The Way of Kings

The Stormlight Archive, Book 1

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

Length: 45 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

From number one New York Times best-selling 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 10 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 10 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 more than 10 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

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2010 Dragonsteel Entertaiment, LLC (P)2010 Macmillan Audio

Initially skeptical, now a fan

I picked up this book in hardcover after several recommendations from friends who knew I was a fan of the high fantasy genre. I tried starting it a couple times, but the opening just didn't grip me right away and I was having trouble getting into the story. I eventually decided to try the audio book version and I'm glad I did.

The narration is excellent, and while it still took me a little bit to get into, it came easier in audio book. Probably the thing I really was enjoying is how Sanderson goes about the world building, He does an excellent job of treating you like you should know something, but revealing details in bits and pieces over time so you have these "ah-ha" moments which always feel good. Once I felt invested into one of the main characters, I couldn't stop listening. I don't think The Way of Kings is perfect, mostly because there is a lot going on being the opening book to a massive epic story so there is a lot of backstory and set pieces in place, However knowing that everything was building toward something made it easier to get through the early parts of the story. I'd also say that having read a ton of fantasy I thought I knew exactly where the story was going about mid way through the book, but the last few chapters were quite the ride that I honestly didn't see coming and made me appreciate it the writing that much more. I immediately came and picked up the next two books in the series and I'm looking forward to more in this world.

One of the best stories I’ve ever heard.

I loved it I loved every minute of it I love the tempo and the speed of winter is never slow or too fast everything about this is amazing

I cried out of sheer excitement and joy towards the end can’t wait to start the second one finishing a 55 hour buck in one week I don’t even know where the time went

Really really good.

There are books that are 8 hours long that I struggle to get through. Then there is this one. 45 hours long and at the end I am like “what?! No! I need more!”

great author great story

I love the different perspectives used to tell the tale. great premise and epic world building, as always with Sanderson

I loved it.

Good story. I will be buying the next book. Thanks for writing it. Good job!

Could have been a 5

The book was great. The 4 stars are because the narrators pronounced names differently.

Slow start strong ending

I really struggled in the beginning it. It takes quite a while for everything to finally click into place but when it does you can look back and see why things were done because they all lead to a satisfying conclusion. All parts of the book set up what looks to be a great start to a interesting story

Great book

My only problem is a small thing in the performance of this book, Kate Reading has a different pronunciation of Sadeas than Michael Kramer does and it really bothered me.

The book is awesome and otherwise amazing

Great book

Sometimes the narrorators pronounced something or someone's name differently from each other. It did not happen often, but it annoyed me when it was a main character, because it was very obvious.

Fantasy at it's best!

Very creative world and story. It took a little while to really pick up, but the epic ending makes it worth it.