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

good but tedious

a lot of filler. Very slow, overly complex and emotional. Very good performance and actual story is compelling

worth the slow start

such a massive world building book. felt daunting at first but so worth sticking through it.

Frikin epic.

Okay first off, when I decided to give this author a try, this is the book I chose and the reviews I read have a lot of bad things to say about the female reader. I honestly think she was incredible and fit the part perfectly for the characters she was reading for. The mail reader was also fantastic. I do have to say he does grow with the character’s And gets better as the book goes on. This is one of those multi part books with several main characters spread across the world. I don’t normally like that but Sanderson gets you so hooked on each individual storyline so well that every time it swaps it leaves you with a deep frustration only to be replaced by an intense satisfaction only to be frustrated again at the next switch. Brilliantly done. One of the best coming-of-age stories I have ever read in the world beautifully built. It does take a long time to build this world so I strongly recommend you stick it out. It is well worth it. I am so excited for book 2.

Sanderson continues to do amazing work

Sanderson continues to do amazing work, this time in a much more "epic fantasy" way. Also Kramer and Reading continue to be my favorite audiobook readers around!

One of Sanderson's best

I have enjoyed many of Brandon Sanderson's novels and The Way of Kings is my favorite. The characters are brilliantly written. With great background storylines.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy

well done.

book was well done. I like the actors voice and have listen to them on many books.

Best fantasy fiction ever!

The Way of Kings is what epic fantasy is supposed to be. I rarely re-read fiction. This is worth many re-reads.

Storm Father....my new curse words.

Dragged for about 2 chapters. After that it was amazing. The narrators are a little robotic but you get over that fast.

I don't write reviews

It may be pointless to even review this book after seeing how many 5 star reviews it gets. But this book is absolutely incredible. The cosmere that Sanderson builds is just amazing. I have never been a fan of fantasy and if I'm honest I thought these were books for kids. I didn't think fantasy was for adults. But wow I was wrong. This is easily one of the best books (and series) that I have ever read / listened to in my life.

Slow burn, but SO worth it

I’d recommend this to anyone who likes vivid fantasy worlds, strong character development, and strong leading female characters (there are strong men and women alike).

It took me until almost 1/3 to 1/2 way through this book to get utterly immersed and hooked… it is a slow burn at first. You get used to the female narration, it’s a tad annoying but I got over it very quickly.

This makes me as excited as I was reading LOTR or Kingkiller Chronicles, it just took me a tad to get there. An epic world, beautifully intertwined stories, thrilling and clever. Highly recommend to all fantasy lovers!