heretic princess Jasnah in hopes of becoming her attendant... but of course, she has her own secret motives to restore the family fortunes. Another follows Kaladin, a man enslaved in another land and with a shash glyph branded on his forehead.
And then there's Szeth, the "assassin in white" who killed Jasnah's father with a Shardblade, and Dalinar Kholin, the king's Highprince brother whose visions compel him to unite his people before the unthinkable happens. The oathpact has been shattered, and disaster is coming.
"The Way of Kings" is the sort of book that Robert Jordan should have written. The story is filled countless alien animals (they ride GIANT CRABS), mythologies, languages, magical systems and cultures, all with their own distinct quirks and characteristics. But Sanderson doesn't allow his story to be bogged down by the details -- instead he embroiders his elaborate plot with them.
The plot itself is almost confusingly complex, but slowly gels together as the story winds on and things start to make sense. And Sanderson paints the entire story in vivid, powerful prose ("His dreary feelings were like a black eel, coiled inside of him"). The one problem: it's so long and complex that casual readers will probably crumble after the first couple of chapters. This one needs some dedication.
And Sanderson shows his rare skill with characterization. He carefully fleshes out the main characters -- an aging warrior, a slave/soldier and a determined teenage girl -- and makes them all seem real and plausible. Kal is especially strong as a character, since Sanderson carefully develops the clash between his medical upbringing and his current job.
And there are countless striking supporting characters -- the young prince Adolin, the prickly and ruthless princess Jasnah, clever priests, and the acrobatic assassin Szeth, who is torn by his own crimes and sins.
"The Way of Kings" is a true epic -- grandiose, expansive, beautifully written... and only just the beginning of what is sure to be a vast, impressive series. It's a bit hard to just casually dip into, but the commitment is worth it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Terrific stuff
This was the first novel of Sanderson's I had read. I was aware of his good reputation and when discovering he had just released the first book in a new series I figured it would... Read more
Published 13 days ago by A. J. Waters
epic fantasy
simply one of the best fantasy epics ive ever read. on a par with wheel of time, song of ice and fire and lord of the rings. Read more
Published 21 days ago by Ed Pethick
Fantastic
Sanderson is utterly superb. This is one of the best fantasy books I have read in a while. The story is gripping with well developed characters. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Mr. Aj Wilson
The best epic fantasy I've read post-Tolkien!
See the title. I'm not kidding. This is really the only description that does this book justice. It's THAT good.
Sanderson succeeds at something monumental with this volume. Read more
Sanderson succeeds at something monumental with this volume. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Domien De Groot
Brilliant Book!
Absolute Genious! This Book is a rollercoster ride! Amazing! Entertaining! Original! I didn't much like the Mistborn Series, specially the end. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Reader
The Way of Fabulous Fantasy
I just finished 'The Way of Kings'. As an avid fantasy and sci-fi reader, I often need to try new authors to feed my reading appetite. Read more
Published 1 month ago by The Bookworm
Excellent novel by a master of the craft
The Way of Kings is the first novel in what is projected to be a ten novel series. It is one of the novels most deserving of the title "doorstopper" I've ever seen. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Itamar
The Way of Kings. Part 1
I very nearly did'nt buy this book because of its 70s throwback cover. Yes writers: the cover does make a difference to us author browsing readers. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Andy W.
An Epic Start
This book is Epic in every sense of the word. It has different worlds, great characters that are both likeable and memorable, and a fantastic system of magical cultures. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ilovefantasy
One Book to Rule them All
Robert Jordan was my favorite epic fantasy author until I read Sanderson's work. In the WOT series, Brandon wrote so similar to Jordan that I was a quick fan. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kirkus MacGowan
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